LETTERS
HEAD STILL UP IN THE SKY …
Couldn ’ t have asked for a better race to end off the year with . With the magnificent views , the most amazing vibe amongst all the runners , the friends made along route and what a feeling being able to take to the trails one more time this year . Skyrun 2021 , you didn ’ t disappoint !
As always , we all love to hate the first 7km of this race ... and not to mention the last 8km , which includes Balloch Wall . Avoca is the most amazing point ... the highest along the route with views for days ! And my favourite bit , Dragon ’ s Back … the jagged rocks along the spine of the mountain . Wow ! even after two days on my butt cheeks , my legs were still reminding me of that climb . Leka race with the overcast weather , and memorable liquid medals , too ... bottles of wine ! Thanks , it was memorable . – Clinton Van Thunderer , via Facebook
They say a good glass of wine soothes even the most sore legs … And if that doesn ’ t work , the second glass should do the trick ! – Ed .
COMRADES ROMANCE ENDURES …
K-Way SkyRun ... you guys put on an absolutely amazing event ! Thank you for organising this race , something we all needed to end the year . As Adrian Saffy said at Race Briefing , this year has been one with a lot of downs , a lot of lives lost , so be grateful to be able to stand at the start of this race , as so many people that would have been there sadly couldn ’ t . That made me appreciate my health , my family , my friends and having the opportunity to be out doing what I absolutely love . Bring on the goals for 2022 ! – Deborah O ’ Mahony , Johannesburg
This really is a awe-inspiring event – that ’ s why I am giving it some serious coverage in this edition of the mag – and it looks like you had a wonderful time out there . Well done on your finish , Deborah . – Ed .
We all love a little romance , so meet our sweetest couple : Married seven years , and still beaming ! Fanie and Janice met in 2013 on the Comrades Bus , and “ ran into each other ” again at the halfway mark of Comrades that year . A year later in 2014 , they ran Comrades together , pondering if they could endure each other ’ s grumpy company for 12 hours ... Well , they clearly did , because Fanie proposed at the finish line ! Several years on , they are still running and doing events together . – Megan Jaffray , Johannesburg
I openly admit that I am getting more sentimental as I get older , but stories like this make my day . I love that running can bring people together , and generate a bond that can lead to a lifelong friendship or romance . Long live running love ! – Ed .
GOOD TO BE RACING AGAIN !…
A huge shout out to the K-Way VOB club for such a well-organised Grape Run in November . My first official race back and I was very impressed . The marshalling was on point , the views were spectacular and the vibe was just great . Did I enjoy the hills ? Not as much as I would have liked to … but I ran with such an awesome bunch of people . Coach Nathmie kept us going all the way , picking passengers up as we went along . A Sub-2-hour is what we aimed for and what we achieved ( 14km in the bag ). To many more races to come ! – Zughriyah Kriel , Cape Town
Yes , indeed , here ’ s to many more races in coming months . Of course , we don ’ t know what the immediate future holds , and what surprises the COVID bug may still have in store for us , but hopefully the worst is behind us . – Ed .
MY 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS …
Last Christmas ... I ran 12 days for Fallen Angels . This year I will be running 12 Kays for 12 Days of Christmas for SANCCOB , the environmental conservation organisation that does great work to rescue , save and support our penguins , seabirds and marine life . For more info on SANCCOB please visit https :// sanccob . co . za .
Starting from 25th December 2021 to 5th January 2022 , I will run 12km each day at 6:30am , starting in the Eden on Bay parking lot , running along the beachfront of Bloubergstrand and Dolphin Beach to reach Sunset Beach , and return . It is a 6km run , so the out and return will total 12km , and anyone can join our run for free for any or all of the 12 days , at any pace and at any distance .
If you can , please donate to our fundraising project ! For as little as R100 from 120 donors we can raise R12,000 , and that goes a long way to saving our oceans ! You can start donating now at www . givengain . com / a / peterchong , to give our ocean and sea life hope . For the love of penguins and running ! – Peter Chong , Cape Town
I am a long-time supporter of SANCCOB ’ s work – I know from personal experience how much it hurts when a penguin nips you on the shin – so I love that you have chosen this cause to support , Peter , and I hope many readers will pledge their support to your fundraising initiative . – Ed .
Images : AB Photo ZA , Keith Linderoth & courtesy Megan Jaffray , Deborah O ’ Mahony , Peter Chong & Zughriyah Kriel
8 ISSUE 147 DECEMBER 2021 | www . modernathlete . co . za