Author: Modern Athlete

There we were at the Cape Point
Lighthouse on Friday 29 March, six runners dressed up in pink outfits more akin
to a gay pride parade as Japanese tourists snapped away with their cameras. The
six were Charles ‘Zoog’ Haynes, Alana ‘Doylie’ Doyle, Robert ‘Brundle’ le Brun,
Guy Allen, Alister ‘Dream’ Wilder and myself. We ran along the Puffer Route
over Table Mountain to the bottom of Platteklip Gorge, and from there made our
way back along the contour path to Newlands. We got back to my house at 2:35am
– 15 hours, 35 minutes and 70km later, according to the one Garmin we had
between us – having been joined by more than 10 other runners along the way,
and seconded by still more.

 

Less
than four hours later, four of us lined up for the start of the Two Oceans ultra,
and all went on to complete an epic 126km journey. Unfortunately, Alister
twisted his ankle badly late on the first day and took no further part, and
Zoog did the entire Puffer section like a champion, despite an injury, and thus
did not start Oceans, but the rest of us did it, with Brundle just making the
final seven-hour cut-off by a few minutes. His raw emotion will be etched in my
heart forever. A moment to savour for life!

 

CRAZY
PINK GANG

This was the Lettie Run 2013,
inspired by fellow runner Lettie Haynes, who last year went through a tough
battle with breast cancer, supported all the way by husband Zoog. She seems to
have won that battle, but she could not have done it on her own, and I think
the group photos of the Lettie Run capture the essence of what inspired us to
do it, and what enabled Lettie to beat a really nasty illness. It sums up the
spirit in which two very special friends of ours tackled a really tough thing
together. It’s amazing how far a sense of humour and a truckload of love and
dignity will take you.

 

That why we decided to support the
Pink Drive with this run, hence the pink outfits, and it was epic the way we gathered
troops as we ran, like Forrest Gump! Also, thanks to a Brundle-inspired rule, every
FH (Fire Hydrant) sign painted on the road meant “Free Hug” and
everyone piled in! It was pretty sweaty in there, but it reminded us regularly
not to take ourselves or the run too seriously! And I’m sure it provided some
form of entertainment to any passers-by!

 

SECONDING
CHAMPS

But it’s our support crew that truly
show the essence of Lettie Run, and all the other events that we are part of, which
simply would not happen without people who selflessly give of themselves. This
is why Jamo made event stickers for his car, why Brundle’s old man, Stanley, gave
up his entire public holiday to support his special son, why Bryony made
nothing seem like too much trouble, and why Lettie flew down with Zoog from
Durban to give her support and inspiration as the person who has brought us all
together. And there were more people who chipped in. Big or small, it made a
difference to us, and we salute you all.

 

This run was truly magical. Where
there is heart, incredible things happen. It will live in us forever, and
hopefully will inspire us and many more people to do many more great things,
Lettie Run 2014 being one!

FIRST-TIME WINNER

Former SA Marathon Champion David Gatebe beat a highly competitive field
to take the coveted men’s title, crossing the line in 3:08:54. Gatebe, who is a
sporting officer at the Implats Mine in Rustenburg, said the strong winds did
not play a major role in his run. “I decided to pull away from the other runners
after about 34km and managed to keep ahead. It’s a great feeling to win and I
am very happy.” Second place went to local Nedbank runner Mthandazo Qhina (3:10:02),
while Moeketsi Mosuhli (3:10:23) from Lesotho claimed third place.

 

For the first time since 2007, the Russian twins, Elena and
Olesya Nurgalieva, could not achieve a win. In fact, neither even made the top
three this year, citing flu suffered just three weeks before the race as the reason
for their relatively poor performance, by their normally lofty standards.
Instead it was their countrywoman Natalia Volgina, winner here in 2002, who
came home first in 3:38:38, just over a minute ahead of second-placed Thabita
Tsatsa from Zimbabwe.
Third went to an elated and fresh-looking Charne Bosman, the highest-placed
South African, who has won the Two Oceans Half Marathon three times as well as
three SA Marathon titles. She only recently stepped up to ultras and appears to
have found a new niche for herself.

 

In the half
marathon, both the men’s and women’s winners set new course records, despite
the windy conditions. Stephen Mokoka won the men’s race in a time 1:03:36,
beating two-time defending champion Lusapho April and Joel Mmone in an exciting
sprint finish. In the women’s race, Ethiopian Biru Meseret Mengista stormed to
victory in a time of 1:12:43, shaving more than two minutes off the course
record set last year by Rene Kalmer, who managed to take second place, while
third went to Irvette van Blerk.

 

MASSIVE INCENTIVE FOR 2014

The day
before the 2013 Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon, at the pre-race media briefing,
the big news broke about an upcoming cash incentive to be offered by the race’s
title sponsor, Old Mutual. In 2014, a cash prize of R1 million will be up for
grabs for the winning man and woman if they break the ultra-marathon course
record. Currently, the records belong to the late Thompson Magawana (3:03:44)
and Frith van der Merwe (3:30:36), and these were admittedly set on the old,
supposedly easier course that finished at Brookside inside of up the hill at
UCT, but there are sure to be fireworks in next year’s race as the top men and
women chase after a lucrative payday!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mthandazo Qhina and Joel
Mmone will both remember the 2013 Old mutual Two Oceans with bittersweet
memories. Mthandazo thought he had won the ultra, as he never saw the front
runner, but then found he had in fact finished second, while Joel started his
sprint too early in the half marathon after mistaking the wrong banner for the
finish line.

 

ULTRA GLORY

When eventual ultra winner David
Gatebe broke away after 32km, Coolboy Ngamole followed. Mthandazo was in the
chasing pack that managed to catch Coolboy, but he did not realise that David
was still out in front! So, at the top of Constantia Nek, David had a lead of
four minutes, but eventually only beat Mthandazo by 1 minute 8 seconds, 3:08:54
to 3:10:02.

 

Mthandazo says he felt strong
throughout the race – even that Chapman’s Peak and Constantia Nek felt flat! –
and his mentor, Henning Ludeke, adds that his athlete really looked good in the
closing stages. “Mthandazo was substantially stronger over the last 10km, and
if he had realised earlier that their bus was in second place, he might have
caught David.” As it turned out, Mthandazo surged at Kirstenbosch, with four
kays to go, expecting to cross the line in first place. When he realised he was
second, he says he felt a bit confused and disappointed at first, but
considering his achievement, Henning says has been smiling since.

 

TOUGH START

Mthandazo (35) grew up in a rural
area near Qunu in the Eastern Cape. He ran middle distances in primary school,
but his father had him shepherding cows and sheep instead of attending high
school. He left for Cape Town, where he sold snacks on the Cape Metro trains
before finding work in the mines in Jo’burg. However, he became afraid that
working underground might affect his respiratory system and did some casual
work instead.

 

At this stage (2007) he became
homeless, but Elias Sello, a friend and runner, gave him accommodation.
Mthandazo entered a few races and was immediately hooked, going on to finish his
first marathon in a time of 2:46:47. Since 2008 he has done
most of his training and racing in Cape Town and has won numerous races. His
PBs include 30:01 for 10km and a 6:21 at Comrades. Mthandazo is the current Western
Province half marathon champion and has run four Two Oceans Marathons. He has improved
from a 78th position (3:40) in 2010 to a 6th position (3:11) last year and a
second placing this year.

 

GUIDING HAND

Henning has played a supportive role
in Mthandazo’s career since November 2011. “He is a very strong-willed character, disciplined and a hard worker, and
had made a lot of natural progress on his own before we met. We are
close friends that share a passion for running. My main role is to find ways of
introducing small but incremental improvements in his training, as well as help
him navigate career decisions. Being part of the Nedbank Green Dream Team has
also helped Mthandazo focus more on his running and less on making a living
from running,” says Henning.

 

The next big step is Comrades. “As a novice he stood a good chance for a gold medal in
2012. Unfortunately, he cramped up just before Sherwood, where he was then attacked
by a deranged man on the side of the road!” says Henning. “He is currently in
peak shape and we have enough time to recover and prepare properly for a spot
on the podium. His dream is to win Comrades and then race overseas.”

 

HALF
MARATHON GLORY

In the half, Joel Mmone believed he
had a chance at a second place, but mistimed his final sprint. “When I realised
it wasn’t the finish line, my legs were done and the actual finish seemed very
far,” he Joel, who crossed the line third in 1:03:45, just five seconds behind
second-placed Lusapho April. Apart from this, Joel says he had a great race,
adding that the pace was relaxed until Lusapho took the lead at the 12km mark.
“After that the pace was hard, 2:55 minutes per kilometre, and at 19km my legs
started tiring.”

 

Although he was a bit disappointed that
he sprinted too early, Joel is still happy with his performance, and will
continue to stick to the shorter distances under the watchful eye of coach Pio
Mpolokeng. With a half marathon PB of 1:03:05 and a second place finish at last
year’s Two Oceans, Joel is hoping to claim top spot on the podium next year.
“Winning Two Oceans is my big dream,” says Joel, who has
been part of the Nedbank Running Club since the age of 16.

AJ SPIERINGSHOEK

Nickname: SeaBiscuit

Age: 26

Self-given Unogwaja Title: Coach

 

About me: I am a Maths
and IT teacher from Cape Town. My chosen sport is running because I have long
legs and it’s an amazing characteristic given to me by God! I love running and
am a RedSocker for life. The treatiest thing about me is that I talk a lot and
I am very sociable. The words I live by are “Your life is your message to the
world. Make it inspiring.” (Lorrin L. Lee) and “It’s hard to beat someone that
never gives up.”

 

Goals:

?        
To complete the Unogwaja Challenge in 2013.

?        
To obtain a 100% pass for my Grade 9 register class.

?        
To inspire and motivate people to pursue their dreams.

 

Charity I support: Wildlands –
SMS race 678 to 42030 to donate R30
to AJ’s cause.

 

GRANT MATKOVICH

Nickname: Grant
(Creative, I know)

Age: 33

Self-given Unogwaja Title: A ‘mere’
Unogwaja

 

About me: I am a
chiropractor in private practice from Durban. My main sports are running,
cycling and swimming because endurance sport allows me to eat anything I want!
I have learnt to take life in my stride with a smile, and I try to have a balanced
life. The words I live by are “Not all of us can do great things, but we can do
small things with great love.” (Mother Teresa) and “Is what you’re doing today
getting you closer to where you want to be tomorrow?”

 

Goals:

?        
To complete the Hillcrest Marathon in a time of sub-3:20.

?        
To survive, enjoy and get inspired by finishing the
Unogwaja Challenge 2013.

?        
To finish Comrades and get my green number!

?        
To complete Ironman in 2014.

 

Charity I support: The
Community Chest – SMS race 655 to
42030 to donate R30 to Grant’s cause.

 

ANDREW KING

Nickname: GI (Gee Eye)

Age: 34

Self-given Unogwaja Title: Vice
Captain

 

About me: I am a
documentary filmmaker from Durban. My main sport is adventure racing because I
take comfort in knowing my body and how far I can push it. I am an ordinary
person determined to make an extraordinary difference in my own life, and
thereby hopefully inspire others. The treatiest thing about me is I am
stubborn! I will not pack it in until I achieve the goal I set out for myself.
The words I live by are “Life is too short to do something you don’t enjoy” and
“Health, mobility and vitality are not gifts to be squandered on the couch.”

 

Goals:

?        
To inspire.

?        
To maximise.

?        
To push boundaries.

?        
To tear down society’s preconceived limitations.

?        
To laugh.

 

Charity I support: The Community Chest – SMS race 680 to 42030 to donate R30 to
David’s cause.

MICHELLE VAN ZYL

Nickname: MichI

Age: 31

Self-given Unogwaja Title: NewBee

 

About me: I work at
my family’s business in Johannesburg. My main sports are swimming, cycling,
running and water-skiing, because they makes me feel so alive and that
anything’s possible. I love laughing, sport and holidays at the sea, and I
can’t go a day without tea and chocolate. The treatiest thing about me is that
I am always keen for a new adventure. Thewords I live by are “There is no
passion to be found in settling for a life that is less than the one you are
capable of living.” (Nelson Mandela) and “There is always time to drink
champagne and dance on the table!”

 

Goals:

?        
Unogwaja Challenge 2013.

?        
Comrades Marathon.

 

Charity I support: Starfish –
SMS race 718 to 42020 to donate R30
to Michelle’s cause.

 

As Lusapho April crossed the finish line of
the 2013 ING New York City Marathon, he threw his head back with a grimace of
pain and exhaustion, hands clasped on his forehead as he fought to get more air
into his lungs. He had just run 2:09:45 to finish third in one of the world’s
biggest races, despite suffering cramps in the last few kays, and he had done
it in the company of some of the world’s best marathoners, including defending
champion Geoffrey Mutai, London Marathon champion Tsegaye Kebede, Olympic and World
Champion Stephen Kiprotich, and 2012 Boston Marathon winner Wesley Korir.

 

Even though he had won the Hannover Marathon
in Germany earlier in 2013 in a PB and course record 2:08:32 – his second win
here after also winning in 2011 – Lusapho was only considered an outside bet for
the podium in New York, but he ran with the lead group right from the start,
hitting halfway in 1:05:07 and finishing behind Mutai (2:08:24) and Kebede
(2:09:16) in difficult running conditions. His third place was the highest
placing by a South African in any of the big city World Marathon Majors since
Hendrick Ramaala finished third in New
York in 2007.

 

HUMBLE
MAN

Third in New York capped what can be
considered Lusapho’s breakthrough year, not only in terms of race results, but
also for his career, although the softly-spoken 31-year-old from the Eastern Cape is just
taking it all in his stride in his unassuming way. “The year started on a high.
I came to Cape Town
for the Two Oceans Half and I got a sponsorship from adidas. That boosted my
confidence and I was feeling like a professional runner for the first time,” he
says. “Then I headed off to Germany,
where I won the Hannover Marathon in a PB 2:08 and course record. That opened
the door for me to go run in New York
– we contacted the person who deals with elite athletes and he was keen and
said I can come.”

 

Lusapho
is now very much on the international marathoning radar, and his next big race
will be the oldest and most prestigious of the big city races, the Boston
Marathon in April. “I want to be the first South
African male to dip under 2:06, but now my focus is on trying to win the big
city races. I’ve got nine more years left in my legs to do well in marathons,
and with the approach my coach and I are using, we’re not going to change
anything, we’re going to stick to what works for me.”

 

Lusapho has been coached by Karen Zimmerman
since 2001 and they have developed a very strong bond. “We’ve got a good relationship and I think we make a good combination. We
don’t worry about the competition, we just think about doing better for us. But
she’s never happy – even when I win, she always says I can run even faster!”
says Lusapho with a naughty little laugh. Karen responds with a motherly nudge,
then says, “He’s a dream to train, never complains about what he has to do. He’s
very injury-prone, though, and we’ve learnt over the years what to do, to
change certain things, so he doesn’t get injured.”

 

COLLECTING ACCOLADES

Lusapho started running in primary school and was soon selected for the Eastern Province under-13 cross-country team.
Two years later he started training with Karen and joined her Atalanta
Athletics Club training group in Port
Elizabeth. She later became head coach at the
University of Fort Hare, where Lusapho enrolled for a B.A. in Human Movement
Studies, but he did not finish the course due to his running career taking off.
He became a multiple Eastern Province and Border champion at junior and senior
levels in track, road and cross-country, was South African Junior Half Marathon
champion in 1997, has won multiple national SASSU student champs titles, has
medalled at the SA Junior and Senior Track & Field and Half Marathon
Champs, and was crowned SA Marathon Champ in 2011. Lusapho also holds the SA
record for 25km.

 

He has also represented South
Africa in numerous international competitions,
including the 2012 Olympic Marathon – he finished 43^rd after falling
mid-race – as well as the World Cross Country Champs, World Road Running Champs
and World Student Games, where he was often the top-placed South African. Now
he is working towards selection for the SA team for the World Half Marathon
Champs in Copenhagen, Denmark
later this year, but his big goal is the 2016 Olympics in Rio,
where he hopes to emulate Josiah Thugwane’s gold medal-winning effort from the
1996 Atlanta Games. “I wanted to try for the Olympic Marathon in 2008, but I
tore my Achilles tendon in training. If I can just stay healthy and
injury-free, then the medal is definitely on in Rio.
That’s the dream. I know what I’m capable of and I believe in what we’re doing,
my coach and I.”

 

It is his
patience and dedication, along with Karen’s guidance and astute management,
that are now paying dividends in Lusapho’s career. He has resisted the lure of
the high-paying ultra-marathons that dominate the SA road running scene, and
only does a select number of races per year, whereas most of his peers are
either racing everything in order to make some money, or moving up to the
ultra’s at a young age and losing much of their natural speed in the process. “Soon as my international marathon career is done, I will stop running
and spend more time with my family. I have no plans yet for when I am finished
with running, but I hope to make enough money to start my own business.”

 

LUSAPHO’S PB’S

With five full Ironman SA medals to
his name, as well as another four from around the world, plus 11 half Ironmans,
Kyle Buckingham says he can’t wait to show what he can do on the pro triathlon
circuit in 2014, but he is also keeping his feet on the ground. “January’s 70.3
in South Africa will be my first race as a pro, but I don’t want to put pressure
on myself, because I want to race and stick to my own plans. It’s very
exciting, though! I’m also getting married in Durban after the Ironman SA in
April, so there’s so much to look forward to – especially the short break from
training after the wedding! I don’t get a lot of those!”

 

ROAD TO TRI

Kyle only took up triathlon at the
age of 25, having never participated in endurance sports. “I surfed a lot
growing up in Port Elizabeth, but that never flourished professionally. Then when
I moved to London to work as an electrician, I got into triathlon. I had watched
Raynard at the 2008 Ironman South Africa, and when my housemate started
triathlon training, I thought why not?”

 

So Kyle bought a bike and began his
triathlon journey, but he had to contend with cold weather on top of long
working hours. “I started by training four to five hours inside my flat, mostly
on my treadmill and bike. Being in the UK was hard because the weather was
really cold, dark and snowy. Also, I’d only start training in the evenings from
about 6 o’clock, after eight hours of manual labour, but I knew that I wanted
to pursue it!”

 

Thanks to natural talent, he made
good progress, and so in 2009 he took on his first full Ironman in SA and
finished 66^th overall in 10:29. A year later he improved his time on
local soil to 9:24 after starting a training programme with SA Ironman legend Raynard
Tissink. Kyle then went back to Europe to compete in several Half Ironmans, and
in 2011 he was back, chasing a top-10 finish at Ironman SA. Unfortunately, that
race didn’t go to plan, largely due to flat tyres on the bike leg, but he
bounced back in 2012 to finish 13th (one position in front of Raynard). His
next outing at Las Vegas 70.3 saw him bail due to illness, but a month later he
grabbed seventh in his age-group in Kona after taking a month off work to live
and train in Hawaii’s hot, humid conditions.

 

BREAKING RECORDS

Having moved back to SA at the end of
2012, Kyle entered his first 70.3 in South Africa and says things just clicked
for him. Always a competitor on the hills, he put everything into his bike leg
before running to a seventh overall finish, and first South African, in 4:17. He
also broke his age-group course record by 12 minutes and was the first amateur home
in a strong field! He then focused on fitting in six sessions each per week of
running, cycling and swimming, while also working on core strength in the gym,
to prepare for Ironman SA, and he did his fine-tuning by finishing ninth
overall in the Abu Dhabi International Triathlon.

 

Then it was back to PE for Ironman
SA, and in Kyle’s own words, “Everything went according to plan, despite a hard
last 4km on the run where I had to remind myself how much I wanted a good
finish,” He came home in an amazing seventh overall, the first South African
and first amateur over the line, and qualified for Kona in his age group, and
Hawaii would prove to be yet another highlight on his journey to turning pro.

 

Unsurprisingly, Kyle’s choice of
favourite event is not hard to guess. “I put down Ironman South African as my
favourite, because of the crowd support and vibe,” he says. “My family, my
sister and brother as well as my fianc? Lauren also make a plan to be there, so
it’s very special for me. Doing so well in 2013 was a great feeling and having
the family and Raynard at the finish was even better. I went from that to Kona
with a new confidence! Now I want to push on in 2014.”