[WATCH] Emotional Ashinthwela completes 105km as #FearOfUnknown challenge ends in style

After running 105km on Saturday, Maphuthi Monyamane accomplished his goal of running 1500km between the 23rd of September and the 23rd of October in order to raise funds to buy school uniforms for scholars in his hometown of Ga-Matlala village in Limpopo. The running community came out in support of the selfless marathon bus driver as he completed the final leg of his journey over the hot and undulating terrain of the Cradle of Humankind on the west of Johannesburg.

Ashinthwela as he is commonly known broke down in tears upon reaching the finish line revealing that the last 31 days have been some of the most challenging of his life. "One thing that people didn't know is that we are expecting a third child. So you can imagine!" he told #TheTopRunner. "We are expecting a baby on the 14th of November and my wife was itching for a back massage or foot massage but I was forever tired and I could see that this thing is getting to her. But because she understood the magnitude and the importance of this initiative, she was there every step of the way," he shared.

Now that the month-long epic has come to and end, Monyamane will set about collating the total amount of donations he received. By the morning of the 23rd the Urithi Athletics Club runner had collected just under R24 000, with contributions from the scores of runners who joined him on the final day yet to be added. Ashinthwela also received R7000 in product (uniforms and shoes) from organisers of the Icon's Journey Marathon, some of whom came from the Eastern Cape to be part of the weekend's running festivities.

Ashinthwela is joined by his children as he completes 105km at the Bidon Bistro at The Cradle of Humankind on Saturday 23 October. Photo Credit: Maphuthi Monyamane.

Although the running is now over as Monyamane takes time to focus on his family, he is still taking donations before travelling to Limpopo for the handover in early 2022. "We all know that people who are successful today, somebody out there give them a helping hand. Yes you can work hard, but who's gonna be there to give you that helping hand," he concluded. Go to https://www.backabuddy.co.za/champion/project/maphuti-monyamane to donate.