Lisa with hubby Dean
PJ’ s
PIECE
I couldn’ t get an entry, so thought I would try to get a charity entry. Something about my story and the Non-profit organisation Cape Kidney Association just clicked, and I knew I wanted to run for them.”
That saw Lisa make contact with Molly Fabe at Cape Kidney, who was both touched and inspired by Lisa’ s story.“ Molly asked me to speak at their end-of-year event, and she has been very supportive of my journey, while I have been blessed by her presence.” In turn, Lisa has been able to raise funds for Cape Kidney by using her running as a way for people to get involved and to also create much needed awareness.“ I was able to raise R20,000 at Two Oceans 2016, which was my first major race since getting my health back again.”
Having gone on to run the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon later in 2016, Lisa decided to join the Bellville Athletic Club in 2017, and specifically the legendary Wietse van der Westhuizen’ s training group, in order to become a better, stronger runner.“ Being with them has been so great for me. The training is good and intense. I like that. And the support and motivation from the other runners has also helped me a
lot. I believe even more in myself now.”
Going Bigger in 2018
In 2017, Lisa once again ran the Two Oceans Half and the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon, amongst other races, all while continuing to raise funds for Cape Kidney, and looking ahead, she has already set her sights on bigger things. Not only is she hoping to run the 56km Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon, but she has also secured an entry to the Paris Marathon next April. And she doesn’ t seem too worried that Paris is only five days after Two Oceans.“ I want to go to Paris and make a difference. I’ ve got such a passion for my running and my charity, so I want people to join me on this amazing journey.”
She’ s hoping her drive will help to raise R100,000 for Cape Kidney when she does Paris.“ My motto is: Creating dreams by uplifting others. This has been my mantra as I go forward. I am smiling the whole time when out running because I feel so blessed to be here to do this.” She adds that it really helps having such great support. Besides Dean, her mom is her biggest supporter, going with to most of her races.“ She comes to fetch me the morning of a race and then she stays there till I cross the finish line.”
Unsurprisingly, given the serious nature of her illness, Lisa has had to overcome a few health setbacks along the way that have prevented her from doing some of her other goal races, but she says she won’ t be defeated that easily.“ I’ m a little fighter. I pick myself up and then I go again. I tell myself:‘ Sit jou voetjies in jou skoenkies en hardloop.’( Put your feet in your shoes and go run.- Ed.) It helps me a lot to keep on moving forward, no matter what, because I believe that you must live your life to the full, because you can do anything that you want to. And please look after your kidneys!”
Images: Fotolia & PJ Moses
ometimes during a run I find myself at that“ What the hell am I doing?” moment, when my lungs are burning and my throat seems as dry as the
SKalahari, my legs feel like lead and the sweat stings my eyes. It happens in training runs as well as on race days, and it’ s something I dread, but it’ s also something I have grown accustomed too. And chase after.
We laugh if non-runners – or‘ Ruggles’ as I call them, a la Harry Potter – ask silly questions. We are runners, is usually our short terse answer. We may be slightly less sane than the rest of the world, but we love what we do. We train for hours not to make running easier, but to make it a little more manageable. We sweat, we breathe heavily, we chafe in uncomfortable places, and we use the foliage as restrooms when we have to.
Yes, running can be a painful business, and it doesn’ t care if you are just running a parkrun or a 100km ultra. Sometimes it makes you feel every painful step. Sometimes we don’ t follow a doctor’ s good advice – we would rather listen to a supportive running friend, even when we know that we really shouldn’ t. And on race day we fear a‘ Did not finish’ more than a long injury lay-off.
You see, we’ re a stubborn lot. We know aches and pains well, and strained ligaments and muscles. It’ s part of our present and our future. We love the pain, and we can’ t explain why. We run on when others would not. This is not bravery. It’ s a need, an itch that can never be fully scratched. It is what drives us to run in the mornings, in the afternoon sun, at night when others watch TV, and on weekends when other people are relaxing. It is part of us, and we can’ t imagine life without it.
So through the pain and discomfort, we will run, and we will never truly be able to say why. Then again, we don’ t really feel the need to explain. We are runners. Take us or leave us.
About the Author:
PJ is a former Cape Flats gangster who took up running, and writing about it, when he turned his back on that dangerous lifestyle in order to set a better example for his two young sons and avoid becoming just another crime statistic.
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