Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 102, January 2018 | Page 9

KALMER’S
CORNER
Our Modern Athlete Brand Ambassador’s Blog
By Rene Kalmer
THE JUGGLING ACT
2017 has been an amazing year with the birth of our daughter Karli. In the past, running has been my first priority in
life, but this year has seen the little bundle of joy taking a lot of work and dedication. Nothing can prepare you for all the
challenges, but I am enjoying every single minute of it, and wouldn’t swap it for anything in the world.
I
t’s also been an interesting year of parallels. As Karli
has grown up the last nine months, moving from
just sleeping to rolling over, sitting and crawling, so
too has my running comeback been a slow process of
building up and adding little by little… Baby steps has
a whole new meaning, and small goals, post-preggie
PB’s and surviving on less sleep have all added to the
journey.
Getting back to running following a hip operation and
giving birth has made me appreciate the little things
in life again. A slow but sure running comeback has
taken a lot of discipline and dedication, as I needed to
fit nappy-changing, breastfeeding and all kinds of new
things into my training schedule. Running, working,
wife, mommy… The jogging act has turned into a
juggling act!
They say “It takes a village to raise a child.” This
quote could not be truer, especially if you are a
running mom, and I’m truly grateful for my amazing
support system, all willing to help me achieve my
running goals. Wednesdays are my toughest day of
the week, when I get up at 4am and leave my two
sleeping beauties behind to join my sister Christine
Rene and her “other kids” at
Vorentoe High School
for our midweek long run
in Linden. (The positive
side is that I get to wear
Christine’s clothes to
work and always get
compliments.) Then
after work I squeeze in
a recovery run before I
meet my “other kids” from
Vorentoe High school to do
core exercises and discuss
running-related issues.
BACK AT
THE RACES
I have thoroughly enjoyed
getting back to the races
again, and although I
wasn’t initially racing
competitively, it was great
seeing the familiar faces and friends again. However,
getting ready for races now also includes getting
bottles, dummies, prams, nappies and bum cream
ready, and you also often need to start later, as you
never know what the little one is up to just before
a race… Fortunately, the running community has
also been great in supporting me on my comeback,
and I am truly thankful for all the support, gifts and
messages, and especially the baby-sitting at some of
the races.
It has also made me realise that it doesn’t matter
whether you are running at the front or back of the
pack, every runner still has his own goals, challenges,
and victories when competing in a race. The distance
stays the same, whether you are going at 3min/km or
7min/km! I really started from scratch again and slowly
added the kilometres, bit by bit. My first parkrun back
was a great personal achievement and by the end of
the year I did some solid 10km times again as I was
getting back into it. I was also very happy with my fifth
place at the Old Mutual Soweto Half Marathon.
My plans and goals for 2018 include getting back to
my competitive best. Whereas 2017 was a case of
surviving and building a solid base again, I am hoping
that the next year will see me back to full training and
racing. My hip injury is now something of the past
and I hope that the next year can see some proper
PB’s and podium finishes. Watching the Comrades
Marathon and Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon
in 2017, and following other International races on
television, has sparked new enthusiasm and energy
in me, and I am really looking forward to competing
in the Spar Women’s Challenge again, and slowly
moving back up to the marathon.
FINAL COMEBACK WORDS
To everyone considering a running comeback this
year, my advice is this:
1. Start!
2. “It is not what you run, but that you run.”
3. Baby steps.
4. Don’t get injured – Watch out for too far, too fast,
too soon…
5. Try losing some weight. Sweat is just fat crying!
6. Train for distance, then for speed.
7. Appreciate your health and the fact that you can run.
8. Don’t be scared to walk.
9. “Run like there’s a hot guy/girl in front of you… and
a creepy one behind you.”
10. Enjoy it!
9