Bruce Fordyce facts for kids
Bruce Fordyce at his 500th parkrun
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| Nationality | South African | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 3 December 1955 Hong Kong |
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| Alma mater | University of the Witwatersrand | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Bruce Fordyce, born on December 3, 1955, in Hong Kong, is a famous South African runner. He is known for running very long distances, called marathons and ultramarathons. Bruce Fordyce also spoke out against Apartheid, which was a system of unfair rules in South Africa.
He is most famous for winning the tough Comrades Marathon in South Africa a record nine times! Eight of those wins were one after another. He also won the London to Brighton Ultramarathon three times in a row. Bruce Fordyce even held world records for running 50 miles and 100 kilometers.
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Early Life and Education
Bruce Fordyce was born in Hong Kong. When he was 13 years old, his family moved to Johannesburg, South Africa. He finished high school at Woodmead High School.
After school, he went to the University of the Witwatersrand. There, he earned two degrees. During his time at university, he was part of the student council. This council worked against Apartheid, which was a system of racial segregation. He was also on the university's athletic club committee.
Comrades Marathon Wins
The Comrades Marathon is a very long and challenging race in South Africa. Bruce Fordyce first ran it in 1977. He finished 43rd out of many runners. Each year, he got better and better.
In 1979, he came in 3rd place. In 1980, he finished 2nd. Then, from 1981 to 1988, he won the race eight times in a row! This was a new record. He won it again in 1990, making it nine wins in total. No other runner has won the Comrades Marathon so many times.
Bruce Fordyce also held the record for the "up" run. This is when the race goes from Durban to Pietermaritzburg. He also held the record for the "down" run. This is from Pietermaritzburg to Durban. His "down" run record of 5 hours, 24 minutes, and 7 seconds lasted for 21 years!
Bruce Fordyce's Comrades Marathon Results
Here's a look at Bruce Fordyce's results in the Comrades Marathon over the years:
| Year | Position | Time | Direction | Medal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 43 | 06:45:00 | Up | Silver |
| 1978 | 14 | 06:11:00 | Down | Silver |
| 1979 | 3 | 05:51:15 | Up | Gold |
| 1980 | 2 | 05:40:31 | Down | Gold |
| 1981 | 1 | 05:37:28 | Up | Gold |
| 1982 | 1 | 05:34:22 | Down | Gold |
| 1983 | 1 | 05:30:12 | Up | Gold |
| 1984 | 1 | 05:27:18 | Down | Gold |
| 1985 | 1 | 05:37:01 | Up | Gold |
| 1986 | 1 | 05:24:07 | Down | Gold |
| 1987 | 1 | 05:37:01 | Up | Gold |
| 1988 | 1 | 05:27:42 | Up | Gold |
| 1990 | 1 | 05:40:25 | Up | Gold |
| 1991 | 328 | 06:57:02 | Down | Silver |
| 1994 | 19 | 06:01:54 | Up | Silver |
| 1995 | 2232 | 08:42:48 | Down | Bronze |
| 1996 | 329 | 06:59:30 | Up | Silver |
| 2000 | 2691 | 08:41:11 | Up | Bill Rowan |
| 2001 | 2790 | 08:50:52 | Down | Bill Rowan |
| 2002 | 4252 | 09:48:46 | Up | Bronze |
| 2003 | 2784 | 08:53:12 | Down | Bill Rowan |
| 2004 | 3088 | 09:26:02 | Up | Bronze |
| 2005 | 2311 | 08:45:20 | Down | Bill Rowan |
| 2006 | 3596 | 09:41:11 | Up | Bronze |
| 2007 | 3861 | 09:48:18 | Down | Bronze |
| 2008 | 3710 | 10:07:33 | Up | Bronze |
| 2009 | 3818 | 09:48:21 | Down | Bronze |
| 2010 | 965 | 07:55:03 | Down | Bill Rowan |
| 2011 | 488 | 07:30:31 | Up | Bill Rowan |
| 2012 | 1099 | 08:06:10 | Down | Bill Rowan |
Bruce Fordyce has completed the Comrades Marathon 30 times! In 1985 and 1987, he even finished with the exact same time. In 2011, he tried to win a silver medal but missed it by just 31 seconds.
London to Brighton Ultramarathon
Besides the Comrades, Bruce Fordyce also won the London to Brighton ultramarathon. He won this race three years in a row, from 1981 to 1983.
World Record Holder
Bruce Fordyce was once a world record holder for running 50 miles. He ran this distance in 4 hours, 50 minutes, and 51 seconds in 1984. This record stood for many years until it was broken in 2019. He still holds the 50-mile record for a specific race in the United States.
Speaking Out Against Apartheid
Bruce Fordyce was strongly against Apartheid. This was a time in South Africa when people were treated unfairly because of their race. In 1981, during his first Comrades Marathon victory, he wore a black armband. This was his way of protesting against the Apartheid government. Some people in the crowd booed him and even threw rotten tomatoes. Bruce Fordyce has said that this protest was "one of the proudest moments" of his life.
Author, Journalist, and Speaker
Bruce Fordyce has written two books about the Comrades Marathon. He also used to write sports articles for newspapers and magazines. In 2014, he was a TV commentator for the Comrades Marathon. Today, he is a motivational speaker, inspiring people with his stories. He is also the chief executive officer of the South African Sports Trust.
Bringing Parkrun to South Africa
Bruce Fordyce helped bring parkrun events to South Africa in November 2011. Parkrun is a series of free, weekly 5-kilometer (about 3.1 miles) running events. They are held in parks all over the world.
As of October 2023, there are 210 parkrun events in South Africa. Bruce Fordyce ran his 500th parkrun at Delta Park in Johannesburg on October 14, 2023. Delta Park was the very first parkrun location in South Africa.
Other Achievements
In 2004, Bruce Fordyce was voted 64th in the "Top 100 Great South Africans" list by SABC3. In 2007, he received an honorary doctorate degree from the University of the Witwatersrand. This is a special award given to people who have achieved great things.
