Category: Features

Malealea

Lesotho

WORD & PICS BY JACQUES MARAIS

 

WHY GO

This is a
place you visit because you hanker for wide skies and lungs full of fresh air.
A place so vast your echo has an echo, and where canyons duck and dive amidst
rambunctious hills rising towards the high Maloti peaks. A place where peace of
mind and the freedom of the spirit unite, and where trail runners come to test
their mettle against the grandeur of Mother Nature.

 

WHAT YOU
GET

Malealea
Lodge is the perfect base for either solo runners in search of a wilderness
escape or families on the hunt for a full gamut of runnable route options.
Accommodation options range from backpacker dorms to delightful self-catering
suites, with honest to goodness country hospitality.

 

WHERE TO RUN

Choices,
choices… if you’re keen for a flattish jog with the kids in tow, the easiest
option is to head west from Malealea’s main entrance towards the ‘Gates of
Paradise’ Pass. This section of gravel road slopes gently upwards for the first
4km, making for a doable run to where a sign confidently proclaims distances to
Tokyo, Cape Town, Los Angeles, Berlin and various other global centres. This
makes for a good turn-around point, or you can keep going up a steep climb all
the way to the ‘Gates of Paradise’ summit to take in the view before
hot-footing it back down for a run of around 15km.

 

Should
you be more of an adventurer, head west to a small village (3km) with
stone-walled huts crouching right on the edge of the valley, and if you
route-find along the rim of the gorge, a glorious rock run awaits. Look out for
a path worn into the sandstone to your left, 1km from the village, and follow
this into the gorge itself, then scramble up-river over some huge boulders
(5km) until you eventually reach some cultivated fields along the banks (8km).
From here, an obvious path winds up the hill to your left back to Malealea,
completing a 14km circular run.

 

You can
also head further up-river to the waterfall (12km), where (maybe in summer!)
you will be tempted to strip off for a natural shower. Route-finding is
necessary along the densely wooded banks, but there is generally an obvious
trail if you keep your eyes open. Then follow the same way back for a total
distance of just on 20km.

 

Malealea
Waterfall Route Fast Facts:

GRADING: Moderate, some technical scrambling

TERRAIN: Footpaths, animal tracks, gravel roads

MAP: Check the wall maps at the lodge

CELL
RECEPTION: Moderate signal

BEWARE: Summer thunderstorms and floods, snakes

BEST TIME
OF YEAR: Winter can be bitter, but beautiful

 

GETTING
THERE

From
Maseru, head south on the Main South Road towards Mafeteng for 50km, then turn
left towards Matelile and Malealea. Keep on this road for 24km, where you will
turn a slight left to Gates of Paradise Pass, and to Malealea Lodge just 7km
from here. GPS: S29? 49.704, E27?
35.981 Map: www.malealea.co.ls/map-directions.

 

STAY HERE

Check out www.malealea.co.ls.

By
the time I was old enough to read and write, I could explain the complexities
of the disease Muscular Dystrophy. I also understood that it meant my mother’s
life was likely to be short-lived. But this single mother of two small children
pushed herself beyond her supposed limits in order to challenge this ‘death
sentence,’ and continues to do so. This is where my strength comes from… from
the little body that has continued to deteriorate, and the mind within it that
is determined never to give up.

 

My
brother and I grew up with the awareness that there were more people out there
struggling like we were, and I knew I wanted to help in some way. When I became
a fashion model, I thought I could help by using this as a platform to raise
awareness for MD. I spent years travelling the globe, posing for magazines such
as Vogue, doing campaigns such as
L’Oreal, and walking the runway with the biggest models of my time, and I still
model today, but it has not been the platform that I had hoped it would be. It
wasn’t until I decided to move to South Africa that it became clear what I
needed to do… and that is run.

 

SUB-HEADER HERE

Running
has been a part of my life since I was a little girl, racing through the forests
of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. I excelled in cross-country, as well as 800m to
3000m on the track, but running became a physical struggle after I developed asthma
and I was advised not to continue. However, being as determined as I am, I
continued to run all through high school. Then at 17 I broke my neck in a car
accident. The doctors feared I may never walk again, but thankfully, after
weeks in traction and a successful operation, I miraculously healed in a matter
of months. Needless to say, I took this as a sign that my legs were meant for
something.

 

Upon
moving to South Africa, I realised that I could make a difference through my
love of running, so I contacted the Muscular Dystrophy Foundation of South
Africa (MDFSA) to discuss my ideas about fundraising and creating awareness.
The Foundation brought me on board, and for the cause I have run half and full
marathons, as well as the Two Oceans ultra-marathon. I also ran the Jonkershoek
Mountain Challenge, the Fisherman’s Trail Challenge and other trail events, finishing
in the top four for women each time. At each event, I wear my MDSAF top proudly,
hopefully inspiring others to also help change people’s lives for the better.

 

I
want to continue using my love of running to challenge my body to move its
muscles the way that those with Muscular Dystrophy can’t. Meanwhile, my Mom remains the beautiful, bright, funny,
compassionate woman she has always been, and continues to amaze everyone – even
herself, I think – with her capacity to re-invent her life with each loss of
movement or ability. She has always been, and will always be, my mentor, my constant
source of love and support, and my deepest
inspiration.

 

To join Lindsay in
supporting the Muscular Dystrophy Foundation of South Africa, go to www.mdsa.org.za.

If you want to ward off the flu and keep running this winter, include these eight immune-boosting foods or ingredients, which are easy to find at just about every grocery store, and easy to incorporate into your daily diet.

 

1 Garlic: This potent relative of the onion contains the active ingredient allicin, which fights infection and bacteria. As an anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial antioxidant, garlic is a powerful opponent of just about everything.

 

2 Red Bell Peppers: It has been proven that dosing up on vitamin C can reduce flu symptoms, also strengthening the skin and increasing antibody production. Red bell peppers contain twice the amount of vitamin C found in most vegetables and fruits (including the famous orange).

 

3 Plain Yoghurt: Probiotics are the star of the show in yoghurt's claim to immune-boosting fame. Natural, plain low-fat yoghurt contains ‘good bacteria’ essential for maintaining a healthy digestive system, while some even help fight harmful bacteria like salmonella and viral infections.

 

4 Ginger: This is a powerful antioxidant, and can help to stimulate your circulation, aiding detoxification and cleansing the colon. Strong antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties make ginger root another good bet for boosting immunity.

 

5 Chicken Soup: The amino acid cysteine, released from chicken during cooking, chemically resembles the bronchitis drug acetylcysteine, which may explain the results. Like any hot liquid, soup also helps you to stay hydrated and raises the temperature of the airways, both of which are important for loosening mucus. (Do try our chicken noodle soup with dill recipe – see sidebar below.)

 

6 Zinc: Because the body cannot create it or store it, zinc must be obtained through diet and must be consumed on a regular basis. Red meat and poultry are common sources, but many other foods also contain zinc, including oysters, beans, whole grains and fortified cereals.

 

7 Water: Hydration flushes out toxins and thins out mucus.

 

8 Beta Carotene: The skin serves as a first-line of defence against bacteria. To stay strong, your skin needs vitamin A, and one of the best ways to get it into your diet is from foods containing beta-carotene, which your body turns into vitamin A. Think orange when looking for foods rich in beta-carotene: carrots, squash, pumpkin and cantaloupe.

 

CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP WITH DILL

 

Makes: 6 servings, about 1? cups each

Preparation: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 30-40 minutes

 

INGREDIENTS

?         10 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth (or 2-3 chicken stock cubes dissolved in 2.5 litres of boiling water)

?         4 medium carrots, diced

?         2 large stalks celery, diced

?         3 tablespoons minced fresh ginger

?         6 cloves garlic, minced

?         3 cups whole-wheat egg noodles

?         4 cups shredded cooked skinless chicken breast

?         3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

?         1-2 tablespoons lemon juice, or to taste

 

PREPARATION

Bring broth to a boil in a big cooking pot. Add carrots, celery, ginger and garlic, then cook for about 20 minutes, uncovered, over medium heat, until vegetables are just tender. Add noodles and chicken, and simmer 10-15 minutes until the noodles are just tender. Stir in dill and lemon juice.

Dave’s running
mission began when he travelled to Argentina
to meet up with his parents before a marathon run in Antarctica.
Upon arrival in northern Argentina,
he thought, “why not just run down the country?” And so, under the banner of
the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Dave ran 5 200km to raise funds for rhino
conservation. “I needed some way that I could give back,” he explains. Having placed
fourth at the Antarctic Marathon, he then set his next goal: Running 2 500km
along the SA coast from Walvis Bay to Port
Elizabeth, for the conservation of penguins.

 

“My running
is a way of travelling, and I have met a lot of locals along the way and
experienced their world,” he says, as he prepares to undertake his next
journey, a monumental 9 000km across Canada to spread the word on
endangered whales. Living out of his trusty Jeep Jogger Pram full of food, his
sleeping bag and tent, Dave’s mission is a very isolated, personal goal, but
one that is very rewarding and which excites him greatly. “When I run across Canada over
nine months, I won’t be seeing the usual tourist spots that everyone goes to. I
have my wet wipes and my supplements, and I will take it as it comes – I can
run 45km the one day and the next day can be shorter.”

 

GIVING BACK

Dave participated
in sport while growing up in Pretoria,
but was never a stand-out athlete. When he ran, he knew he wasn’t the quickest,
but knew that he loved it. “I entered races, but I love doing my own thing!”
Now, under his foundation Vidamago, Dave is using his running to build a
network for fundraising – especially in wildlife education. “I’d like people to
see what I do for animals and then give back in their own way,” he says. “I’ve
just made that decision to do something about what I care about.”

 

Dave’s
Penguin Run in 2012 was a stepping stone to being fit for Canada despite
his wariness about the cold weather. “I’ll probably hit the Rockies
in November and it will be brutal with three-degree weather throughout the day!
The great thing about this run is my freedom – I just know that the United States
will be on my left.”

 

While he
has no set routine for Canada,
he will spend mornings running and then pitch his tent in the afternoon if
there are no small towns around to discover. “Running overrides all the senses.
There are smells, tastes, sights that just contribute to a great experience.”
While many may envy Dave’s ‘job’, he feels that anyone can make the decision to
do something. “You should never limit yourself. If I take twice as long as I
intend to run across Canada,
then so be it. As long as I’m a part of the experience.”

 

You can follow Dave’s
Canadian Run at www.facebook.com/vidamago.org.

NICCI BOTHA

Journalist, Pinelands, Cape Town

On receiving news that she was the lucky winner, Nicci
reacted the same way when she completed her first half marathon – she burst
into tears, feeling completely overwhelmed. “I was overjoyed and delighted!”
she says. “You can pick any superlative you like to describe my emotions.
Winning this is such an incredible gift to me.”

 

Nicci is a bit of a late bloomer on the running front,
despite being sporty at school, and was inspired to run by her friend Melanie,
who ran Two Oceans and Comrades at age 40. “I started running 10 kays and then
it eventually got to my first half marathon at Two Oceans. I’ve completed three
now and want to get my blue number for ten.” Having built up a healthy
collection of medals from races all over, she says she’ll eventually be ready
to take on her first marathon in the future.

 

Nicci has a clear goal in mind for managing her
franchise: To show people that everyone can
run and walk. “Your age, shape,
agility or shoe size is irrelevant, you just have to know how to put one foot
in front of the other to make a significant improvement to your health and
fitness,” she says. “I would certainly like to get people on the path of doing
a few races. Finishing a race, whether its five kays or 21 kays, and having the
medal to prove it, is a huge morale booster.” Nicci also wants to pass on her running
wisdom. “I know how daunting the thought
of even doing one kilometre is, to begin with. It just seems so far and so
undoable. You don’t have to be the fastest or the best, you just have to get
there.”

 

 

DEBORAH VAN NIEKERK

Artist, Kloof, Durban

Deborah was over the moon when she
found out she was a winner, having fallen in love with running at a Run/Walk
For Life franchise 16 years ago. “It is the place that got me going. Before
RWFL, I didn’t do anything, and then I joined, met amazing people and learnt
the skills,” she says. “At school and in my twenties, I wasn’t motivated to do
anything at all, and now it’s changed for the better.”

 

That foundation of running skill laid
all those years ago led her to complete her first Comrades Marathon this year,
in a time of 10:55. “It was hard on the body and mind, and there were times
when I met the worst part of me, but I kept going!” Deborah has already entered
for 2013 and is prepared to juggle training, managing her branch, being a mom
to three daughters, and keeping up her love of painting (she’s already had a
few exhibitions of her work).

 

Deborah believes that she is
passionate about RWFL and dealing with people. “I love motivating people so
they can take pride in themselves,” she says. “I like to empower people and
show them that they can do anything. Once you get the skills learnt at RWFL,
then you become more comfortable and you can move on to greater things.”

 

She outlines a simple philosophy for
those who think they are not built to walk or run: Anyone can learn to use what
they have. “Once you start, you can run and walk a little. Then you can go on
to 5 kays and more with that skill. Running is something you can take anywhere
with you – you just need your shoes.”

“It’s simple for
me,” says Nzondwane resident Mandla Zwane. “I was born blind, so I’m used to
it. I can run in the dark, too, because that’s how I am,” he laughs, “I know my
way around training and I know Comrades.” From a young age, Mandla had a love
for running and at Arthur Blaxall School in Pietermaritzburg, he would compete
in the 400m and 800m races and beat many an opponent. As he grew older, the
distances became longer.

 

In 2006, Mandla
entered Comrades for the first time. As a boy, he would join the spectators
alongside the road and cheer the Comrades runners on, wishing to be a part of
the glorious event one day. “I knew I could make it, so I did,” he says, “and
now I want to keep coming back to Comrades to cut off some of my finishing
times.” From a 9:10:52 finish in 2007, Mandla pushed up to 8:19:45 the
following year. This year he finished in a stellar time of 7:52:58 (his
personal best) and has no intention of slowing down. He’s completed the Comrades
six times now, all without a running guide, and holds five Bill Rowan medals as
well as one bronze.

 

Mandla survives on
a disability grant and his gracious don’t-pity-me attitude has made him an
inspiration to many runners and supporters. “I get so much support when I run.
There are always people looking after you at Comrades!” Mandla was also a
recipient of the 2012 Spirit of Comrades award for his determination to never
back down, despite his disability. “I didn’t believe them when they called me
about the award. Then they kept calling and it was an amazing surprise to
receive it. It was the first time I wore a suit!”

 

For Mandla, the
secret to his talent is not smoking or drinking, training hard, and the
unbelievable support he gets from his mother. “Some people tell her I should
stop running because it’s dangerous and I could get injured, but she tells them
that I can do whatever I want. When I don’t have enough money to go to races,
she always helps me where she can and motivates me.”

 

His future looks
positive and he has already entered Comrades 2013 and is looking to do well
when Two Oceans rolls around. “I am happy with my life – because you may never
have everything in life, but you must be satisfied with what you have
achieved.”

At the beginning of 2011, Liz heard about a woman who
decided to change her life by losing weight and training to climb Chile’s
dormant volcanoes. “I thought to myself ‘I could do this,’ and my daughter Lisa
told me I should find my own adventure,” says Liz. “I heard about the Camino ten
years previously from a lady who had done it and I just Googled from there!” Thus
the plan was set, to walk from Roncesvalles, near the Pyrenees Mountains on the
Spain-France border, to the Cathedral of Santiago
de Compostela, near Cape Finisterre on Spain’s Atlantic coast, where
St James is reportedly buried. Liz wasn’t even daunted by the prospect of
walking 800km, not having done anything so active in her life before.

 

STEP BY STEP

Liz started by asking her boss for seven weeks’ leave
for the historic walk. “I felt so strong about it and my boss knew it. I even
found someone else to stand in for me while I was away.” However, training for
the walk was a difficult proposition for Liz. Initially, she walked around her
neighbourhood block a little hopelessly, but after a week it got a little
easier. “I built up to walking for an hour-and-a-half during the week and every
Saturday or Sunday I would walk for two hours,” says Liz, “and when I got my
fitness, I started walking with a 10kg backpack for the preparation.”

 

In the process, Liz lost 10kg and was looking forward
to testing her limits, but just before she left for Spain, a close friend
offered a warning: “She said, ‘You’re going to wonder what the hell you’re
doing when you start.’ And it happened,” says Liz. “The first few days were
torture! The route was rocky and by the end of the day your feet are sore, but
eventually I got used to it.”

 

WALKING HISTORY

With two changes of clothes in her backpack, along
with her passport and local money, Liz followed the Camino’s iconic scallop
shell route markers. Her calves were soon tanned and she says she got a little
help with directions on route. “I was hopeless with direction. Someone just
told me that the sun should be behind me and the mountains should be on my
right! It was absolutely beautiful!

 

“Also, in every village you stop over, you can explore
the town before sleeping at a hostel or convent at night,” she says. In some
cases, the stopovers were inexpensive, with some monasteries simply asking for
donations. Liz also lived on cheap ‘Pilgrim Meals’ that cost eight Euros and
would give her the energy for the next day’s 20 to 25km path. “They were pile
portions! A huge starter, main and pudding in a tub. You’d also get bread and
water and after the long walks I’d look forward to eating like a pig,” she
laughs.

 

Liz also enjoyed planning her route and meeting people
along the way. The night before a stage, she’d work out what villages and
tourist spots she would stop at the next day, and she relished the global coming
together of all shapes, sizes and ages on the way to Santiago. “I met people
from all over the world, and walking through 10^th century tunnels, I
realised that thousands had walked that way. But best of all, I didn’t have
that normal day-to-day baggage – there was no traffic, and no deadlines. Never
in my life was there so much freedom!”

 

DISCOVERING HERSELF

Two days before the finish in Santiago, Liz walked
into a small village pub at the end of her day and relaxed with a cold beer while
watching a Spanish quiz show, when suddenly she gave in to tears. “I was just
overwhelmed and sobbed right there. They say there’s three parts to the walk: The
first is the test of the body, then the mind, and then the soul.” Two days
later, Liz and the German friend she had met en route walked through the plaza
to the beautiful cathedral in Santiago, looking a bit bedraggled. “Everyone
looks shabby at the end, but what an amazing moment!”

 

Liz is already setting new goals, including a similar
pilgrimage route in Italy and hiking in Butong. Her inspiring new outlook on life is simple:
“We create our own obstacles in life. You must just choose what you want to do,
what challenges you, and what you enjoy!”

She remembers her very first run
clearly. It was early morning as she ventured out all by herself, armed with
nothing but a brand new pair of running shoes and a strong will to do something
healthy that would combat the osteoporosis she had been diagnosed with.
Initially, Deirdre walked three steps, then ran three steps, because running
for anything longer was simply an impossible ask! That was 2009. Barely three
years later, shoe not only runs much more than three steps at a time, she
regularly finishes on the podium in her age category in races and can also lay
claim to personal bests of 60 minutes for 10km and 2:15 for the half marathon.

 

EXER-WHAT?

For
many years the word exercise did not exist in Deirdre’s vocabulary, mainly due
to the fact that she was born with a missing vertebrae and believed that she
had to keep still. At the age of 38, after having children, she underwent a back
operation, but battled even to lift a teacup while recovering. “I eventually
got stronger, but always stayed careful of my back,” says Deirdre, a concert
pianist who moved from England to South Africa with her family in 1970. They
moved into a house in Randburg, where Deirdre still lives today, 42 years later.
Her husband, John, compiled crosswords for The Star for 20 years, but passed
away several years ago. Fortunately her four children and grandchildren all
live nearby.

 

Eleven years ago Deirdre was diagnosed
with osteoporosis and the medication she was put on made her ill. “I was going
to doctors to be cured of what other doctors gave me,” says the vegetarian, who
visited a dietician and was advised to cut all sugar, salt, white flour and
caffeine from her diet. She also did some strengthening exercises designed by a
biokineticist as well as yoga, Pilates and an urban fitness outdoors class, all
in an attempt to strengthen her bones. “But then one day I saw my son running
and I thought, now that is something I should try!” And Deirdre has never
looked back.

 

RUNNING
BUG BITES

Her first race in 2010 was the
Randburg Harriers Valentine’s 10km, which she finished in 1:25, and as her
running times gradually improved, so Deirdre’s passion for running grew. In her
first year in the sport she completed 36 races, then last year she set her
sighs on getting as many medals as possible, so she ran 58 races! Even better, 2012
has really been her year, with Deirdre regularly winning her age category. “I
try to do races on Saturdays and/or Sundays, and I drive myself to a race.”

 

She
enjoys 10km races most, as she feels the distance is just right, ‘not too short
and not too far.’ Though she did her first Old Mutual Two Oceans Half Marathon
this year, she feels 21km is a bit of a push, despite finishing second in the
70-plus category in a time of 2:25. “The last part of Two Oceans was the
hardest to finish and the weather was terrible, but I enjoyed getting a prize.”
And yes, she has already entered for next year’s race!

 

DEMANDING
SCHEDULE

Her training is consistent: Four days
a week, 7km a day, same route, same time, 5:30 every morning. “People are so
encouraging, when they see me run – they always tell me to keep going.” Then on
top of her running, she also attends a Fitness League class twice a week, where
she gets a complete gym-like workout without it being too demanding. She
usually takes a rest day before and after a race. “Considering my age, I think
two days’ rest is best,” says Deirdre, who does strength exercises and
stretching before every run. And don’t think this granny has days where she
does not feel like training. “I enjoy my rest days, but on other days I don’t
just want to lie in bed. There are things to be done!”

 

And busy she is indeed. Apart from running,
her days are filled with music, something that has been in her blood since the
age of five when she started playing the piano. “I played for the Rosebank
Choir for 12 years before teaching piano at Kingsmead College in Rosebank for
19 years.” Today she teaches at St Peters College in Sunninghill from 12 to 5.
After fighting the traffic, she arrives home at about 7pm and then still
dedicates an hour to practising the piano, as she is part of a musical group
called Festival Ensemble, periodically playing at weddings and cocktail
parties. “Music and running have so much in common, both are a discipline and
requires perseverance. It is a lonely pursuit, but both provide enormous
self-satisfaction,” says Deirdre.

 

AGE IS ONLY A NUMBER

Deirdre
firmly believes the older you get the more exercise you need and not the other
way around! “I played music at old age homes and retirement villages and some
of the people there just went to sleep while we were playing. The only thing
that sometimes kept them awake was the cake! People think when they hit 60 they
just have too sit and that they are too old to start exercising. I think they
should all start with gentle walking and then even some running, but if running
is too much they can stick to walking. As long as they do something! I once
read a letter of a woman saying she is so lonely over weekends. Then I thought
of how exciting weekends are for me. I get to go to races and meet so many
different people. I am in a happy atmosphere on weekends.”

 

She
is a strong believer in healthy eating habits and makes sure her diet consists
of nothing but the best. Breakfast includes ground nuts, seeds and mixed
berries with soya milk, while lunch is always a peanut butter or cheese
sandwich. She makes sure dinner includes two vegetables. Her one indulgence is
decaffeinated cappuccinos. “I mark my races in a logbook with an A for good and
a B for not so good. The races where decaf cappuccinos are sold immediately get
an A, no matter how difficult the route was!” says Deirdre, who stands 1.58m in
her socks and weighs in at a feather-light 40kg.

 

She
reckons her running ability is partly down to good genes and partly her diet
and exercise regime, and it is all paying dividend for her health: “My
osteoporosis improved by 5% last year.” Now she would like to keep on running
for as long as she can. “I don’t feel 81 and would like to inspire other older
people to run. Every morning I get up and feel my legs, then I say: ‘Well, I
still have them,’ before I go run.”

My NYCM started with a casual comment by
my running friend, Marlene, that she wanted to run this iconic race in 2012, and
soon I found myself putting down a deposit. A series of small miracles happened
and the next thing I had enough money – the once in a lifetime event with two
of my friends was taking shape. Months raced by and soon it was time to pack. I
heard about the approaching hurricane before we left for the airport, but it
couldn’t dampen my spirits!

 

HELLO NEW YORK!

The three of us arrived at a very busy
JFK airport, eager to experience the Big Apple. Heavy clouds darkened the
world, news reports told us to expect the worst by Monday afternoon and some
areas close to the shoreline were evacuated, but it seemed to be dismissed by a
lot of the locals. The wind came up and the rain started, but in our district
it felt no worse than a Highveld storm. We walked the eerily empty streets and
saw sandbags in front of some doors and tape crossing big shop windows. Times
Square blinked as normal, but it seemed like a case of ‘the lights are on but
nobody’s home.’

 

Sheltered in our hotel, we watched the
destruction in disbelief, and by Tuesday most of the storm was spent. Then the
race organisers said: “This year’s marathon is dedicated to the City of New
York, the victims of the hurricane, and their families,” but soon runners were being
accused of selfishness and a lack of perspective. So, on the Friday evening, the race was called off
and it was announced, “While holding the race would not require diverting
resources from the recovery effort, it is clear that it has become the source
of disagreement and division. We cannot allow a controversy over an athletic
event – even one as meaningful as this – to distract attention from all the
critically important work that is being done to help New York City recover from
the storm…”

 

My heart sank as the realisation hit us.
Anger, guilt and disappointment rushed through me. I heard stories of runners
who had diverted cancelled flights in a desperate attempt to get to the city in
time. Others had arrived at powerless hotels and sought alternative accommodation
at huge expense. Some had taken money from pension plans to make their NYCM
dream come true. This was a once in a lifetime trip for many of us and the
timing of the cancellation is what angered most runners. If it had been
cancelled the day after the storm, it would have been understood, but to say it
was on and then cancel less than 36 hours before the start was a bitter pill to
swallow…

 

LET’S RUN

Some runners announced they would still
run the route as planned, but different runs in Central Park were also planned.
We decided to join some of the South Africans for a run in the park, and on
Sunday morning there were thousands of runners in the park! Some kind people
were handing out water and a great atmosphere gave me a taste of what the NYCM
would have been like. We did one lap of seven miles and then sat in the sun to cheer
on the athletes doing four laps to make up the marathon distance. I still don’t
know whether I should laugh or cry, but one thing I know for sure is that New
York always offers unforgettable experiences!

In July, Stephen Mokoka lined up in the London Olympic
Marathon aiming to run a 2:06 time, but he eventually limped home in a
disappointing 2:19:52. However, he quickly bounced back at the SA Half Marathon
Champs in Cape Town in August, running a blistering 1:00:57 to not only retain
his national title, but also take 30 seconds off his personal best and set the
fastest time ever run in South Africa on an unaided course. That saw Stephen
selected for the World Half Marathon Champs in Kavarna, Bulgaria in early
October, where he clocked 1:02:06 to finish eighth for the second time at these
Champs.

 

“The Olympics was a great experience and learning
curve for me. We went through halfway on 63 minutes, which was the 2:06
pace I had trained for, so I was comfortable and had more in the tank,” says
Stephen. “But then things started getting hard at 30km. I was still supposed to
run at least 2:16, but had to stop for three minutes with just 500m to go due
to cramp. I gave it my best shot, and if I could race it
again I’d do it the same way. It showed that I have the speed, but I need to do
more endurance to stay with the top guys.”

 

“When I got back, I took a week off, then told my
coach Michael Seme that I want to make the SA team for the World Half Champs.
The pace in Cape Town was very quick right from the start, but I knew I had the
strength, endurance and speed to win. I used to be scared of pushing too hard,
but after breaking 28 minutes on the track for 10 000m in 2009, I felt
comfortable to run 28:30 in the SA 10km Champs in 2009, which allowed me to
clock 61 minutes in a few half marathons. Still, I didn’t expect a sub-61 and
was very happy with that!”

 

STAR QUALITY

Stephen
is undoubtedly one of SA’s top runners at the moment – and versatile – having
won multiple national titles at all distances from 10 000m on the track,
through cross-country to 10km and 21km on the road. He also boasts a marathon
PB of 2:08:33, and he has steadily climbed the ranks on the international
stage. In the World Half Champs he finished 67^th in 2008, then
popped into the top 10 in 2009 with an eighth position, while in the World
Cross Country Champs from 2008 to 2011, he moved up from 74^th to 32^nd,
then 22^nd and finally 15^th. He was also 13^th
in the 10 000m at the track & field World Champs in South Korea last
year.

 

The 27-year-old final year sports management student
at TUT in Pretoria says he hopes to open his own business someday, but for now
is still focussed on running, with his sights firmly set on the marathon at the
2016 Rio Games. “I will be 31 then and will focus on the marathon, but there is
still huge room for improvement in my endurance, so I still need to get my
speed up through track and cross country and I will focus on shorter distances
for now. The marathon is my long-term goal. I also want to get into the big
city marathons, and my ultimate goal is to win one of them and run one of the
fastest times.”

 

“Athletics has played a major role in my life, and the
hunger for success drives me on. I still want to make my mark in the world of
running, so people will talk about me like they do about Shadrack Hoff and
Hendrik Ramaala… I want to be on the same list as those great athletes, but
when I get there, I will still try to achieve still more, because I want to
keep the name of SA athletics on the map. It is always nice wearing the green
and gold. Out of nine provinces and so many people in South Africa, to be
selected to represent your country is a big honour. So even after that hard
Olympic run, I just had to go to the World Champs, because it means a lot to me
to try raise our flag high.”

STEPHEN’S PBS

1500m	3:38.55
3000m	7:55.92
3000m SC	8:56.48
5000m	13:27.22
10 000m	27:40.73
10km	28:21
15km	43:13
10 Miles	46:26*
Half Marathon	1:00:57
Marathon	2:08:33

* SA Record