Category: News

Runners mourn the loss of Comrades Marathon runner, Simon Mkhize who has passed away last Friday, 14th of October, at the age of 74. Simon was the first Black runner to obtain his Comrades Green Number for running the Comrades Marathon ten times and went on to achieve Double Green Number status.

“Simon was a pioneer and a leader, who inspired many young people to take up sports. He was passionate about sports and was a very gifted sportsman. He pioneered the way for Black participants in the Duzi Canoe Marathon. Even in his later years he always had time to give advice to runners on how they could improve their running. He will be missed.” Said Comrades Marathon Chairman Macdonald Chitja.

With 20 successful Comrades finishes, Simon accumulated 12 Bronze and 8 Silver medals, achieving his best time of 06h40min in 1971. After the Comrades Marathon was officially opened up to runners of all races and genders he was awarded all his retrospective Comrades finishes that he had run prior to 1975.

Simon was born on the 4th of March, 1942, near Howick. He was one of 9 children, with five sisters and three brothers and had begun running when he was 28-years-old. As a keen sport's enthusiast he eventually took up canoeing and became the first black person to take part in the Duzi Canoe Marathon. Simon also got involved in mountain climbing and rafting, which became one of his favourite pastimes.

Farewells and Tributes from the Comrades Marathon Association have poured in for Simon following the news of his passing.

Former CMA Chairperson, Barry Varty says, “It is sad to learn that Simon has reached the 'end of the road ', and crossed the finish line for the last time. We remember his disadvantaged years and his retrospective reward in being recognised for his 'unofficial' Comrades Marathon runs. We don't say goodbye, we say: ‘Carry on Simon, we'll catch you later’.”

CMA Vice Chairperson, Cheryl Winn says, “I personally did not know Simon, but my husband Mick remembers him as an accomplished athlete and an upstanding citizen, entrepreneur, role model and trailblazer for future Comrades Marathon runners. He was one of the first athletes to be awarded medals retrospectively for having completed the Comrades Marathon unofficially prior to 1975 and which were substantiated as official.”

CMA International Brand Ambassador for Scotland, Don Mellor reflects on the humble and talented sportsman that Simon was. “I remember Simon as a 'quietly spoken man' who had an enormous running talent. It's no wonder that he went on to achieve such an amazing Comrades record. RIP Simon Mkhize.”

CMA Board Member, Terence Hoskins says, “I had the opportunity of getting to know Simon very well. He always exhibited the fine and noble qualities of a gentlemen, in sport as in life. He was a talented and disciplined individual who inspired many athletes to greatness. He was a great guy and will be greatly missed. My thoughts are with his family and friends.”

CMA Green Number Convener, Eileen Hall says, “I have huge respect for Simon as I knew him from when he ran with my Dad, Ray Karg. He was a very humble, respectful and pleasant runner.”

His funeral was held on Saturday the 15th of October. 

Simon was an inspiration and had a true passion for his sports, he will be sorely missed.

Modern Athlete magazine is thrilled to break the news that former Olympian, multiple SA Champion and Modern Athlete Brand Ambassador Rene Kalmer is 16 weeks pregnant! She and husband Andre van Wyk will welcome their newborn to the world early next March.

Rene says that the news came as quite a surprise: “We found out about three weeks after my recent hip operation, and that immediately caused us some concern, because of the anaesthetic and radiation from X-rays, but the doctors said the radiation was minimal and have assured us that everything will be fine. I would not have had the operation if I had known I was pregnant.”

The couple decided to keep the news to themselves at first, to confirm everything and check everything was fine, and thus Rene did not tell her sister Christine about the pregnancy until after she returned from competing in the marathon at the Rio Olympics. “She was actually a bit upset with me at first for not telling her before she left, but we wanted to be sure, and the news of the pregnancy was the deal-breaker in me deciding not to go to Rio with the rest of the family to support Christine. I was already on crutches after the operation, and didn’t want to risk anything else.”

They were still keeping it a close family secret at Christine’s wedding on 18 September, where Rene says she had to do some strategic camouflaging to hide the fact that she was already showing. “We have only told a few close family members and friends, so it was quite funny at Christine’s wedding, because I tried to hold the bouquet in front of my stomach for the pictures. It was her big day, and I wanted to keep my news for another day.”

Rene was due to return to running around December, but will now be out of running action for a while longer. “I think it is actually perfect timing, and we couldn’t have planned it better. The recovery from hip surgery is four to six months, so I’m just adding an extra three months to have a baby. And then I hope to return ready to run!”

Rene Represented South Africa at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, competing in the 1500m, then went to the 2012 London Olympics to run in the marathon. She has also competed in the IAAF World Championships twice, the World Indoor Champs, and has run at eight editions of the World Cross Country Champs. Added to that, she has won more than 40 SA titles in her competitive career, from junior level through to senior level.

After months of planning and deliberation, the Two Oceans Marathon NPC has announced a new entry process for the Half Marathon, which will move from the usual online entry procedure to the introduction of a ballot application system.

This system is in keeping with international best practice as utilised by other high profile mass-participation events like the New York and London Marathons.

“The decision to introduce a ballot process to the Half Marathon was not taken lightly, and was only made after reviewing the extensive feedback we have received from our participants, and discussing practical options with our board, event partners and industry peers,” explains Carol Vosloo, General Manager of the Two Oceans Marathon NPC.

“The reality is that we have reached a point where the Half Marathon is oversubscribed, and where the demand for entries far exceeds the availability. Entries also sold out within hours in the past few years. This has placed incredible strain on our entry system and affected its communication with banking servers, which made for a frustrating experience.”

“By moving to a ballot application system and in turn, avoiding the rush that inevitably leads to frustration and disappointment, we are able to offer runners a smooth, inclusive, fair and audited entry process, and a better experience overall.”

Ballot Process

The new ballot system is an applications process whereby prospective Half Marathon participants will have the opportunity to submit their application – or interest to enter – through the online applications system via the OMTOM website.

Blue Number Club runners, as well as Yellow number holders that are about to run their 10th Half Marathon will be the only runners excluded from this process. They will receive an exclusive invitation to enter and pay between 31 October and 10 November 2016. No application is necessary, and this invitation is not transferable. 1 000 entries are available in this pool.

Club and general runners will have the opportunity to submit their ballot application between 1 and 10 November 2016, via the online system on the OMTOM website. This will be followed by two separate audited, computer-generated random draws:

11 November 2016: 6 000 entries will be allocated to the pool of applicants that currently belong to a South African running club and have a valid Club license number (note that this will be up for renewal early in 2017).

18 November 2016: The balance of entries will be allocated to the general public ballot. Those who are unsuccessful in the Club ballot allocation will be added to the general ballot.
Runners whose names are drawn on these days will receive an email with a payment link.
Club Runners whose names were drawn on 11 November must complete their entry and pay by 4pm on 17 November 2016.

Runners from the 18 November draw will have until 4pm on 24 November to pay for their entry.
Runners who do not meet their payment deadline will forfeit their entry.

On 2 December 2016, all unsuccessful applicants will receive an email inviting them to run for a supporting charity, or to secure a substitution entry between 9 January and 6 March 2017.

2 000 entries will be made available to charity groups, who can apply to use the event as a fundraising platform. In 2016 over R3 million was raised through the charity entries.

Ultra Entries Are Open

Online entries for the 2017 Old Mutual Two Oceans Ultra Marathon have already opened and are currently taking a steady stream of entries. Entries are allocated on a first-come-first-served basis, and will remain open until the 11 000 limit has been reached.

“While the official closing date for Ultra entries is 6 March 2017, the entry limit is reached earlier every year, with entries closing six weeks before the official closing date in 2016,” says Ms Vosloo.

“We therefore urge runners to watch our social media channels for entry updates and secure their entries to avoid disappointment.”

Prospective Ultra Marathon entrants must run a qualifying marathon between 1 July 2016 and 5 March 2017, and submit their qualifying time by midnight on 6 March 2017.

Trail Run Entries Open 1 December

Online entries for the Old Mutual Two Oceans Trail Runs will open on 1 December 2016.

Entries for the 12km Trail Run will open at 10am, and will be limited to 400 runners, while entries for the 24km Trail Run will open an hour later at 11am, limited to 600 runners.

“Remember to be online when entries open to avoid disappointment,” warns Ms Vosloo. “Last year, entries closed within minutes of opening, and we expect the same to happen again this year.”

The Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon takes place on Friday, 14 April and Saturday, 15 April 2017.

Follow the online conversation on Facebook (www.facebook.com/TwoOceansMarathon) or on Twitter and Instagram (@2OceansMarathon) for daily updates.

Runners may also visit www.twooceansmarathon.org.za for more information, or contact the entries team at [email protected] or 0861 262326.

It is less than a month until the world’s top OCR athletes fight it out at the third OCR World Championships from 14-16 October 2016 at the Blue Mountain Resort, Toronto in Ontario, Canada.

Jeep Team athletes, Thomas van Tonder and Carina Marx, have both qualified and are in full Warrior mode ahead of the World Championship. Both Van Tonder and Marx were on fire at the recent Battlerush OCR fundraiser.

The gruelling OCR Training event is designed to put athletes through tough individual obstacles that may be seen at the World Champs. Both Thomas van Tonder and Carina Marx have won the Savage Beast race at The Beast OCR event this past weekend.

To have qualified for OCR World Champs, South Africans need to have achieved a Jeep Warrior Top 20 finish in an Elite category in their gender, or an Impi Challenge Top 20 finish in the Elite division in their gender category.

Over the past year, Van Tonder, has achieved three 1st places, six 2nd places, and one 5th place, while Marx, has achieved four 2nd places, four 3rd places and two 5th places. Both athletes are qualified for the Championships but won’t know how they truly compare against the rest of the world until they are neck deep in mud in Ontario.

The OCR athletes selected for Team OCR South Africa to go to World Championships, in the men’s category are, Thomas van Tonder, Bradley Claase, Michael Joubert and Claude Eksteen (who is not going). In the woman’s category, Hanneke Dannhauser, Carina Marx and Trish Bahlmann (who is not going) have been selected.

Joining van Tonder and Marx in Canada, is fellow Jeep OCR athlete, JJ Deysel, who was not selected for the SA OCR Team, but will compete in other races over the Championship weekend.

According to the event organisers, the OCR World Championships will put the world’s top athletes through the ultimate physical and mental challenge across a series of obstacles over a distance of approximately 13km. The course will contain natural elements with some of the most challenging obstacles in OCR history.

While the course will share some of the same terrain and obstacles our team will be used too, a significant portion of the course and obstacles will be new to athletes and unveiled only during the race weekend.

It is the first truly independent global Championship for the burgeoning sport of Obstacle Course Racing. It is a singular event created to unify, promote, and increase participation in the sport of OCR, while celebrating its strong and highly-versatile athletes.

Johannesburg, South Africa – Athletics fever is at an all-time high in the country following the recent Rio Olympics. South Africans are still celebrating the achievements of Team South Africa, with Caster Semenya and Wayde van Niekerk elevated to superhero status after their gold medal victories.
Many couch potatoes who spent 16 days getting up in the wee hours of the morning to watch their heroes perform on the other side of the Atlantic, suffered withdrawal symptoms when the Games were over. Many of them decided to shake off their post-Olympics blues by getting off their couches to do something sporty.

Road running is one of the most popular forms of exercise, it requires little more than a pair of shoes and the determination to hit the road. The SPAR Women’s Challenge at the Wanderers Club in Illovo on Sunday, October 9, 2016, gives thousands of women something to train for.
The Johannesburg SPAR 10km Challenge and 5km Fun Run have become an important fixture on the road running calendar, with thousands of women and girls from all walks of life taking part. The Sonja Laxton-designed route winds its way through some of Johannesburg’s most beautiful, leafy suburbs and the race takes place at a time when the weather is usually at its best.
The Johannesburg Challenge is the final race in the five-race SPAR Grand Prix, so the country’s top female runners will be taking part in an effort to gain as many Grand Prix points as possible.

Four Olympians, Lebogang Phalula, Christine Kalmer, Ruthendo Nyahora and Irvette Van Zyl the current SPAR Grand Prix point’s leader have confirmed their intended participation in the Challenge. Nyahora successfully defended her SPAR Women’s Pretoria Challenge victory at SuperSport Park on Saturday.
SPAR also announced that three times SPAR Grand Prix champion, Rene Kalmer as well as the popular actress, Mel Du Bois of 7de Laan would be patrons of the 2016 Joburg leg of the SPAR Women’s Challenge.
“Our race is not only about top athletes and social runners and walkers but also about fun and entertainment, so it’s with pleasure we have Rene and Mel as our faces of the Joburg Challenge this year.” said Martin Webber, SPAR South Rands Marketing Director.
“Rene and Mel have been great supporters of our race over the years and will interact through social media with all entrants leading up to the race. They will be at the race in October which will certainly add the excitement on the day.”
Webber added that the 2016 Challenge promises to be more exciting than ever because of the rising number of entries and the celebrations of the SPAR Grand Prix’s tenth anniversary.

“This year, we challenge women to not only come and enjoy race day but as part of the SPAR Women’s Challenge family, to embrace what we are all about. The 2016 race is all about showing you care. So embrace the chance to be part of the race and support a larger cause.”
With October being Breast Cancer Awareness month, it is only fitting that the designated charity associated with the race is Reach for Recovery, a voluntary support group for women with breast cancer. The partnership goes back a number of years, and the women from Reach for Recovery have become an important part of the race, wearing their distinctive pink t-shirts and spreading the word that cancer is not necessarily a death sentence.

As in previous year, SPAR is encouraging schools to participate in the race and have partnered with Mercer to award the top three schools who have the largest entries and race finishers, with IT prizes.
For the first time this year, the organisers are also calling on the people of Johannesburg to help those who cannot afford the shoes needed to start running. During the 2015 SPAR Challenge, staff from Caxton noticed that many children from disadvantaged schools ran the race barefoot. As a result, Caxton is running the Drop off a Pair and Show You Care drive to put shoes on bare feet.
Participants in the Challenge can drop off an old pair of shoes when they collect their race numbers. The style and size don’t matter, what is important is that the shoes need to be in a good condition.
Those who donate shoes stand a chance of winning one of five R1000 SPAR vouchers, one of five sets of New Balance running shoes, or one of five hair vouchers from Tanaz in Sandton.

Entry forms are available from all SPAR stores or online at spar.co.za.

Spring has sprung and Gauteng athletes are beating the rush to get their entries in for the 2017 Comrades Marathon up-run. The Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) has confirmed that 5000 entries have been received so far since the entry process opened a week ago.

The province of Gauteng currently holds the highest tally of entries with more than 2500 entrants.An additional 512 athletes have entered from more than 30 countries on the African continent and around the world.

Currently, this is the tally as it stands;

• Gauteng – 2 536
• Kwazulu Natal – 665
• Western Cape – 647
• Mpumalanga – 163
• Free State – 117
• North West – 112
• Eastern Cape – 108
• Limpopo – 104
• Northern Cape – 36

Comrades Marathon Race Director, Rowyn James says, “We have many exciting plans in place to ensure a memorable race day for both our runners and supporters next June. We have also increased the prize money should anyone break the previously recorded best time for the up-run.”

The best times for the up-run are as follows. The mens best time was set by Leonid Shvetsov in 2008 and currently stands at an unbeaten 5:24:49 while the ladies time was set two years before by Elena Nurgalieva and stands at 6:09:24.

The three-month long entry process will close on 30 November 2016 or as soon as the entry cap of 20,000 has been reached. Prospective entrants are encouraged to get their entries in early to avoid disappointment.

Entry fees for the 2017 Comrades Marathon are as follows. Early Bird entries will come at a cost of R420 and are limited to South African athletes only for the month of September. Local Entries will cost R460 and will run for the months of October and November and are also limited to South African athletes only. The Rest of Africa will pay R770 for an entry while International athletes will get an entry at R2650.

For details on how to enter, please visit the Comrades Marathon Website.

 Entries for the 2017 Old Mutual Two Oceans Ultra Marathon are open! Entries for next year’s race opened on Thursday, 1 September 2016 and with only 11000 entries available, we trust you’ll secure your spot?

Entries for the Half Marathon, 12km Trail Run, 22k Trail Run and the Fun Runs are not yet open and the date will be confirmed at a later stage. Runners will be able to change their entries – seeding updates, upgrades and substitutions (substitutions will only be done if all available entries have sold out).

These changes can only be done online between 9 January and 6 March 2017 – NO CHANGES whatsoever will be permitted after this date. Please note that only ONE entry change is allowed per entry (i.e. if you upgrade, you cannot also substitute the original entry; only one substitution per entry.

NO DOWNGRADES from the Ultra to the Half Marathon will be entertained whatsoever and similarly, NO DOWNGRADES from the Long Trail to the Short Trail will be entertained whatsoever.

Runners who have entered the Half Marathon can upgrade to the Ultra Marathon IF they have qualified and belong to an athletics club. The cost is R265 (this is the difference between the Half Marathon and Ultra Marathon entry fee) and can be done by logging into the online system and following the instructions. No Upgrades will be accommodated when the Ultra Marathon entries are sold out.

It is the runner's responsibility to find a suitable substitute as we do not keep a list – both if you are not running or want to run. One can only substitute a runner in the same race – i.e. a Half Marathon South African entrant can only be substituted by a Half Marathon South African that wants to participate. Please note that Ultra Marathon substitutions will only be done once the 11 000 entries have been reached, provided that this is before 6 March 2017.  Substitutions will be allowed in the Half Marathon and both the Trail Runs.

For more information and to enter, click here.

The Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) assisted one of its official charities, The Wildlands Conservation Trust, in their tree planting initiative on Tuesday Morning.

Wildlands inspired many businesses and other organisations in the region by setting itself an ambitious goal of planting 100 000 trees during National Arbour week, which takes place during the first week of September every year.

The saplings, all of which are indigenous varieties, were grown and nurtured by ‘tree-preneurs’ who barter with Wildlands for livelihood support items such as; building materials, water tanks, bicycles, food hampers or groceries.

Several local businesses came out in support of the beautiful greening initiative, by availing their staff to join in the tree planting. Thereby contributing to a greener and more sustainable future for the citizens of Pietermaritzburg.

CMA General Manager, Chris Fisher said, “We value the incredible work done by Wildlands. As an official Comrades Charity and as an organisation at the forefront of conservation efforts and with a deep commitment to bettering the social and environmental landscape with significant projects, we could not help but get involved.”

Fisher adds, “Our mission and goals are well aligned to serve the communities in which we operate and give back to society in meaningful ways.”

The Old Mutual Soweto Marathon has extended the submission deadline for all three race day categories to this year’s race, the Soweto Marathon Trust said today.

“Owing to a large number of requests and last-minute enquiries that we have received from both athletes as well as the interested public, we have decided to extend the deadline from midnight Monday, 5 September to the same time on Tuesday, 4 October 2016.

We urge anyone wanting to partake in any of the categories (42.2km, 21.1km or 10km) to register online before the revised closing date as under no circumstances will any extensions be granted thereafter,” said the Chairman of the Soweto Marathon Trust Sello Khunou.

Now in its 23^rd edition, the race fondly known as ‘The People’s Race’ was born out of the need to encourage South African’s to celebrate the country’s history, it’s people and its traditions offer a great opportunity for even the casual runner to enjoy the 10km run come Sunday, 6 November 2016.

Race registration can be done online at www.sowetomarathon.com. For more information visit www.sowetomarathon.com or email [email protected]. Our call centre numbers are 0619171001 and 0619181002. The call centre operating hours are from Monday to Friday from 9am to 4pm.

For alternative information, please contact Caroline Malan [email protected].