From Couch to 250km - Mabasa

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Mabasa Finish Mubatapasango, from Zimbabwe, resident in Namibia, went from being 110kg with health issues to conquering the 250km Namib Race. 

His life-changing journey began in 2017 driving 1000’s of kilometres to support the Namib Race 2017’s satellite connection for 7 days. The insanity of the race stuck with him, and he decided to take on a different level of responsibility by volunteering for the Namib Race in 2018 and 2019, each time his mind-set shifting slightly from insanity to curiosity to commitment to finally deciding to join the race as a competitor.

Fuelled with inspiration and a positive attitude, Mabasa overcame some big challenges and conquered the Namib Race. 

In 2017 he was overweight, weighing in at 110kg, and had severe sleep apnoea issues. With the support of his wife and family, he lost weight, got fit, cured his sleep apnea, smashed some running goals and eventually completed the Namib Race 2021 finishing 8th overall.  

Mabasa used the RacingThePlanet Training Plans to keep him focused and on track. 

To make his journey more challenging, Mabasa was set to join the Namib Race in 2020, which had been postponed due to the pandemic. Read his blog from when he first decided to join the race scheduled for April 2020. Through his darker moments he has kept himself motivated by posting inspirational quotes and sharing his process to get through these moments, which have no doubt helped others in the same situation.

• "I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.” - Bruce Lee
• "Discipline is doing what needs to be done when it needs to be done even when you don’t feel like doing it." “If you can remember why you started, then you'll know why you must continue.... Remember why you started.”
• “Running Allows me to visit my past and make peace with all the mistakes I made, thereby sharpening my future plans.”- Mabasa Finish Mubatapasango
• “Hope is a burning light that should never die or be put out. It dies by power of choice so never choose to let it die.”

Having pereserved through the months and months and challenges, disappointments, and difficulties with a positive attitude, Mabasa lived up to his middle name “Finish”.

It took witnessing the Namib Race to change his mindset and through his hard work and dedication, has transformed himself in to an athlete.

After completing the Namib Race, Mabasa then travelled out of Africa for the first time to complete the Atacama Crossing 2022 and has his sights set on the 4 Deserts Club.