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EDITOR ’ S PICK
AN EMOTIONAL RETURN TO RUNNING
My life for the past seven years has been about running . My primary job at events has been chasing athletes and MTB riders with a GoPro camera , to get POV footage for the productions . At races such as the Otter African Trail Run , the AfricanX , Ultra-Trail Cape Town , SOX , the Absa Cape Epic , Wines2Whales and more , I ’ ve broken myself chasing around with cameras , with my goal being to give a perspective from the sharp end of the field .
When I wasn ’ t running at events , I kept on running . If I flew my mini wing , I preferred to hump it on my back and run back up to the launch site . I just wanted to run , and it kept me in shape for my work . Then came COVID , and since then I ’ ve been able to do nothing . I tried slow walks , gradually increasing pace and distance , but my heart rate went up , and I lost touch with the idea of running again . I didn ’ t show it , but it ate me up inside .
Over the past few weeks , my running partner Amanda Judson has been pressuring me to start running . Slowly . Run / walk . Finally , I decided to walk to the waterfall , about an 8km out and return . I set off , and decided to run the
SAFETY IN NUMBERS …
I ’ m from the Cape Flats . Mitchell ’ s Plain , to be exact . Although I ’ d love to head out first thing in the morning for a run , I can ’ t , because it ’ s not safe . It ’ s not safe to run in the area because there are gangsters and opportunists . That ’ s just how it is , and it ’ s a sad reality . I ’ m sure there are many other people and runners in my area who feel the same .
That ’ s why I ’ ve started a running community , and recently we had the first run . Two people showed up , and that makes me happy . May we grow as a running community , and may we all always have somebody to run with on the streets of Westridge , Mitchell ’ s Plain . – Shafeeqah Gordon , Cape Town
Love hearing that you ’ re getting community buy-in to the running idea , and thus finding the support you need to be able to pursue your own running passion . – Ed .
opening 50 metres slowly . And it felt good . I climbed the stairway , and decided to run the next flat section . Slowly . And it felt great . At some point , I decided to run all the flat sections , and walk the climbs . Slowly . On the walks after running , I monitored my heart rate , and it remained way down . And so I went , running to the waterfall and walking the climbs . And all the way back . My heart rate stayed way down , and I felt amazing .
Then came the emotion . As I ran the final 50 metres to the Sanparks hut , and my mind went back to how I ’ d felt for the last two months , the enormity of this ‘ run ’ and what it meant hit me like a wave . Uncontrollable tears started to stream down my face . I was thinking , WTF , and at the same time , I had no control .
As I hit the last metres to my car , two European tourists were walking into the trail . “ Are you OK ?” they asked , very concerned . I managed a smile , ad said , “ Thank you , I ’ m fine .” They would not have understood , but I think my friends do . Thanks for the nudge , Monds . – Jeff Ayliffe , George
As I wrote in my Ed ’ s Letter , I have also tested positive for COVID , but I was one of the lucky ones that only had mild symptoms . Can only imagine what you ’ ve been through , Jeff , but so glad to see you getting back your strength , and running mojo ! – Ed .
MY PA SE PLAKBOEK …
As kind was dit een van my gunsteling dinge om te doen , om deur my pa , Hentie , se plakboek te blaai en sy medaljes te bewonder . En so het die hardloop gogga my ook raak gebyt . En dalk , miskien , wie weet , kan die tradisie voortgesit word en sal my dogter Lily my plakboek ook eendag so waardeer en raakgebyt word deur die gogga . – Anneline Roffey , Cape Town
As we all know , when the running bug does bite , it bites deep … and usually doesn ’ t let go . So here ’ s hoping Lily gets visited by the ‘ gogga ’ with gnashers ! – Ed .
Images : Anneline Roffey , toppng . com & courtesy Clipground . com , Chantel Menziwa , Faizel Jacobs , Jeff Ayliffe & Shafeeqah Gordon
8 ISSUE 145 SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2021 | www . modernathlete . co . za