Category: Features

It’s a new year with new hopes and dreams for most of us, be it a personal best at a certain race, a first ever Comrades, or just losing a few kilograms. Modern Athlete spoke to four athletes about their hopes and dreams for 2010.

Dream: THE BAY TO BAY CHALLENGE 30KM
Name: Karen Ervens
Age: 45

Karen was involved in a car accident in Plumstead, Cape Town in March 2008, which resulted in three months total memory loss, including loss of smell, taste and balance. Towards the end of December 2008, Karen, who describes herself as a plodder, joined a 10km-in-12 weeks Optifit programme through the Sports Science Institute of South Africa (SSISA), as she believed it would help her regain fitness and provide her with the best health advice.

She still battled to balance when she started and it was not always an easy time – many days fellow runners ran next to her to help her stay upright – but she persevered and ran her first 10km race in Belville. Through further SSISA programmes, she has since managed to complete the Knysna, Gun Run, Grape Run, Landmarks and Winelands Half Marathons. Today she still battles a little with her balance and memory, but she believes that with time she will recover fully. Karen’s biggest dream for 2010 is
completing the Bay to Bay Challenge 30km in January.

How are you planning to achieve it?
They say that running is mostly a mental thing. Mentally I think I am up to it, but I need to get distance on my legs and also strengthen them. I have a very good biokineticist (Andrew Gray) who is helping me and I ask a lot of questions and get advice from experienced people such as Kathy McQuaide-Little and
Franciska Venter from the SSISA.

Do you see any obstacles in your way?
Hopefully not, but in running one can pick up injuries very easily. I am going to try and use any obstacles as challenges!

What might be the hardest part of the journey?
Self-belief. Running is something that nobody else can do for you. I know that if I stay positive and surround myself with knowledgeable and experienced people, and listen to advice, I should achieve my goal. I also know if I don’t succeed the fi rst time, I need to use it as a learning curve. I am afraid of
letting myself down as well as the people who have helped and encouraged me.

What is the most exciting part of your journey?
I am excited about how far I’ve come since January last year. If somebody had told me I’d be running 10km by March and 21km by July, I would have thought they were completely insane. I know that if I put my mind to it, I can achieve anything. 2010 is going to be a year of both mental and physical challenges and I am looking forward to it.

Where do you get your inspiration from?
Partly from my past experiences; I have broken my neck twice and that gave me a lot of time to take a good look at my life. It is the only life I have and I need to make the most of it. I’ve learnt to learn from my past mistakes, take the good from them and discard the rest. Carrying baggage weighs you down. I also get my inspiration from my running group and mentors. There are some inspirational words that stick in my mind; Kathy McQuaide-Little once said, “We all create our own glass ceilings; nobody can break these but ourselves. It is up to us to break them and continue breaking them.”

What else are you looking forward to in 2010?
To continue learning about myself and what I am capable of. I also look forward to keep surrounding myself with positive like-minded people and to continue being blessed with a great group of friends.




Dream: TO COMPETE IN THE 2010 JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS IN CANADA
Name: Werner Pretorius
Age: 17

Werner, a schoolboy from Afrikaans Ho?r Seunskool in Pretoria, has always been sporty and has excelled at gymnastics, cricket, rugby and athletics. He had to make a choice as to where his heart lies and athletics came out tops. Werner’s highlight of his young career came in 2008 when he was the top junior hurdler in South Africa. Last year he was a member of the u/17 World Youth Team competing in Italy. Werner has his heart set on competing at the World Junior Championships in Canada in July and hopes that a good performance will enable him to qualify for a bursary to study and compete in America.

How are you planning to achieve your goal?
Training and more training! Also, I will have to work hard at my technique and speed and give 110% at every training session. I recently started changing my diet and I am trying to cut out sweets!

Do you see any obstacles in your way?
I prefer to see obstacles as challenges. It is not the worst thing if I have to miss a few parties because I have to train; there will be others in future. To reach the top one has to sacrifi ce; at the end of the day it is worth it.

What might be the hardest part of the journey?
I need to try and stay injury-free. Last year I had a lot of injuries and it had a big infl uence on my training programme. I am not really scared of anything because I know if you work hard you will be rewarded. I also know disappointments are part of life, they build character and one just has to get back up and not give up when things don’t work out as planned.

And the most exciting?
Competing overseas again will be an amazing experience. And for the first time since primary school I have also started sprinting 100m again.

Where do you get your inspiration from?
From my mom, Christa, my coach, Irma Reyneke, and God, who blessed me with this wonderful talent. When I want to give up I think of these inspirational words: ‘Quitters never win and winners never quit.’

What else are you looking forward to in 2010?
To doing well at school and to qualifying for a bursary to study in America. And of course to going to school with my own little car…  after I get my driver’s license, of course!

Werner’s coach, Irma (a former 400m and 400m hurdles Springbok) says he has all the qualities (physical and emotional) to become a champion. Her dream for him is to become SA Champion in the 110m hurdles and to compete at the World Championships in Canada. “Werner is such a special boy. He is prepared to work hard, never misses a training session, and above all he always stays humble”




Dream: JOHAN: TO RUN MY FIRST EVER COMRADES.
MARTIE: I WOULD LOVE TO ACHIEVE MY GOAL WEIGHT OF 80KG. I ALSO WANT
TO COMPETE IN MORE 10KM RACES.
Name: Johan and Martie van Gass
Age: Johan (43), Martie (39)

Johan who lives in Pretoria weighed 122.8kg in September 2008, and was battling with dangerously high blood pressure levels when he decided he’d had enough. Initially he tried all the wrong ways to lose weight –slimming tablets even landed him in hospital due to dehydration. He eventually started reading
about healthy eating habits and joined the gym. The weight started coming off! Johan got tired of the overcrowded gym and joined Run/Walk for Life. After the first week, he completed his first 8km race. Today Johan trains four days a week and runs a road race every Saturday. On Sundays he competes in mountain bike races and has just completed his fi rst 94.7 mountain bike race.




Martie weighed 144.8kg in September 2008. She decided to join her husband on his weightloss and fitness programme and has lost 50kg up to now. She has completed numerous 5km walks and one 10km walk. Today she trains three times a week and competes in 5km walks on the weekends.

Johan’s biggest dream is to finish Comrades 2010 and Martie is looking forward to losing another 15kg and competing in more 10km races.

How are you planning to achieve it?
J: I want to prove to myself that I have the endurance to finish a race as big as the Comrades. I am following the Comrades training programme, which I adapted a bit to suit myself. I also cycle to
strengthen my legs and from January I will be going to gym.
M: I am going to learn how to cycle so I can add this to my training programme.

Do you see any obstacles in your way?
J: There is only one obstacle and that is what one places in one’s own way. I am not planning on doing anything that will hinder me from achieving my dream. I have learnt not to put too much pressure on myself because then you don’t listen to your own body and you don’t rest when necessary. I take each
day as it comes and enjoy what I do. Too much, too fast, too soon are such true words.
M: One just has to deal with whatever comes your way and trust in God and your own ability. It is normal to be worried about falling back into your old ways, but luckily I have Johan who helps and supports me so much. If it weren’t for him I would not have made it.

What might be the hardest part of the journey?
J: I am battling with an injury. To get rid of it is going to be hard.
M: I am battling to get rid of the last few kilograms.

My body has become so used to my exercise programme, but I am planning to train more! And the most exciting?
J: We recently bought a Run/Walk for Life franchise. We are excited about helping others who are where we were.
M: I have encouraged some of my colleagues at work to lose weight and start exercising.

Where do you get your inspiration from?
J: My wife! Even if I am the worst sportsman, my wife will always make me feel as if I am a champion. That’s why I run each and every race just for her. I also always remember where I came from.
M: Johan is my biggest inspiration. He has helped me through each and every step of my weight-loss.
On the days that I feel fat and ugly, he always makes me feel better. I can also walk into shops and
look at all the beautiful clothes that I can wear.

What else are you looking forward to in 2010?
J: My wife is going to start cycling; perhaps in 2011 we could do the Cape Epic together!
M: I am looking forward to a healthy year and to live each day fully, inspiring others.




Dream: TO COMPLETE A HALF MARATHON
Name: Isabel Bekker
Age: 38
Isabel, a mother of two from Edenvale, joined Run/Walk for Life in 2001 after a colleague had an osteoporosis scare. The incident made her realise how important it was to be fit and active. The walking sessions started boring her, though, so one day she started jogging. Later, when she started working in Sandton, her running career came to a halt for five years because she got home too late to run. She eventually left that job and started running again. In 2008 she completed a few races and in April last
year, she ran her longest race to date, the Colgate 15km.

How are you planning to achieve it?
Training hard, increasing my distance and losing the last stubborn 6kg! I have not decided which half marathon to run, but it will be in the fi rst half of the year.

Do you see any obstacles in your way?
Defi nitely the winter months. I had a bad winter last year and stopped running for four months. When I came back I struggled to complete even 500m. Only three months later was I able to run the Irene 10km. What often makes me think that I might not accomplish my dream is the battle in my mind. My legs say they can do the mileage while my mind tells me that my body can’t. I need to overcome that and focus on the finishing line instead of the entire race.

What might be the hardest part of the journey?
The hardest part for me is juggling my life as a wife, mother and full-time worker while trying to put in
the distance and training needed to achieve my goal. If it wasn’t for my husband Ron’s support, there is no way I could have accomplished what I have so far. I am very lucky to have such a wonderful family who don’t care what my time was and children who walk around with my medals around their necks. They make me feel like a hero and that is the type of role model one aspires to be for one’s children.

And the most exciting?
Ticking ‘completing a half marathon’ off my to-do list of life.

Where do you get your inspiration from?
I get my inspiration from success stories of people who were not natural runners all their lives, people who worked hard to get where they are and understand the battles that I go through as a novice. There
are athletes who do way more mileage than I ever have, but still take the time to chat to me and offer advice and motivation. To me they are truly inspirational and they instil confi dence in my abilities. I  believe in these words: ‘If you can dream it, you can do it.’

What else are you looking forward to in 2010?
I am looking forward to the Soccer World Cup! Viva Espa?a!

When Mike Moloney saw the front cover of the October edition of Modern Athlete, he immediately recognised the photograph in the background as the start of the 1946 Jackie Gibson Marathon, with his father, Gerald, in the small group of runners. That photograph took him back to the good old days of South African running, just after the Second World War, when long distance runners were still considered a bit crazy and the Comrades Marathon was only run by a handful of hardy characters. He decided to share the trip down memory lane with us.

At the cessation of hostilities in 1945, returning ex-servicemen began to pick up their lives, which had been interrupted by six years of war. Most were demobilised with a brown doublebreasted suit, five pounds Stirling and very little else. Jobs had to be found, families regrouped and relationships restarted. Some found it easier than others, but for most, it was a time of financial struggle in an economy suddenly filled with job seekers.

My father was one of these men. A member of the South African Air Force in the Abyssinian and North African Campaigns, he was demobilised in poor health, a victim of malaria and the many diseases  particular to Libya and Egypt, where he and the Afrika Korps chased each other backwards and forwards across the Western Desert. When his squadron was deployed to Italy, he spent many months in recovery in Palestine before being returned to South Africa. Back home, he was lucky enough to get his pre-war job back, albeit at a very poor salary, a common problem with ex-servicemen at the time. While ‘up North’, the Union government had contributed to the family’s living expenses, which included the house in which we lived, and we were able to get going again in civilian life.

My father had been a member of Germiston Callies before the war and, as a track athlete, had specialised in the mile and three-mile events. As a miler, he was running times around 4:09, a few seconds outside the World Record, which was set at 4:06.4 by Sydney Wooderson of the United Kingdom. Callies had all but closed down during the war so, with Fred Morrison and Cecil McLean, he set about getting the club back on its feet.

They ran everything from one-mile to marathon, as there were so few members, but the club slowly began to grow. Having lost the speed which had brought him world-class times before the war, he began concentrating on longer distances and, eventually, the Comrades Marathon.

Apart from a few runners who excelled at long distances, the Callies runners ran cross-country in the winter and track in the summer, with the odd marathon when it came up. They did no special training for the long road races and got by on talent and the ‘Corpse Reviver’, a drink devised by Wally Hayward, Alan Ferguson and the rest of the ‘hard boys’ of athletics. It was a mixture of lemon squash, castor sugar, salt and other secret ingredients favoured by each individual runner. Looking at it now with the benefi t of 50 years of research and not-so-subtle marketing, it seems a little crude, but it worked pretty well then in the absence of any commercial offerings.

No one was commercially interested in the few marathon runners who were considered to be completely daft by the general public. However, the Comrades Marathon was reasonably well-known and the runners held in quite high regard. I was ’the boy‘ in primary school, as “his dad runs Comrades!” After
each Comrades, I’d get quite a few, “How did your father do?” queries from classmates. Well, to use a colloquialism, he did pretty damn good.

FIRST GOLD
My father’s first run was in 1947, but I don’t remember much about it – I was six years old, so that’s not surprising. The details have been gleaned from various sources and discussions with people who were involved, so inaccuracies, for which I don’t apologise, may have crept in. Of the 47 entries, only 23 would be classifi ed as fi nishers. With small fields like this, it was possible for a runner to run for hours without seeing another competitor. The only link a runner had with the race was the public at the
side of the road, of which there were few, and his second. No marshals, except at the start and the finish, no seconding tables, no distance markers, just the endless undulating road ahead, stretching on and on. Even the leader could have run much of the race alone.

In a race like Comrades in the early days, the role of the second could not be overemphasised. A good second would support the runner throughout the race, not only with water and Corpse Reviver, but also morally and physically. It meant that seconds sometimes had to run quite long distances with the runner and then back to the car, drive past the runner and wait for him to come along about half an hour later. He had to help the runner through bad patches and keep going all day. Without seconds, no runner could hope for a trouble-free run, let alone to do well. The 1947 race was a ‘down’ run, the first in eight years. Hardy Ballington dominated from early on and my dad went through Drummond in 11th place,
running with his Callies team mates Carl Pace and Eddie Hofmeyr. As members of the Callies Gunga Din team, they ran together for 60km before Hofmeyr pulled away to finish third behind winner Ballington, with Reg Allison the second gold. Next came LA Nel of Durban and then my dad in fi fth place for the first of his gold medals. Along with Hofmeyr, Pace and Fred Morrison in eighth place, the Callies team scooped the coveted Gunga Din Trophy, which stood in our lounge for three months, shared by the four team members. Now that doesn’t happen these days! Callies had done extremely well winning the  Gunga Din Trophy so soon after being re-established and the mood among the members was buoyant.

PEDAL POWER
By now, we had moved from our house in Primrose to a mine house a hundred metres or so from Geldenhuis railway station. My dad was still working at the Rose Deep Mine between Primrose and Germiston, and not owning a car, he had no option but to ride to work on his ‘trapfiets’. On with the bicycle clips, sports jacket buttoned up, and he’d be off at the crack of dawn to get to work by eight o’clock. His bike was nothing like the current offerings. No lightweight frames with adjustable  suspension and disc brakes. No Shimano multi-speed hubs, just a solid, 29-inch, single speed bicycle with a saddle and handlebars seemingly fabricated from cast iron tubing fi lled with lead. To brake,
you turned the pedals backwards. It was really hard work.

I started school at the beginning of 1948. I was enrolled at Primrose English Medium Primary School, which meant that my dad had to drop me off at school. Not having a car meant it had to be done on the bicycle. At seven in the morning, my dad would arrange a pillow on the crossbar, I’d climb on and we’d be on our way. A short dirt section and we’d be on tar, uphill all the way to the school in Primrose. By the time we got to school, my bum was deeply grooved by the unrelenting crossbar, which had, by some
miracle, forced its way through the pillow. My dad then had to ride all the way back to the Rose Deep Mine offices to start his day’s work.

At lunchtime, he’d have to ride back to school, pick me up and ride back home again. Fortunately, it was now mostly downhill but I was always relieved to hear the gravel of the dirt road crunching under the tyres. For me, it meant that the ordeal was over, but for my dad, it was only half done. He still had to ride back to work and all the way back home at the end of the day. All in all, he rode 180km in the six days of his work week. This probably made him one of the fi rst cross-trainers in South Africa and must have helped boost his fitness. A lot of people rode bicycles after the war, as few of them could afford cars.

When it rained, my dad had to enrol the help of his friend, Ross Baird, who had an MG TC, to take me home from school. Ross had been an armoured car commander in North Africa. His war ended when an enemy shell penetrated the armour and bounced around the interior, killing his crew and taking his right elbow, part of his hand and three of his fi ngers before running out of energy. Three of us jammed into the tiny MG with rain leaking through holes in the canvas top was almost as much of an ordeal as the bicycle ride, but at least it was quick.

SPRINT FINISH
The 1948 Comrades was an ‘up’ run and the Callies team was expected to do well again. My dad was tipped to give the favourite, 21-year-old Reg Allison, some competition. 45 runners lined up at the start and my dad ran all the way to Camperdown with team mate George Burdett, who later won the Jackie
Gibson Marathon and the Pieter Korkie Ultra Marathon. As they left Camperdown, George felt strong and pulled away. The heat was incredible and was taking its toll on the runners, with many falling by the wayside. As they approached Maritzburg, my dad lost sight of Burdett and without the companionship, his pace started to slow. With about a mile to go, he spotted Burdett’s second at the roadside and asked
how George was doing. “Oh, George has finished”, he said.

Tired and extremely hot, my dad decided to stop at a garage and have a splashdown at the tap. He knew he was well ahead of the next runner and couldn’t be caught. A minute or so later, he was on the road again and as he entered the stadium, to his surprise, he saw George staggering towards the finish line, totally exhausted. He accelerated to as close to a sprint as anyone can manage at the end of Comrades and rapidly closed the gap to what could be third place. Unfortunately, the frantic encouragement of the large crowd in the stadium failed to help him past Burdett and he finished two seconds behind in a close fourth.

Reg Allison, the pre-race favourite, didn’t win. Old-timer and 1938 winner, WER Savage did, with Allison second, George Burdett third and my dad fourth. And that was it. Fourth spot for his second gold medal and his name on the Gunga Din Trophy again, giving Callies their second team win in as many years. All in all a sterling effort all round.

LONG ROAD
The Comrades experience in the 40s was very different to today. It wasn’t easy to get time off work and runners needing to travel to the race had to ‘make a plan’. As most people worked on Saturday mornings as a matter of course, there wasn’t much weekend time for a trip to Durbs and back. Staying in hotels was out of reach fi nancially for most runners and accepting assistance or sponsorship was death to anyone’s sporting aspirations, Wally Hayward being the best-known sufferer of the amateurism rule.

My dad hadn’t planned to run in 1949 as he was concentrating on cross-country and six-mile track races. These plans fell apart when, three weeks before Comrades, a knock on the door revealed Fred Morrison in a mild panic. One of the Callies team members had pulled out and the team was short of a runner good enough to contend for the Gunga Din. Fred could be very persuasive and, for the next three weeks, he dragged my dad mile after mile around the hills of Bedfordview. Fred managed to get him entered and, on top of all this, made him team captain.

On the weekend of the race, my dad got home from work on Saturday at one-thirty, had a hasty lunch and packed his running shorts, Callies vest and canvas takkies in a small brown suitcase he used to carry his sports gear in. Add a towel, toothbrush and toothpaste and he was ready for Comrades. At three, Fred, who wasn’t running that year, arrived in his 1948 Hudson with three other team members, loaded up my dad and headed for Pietermaritzburg, a journey of ten hours in those pre-freeway days. Had it been an ‘up’ run, the trip would have taken another hour and a half, winding down the Comrades route in the dark to the start in Durban.

They arrived at one o’clock the morning of the race and tried to get a few hours of sleep, jammed five in the car, before lining up at the start at six on Sunday morning. Despite all the drama and lack of training, my dad had a great run, one of those blinders that come far too infrequently, when you just don’t get
tired. Apart from an hour-long dice with Morris Alexander for the cuckoo clock, the prize for fourth place, which Alexander had been instructed by his wife to win, he had an uneventful run. He looked so good after a wash and change that he was asked why he didn’t run. Perhaps there’s some benefit to being undertrained…

The race was won by Reg Allison, the previous year’s runner-up, with J Ballington second, Alan Ferguson third, Alexander fourth and my dad fifth. Callies won the team prize again and the Gunga Din Shield stood in our lounge for another three months, sadly for the last time.

After the prizegiving, they jammed themselves back into the Hudson and set off into the sunset for another ten hours driving through the night, four stiff, cramping runners trying desperately to find a comfortable position in the car. They arrived back on the Reef at fi ve on Monday morning without any sleep, just in time to stagger off to work. Marathon runners have always been a tough bunch, considered the hard men of athletics, but in those frugal post-war times, they had to be just that much tougher. Today’s runners take for granted being able to take a few days leave, spend them in a hotel with the family and run Comrades with seconding tables every few kilometers. Comrades will always be tough, no matter how you run it.

SUPER-DAD
In 1950, my dad was running track and cross-country in the winter. He also ran whatever marathon came up, but it was mostly track and cross-country. For this, his training was running around the hills of Bedfordview a few times a week. In February, his leave came up and we planned to go on holiday to East London, where he had spent much of his youth. The SA Track Championships were being held in Bloemfontein at the same time and he had entered to run the six-mile race. We were stopping overnight in Bloem anyway, so why not have a go at the SA Championships?

My Dad had by now managed to buy a car. It was a 1948 Dodge Special Deluxe bought from Sidney Clow in Germiston. He’d ordered it in 1948 and had to wait a year for it as there was a long waiting list and, as can be imagined, it changed our lives.

We loaded our holiday ‘gereedskap’ into the boot and headed for Bloem and the SA Champs. I don’t remember the trip or the holiday, but I clearly remember sitting in the stands watching the race. I was sure he was going to win – he was my dad, after all. There were about 15 runners in the field and they ran the 24 laps in the blistering heat, in takkies and on a hard, cinder surface. My dad finished in the middle of the fi eld, which was pretty good, considering his best years were behind him. Sadly, the
speed that had taken him to within seconds of the world one-mile record was gone.

I don’t remember him ever doing any speed training. The fartlek training system was just taking hold but coaches were unheard of for even top athletes like my dad. Runners just did what they thought was best for them, based on what they’d read about in imported publications or what they’d heard from runners
competing overseas.

LAST RUN
Soon Comrades came along and ‘us kids’ stayed with my grandmother while ma and pa trundled off to Durban in the blue Dodge. My mother didn’t drive and a second had been arranged for my dad. The poor bloke didn’t know what he was in for. He reported for duty in a brown suit and stout brogues, believing he was to drive the car and, standing on the side of the road, hand my dad a drink every now and then. Well, he was right about driving the car.

It was an ‘up’ run, attracting a fi eld of 29 runners. A notable entrant was veteran Wally Hayward, back in the race after his win at 21 in 1930, to begin a remarkable comeback. But Wally was a remarkable person, as anyone familiar with South African distance running will know. Endowed with exceptional talent and a physique seemingly unaffected by age, he was a quiet, unassuming and modest man, always
approachable and willing to assist anyone who asked for his help.

The race was run in hot and windy conditions, making the going tough. Wally was in the lead at Hillcrest and, battling a strong headwind, broke the tape in Maritzburg in 6:46, only the fifth runner to break seven hours for the up run. My dad came in 11th, the fi rst time outside the gold medal positions, after having
run most of the way with the Callies Gunga Din team. Callies lost the Gunga Din to Collegians and five years would pass before they won it again. My dad’s second ended the day in much worse condition than the runners, having run with the Callies team at race pace at least ten times while handing out drinks, which, for a non-runner, was a pretty good effort.

It was my dad’s last Comrades and he slowly withdrew from competitive athletics. He maintained his association with Callies for many years while tennis became his competitive sport. Never one to blow his own trumpet, he rarely spoke about his achievements. When we went to the coast on holiday and got to the last part, which was the Comrades course, he’d say, “Still running,” once or twice and that was it. Now whenever I drive between Maritzburg and Durban, I think of that. Still running.

Many towns around South Africa hold an annual festival to celebrate whatever that town or area is famous for, be it wine, witblits, oysters, olives, sweet potatoes or the performing arts. Here’s a list of great festivals that offer an extra incentive to all Modern Athletes – a running race as part of the festival. Keep your diary handy while reading this article, because you’re sure to start making plans.

MARULA FESTIVAL
Marula Festival Half Marathon, Phalaborwa, Limpopo, 27 February

The Festival: Throughout Southern Africa, the ripening of the marula fruit from December to March is celebrated with the Feast of First Fruits. The three-day party celebrates the legendary marula tree and its fruit – from its use as a place of worship and the magical healing qualities of its bark, leaves, nuts and fruit, to it being used as a food source and to make delicious traditional beer.

The Race: The absolute essential piece of advice for this race is that you should wait until after the run to join the Feast of First Fruits, because running after a few glasses of marula beer is not recommended!



KLEIN KAROO NATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL KKNK
Half Marathon & 10km, Oudtshoorn, South Western Districts, 10 April

The Festival: The Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees in Oudtshoorn features both well-known and young up-and-coming artists in dance and theatre. Started as an Afrikaans alternative to the mainly English National Arts Festival, KKNK has 200 different acts on three different stages.

The Race: This interesting race is fl at and very scenic. Starting at the Wesbank Laerskool in Park Way, the route goes past the old Ostrich Palaces, through Oudtshoorn and its surrounding areas. www.kknk.co.za



PRINCE ALBERT OLIVE FESTIVAL
Prince Albert Olive Festival Half Marathon & 10km, Prince Albert, South Western Districts, 1 May

The Festival: Head to the Great Karoo for a weekend of great music, great food, great wine and great olives. The Karoo night skies are a wonder not to be missed – the stars literally reach out and touch your eyes, so go on a stargazing tour with local experts or just stand and marvel while you enjoy the serenity. Stress is not an option here!

The Race: The event is run through the historic and beautiful Karoo town of Prince Albert. You will be treated to the scenic splendour of the Swartberg Mountains from a vantage point before turning for the run back along the main street.



NAPIER SWEET POTATO FESTIVAL
Napier Half Marathon, Napier, Boland, 19 June

The Festival: Not much info is available, but if you’re into sweet potatoes, let’s just say that this is the place to be. From a running perspective, this festival and race always used to coincide with the Comrades Marathon, so it remained a hidden gem. No excuses now that Comrades has moved to May – get there this year!

The Race: This tough, hilly course starts off deceptively with an easy 2km downhill canter through the village, before heading out onto farmlands. Around 6km, the course becomes a gravel road passing fields of giant Proteas. The hard work only begins after halfway with a continuous 5km climb through
plantations of barley, wheat, oats and canola to the highest point at 16km. This is a good time to breathe deeply and enjoy the scenery before a pleasant jog back to Napier. Beware the fi nal sting in this
beauty’s tail…



BASTILLE FESTIVAL
Bastille Festival Freedom Run Half Marathon & 16km Long Walk, Franschhoek, Boland, 10 July

The Festival: Award-winning chefs and winemakers set up stalls in the town centre, offering delicious
fare from local and imported cheeses to handmade chocolates and salmon trout from the valley,
complemented by Franschhoek’s fi ne wines. The town’s restaurants, craft shops, galleries, boutiques
and food shops will be offering specials and guests will also be able to try their hand at boules, listen
to musicians or shop up a storm at market stalls.

The Race: Franschhoek is a truly stunning venue for a race, surrounded by vineyards and mountains. The flat route is half on tar, half on gravel, starting and fi nishing at the Huguenot Monument. This is one of those races where you really should slow down to enjoy the view! www.franschhoek.org.za



KNYSNA OYSTER FESTIVAL
Pick n Pay Cape Times Knysna Forest Marathon & Half Marathon, Knysna, South Western Districts, 10 July

The Festival: The coastal town of Knysna is famous for its oysters, and increasingly famous for the July festival that celebrates them. In addition to oyster braais, oyster tasting, oyster-eating competitions and other molluscular activities, there’s live entertainment, and lots of sporting events – cycling, running, triathlon, canoeing, downhill racing, and more. The organisers promise something for everyone – for food fundis, art and music lovers, outdoor and sporty types, for the adults and the kiddies.

The Race: This a mean marathon in terms of hills, but the spectacular route through the forest more than makes up for it. Listen out for the call of the Loerie birds as you trundle along. The half is the bigger race, though, attracting thousands of temp licence newcomers each year. Just dress warmly at the start in the forest, because it is f-f-freezing! www.oysterfestival.co.za



NEWTON GARIEP FESTIVAL
Netwon Gariep Festival Half Marathon & 10km, Kimberley, Griqualand West, 4 September

The Festival: The Gariep Kunstefees (arts festival) has an impressive line-up of local musicians, a film festival showcasing South Africa’s new fi lmmakers, as well as art exhibitions and children’s theatre.

The Race: Running events in Kimberley are usually fairly small by the standards of Johannesburg or and a pleasant ‘local is lekker’ approach. www.gariepfees.co.za



WHALE FESTIVAL
Whale Festival Half Marathon, Hermanus, Boland, 25 September

The Festival: Every year, southern right whales travel thousands of miles to the Cape south coast to mate and calve in Walker Bay. Join the villagers of Hermanus for an entertainment-packed festival in the town with the best land-based whale watching in the world. Watching a whale breach – when it comes up nose first, lifts high out of the water and fl ops back again, causing a huge splash – is truly unforgettable.

The Race: It starts with a short hill in the first kilometre, then fl attens out as you run through town to the new harbour and onto the coastal road where there are a number of testing pulls. The toughest hill is found near the 18km mark – short, but steep. This is a scenic event, especially the section along the
seaside pathway. www.whalefestival.co.za



DIE BURGER RITTLEFEES
Olifantsrivier Rittlefees Half Marathon, Vredendal, Western Province, 30 October

The Festival: Vredendal is home to the annual ‘Rittelfees’, a three-day Afrikaans music festival with seven stages and over one hundred great artists performing, plus arts and crafts, sporting events, exhibitions and food stalls. Vredendal is a scenic three-hour drive up the West Coast N7 highway from Cape Town.

The Race: Overall this ranks as a moderately challenging course, run mostly on tar but with a short 4km gravel section. There is also a fun relay event for teams and schools. www.rittelfees.co.za



FICKSBERG CHERRY FESTIVAL
Kersie Bergwedloop 23km, Ficksburg, Free State, 20 November

The Festival: First held in 1969, the week-long Cherry Festival is the oldest crop festival in South Africa, and attracts around 20 000 visitors to this small eastern Free State town each year. The scenery is magnifi cent, and the festival offers cherry and asparagus tasting, tours, picnics, music and beauty pageants.

The Race: Any mountain race presents its own challenge, and this race is no different. The first 13km will prove challenging, but this route is known are well worth the effort. This event could win the prize for the most picturesque race in the country. It is held at the same time as the cherry crops.  www.cherryfestival.co.za



THE BIG BLUE FESTIVAL
Various races, Kleinmond, Boland, December 2010 to January 2011

The Festival: It started off as a small festival to complement the multi-sport Totalsports Challenge, but has grown into a month-long celebration of summer, sun and sea. The festival takes it name from the Blue Flag status of Kleinmond’s pristine main beach. The festivities feature some of SA’s most popular musicians as well as a variety of family and fun activities, craft, food and wine stalls, exhibitions and sporting events.

The Races: Choose between the Big Blue Hangklip Half Marathon, four 10km races that make up the Big Blue Summer Series, an XTERRA off-road triathlon and trail run, and the big fi nale, the Totalsports Challenge. Plenty of running here! www.thebigblue.co.za

Have you forgotten why you run? Has running become more stress than relaxation? Then read on. Natasha Papini, a 21-year-old university graduate from Durban North has just completed her very first 15km road race, loves all things running and shared her newfound passion with Modern Athlete. Natasha’s running journey might remind you why you fell in love with running as well.

When her alarm clock goes off at 4:30 every morning, many youngsters her age are only going to bed after a night of partying. But Natasha Papini laces up her running shoes and hops in the car with her mom to meet up with their running group for a 10km run. For Natasha, running has become a way of life. “I love to run with people who are sometimes double my age! They give me a different perspective on life and they make the run so much more fun; from the ladies gossiping to the guys joking, all of them insisting I cover my ears. The running family is one of the many reasons why I get up in the morning; there is never a dull moment.”

Natasha is no different to other youngsters; she loves to party with her friends, but these days she has found a balance which allows her to make running a part of who she is. She has always been sporty, achieving KZN colours in fi gure skating, but she had to give it up when academics demanded more time. So she joined a gym, but eventually got bored of seeing the same interior of the same building every day.

IN HER MOM’S FOOTSTEPS
Then Natasha’s mom, Daniela, suggested running. “My mom is such an avid and amazing runner. She is the youngest 49-year-old I know and I can only wish that I will be as young at heart as she is when I am her age.”

Natasha started running on the treadmill before progressing to short 20-minute runs on the road and later easy 5km runs with her mom. Daniela encouraged her daughter to run with Regent Harriers, a group of up to 550 runners who run in Durban North most mornings. The runs not only made her fit and strong, they got her so hooked on running that she even added longer distance runs as well as quality track sessions to her training programme. She now manages 10km runs on Tuesdays and Fridays, a 15km run on Wednesdays and 60 minutes of track on Thursdays. Depending on her ’partying schedule’, she tries to run between 15km and 22km on the weekends.

And through it all, mom Daniela has been her support. “My mom has always been there to keep me company and focused,” says Natasha about her mom, who has run Comrades, Mont-Aux-Sources and Two Oceans. “I am really lucky to have my mom as a running partner. She inspires me to always work hard, not just in running but in all I do, to never give up, because what goes up must eventually come down; also with regards to all the uphills in life.”

EXHILARATION
Natasha says it is difficult to highlight just one thing she loves about running. “There are so many different aspects of running that I love, but if I had to choose, it would be the way running makes me feel after I have finished. I feel exhilarated. There is also something about running early in the morning that just makes the rest of my day so much better. I get to clear my head before my day starts and I also get to start my day so pumped on endorphins that I feel I can tackle absolutely anything,” says Natasha, who reads every single running magazine she can find. Even shopping has taken on a whole new meaning; these days she loves to shop for new running clothes. “It honestly feels as if new running shorts will make me run faster.”

It is the running community that truly keeps her inspired. “Running makes me feel part of a community other than that of family and friends. The running community is so supportive and you will always find someone willing to help you or nudge you up that last hill. There are not a lot of sports where you will find a group of individuals who get as close as the running family does.”

Occasionally she battles to get out of bed, especially on rainy days, but once up she never regrets it. “It’s a small sacrifice I am willing to make. Most of my friends think that I am crazy, but they will only really understand what I am talking about once they have experienced it for themselves.”

Natasha has convinced a couple of her friends to occasionally run with her, but says it is hard for  youngsters these days to start running. “People my age are still learning to juggle their studies, work and their social life, but we eventually learn!” She believes more can be done, especially at university level, to get youngsters involved. “Running clubs at universities often focus on elite youngsters who have been running since school days. They should offer a more social club where youngsters can socialise and get fit at the same time.”

FIRST RACE
Natasha recently completed her first race, the Stella 15km, in a time of 1:18. She was nervous at the start and thought other runners would run over her when the gun went off, but at the finish line there was no one prouder than Natasha, her mom and running friends. “I was extremely proud of myself. My mom and many of the runners I run with were really supportive and proud of my results, which made it so much more rewarding. It was also nice knowing that all those early mornings and hard work paid off.”

ROLE MODELS
“I prefer to look at people I know when it comes to role models. I can truly relate to them and say that I know what kind of a person they are, what their fears and goals are and what their failures and achievements are. My mom inspires me. I would be over the moon if I could accomplish even half of what she has.”

As for the future, Natasha plans to do many more 10km and 15km races, as well as the Two Oceans Half Marathon and eventually more adventurous races. In the meantime, she keeps on believing in herself and her newfound running ability. “Through running I have learned the mind is an extremely powerful tool, and if you know how to use it to your advantage, the possibilities are endless.”

When two young athletes merge not just their love for running but their love for each other, the proverbial sky is the limit. Especially when both are truly gifted athletes with the potential to one day go to the Olympic Games – and especially when they will do anything to help each other achieve their running goals.

While looking for articles about inspiring South African runners for this edition, I put out the call to a few of my contacts in the club and provincial structures to ask for suggestions about good stories that our readers would be interested in hearing. One of the suggestions I received was to interview two young runners from Celtic Harriers in Cape Town, Anthony Godongwana (25) and Thozama April (24), who share a most inspirational bond that goes far beyond just being running mates.

I soon found myself driving to the Khayelitsha Stadium on a Sunday afternoon to meet up with this inspirational couple, who met through running when both were juniors running for the Atlantic Athletic Club (AAC) and were selected to represent Western Province. Both are elite athletes who regularly win races or fi nish in podium positions in the Cape, and both have received provincial colours on numerous occasions, across all the running disciplines. Both have also enjoyed success at a national level, being selected for national training squads or representing South Africa – and both have big plans for their running careers.

But it is their approach to getting there that is so inspirational. You see, while Anthony is unemployed, he regularly earns money by racing road races. That money doesn’t just get spent, though – much of it goes towards Thozama’s ongoing studies in sports management and personal training, either to pay for studies directly or to help with transport costs to get to classes and pay for lunches during the days spent in class.

LEARNING CURVE
Thozama has already finished two years of her sports management diploma through Northlink College in Panorama, but put it aside in 2009 to do a personal training course at FET Principals in Tokai, thanks to a bursary she was awarded by Body Excel. The problem is that living in Khayelitsha and travelling to Panorama and Tokai for classes takes some doing…

“Transport was hectic! I took the bus each day, so had to wake up at five in the morning to be able to catch the bus at 6:30. Classes would start at eight, and sometimes I would be late because the bus was late. And when it was raining, I had to stand and wait at the bus stop too,” says Thozama. “She had to take the bus, because the taxis cost too much,” adds Anthony. “The bus costs about R265 per month, where the taxis are about R25, R26 per day!”

Thozama’s plan was to go back to College in 2010 and finish her diploma, then to do her honours as well, but that has changed thanks to her selection for the SA national cross-country training squad, which will be getting together in December/January to train in Pretoria. She and Anthony will be going up for two months, and then plan to stay on, with her enrolling in Pretoria University to continue her studies through the High Performance Centre.

EARLY YEARS
Anthony was born in the Transkei and moved to Cape Town when he was young, along with his mother, brother and sister. Thozama was born in Queenstown in the Eastern Cape and moved to Cape Town when she was nine years old to live with her grandparents and help with the family. She has two sisters and a brother, with her mother and one sister now back in Queenstown. It was thus her grandmother who watched over her early running career.

“When I started running, my grandmother didn’t want me to run – she was worried about my safety because I was getting back late from training, and it’s not safe for young girls to be out alone. But Anthony would pick me up at home to go to training and take me home again afterwards, and we would meet after school to train together. Luckily, after seeing my potential, my grandmother let me run.”

“Anthony has really helped me so much. He helped me write my training programme, and it’s thanks to him that I have run 35 minutes for 10km. Also, my grandmother is a pensioner, so we couldn’t always afford lunch, and Anthony helped me with money, and also gave me money towards school and college.”

When asked if it is diffi cult for young black girls to get into sport, Thozama says, “Our parents don’t encourage kids to do sport, and they don’t support the kids by coming to watch them play or run. My friends that I grew up with don’t do sport. Some are working while some are just doing nothing, and they’re not in shape because they just watch TV. That’s not right.”

Another obstacle is the traditional view that girls should not be playing sport; they should be at home, getting ready to raise a family and do the cooking… but Anthony doesn’t buy into that. “I am happy that Thozama runs. We met through running and we love running together – and she is doing so well.”

BREAKTHROUGH YEAR
This past year has been a great one for Thozama. Not only did she run new PBs in the SA 10km and 21km Champs, she also fi nished seventh in the overall points standings for the Spar Ladies’ Series Grand Prix, which was a big focus of her year, seeing her travel to the Spar races around the country to rack up the points.

Her other focus was cross-country – she fi nished eighth in the SA Champs and was selected for the national training squad. “I was challenging for third during the race, but the altitude affected me and I dropped back to eighth,” she says. Now she is preparing for the interprovincial cross-country meet in January, aiming to make the top six so she will crack the final nod for the World Champs squad, which will be announced after the race. Anthony will also be running in the meet, but as an individual entry.

Balancing all the big races in 2009 was challenging, though. For example, in September she ran the SA 10km Champs race in Stellenbosch one Saturday morning, finishing 12th, then flew up to Gauteng the same day so she could run the Pretoria leg of the Spar Ladies Series, finishing 11th. That same month saw her running in the SA Cross-Country Champs. Talk about a hectic programme.

HIS STORY
While this past year has largely been about Thozama’s running, Anthony has also been in good form, regularly finishing on the podium. He’s so humble though, that I almost finished the interview without him mentioning anything about his running, or his SA record, or training in Kenya as part of an SA development squad… So I sat him down again and got him to tell me more about his running.

He burst onto the scene in 2001 while running for Midas Spartans (1999-2000) and then for AAC, making the Western Province Youth team for the 2001 SA Champs in Bellville, running the 2000 steeplechase and the 3000m. In the steeplechase final, he broke the national Youth record, winning in 5:52 (and also claimed fi fth position in the 3000). That win saw him selected for the SA team for the Southern Region Champs in Mauritius later that year, where he finished second. Next he was off to Hungary for the World Youth Champs, where he fi nished eighth and set another SA record (5:45).

In 2002 he moved up to the 3000m steeplechase, winning the SA Junior Champs, which saw him selected for the World Junior Champs in Jamaica, where he finished tenth in his heat and didn’t make the final. Then in 2003 Anthony achieved further success, fi nishing eighth in the 8km senior race at the SA
Cross-Country Champs in Bloemfontein. This performance, along with his good showing in the ABSA Series track meets, saw him added to the 4km team for the World Cross-Country Champs in Switzerland, where he fi nished 78th.

Then in 2004, having moved to Celtic Harriers, Anthony was picked to go to Kenya along with a group of fi ve other young, promising steeplechasers, to train with the best track athletes in Kenya.  Unfortunately, things went a bit awry after that. In accordance with his Xhosa culture, he had to undergo
initiation rites and spent six weeks in the bush in Transkei, which badly affected his running.

He says he feels he was discarded by ASA when his times dropped a bit and adds that repeated requests for help with training kit and shoes fell on deaf ears. Since then he has made the Western Province squad each year, but has enjoyed no further national success.

HER STORY
Thozama’s athletic career began in school when she realised she had athletic potential, participating in the 800m and 1500m on the track and in local fun runs. She initially ran for New Balance Khayelitsha for two years, then moved to AAC for two years, where she met Anthony. They then moved to Celtics together in 2004.

In 2005 Thozama made the Western Province track and field team for the SA Champs in Durban. She finished eighth in the 5000m, but admits that she wasn’t in top shape and could have done better. The same year she went to the SA Cross-Country Champs in Bloemfontein and fi nished in the top ten for the 8km. She also went to the SA 10km Champs in Durban and made the top 20.

In 2006 she represented Western Province in the SA 21km Champs in Durban, fi nishing 16th, and went with her College team to the SASSU national track and fi eld champs, also in Durban, where she won the 5000m. That saw her selected for the national student squad for the Southern African University
Champs in Pretoria, where she fi nished third in the 5000m. Later that year, she ran in the SASSU Cross-Country Champs in Pretoria and fi nished sixth, winning selection to the SASSU national squad
due to go to Russia, but unfortunately couldn’t go because her College didn’t have the funds to send her.

Since then she has made the Western Province squads each year for track, road and cross-country, but 2009 has really been her year, with PB times in the SA 10km and 21km champs and selection to the national training squad for cross-country.

FUTURE PLANS
Besides moving to Pretoria so Thozama can further her studies and concentrate on making the World Champs team for cross-country, the couple have clear goals for their running. Anthony recently took a stab at the marathon distance, running 2:24 in the Puma Peninsula Marathon, and sees the marathon
as his future.

“I believe I can run sub-2:10. I ran 2:24 into a strong wind, without doing anything longer than an hour in training runs. I just wanted to see if I could run marathons. I plan to move up to 42km in about two years, when I’m 28, and my goal is to run for South Africa in the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games marathons. But for now I’m going to concentrate on track and cross-country.”

Thozama is also focusing on track and cross-country, with the World Cross-Country Champs her big, immediate goal. However, she also wants to go back to the track to concentrate on the 5000m and try to break the 15-minute barrier, and make the SA team for the World Champs, Commonwealth Games and Olympic Games.

And what of their future together? Well, they’ve been dating for ten years and when asked about marriage plans, the couple both giggle delightfully and shyly answer that they’re thinking about tying the knot in 2012. No doubt they’ll still be running together long after that as well.

HUMBLE THANKS
At the end of the interview, I asked the couple if they had anything else they wanted to add to their story. Typical of their humble nature, they both immediately said they wanted to thank everybody that has helped them get this far. “Firstly, I want to thank God for giving me my talent,” said Thozama. “And I want to thank Gill Taylor at Sports Science – she helped me a lot last year when I was struggling with my iron levels. And Patrick Cox of Celtics and Desmond Zibi in Port Elizabeth, who are our two training advisors. But most of all I want to thank Anthony for everything he does for me.”

Anthony simply smiled shyly at Thozama, put his arm around her shoulders, pulled her closer and canted his head towards hers, as I pointed my camera at them for a few pics for the article. This is a couple very much in love.

She’s won nearly every elite short and middle distance race in the country and is the undisputed queen of the Women’s SPAR Grand Prix Series, but Ren? Kalmer has now taken on long distance road running and proven that she is a force to be reckoned with over longer distances as well. Not only did she win her debut marathon in Soweto in November, she did so in spectacular fashion by smashing the course record.

A year ago, on the morning of the 2008 Soweto Marathon, Ren? Kalmer went out for her usual long training run of about two hours (approximately 30km). When she got back, she relaxed in front of the TV, to watch the live broadcast of the race. And that was when she realised it: the pace she had run in her training run was nearly exactly what the female runners in the race were doing. The only difference was that they were running an extra 10km. That day, the seed – to run the 2009 Soweto Marathon – was firmly planted in her head.

Ren? did not want any pressure before the marathon and kept a low profile about her entry into the race, which has one of the biggest total prize purses (R807 000) in the country. When she lined up on 1 November, she had a simple race plan: to run at 4min/km and stick with the female frontrunners. If she felt good at 10km to the finish, she would go for gold. But things did not turn out that way.

They turned out even better. Ren? found herself leading from start to finish, and in doing so, walked away with R110 000 in prize money – R100 000 for finishing as the first woman in 2:44:06 and an additional R10 000 for beating the 2001 course record of 2:45:37. Not bad for a first marathon! It was also an unexpected early birthday present – she turned 29 on 3 November, two days after the race.

CHAOTIC START
“I didn’t realise how big the Soweto Marathon was. At the start, there was a bit of chaos and pushing and I did not see the other girls. I thought I was behind and ran to catch the group of runners ahead of me,” says Ren?. “At the 6km mark, I saw Poppy Mlambo’s boyfriend next to the road and asked where she was. When he said she was behind me, my whole game plan of sticking tactically with the girls went down the drain. I kept running my own pace and felt remarkably comfortable up to the 32km mark.”

She found the last 8km especially challenging and had to motivate herself to stay positive and push through the pain and tiredness. “I tried not to think about the distance and kept telling myself there were only 30 minutes of running time left.” With 8km to go, she was on target for a sub-2:40 marathon. “I finished in 2:44:06. That just shows how hard the last 8km were.”

Though she realised she was on her way to winning her debut marathon, the last thing on her mind was breaking the record. Her parents were – as always – next to the road to support their daughter. Their friends, who watched the marathon on TV, phoned and told them Ren? was in line for the record. “When I saw my parents in the last few kilometres, they encouraged me to keep working hard because I was in line for the record. That was the first time I realised it. I must admit, I was so tired I did not care about the record. I just wanted to finish,” says Ren?.

And when she ran into the stadium, the applause and cheers of the crowd were so deafening and overwhelming that she thought her closest rival, Poppy, was catching up to her! “The crowd went crazy. I have never heard anything like that. It was such an emotional finish. I enjoyed every second of it,” says Ren?, who definitely felt the distance in her legs the next day. “I was very sore and had to go down steps backwards.”

DIFFERENT STROKES
Ren? has always been a multi-faceted runner and has excelled at track, cross country and road events, and has been SA Track and Field Champion in the 1500m and 5000m events numerous times. She had already made her mark as a junior when, in 1997, she won a total of six titles: SA Junior and Senior 1500m, SA Junior and Senior Cross Country, and SA Junior and Senior 10km road races. What made her achievements so remarkable was that she ran in the u/17 category, but her times were faster than the girls in the u/19 category.

Since then, she has competed at the IAAF World Championships, the IAAF World Cross Country Championships, the All African Games, and last year the Olympic Games.

Ren? has a different love for all distances. “There is something very special about track running. Nothing comes close to the adrenalin of running around the track while 90 000 people in the stands go crazy. Road events are more tactical and you have more time to ‘recover’ when something goes wrong in the race. Cross country is very tough but it makes you unbelievably strong,” says Ren?, who was also the SA 10km champion in 2007 and came second at the SA Half Marathon Championships in the same year.

She admits that running distances from 1500m up to half marathons (and now even marathons) might be controversial to some coaches who believe an elite athlete has to specialise. “I have had some criticism because I don’t specialise in one distance, but I feel I am blessed being able to run different distances. I also enjoy the variety; it helps me stay motivated all year round because there is always something to work towards.”

This year saw her start competing in international road races for the first time, including the recent Great South 10 Mile Run (16km) in Portsmouth, where she placed fourth in a time of 55:23. “For the last ten years, I have been competing in only track events (800m, 1500m, 3000m and 5000m) overseas. Now I am enjoying the international road races so much. It is a new challenge and a lot less stressful than track events. I love it!”

She placed tenth at the Freihoffers 5km in Albany, New York, finishing in a time of 16:14 and followed it up with a fifth place in the Mini 10km (33:28), also in New York. Her best international road performance up to now was when she finished 15th at the recent World Half Marathon Championships in Birmingham. She bettered her PB by 80 seconds, finishing in 1:10:37. “I am so happy with my performance,” she said after the run.

HIGH MILEAGE
Her training for longer distances has not changed much from her previous programmes. High mileage is nothing new to her and she has always done a lot of it. “My coach and I have always believed that if you have the endurance, you can race any distance.” Her training consists of early morning training runs at 5am with Coach Gerrie Coetzee, when they run anything between 8km and 15km. The afternoons are reserved for quality work. “We are a big training group and meet at the Ruimsig Athletic Stadium in the West Rand. You will find anyone from primary school kids to Comrades runners training there,” says Ren?, who works half-day at Provox Centre for Public Relations and Communications.

She believes that Gerrie, a teacher at Ho?rskool Roodepoort where she matriculated, is the best coach in the country. “He does not miss a training session and runs with me every morning. He dedicates so much of his time to training; even the slowest child’s programme gets worked out for him or her individually.”

Her half-day position allows for physiotherapy sessions and an afternoon nap before a second training session at 4pm. These sessions include hill work, fartlek or track work. “On Sundays, I only train once a day; a long run of about two hours. On Fridays, I don’t do any quality work. I only do two jog sessions in the morning and evening.”

She usually covers about 140km a week, but upped her mileage a bit in her preparation for the Soweto Marathon. “I was a bit worried about my mileage because I was overseas for about three weeks before the race. I was nervous about the marathon because you never know what could go wrong on the day.”

CHILDHOOD DREAMS
She has loved running since she can remember. She was nine years old when Teacher Maggie Fourie told everyone in the school to try cross country running. “I was an exemplary student and listened to Teacher Maggie! I finished 42nd in my first race and loved it. I started training and every year I improved a little. When I was 13, I started with my coach, Gerrie, and the rest is history. Gerrie is so dedicated and committed, and I soon realised that with those two qualities, I would go far in life.”

Since the age of 11, she dreamt of running at the Olympic Games. 18 years later that dream came true when she competed in Beijing last year. She placed seventh in the 1500m final in a time of 4:08.6. “It was an amazing experience which exceeded all my expectations. It made all the sacrifices worthwhile. And what made it even more special was that my whole family and my coach were there to support me. They share in my dreams and sacrifice a lot for me.”

FAMILY TIES
Ren? comes from a very close-knit family and is the oldest of three kids. Her parents make sure they don’t miss any of her races. Dad, Christo, helps Ren? with the business side of running and mom, Elouise, makes sure they are always there for Ren?, even if it’s just at a local fun run.

Her sister, Christine (23), shares Ren?’s passion and talent for running. Christine is on an athletics scholarship at the University of Arkansas in the USA, where she is studying civil engineering. “I can’t wait for her to come home at the end of the year so we can train together.” Her brother, Herman (27), and parents try not to miss any of her races, and Ren? describes them as the most amazing and supportive family.

DISAPPOINTMENTS
Ren? had to deal with disappointments from a young age, but always managed to overcome them and come out stronger on the other side. In 1998, she was the number one ranked junior athlete in the world over 1500m (4:09min) when she picked up a stress fracture a week before the World Junior Championships. She could not compete in the finals and had to withdraw from the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur.

One of her biggest disappointments came in 2005 when she fell ill with the Coxsackie virus, which attacks the lungs and heart and leaves one feeling exhausted all the time. For a long time, she was only able to jog and could not put any effort into training. It was a difficult time for an athlete used to competing at a high level, who now had to start from scratch, running at 6min/km. “When I was sick, I learned to not take things for granted, and that any achievement is a grace from God. I also used that time to do things I could never do as an athlete, but the hunger to race competitively was always within me.”

In 2007, she was back on track and moved from Bloemfontein to Johannesburg to start teaching. She also started training with her old school coach, Gerrie. “We started with small goals and did things step by step. When I started winning again, it was such a highlight; something I used to take for granted.”

She knows she sometimes misses out on the fun stuff in life. She can’t go party every evening or go away for a weekend, because she has to concentrate on training. “I don’t regret anything and if I had to do it all over again, I would choose this exact path.” The hardest part of running is when things don’t work out as planned, especially when she has to lay off because of injuries. “I read a lot of autobiographies of sportspeople and that gets me through tough times. I realise it’s not just me going through difficult times.”

Ren?, a qualified accountancy teacher, misses the kids she taught for two years. “There was never a dull moment in my class. Running can be a very selfish sport because it is all about you, but with teaching I felt as if I meant something in the kids’ lives.”

LOOKING AHEAD
She is definitely not setting her sights on distances longer than the marathon. “I don’t think I will ever run something as crazy as the Comrades Marathon. I am also too competitive to go out there and just do it for fun.”

She has been invited to run a 15km race in Australia at the end of November and a half marathon in December in Japan. “It all depends on how I recover from the marathon. My ultimate goal is to run the Olympic Marathon in 2012. I would also like to race an international marathon next year. But saying that, there is still a lot I want to achieve on the track,” says Ren?.

“I will run for as long as I enjoy it. Running is like a good drug. It is addictive and makes me feel good. To achieve my goals is the cherry on the cake!”

BEST TIMES

FAST FACTS

THE QUEEN OF SPAR
Ren? recently pocketed R50 000 for finishing tops at the 2009 SPAR Women’s Challenge Grand Prix Series. The five 10km races in the series are held in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban, Pretoria and Port Elizabeth, with top-placing runners accumulating points from all the races to be in contention for the series title. With four wins from four races and 122 points, Ren? finished way ahead of her rivals, despite having to miss the last race in Johannesburg because she was overseas, representing South Africa at the World Half Marathon Champs in Birmingham.

The 2009 Grand Prix Series was Ren?’s second victory. In 2007, she also won first prize in the series. The Spar races are very close to her heart because her love for racing probably started at one of these runs. “My first Spar race was in 1994 at the age of 14. That’s when the racing bug bit me, or maybe I was just impressed with the t-shirt and goodie bag! What makes these races even more special is that they are all about women.”

Since I was a boy, I’ve been watching Comrades on TV every year and dreaming about ‘one day’. After my school years fl ew by, I started working, got married, had kids and the dream always stayed as ‘one day’. In August 2008, I again had the ‘one day’ thought, but this time, for who knows what reason, I hung onto it for a couple of days and finally made the gut wrenching decision to do the Comrades Marathon. That meant I probably needed to become a runner first.

I went to my local club in Alberton to find out what running and particularly, running the Comrades, was all about. The chairman was awesome and I did my fi rst 4km run on 3 September 2008 and my first 10km race (The Citizen Gerald Fox) on 19 September. This race was followed in quick succession by my first 15km race, the Porters Auto Germiston Callies on 28 September and my fi rst 21km half marathon (Carnival City) on 19 October. I think I trained a little more than the average novice, clocking 840km from November to January.

I completed my first 32km race in February 2009 and fi nally, ran and completed my first marathon, the Cape Gate Vaal Marathon in March. I was hoping for a D seeding for Comrades (under four hours for the marathon), a goal I had worked hard to reach. My running partner pulled me a little faster than I planned, but I felt good and stuck with him as far as I could. At 36km, I had to let him go, but managed to finish in a great time of 3:27. In the seven months preceding this race, I had become a runner and
had qualified to start the 2009 Comrades Marathon with a C seeding.

After the Old Mutual Om Die Dam 50km Ultra, I started thinking that there was an outside chance for a Bill Rowan and my coach confirmed it, so I set my heart on it. By now, most experienced runners would be spotting the big BUT, and here it is. After the Easter 100km run, I felt a little pain on the outside of my knee. It was ITB (Iliotibial Band Syndrome). I tried to run my final 60km six weeks before Comrades but was told to bail at 38km. I spent the last few weeks before Comrades rehabilitating my knee, but ITB does not go away in a few weeks. I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to finish Comrades let alone run nine hours.

On the Monday before Comrades, I realised that my ‘one day’ had become real and that’s when the nerves really set in. It became even more real when we stopped at the Wimpy in Harrismith on the way down to Durban and saw all the runners and supporters making their way down to KwaZulu-Natal. Before I knew, it was Saturday evening and the start was less than 12 hours away. I would have happily taken up an offer to postpone Comrades by a few days or weeks at that point. I woke up at 2am, got dressed, double and triple checked that I had everything and drove up to Pietermaritzburg with friends. There it lay in front of us, the City Hall and the starting blocks filled with thousands of crazy runners. It was over so quickly. One moment, it was 4:30, then 5am and then 5:25; the Final Countdown, Chariots of Fire, cock’s crow and Bang!

As we went up and out of Pietermaritzburg, with that long climb in the dark, all that went through my mind was, “How long will the knee hold and how sore will it get?” When I got to the top of Polly’s, I started to pray. “Please Lord,” I begged, “Make my knee hold”. The physio had told me to try and run with a straight leg on the downhills to reduce the friction, so I waddled down Polly’s, being passed by lots of runners. The knee was holding, but I kept on praying and before I knew it, we had reached the top of Umlaas Road. Through Camperdown, the crowds were ten times bigger than I ever thought and I will never forget that feeling. I got to Cato Ridge and have never been so happy in my life to see my family. I felt love for the local crowds through Harrison Flats, I was still on pace and the knee was holding.

My next goal was halfway, knowing that my family would be there. But the wheels came off when I started climbing Inchanga. My knee let me know that I still had ITB. I had been scheduled to take my second Vooma, but thought I would do it when I saw my family. Sadly, my family didn’t make it to halfway and I hit a wall. I started walking more than what I needed to and I lost about 15 minutes from 40km to 50km. This was by far the hardest part of Comrades for me.

I finally saw my family in Hillcrest. They offered me everything; sandwiches, sweets, fruit, you name it, but I didn’t feel like any of it. In retrospect, I know I should have taken something. Strangely, I got my rhythm back and fl ew through Hillcrest and down fi elds in sub 6s and realised that I could still get the Bill Rowan if I could maintain around 6min/km. I did the 25km to 45th Cutting in 2:30 and felt strong knowing the nine hour bus was still behind me!

Little did I know, another hindrance would be thrown in my path. On the highway, with about 5km to go, the ‘lights went out’ My eyes started to close as I was running and I felt like I was going to faint. Yes, I know I should have had more Voomas and some food along the way; I’ll remember that for next year! Then came the heartbreak. When I heard the nine hour bus coming from behind, I knew I would not be able hold on because I could hardly stay upright. I saw a lady next to the road eating a hot dog and without thinking, I just asked her if I could have half. She willingly obliged and gave me the whole
hot dog. That was the best hot dog I’ve ever had. I saw a half empty Powerade on the side of the road and without stopping to think about or even care for the germs, I just downed it.

By the time I had collected my wits again, I realised the Bill Rowan was gone and my legs were rock hard. I walked the remaining 4km to the stadium. As I got onto the grass, I decided that, stiff legs or not, I would run the last 100 metres to the end. I cried from the pain, the disappointment, the relief and the overwhelming pride. That was before I even crossed the finish line. I really bawled when I crossed the line and if that was not enough, I broke down when my wife put her arms around me.

Although I had fi nished 30 minutes slower than I wanted to at 9:29, I had realised a childhood dream. I had finished the Comrades Marathon, the ultimate human race and I have the medal to prove it. I have no doubt in my mind that I’ll return for next year’s race, more focused, tougher and better prepared.

The month of August was a quiet one for me. A week of leave and two weeks of bronchitis shoved my training to the furthest corner of my mind. After my personal triumph (completing the 8km Discovery Walk the Talk), I was keen to try any race, but there was one hidden element that I did not factor in, the one setback that accustomed runners know about, namely, life. It seems that no matter how good your intentions are, life gets in the way.

Let’s backtrack a little to the point just after my 8km achievement walk. Giving myself a few days to rest was my only objective after the walk and so, I did not frequent the gym, did not hit the road, did not tighten my takkie laces. By the second week of August, I was keen to pursue my training routine once again. I went to the gym every day, pushed myself to 30 minute run-walks and even went to a step class, where to my absolute joy, I found I could keep up. My fi tness was definitely improving.

The one bane to my running career was my constant eating. Running, I thought, is supposed to help you lose weight, but with my constant eating, there was a defi nite new and unsightly bulge creeping over the top of my jeans. It’s okay, I told myself, my body will adjust. I thought about what I was eating and how it was either helping or hindering me. Dairy, I found, was poisonous to my system. I have suffered from severe attacks of sinus since I was a child, and with my new hobby, it seemed my sinuses were always dry and painful. Dairy had to go.

My second setback was an ulcer. A simple, tiny hole in my stomach which led to heartburn and chest pain, and I decided coffee and alcohol were the next items on my ‘do not eat’ list. Then, my final sacrifice. Though I was loathe to give it up, I knew that sugar was a slow killer, hardening my arteries and collecting pools of fat around my organs and so, I decided to give it up.

Despite my best efforts on the health front, a difficult year, too many late nights and some very bad habits caught up with me. I got bronchitis. For two weeks, running and any other physical activities were off the cards. Every night, I went to sleep hoping to magically be cured by morning, and woke up the next day with what felt like a humpback whale sitting on my chest. I downed cough syrup, antibiotics, cortisone and anti-histamines in a desperate attempt to recover.

In my 30 years of life, one thing I’ve learned is that people can talk themselves into almost anything. I would like to tell you that my new eating habits stuck, but I feel ashamed to lie to you, my committed audience. I have had some sugar, three cups of coffee and cheese in the last few weeks. Every night, I would feel hunger pangs grab my stomach. Every morning, I felt a deep sense of loss for my fi rst cup of coffee. Chocolate called to me in a seductive voice and I succumbed. I managed to convince myself that being sick means empty calories, that an illness is a good reason to do no exercise at all. I told myself these myths in my most persuasive tone, and managed to convince myself.

August is now at an end and my lack of training and compulsive eating have led me to a variety of conclusions. The first is that eating a lot is not a bad thing as long as I make the effort to use that energy. My second is that if I’m serious about this running thing, if I really want to change my life, then I need, literally, to change my life.

Next week, I begin my new training schedule. Even as I write this, I feel an almost imperceptible internal groan. Not another mid-year resolution! And yet, somehow I feel that this may be achievable. My simple plan? 20 minutes a day. 20 minutes a day on the treadmill is achievable. Why, you ask, is this achievable
when my other goals have fallen so far by the wayside? Frankly, my belief in myself stems from all of you reading this article. It is the stories of other runners, and my realization that I cannot let down the readers who have been following my stories that make me believe I can do this.

I believe in myself and I thank you, all of you committed readers, who believe in me and are spurring me on to meet my goals. You are my inspiration.

One of the biggest problems with learning a new skill is that nothing seems to happen quickly enough. As an emerging runner, I often hear myself complaining that my legs aren’t getting strong quickly enough and that my stamina isn’t building quickly enough. I have made progress though and now have the experience of another race under my belt, as well as having joined a running club, a real first for the girl who thought she could do it all on her own.

My story begins at the end, or the end of my last article at least. It was after writing my last article that I began to think about myself in a different way. The challenge that I had set out was beginning to snowball and I was starting to feel the pressure to actually accomplish what I had said I would. Without a coach, a running programme or even a friend to motivate me, my wellintentioned plan was starting to dissolve.

And so, I set out to achieve two things. The first was to run The Citizen Gerald Fox Memorial Run around the zoo. This would be my fi rst 10km run. As race day crept nearer, I began to panic. How on earth was I going to accomplish this? Luckily for me, all the resources were in place at the Modern Athlete office for me to get the advice I needed.

I approached one of our experts, Hilton Hort, for advice. Hilton started his running career later in life (a little like me actually) but had done amazing things and clocked amazing times since he fi rst hit the road. With his years of experience, I knew he was the right person to ask. His advice to me was amazingly simple. “Run two, walk one.” It was that easy. All I had to do was break the race up into manageable chunks.

On the morning of race day, I drove to the Johannesburg Zoo feeling calm, repeating my goal to myself. All I had to do was finish. Once I had gathered my race pack and t-shirt, I trotted off to the start, full of Sunday morning enthusiasm. The air at that start line was electric. People were milling around each other like worker bees, dressed in their club colours, some with earphones already plugged in and pumping, others laughing with friends and me, soaking it all in.

Suddenly, the race had begun. We were off. And then the funniest thing happened. I had been focusing so intently on my new strategy, breaking the race up into running parts and walking parts, that before I knew it, 2km had passed. As I looked down and saw the painted ‘2km’ on the tar, I started to feel really confident.

Hilton’s strategy was working. The route was spectacular, encompassing lots of flat roads and downhills (great for a beginner) and not too many uphills. The big and beautiful houses of Houghton made for a welcome distraction en route and my iPod, programmed with the most upbeat songs I could fi nd, kept me focused on putting one foot in front of the other. The end was in sight. I crossed the finish line, a little sore, a little chafed and more than a little relieved. 10km was behind me. Mentally, I began to calculate. The difference between my very fi rst race and my second was huge. I had gone from 10.3 minutes per kilometre to 8.9 minutes per kilometre, and that over a longer distance. To reach my ultimate goal, I would need to run each kilometre in 5.2 minutes. I still had quite a long way to go, but when I looked at where I had come from, I began to believe that I could achieve it.

Thus came the second thing I had set out to achieve. I needed help with my running and without joining a club or paying a personal coach, it was never going to happen. Since paying a coach was out of the question, my second option was joining a club for their morning runs. The prospect of early morning exercise loomed before me and every time I thought about it, I groaned. And yet, I could see no other way to get my fitness building back on track.

That first morning was the worst. My alarm going off was as enjoyable as what I imagine being trapped under a walrus must be. But, in the back of my mind, I knew there were people waiting for me. And so, I dragged on my tracksuit pants, fastened my hair back and, bleary-eyed and bad-tempered, made my way to the club. I had decided to start out with the walkers, as I was certain I couldn’t hold my own with one of the running groups.

As we began our walk, I began, as I usually do, to chat away happily to my friend and fellow walker.  After 20 minutes of this nonstop diatribe, our leader turned around and, jokingly, asked if I ever stopped talking. I laughed and replied, “They don’t call me Little Miss Chatterbox for nothing!” “That’s okay,” he smiled, “Let’s see if you’re still talking in a few kilometres.” We decided to intersperse our walk with  some running and by the end, I was breathing hard and red in the face. I was certainly not so chatty anymore.

Although it’s only been a few weeks, I’m still getting up bright and early for those walks. I even tried a run last week (which I discovered, I am defi nitely not ready for) and strangely, I’ve even begun to look forward to them. The feeling of achievement you get after you complete your exercise for the day is  empowering and has left me with the feeling that, as the song says, ‘things can only get better.’

The mystique of the Comrades Marathon captures the imagination of South Africans every year. The organisers call it The Ultimate Human Race. It certainly is the only foot race of nearly 90km in the world that attracts around 13 000 participants yearly. In addition to the runners, some 300 000 spectators provide support along the route. It is difficult to understand why so many people run Comrades, because anyone who has tackled this epic challenge will testify to the gruelling nature of it. How then can its popularity be explained? In my view, Comrades offers ordinary people like you and me the opportunity to do something truly extraordinary. It offers a real challenge and South Africans love a challenge. The race belongs to the masses as much as it belongs to the 100 or so hopefuls who believe they stand a chance of winning.

EARLIER YEARS
In my late 20s and early 30s, I completed seven Comrades marathons with two silver and five bronze medals. I didn’t run again for nine years. Between 2002 and 2004, I returned to complete numbers eight, nine and ten. After receiving my permanent green number for completing ten runs at the age of
45, I decided to hang up my running shoes. Until 16 February this year! A good friend and old running partner suggested we give Comrades 2009 a go, given the fact that we both turn 50 this year. I started training the very next day.

The harsh reality was that we had a mere 14 weeks to race day, and only eight weeks before we had to run a standard marathon in under five hours to qualify. The biggest risk was over training causing injury or illness due to our over eagerness to get fi t quickly. My training went reasonably well and I managed to qualify in time. My friend was less fortunate. He pulled a hamstring and had to withdraw. I followed three simple yet strict principles in training to minimise the risk of injury: I never trained on sore legs; I scheduled weekly visits to the physiotherapist for a sports massage; I employed a walk-run strategy.

SELF DOUBT AND NERVES
The weekend before race day, I questioned my reasons for wanting to run Comrades again. Surely, I didn’t need to prove anything to myself or anyone else. I also started doubting my ability, especially since I’ve battled to run long distances ever since my knee scope four years ago. Was I too old? Had I done enough training? Those who claim to know reckon a minimum of 400km from January to race day is required. I did a mere 384km. I only did one marathon race, three half marathon races and two 20km
training runs.

I didn’t find satisfactory answers to my questions, but on the spur of the moment I decided to ask my friends, family, loved ones and business connections to pledge funds to the Starfish Foundation (which does amazing work with AIDS orphans). The condition was that I would fi nish and earn a medal. My dream was to raise R100 000. The fund is currently sitting on R120 000 and money is still pouring in!

The day before the race was registration at the huge expo in Durban. At the green number counter, the gentleman who assisted me noticed that I was doing my first run in my green number and greeted me with a warm smile, a fi rm hand shake and a “Welcome to the Club, Ren?!” The moment was a lot sweeter than I ever expected. I can’t explain why. Maybe because this was one club where money couldn’t get you in. Another exhilarating experience was my visit to the Starfi sh stand at the expo. The ladies there were ecstatic to hear how my fund raising exercise was progressing. They gave me an orange wristband and insisted that I wore it on race day.

RACE DAY
The 30 minutes before the start of the race were awesome and humbling. Over the sound system,  Ladysmith Black Mambazo’s rendition of Shosholoza blasted. All 13 000 runners joined in. By the time the national anthem followed, my whole body was covered in goosebumps and I battled to hold back the tears. Finally, fi ve minutes before the gun, the well known sounds of Chariots of Fire fi lled the chilly
early morning. Then I knew; this was special. I was one of 13 000 South Africans of all races and creeds, all walks of life, some rich, some poor, all with a common goal to get to Durban in less than 12 hours. I realised we were all equal and that social status meant nothing. We were in this together, and we respected each other as athletes, co-runners, human beings. The lady in front of me turned around with a big smile and said, “You know all the words and the tunes. You sing well.” I acknowledged her kindness and silently hoped that my running would also be on par!

I battled from the start. It is dark and cold at 5:30 at the end of May in Maritzburg. For some reason, all my muscles felt tight. I couldn’t fi nd a comfortable rhythm and my breathing was erratic. I bumped into people in front of me. I urgently needed a toilet. I wasn’t happy. Matters improved somewhat after an hour on the road. The field was more spread out, which allowed me to get into a comfortable rhythm. My goal was to run the fi rst half of the race at around 7min/km, which would get me to Drummond (halfway) in 5:15. Anything under 5:30 would have been fi ne. That would leave me with 6:30 for the second half. The problem with the down run is that the fi rst 21km happens to be more uphill than downhill. I went through 10km in 1:15 and 20km in 2:30. I was averaging 7.5min/km – slower than planned! Even more worrying was the fact that my left hip fl exor felt very tight. In fact, it felt as though the muscle was going into spasm.

This was very disconcerting. I was mentally prepared for setbacks, but not so early into the race. I stopped briefl y at a water station and got hold of a block of ice the size of a cricket ball. I applied it to the tight muscle and it seemed to work. Passing the Ethembeni School for disabled kids around 35km at the foot of Inchanga, provided fresh food for thought. Most of these kids are unable to run. The privilege of being healthy and able to be part of this great race was once again imprinted on my mind. For a couple of hundred metres, the pain eased off a bit.

TOUGH TIMES
I went through Drummond slightly behind schedule in 5:32, but I was already severely fatigued. I battled to convince myself that I had enough gas in the tank to do another 45km in under 6:30. To make matters worse, the fi rst 8km after Drummond is a long, nasty climb commonly referred to as the back of Botha’s Hill.

I walked most of it. My only hope was that I would be able to capitalise on the long, downhill 20km stretch between Hillcrest and Pinetown. But I had to get there fi rst.

I managed to pick up the pace slightly once I reached Hillcrest. My enemies were the pain in my knees and quads caused by the downhill pounding and the hip fl exor spasms that persisted. I had to dig deep, focus on rhythm and breathing, ensure my fl uid intake at the water points was suffi cient, and visualise
myself getting to Durban in one piece. I considered bailing a number of times, but the orange Starfish wristband around my left wrist reminded me of my noble cause, raising funds for poor, less fortunate kids. The uniformed boys of Kearsney College between Botha’s Hill and Hillcrest provided another example of the massive disparity between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have-nots’ in our country.

Although I moved more freely now, I couldn’t help thinking that this was just not fair. Bad patches don’t last, is what most experienced runners believe. The problem was that my whole race thus far had been one long bad patch! The toughest section between Hillcrest and Pinetown, the 4km long, steep downhill
known as Field’s Hill is particularly painful. My legs were jelly by now, and my 104kg frame didn’t make matters easier on my knees and hip joints. My only consolation was the fact that all the runners around me were taking strain as well.

I reached Pinetown feeling groggy and very sorry for myself. The race was turning into a war zone. Disillusioned runners who had simply had enough were standing, sitting and even lying all over the place. I still had 21km ahead of me and I realized I had to make a decision to continue or not; simply feeling sorry for myself was not helping at all. By now, the KZN humidity and heat were becoming another complicating factor and on top of all, my nose started bleeding. A plug made from toilet paper had to prevent the blood from running freely, not a pretty sight! Nevertheless, I took a firm decision there and then that I wouldn’t give up. If I failed to fi nish, it would not be because of a conscious decision on my part. In fact, the only other way I would leave the race would be on a stretcher. I decided to run tall, to lift my chin, to pull back my shoulders and remind myself I had a right to be here. I was an athlete. A champion.

REACHING THE FINISH
With 18km to go, I reached the dreaded Cowie’s Hill, the last big hill on the down run. I decided to walk the full 1.2km. I sent an sms to my fi anc?, my kids, family and some friends, saying, ‘On Cowie’s, 18km to go, 2:50 to 12:00 cut off. Going to be close.’ I had to run at a pace of 9.5min/km to finish in under 12 hours, which was more than my average running pace of 7.53min/km. That sounds good on paper, but on tar in the Durban heat after slogging it out for 71km, I was still unsure I would finish.

I reached 45th Cutting (12km to go) after ten hours of running. My fianc? was standing next to the road cheering me on. With all the courage I could muster, I told her I would fi nish in time. It was 15:30. It was muggy. I was hot and tired and my nose was still bleeding. I was now in extreme ‘vasbyt’ territory. All the runners on the road were quiet. Everyone was focused on simply putting one foot in front of the other, moving forward at all costs. I reached the 5km-to-go board on the stroke of 11:00. Only severe
cramping or some other unforeseen disaster could prevent me from finishing in time. My nose miraculously stopped bleeding and when I saw the 1km-to-go board with 27 minutes to cut off, I knew Comrades 2009 was in the bag!

I can’t explain the relief and elation when I entered the stadium with a big smile, punching the air in sheer delight. It felt as though the thousands of frenzied supporters were all shouting for me. I finished in 11:41. It was a hard day at the office, to say the least. The Ultimate Human Race? Pretty inhuman, if you ask me.