Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 97, August 2017 | Page 13

AJ and Nicolette Griffioen on their way to winning the AfricanX
“After all, to be a top runner and conquer mountains,
you need to convince yourself that you’re invincible…”
it has become one of my regular races, I know the
route well – and it’s tough as nails! The previous two
years I ran the race chasing the Fastest Known Time
(FKT), but this year I just relaxed and enjoyed the
scenery, and I still won by nearly two hours, but I
think that’s because I know the course so well.”
had already said it was safe for me to fly, as they had
done three scans with iodine to check if the tear in
the artery had healed, but it was mostly due to the
amazing support of my wife, and sponsors really going
out of their way to make sure I was OK, that I was
able to go.”
AJ lined up intending to just enjoy the experience at
the world’s biggest obstacle race event, but when he
found himself in the lead group and with a relatively
low heart rate, he decided to stick with the leaders
and see what would happen on the two-lap course. “I
didn’t actually know how to do some of the obstacles,
so I stuck with the leaders for the first lap, but early in
the second lap we hit a swimming obstacle, and being
an ex-triathlete, I just jumped in and took the lead.”
“There were 15,000 entrants, so it was hard getting
through the backmarkers on that second lap, and
at one stage I was running with another leader, but
somewhere I lost him in the crowd and when I crossed
the finish line I did not know if I had won. In fact, the
organisers and media were just as stumped – they
weren’t even ready for me to come in, but my timing
chip proved I had done the whole route, so I was
asked to run the last 200m again for the cameras, and
then I was swamped by the media. I’ve never had so
much media attention!”
Now, about four months after the stroke, AJ says he is
still suffering side-effects, but he’s not letting that stop
him doing the things that he loves. “I can see it in
the way my body reacts to sensory inputs, like seeing
a rock when running. I used to just run over it, but
now I have to think harder about it, and often end up
hitting the rock instead. It used to be second nature,
now it is something I have to relearn, but my running
days are not over and I’m slowly getting back to full
strength. It’s just another obstacle to overcome, and
the neurologist assures me I will get back to normal,
so I’m not wallowing in sorrow.”
Looking ahead, AJ says he hasn’t mapped out the
second half of the year yet, and is just focusing on
spending time with Paulette and Emilie. “I tend not
to plan too far ahead, and have always done it that
way. If something interesting comes my way, I will go
for it… but I won’t be doing any more obstacle races
where you have to carry heavy objects. I love the
Impi and other events like that, and I didn’t do any
obstacles that day that I hadn’t done before, but I’m
made for running across mountains, not for picking up
heavy bags of sand.”
SECOND CHANCE
Unsurprisingly, AJ’s thoughts these days include his
own mortality and limitations, but he says he tries to
put this out of mind, especially when he is running.
“To be honest, I don’t like talking about the stroke,
because it normally happens to much older people
and was not supposed to happen to me. After all, to
be a top runner and conquer mountains, you need to
convince yourself that you’re invincible… The doctors
say I was lucky that I was young and fit, and that the
stroke was exercise-induced, instead of being caused
by something like cholesterol.”
“Sometimes I lie in bed wondering why this happened
to me, but I’m not dwelling on that. You don’t often
get a second chance in life, so when God gives it to
you, you have to grab it. Luckily I am surrounded by
family, friends and sponsors that care, and they’ve all
said I must take as much time as I need. That makes
it easier, and I see every day as a blessing. It’s a thrill
now just to put my running shoes on and head off to
the mountains, and I believe that if you don’t fall at
least once in every run, you’re not trying hard enough.
I’m obviously trying very hard these days!”
AJ with wife Paulette
and daughter Emillie
BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE…
Incredibly, just three weeks later, AJ took on the
incredibly tough Fish River Canyon Ultra Trail Run,
where he set the course record in 2016, clocking
6:39:52 for the 100km route. “I’ve always loved this
race and the amazing vibe that goes with it, and since
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