Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 50, September 2013 | Page 16

Living Legends

n 1997 she burst onto the Comrades scene, finishing fifth woman (and second South African) in a time of 6:45:51 in her first attempt at the race. Despite having finished in the top 20 at the Two Oceans ultra five times from 1991 to 1995, and again in 1997, even she was surprised by her performance. “I remember coming on to the field and seeing the time, and then thinking the clock must be wrong!” says Charlotte. That result saw her selected for the SA team for the 1997 World 100km Champs in Holland, where she finished an excellent fifth. The 1998 Comrades didn’t go quite as well, despite a creditable 21st position, but in 1999 Charlotte was 10th and back amongst the gold medals, and back in the SA World Champs team, finishing 14th and first SA woman in Japan. Then, after bailing the 2000 World Champs race due to illness, she decided to withdraw from competitive running. “I had grown tired of competing and training so hard, and decided to focus on climbing, surfing and body boarding. I never stopped running, I just didn’t want to compete any more. Also, I had gotten married in 1999 and we decided it was time to start a family.” Today Charlotte (47) lives in Scarborough on the Cape Peninsula with husband Andy De Klerk and their four kids, Sebastian (11), Clea (9) and the five-year-old twins, Anna and Francis. Having studied medicine, she works for the City of Cape Town as a GP at the Ocean View Clinic, and to relieve stress and maintain her health, she still runs seven days a week. “I do most of my running on tar, and take my running shoes everywhere so I can build running into my daily programme, but I’m also up on the mountain once or twice a week with the dogs.”
Comrades congrats from good friend Lindsey Weight.

I

With Two Comrades gold medals, three World Champs appearances and an Everest expedition to her name, Charlotte Noble made quite an impact on the running scene in the late 90s.
– BY SEAN FALCONER

Noble Endeavour
Charlotte in her Alpine element.

Going Places

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