Q & A Kabelo Mabalane
After battling addiction , beloved kwaito legend Kabelo Mabalane , aka Bouga Luv , traded the streets for the roads , finding refuge in running – a sport that taught him endurance and discipline . He committed to putting one foot in front of the other and has never looked back . Two decades on , he is a marathon veteran .
Mabalane returned to the Cape for his second Sanlam Cape Town Marathon in October . We caught up with him ahead of this year ’ s race .
Q : You are known for your love of sport , particularly running . How did you get into it , and what has maintained your love for it ? A : I started running over 15 years ago . I was overweight and I wasn ’ t my normal self . When I was a young boy and throughout high school , I was always playing sport and I was fit and strong . So when I gained weight , I knew that that wasn ’ t who I was naturally . I wasn ’ t a particularly great runner at school , but I took up running as an adult because it is a sport with the least barriers to entry . You put your running shoes on and off you go ! The Comrades Marathon has always been a big dream , so I started training for that and I absolutely fell in love with endurance running .
Q : Marathons are no easy feat and take dedication and discipline . How has running impacted your life ? A : Running has impacted my life in such an amazing way . There are so many principles that you learn in endurance running that I apply in my daily life , such as commitment and dedication . I always try to fuse these into my life by being there for my family , being a good husband and dad , and committing to creating a healthy environment for my family by spending time with them and being supportive . I don ’ t get 10 out of 10 , but like the discipline and the dedication you learn from running , you know that you have to stick to certain things for the long run , especially if you want to do anything of significance . Running has definitely taught me that .
Q : You ’ ve run countless marathons , and this will be your second Sanlam Cape Town Marathon . What makes this particular race so special ? A : This race is flat , it is by the sea and you can breathe . It ’ s not in Joburg where it feels like you ’ re breathing through a straw . But jokes aside , my first experience last year was WOW . It ’ s a world-class event . From the experience to the touchpoints , my first race was absolutely amazing . I had to come back for more . It is such a great route that I could
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