INSPIRATION
THE BNC
Elders
We chatted to a few of the oldest Blue Number Club Members entered to run the 2026 edition of the Totalsports Two Oceans Marathon, to find out what motivates them in their ongoing TTOM voyage, and if they have any secrets to eternal youth. – COMPILED BY SEAN FALCONER
When the 2026 TTOM takes to the roads of Cape Town this year, the fields in the Ultra Marathon and Half Marathon races will include around 2550 Blue Number-holders. That number may change a bit in coming weeks, once the substitution window opens, as well as when runners need to submit qualifying times for the Ultra, but for now, there are 2552 BNC members amongst the entrants of the two races, and that figure includes an impressive number of TTOM elders.
Willemien is the oldest BNC entrant in either race in 2026, and will be aiming for her 10th finish in the Half, having already earned a Blue Number in the Ultra. She ran her first TTOM Ultra in 1990, aged 49, and earned her Double Blue for 20 finishes at the age of 70, then doubled up four times from 2015 to 2019, aged 74 to 78, with both the Trail Run and the Half Marathon on the consecutive days!
1.
Willemien Smuts
Age: 85 22 Ultra Marathon medals – Blue Number 5751 9 Half Marathon medals – Going for 10th in 2026 4 Trail Run Medals TTOM 2026: Half Marathon
How does it feel to be one of the oldest BNCs in the 2026 event?
It’ s wonderful, and I’ m blessed from above to still be able to run at 85. I only started running at 50, after raising my five children. In fact, I was inspired to start by watching them take part in cross country at school. I saw how much fun it was, so I eventually decided to start running myself. I was a track athlete back then doing mostly middle distances from 1500m up to 10,000m as well as cross country, but then I moved up to road running.
I ran the Two Oceans Ultra 22 times, but these days I have scaled down to just half marathons. I also did a few Two Oceans Trail Runs, and I loved doing both the Trail and Half events on the same weekend
There will be 16 Half Marathon BNCs in their 80s, and while there are no 80-year-old BNCs in the Ultra, the contingent of 70-year-olds numbers an impressive 49, with a further 147 BNCs in their 70s due to line up in the Half Marathon. A further 743 BNC runners aged between 60 and 69 will also be in action on race weekend, and of the 2552 BNC entrants, 955( 37.4 %) are 60 or older.
We tracked down a few of the oldest in the Ultra and Half and asked them about their TTOM memories and more.
several years. As I like to say,“ Ek het baie kos gekry, want hardloop is my kos!( I got a lot of food, because running is my food.)
2.
What’ s your main goal for race day, and what are you looking forward to most in the 2026 race? Of course, the big goal is to get my Light Blue Number for my 10th Half Marathon, and my second Blue Number, but what I am really looking forward to is running the Two Oceans Half for the first time with my youngest daughter, Wilma. I ran it two years ago with my son, Tobie, and while all my children still run, most just do parkruns these days, it’ s only Wilma doing races with me.
3.
Do you approach the TTOM any differently now than when you started running the event? Besides running shorter distances than my ultra days, my approach is still the same. Most importantly, I still love running today, and the Two Oceans really is the most beautiful race in the world.
4.
What is your standout memory of your Two Oceans career?
I love seeing people supporting the runners along the road, so seeing somebody I know, and being greeted by them, really makes the race so much better. That keeps me going, and the Two Oceans has always had great support on the roads.
5.
What’ s your secret to staying strong and injury-free as you get older? I always try to run on the gravel or the grass next to the road, because that’ s much better for the body than running on tar. That’ s why I love running on trails. Overall, I’ m just thankful to still be able to run at 85, and as I always say to people, instead of buying pills, I buy takkies, because pills don’ t make you healthy, running shoes do!
Images: Action Photo SA, Two Oceans Marathon
20 Totalsports Two Oceans Marathon 2026