Kanda running experiences during this time are detailed by his Australian coach, John Cheffers, in his book: A Wilderness of Spite.

In the last weekend in June 1968, Kanda won the Zimbabwe/Rhodesian Olympic Marathon trial in Bulawayo (at 4500 feet altitude) in 2:27:04.7 on a cold windy course that had an 8 kilometre raise at the end of the course.

[4] On 4 May 1968 Kanda also won a South African marathon championship (at the Libanon Mine Track 20 kilometres from Johannesburg) at 5337 feet in a 2:27:24.8.

This table shows that the Bulwayo and Libanon runs were at 2/3 and 3/4 of the effective oxygen deficit that existed at Mexico City.

It did not come easy and I was blessed in that I did not drink or smoke which gave me ample time to concentrate in the sport.