WELCOME
What do you mean it’ s already May?
Life has been flying by of late; April didn’ t even seem to touch down before it took off again. We had more public holidays than work days, it seemed. Or at least, some people did. While we were working to put together this magazine, we realised some things. For instance, it’ s tough to be among the only ones working while everyone and their aunty takes a well-deserved break.
But there were some stories that we just couldn’ t hold over. For one thing, Elroy Gelant smashed the South African marathon record, held by Gert Thys since 1999. It was a day we waited years to see and we couldn’ t possibly be prouder of Elroy. Listen to the voice note that this champion left our Roving Cow Richard the day after the race.
A big reason we love what we do, and why we keep going, is that we get to tell amazing, real, inspiring stories. The Rope Runner( Marissa Groenewald) has one of those stories. She’ s changing the world with one skip at a time. Many wonder why exactly she is skipping and running, and many question her sanity when she tells them she will be tackling the Comrades Marathon with her skipping rope. But she’ s doing it for a cause bigger than herself, running to raise awareness about human trafficking.
Ryan Sandes also made South Africa tremendously proud when, on his first outing at the Cocodona 250, he not only completed his longest race to date( 250 miles across Arizona in the US) but also took second place overall! It’ s incredible to think his career started 18 years ago and he is still smashing races. We spoke to Ryan before he set off and can’ t wait to catch up with him to hear all about the actual experience.
Darren Thomas was on track to be among the next class of Springboks. He did everything right and it looked certain that his future was in the cherished green and gold jersey. A home invasion changed all of that: one day he was the one doing the tackling and, the next, life tackled him so hard it changed forever. Darren’ s story may start off looking bleak— but then it took a whole new direction and gave him a renewed sense of purpose. Our marketing director Roxanne Martin was in tears reading this story; not out of sadness but because she was so inspired by Darren.
Dean Horwitz is on a mission to start a trail revolution. He wants South Africa to sit up and take notice of what’ s going on in our trail running community. If that means this self-described introvert needs to call a stranger every day for a year and talk trail, that’ s exactly what he is going to do. We have partnered with Dean to shine a brighter light on the trail community’ s often untold stories.
Erin, Cian, and Rory, our regular columnists, have brought something special to the table this month. Erin culminates a three-year journey from losing her leg to running the London Marathon with her dad. She is a true testament to what the human spirit can achieve. Cian is inspired after watching this month’ s running and track achievements. We love an inspired Cian, especially as she is back and running: watch out, world, she is coming for you. Rory, our Minister of Champions, takes us through his TTOM experience. He doesn’ t worry about all the drama surrounding the race, since he’ s more preoccupied with getting to the top of Constantia Nek, then over it, without cutting off his leg. Does he think pirates will run better down Rhodes Drive? We’ re not convinced.
Like us, you will laugh, you will cry, but most of all you will be inspired— and that is why we do what we do!
Team Modern Athlete
4 ISSUE 178 | www. modernathlete. co. za