THE RUNNING MANN the running mann by STUART MANN
Due to the COVID-19 lockdown , I have not been able to get my usual marathoning and travel fix in for a while , but I do have some great memories of races I have run in years gone by . So , until we can race again , you ’ ll have to make do with me taking running trips down memory lane , and this month , since we are being asked to practice social distancing , I have gone back to two trips to Ventersdorp in the North-West in 2017 , which definitely had more than their fair share of social distancing .
That Time I finished Second
Many runners spend hours doing speed , track and hill work in the hope of getting faster and securing an elusive podium finish . In 2017 , I found out that this time could be better spent searching for the right race , like the NGK Moedergemeente Familiefees Padwedloop , because it ’ s not how fast you run , it ’ s the races you pick !
( Marathon # 153 / Unique Marathon # 75 / 4 March 2017 )
I
am always on the lookout for new marathons that pop up , and as luck would have it , in early 2017 I saw a new race on www . raceresults . co . za called The NGK Moedergemeente Familiefees Padwedloop , in Ventersdorp . The race was not advertised or listed anywhere else , and it was a rather strange flyer , so I dropped the organiser an e-mail to check it was a legitimate race , and the logistics involved . Legitimate it was , and doable the logistics were – a 1h40 drive from Joburg and 7am start meant I could make it there with an early Saturday morning start .
I arrived with ample time to spare and managed to park right next to the finish line . It was still early , but I was surprised to see that there wasn ’ t much going on . I got my race number and chatted to the organisers , who were hoping to get “ a 100 or so runners .” At that stage , they only needed 99 more …
The race flyer – quite different from the usual . Tested my translation skills as well !
A few more people did eventually arrive and a very small group of runners gathered at the start line . There was some mumbled discussion , and then our group was down to just seven after a handful of runners voluntarily downgraded themselves to the half marathon , which was due to start an hour later . Presumably , they didn ’ t fancy a very lonely marathon . Amongst the seven of us remaining marathoners , there were even two runners who had flown up the night before , all the way from Cape Town , as this was the last weekend to run a Two Oceans qualifier . ( I am not sure what excuse the rest of the field had .)
Playing Catch-up
The gun went off and three stallions shot off into the distance , while three less naturally gifted athletes plodded away at the back , which left me as the ‘ Mann in the middle .’ ( Or , considering the location , perhaps ‘ In the centre , Mr Venter ’ would be more appropriate .) The course was an out-and-back , so you can see how far ahead your competition is as you near the turnaround point , but any hopes I had of a podium finish were seemingly dashed when I saw the lead that the first three runners had established ( 8km , 4km and 2km respectively ). Nevertheless , I tortoised along , hoping to catch some hares on the way home .
Images : Martyn Mulder & courtesy Stuart Mann & Google Images
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ISSUE 136 DECEMBER 2020 / www . modernathlete . co . za