Category: Racing

This race gets bigger and better each year. The Dis-Chem Half Marathon, hosted by Bedfordview Country Club, is not only known as Gauteng’s Premier Half Marathon but is also renowned for its excellent organisation. And this year was no different. The race attracted more than 5 000 athletes, many of them eager to test their fitness levels at the start of a new year. A highlight of the race was the many elite runners it attracted, such as Olympic athlete, Juan van Deventer, and George Mofokeng, 2:13:50 marathoner.

This year the ChampionChip-timed event saw the implementation of a seeded start which not only turned out to be a success, but also eased the usual tension between runners and walkers at the start of a race. For some the 2010 race was a day of personal bests and for others an eye opener as to what lies ahead. Many just had fun. Three runners share their experience of race day with Modern Athlete.

Name: DONALD MATHIPA, Nedbank AC
Race: 21.1km
Finishing time: 01:11:38 (tenth position)

From the moment the race started, I did not want to be left behind by the elite group, most of them running an average pace of 3:00min/km. The leading pack included George Mofokeng, Johannes Kekana, Lucky Mohale and Juan Van Deventer.

We went through the 5km mark in 15 minutes. From start to fi nish Juan showed his hunger to win by staying with the leading group for most of the race. It was only in the last 5km that he started surging. Lucky challenged him continuously but eventually had to settle for second position.

Just after the 8km mark I was the fi rst victim of the hard pace George set earlier. I could see the frontrunners opening a gap. The route was getting tougher. I pushed harder but it was not my day.

I finished 11th but because the tenth runner did not have a chip, I was officially listed as the tenth finisher. It was great to see my Nedbank team mate, Juan, winning the race.

The new route was testing with some long gradual hills, but it was well-balanced. Well done to the organisers of the race! I enjoyed the race, but it was a sad day for me as George Koertzen, well-known race commentator, had passed away the day before. We will surely miss him and his big dogs that were
always with him. He was my mentor and helped me on my way to becoming a sports journalist. George, may you rest in peace.

Name: NA’AMA OREN
Race: Rehidrat 5km Dash
Finishing Time: 00:40:00

The 2010 Rehidrat 5km Dash saw athletes from all walks of life gathering at the starting line, preparing themselves for 5km of beautiful Bedfordview terrain. Perusing the crowds revealed not only the usual running shoes and visors, but also those runners and walkers who had something a little special.

As I scanned the faces of moms and dads with jogging prams, I caught glimpses of those athletes hunched down to talk to their kids, brave five, six and seven-year-olds who, like me, were committed to finishing the race. Fancy running shoes stood side close look, I spotted a man who, despite only having one leg, was gunning himself up to finish the race on crutches.

And so we took off; I had run this route before and knew that a small stint up Riley Road would take a turn onto the dreaded Townsend Road. I started to repeat my hill mantra: “You’re nearly at the top, you’re nearly at the top.” Luckily, the route veered off ‘Heartbreak Hill’, taking us on a path of flat roads with only a few short uphills. I was thrilled that my fear of uphills would not be realised.

A long downhill led us back onto Riley Road, for the final kilometre back to the field. I knew that this would not be an easy race for me. Getting away from the crowds at the beginning had left me tired and out of breath, but the combination of an easy route, cool weather and friendly marshals made the race one that I, and all the participants, will remember fondly for the year to come.

Name: DAVID PEAKE
Race: 21.1km
Finishing Time: 02:51

I did some things wrong. There is nothing like the hard way to learn a lesson. I have in fact spent my life trying to be more efficient. I continuously try to challenge myself to work smarter. I guess that’s what gradually led me to running. It makes sense to go for a one-hour run and get the workout over and done.

You see, canoeing takes half a day and you end up with piles of wet gear to dry and pack away. Cycling takes a two or three-hour ride to make you feel as broken as a one-hour run. Anyway, a while ago I joined a club and started running in the mornings, pulling off epic heart rates in just one hour.

Then the emails went around, stating that the Dis-Chem Half Marathon was the first race to get under your belt in the build-up to the big race at the end of May… My wife and I entered online. I was impressed by how easy it was. We picked up our fat goodie bags; bigger than any cycling or canoeing goodie bag, except for the Dusi Canoe Marathon goodie bag which includes a six-pack of Hansa.

The Dis-Chem race was very well organised. The route was great and our race numbers had our names on them – very cool. Whenever I was thirsty, there was a well-stocked drinks table. The thing I enjoyed the most was the encouragement I got from all the marshals as well as the rivalry between the different clubs.

I must admit I found myself with a good amount of time to think while running and one thing I realised was that I could actually run, but that I should really have taken the day before the race more seriously. You see, the day before, I had been running around with canoes and lifejackets, paddling and messing about on the banks of the Vaal River.

Yip, that’s where the race day pain was coming from. At the start I was a bit dehydrated, a little sunburnt and my arms were tired and stiff. Had there not been people all around me I could well have given up. But what type of a Modern Athlete would I be if I bailed on my first half marathon at the start line? So as some would say, I hardened up and ran!

I finished in 2:51. Thank you to the race organisers and sponsors for a great event. My biggest lesson was the realisation that the day before race day is a very important one… In future I won’t be messing around on rivers the day before, and sorry sweetie, but no DIY the day before either.

Running plays a large part in almost every sport practised at a competitive level. We explore running’s role in hockey by speaking to South African women’s national squad stalwart Lenise Marais, who already has over 100 caps at the age of just 24.

Hockey can sometimes appear to be a largely stop-start affair, but the running never stops and there is little time to catch your breath during matches, says veteran national team defender Lenise Marais. “I have to follow my striker wherever she goes, so there is a lot of stop-start sprinting, and I’m always running, looking around to track opponents. I’m also involved in short corners at both ends. Sometimes I get to do a bit of walking, which is nice!”

That’s why the national team defenders do just as much running in training as the strikers, says Lenise. “We’re all on the same basic training programme, with lots of running, because we defenders have to stay with the strikers we’re marking. Also, I have to work on my speed, because I’m quick over the first five metres, but not after that.”

TRAINING REGIME
A typical week of training for Lenise sees her running from Monday to Saturday, on top of three to four field sessions and three to four gym sessions. The running usually comprises a combination of speed, endurance and agility, some fartlek sessions, long runs on the road of up to 40 minutes, and sometimes hill sprints. Lenise says that while she does enjoy running, it doesn’t always feel right… “I’m used to running with a stick in my hand, so it feels a bit strange to run without one.”

Lenise actually hails from a Durban family with a rich running background. Her uncle, Keith Gunkel, ran the Comrades 13 times to earn Green Number 2090 and the family would go out on the route to support him. “We did the skottel brekkie thing and then stayed the whole day to support the runners, giving them water and flat Coke. Maybe I’ll run Comrades one day, but I’ve heard that it’s better after you’ve had kids, so it will be really later on in life. And I’ll need an iPod with a thousand songs on it to get me going!”

THROUGH THE RANKS
Lenise started playing hockey while at school. “I started off as a striker for the under-11s and scored four goals in my first game, so I was happy.” Although later moved back into defence, her talent saw her playing under-13 while still an under-11. When she got to high school, she was already playing first team when still in standard seven, and made the senior KwaZulu-Natal squad in her matric year for the 2002 Interprovincial Tournament (IPT). The following year she began her studies at Stellenbosch University (Maties) and her seven years in the Cape coincided with a trophy-laden period for both Maties and Western Province.

In 2004 she was selected for the SA under-21s, and in 2005 made her debut for the seniors, against England in Potchefstroom. “It was a settled, established team, so it was difficult to break in. Also, we often played teams ranked higher than us, so sometimes it was hard,” says Lenise. “But we’ve done well in a few tournaments, twice finishing second at the Champs Challenge, so the team realises it can take the next step and we need to do well this year in the World Cup and Commonwealth Games.”

At the time of writing, Lenise had 107 caps (and one goal) to her name, and had played in the Olympics, Commonwealth Games, World Cup, Champions Challenge and African Cup of Nations. She says her fondest memory is when she played her 100th game. “I got to lead the team out and then stood next to the captain, Marcia Marescia, when we sang the anthem. Only the captain knows this, but I couldn’t sing because I had a little bit of a cry.”

FUTURE PLANS
This year Lenise begins her working career, having completed her BA Sports Science, BA Hon English and PGCE (teaching diploma) studies at Stellenbosch. “I’m heading home to start teaching this year, at Durban Girls’ High School. It’s a straight PE teacher post, but I could be given a few English classes later. I’m okay with that – it eases me into teaching.”

She says she intends playing hockey for a while still. “It’s all about keeping your body healthy and strong. The fitter you are, the less likely you are to get injured. And hopefully we’ll get the green light from SASCOC to go to the 2012 London Olympics.”

“I’d also like to do a multiple country holiday down the line, with three weeks in India, then three weeks in Taiwan and Hong Kong. I want to have time to really look around. And I only want to travel with one bag, because I haven’t travelled without a stick bag in ages!”

The International Association of Ultra Runners’ 50km Trophy Final was held in Gibraltar at the end of October 2009. It is the culmination of a series of qualifying 50km races around the world, with the best 50km runners in the world being invited to the final. The Old Mutual Om die Dam 50km was the only qualifying race in South Africa in 2009. who was sixth lady at the 2009 Comrades Marathon, and her clubmate from Nedbank Running Club, Lucas Nonyana, made South Africa proud by fi nishing third and first respectively. Here Lesley tells of their experience.

Our small South African contingent, which consisted of myself, Lucas, Herman Mokgadi and Steven Molepo, performed exceptionally well at our fi rst IAU event, despite initially struggling with visa and other logistical obstacles.

What a blessing it was to meet up with other runners from all over the world who share the same passion and lifestyle. The entire trip was amazing and well organised. The organisers went out of their way to ensure each runner’s needs were met. We stayed in a retreat centre in Gibraltar and each runner had
their own room. Meal times were set and the food was great – we had no problem carboloading before the race!

It was amazing how the bond of running united us all as friends and before long, it felt as if we were all part of a new family, even though it was only for a few days. We mostly spoke about what we all love… running, good food and not forgetting how great life is.

In the lead up to the race, the days belonged to us to do with what we pleased. Some of us enjoyed
spending time with our new friends, others explored new places and a lot of us just put our feet up in front of the television.

EMOTIONAL OPENING
The opening ceremony was an experience of a lifetime. All the athletes were emotional as we took our places behind the banners of our respective countries. The honour and pride I felt standing behind South Africa’s banner along with my teammates before marching into the stadium with an orchestra playing, was a privilege beyond words. As we listened to everyone making their speeches, I was thinking: ‘Is this for real?’ I knew no matter what the outcome of the race, it was great making it that far.

The evening before the race, we all gathered at a local restaurant for a pasta party. Overseas athletes are no different to South Africans: they also love to party! Luckily for most the race only started at 2:30 the next afternoon.

RACE DAY
On race day we all had a good breakfast and a hearty lunch! Suddenly the thought of having to run 50km did not seem quite so appealing. Anxiety began to take its toll on most of us, each runner wondering what his opponents were truly capable of.

We were taken by bus to the start at the lighthouse. The weather was overcast and misty, and we all hoped it would stay that way, but once the gun went off, the blistering sun was out.

Due to road works the route had to be changed. The initial five laps of 10km each were changed to a 2km loop at the start followed by six laps of 8km each. Mentally it was one of the strangest and hardest races ever. There were quite a few short hills which we repeated, but the most challenging part was
running through docks and tunnels with lots of turns, constantly passing and dodging each other. The field was small and once the 10km runners fi nished, it was great to encourage other 50km runners while we passed each other. Despite competing against each other, the team spirit amongst us all was amazing.

The water point was at the 4km turn point. Thanks to Lucas’ coach, Johan Britz, we had drinks and lots of encouragement on the other parts of the route. Initially I was in fi fth position before moving up to third at the halfway mark. Just before the last lap, I managed to catch up to Monica Carling, the Italian girl in second place, but at the watering point she had some concoctions from a tube… and suddenly she just took off! We should get those ingredients. I finished third and ran a PB of 3:38! I was very happy with my race. The fi rst lady home was Kami Semich (USA) in a time of 3:29 and the runner up was Monica in a time of 3:37. In the men’s category, my team mate and Comrades gold medallist, Lucas Nonyana, had a great race to finish first in a time of 2:58:04! Herman fi nished seventh and Steven 26th.

PODIUM TIME
After a hearty supper, it was time for prizegiving! What an honour it was standing on the podium knowing I would be taking home a bronze medal and a glass trophy for my country, and Lucas a gold medal.

This year the Winelands Marathon & Half Marathon attracted record crowds. The marathon also incorporated the fi rst joint provincial marathon champs for the
Western Province and Boland Associations. Modern Athlete Publisher, Mike Bray,
spent ten weeks training for this special race and shares his experience with us.

MR PRICE WINELANDS MARATHON & HALF MARATHON, STELLENBOSCH, WESTERN PROVINCE, 16 NOVEMBER

It was with nervous anticipation that I boarded the plane at OR Tambo in Johannesburg with a group of 22 fellow club members – the BIG DAY had fi nally arrived. We were off to Stellenbosch to race the Mr Price Winelands Marathon. We left a cold, wet Joburg and arrived in beautiful sunny Cape Town on
the Friday afternoon. We made a quick stop at the famous Paul Roos Gymnasium school grounds to register, where I am happy to say we also received the latest copy of Modern Athlete, before checking into the Protea Hotel, which is blessed with some of the most magnifi cent views of wine farms and mountains.

The weather was perfect on Saturday morning – slightly overcast and cool – and there was a great atmosphere at the start line. Our intention was to run the race in a small bus but Barry Holland and I got caught up chatting midfield before the gun went and it took us close to a minute to cross the start line, not an ideal thing to do if you’re chasing a PB. The first section is relatively fast so  it was 5km before we caught our bus. At the 6km mark, we were introduced to the first hill on the course, a long gradual
pull that took us to the 10km mark. If you’re not careful, and a bit overeager, it would be easy to leave your race right here. Our small bus was already splintered by the time we reached the summit. I had fallen about a minute behind as I had only managed to settle into a good rhythm around 8km. My time
at 10km was 48:15; I knew I was already off goal pace so I worked hard on the long downhill section which took us to 15km. We had gotten a smaller version of our bus back together by this stage, but there was no talking taking place and by 18km we were strung out and it became each man for himself.

I went through 21km in 98:37; by now the sun had come out and the heat was upon us. This section of the run is undulating and it was around here that I was picked up by a friendly nameless runner from one of the local clubs. For the next 15km, this black gentleman and I ran stride for stride, not saying much besides encouraging each other to stay on pace. We took turns collecting water from the tables and although we did not manage to finish together, I owe much of my race to this gent. It is moments shared
like this that are a great example of what makes South African road runners from all walks of life, such great Modern Athletes.

At 26km we encountered our next big climb before crossing the road to head back to Stellenbosch. Although at this point, there was still a long way to go, I experienced a sense of relief that we were now heading towards the fi nish line. I could also see the runners on the opposite side of the road and often shared words of encouragement when I recognised a familiar face. All of this helped to pass the time
and the kays. I ran my fastest kay of the race, a 4:10, at 31km and went through 32km in 2:29:57. We encountered the steepest hill of the run at 36km; this is where a lot of runners started to walk as the distance and heat took their toll, and although I had no second gear left, I knew I had to just try hold it all together. Even though the lactic acid was now starting to flow through my legs, it was the last climb from the mushroom farm, from 39 to 40km, that really took it all out of me.

I had forgotten how far 2km on wobbly legs could be. I diverted my focus to the image of our son Casey’s smiley face and proceeded to come up with names for our new baby, expected in December. I am sure people thought I was crazy as I muttered various options to myself. I managed to eventually cross the line in a time of 3:22 in 89th position, which was a new PB by 13 minutes. Although I had missed my goal time by a few minutes, I had given it all I had on the day and was very pleased with the result. As promised, I celebrated by sampling a few of our country’s fi nest cultivated grapes, which never fail to impress.

The organisation of the event was magnifi cent, registration was a pleasure, the markers spot on, plenty of watering points, lots of friendly runners on the road and a great finish line. A big kudos must go to the organisers, Helderberg Harriers, and sponsor Mr Price, as well as all the WP/Boland Modern Athletes.

If anyone tells you Winelands is a fast coastal marathon and a great place to chase a PB, they’re pulling your leg… However, it is a great race on a testing course with beautiful scenery, and I would highly recommend the weekend to all runners from up-country!

Cape Town is known for its scenic races, with ocean and mountain views all around, but the Landmarks Half Marathon offers something more – a running tour that takes in some of the most famous landmarks of the Mother City.

LANDMARKS HALF MARATHON AND 6KM, CAPE TOWN, WESTERN PROVINCE, 15 NOVEMBER 2009

Cool, overcast conditions greeted a record fi eld of close to 4 000 participants in the 2009 Landmarks Half Marathon and 6km fun run/walk, organised by the Western Province Cricket Club running section.

This popular event offers participants a fairly tough but scenic route through the leafy southern suburbs of Rondebosch and Newlands, past various landmarks in the area that include the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital, Rondebosch Common, Mostert’s Mill, UCT, Rhodes Memorial, Newlands Forest, South African Breweries, Newlands Rugby Stadium and Sahara Park.

The ideal racing conditions saw Mr Price Western Province athlete Zolani Ntgona cross the finish line in a time of 1:07:02, with team mate Sibusiso Mbingelele taking second place, just two seconds behind him. Mbingelele, who was also second last year, won the King of the Mountain title for reaching the highest point at Rhodes Memorial first.

Celtic Harriers athlete Anthony Godongwana was third in 1:07:58. Celtic Harriers dominated the women’s race again this year, claiming all three podium positions, with last year’s winner Thozama April breaking the tape in 1:21:37. Second home was course record holder (1:19:49) Bulelwa Mtshagi in a time of 1:24:50, with Busisiwe Matiwane third in 1:27:22. April also took the Queen of the Mountain title.

The 6km fun/run walk incorporated a Schools Challenge, which offered prize money sponsored by ADT totalling R20 000 for the four schools with the highest percentage of finishers. The fun run/walk attracted a fi eld of 2 000 participants, including over 1 000 schoolchildren from all over Cape Town. The City of Cape Town, in partnership with the event and the JAG Sports and Education Foundation, provided  transport for around 600 children to encourage them to take an active role in sports events.

Mention the Tough One and most runners start smiling nervously. Those who have run it know that this race is not for the faint-hearted. Just when you think the hills are done and dusted, another few await… Despite this, the turnout usually exceeds 6 000 runners. Cathie van Rooyen, a runner from Discovery Athletics Club West Rand, told Modern Athlete about her race.

RAC CITY LODGE TOUGH ONE 32KM AND ASICS 5KM, JOHANNESBURG, CENTRAL GAUTENG, 22 NOVEMBER 2009

I was nervously facing my second Tough One and thought about cancelling due to the very unusual wet, freezing weather the week before race day. Unfortunately, I saw on the weather forecast that the sun would return on race day, so I had no excuses left.

The thought of 32km made me nervous, especially because I don’t have as much running experience as my running buddies. I got flashbacks of my first few 32km runs. The first, in Boksburg, almost saw me committing serious bodily harm to my sister, who was only trying to help me through the bad patches. My second was in Pretoria and had me cursing up and down the hills. All this baggage was messing with my head!

I met up with my friends at Old Parks in the early hours of the Sunday race day. The start was crowded and I secretly prayed for the gun to go off before I changed my mind and stayed behind. Slowly we made our way up the fi rst hill. My sister, Debbie Egan, had been resting after her run at the Mont-Aux-Sources 50km Challenge and she decided to take it easy and run with me. This was a nice change, as she usually gallops off with the faster runners.

Only later did I realise that she was actually hanging back because she had no money on her and wanted to join in on our annual Tough One ice cream tradition. This tradition was started a few years back when our late running friend, Joe van der Merwe, and Karien Carstens decided the Tough One needed something nice to look forward to. Everyone would stop and have an ice cream late in the race! I had never been fast enough to join the ice cream feast, so this time I carried money to make sure I didn’t lose out.

The marshalling was excellent and when the water points seemed to pop up much sooner than normal, I realised that I was walking far less than in other races. I was not wearing my watch and it was nice listening to my body instead of a watch.

At around the 26km mark, I hit a bad patch. My calves threatened to cramp and I decided to walk. My sister kept a watchful eye on me and 1km further, I had sorted myself out. As we neared the Randburg CBD, we got closer to our ice cream stop and I felt a new surge of energy. With our ice lollies safely in our hands, we took on the last 3km. There was one nasty little hill before the end and we walked it, enjoying the crowd support from the roadside.

With camera in hand and a faint idea of direction, Modern Athlete Editor Sean Falconer took a scenic run around Irene in the Irene Half Marathon. After 20 or so photo stops, his camera battery was pretty much flat.

LIQUIFRUIT IRENE HALF MARATHON, 10KM& 5KM, IRENE, GAUTENG NORTH, 14 NOVEMBER 2009

For years I have heard about the fantastic Irene Half, with its scenic course through the farmlands and its excellent organisation and atmosphere. Well, now that I have finally run it, let me just say that this  ‘Stellenbosse Boy’ from the Cape may have been searching for a wee bit more oxygen at times, but I’ll
put this race on my ‘to do again’ list for sure.

It was wonderful to see the size of the fi eld. There were just over 1 900 finishers in the 21km and 2 250 in the 10km, plus a whopping 1 300 in the fun run. I wanted to get a good photograph of the starting line-up, so when I spotted a photographer on the roof of the building next to the start line, I decided to climb up as well. And that’s where I was when the race started, taking pics.

When I eventually got going, I found myself running next to 80-year-old Des Robins, one of the Timeless Warriors featured in our October edition cover story. I loved the fact that he was not only chatting to me while we ran, but he was passing much younger runners too. What an inspiration.

As much as I enjoyed the route, I had absolutely no idea where I was most of the time. Being from out of town – and not having a nice big, 1 000-metre high, fl at mountain to give me a convenient reference point – I found the winding, twisty course totally disorienting. Not that it mattered, though, because I was thoroughly enjoying the run, chatting with fellow runners and stopping to take photos about 20 times (which also meant I overtook the same people about 20 times when I got going again. Apologies if anybody got a bit tired of seeing the same red and white vest going past them again).

ELITE FOR A DAY
The funniest thing for me was when I pulled up next to Mike from RAC in the last two kays. He saw my name tag on my club vest and asked if I was related to two other runners named Falconer. The first was a local businessman – no direct relation to me – but then he made my day. He said the other one was also named Sean, a Springbok athlete who used to write a number of articles about running. “Umm, I think that’s me you’re talking about – but I’m defi nitely no Springbok athlete!”.

Running plays a large part in almost every sport practiced at a competitive level. We explore running’s role in soccer by speaking to former Banyana Banyana captain Desiree Ellis. She may be retired, but this 2010 World Cup Ambassador is still running strong.

Women’s soccer is still way behind the men’s game in terms of public recognition and support, but it is steadily getting bigger, with an established national club competition and the national team, Banyana Banyana, challenging for international honours. Desiree Ellis took a leading role as a player in building the women’s game to this level, and continues to do so, both on-fi eld and off. 

Des was already playing for the unoffi cial national team in the 80s; then in 1992 she was made vice-captain as the country returned to international action, scoring a hat trick on debut against Swaziland. A year later she was made captain and retained the position until 2002, leading the team to the runnerup position in the 2000 Africa Cup of Nations and then the team’s first silverware, the 2002 COSAFA Cup.

Today, at the age of 46, she is still registered as a player with her club, Cape Town Spurs, where she coaches a talented team that regularly challenges for provincial and national honours. From time to time, if the youngsters aren’t doing what she wants them to do, she puts herself on the field for the last ten to 15 minutes and shows them how to make that killer pass for the strikers to run onto, a trademark of her game. And she can still play thanks to her superb fitness, another trademark of her game.

FITNESS FIRST
Soccer players usually hate pre-season training, because they don’t really like running, says Des. “It is the worst! I remember we would come from off-season to do long road runs – you just run and run and run. The players moaned, but we did it anyway, because we knew it would benefi t us on the field.”

By her own admission, Des was never the quickest player, but she made up for it by being the fi ttest and sharpest player on the park. “I had to think, had to predict, had to read the game – that made me look quick! I worked on my strength, power and endurance, because I had to have something else instead of speed.”

This made her ideal for the central midfi eld holding role that is essential to the success of any soccer team. “I played there because I had a ‘head’ on my shoulders and knew when to go forward and when to hold. I would have scored more goals if I had played more attacking, but we had good, fast strikers – and when you have strikers like that making the runs, you keep it simple and just give them the ball.”

RUNNING AROUND
Des still runs, cycles and gyms to keep fi t, which has really helped her in another passion: for the past eight years she has been part of the annual Sports Heroes Walk against Aids. This year they visited Limpopo Province, with runners Ruben Ramolefi , Evelina Tshabalala and Willi Mtolo included in the team of eight runners (Josia Thugwane and Zithulele Sinque also participated in previous years).

“We run from town to town and try to bring across the message about leading a healthy lifestyle. We did 1 751km this year in 18 days, and handed out R300 000 to three hospices. I did ten kays per day, but the runners would do up to 25km. We run or walk at the same time, each one running their allocated portion of the route and then being picked up by a vehicle, and we aim to get the running done between 5am and 7am, then arrive in town to meet the local community.”

“The first week is the hardest. Your legs are sore, you can’t move, but it gets easier later. Most importantly, I feel we are making a difference. The kids have seen the sports stars on TV, they want to meet them, and they listen to them. People have come out to be tested thanks to our walks.”

AMBASSADORIAL
Des is currently working as a 2010 World Cup Ambassador, helping to promote the tournament. She’s part of a star-studded line-up, including former Bafana Bafana legends Lucas Radebe, Mark Fish, Phil Masinga and Doctor Khumalo. It is a measure of how highly Des is regarded in the game that she has been included in this list of greats.

After attending the recent World Cup draw in Cape Town, Des says it was a great show but a pretty tough draw for South Africa. “What counts in our favour is that Uruguay and Mexico play the same kind of football, so at least we don’t have to prepare three different game plans. Our coach knows these teams well, and he says we will go through. Also, if the people of South Africa can repeat the passion of 1995 and 1996, we can help the players.”

Many of us are up at the crack of dawn to squeeze in a run before work. At night, few of us have the time or energy to still hit the gym to strengthen our running muscles and to fi rm up the wobbly bits. Here are three quick strengthening exercises you can fi t in after a morning run. It will only take maximum 15 minutes and you can do it in the comfort of your home, just before you head for the shower. 

UPPER BODY
Modified Push-ups (works chest, front of shoulders, triceps and abdominals)

• Kneel on all fours with your ankles crossed over each other, arms straight, but elbows not locked, palms of your hands on the floor, slightly to the side and in front of your shoulders.
  
• Look downwards.
  
• Bend your elbows and lower your body until your upper arms are almost parallel to the floor.  Keep your abdominals tight so your back stays straight.
  
• Hold for three seconds and then push your body back up.

When you are stronger you can graduate to doing full push-ups, without bent knees.

LOWER BODY
Forward Lunge (works gluteals, hamstrings, quadriceps and calves)

• Place your hands on your hips. Stand up straight with your abdominals contracted, feet hip-width
  apart, toes facing forward and weight back on your heels.
  
• Lift your right toe slightly and leading with your heel, step forward with your right foot (about a stride’s length).
  
• As your foot touches the floor, bend both knees until your right thigh is parallel to the fl oor and your left thigh is extended behind you. Ensure that your right heel is in line with your right knee (not in front of it); you’ll fi nd that your left heel lifts off the floor.
  
• Now press off the ball of your right foot and step back to the starting position. Repeat this movement, but step forward with your left foot and follow the same sequence.
  
• Right and left step forward (lunge) count as one repetition.

Squats (works gluteals, hamstrings, quadriceps and calves)

• Place your hands on your hips and stand tall, abdominals contracted, feet hip-width apart, toes facing forward and your weight slightly back on your heels.
  
• Bend your knees and squat back and down, as if you’re about to sit in a chair. Don’t squat any lower than the point at which your thighs are parallel to the fl oor and don’t let your knees
  extend too far in front of your toes.
  
• Return to your starting position.

Sets and repetitions for all exercises:

• Month 1: One set of 12 repetitions.
  
• Month 2 and onwards: Two sets of 12 repetitions.