Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 117, April 2019 | Page 12

ROAD RUNNING
the Cape Town one. They are both filled with positive,
helpful and fun people, who are eager to live a healthy
active lifestyle. The key difference between the two
is the scenery... the Swiss Alps on the one side, and
Table mountain on the other.”
“Most of my friends and acquaintances are runners,
and I believe in the saying that goes, ‘birds of a
feather, flock together,’ so with me being active in
running and aspiring to have a constant positive
outlook on life, the crowd that I attract seems to have
the same philosophy. As a close friend recently taught
me, our vibe attracts our tribe!”
Balancing Act
She started her running journey on the road, as
many runners do, but she has in recent years found
a love for trail running, and now tries to find a healthy
balance between the two. However, the life of a
working single mom, with two teenagers, means it can
become difficult to find the time needed for training
purposes. “It does get tough to juggle being a single
parent and having a full-time job, so I try to run during
my lunch times at work, in order to supplement the
time I need to spend on my legs. You find a way to
make it work. I am grateful for my life and my health.
I have many blessings, so I stay positive and don’t let
the negative affect me much.”
That said, there have been times where even an
optimist can become a cynic, especially when there
is running involved. “The closest I have ever come
to quitting while running, was when I did a race in
the Swiss winter. It was very cold, with constant rain,
and I wasn’t mentally prepared for the bad weather.
I seriously considered dropping out, but I dug deep,
persevered and pushed on to the finish. That is where
you build character, and a stronger mental state. It is
better for your running and for your life. As they say,
when life gives you lemons, you make lemonade, and
I am a firm believer in doing just that.”
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“Great people like Nelson Mandela, Zola Budd and
Caster Semenya, to name just a few, inspire and
motivate me for different reasons. They faced many
different hostilities and controversies, but with their
iron will and perseverance, they have become icons
and earned their titles of legends. I would like my
own story to one day inspire and motivate young girls
from the Cape Flats to chase their dreams, no matter
how impossible it seems. As Madiba said, ‘It is only
impossible until it is done.’ I remember at high school
my nickname was Zola Budd, even though I didn’t
even run barefoot. Maybe it was because they could
see the same kind of determination to succeed in my
face that they saw in Zola’s face.”
Words of Wisdom
Judith lives by a few key sayings that she often
dishes out to her kids. “I try to keep them focused
on the positives by telling them to ‘aspire to
inspire,’ that ‘nothing comes for free,’ to ‘ask and
thou shall receive,’ and last but not least, ‘don’t
worry, be happy!’ They don’t always listen, but I
know that it will sink in, and that it will help them
along in their lives when I am not there to guide
them on their journey.”
“The best advice that I got in running, and which I
have also used for many years in everyday life, is
to always run your own race. Don’t get caught up
in looking around what others are doing, and forget
about what you need to do. This is a big lesson to
learn as a young person, especially a young girl. You
must learn to love and respect yourself first, and
then it will lead to you being loved and respected
wherever you go. Be your authentic self at all times,
know what it is that you want out of your life, and not
what society dictates to you. Don’t let anyone ever
tell you that you can’t do this, or you can’t achieve
that. Believe in yourself and don’t let your destiny
be determined by where you come from, or by the
opinions of others.”
ISSUE 117 APRIL 2019 / www.modernathlete.co.za