Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 116, March 2019 | Page 12

ROAD RUNNING
on Comrades. I am not going there on a holiday, but
rather to be in the mix, and I think the ‘Up Run’ suits
me.” That said, Juan does not underestimate the
challenge, or his opposition. “South Africa is arguably
the strongest nation of ultra runners right now, in
particular Bongmusa Mthembu, but I trust myself.”
Tapping into Experience
Juan ran his only marathon to date at the Johnson
Crane event on 27 January in Benoni, Gauteng,
clocking 2:26.33 and finishing third as he easily got
the sub-2:59:59 he needed for a top qualifying time
for Comrades. “I wanted my A Seeding and wanted to
test my seconding, and we will do the same at Om Die
Dam. I will consult some nutrition experts, and I have
one of the best resources on how to tackle an ultra
on speed dial. Nick Bester has not only run countless
Comrades Marathons, but has also competed in
other ultra events and has huge knowledge on how to
prepare and what to do on race day, so I will tap into
that expertise.”
Racing amongst the elites at the 2019 Dis-Chem Half Marathon
was all about base work, strength work in the gym,
and rehab. I knew there was no point in doing the
traditional transition from track to road to Ultra’s, as
I had lost too much time already, so I took the leap
and decided 2019 was the year I would make my
Comrades debut.”
Preparing for the Ultras
“Not living up to my track potential and early road
possibilities does bug me, to a degree, but by the
same token, the constant stress of having to deal
with countless knee operations and having to come
back every time has made me a stronger and more
resilient person. I feel this will help me in my attempt
Fighting Spirit
So is this the next career for Juan? After all, he turns
36 this March and his best running days are now
limited by age. “It depends on what happens at
Comrades. I am currently working as a trader, but with
morning and afternoon training sessions, I am not
putting in as much time as I could on the work front.
My wife, Maxine teaches and we have a nine-month-
old daughter, so I cannot do this indefinitely, unless I
do really well, so there is a lot riding on this year.”
However, Juan has proven throughout his career that
he is a fighter, and the more adversity you throw at
him, the more resilient he becomes. What he is doing
is by no means the accepted norm, but he certainly
has the pedigree to cause some headaches for the
pack at Comrades. Will the gamble pay off? We’ll find
out on the 9 th of June.
It is indeed a big jump. In all likelihood, Juan would
have run the 1500m in London in 2012, then stepped
up to 5000m/10,000m for the next two years before
transitioning to the marathon in 2015, in preparation
for the Olympic Marathon in 2016, before moving to
Ultra’s in 2020. Boasting bests of 3:34.30 for 1500m,
13:22.64 for 5000m and running 28:55.37 in the only
10,000m of his career, one could project that Juan
would have been a 2:08 marathoner, if not better.
He could have run some seriously good road races
before making the move to ultra-running, but having
missed all of that progression, he was left with little
choice but to set himself a big goal – and they do not
come bigger than Comrades. But this was always
his ultimate goal, and how he saw his running career
going. “Even whilst racing in Europe with René Kalmer
and Johan Cronje, I would always talk about doing the
Comrades one day. And here we are.”
Juan does all his training on his own, and does
90% of his running in The Cradle just outside
Johannesburg. “My dad follows me in the car, but
other than that there is no one who runs with me.
During Comrades you’re also on your own, so I might
as well get used to it.” He adds that he has a clear
strategy in mind for Comrades, and will stick to the
plan on race day, confident that should it come down
to a fast finish, his natural track speed will hold him
in good stead, but right now sprinting speed is the
last thing on his mind. “My focus is to get to the start
line injury-free, and if I can do that and stick to my
programme, I am confident of making an impression.”
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ISSUE 116 MARCH 2019 / www.modernathlete.co.za