My first impression while chatting with Mvuyisi Gcogco is one of genuine openness and humility. His face lights up and his story pours out with the earnestness of someone who has faced a lifetime of hardship but has somehow risen above it, or more aptly put, never sunk below a baseline of pure optimism. Born in the town of Bizana, nestled in the Eastern Cape near the KwaZulu-Natal border, Mvuyisi’s roots intertwine with historical significance, much like the notable figures who hailed from his birthplace. Raised in Bizana until the age of six, he then moved to Port Elizabeth with his father, seeking opportunities. Despite the geographical distance, he returned home to Bizana every school holiday, to remain connected with the community and take care of his younger siblings.
‘The hardest year of my life’
The path of Mvuyisi’s life took a challenging turn in 2007 when adversity struck hardest. His mother, while selling traditional clothing in Johannesburg, fell victim to a robbery that left her stranded in the city for an entire year, without means of contacting her family back home. Amidst the turmoil, Mvuyisi, then in grade 11, found himself shouldering the responsibility of supporting his siblings while juggling academic commitments. “2008 was the hardest year of my life. Hunger was a constant companion,” he shares. His school lunch would become supper for the family, while he’d endure nights sustained by boiled water to suppress the gnawing hunger pangs. Looking back, Mvuyisi counts these years as blessings, affording the gift of discipline; to do what needs to be done, regardless of how he felt in the moment.
Amidst the darkness of the late 2000s, a glimmer of light began to emerge in 2011. Mvuyisi secured a coaching role at the Collegiate Girls’ High School, offering a semblance of stability. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 posed new challenges, but driven by the need to provide for his family and 4-year-old son, he transitioned to truck driving embracing the grueling time demands of the profession. His days became a delicate balance of working and training, scraping by with as little as 4 hours of sleep in a 48 hour cycle. Training runs were carefully slotted between driving trips – he’d park the truck in the garage queue for fuel and head out for his run, asking a fellow truck driver to move the vehicle forward as the queue progressed. When we spoke in early April, he had not had any truck driving work for over a month, spotlighting the unpredictability of his income source, and resultant emphasis on vigilant frugality.
Taking to the trails for the first time
Despite the formidable challenges of his daily life, Mvuyisi’s passion for running has remained indomitable. Introduced to the sport at the age of 18, running became not merely a means of transport, but a source of profound purpose. Under the guidance of Renard Patterson, he has explored various disciplines but has found his stride in trail running. Stumbling upon a poster featuring Thabang Madiba, a Gauteng-based elite trail runner, back in 2015, Mvuyisi was curious about this new sport he had never encountered before. Highlighting the importance of like-for-like role models, seeing Thabang achieve in this new discipline inspired Mvuyisi to enter his first trail event and go for victory. Advancing from strength to strength since, he has performed in rocky and mountainous races despite living in a flat area and having transportation limitations. By respecting the body’s ability to slowly increase mileage and focusing on repetition to make up for the lack of elevation, he has progressed from shorter races all the way up to 65 kilometers distances, celebrating a win at the Ultra-Trail Drakensberg 65km this past month.
His Otter ambitions
For Mvuyisi, the Otter African Trail Run isn’t just a race; it’s a transformative experience that has redefined his approach to running and life itself. “The Otter has completely changed the way I think about running, with each event teaching me something new and further molding my perspective,” he fondly reflects. In 2019 he tasted podium when crossing the finish line in fourth place, and has been striving for that elusive top step ever since. Despite setbacks in subsequent years, including a debilitating stomach bug in 2023, Mvuyisi remains undeterred, channeling each obstacle into a learning opportunity by asking ‘what can I learn from this’. As he gears up for the 2024 Retto Edition, he exudes confidence, believing that his form has never been better.
Academics before athletics
Beyond the trails, Mvuyisi’s impact reverberates through his coaching endeavors, where he mentors youth, using coaching to get kids off the street and onto a healthier path of self-discovery and achievement. “In the location, we are exposed to drugs, alcohol abuse, and gangsterism, all of which are taking kids out of school. They think smoking, drinking, and going from one partner to another makes them a man, but through running, I am moving them away from these norms,” he explains. Prioritizing academics before athletics, Mvuyisi fosters a holistic approach to personal development amongst the burgeoning runners from his community. “Transportation and entries remain our biggest barrier to entry,” he confesses; “the kids mostly run track and cross country so they can run barefoot.” Navigating these hurdles and leaning on his network where he can, he always strives to alleviate these challenges and enable the kids to pursue their passion for running.
What does the future hold?
When discussing Mvuyisi’s future in this sport, it became glaringly obvious that South Africa has a long way to go in recognising and supporting professional runners. While running is treated as a career overseas, it is treated as a business transaction on home soil, with contracts overflowing with unrealistic annexures that do not consider the athlete’s backgrounds or living situations. Always mindful of the precarious and short-term nature of contracts, Mvuyisi assesses how much he can save should the sponsorship collapse. “Will I still be able to cover our rent and food? And support my family?” he muses. Undeterred by these considerations, he remains steadfast in his pursuit of making running ‘work’, fueled by the prospect of international recognition and financial stability. His aspirations extend beyond personal glory, as Mvuysis envisions a future where his success paves the way for those who follow in his footsteps, offering them a smoother path towards their dreams.
“My journey has been good to me, he’s been a good listener,” Mvuysis reflects, his words echoing his ever-present contemplative nature. As he continues to forge ahead, with the support of strong brands, events, and the wider running community, his legacy shall serve as a testament to his indomitable spirit, inspiring everyone he encounters to embrace their own journey with introspection, unfailing hope, and benevolence.
