Motivational speaker and performance keynote presenter
Conferences, corporate teams, leadership groups, sports organisations, and audiences seeking inspiration on resilience, perseverance, and sustained success.
Bruce Fordyce is one of South Africa’s most celebrated athletes and a globally respected motivational speaker whose legacy is defined by extraordinary endurance, consistency, and mental toughness. He is best known for his unprecedented achievements in the Comrades Marathon, where he rewrote the history books of ultra-distance running.
Bruce ran his first Comrades Marathon in 1977, finishing 43rd out of 1,678 competitors. Over the following years, he steadily climbed the ranks, placing 14th in 1978, 3rd in 1979, and 2nd in 1980. From 1981 to 1988, he achieved an unmatched feat by winning the race eight consecutive times, and he added a ninth victory in 1990. No other athlete has ever equalled this level of dominance in the event’s history.
He also held record times for both the “up” and “down” runs between Durban and Pietermaritzburg. His down-run record of 5:24:07, set in 1986, stood for 21 years until it was broken in 2007, underlining the longevity and excellence of his performance.
Today, Bruce Fordyce translates these lessons of endurance and excellence into powerful keynote presentations. His signature talk, In the Long Run, draws on his athletic journey and South Africa’s collective highs, including the 2010 World Cup, to inspire audiences to sustain momentum, overcome adversity, and pursue greatness over the long term.
Bruce Fordyce is a well known name in Athletics after his record run in the Comrades Marathon over the years.
In 1977, when Fordyce ran his first Comrades Marathon, he placed 43rd out of 1,678 entries. He placed 14th in 1978, 3rd in 1979, 2nd in 1980, and he was the winner for an unprecedented eight consecutive years from 1981 to 1988; he won again in 1990. No other runner in the history of the Comrades has achieved this feat.
Bruce also held the record time for the “up” run (Durban to Pietermaritzburg) and his record of 5:24:07 for the “down” run (Pietermaritzburg to Durban) stood for 21 years from 1986 until it was broken in 2007 by Russia’s Leonid Shvetsov.
Presentations:
Bruce Fordyce delivers an insightful presentation called “In the Long Run”.
It is an inspiring 40 minute talk incorporating exciting visuals of South Africa and the World Cup. In it, Bruce invites his fellow South Africans to remember how great we were in 201 0 and encourages us to maintain that positive energy.
Bruce Fordyce will inspire your conference through his talk on how to push past barriers to achieve greatness.
It’s the most exciting challenge a runner can face: that first big marathon. With this practical guide to everything from physiology to great gear—now updated for this third edition—novices can train themselves up from scratch to their first six mile race and then on to half, full, and ultra-marathons.
Full-color diagrams, detailed text, fact-filled charts, and superb action photographs explain running science in an accessible and inspiring way.
All the crucial information is here: an analysis of how muscles work and injuries occur, advice on choosing the right running shoe, suggestions for a proper runner’s diet, plus practical training schedules and pacing tables for measuring progress.
Even an absolute beginner will be ready to take on that big run in six months!
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