Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 57, April 2014 | Page 18

Shifting
Gears
– BY LAUREN VAN DER VYVER
Going into the SA 10km Champs in
Bloemfontein in February, Nolene knew she
was in great shape and expected to improve
her PB, but just how fast she managed to go
still came as big surprise. She finished in 33:37,
shaving 27 seconds off her previous best, to
add her first national road title to her collection
of titles on the track and in cross country. “I
knew I was in good shape, but I did not expect
to run that fast. I was in a positive mindset – I
wanted to win, I was determined, and I was
hungry for that title. The way I approach races
now comes from my coach Hans Saestad and
my mentor Elana Meyer. We’ve outlined goals,
and Elana, along with support from Endurocad,
is always there for racing tips, so I’m more
positive now, and that mentality has helped me
see good results recently.”

not only for the steeplechase, but also the
3000m. In cross country, she won a silver
medal at the SA Champs in 2011, and the
following year won silver at the Southern
Region Champs in Mauritius, claimed gold
in the SA Champs later in the year, then
represented SA at the 2013 World Champs
in Poland.

Making a splash at the
SA Cross Country Champs.

BRANCHING OUT

In between that she regularly made the
top 10 in Spar ladies races and did well up
to the half marathon distance, going on to
make the SA team for the 2012 World Half
Marathon Champs in Bulgaria, where she
finished 37th and second SA woman over
the line. Now she is about to line up in her
debut marathon, in Hannover, where she
will be chasing a 2:37 qualifier to get into
the reckoning for the SA women’s marathon
team for the Commonwealth Games.
“Mapaseka Makhanya and Cornelia Joubert
managed to move up to the marathon quite
easily, and I’ve got support from Hans,

Nolene’s
Personal Bests
1000m
1500m
3000m
5000m
3000m SC
10km
15km
Half Marathon

OFF-ROAD ROOTS

Elana, my sponsors as well as family, friends
and colleagues, so I have to be positive as
well.”

Cape Town-born Nolene (28) actually started
running at 16 because of her health. “I
suffered from asthma, so my doctor said it
would help, and today my condition is gone!”
She took a gap year after Matric to focus on
her rapidly improving running, then made
the SA Student Team for cross country when
she began studying teaching at the University
of Johannesburg. Nolene initially focused on
the track and represented SA at the 2006
Commonwealth Games and All African Games
in the 3000m steeplechase. She went on to
compete in the World Student Games a year
later, as well as in 2009 and 9:58 and by 2012
Modern Athlete April.fh11 3/18/14 2011,AM Page 1
she was ranked number one in the country
SA 10km Champs.

18
Composite

2:55.7
4:24.07
9:20.92
15:57.92
9:54.42
33:37
53:56
1:15:47

ISSUE 57 APRIL 2014 / www.modernathlete.co.za

C

M

“At first I hated doing longer stuff, but I’ve
become used to it. I get to 160km a week
now, piling in the training before work, and
then I have afternoon sessions with my
coach at Vorentoe Hoërskool, where he is the
headmaster and where I’ve been teaching
Social Science and Creative Arts for three
years. That’s why I am especially proud of
my achievements, because I am working a
7pm to 2pm job and still do well in my sport.
It takes a lot of discipline and commitment to
Ymanage both.”
CM MY CY CMY K

Images: Van Zyl Naude

In February Nolene Conrad
picked up her maiden SA 10km
title with a stunning PB time, and
now she’s gunning for her first
marathon in Germany at the end
of April, as a stepping stone to
the Commonwealth Games.