The Falconer Boys and Friend , from left , Dale , Sean and Wesley Falconer , with Ralph Shminke

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As the athletes arrived to rack their bikes in the transition zone on that Sunday morning , I was on the mic doing pre-race announcements when I spotted my cousins Wesley and Dale . I took the opportunity to give them a special welcome over the mic and wished them well for the race . ( I may have also cracked a joke about the famous Falconer receding hairline … glad to report that our clan has no problems laughing at ourselves !)

The commentary team rotated during the day , so we took turns working in various transition areas , or at the finish line , and I just happened to be at the swim-to-bike transition as the boys came running up from the water , so I gave them another shout-out . A while later , I just happened to have moved to the bike-to-run transition when they arrived back , so I got to ask them how the race was going thus far , then send them on their way for the run leg .

As luck would have it , I rotated back to the finish line a while later and was on hand to bring them up the home straight , with the words , “ The Falconer Boys are here !” Johanna Ginsberg of Jetline Action Photo was on hand to snap a quick pic of the three cousins , along with their friend and fellow racer Ralph Shminke , and that ’ s definitely one for the family album . Meanwhile , fellow commentator Paul Valstar quickly pointed out , over the mic , that my branch of the Falconer clan apparently missed out on the tall genes ... No argument there ! ( See what I mean about us being able to laugh at ourselves ?)

NEED TO RUN !

Returning to this edition of the mag , I was particularly inspired this month by my interview with Wendy Seller . I bumped into her at the end of December at the Dangerpoint race in Gansbaai , when she was down in the Cape on holiday . Her coach , Paul Kelly , told me that she had an incredible near-death story for the magazine , and when I saw him again a few weeks later at the Hohenort 15km race , he reminded me to follow up on it .

Well , now that I ’ ve written the piece , all I can say is “ Wow !” As a journalist , I try to stay away from sensational headlines or statements , but as the coverline says , running literally saved Wendy ’ s life . And it ’ s not just me saying that … her surgeon said it . And he ’ s a runner himself ! Wait , just go read the story on page 16 and you ’ ll understand why it made me realise once again that we need to live in the moment , and focus on the important things in life . And why we need to run !

Follow me on Twitter : @ sean _ falconer | Follow the mag as well : @ modern _ athlete

EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS Regulars : Anel Oosthuizen , Blake Wilkins , Christine Peters , Derick Marcisz , Ernest Hobbs , Jeannie Jordaan , Lauren Smithers , Manfred Seidler , Norrie Williamson , PJ Moses , Ray Orchison , Reggie Hufkie , René Kalmer , Roxanne Martin , Sean Falconer , Tom Cottrell Guest Writers : Basil Smith , Bongani Mangena , Esmé Maré , Lionel & Marie Hill , Lizette Du Plessis , Muntonezwi Khanyile , Tumelo Mabua

COVER IMAGE Marathon-Photos . com

IMAGES Photo Agencies & Professional photographers : Chris Hitchcock , Christiaan Kotze / SASPA , Fotolia , iStock , Jetline Action Photo , Josh Reid , Kevin Sawyer / Gameplan Media , Photo . sdpo . com , Reg Caldecott , Roger Sedres / ImageSA , Roy Esterhuysen , Tobia Ginsberg , Zoon Cronje Non-professional photographers : Carmen Botha , Keith Linderoth Courtesy : Andiswa Mzinyati , Anel Oosthuizen , Balega , Belinda Putter , Carl Potgieter , Central Gauteng Athletics , Christo Lourens , Dawie Aucamp , Gde-fon . com , FuelBelt , Hannover Marathon , Lusapho April , Marisa Calvert , René Kalmer , SABC News , Warda Moola , Wendy Seller and various Race Organisers

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