Rogers, a member of Hot 102.7FM’s The Big Joburg Drive team, missed the 12-hour cut-off time in Durban on Sunday, 28 August, but eventually crossed the line in 12 hours and 28 minutes to complete the challenge laid down by friend Byron Hardy.
Hardy got the ball rolling in November last year, when he called in to the annual Hot 102.7FM Teddython fundraiser and challenged Rogers live on air to run the Comrades Marathon, offering up R500 for charity for every kilometre of the race his friend could complete.
Rogers duly accepted and with Hardy already committed, he and The Big Joburg Drive team managed to drum up further financial support in the days before the race, taking the money on the line to over R170,000.
“It was a long, hard day and I struggled with cramp and dizziness from about 35–40 kilometres, but what kept me going was the money on the line for Hot Cares, and that’s what actually got me to the finish,” says Rogers. “That was my incentive, and whilst I’m obviously disappointed to not walk away with a medal, I’m proud I didn’t give up and got to the finish.”
With all pledges tallied up, the final number was R171,400 for Hot Cares, which it will use to continue making a meaningful difference to the community in which Hot 102.7FM operates.
“We’re blown away by what Dylan went through, putting the wellbeing of others above his own comfort,” says Carmen Rocha, managing director of Hot Cares. “A big thank you must also go to Byron, who kick-started this campaign with his generosity and was the catalyst for Dylan to raise this money for Hot Cares, which we’ll be able to put to good use.”
Rogers’s journey to the start line went hand in hand with an integrated on-air and digital ‘Hot Road to Comrades’ campaign, which played out on The Big Joburg Drive and on Hot 102.7FM’s social media pages, providing Rogers with the opportunity to take the station’s listeners along with him and share his preparation for the big race.
“Dylan’s journey really resonated with our audience and it was incredible the engagement we got, particularly leading up to and on race day, with the station flooded with goodwill messages and those following Dylan every step of the way,” says Lloyd Madurai, managing director of Hot 102.7FM. “It’s a great example of the power of radio and the type of relationship we’ve been able to build with our listeners – genuine, authentic, and with the potential to make a real difference.”
Rogers will now enjoy some much-needed rest and put his sore legs ‘on ice’, but says he has unfinished business with Comrades and has his eye on a medal finish next time round.
Could that be next year? Watch this space…
