ROAD RUNNING let go a bit , and since then I have often let him run solo , as he is faster than me . I love that runners are a special group , and try to help or look after him . We initially joined the KenFac club , and they adopted Zubayr like a son , always looking out for him , and the same has happened with our present club , Pinelands . We ’ re also a bit spoilt here in Cape Town with so many wonderful pacesetters , who look after their fellow runners so well . He is obviously happy , as there is a lot of smiling , and he says it gives him confidence .”
Marathon Debut Time
By 2021 , Zubayr was managing half marathons with ease , and said he was keen to try something longer , so Lameez signed them up for the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon . “ I felt it was important to have a physio working with us , as he can ’ t express pain , so we went to Shanaaz Solomons of Everyday Athlete in Rondebosch for weekly strength training , and we also worked with Mercia Smith of the Pinelands club . She was a top athlete in her day , and not only coached Zubayr in running , but also in doing general work , so she played a dual role ,” says Lameez . Zubayr adds that he enjoyed the training . “ It was a little bit tough when we went up to 28km , but I got used to it . I actually enjoy running long distances .”
Come race day , the mom-son duo stuck together the whole way , as Lameez wanted to keep an eye on him , due to the fact that he had never run that far before . “ In the beginning , it was more me getting him through , but later it felt like him pulling me ,” she says , adding that that their running outfits attracted quite a few comments . “ Instead of running in club colours , we ran in T-shirts saying we were running for autism . At the start , we got chatting to a woman standing near us , and she became quite emotional , as her son had just been diagnosed with autism . Later , as we passed a gentleman near the Good Hope Centre , he told me his grandson has autism , so he took pics of us to show his daughter . We also received so many shouts of encouragement from other runners during the race .”
This was Lameez ’ fourth marathon – she also completed the Two Oceans in 2019 – and she says that the run went smoothly as they finished in 4:45 . “ Everything was stunning – it was a ‘ good day in the office ,’ and I ran a PB , but most importantly , I
Mom and son racing together in the RUN YOU CITY 12K
think Zubayr had fun . We had a race plan around our nutrition , carrying enough to get to halfway , where we met my hubby to restock . As usual , Zubayr wasn ’ t very chatty , just got on with it and never complained , but at each kay marker he would say how many kays were down , and how many to go . It ’ s his little mantra , because he focuses on the rhythm of running .” Zubayr adds , “ I just tried to stay focused and not give up , and I just kept on running until I reached the finish line .”
With that successful run behind them , Lameez says she waited until midway through 2022 before asking him if he wanted to run the marathon again . “ He said yes , so I signed us up again . That first marathon was uncharted waters for us , but now I felt confident he could do it . I must admit , though , I had another goal in mind other than just finishing the distance , as I thought a marathon could teach him about his ability to do things for himself . And I think it has really worked .
Remarkable Progress
On that note , Lameez says that she can clearly see the positive changes in Zubayr and their family thanks to running . “ If I were to pick my top five signs , I would say is it first that he has belief in himself , and is now a more confident young man . Secondly , he can deal with so many people around him – in fact , he actually seems to enjoy it . People with autism usually don ’ t like crowds , but he thrives . At the Knysna Half Marathon , I caught up to him running with a group of about 15 other athletes , taking selfies and having lots of fun . Thirdly , his physical strength has improved so much . Originally , he struggled to get to one kilometre , now he runs marathons , and he used to struggle with simple things like cleaning around the house , but now he copes so much better .”
“ The fourth point is that it has strengthened our family . I started running to be stronger for the kids , so it has kept me healthy , and Zubayr has taken that to heart . If I tell him we ’ re running 10km tomorrow , he will remind me , and tell me when it is time to go . He ’ s very fixed with his timing for training runs – there was one day recently that it was raining , and I told him I just didn ’ t feel like running , so he hit the treadmill and did a 7km run . I don ’ t think that dedication to running is ingrained by me , it is down to autism , and how much running means to him .”
At this point , Lameez gets a bit quieter as she talks about the fifth point on her list . “ The most important thing for me , though , is the role Zubayr is playing with Ziyadd . His development through running is helping him to show his brother the way . Zubayr is actually
Zubayr had plenty of support in his first marathon , including Nazeema Daniels
Mom and son at the finish of the 2021 Sanlam Cape Town Marathon
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