Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 115, February 2019 | Page 22

KALMER’S
CORNER
Our Modern Athlete Brand Ambassador’s Blog
By Rene Kalmer
THE COLOURS OF RUNNING
Running is a very colourful sport if you take the time to look around you, as I have made a point of doing throughout my
running career.
Experiencing this new journey with her got me thinking about some of the
wonderful colours that have crossed my running path during my plus-minus 30-
year running career. And what a colourful journey it has been.
Clean Shoes
I am sure you all have that one pair of shoes that everyone teases you about, but
at the time you got them they were the latest model and actually the only colour
available in your size… Well, my first pair of running shoes was a white pair of
‘tennis tekkies’ that I used to complete my first cross-country race. I loved that pair
of shoes, and although my mom hated them, as she had to wash them after every
training session, they certainly got the ball rolling. Nowadays I proudly run with
Adidas, and to my delight they offer the most beautiful and very colourful models.
Now, an article about the colours of running simply cannot leave out the boring old
grey of the tar road that we as runners spend so much time and so many kilometres
on. Whether you are going uphill or downhill, fast or slow, we all scout the road
ahead to see what is waiting for us, which runners are in front of us, and where the
next kilometre sign is. Fifty shades of grey gets a whole new meaning when the sun
is out and scorching down on the tar road, which seems to change colour as it heats
up. And thus even a transparent puddle of water from someone’s water sachet can
be a great relief from the monotonous grey passing under your feet.
Red is definitely the blood (sweat and tears) of an athlete’s life – the physical blood
of tripping and falling in the road, or a blister gone wrong, but also the emotional
blood (sweat and tears) of setbacks and comebacks. The track sessions on the red
SA Colours
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Training Colours
ISSUE 115 FEBRUARY 2019 / www.modernathlete.co.za
tartan also come to mind, with those endless laps around the track to build speed
and endurance.
The Sea is Blue
This year I am planning to run my first Two Oceans Ultra-marathon and I am
definitely looking forward to seeing the blue waters of the world’s most beautiful
race. I am not so sure that there will be enough time to really enjoy and appreciate
the scenery, but my fellow runners have all told me about the amazing views along
the route. I also have fond memories of seeing the blue ocean when doing Spar
Women’s races over the years in Durban, PE and Cape Town.
Yellow has to be dedicated to my new Proudly South African running club, Murray
and Roberts, which was recently launched! I am hoping that the #BlackAndYellow
of the club really brightens up the roads and also floods the podiums of all the
major races around the country. I am very excited about this new chapter in my
running career and the amazing team of people who are so passionate about
making it a huge success.
The five colours of the Olympic rings, red, blue, yellow, black and green, will off
course forever have a special place in my heart. Running the 1500m in Beijing in
2008 and following it up with the marathon at the London Olympics in 2012 were
priceless experiences that I will cherish for the rest of my life! I’m hoping to add a
Tokyo Olympics in 2020 as well, if all goes according to plan…
Find Your Colours
I am sure all runners have their own stories connecting the colourful dots of
their running. Maybe it is the gold, silver or bronze medals (and other colours or
combinations of colours on medals) of races such as Two Oceans or Comrades, or
maybe it is the pink or purple in your running vest. Perhaps it is the blue skies above
when doing a training session during summer, or the orange of a sunset, or maybe
you are green with envy about a friend’s new PB... All the colours tell a story, so next
time you go for a run, see which colours are in your running lucky packet!
CGA Colours
New Murray &
Roberts Colours
A
t the moment our little daughter, Karli, is starting to learn the colours of the
rainbow… red, blue, green, yellow and more, and it is such a joy seeing the
excitement on her face when she identifies the correct colour of something.
Of course, her favourite colour is pink, so when all else fails, she usually just shouts
“Pink” if she is unsure what colour something is. One of her favourite activities is
also to wreck a colouring book, but she enjoys every moment!