As regular readers of this column know, I love running marathons, and thankfully, the races are coming back at last, so in February I kicked back into marathoning gear with the new Joburg North City Marathon. – By Stuart Mann
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Go All Out on Global Running Day
UA ALL OUT MILE Returns with Live and Virtual Events
From inspiration to perspiration the UA ALL OUT MILE provides the motivation, the coaching, and the training plan to run your fastest mile. Starting this May, unique stories from around the world will highlight thousands of runners achieving their personal best.
With virtual participation in 14 countries, Under Armour has almost doubled regional participation from last year’s challenge to execute a global event in both virtual and live formats. Teams and individuals alike will take on the 30-day mission to train with resources to fit into their existing routines with the ultimate goal to go ALL OUT just in time for Global Running Day.
YOUR FASTEST MILE
During the UA All Out Mile Competition Period, participants are encouraged to go ALL OUT and run their fastest mile anytime between June 1st – 5th. In celebration of Global Running Day, UA will kick off live events across the globe at cities across the US as well as in the UK, Thailand, Japan, and South Africa.
Participants results will automatically be pulled from UA MapMyRun™ and appear on the FitRankings leaderboard, where they can see how they stack up against runners from around the world. Are you ready to see your name on the leaderboard? Prizing will be awarded to the top-3 males and top-3 females in each region!
THE MILE IS TOUGH. YOU’RE TOUGHER.
By joining the UA All Out Mile, you gain access to training routines and workouts from UA’s elite coaches, athletes, and Human Performance experts. Registration will automatically grant you access to a free 3-month UA MapMyRun™ MVP membership you will be able to log miles and access exclusive training plans and video tips throughout your journey to your best mile.
On May 1st, the UA All Out Mile begins with a month-long Training Period. Whether you’re walking or running, connect your shoes or smartwatch to get personalized tips and training plans to help you go farther and faster.
Need Help Training? UA has you covered
Train Like a Champ and Run your Fastest Mile
Starting May 1, check here for training resources provided by UA athletes and UA MapMyRun™ experts to help push yourself to your personal best.
When you register for the UA ALL OUT MILE, you’ll have access to training routines and workouts from UA’s elite coaches, athletes, and Human Performance experts.
UA MapMyRun™ has the right tools to help you reach your peak fitness. Scan the QR codes (or tap on mobile) to view some of our favorite routines in the app
WHY WE RUN
At Under Armour, we recognize the power of sport. We know that youth participation in sport goes beyond the track, court, field, or arena. Being in sports at a young age leaves an impression that sets our youth up for a brighter future.
That’s why we’re committed to awarding the top teams in the “Most Milers” competition with a $10,000 monetary donation back to the non-profit organization of their choice. All designated charities must have a connection to increasing access and opportunity for all young athletes in support of UA’s Access to Sport initiative.
Sign up your local crew, club, or even create a team for your social followers to support youth sports in your community. Make a team. RUN ALL OUT. Make an impact.
How Smart is Smart?
In today’s world of hi-tech training, counting steps, Discovery Vitality goals and a general move to wellness, owning a smartwatch has become part and parcel of our active lifestyles, but how do you know what watch suits your needs best? Here we look at some key features of the smart watch market, and what they mean when it comes to running.
PUMA Partners with Elite-Tier Boxer Athletics Club
PUMA has signed a multi-year partnership with the Boxer Athletics Club which will see the global sports brand providing the top-tier running club with technical PUMA Running apparel and footwear.
Boxer Athletics Club was established in 2005 and the club’s elite squad includes multiple South African champion and Olympian Precious Mashele as well as Glenrose Xaba, who is also a multiple national champion on the road and on the track.
“PUMA has a growing family of elite distance runners, so partnering with a top-tier club to showcase our innovative product was the obvious next step” said Brett Bellinger, Marketing Director of PUMA South Africa. “By providing the best race day product and through a package of incentives we aim to support athletes to achieve their goals of breaking national records and excelling on the local and global stage.”
The technical product available to members of the elite squad will include the PUMA Deviate Nitro Elite, part of the brand’s new running shoe range as worn by Mashele and Xaba.
Club manager Rhyn Swanepoel said the partnership with PUMA will boost Boxer Athletics Club’s commitment to supporting its athletes’ dreams, from winning races at provincial and national level in South Africa, to competing at World Championships and Olympic Games.
“Boxer also remains dedicated to uplifting the development of community sporting clubs. We will continue our work to enhance the presence of sports in disadvantaged communities and to lay a foundation for future athletes to be realised,” said Swanepoel.
Bring Your Running Shoe Game Up to Speed with the Flow Velociti Wind 2 — Literally
Runners can experience light and effortless speed with the new UA Flow Velociti Wind 2
The Under Armour human performance and product development teams continue to create innovative solutions for runners to bring you the next generation of unparalleled performance running shoes. With the help of UA athletes and brand ambassadors, the UA Innovation Lab in Baltimore and UA Human Performance Center in Portland, Under Armour develops the best footwear that’s based on key insights and learnings from years of experience and research.
UA has always performed best when we’re disruptive: The UA HOVR Machina launched with the innovative Pebax® Propulsion Plate, and the first iteration of UA Flow eliminated the need for a heavy rubber outsole — and we’re not stopping there.
Technology moves fast and runners’ demands grow, and UA understands the importance of meeting the athlete where they need us. Expanding Under Armour’s Flow running shoe collection that debuted in early 2021 with the UA Flow Velociti Wind and its disruptive all-in-one cushioning system, the UA Flow Velociti Wind 2 is here to bring runners up to speed — literally. The Flow Velociti Wind 2 features the same groundbreaking singular, ultra-responsive and long-lasting midsole compound as its predecessor. The UA Flow cushioning platform eliminates the need for rubber on the outsole, drastically reducing the weight and giving runners the feeling of light and effortless speed — the feeling of the wind at your back.
What is UA Flow
UA Flow disrupts the design of a traditional running shoe with its lightweight construction and by completely eliminating the rubber outsole, removing the 56 to 85 gram weight it typically would add to a traditional running shoe. UA Flow is the lightest midsole technology in UA’s current running lineup, bringing unparalleled lightweight cushion and long-lasting technology to the run category. The foam has naturally sticky traction, so traditional bulky overlays of the past aren’t needed. UA Flow offers runners great energy return, amazing consistency and reliable durability that will keep you reaching for your new favourite pair run after run!
“UA FLOW is a game-changing cushioning technology that expands our capabilities for delivering the best experience and product solutions to the runner. The Flow Velociti Wind 2 delivers speed without sacrifice-keeping the runner protected, delivering amazing energy return, and putting the wind at their back with every stride, every run, every day.”
– Douglas Smiley, Senior Global Product Line Manager for Performance Run at Under Armour
Warp Upper + Tatami Stitch Heel
The UA Flow Velociti Wind 2 is designed for speed over longer distances and engineered to provide great responsiveness, energy return and grippy traction so you can run with confidence. The new shoes feature the groundbreaking super-engineered upper solution, UA Warp, that adapts to the runner’s foot throughout their stride. It features supporting tapes that act like seatbelts on the foot, placed precisely where our biomechanists found them to be most helpful for a runner. The tapes are in tension when you need them and relax when you don’t — eliminating any buckling and pinch points from traditional uppers built with continuous materials.
The UA Warp upper then moves in unison with the foot, supporting it in each step to help unlock performance by improving the efficiency of the foot-to-shoe interface in each stride. UA Warp locks you onto the UA Flow midsole without getting in the way of the foot’s natural movement.
New for the UA Flow Velociti Wind 2 shoes is the Tatami Stitch Heel: a premium solution that delivers a more consistent lockdown around the heel, a moulded EVA sockliner with added comfort and resiliency and cushioning for high-mileage performance.
The UA Flow Velociti Wind 2 launches in South Africa from 14 April and is priced at R3 499, it will be available online and at UA Brand Houses across SA.
PRODUCT DNA:
- Launch: April 2022
- Weight: 236 grams
- Price: R 3,499.00
- Heel: 26mm
- Forefoot: 18mm
- Offset: 8mm
- Connects to UA MAPMYRUN™: tracks and analyzes your running metrics to help make you a better runner
- Warp™ upper optimizes containment with lightweight lockdown & allows maximum breathability
- One-piece Flow midsole provides responsive & long-lasting cushioning
- Flow technology eliminates the rubber outsole, creating a more lightweight & seamless ride on any surface
- Outsole material is super-durable & increases ground traction
Gerda’s Marathon Goal
The country’s fastest female marathon runner, Gerda Steyn, recently signed up to run in adidas shoes and apparel, and we caught up with her to chat about her love of running, and what fuels her Impossible is Nothing attitude.
No, Races Are NOT Too Expensive
I am probably going to take some serious flack for this opinion piece, but I think this is something that needs to be said… and it has been coming a long time, irrespective of whether the COVID pandemic had happened or not. – By Manfred Seidler
Hollywoodbets gets the inside lane in South African athletics
The running season is now in full swing, and the Hollywoodbets Athletics Club, a division of leading sports betting operator Hollywoodbets, has aimed for the stars as it unveiled the signing of some of South Africa’s brightest talents.
2018 Comrades Marathon winner Ann Ashworth, and Comrades gold medallists Prodigal Khumalo and Mahlomolo Sekhonyana, two-time Two Oceans Marathon gold medallist Loveness Madziva and Soweto Marathon top 10 runner Nontokozo Mkhize, are amongst the heavyweight stars joining the Club.
With the star line-up, the Club has shown its intent to be a leader in the athletics scene this year.
2022 promises to be an exciting season for athletes with the Hollywoodbets Durban Summer 10km making a come back as well as its continuation as the halfway sponsor of the Comrades Marathon.
The Club is invested in giving back to its communities and plans to embark on numerous initiatives to promote development at grassroots level. One of these is to make joining the Club affordable to the passionate runners who come from all walks of life.
Morgan Shandu, Hollywoodbets Athletics Club President, said, “The Hollywoodbets Athletics Club is very excited for the running season ahead. With the runners that are a part of the team, we are looking forward to seeing them achieve great things in the country’s premier races.”
2022 ELITE TEAM
| No. | Name | Surname |
| 1. | ANN | ASHWORTH |
| 2. | NKOSIKHONA | MHLAKWANA |
| 3. | COLLEN | MULAUDZI |
| 4. | PRODIGAL | KHUMALO |
| 5. | MAHLOMOLA | SEKHONYANA |
| 6. | NKOSINATHI | DUMA |
| 7. | RANTSO | MOKOPANE |
| 8. | REGHEN | MAGWAI |
| 9. | LOVENESS | MADZIVHA |
| 10. | THOBANI | CHAGWE |
| 11. | NTOKOZO | MKHIZE |
| 12. | MAKHOSAZANA | MHLONGO |
| 13. | SIKHUMBUZO | SEME |
| 14. | TSHIAMO | MARIBE |
| 15. | THULISANG | KHAMBULE |
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Breaking News: Two Oceans Marathon Entries Opening!
The Two Oceans Marathon (TOM) is pleased to announce that entries for the 51st edition of the iconic Cape ultra and its accompanying half marathon will open on 11 February 2022 at 12pm (midday). The event will take place on Easter Weekend, with the Half Marathon taking place on Saturday 16 April, and the Ultra being run on Sunday 17 April.
This long-awaited announcement about entries will be welcome news to all the thousands of runners hoping to once again run the World ‘s Most Beautiful Marathon, after the race had to be cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown restrictions in South Africa. However, runners need to act fast, as entries will close again at 5pm on 20 February, and then all entries will go into the Ballot System, with successful entries to be drawn on 21 February.
Due to the expected demand, the Ballot System will be used for both the Ultra and Half Marathon, in line with international best practice. At different stages of the balloting process, the draw for successful entries will be weighted in favour of various categories of runners, including Blue Number Club members, Yellow Numbers (those doing their 10th, 20th, etc) and club runners (versus non-licenced runners). Runners entering via the ballot only pay once their name has been successfully drawn in the ballot, and please note that runners may only enter one event, either the Ultra or the Half Marathon.
Ballot Draw Dates
All draws take place 21 February 2022, at the following times:
- Ultra Marathon Draw 1: 10am
- Ultra Marathon Draw 2: 2pm
- Half Marathon Draw 1: 10am
- Half Marathon Draw 2: 2pm
International and African runners do not enter via the ballot system, and can pay for and secure their entries straight away once entries open on 11 February. These entries will close when capacity is reached.
After general entries close on 20 February, the only way to get into the 2022 Two Oceans Marathon or Half Marathon will be via a Charity Entry, procured through one of the official charity organisations affiliated to the event, and these entries will open on 22 February at 10am. (Entry fees for Charity Entries will be uploaded once final charity partners have been confirmed.)
How To Enter
Go to the race’s homepage at www.twooceansmarathon.org.za when entries open and click ‘Enter Here.’ Create a profile if you do not yet have one on the system and then follow the prompts. If you already have a profile, log in and do the entry process.
Entry Fees
The 2022 entry fees have been ratified by the TOM Board and approved by Western Province Athletics. Take note that all South African runners for the Ultra need to be licensed and belong to a running club.
Entry Type
Ultra
Ultra T-Shirt included
Half Marathon
Half T-shirt is R195
Licensed SA Runners
R700
R375
| Unlicensed SA Runners |
N/A
R435 (R375 + R60 for temp licence)
Africa Runners
R860
R690
| International Athletes |
R2575
R1800
Ultra Marathon Qualifiers
For health reasons, particularly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, qualifying for the TOM Ultra is mandatory, and TOM strongly encourages runners to complete a physical road race as their qualifier. However, any officially timed and measured marathon or longer distance, whether in the form of an officially organised physical or virtual race, run after 1 July 2021, can be used as your qualifier. In the case of a virtual marathon, an official time would be as generated by a smartwatch, a timing app on a smartphone, or a timing platform. Unfortunately, you cannot simply run on your own and time yourself, your qualifying time must have been generated during a virtual event, and the Race Office will be conducting spot checks to verify qualifier information submitted.
For the Ultra Marathon, the qualifying time for a standard marathon distance (42.2km) is 5 hours. For qualifying times run on distances greater than a standard marathon, please go to www.twooceansmarathon.org.za/event_route_info/seeding
Half Marathon Seeding
In the Half Marathon, qualifying times are used to seed you so that faster runners line up at the front, with slower runners further back. We strongly advise that you to provide a seeding time, otherwise you will unfortunately start towards the back. Seeding is based on a previous 10km, 15km or 21.1km run after 𝟏 𝐉𝐔𝐋𝐘 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟏: www.twooceansmarathon.org.za/event_race_day/seeding-2/
Startline Seeding
Due to COVID-19 regulations, the race will likely to be using multiple batches of 500 runners, starting two minutes apart, and runners will be seeded accordingly. It is not possible to give exact seeding tables as yet, but your seeding time will be used to place you in a batch appropriate to your running speed, and you will be advised of your batch closer to race day.
COVID-19 Protocols Relevant to Entering
On the advice of the TOM medical team, the below COVID-19 protocols will be observed. Kindly note that these may change with new development in the COVID-19 pandemic and the medical science related to it, as well as Disaster Management Act regulations:
- You will have to upload proof of vaccination. If you are not vaccinated, you must present proof of a negative PCR/antigen test within 48 hours prior to attending any physical event, including Expo and your actual Race, at your own cost.
- Please log in to your profile not more than 48 hours prior to any physical TOM event, including Expo/Race Pack Collection, to complete your COVID-19 pre-screening online. (We will send you reminders.)
Should you answer ‘yes’ to any COVID-19 risk factor during pre-screening, or fail the temperature check at Expo and Race Pack Collection, you will need to present proof of a negative COVID-19 test, at your own cost, taken not more than 48 hours prior to the physical event in question. Failure to do so will, unfortunately, result in you forfeiting your entry. Therefore, please remember to keep updating your profile and contact information.
In the Event of Race Cancellation…
In the event of the TOM 2022 being cancelled due to COVID-19, all runners who have paid will have their entries deferred to the next running of the Two Oceans Marathon.
For more information on entries or other race information, please read our FAQs at https://www.twooceansmarathon.org.za/event-info/faqs/ or contact us at 021 2000 459 (general queries) or 087 133 2285 (race-related queries), or email [email protected].
On Course for a PB in Paris
After a few delays to our racing plans caused by the COVID pandemic, I found myself running the Paris Marathon in October, chasing a sub-3:15 finish, but instead, I found myself pushing for a sub-3:00 for the first time, much to the surprise of my training partner! – by Wellington Mpofu