Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 107, June 2018 | Page 7
LETTERS
and ultras, but my mind is resilient and my infertility journey has prepared
me to endure these difficult times, and usually I manage to push through
and overcome it.
The adventures continue and I am excited to see what the future holds for
me. Although this is not what I dreamt of, it’s a journey that is allowing me
to grow in so many ways I might not otherwise have known, and I embrace
every part of the process. Running is my happy place and I am grateful
that through this sport and the people I have met, I am a better person and
healthier physically and emotionally because of it. – Debbie Ivens, Durban
in our country. We also explored other areas to help us raise more money
and found that sport is a great way to do this. We therefore host an annual
golf day and participate in numerous other sporting events, such as the
94.7 Cycle Challenge, Dusi and Comrades Marathon. If you would like to
support or join our cause, please mail [email protected]. – Neil
Massey, Benedict Jackson and Stuart Fraser, via e-mail
Having met you, Debbie, I know that the joy of running shines out of
you, so while life may have taken you down a road you did not choose, I
know you will keep running anyway. – Ed.
It is always great to see runners giving back by fundraising or building
awareness through their running. Hope you guys have an awesome run! – Ed.
RACES GETTING EXPENSIVE?
I just tried entering the MiWay
10km race on Freedom Day.
However, once I realised
that it would cost me R500
to enter my family of four, I
decided against it. Is it just me
or are road races becoming
prohibitively expensive? Could
running soon become an elitist
sport and the plebs like me
restricted to parkruns only?
Your comments, please. – David Leon, Pretoria
This is a tough one. Races must put up their prices due to the spiralling
costs of putting on events, and the runners will feel that in their pockets,
and that is compounded by the massive increase in events on the
calendar these days, so runners may become more selective of which
events they run. That said, I think the better-organised events, or those
that offer something different, will attract more athletes. Survival of the
fittest, so to say… – Ed.
THERAPEUTIC RUNNING
Running is more than a hobby for me. It has been a journey to a state of
health and fulfilment, and improved my emotional wellbeing. It has helped
me stay motivated, positive and excited about life as I deal with the pain of
difficult circumstances. I have been battling with infertility for several years
and felt my body had let me down. Miscarriages left me broken inside, but
after years of frustration, I realised I had to stop letting my happiness be
smothered by my situation. I find great joy in helping others and now share
my story openly to give others the courage to do the same – and a lot of
this interaction happens on our runs!
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Doing a bit of cycling for cross-training the other day, I thought, let me see
how fast a four-minute mile is on my bike. Now, I’m in Richmond in KZN
and it’s a bit hilly, but it should still have been a walk in the park, right?
Wrong! It took me four minutes and 15 seconds. Mind boggling... What
was Roger Bannister on when he broke that mark?
Then another thought: How about trying 10km under 30 minutes. Again, I
came up short at 32 minutes – and I thought I was flying, too! There could
only be one answer: The top guys are super-human. No, it actually brings
to mind how mentally, physically and spiritually dedicated these guys are.
Throw in a bit of natural ability and there you have your super human.
Now I’m only a four-hour marathoner and I celebrate all my small
achievements like they are major victories. Why? Because these top guys
encourage me and make me want to be the best me. Hats off to these
athletes, from the past to the present and the future, for showing us it can
be done. – Deryl Daniels, Vanderbijlpark
Here, hold my beer… (In other words, I think a whole bunch of people
now want to go do the four-minute mile challenge on a bike! Thanks for
the idea, Deryl.) – Ed.
Sir Roger Bannister
I love how running unites people, and there are no boundaries. The
community is welcoming and friendly, and the bond is instant. I feel at
home. I have now completed five Comrades Marathons and more recently
started trail running, too. It is a welcome change from the road and I
love the beauty of running in nature. I was invited to compete in my first
50-miler race in September last year, which was unlike anything I had done
before. I do however, suffer with extreme pain in my legs during marathons
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