Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 113, December 2018 | Page 18

ROAD RUNNING
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After 20 years of running, Florence Groener says she can look back on fun, friendship and
personal goals achieved, and that is why she now loves giving back by running many races as a
volunteer pacesetter, helping others achieve their running goals. – BY PJ MOSES
I
The couple joined Durbanville Athletic Club in 2000, and the following year they
ran their first Comrades, side by side, a special memory that Florence says is
permanently etched on her memory, because it also opened a new door for her and
set her on an unexpected path. “During the race I was in a bit of a dip when the 11-
hour bus came up behind me and Archie. He suggested we join the bus for a while,
and agreeing with him was the best decision I made that day,” says Florence,
adding that they stuck with the bus till the end for a 10:57:44 finish. “Vlam Pieterse
was the bus driver that day, and he left such a good impression on me that
afterwards I also wanted to do what he did for me and my race, for other runners
who needed the help to achieve their goals. So I decided to become a pacesetter,
and it not only makes me happy, but keeps me motivated.”
Today Florence is a regular pacesetter in Western Cape races, known for bringing
her buses home reliably spot on time, as can be seen from her consistent times in
the Old Mutual Two Oceans Half Marathon. In the years from 2008 to 2018, she has
run the half nine times and finished every single one between the times of 2:27:11
and 2:28:59 – and that pattern of finishes was only broken by two outings in the
Ultra in 2010 and 2011.
FAMILY CONNECTION
The close-knit Groener family are an active bunch. Florence, Archie and their
daughters Tarynn (28) and Courtney (24) all run, all share a passion for hiking,
and also jump on their bikes most years for the Cape Town Cycle Tour. “We hike
regularly as a family, which includes at least one five-day trip during the year,” says
Florence. “We’ve also completed our fair share of Argus Cycle Tours, including 25
finishes for me, 15 for my husband and 12 for Courtney.”
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ISSUE 113 DECEMBER 2018 / www.modernathlete.co.za
Mother and daughter
pacing duo at the
Gun Run Half
When it comes to pacesetting, Courtney has joined her mom in carrying the target
flags in races, and Florence says running as a pacesetter alongside her daughter
in last year’s OUTsurance KFM Gun Run Half Marathon was one of the highlights
of her running career. “Courtney has always loved sport and has represented the
province in seven different sporting codes, including rugby. Running is a part of her
larger fitness regime, but I can’t keep up with her most of the time. Courtney’s pace
is much faster than mine – I would probably collapse if I tried to run with her!”
So how has this family balanced a normal life with their active lifestyle for almost two
decades? “Archie is a very supportive husband, and also being a runner understands
the training that goes into running. When the girls were younger we would take turns
to go and train early in the morning during the week before work. I would also make
extra meals on a Sunday so that I could run after work if I could not run before work.
Sacrifices and compromises are part of a runners life,” says Florence.
Groener
n 1999 Florence Groener was just a spectator at the Old Mutual Two Oceans
56km Ultra in Cape Town, standing on the sidelines to support a friend who was
running, and cheering for total strangers. “That day was an eye-opener for me,
I kept thinking that if these people could do this, then I can possibly do it too.”
Back home she convinced her husband Archie that it was a good idea to take up
running, and the rest, as they say, is history. As soon as the running bug bit there
was no going back.