Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 61, August 2014 | Page 34

me dia Ma run/walk for life pa rtn er ou, Hetta! h Tank y RWFL Rustenburg Modern Athlete is proud to be an official media partner of Run/Walk For Life, the organisation with over 30 000 members in 100 branches throughout South Africa, which specialises in getting you started as a walker or a runner, and also has one of the biggest and most active athletic clubs in SA. BRANCH FOCUS RWFL Rustenburg The Rustenburg branch has been around for a number of years, but things really took off when five-time Comrades finisher Hetta Havenga took over five years ago. At that time, the branch had 78 members in the training group and just nine members in its running club, but thanks to her energy and passion, she has grown her training group to some 220 members, and the running club to around 260. “I am very proud of what we have achieved here, and every year since taking over, our branch has been awarded at the annual Run/Walk For Life SUCCESS ST ORY Images: Courtesy Hetta Havenga Johnny Young, RWFL Rustenburg Three years ago Johnny Young, a veteran of 17 Comrades Marathons with a PB of 6:34, and a former winner of the 52km Rhodes Ultra, decided to join the Run/Walk For Life running club in Rustenburg, because he liked what he saw branch owner Hetta Havenga doing. “There is an electric vibe in this club – just take our Pre-Comrades function as an example. We had 40 Comrades runners, but the function attracted 300 people! Hetta is an incredible businesswoman, organiser and motivator. She is warm-hearted and takes an interest in every member, whether you’re a Comrades runner, or 30 kilograms overweight and just doing 500m.” Working as a dominee (minister) at the Tuine Community in Rustenburg, Johnny says that the RWFL club has had a positive effect on marketing conference. I use Facebook and other marketing tools to spread the message, and I take millions of pics, which I post online and also send to our town newspaper,” says Hetta. “We have many athletes that started five years ago just walking around the track and have now done their first Comrades. In fact, we had 40 Comrades runners this year, compared to just seven in my first year with the branch, and back then we had nobody running the Two Oceans, while this year 72 of our athletes went down to run it.” The Rustenburg group trains on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 5pm at the Bergsig Academy High School on the corner of Conrad Boven & Beyers Naude. To get in touch, contact Hetta on 083 350 7839 or [email protected]. the community. “The running community here actually makes it possible for me to work even when I’m not in the office, as I find that I often do counselling while on the run. It’s a wonderful environment in which to do my job.” Find A Branch Near You Go to www.rwfl.co.za and click on the Branches tab for a handy interactive map where you can search for the nearest branch to where you live or work. MORE INFO: 0861 00 55 66 or [email protected] Your Health. Your Fitness. Your Life. SA's Biggest Running Publication