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 7