Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 54, January 2014 | Page 34

Race Report Forty Times TOUGH! The year 2013 may have been coming to a close, but the northern suburbs of Jo’burg still had a challenge in store for around 5500 runners in the 40th running of the everpopular Tough One, a race with an impressive history and some equally impressive climbs! – BY DONALD MATHIPA & T he Tough One was first run as a 20-Miler in 1975 with 280 entrants; today it boasts a field of over 5500 runners and is one of the biggest events on the Gauteng running calendar. This past November saw the 40th running of this classic, and while it gave many runners a last ‘long one’ for the year and a useful stepping stone to a good marathon early in the new year as they build up to the Two Oceans and Comrades ultras, it also offered the elites a chance of taking home some of the extensive prize purse on offer as well as putting their names into the mix for the Central Gauteng team for next year’s SA Marathon Champs. RECORDS & ‘UNKNOWNS’ In the early kays of this year’s race, a small bunch formed at the front, but by halfway the leading group was down to three frontrunners. Inevitably, the infamous Tough One hills took their toll, allowing Abram Khumalo from the University of Johannesburg club to pull 100m clear with 2km to go. He maintained that gap to win in 1:45:54, a minute ahead of Frik Guys from Nedbank (1:46:50), while Toyota’ s Mailela Africa grabbed third spot a further 34 10 seconds adrift. LAUREN VAN DER VYVER The Tough One has traditionally been an event that showcases up-andcoming runners before they hit their peak, and several of the race’s winners through the years were relatively ‘unknowns’ at the time, like Geoff Tribe and Brian Chamberlain, who both went on to win SA Marathon titles. The race’s most famous winner back in 1992 was the then fairly unknown Josiah Thugwane, who cruised to victory in 1:46:10. Four years later, he shot to world fame when he won gold in the marathon at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. The Tough One course record is held by SA Marathon record-holder Gert Thys, who clocked 1:43:05 in 1991. In 1988, an in-form Frith van der Merwe set the current women’s course record of 2:00:19, breaking Sonja Laxton’s previous record of 2:05:04, set just a year earlier in 1987. It was therefore fitting that Sonja’s daughter, Sunninghill Striders’ Kim Laxton, was first woman home in this year’s race, clocking 2:08:56. Kim ran with Sonja’s permanent race number 1 as a tribute to her mother, who had been badly injured when she was knocked down by a car the Sunday before the race. Nolene Conrad from Nedbank also capped a great 2013 with her second place in 2:10:32, while Yolande Maclean wasn’t far behind in 2:10:35. Images: Jetline Action Photo RAC – City Lodge Tough One 32km, 24 November 2013 Presented by Rand Athletics Club