High School principal and avid runner, Dr. Ronald Fortune, will attempt the Comrades Marathon this year in aid of his students at Christel House South Africa, a non-profit school based in Ottery, Cape Town. The school offers no-fee scholarships to students from some of the most impoverished communities on the Cape Flats and works to break the cycle of poverty. Dr. Fortune will be running the gruelling 90km ultramarathon to raise funds for the school’s feeding program, as students receive two nutritious meals and snacks every school day.

Dr. Fortune’s health and fitness journey in becoming a marathon runner was no walk in the park. He has been a staff member at Christel House SA for over 18 years and during that time, he transitioned from someone who had high blood pressure and cholesterol, to the marathon runner he is today. In 2014, Dr. Fortune weighed a reasonable 90 kgs and never would have guessed the actual condition that his body was in. It wasn’t until the school conducted health check-ups for staff, that he realised that his results were not quite what he expected and were far from favourable. Dr. Fortune was told that if he continued his unhealthy lifestyle, he would have been reducing his life expectancy considerably. As the breadwinner of his family’s household, the decision in changing his lifestyle for the better was no choice. He says, “I started this journey, not for myself but for my family’s sake. I changed my diet by lessening my carbohydrate and sugar intake and started exercising. My wife played a huge part in supporting my health journey into becoming a better version of myself.”

Dr. Fortune’s first marathon was the Peninsula Half Marathon race in 2016. He entered the race without belonging to a club and without much preparation, but he finished the race in two hours and twenty-two minutes. “At that point, I did not know about pacing and what type of running clothing to wear for long distances. When I got to the end of the race, I could barely walk. It was safe to say that I was not prepared at all,” adds Dr. Fortune. After having experienced his first marathon, he knew he needed guidance and running support. One of his colleagues convinced him to join her running club, Spartan Harries. Once he started to actively run, family time consisted of the whole family lacing up and taking to their community streets for races. The whole family recently ran the Two Oceans Half Marathon (21kms).

Dr Fortune and family members

This will be Dr. Fortune’s second attempt at the Comrades Marathon. His first attempt was in 2019 when he “hit the wall” at 80kms. This is a term commonly known amongst runners when the body experiences excruciating pain and your muscles are pulled tight.

This devastated Dr. Fortune as he was so close to reaching the end. “The pace I ran was too fast and that made me reach a blank wall at 80kms. My muscles started popping. I tried my best to band-aid my legs with the little material I had with me, but my body gave up,” said Dr. Fortune.  He mentions that this time around he knows what to expect and the motivation of running for his students, gives him the extra push to finish the race.

Dr. Fortune says he “absolutely loves his job”, knowing that Christel House transforms the lives of hundreds of students every day. As a long-standing senior staff member of the school, he has been instrumental in the growth of the organisation and helping to achieve its remarkable results year after year. The school has received an average 99% matric pass rate, with 89% of the school’s alumni either in tertiary institutions or within the workplace. The school prides itself in being a Microsoft Showcase School.

Dr Fortune and family members

The school’s holistic program supports students for 19 years (Grade RR to Grade 12 and five years post-matric) through character-based and career-focused education and helps them to transform their lives. Dr. Fortune is one of nine Comrades Marathon runners who are running to raise funds for Christel House SA. To support Dr. Fortune’s fundraiser, visit .

Dr. Fortune will also be participating in the school’s biggest fundraiser for the year, the Virtual Fitness Challenge, taking place in September 2022. The challenge will see individuals and teams from all fitness levels virtually participating by walking, running, or cycling during September. To find out more, please visit . For more information about Christel House SA, please contact Campaign Coordinator, Jameelah Ebrahim at  or 021 704 9408.

Dr Fortune