Well … it’ s official. The Rope Runner is going to Shanghai.
Not for a holiday, nor to eat my way through an authentic Chinese menu, and most assuredly not because I’ ve suddenly developed a sensible relationship with running. Why would I do that? Drum roll, please …
I’ m going to ROPE RUN the Shanghai Marathon. We’ re going international, baby!
Mark your calendars, South Africa! 6 December 2026 – History will be made( again). This time: GLOBALLY.
If you’ ve followed my journey for a while, you probably know about the rope. You know about the marathons, the ultras, Comrades, the crazy kms and the occasional moment where even I look at what I’ m doing and think,“ Marissa … really?”
What you don’ t know about me is what I thought my‘ international debut’ would look like in 2026, and what it actually ended up becoming.
Sydney Marathon 2026 was always on the cards as my first International. Then, life happened. A lot of life. A lot of curveballs. A lot of change. A lot of heartache.
In that time, I missed the boat on the timing for a visa application for Sydney, and the ship started sailing without me.
Despondent and utterly disappointed, again. With the hovering question: What now? Shall I allow myself to wallow in my disappointment for just a little while? Ok. But only for a short while. Then I will get up, wipe my tears, shake off the dust, and get back onto my proverbial rope horse in the pursuit of a purpose greater than me. I will do what I can. I will continue with the work. I will take on other challenges and wait patiently for the right door to open without me having to force anything.
I guess the key takeaway from this is the ability to bounce back in spite of disappointment and unmet expectations. The ability to adapt and pivot due to unforeseen circumstances, and not allow negativity to infiltrate my thought pattern. Yet another lesson in life and a reminder that many are the plans of a man’ s heart, but in the end God’ s purposes remain.
If I think back on every unforeseen pivot I’ ve had to walk through, I realise it is always to my benefit, even though it rarely looks like it at the time.
So, in the end, the Shanghai Marathon is the one that’ ll become the debut for setting the stage for global rope running. The global springboard for spreading awareness in the fight against human trafficking. And yes, now the excitement is starting to build.
I always come back to this guys … you know this about me now. Underneath all of this, and in spite of the journey, the question remains.
WHY?
The rope and I are finally taking the QUESTION overseas.
Why run with a skipping rope? Why make something already difficult even harder? And why take this ridiculous little rope all the way to Shanghai?
Because once again: people’ s jaws will most likely drop, they will laugh, they will stare. They may even mock me … but then, they will ask:
为什么( wèishénme): " WHY " in Chinese
WHY!!! BINGO!!!
And then the conversation starts.
COLUMN
Again, a reminder, my dear reader: I run because awareness matters, and now I’ m taking that message from South Africa to the Asian block.
I run because I believe sport can carry a message much further than a poster ever could.
For those who would like to get behind me in the endeavour- taking the message abroad- here’ s what you need to know:
I’ m currently building a team that will make the Shanghai chapter possible. For companies, that could mean becoming an international campaign partner.
For individuals, it could mean supporting the campaign, sharing the story, opening a door, connecting me to a company that might want to be involved, or contributing towards the bigger human-trafficking awareness mission.
I’ m looking for hearts that say:“ I believe in this. Let’ s see how we can make it happen.”
That’ s the kind of support I’ m looking for, because Shanghai isn’ t just another race on a calendar. It’ s the beginning of a new chapter. A South African woman.
A skipping rope.
A marathon on the other side of the world. But ultimately, a message about freedom and doing the impossible, travelling with her. I have a rope in my hands.
What is in yours?
If you wish to reach out to me directly to discuss opportunities to get involved, please contact Modern Athlete Magazine directly for more detail.
AN EXCITING NEW CHAPTER ABOUT TO UNFOLD
Protecting lives, one skip at a time.— The Rope Runner
Take a stand against human trafficking
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