ROAD RUNNING
A Final Word … By Clinton Van Thunder
It struck me in the past , the difference between road running and trail running events . Road runners are very much get in , run and leave immediately after , whereas trail runners make a social event of a race and tend to stick around after a race , and even before a race . The Robben Island race was a game-changer for me . It was an opportunity to bridge that gap between road and trail running events , and nurture a more social side to a pure roadrunner event .
The ferry timetable meant participants actually spent some time afterwards with each other , and I thought that ’ s it ... the essence of Robben Island and the spirit of integration was achieved by hosting this event there . Walking through the cells in your own time after the guided tour and sitting on the floor in one of the cells , just taking in all the sights , sounds and smells was as if the prison and walls were speaking to you .
This event is truly remarkable . By its very nature and strategic setting , it has the ability to become a true integrative annual event on the racing calendar , true to the spirit of the island and all of those that spent time there to achieve exactly that . For me , the day was not just another race . They didn ’ t sell you an event , they sold you an experience , and a spiritual , deep-lasting feeling .
This experience made me think that the “ 1000 man ” gathering today on the Island , to struggle and overcome as one the 10km challenge , fulfilled the sentiments expressed in one of the many quotes born from the Islands history , by none other than Robert Sobukwe : “ We meet here today , to rededicate ourselves to the cause of Africa , to establish contact beyond the grave , with the great heroes and assure them that their struggle was not in vain .”
45