ADVERTORIAL
Taking it in Her Stride
The Sanlam Cape Town Marathon is Africa ’ s first Abbott World Marathon Majors candidate , and a bucket-list race for runners of all levels from all across South Africa , including Leandre Kark , Head of Brand Marketing at Virgin Active . She went on to finish her first marathon in 4:58:28 , but we caught up with her just before her run to ask her thoughts on tackling the marathon .
With just days to go before the starter pistol fired , excited entrants were doing their final preparation for the 2023 Sanlam Cape Town Marathon , and first-time entrant Leandre Kark was one of them . “ In our Cape Town Marathon strategy sessions , I started to feel inspired to take on the challenge myself , to put my money where my mouth is . After being a provincial sprinter during my schooling , coming into this with little marathon experience was a bit daunting , but I had all the resources at my disposal through the content we were creating for the marathon .”
As a sponsor of this globally prestigious ‘ Big City ’ race , Virgin Active has helped people of all fitness levels on the road to the Cape Town Marathon . By working with their experts , Virgin Active has developed training plans for a couch to 42km programme , as well as plans for those looking to achieve a three-hour race finish .
Manageable Goal
Running is a low barrier-to-entry sport – you can slip on your takkies , put one foot in front of the other slightly faster than average walking pace , and you ’ re a runner – but running a marathon does take more planning , dedication , and gear than that . That said , it ’ s still a manageable goal for most people , and Leandre says she enjoyed the journey to the start line .
“ From the start , I knew I had to learn to pace myself and approach my training gradually , to make sure I could stay the distance for the longer runs ,” she says .
“ The training plan was a great guide , and I was surprised at how sticking to it got my fitness levels up incredibly quickly . I managed to conquer both 21km and 25km runs quite comfortably , and over the last few weeks , I just pushed myself a bit harder each day . Mental preparation was also key for me , and running with a group of likeminded people at the club ’ s time trials and longer weekend runs did wonders for my mental resilience .”
For many people , the thought of taking part in any sporting event is often accompanied by worries about time management . Life is fast-paced , to say the least , and for those doing the daily juggling act of work schedules , children , school , activities , and general responsibilities , finding time to fit in a rigorous training schedule may feel like a stretch too far . Leandre argues that we need to let go of that mindset . “ Between my husband and I , we both have incredibly intense work schedules , and we also have a household with kids to run – much like hundreds of other South African families ,” she says .
“ Making the commitment and planning ahead is vital if you want to be successful . We knew that both our schedules , coupled with training over winter months , would mean that we may not get on to the road before sunset . So , we made a schedule alternating our longer road runs with shorter runs on the treadmill , so that we could still get the kilometres in . It seems daunting in the beginning , but you have to ask yourself
‘ how much do I want this ?’ If you want it enough , it is possible to make your training a regular part of a workable schedule .”
Essential Support
She goes on to say that you can start training at any age or fitness level , with the right support . “ I started my training with a lower back injury and niggly knees , so I was obviously worried in those first few weeks that I may not succeed . What I ’ ve learnt is that the body can do amazing things , and with the support of your village around you – fellow runners to share stories with , family to help with kids and friends for moral support to keep you motivated – the only thing standing in your way is you .”
If you would like to check out Virgin Active ’ s programmes to get you marathon-ready for an upcoming event , click here and get active !
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