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EDITOR’ S PICK
COMRADES THREE GENERATIONS JOURNEY …
In 2016 I obtained my Comrades Marathon Green number at age 65. I had started running in 2004 and ran my first Comrades in 2005, going on to complete 10 Two Oceans and 10 Comrades ultras, and earning my permanent Blue and Green numbers respectively. I completed a few ultra trails as well.
After reaching my goal of 10 Comrades, I decided to retire from ultra-running … or so I thought. I had a year’ s break, and then my son and grandson persuaded me to come out of running retirement and run a Comrades Marathon of three generations in the family with them in 2018. My son Robert had completed three Comrades and was going for his fourth, and my grandson Jaryd his first.
So we started on the road to the Rougier Lagane 3 Generations Comrades dream. We ran our qualifying marathon together and trained with our clubmates at weekends, but shortly before the big day Robert underwent knee surgery and we thought our dream may not be realised after all. However, with good management and wise rehab training, he was soon back on track. monumental. Then, 11 hours, 30 minutes and 91.187km later, we were handed a huge banner by my wife with the words,“ Rougier Lagane 3 Generations.” My son and grandson held it aloft and I was in the middle as we finished together. The euphoria, sense of pride and accomplishment and love I felt is beyond explaining. I had run my last Comrades, in my Green Number, together with a son and grandson, and with enormous support of family and friends. I could not have asked for a greater end to my ultra-distance running. – Herve Rougier-Lagane, Durban
Love this story, which shows yet again how running brings people together. Congrats on your 11th medal, Herve, and enjoy your ultra retirement. – Ed.
On the 10th of June, on a cold Pietermaritzburg morning, we did not start together, as they were in D seeding and I was in E as a Green Number runner. The plan was that we would meet along the way when I caught up to them, which I did at Camperdown. From then on we ran together with Bruce, a dear friend of the family. He became the Captain and kept us grouped along the whole way, monitoring our progress. At times I was finding the boys’ pace too fast, and Bruce had to restrain them to run at my pace. There were times I doubted myself, but the picture of running into the stadium as a threegeneration family kept me going.
Our spouses, partners, family and clubmates followed our journey on the road and via the internet, and the encouragement and support we had was
RUN FOR FUN, PACE FOR RACE assured by my husband that the route was relatively flat, bar a couple of hills at the beginning and the end.
On the umpteenth hill, near the finish, I was very nearly done! It had seemed like a marathon, never mind a 10km. On passing a couple – how I did that I’ ll never know – I noticed that the chap was leading a younger woman and they shared what could only be described as a chest expander. As I passed them, my shout out was that I wish I had someone to pull me up the hills! And then to my absolute embarrassment, I saw the label on the woman’ s shirt: BLIND RUNNER!
I took up running some six years ago at the tender age of 56, and when it comes to racing in the Western Cape, one is spoilt for choice. Whether it be road or trail, there is always an abundance of races to choose from. Lucky us! Well, I entered the UCT Memorial 10km road race, and was
I muttered an apology and hoped they hadn’ t heard me, because I was humbled by the very fact that here she was running along, complaining about nothing. This certainly gave me food for thought. Be grateful and thankful always, and be careful what you wish for. – Gill Koch, Cape Town
In years gone by I ran as a guide for a blind runner and most of the time she was pulling me up the hills! Jokes aside, it is very true that we easily forget to appreciate what we have, or can do. – Ed.
Images: Jetline Action Photo
6 ISSUE 110 SEPTEMBER 2018 / www. modernathlete. co. za