Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 111, October 2018

KALMER’S CORNER Our Modern Athlete Brand Ambassador’s Blog By Rene Kalmer GOLD LABEL STATUS Both races and athletes can work towards achieving IAAF Gold Label Status, which opens doors to many lucrative opportunities. A year ago the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon was the first marathon on the African continent to be awarded an IAAF Gold Label status. This indicates a level of prestige, that a marathon is of the highest calibre, which can be the deciding factor when an elite athlete decides whether or not to run this particular event, but what does this mean to the average, non-elite runner? IAAF Gold Label races are measured and certified by AIMS (Association of International Marathons and Distance Races), so there is no chance that you will find out after the race that the course was not exactly 42.2km. You are also guaranteed a high quality race, with good quality road surfaces and full road closures. The race must also have at least five elite runners of the highest level from five different countries in the field. That means the race needs to feature runners who have gone under 2:09:30 for men and 2:28 for women in the marathon. This attracts great media coverage, as well as spectators to cheer both the elite and non-elite runners on. And who doesn’t want to toe the start line with a star-packed International field? Gold Label Athletes It is also a great motivation as a South African athlete to work hard to obtain individual Gold Label status. There are over 500 Kenyan and Ethiopian men that have run sub-2:10 marathons over the past two years, and they are all competing to claim one or two elite race invitations to the biggest races around the world. As a result, you become extremely marketable and valuable if you can achieve Gold Label Status as a South African athlete, and it makes it a lot easier to get into races around the world, because they need elite runners from different countries. Then you are guaranteed that your travel and accommodation costs will be covered, and sometimes you are even lucky enough to earn some appearance money, paid in Dollars! my personal best 21km time of 1:10:13 at the Great North Run in Newcastle, also in the UK. Having that Gold Status gave me the opportunity to travel the world and compete in some of the most prestigious races on the circuit, such as the Prague, Berlin, London, Vienna, Yokohama and Hong Kong Marathons, and of course, the famous Boston Marathon. Another bonus was sometimes having my husband Andre or sister Christine travelling with me – at the organiser’s expense, of course – to share these amazing places with me. As a younger runner I had often travelled by myself, which was sometimes a lonely time, but the Gold Label allowed me to take someone with me on these fantastic trips, to share in the excitement, glitz and glamour of staying in fancy hotels with my fellow elites. Spending time with those elite athletes from around the world was also a priceless learning experience in seeing how they train, eat, sleep, prepare for races, and more. Sitting at a breakfast table with Mo Farah and hearing his stories about training, travelling and even struggling with injuries was also great motivation for me to see where I can improve and learn from the legends. Their meticulous attention to detail in preparing race gear, drinks and pre-race meals is also something a lot of runners can learn from. Over the years I also built up great friendships with athletes such as Jo Pavey, Edna Kiplagat, Ingvil Makestead, Diane Nukuri, and others. And travelling to places such as Japan, Morocco and Monaco exposed me to a new world out there, experiencing different cultures, lifestyles and communities. Just writing this article brought back a lot of fond memories, and I’m doubly motivated to continue my build-up after returning from my long lay-off, because my goal is to get back to the level of competing in an international marathon again next year with Christine. So the training continues! Rene and Christine enjoying the sights of Vienna The times that South African elite athletes need to aim for to earn Gold Label status and thus be able to make a decent living from running are: • Marathon – 2:09:30 for men and 2:28 for women • Half Marathon – 1:01:00 for men and 1:10:45 for women. • 10km – 28:00 for men and 32:00 for women. • Finishing positions – Top 25 finisher at the Olympic Games, IAAF World Championship or IAAF World Half marathon Championship. (Nolene Conrad obtained Gold Label status earlier this year when she finished 25th at the World Half Marathon Championships in Valencia.) My ‘Golden Ticket’ I achieved Gold Label status for the first time when I finished 15th at the 2009 World Half Marathon Championships in Birmingham in the UK. That status was valid for three years, and I then renewed my Gold Label status in 2012 when I set 10 ISSUE 111 OCTOBER 2018 / www.modernathlete.co.za 10

Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 111, October 2018 | Page 10