Category: News

It was a first for Modern Athlete on Sunday, 28 September when South Africa’s Rene Kalmer lined up in her blue branded kit to represent South Africa’s largest running publication at the 41st BMW Berlin Marathon. In a strong women’s field, Kalmer clocked an impressive 2:29:27 in the German capital, crossing the line in 9th position. She also grabbed an emphatic PB, cutting a good 32 seconds off her three-year best. “I’m super happy! I felt really good throughout but battled over the last 6km,” she said, “but a PB is a PB!”

Tirfi Tsegaye won the women’s title in 2:20:18, with Ethopian Feyse Tadese close behind in 2:20:27. American Shalane Flanagan was third in 2:21:14.

To cap it all off, the world also saw a new world marathon record set by Dennis Kimetto in the men’s race with a 2:02:57 finish – the first ever sub 2:03 time in a marathon! Again, the Berlin Marathon can boast to be the world’s fastest course.

Elite runners are gearing up in preparation for the final leg of the SPAR women’s 10km Challenge series at the Wanderers Club on Sunday October 12th.

Barefoot runner Diana-Lebo Phalula, who is virtually assured of winning the SPAR Grand Prix, started training again earlier this week after a break to recover from a hamstring injury.  She won the Cape Town and Port Elizabeth legs of the race in record time, and top four finishes in Durban and Pretoria earned her an almost unbeatable lead of 28 points over her nearest rival, Rene Kalmer.

Phalula’s twin sister, Lebogang, who won the Durban race and finished third in Pretoria, said that she was aiming to finish second on the Grand Prix log.

“Lebo can win the car this year, but I also need a car, and I’ll be aiming to win the car next year,” said Lebogang.

“In the meantime, I want to finish second on the log and win the R30 000 prize.”

Lebogang Phalula won the Cape Town Marathon 10km race on Sunday in 33.22 minutes, and she travels to the Netherlands later this week to run in a 10km race in Amsterdam.

“I’m quite happy with my form.  I’m doing well, but I’m not happy with my times.  I wanted to run 32 minutes, and I haven’t achieved that yet, but that is my aim for next year.  And next year, I will be going all out to win the car in the SPAR Grand Prix.”

She is not the only runner who will be heading for Europe this week.  Rene Kalmer is running the Berlin Marathon on Sunday, on what has been described as the world’s fastest marathon course.  Kalmer has won the SPAR Grand Prix three times,  and was the first runner to win the prize of a Nissan Micra.

Irvette van Zyl, who won the Pretoria Challenge in record time, has been in the form of her life recently, after recovering from serious injury.  On August 9, she smashed her personal best by half a minute to win the Totalsports Women’s race in Stellenbosch in 32.20 minutes, equaling Zola Budd’s personal best for the  third fastest time by a South African woman.  Van Zyl followed up her victory in the Pretoria race by winning the Nelson Mandela Marathon near Pietermaritzburg in glorious fashion the very next day, finishing 19 minutes ahead of her nearest rival.

However, Van Zyl, who had been expected to shine in the Cape Town marathon last Sunday, had to drop out of the race because of a knee injury.  It is not clear at this stage if she will be fit to run in the final Challenge race, but if she is fully fit, she could well challenge for second place on the Grand Prix log.

Another contender is last year’s winner, Mapaseka Makhanya, who has not been able to match the heights she achieved in 2013.  But she has a strong competitive streak and can never be ruled out.

It is a sobering thought that about one in nine women in South Africa are likely to suffer breast cancer at some stage in their lives. It is no respecter of boundaries, and affects women of all races and classes.

But the good news is that breast cancer is one of the most treatable forms of cancer, and definitely no longer a death sentence. Treatment includes chemotherapy, radiation and surgery, it involves either the removal of the lump or a complete mastectomy.

It can be a traumatic experience, especially if the treatment involves a mastectomy, but that is where Reach for Recovery comes in. Reach for Recovery is a support group for breast cancer patients, providing them with emotional and physical support. All the counsellors are trained breast cancer survivors, who are able to understand the feelings of the newly-diagnosed patient.
“Breast cancer is one of the better cancers,” said Beulah Jankelowitz, Chairperson of the Johannesburg branch of Reach for Recovery.

“It is treatable and it is also reasonably easy to detect. The important thing is not to ignore anything. If you find a lump, you must have it examined. Most breast lumps are not cancerous, but have it checked out anyway. Don’t just close your eyes and think it will go away. The earlier breast cancer is detected, the better your chances of recovery.” She said that Reach for Recovery counsellors visit patients either at home or in hospital to talk to them and to provide them with support.
“We explain what is going to happen, and what they can expect. We also provide pretty floral bags for them to carry their drains, and very soft cushions to put under their arms so they can be more comfortable.

“While we can’t provide medical advice, we are also available to answer questions both during and after their treatment,” she said. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and Reach for Recovery is once again the charity associated with the very popular Spar Women’s 10km Challenge and 5km Fun Run at the Wanderers on Sunday October 12. 

A number of Reach for Recovery members will be taking part in the race. They are easily identified by their distinctive pink t-shirts and by their friendly smiles. They also stand out because, wherever they are, they are surrounded by laughter. They are very positive women who know all about the terror of being diagnosed with breast cancer, but they will also tell you how they came through it with the support of other women who had been there as well.

So put on those tekkies and start preparing to take the Challenge and help this very worthwhile group. Who knows, you may need their support someday. As an added incentive, the first 15 000 pre-entries will receive a free T-shirt, and the first 15 000 to finish will be given a medal and a goodie-bag. There are also many fabulous prizes, including a lucky draw for a brand new Nissan Micra.
 

Stewart Chaperon and Olivia Read are the new champions of the Wildcoast Wildrun™ – the popular three day 112km stage race from Kei Mouth to Hole-in-the-Wall on the Wild Coast.

Chaperon was made to work hard for his title and chased throughout by Jacques Mouton from George and twin brothers, Andrew and Steven Erasmus from KwaZulu-Natal. These four runners pushed each other from the get-go, never letting up the pressure. Chaperon lead the pack through the checkpoint on day 1 but was overtaken by Mouton in the final stretch to win the stage by two minutes with the Erasmus brothers about 20 minutes behind after a few navigational errors. The brothers ran together on day 2 and won by 12 minutes to set up a tight race on the final day. Chaperon started day 3 with a meagre four minute overall lead and had to work hard to keep up with second-placed Andrew Erasmus but he managed to stick it out and crossed the finish line with Andrew to claim the overall title of Wildrun™ champion.

In the ladies’ race Olivia Read, a local from Port Elizabeth, never gave any other lady a sniff of victory. Read ran with the defending ladies champion, Sylvie Scherzinger in the first half of day 1 but pulled away later in the day to win the stage by a little more than 20 minutes. Scherzinger, who was struggling with a knee injury this year, could not make up this gap and Read increased her lead on days 2 and 3 to finish as champion, more than an hour in front of Scherzinger.

All in all, it was yet another truly successful Wildrun™ and all runners enjoyed the three day challenge in this majestic part of the world. This week the second departure will take off from Kei Mouth on Thursday for the more social Journey and another unforgettable experience for all participants.

Overall results
Men
1. Stewart Chaperon 10:53:43

2. Andrew Erasmus 10:58:04

3. Steven Erasmus 11:05:35

Women
1. Olivia Read 11:59:34

2. Sylvie Scherzinger 13:05:19

3. Harriett Cullinan 14:34:14

For the full results click here.
 

One of South Africa’s favourite and original stage trail races, the Wildcoast Wildrun™ is set to kick off on Thursday from Kei Mouth in the Eastern Cape.

Participants will arrive at Kei Mouth today before starting their run tomorrow morning after crossing the Kei River on an iconic ferry ride. Taking place over three days, runners are set the task to run 112km from south to north, crossing several rivers along the way, through some of the most spectacular scenery in South Africa. The finish at the beautiful Hole-in-the-Wall after three days of running is a fitting end to what is an unforgettable three days of wilderness running.

A total of 112km and over 2000m of vertical ascent means this run isn’t a walk in the park but the memories created make it an experience no trail runner should miss out on.

On the racing front it is in open field for the taking in the men’s field while the ladies champion from 2013 is returning to defend her title. Sylvie Scherzinger set the fastest time for day 3 at last year’s race and will hope to continue to improve and break some more records this year.

Stay tuned for daily reports and photos on the Wildrun™ website at www.wildrun.com.

#PeoplesRace tells the story of 20 years of freedom

Runners have no excuse not to register for the Nike Soweto Marathon taking place on 2nd November. Not only will they have the option of three distances, 10 kilometer, 21.1 kilometer or 42.2 kilometer, but the routes unveiled today showcase Soweto’s best landmarks. Organisers have also confirmed that spots for each category are filling up quickly and that runners must register before the 1st October to secure their spot in this world class race.

Celebrating the rich heritage of Soweto, six significant sites have been selected and will be dotted along the 42.2 kilometer marathon route and these include: Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, Walter Sisulu Square, Regina Mundi Catholic Church, Morris Isaacson High School, Vilakazi Street and Hector Pieterson Memorial.

Banele Sindani, Chief Executive of the Soweto Marathon Trust and 2014 Race Director commented, “The Nike Soweto Marathon is much more than just a race, as it is about bringing people together and reminding them how far we have come as a nation. Runners really do get the best of both worlds – a memorable experience and a personal challenge. We are proud to have these and other iconic landmarks integrated on our two key routes.”

Starting and ending at Nasrec Expo Centre, runners will see snippets of Soweto as they take on the challenge of one of three routes during the Nike Soweto Marathon. Hydration spots have been strategically placed every three kilometers along the routes, with marshals taking care of runner’s health and safety during the day.

Sindani continued by stating that the routes were selected in order for runners to be physically challenged but also to provide the race organisers full control of access points. He pointed out that the half marathon and the full marathon routes would be the Soweto Marathon’s most challenging to date. “This is one of the reasons why the 42.2 kilometer category in this year’s Nike Soweto Marathon has been selected again as a qualifier for the ultras including Comrades and Two Oceans.”

With 21,000 runners expected and hundreds of spectators and support staff on duty participants are advised to arrive early at Nasrec Expo Centre on 2nd November as the first event kicks off at 06h00. Traffic alerts will be shared during the course of the day to make arrival and departure as smooth as possible, but with ample parking available and access into the area made easy via the N1 highway organisers are confident that there will be no issues on the day.

Keeping with the theme of celebrating the country’s rich heritage the Nike Soweto Marathon has selected Constitutional Hill as the race collection venue. Runners will receive a race pack including their race number and a commemorative t-shirt which can be collected between 30th October and 1st November.

Runners are also advised to follow all the updates on Twitter via @SowetoMarathon and to be part of the conversation by using #werunsoweto or #PeoplesRace.

Don’t forget about the 1st October registration cut-off. Registration for one of the three categories can be done on www.sowetomarathon.com or in store at Nike Stores at The Zone @ Rosebank and Sandton City. Runners can also register at Orlando Community Centre in Soweto, Run-aWay Store in Pretoria and The Sweat Shops in Johannesburg and Pretoria.

The Nike Soweto Marathon 10 kilometer race fee is pegged at R100.00 for the open category, and R75.00 for students and grand masters. The half marathon, 21.1 kilometer race fee is pegged at R130.00 for the open category, and R90.00 for students and grand masters. Marathon athletes can register for R170.00 for the open category or R125.00 if they are a student or grand master.

http://www.sowetomarathon.com/

The second annual Legends Marathon, which will take place on Sunday, 5 October 2014, promises to be yet another fantastic event and is poised to draw thousands of competitive male and female runners, who will run for a cause and stand a chance to share the ultimate athletic prize of a whopping R1m.

The Legends Marathon features three races, and these include a 68km which starts at Bhisho stadium at 6h00 and finishes at the Jan Smuts Stadium in East London, followed by the 21,1km starting at Turnbull Park at 7h00 and finishing at Jan Smuts Stadium, and the 5km Fun Run/walk which will start and finishes at the Jan Smuts Stadium.

“We were overwhelmed with the participant numbers of our inaugural Legends Marathon event in 2013 who were running for worthy causes, ranging from cancer to responsible gambling. The inaugural Legends Marathon, injected a jolt of energy into South Africa’s running scene when we invited people to become socially conscious and run for a cause” said MEC of Sports, Recreation, Arts & Culture, Pemmy Majodina.

“The Legends Marathon is about creating memorable experiences that ignite passion in athletes and connect communities through the transformative power of sport. There is little doubt in my mind that through the Legends Marathon, we will be able to profile the Eastern Cape not only as a Home of the Legends, but a caring place and a prosperous home for all”

In order to encourage locals to participate en masse and bolster local athletes, the organisers have decided that over and above the R1m prize money, R30 000 will be awarded exclusively to the top five male and female registered runners from the province in the Legends Ultra Marathon.

The event will be staged under the banner of the Real Gijimas Athletics Club, which has been at the forefront of development and competitive athletics in the province since 1982. The Legends Marathon is proudly sponsored by the Eastern Cape Gambling and Betting Board, the Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture (DSRAC), Tru FM (Broadcast Partner), Daily Dispatch (media partners), Buffalo City Metro Municipality, Meyers Motors, Modern Athlete, Coca Cola Fortune.

Mr Mabutho Zwane, CEO of the Eastern Cape Gambling & Betting Board, is elated to be associated with the Legends Marathon because it “gives us an opportunity to entrench the message of responsible and problem gambling. Undeniably, this is an unrivalled platform to reach out to throngs of people – athletes and the community at large. We are happy to be associated with the event.”

Mr Luthando Bara, founder and chairperson of the Legends Marathon mentioned that “The Legends Marathon brings about a myriad of economic opportunities to Buffalo City and benefits both the formal and informal economy. Our signature event presents an opportunity for social cohesion, bolster sports tourism, and the theme is linked to the core founding principle of the marathon – which is to support a cause that athletes will personally select through their entries.”

“The fundamental idea behind the economic impact of sporting events is that it injects a significant increase in the demand of goods and services into the economy. This effect is not simply the direct effect of consumer spending but also the indirect effects caused by the stimulus to the economic activities induced by the direct effects. All these developments augur well for our city and province” concluded Bara.

This year’s race will be timed by well-known timing and results company, ChampionChip, who will also provide online registrations and full results after the race. Hostel accommodation and transport to the start is available.

ENTRIES FOR THE ULTRA MARATHON CLOSE ON 24 SEPTEMBER 2014 AND FOR THE HALF MARATHON ON 29 SEPTEMBER 2014. Go to www.legendsmarathon.co.za for more info. 

Barefoot runner Diana-Lebo Phalula is getting very excited at the thought of collecting the keys to a brand-new Nissan Micra, as winner of the 2014 SPAR Grand Prix.

With just one race left to run in the five-race SPAR Women’s 10km Challenge series, Phalula has an almost unbeatable lead. She won the first two races, in Cape Town and Port Elizabeth, in record time, and top four finishes in the Durban and Pretoria races, she has a total of 94 points, 28 ahead of her nearest rival, three-times Grand Prix winner Rene Kalmer, who has 66 points.

“I’m really looking forward to winning that car, because I’m tired of being a pedestrian,” said Phalula.
“I don’t have just one hand on the key – I’ve got it in my back pocket,” she laughed.
Phalula ran the Durban and Pretoria races with a strained hamstring, but she hopes to have recovered by the Johannesburg Challenge at the Wanderers Club on October 12.

While her position is virtually insurmountable, there is close competition for the second prize of R30 000. Kalmer, who finished eighth in Cape Town, second in Port Elizabeth, third in Durban and fifth in Pretoria, is just two points ahead of last year’s Grand Prix winner, Mapaseka Makhanya, who has 64 points. Phalula’s twin sister, Lebogang, who won the Durban race and finished third in Pretoria, and Irvette van Zyl, who won in Pretoria in a course record time, are in joint fourth position, with 57 points.

Two times Grand Prix winner Van Zyl, who missed the Cape Town race because of a long-term injury, had a golden weekend, winning the Pretoria Challenge on Saturday afternoon and then going on to win the Mandela Marathon in Kwa-Zulu Natal on Sunday, with record times in both events, and she has sent a strong signal to Kalmer, Makhanya and Lebogang Phalula that she is the one to beat if they hope to claim that second prize.

In the club competition, Boxer heads the table with 214 points, ahead of Nedbank, with 161 and Transnet with 108.

Just when everyone thought it was safe to put away their heaters, winter came back with a big bang and people throughout the City of Gold found themselves shivering once again. 

But that cold front has moved away, and thoughts have turned to spring and spring in Johannesburg means preparing for the SPAR Women’s 10km Challenge and 5km Fun Run at the Wanderers Club in Illovo on October 12.

The course was designed by the evergreen Sonja Laxton, one of South Africa’s most successful runners of all time.

The 10km route takes the runners along Corlett Drive and Oxford Road as far as Riviera Road in Killarney, before zig-zagging back through some of Johannesburg’s leafiest suburbs.

The 5km route meanders through the plush suburbs of Illovo, Melrose, Birdhaven and Atholl-Oaklands, giving runners a chance of peeking at some of the most beautiful gardens in Johannesburg.

Thousands of women of all shapes and sizes are expected to take part in the Challenge or the Fun Run. The first 15 000 to register will receive a free race t-shirt and the first 15 000 to finish will receive a medal and a goodie bag. 

The race is well known for the congenial atmosphere, with many entrants making friends for life with someone they met on the road.  There is plenty of entertainment at the finish, with acclaimed pianist and singer Bongi Mthombeni ready to have everyone clicking their fingers and tapping their toes. 

There is also a Kiddies Area, where youngsters will be cared for and entertained while their mothers take part in the race.

As always, there are wonderful prizes on offer, including a lucky draw for a Nissan Micra, the Bring-a-Buddy competition, where an entrant and her friend can win New Balance shoes, and the schools competition, where the school with the most entrants can win prizes from electronics giant Mustek.

The Johannesburg Challenge coincides with Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and proceeds from the race will go to Reach for Recovery, a support group for women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer.  The Reach for Recovery volunteers have all had their own encounters with the disease, and so they are in a perfect position to talk to and counsel women who have just heard those ominous words “you have breast cancer.”

While the race is really about the thousands of women who will take to the streets on October 12, there is fierce competition for line honours among South Africa’s elite road runners.    Diana-Lebo Phalula is virtually assured of winning the Grand Prix, and receiving the keys to her own Nissan Micra, but  a number of runners could finish second on the ladder and win a cheque for R50 000. Among those jostling for second place are three times Grand Prix winner, Rene Kalmer, Phalula’s twin sister Lebogang, who finished third in the Pretoria race on Saturday, after winning the Durban  race a week before,  and  last year’s Grand Prix winner Mapaseka Makhanya. Irvette van Zyl, who has won the Grand Prix twice, has made a late surge, winning the Pretoria race in record time, and on current form, she could pose a real threat to the front-runners.

Entries for the race opened on September 1, and close on September 27, although late entries will be accepted between October 9 and October 12.  Entry forms are available from all SPAR, Superspar and Kwikspar stores, or online at to www.spar.co.za orwww.sparwomensrace.co.za.

Irvette van Zyl was all smiles as she crossed the finishing line at the Pretoria SPAR Women’s 10km Challenge in a course record time of 33.32 minutes on Saturday. It was her first Challenge win since 2012.

Her Nedbank teammate, Rutendo Nyahora, was second, in 33.50, and the winner of last week’s Durban Challenge, Lebogang Phalula (Transnet) was third in 34.05. Phalula’s twin sister, Diana-Lebo was fourth in 34.17 and Rene Kalmer (Modern Athlete) was fifth, in 34.40.

The top runners started in a bunch, with Van Zyl and Kalmer taking the early lead, but after two kilometres, the leading group started spreading out. The lead changed hands between Van Zyl and the Phalula sisters, until six kilometres, when Van Zyl surged to the front. Running easily, she was in complete command and never looked like losing. “This means a lot to me,” said Van Zyl.
“I was determined to make top three, and I feel blessed to have won. I was more relaxed than I was in Durban last week, and I didn’t start as fast as I did there. I wasn’t under any pressure, and that helped.”

She said she had a couple of bad patches between three and five kilometres, but once she went into the lead after six, she just concentrated on her running style, and this paid off.
“I knew the last two kilometres were downhill, and that helped.”

She said the Pretoria race had always been her favourite Challenge race. “My first win was in Pretoria, as a junior. It is always a tough race, because it is in the afternoon, but I like tough races. There were a lot of hills, which I don’t like as much as I did when I was younger, but it was a tough course, and that suits me.”

Van Zyl said she would try to win the Johannesburg race as well, but her first priority was the Cape Town marathon on September 21. “Marathons are the real test of your ability as an athlete, but I will always enjoy the shorter distances,” said Van Zyl.

Nyahora said she had struggled to keep up with the lead bunch at the start, but found herself getting stronger as the race went on. “I wanted a top three finish, and I could see the Phalulas were struggling a bit, so I was happy when I passed both of them.” Lebogang Phalula, who won in Durban last week, said she had started too fast. “I battled on the hills,” she said.
“But I had something to prove, because I tested positive for a banned substance in Pretoria a few years ago. I wanted to show that I was back.”

Diana-Lebo Phalula, who won the Cape Town and Port Elizabeth races in record times, still holds the lead on the SPAR Grand Prix ladder, and seems likely to win the Nissan Micra awarded to the top runner after the Johannesburg race in October.

More than 26 000 runners entered the 10km Challenge and the 5km Fun Run, and Supersport Park was a sea of blue t-shirts as the runners streamed onto the cricket field.