On Saturday, 11 April 2026, when the fish horn sounds to launch the Totalsports Two Oceans Ultra Marathon, Kim Pain will be the only female runner in the field chasing the fabled 30th finish.
It’s a milestone known within the Blue Number Club (BNC) as “triple blue” status. In a race where endurance is currency and loyalty is legacy, 30 finishes is a summit scaled by very few women.
Only three stand above her on the all-time list. Lucille Damon (32 finishes), Sharon Bosch (32), and Matilda le Roux (30) form part of a small circle of endurance royalty. Should Pain succeed, she will join that fiercely exclusive club.
Her journey spans 36 years – a tapestry woven from early mornings, blistered feet and unwavering devotion. Pain debuted at Two Oceans in 1990 as a 23-year-old, clocking 4:56:36. Since returning in 1993, the race has become a constant thread in her life. She earned her Blue Number in 2002 after her 10th finish; now she stands on the brink of triple blue distinction.
“I don’t think I was ever chasing 30,” Pain reflects. “I always chose to run TTOM and enjoy a weekend away.”
Behind the numbers lies family. “My mom and dad, Alf and Wendy Pain, have always been my greatest supporters,” she says. “My dad especially has been my inspiration. We came down to Cape Town as a family in 1990, and that’s where my TTOM journey began.”
Some memories bite harder than others. Her 20th ultra in 2012 was run in freezing, rain-lashed conditions.
“It was so cold, wet and muddy at the finish. It was pouring with rain, and I was lucky to have my parents supporting on the side of the road,” she recalls.
Her 25th finish in 2017 proved catalytic. She crossed the line shoulder to shoulder with ultra legends Barry Holland, Alan Robb, Bruce Fordyce, and Gareth Griffiths.
“I was very taken aback when the organisers gave me a congratulatory letter and a small trophy,” she says. “I think it was a very cool gesture; it also meant that after finishing my 25th, I was exempt from paying entry fees. That only motivated me to get to my 30th.”
The surname invites jokes. “Yes, that’s the standard comment I often get. You’ve got the right surname,” she laughs. “Often, when I’m running and I’ve got runners around me, they’ll come up to me and they’ll say, when did you start running? You must have started when you were very young because you have so many ultras behind your name.”
Pain’s pursuit is less about medals and more about mileage accrued across decades. Endurance, in her story, is not a single heroic surge but a steady heartbeat repeated year after year.
“Kim Pain embodies the spirit of the Totalsports Two Oceans Marathon. Her 30th appearance is a testament to decades of dedication and endurance, inspiring every runner on the start line,” says Chris Goldschmidt, Chairperson of the Two Oceans Marathon NPC.
Wade Bromfield, General Manager of the Totalsports Two Oceans Marathon, adds: “Reaching 30 Totalsports Two Oceans Ultra Marathons is extraordinary. Kim’s journey reflects resilience, consistency, and the heart of this iconic race, reminding us of what decades of running can achieve.”
On 11 April, as the route unfolds from sea to summit and back again, Kim Pain will not just be chasing a finish line. She will be chasing history, stride by faithful stride.
