Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 123, October 2019 | Page 13

LEAD STORY
you both enjoy, The Flash, which ironically is about
a superhero who runs very fast. Was that the
reason you liked it, because he runs? MA: That said, there are a number of pictures
that... but who wouldn’t want to run that fast? In this
job we follow people and we are amazed at the times
that they are able to run, but he’s a superhero that
does amazing things at that speed. VK: It’s wonderful to have been asked to host some
of you online where you’re on the red carpet,
and you do seem to enjoy the dressing up part
of the job.
VK: Hahaha, yes, I suppose I was quite tickled by
really big award ceremonies, like the South African
Sports Awards, the PSL Awards, and the GSport
Awards, and dressing up comes with the territory, you
know, but I do enjoy it.
MA: If you’ll permit a slightly harder question,
the presenters and commentators of running
productions on TV often get a fair amount of
criticism on social media. How do you feel
about that, especially the day after you’ve done
a broadcast that you thought actually went
quite well?
MA: Getting back to the Cape Town Marathon
broadcast, what are your feelings as a
broadcaster about the event’s rapid growth
and the excitement around marathon running,
versus the traditional focus in South Africa on
ultra-marathons? I would assume you would be
exceptionally excited about this event, because
it’s something new to sink your teeth into.
VK: I think when you get involved in TV, you
realise that you’ve got to have a thick skin, but as
much as there is criticism, there are also a lot of
people that are very complimentary, and I feel you
have to find the balance between both ends of the
spectrum. I think there are people out there that
want to see broadcasts get better, but there are
also people who just want to criticise for criticism’s
sake. Those that genuinely want to see things
improve, they’ll give you suggestions, and that’s
really helpful, valid feedback. But we also listen to
the criticism, to help better your product, because
at the end of the day, you want to be better than
the last time. But overall, it’s a mixture of having
a bit of a thick skin, because in TV, just as in life,
you’re not going to be able to please everybody, so
you find a middle ground.
MA: I’ve read that you’re a bit nervous about
alarm clocks, that you sometimes check at least
10 times that the alarm is properly set when going
to bed, because you have to be up so early most
mornings for the breakfast show. Have you ever
overslept for work?
VK: I have to be at work at 4am on week days, so
I always check that alarm clock at least three times
before I actually turn my lights off, because I get up at
3am. I have been known to hit the snooze button one
too many times... but I’ve made pretty sure that I use
the loudest alarm that is so irritating, it will definitely
wake me up!
VK: Definitely, but it’s not just the fact that it’s
On the red carpet
sleep in on Sundays, even though we go to the early
service at church, because 6:30am is really sleeping
in for me!
MA: I suppose your fitness levels are affected
by your unorthodox work schedule, since you
probably only get to go running sporadically.
On a related note, do you find there pressure
on you as a TV personality that you supposed
to live up to some expectation about fitness
and appearance, or do you think it’s a bit more
relaxed these days?
VK: True, I don’t get to run as often as I would like
to, and I definitely don’t do half as much cross-
training as I should, but I think I’m fortunate to
be in sports, because it’s not quite like being an
entertainment presenter. I think if I was on the red
carpet every weekend, there would be far more
emphasis on image, but I don’t feel that there is that
pressure on me. Also, I think these days there is a lot
more consciousness around people looking healthy,
and people embracing who they are. The general
psychology of society is changing and evolving.
wonderful content for us to broadcast, and the
spectacle of an IAAF Gold Label status event, in the
same league as your Berlin and New York Marathons,
but actually what it means to athletics in the country,
because it’s creating a legacy that’s going to live on
for many, many years. If you remember a couple of
years ago, one of the biggest criticisms about South
African road running was this huge focus on ultra-
marathon running, which is not an Olympic distance,
and we had Olympic quality athletes moving up to
the ultras to chase the prize money on offer, which
affected their ability to run for the country in shorter
distances, including the marathon. It’s races like the
Cape Town Marathon that now give those athletes
a world class platform on home soil to compete at a
recognised Olympic distance, and our athletes are
really starting to step up.
It is such an interesting debate, because I think that
South Africa has been in a league of its own when
it comes to ultras, which is why people come from
all over the world to run ultra-marathons in South
Africa, and because we give those athletes proper
credit for their efforts. It’s something that Camille
Heron mentioned, that she was astounded at the
reception she gets in South Africa, and that she’s
more recognised here than back in the United States.
MA: I would imagine that most of your schedule
revolves around the fact that you need to get
to bed relatively early, and this must affect your
relationships and your social life?
VK: I don’t want to say that the sacrifice is worth
it, because to me, it’s not a sacrifice, it’s a career, it’s
what I’ve chosen to do. For me it’s normal. However,
my fiancée struggled quite significantly with this kind
of life when he first got involved with me, and it was
through him that I realised how other people view my
life, that it isn’t as normal as I think it is.
MA: You’ve said that because you’re up at three
every morning of the week, come the weekend you
like to sleep in, but on the other hand, don’t you
think that means getting up to go running on the
weekend is that much easier for you?
VK: Definitely, which is why I try to go and do a
parkrun with my daughter on Saturday mornings,
because I actually want to get up and go run... but
keep in mind that it is actually sleeping in for me
when I only get up at 6am for a parkrun! Ialso get to
MC for the
Comrades
Marathon
Association
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