24-Hour Saga
CONTENTS
In the Mag this Month
Welcome to our 159 th edition . You can click on the page numbers below to go straight to the article of your choice .
C o l u m n
Pg 14
Pg 42
Pg 36
Pg 64
WARMING UP
4
6
SA ’ s Biggest Running Publication www . modernathlete . co . za
Comrades ‘ 23
• Top Contenders
• Official Pacers
• Run Like a Girl !
Why SA Has So Many Marathons
24-Hour Saga
Meet the Spartan Baby Badass Crew
10
The Ed ’ s Desk : Comrades Memories
My earliest Comrades memories begin when I was about nine or 10 , and I am still making terrific memories of working at the Ultimate Human Race all these years later . – BY SEAN FALCONER
Runner ’ s High
Let ’ s celebrate the stunning events we have here in South Africa , with these images from the recent Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K and Mountain Ultra Trail ( MUT ) by UTMB races .
Stats & Facts : Hey , June !
The fastest SA men ever over 10km ( including the Precious Mashele ’ s new SA Record ), the latest list leaders in SA road running , and historical highlights from the statistical annals of SA athletics . – BY RIËL HAUMAN
On the cover
Few things compare to the elation of finishing the Comrades Marathon Photograph courtesy Comrades Marathon
ISSUE 159
June 2023
Nontu Mgabhi
Ultra Asia Run Puts Shoes on Kids ’ Feet
Run Your City
Highlights from the Mother City Race
Winter Training
• Beat the Freeze
• Vitamin C Booster
Cover Image : Courtesy Comrades Marathon
June & July Race Calendar – Enter HERE !
1
Pg 48
Pg 28
Pg 58
C o
COMRADES SPECIAL SECTION
l u m n
14
16
19
20
22
24
ROAD RUNNING
28
32
This is It … Ziyasha !
On Sunday 11 June , the 96th Comrades Marathon will start in Pietermaritzburg and finish in Durban . This is the Ultimate Human Race , with more than 100 years of history , tradition , heroes , drama , elation and more ! – BY SEAN FALCONER ( with DELAINE COOLS )
Leading Contenders
As we count down to the Comrades Marathon start , let ’ s look at some of the top male and female contenders in this year ’ s race . Of course , things can easily change on race day ... – BY DELAINE COOLS
Green Means Go !
The 2023 Comrade Marathon will be the 48th edition of the Down Run , but there are many other milestones that will be recorded in this race , notably by the owners of the Green and Yellow Numbers . – BY SEAN FALCONER
Reporting for Bus-driving Duty
As thousands of runners tackle the 87.7km Comrades route , many will look to the guidance of the official Comrades Marathon Pacesetters to help them reach the finish within their target time . – BY SEAN FALCONER
100 Years of Women at Comrades
It may be only 48 years since women were allowed to officially run the Comrades Marathon , but female trailblazers have been part and parcel of the world ’ s greatest footrace for a century . – BY DELAINE COOLS ( with SEAN FALCONER )
The Running Mann : Run Like a Girl
There is nothing quite like getting a big dataset in one ’ s hands and playing around with the numbers . I analysed the Comrades Marathon stats and found something that really surprised me . – BY STUART MANN
Cape Town Running at its Best
Against the backdrop of Table Mountain and the bustling Cape Town cityscape , runners of all ages , backgrounds and fitness levels come together in the annual ‘ must-do ’ Absa Run Your City CAPE TOWN 10K . – BY NICOLE HAYES
The Chairman ’ s Report
Former top SA athlete and now ASA Road Running Chair , Enoch Skosana , has sets his sights on the 2023 Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series , and is inviting all-comers to join him . – BY JACKY McCLEAN with SEAN FALCONER
2 ISSUE 159 | www . modernathlete . co . za