Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 129, April 2020 | Page 32

No Fear,
No Victory
Leanda on her way to another win
in the Trail Series Super League
A spur of the moment decision can sometimes alter your journey.
Whether good or bad, it does sometimes have a profound effect on our
lives. For Leanda Du Bruyn this moment came when she decided to
take up an entry to do her first trail race in 2018. – BY PJ MOSES
N
obody at the start of the Cape Town Peace
Trail 12km event knew what to expect when
local star of track, cross country and road
races, Leanda Du Bruyn, lined up alongside them.
Most of the experienced trail runners probably
expected to see her struggle on the trails on Signal
Hill, Lion’s Head and Table Mountain, as ‘roadies’
normally tend to do, but they could not have been
more wrong. She duly smashed the women’s field,
winning by a six-minute margin as she came home
first woman and ninth overall, to add to her already
impressive collection of podiums in her running career.
“That has been my best trail experience so far, and
it got me hooked. I experienced so many different
emotions during that race, it was just unbelievable!”
says Leanda, adding that a fear of the unknown could
not keep her from giving trail a go. “Coming from a
track and road background, I’ve always been a bit
scared of trail running, and I still am sometimes. I
guess it is like everything else in life, it looks much
more scary from the outside until you try it, and of
course, with practice comes a bit more confidence in
yourself and your abilities.”
Her running talent quickly became evident and she
excelled in the sport, but as a very active youngster,
Leanda wasn’t just satisfied with only running, and
thus she took part in many other sports. “My family
is quite sporty, so they have always been supportive
of my active lifestyle. I did well with individual sport,
but I also love team sport. I played hockey from grade
1 to grade 12, and I played tennis for about three
years. I even played a bit of cricket, too.” But running
remained her first love. “There is nothing quite like a
good run. I love how it allows you to clear your mind
and feel free, and it helps you to relax. It also helps
you to prove to yourself that you are capable of so
much. It is empowering!”
Having studied clothing design in America on an
athletic bursary, the lessons she picked up over in the
States have served her well in her home country. “One
of the main things I learnt was that running is more
than just training and competing, it’s a life journey, and
you learn more about yourself from every aspect of
it. Teamwork is also very important… Even if it might
seem like an individual sport, you have to build a group
of people around you to share the positives and the
negatives with you. This sport, or lifestyle, also allows
you to meet new people and see new places, but most
important it helps you make lifelong friends!”
Ready to Race
Back in SA, Leanda balances her passion for design with
Leanda has taken
instantly to trail running
Born to Run
Leanda has been a runner since she was very young,
first trying out the short sprint distances before moving
to the longer events in grade four. “My Dad trained me
and helped me with my fitness, and I quickly realised
that I preferred the longer races and was better at them.
32
ISSUE 129 APRIL 2020 / www.modernathlete.co.za
a job in running retail at the RUN Store in Tygervalley,
which also allows her to pursue her passion for running,
and the she had been racking up the wins in local Cape
races. “I had a great start to the year, especially on the
trails, as I have put a lot more effort into my training,” she
says. “Recently on the road, I came first in the Weskus
21km and also broke the course record with a 1:20:10
run, but I also had a great start to the new Trail Series
Super League put on by Wildrunner Events. I finished on
the podium in the first three of seven XL distance races,
with two wins and a second place behind elite trail
runner Meg Mackenzie.”
Unfortunately, the nationwide lockdown due to the
global Coronavirus pandemic has put a stop to
all running events, but Leanda is trying to remain
positive. “I was looking forward to the rest of the
series, and other events, when everything just
stopped, but life has taught me that we have to adapt
and move on, so my training hasn’t stopped, it has
just changed.”
Leanda’s approach to her running is built on the
philosophy of “Train to race and don’t race in
training.” She also believes firmly in the motivating
words of Thomas Jefferson: “If you want something
you have never had, you must be willing to do
something you have never done.” Thus she is facing
each day of lockdown with a determined outlook.
“Take it day by day, focus on the things that you can
do and try and improve on your weaknesses. Create
your own challenges and have fun while you are at
home!”
Run
I loved running so much that I did everything from track,
to cross country and even road races,” she recalls.