FROM ROCK BOTTOM, TO INSPIRING HOPE FOR DRUG ADDICTS

HE'LL attempt to run more than 1600km from Cape Town to Pietermaritzburg over 35 consecutive days.

- NICOLA DANIELS [e-mail]

Denver van der Bergh's daring mission is his way of celebrating his fifth anniversary of his sobriety and help raise funds for the rehabilitation centre that helped make this possible.

The run will cover a total of 1680km via the N2, with the 48-year-old completing a marathon each day, culminating in a celebration 50km Ultra marathon, which he intends participating in later this year. Van der Bergh's five year feat of sobriety comes after overcoming 25 years of addiction.

"I am proud of how far I have come and am determined to inspire others to believe that change is possible.

"Growing up on the Cape Flats, I lived a very tough life at a young age. I fell victim to a life of alcohol and substance. This is a battle I fought for 25 years. I had a few very knock-downs in life. I felt nobody when I was going on my way to suicide. I lost my grandfather and I blamed myself for that basically. I lost my faith in God. I lost myself. I got introduced to a life of partying and all of that over the years. I never thought I had a problem until one day I realised I had a problem because I tried to stop and I wasn't able to at the time. I found myself doing it on my own, that's where I hit rock bottom. I didn't see any way out.