Durban-based Zimbabwean runner Stephen Muzhingi took first place in South Africa’s 85th Comrades Marathon for the second year in a row today. American 50 km record holder Josh Cox, the favorite to take the race, finished a disappointing 186th overall after cramping up and being forced to walk for about 14k of the grueling 56 mile (89.28 kilometer) course from Pietermaritzburg to Durban. He nonetheless took a silver medal, becoming the only member of the 17-strong Team World Vision — all in South Africa from the United States — to take silver. Russian twins Olesya and Elena Nurgalieva, joint favorites to win the women’s race, ran neck and neck for most of the course. Elena Nurgalieva edged out her sister at the end to win her eighth Comrades medal. The world's oldest and ultra-marathon — “the ultimate human race” — was held earlier in the year than usual because of World Cup 2010.