TRAIL it was a wonderful experience , but it was a Down Run , so I still need to do an Up Run , which was this year , so it won ’ t be next year , but maybe the year after , 2026 . So , that ’ s all the plans for now .
Coming home third in 3:34:11
SF : Getting back to the North Pole race , having finished second in Antarctica and third in the Arctic , you ’ re putting together an impressive record of finishing on the podium at the proverbial ends of the world !
MJVR : You know , it ’ s crazy , just the other night I talked about that with my kids , because they are now at the stage where they both run , as does my wife , and we all are into it . My youngest is 17 and she ’ s now a track and field runner , and when I told the kids about this race , she asked if this is an international marathon . I said , yes , it is , but it ’ s only 50 competitors , and it ’ s only the very rich or the very crazy that get there , or the very enthusiastic adventurers , so it ’ s not really a true international marathon . She said , no , you can definitely still call it an international marathon , and thinking about it , I think she ’ s right . It ’ s great to think that I got a podium finish in these international marathons , and that ’ s a good thing to keep in my memory bank .
This experience at the North Pole is one of those things that I am still trying to get my head around fully , like travelling out there and getting to the island of Svalbard , which I ’ d never heard of . Afterwards , I went and read up on it , and found out it ’ s actually an old coal-mining island , but it ’ s also the biggest seed bank deposit in the world , where they keep millions and millions of different seeds . There are actually some quite good documentaries about the island online . So , getting to interesting places like that on the way to a marathon is nice , and I think that ’ s why I love travelling and including marathons in my travels , because it ’ s a win-win situation .
Oh , I also did the Polar Plunge at the North Pole . You ’ re only allowed to wear a costume , and then you run and jump into the ocean , with a bungee cord around your waist , so that they can pull you out if you pass out . That was such a rush , and something I can recommend you try if you ever get the chance to jump into the icy sea !
Mauritz Jansen van Rensburg is originally from Bloemfontein but now lives in George with his wife and two children . An accomplished athlete in his day , notably as a triathlete who represented South Africa on the world stage , he also excelled in road and trail running . He formerly worked in sports marketing before opening Soul Running 14 years ago . Through this online training and coaching platform , Mauritz trains people of all athletic abilities , from beginners tackling their first parkrun and walkers , to marathoners and Comrades athletes , as well as triathletes .
He says that having run so many races around the world has contributed greatly to his success as a coach . “ A lot of guys have one or more of the major marathons on their bucket list , so when they want to go to New York , they want a coach that knows what the route looks like , what the temperature is like , how to prepare for the four or five hours before the start , including catching the bus , sitting in a park with a blanket , and the other small but important things like that that you don ’ t think of . So , I try to give that service to my athletes , and going to these big city marathons with a group of my guys is also how I meet new clients , as well as through word of mouth or references , because satisfied clients will recommend you as a good coach .”
More info at www . soulrunning . co . za .
On the way home , with medals proudly on display
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