Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 123, October 2019 | Page 14

LEAD STORY
Vaylen on the Cape Trails, in
the 2019 Two Oceans Trail Run
(left) and the 2018 Sanlam
Peace Trail (right)
VK: I think the fact that we know about these
recognised distances with strong international
fields, good prize money and media attention. It
creates a much more competitive environment and
that brings out the best in our athletes, and we’ve
seen throughout sporting history that the better the
competition gets, the more athletes step things up. events, and the fact that we talk about them, is
incredibly powerful. Yes, it would be wonderful if
we did put them on TV, but at the end of the day
there are time constraints, budgetary constraints,
and all those kinds of things. But it would be
great to see more road running in general on TV,
especially given the rich heritage of road running
in this country... and not just road running, but also
other running, like cross country, and track and
field. One of the saddest things is that we don’t
get to see more track and field in this country,
because we’ve got amazing athletes, but they’re
not being seen. Athletics Alive on the SABC covers
track and field and does a great job, but I think if
there was more live coverage, then we’d also see
committed sponsors getting involved in track and
field, helping to create a level of consistency and
grow the sport.
MA: Those races aren’t broadcast by the SABC, but MA: Getting back to your own running, do you
MA: On a related note, you’ve got the SPAR
Women’s races and the FNB City Series races
bringing top international talent to South
Africa and lifting standards at the shorter road
distances. You must be excited about that as well,
even if you’re not directly involved in broadcasting
these events?
VK: Yes, it’s fantastic to see internationally
as a broadcaster, would you like to see those races
getting the same kind of coverage that Comrades,
Two Oceans, Soweto and Cape Town get?
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get that FOMO feeling while covering races from
the studio?
VK: Absolutely, all the time! And after each race, I’m
ISSUE 124 OCTOBER 2019 / www.modernathlete.co.za
super inspired, so I just go put on my shoes and I go
running, because you feel like you’ve missed out.
MA: So how many races do you manage to fit in
these days?
VK: It’s very sporadic, very much all over the place,
a bit like my training. As I’ve said, I just love running,
so it’s always part of my life, and I always take my kit
with me wherever I go. I’ll get out on the road or trails
wherever I am, but I don’t have a set training regime,
and I don’t have set races that I do. I have certain
things that I look forward to doing that fit in with work
travel, like this Sanlam Peace Trail Run, or the Two
Oceans Trail Run, but otherwise I just decide close to
race day that I will go do a local race.
MA: Lastly is there a bucket race you still want
to do?
VK: Yeah, one day I want to hear Frank Sinatra
being blared over the speakers at the start of the
New York Marathon. That’s top on my running bucket
list, but other than that, I don’t think I have another
specific race that I’d like to like to run. New York is
the one.
I don’t ever want us to lose that, but I do think in the
past you had athletes opting to go longer too soon,
when they could have focused on the marathon or
shorter distances.
Vaylen tackling Chapman’s
Peak on her own during the
Friday Run at the 2014 Two
Oceans Marathon