Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 120, July 2019 | Page 27

ADVERTORIAL
15 July is movie night with TOM!
“Such an inspirational movie… Goose-bump stuff… Shed some tears… All runners have GOT to see this film!” These are just
a few sentiments shared by those attending our screening of the full length Run As One Two Oceans Marathon movie at the
Labia in June. So don’t miss out on the next screening of the brilliant RUN AS ONE movie!
Booking info: bit.ly/2X1UulX
T
his is not a bland historical
documentary of how the
Two Oceans Ultra Marathon
developed from being a “training
run” for 24 white men to 50
years later, being Africa’s biggest
running event, attracting 30 000
people from all over the world to
its start-line. It is an inspiring and
emotive story told from its humble
beginnings in 1970, when the
lunatic fringe of Cape Town runners
embarked on a 35-mile race to
train for the Comrades Marathon.
It is a poignant journey covering
five decades of this iconic race,
featuring an original and beautiful
music score by Sne Dladla and
Neil Benjamin, and is produced
and directed by a talented and
innovative young team from
Predator Media.
The Run As One movie shares
untold stories of some of the race’s
legends who competed against
all odds in South Africa during
the 70’s and 80’s. From Vincent
Gabashane Rakabaele’s nail-biting
finish in 1976 to Frith van der Merwe’s still unbeaten record-
breaking time in 1989, the heroic feats of our former stars
will inspire the new generation to even greater heights of
achievement.
The movie immerses the viewer in the roller-coaster
political landscape in South Africa when we were not able
to compete internationally. Running icons Blanche Moila,
Bruce Fordyce, Bob de la Motte, Jowaine Parrott, Beverley
Malan and Willie Mtolo tell stories that will make you laugh
and cry, and yet feel proud at the same time. Unsung heroes
of the race, the organisers, tell of a time when there were
no marshals, no starters’ guns, no traffic management and
everything was recorded by hand!
The Run As One movie emotively captures the essence of
what it means to be a runner, and what it takes to run an
ultra-distance marathon, from the sheer gutsy, physical training
and mental preparation, to the beauty of the camaraderie and
the long-lasting friendships formed. It shows that anything is
possible if you have a goal and a dream. As the movie ends
and the last strains of the music score play out, we challenge
you NOT to wipe away a tear, and to leave feeling inspired and
uplifted about running, humanity and our country, South Africa.
Is Your Name in our Gorgeous 50 th Book?
I
f you’ve run the Two Oceans Marathon Ultra between 1970 and
2018, your name and your number of medals are recorded in the
Ship’s Log section of Celebrating 50 Years of the Two Oceans
Marathon. What a great birthday, special occasion or Christmas
gift this makes – because it’s never too early to plan. In fact, if
you’re into running or a book lover, you won’t want to only get this
gorgeous publication as a gift, you’ll snap one up for yourself!
And for a limited time only, you can still buy the book at the
pre-order price of R150. Contact info@twooceansmarathon.
org.za for more info.
So, what else can you expect to unwrap in this beauty of a book?
• 336 pages of unrivalled scenic route beauty, including the
stand-out sections on Chapman’s Peak and Constantia Nek.
• The stories behind the locally unmatched growth of the
Ultra race, from 26 enthusiastic entrants in 1970 to record-
breaking, sold-out fields of 13 000.
• The much-loved race traditions you won’t find anywhere else!
• The fascinating characters who have made the race what it
is – from well-known legends to little-heard-of but equally
interesting runners, organisers, fans and Two Oceans ‘family.’
The book will be hitting retail outlets soon at the retail price, so you’ll still be able to get your hands on it easily – watch our website and socials for further details.
Be the first to know about Two Oceans Marathon news on our website, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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