Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 120, July 2019 | Page 11

KALMER’S
CORNER
Our Modern Athlete Brand Ambassador’s Blog
By Rene Kalmer
SLEEP AND A BREAKTHROUGH
After the Spar Women’s race in Cape Town, where I clocked 37:26, I texted Coach Lindsey that I needed both sleep and
speed in order to improve on my times. He replied that he could help me with the speed, but that I have to talk nicely to
the two-year-old about the sleep...
W
e decided to use a different
approach in my training
programme, and to add
some 400m repeats to the mix , to
get the legs firing again after all the
ultra-training. After the second training
session, I started to feel like a track
runner again, but I knew the proof
would be in the pudding come the Spar
Women’s race in Durban.
For this third leg of the Spar Grand Prix
series, I had the privilege of travelling
down to Durban with a new travel
partner. This time around, I left my
hubby and daughter at home and took one of my Vorie girls, Dipuo Mashamaite
with me. I called her a week before the Spar Women’s 10km and asked if she
wanted to go down to Durban with me. Dipuo did not hesitate and it was no
problem for her to travel solo from Soshanguve to Vorentoe during the school
holiday in order to meet up with me on the Friday eve for the weekend of running
and adventure. Friday night’s dinner was also up to her to decide, so pizza it was,
with strawberry milkshake for dessert for both her and Andre.
share stories about sleepless nights and trying to train in zombie-mode. Thankfully,
not even race day nerves could keep us from getting eight hours of uninterrupted
sleep without our little ones!
Come race day, and the plan was to start conservatively and pace myself at 3:30-
3:35min/km. It was a great confidence booster to start catching the ladies one by
one from about two kilometres into the race. I also fed on the great memories I had
from the Durban Spar, which I won a couple of times, and where I set my Personal
Best time of 32:27 in 2009.
I was delighted to cross the finish line in Kings Park with a huge PKPB (Post-
Karli Personal Best) of 35:44. I know for most elite runners that is an average
time, but it was heart-warming that so many of my running friends celebrated
this breakthrough with me. They have witnessed my battle with injuries and the
frustration getting back into shape after my pregnancy. That is one of the beauties
for me of the Spar Grand Prix series. Most of the ladies have been racing against
each other for more than a decade (or two, in my case). We have all experienced
major ups and downs in our careers, but at the Spar series, we celebrate victories
together, and lift each other up through the setbacks.
I have been involved with Dipuo and the rest of the girls at the Vorentoe Running
Academy for more than four years, where my role varies between being mentor,
mom, big sister, teacher, fitness instructor, assisting with visa applications, etc. We
bond weekly over a core session, and during exam time, I have to help with quick-
fix Afrikaans lessons. I am also proud to say that, with the help of Zola Budd, one
of the girls is currently studying in the USA, whilst I hopefully have another girl that
will join her soon. I am also constantly busy collecting old running shoes, to assist
the 40 learners at the Academy. (So, if you want to give your old running shoes a
second life, I am your girl… #PayItForward.)
Balmy Durban Vibes Celebrations All Round
We were very happy to swap the chilly Joburg weather for T-shirts and flip flops in
Durban. We stayed on the beachfront, and could not help but to join in the holiday
feeling in Durban. On the Saturday before the race, we decided to go for a ride on
the cable car with fellow Murray & Roberts clubmates, Andrea Steyn and Leilani
Scheffer.
Andrea
is also a
newbie
mom, trying
to juggle
motherhood,
work and
training, so it
was good to It was an honour to share the road with Helalia Johannes from Namibia, who
clocked the fastest time ever on South African soil with a phenomenal 30:59. I am
also happy to report that Andrea also clocked a post-pregnancy PB of 36:36. But
best of all, I am very, very proud of Dipuo, who smashed her PB, clocking 38:05
and finishing as third junior… and all that running without a watch.
My advice to all who feel a bit demotivated is to keep showing up for your training
sessions and not to give up, because your breakthrough is closer than you think!
About the Author:
René Kalmer is a two-time Olympian, having represented SA in the 1500m at the
2008 Beijing Olympics and in the marathon at the 2012 London Games. She has
also won more than 40 SA titles in track, road and cross country at youth, junior
and senior level, in distances from 800m to the half marathon.
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