Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 119, June 2019 | Page 32

ADVERTORIAL
support at the end. With the Up Run, the last
30km has a lot less support, it’s just you and
the road. My last Up Run was in 2015, so this
year is going to be interesting.
Who has been your greatest influencer
going into this year’s race?
I started running this race because my Dad ran
Comrades, so it’s a legacy for me. I have always
had huge respect for the race. When I was
growing up, we would be up at five and spend
the whole day in front of the TV watching it. At
18, I was adamant I was going to do Comrades,
but my family convinced me I wasn’t ready
yet, so at 25 I went for my first one. After that I
was adamant that this is what I want to do for
as long as I can, because I love what I do. You
don’t realise how much you love something until
you can’t do it... that’s running for me.
Through my journey with running, I have learnt
a lot, and am still learning a lot, especially now
with triathlons. No-one knows everything, you
need to make mistakes to come back stronger.
I never try do something that everyone else is
doing, I am not a sheep, I do what works for me,
I see myself as me, and there is a path for me.
Kerry-Ann Marshall
Age: 34
Best time: 6:48:51 (2016)
Medals: 1 gold, 2 silver
2016 – 6 th in 6:48:51
2015 – 18 th in 7:23:07
2014 – 13 th in 7:08:57
Coming back to running after having a baby is hard enough, but coming back to ultra-running is even
harder, so what has been the biggest challenge in your comeback since giving birth to Anna?
The first six months after giving birth, I suffered the anxiety of leaving her, and breast-feeding limited me on how
much time I had, so it was hard to get my training in. The biggest challenge was to split the love I had for both,
because I love running, but I love Anna, so it was a balancing act of running and being a mom. You just want to be
part of their life as much as possible, and I am very privileged that I can work part-time and be a mom, too.
With all these changes in your life, have you had to change your training, and how do you maintain your focus?
My husband, Nick, has been very supportive, allowing me to train twice a day. I train early in the morning, before he
goes to work, and then again in the afternoon, or late evenings. Because I only had specific times to train, my coach
looked at how we could maximise those slots and I made sure to follow what he gave me, even if I felt terrible, or had
a slow bad run. I made the time work, as it was all the time I had to do get myself back to running form.
Having the time to train meant I could also have some alone time, and I always came back feeling energised. Also,
being able to come back to my first love, running, meant that I was a better mom. I also had big goals, which
meant I had to get my body back in shape. My coach was great, because it was a slow process, with lots of easy
(Yolande Maclean continued...)
NOW MEET SOME MORE COMRADES RUNNERS
The Women
Janie Grundling
• Age: 39
• Medals: 1 Bill Rowan, 3 bronze
• Best time: 7:53:10 (2015)
Janie is a banker for a silver in 2019. The question
now is, how close can she get to seven hours?
Salome Cooper
•
•
Age: 44
Medals: 2 gold, 5 silver, 7 Bill Rowan, 2
bronze
•
Best time: 6:53:18 (11 th in 2018)
Having represented SA at the World 100km
Champs, Salome is another athlete who has
impressed this year with solid training and improved
speed, and is primed to clinch a third gold.
Jacqueline Kellerman
• Age: 42
• Medals: 1 Bill Rowan, 1 bronze
• Best time: 8:34:32 (2018)
Jackie is another Murray & Roberts runner who
has improved beyond recognition. She is ready to
take the next step up.
Danette Smith
•
Age: 29
•
Medals: 1 gold, 1 silver
•
Best time: 6:58:38 (8 th in 2017)
The former SA Marathon champion and
2017 Comrades gold medallist is certainly
a contender for another gold medal, having
improved in leaps and bounds in 2019.
32
The Men
Mary Khourie Thulane Magagula
•
Age: 35
•
Medals: 3 silver, 1 Bill Rowan
•
Best time: 7:09:55 (11 th in 2017)
This Gauteng-based runner has had a quiet
build-up to the 2019 race, but don’t be
surprised if she produces a sub-seven on
race day. •
Age: 42
•
Medals: 1 Wally Hayward, 4 Silver
•
Best time: 5:56:26 (20 th in 2016)
Thulane’s build-up to this year’s race has been
spectacular, and his altitude training has shown
that he is in the best position physically and
mentally to challenge for a coveted gold in 2019.
Mia Morrison Thabo Nkuna
•
Age: 30
•
Medals: 1 silver
•
Best time: 7:16:01 (17 th in 2018)
Mia’s experience in her debut Comrades
last year will stand her in good stead as she
tackles her first Up Run.
ISSUE 119 JUNE 2019 / www.modernathlete.co.za
•
•
•
Age: 40
Medals: 5:55:44 (14th in 2017)
Best time: 3 Wally Hayward, 10 silver, 2
Bill Rowan
Three Wally Hayward medals show that Thabo
has got what it takes to clinch gold. In 2019 he
has to put all the pieces of the puzzle together
on the day to realise a lifelong goal of gold.