Winners of TRAITOR! (And it's the Comrades Marathon!)

Happy Sunday, everyone :-)

Last week, as my Random Act of Kindness, I ran a giveaway for 4 ecopies of TRAITOR, which was released just over a week ago.

Here are the winners!

Sharon Mayhew

Megan Williams

Michael Di Gesu

Michael Pierce

Thanks for entering :-)

PS - I said last week that on Friday I'd do a more detailed analysis of how the free downloads and resulting sales went, but I've been sick (and feeling positively crappy) since Thursday night. So ... maybe later today. Maybe tomorrow!

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In other news...

Did you know that today in South Africa is the day the Comrades Marathon is being run? Tagged as the "ultimate human race", this is a marathon I've grown up knowing all about. When I was younger we used to get up early to watch the start on TV, and then follow it for most of the day. My parents have run it several times (my mom twice, my dad six times) so I've also been on the side of the road supporting. It is ... well, an incredible and emotional experience - and that's coming from a supporter, not a runner! It's far more emotional (and, uh, physically painful!) for them!

I've copied a few details from the Comrades history page:

Arguably the greatest ultra marathon in the world where athletes come from all over the world to combine muscle and sinew and mental strength to conquer the approx 90 kilometres between the cities of Pietermaritzburg and Durban, the event owes its beginnings to the vision of one man, World War I veteran Vic Clapham.

...

The pain, agonies, death and hardships of his comrades which he witnessed during those awful days left a lasting impression on the battle-hardened soldier, especially the camaraderie engendered among the men in overcoming these privations.

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Clapham asked for permission to stage a 56 mile race between Pietermaritzburg and Durban under the name of the Comrades Marathon and for it to become a living memorial to the spirit of the soldiers of the Great War.

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The Comrades Marathon is a cherished national treasure and attracts thousands of runners, spectators and television viewers every year. We invite you to participate in this great event and experience the world's greatest race.

And I promise you, when that lead runner runs into the stadium, and the music swells over the loudspeakers, and the crowds of supporters are wildly cheering him on as he heads toward the finish line, exhaustion and joy etched into his features ... Yeah, you'd find it hard not to get a little teary-eyed! And this year is the first year since 2003 that we've had a South African male winner! Quite exciting for us :-)