Runners Platform SA

Meet the writer behind the blog, a dedicated social runner, storyteller, and proud advocate for living life at your own rhythm. My running journey began back in 2014, not with dreams of podium finishes, but with a simple, personal goal: to reclaim my health. I was overweight, lazy and seeking a change. Running became my tool for transformation and little did I know, the start of a lifelong passion. In 2015, I joined Khayelitsha Athletics Club, proudly affiliated with Western Province Athletics under Athletics South Africa (ASA). That move brought more than structured training, it gave me a supportive community that helped turn a new hobby into a powerful lifestyle. Later, in 2022, I moved to the Stutterheim Athletics Club, based in the Border region, expanding my running family and deepening my roots in the South African running scene. Over the years, I’ve moved far beyond my original goal of weight loss. I’ve run races that tested my mind as much as my body, most notably earning three...

  A Dramatic Finish and Lessons for Everyday Runners Welcome, fellow runners and fitness enthusiasts.  There is a point in a marathon when the finish feels close enough to bargain with. You check your watch. You count the remaining kilometres. You tell yourself that the hard work is nearly done. Then the road asks for a little more. The Berlin Marathon on Sunday, 27 September 2026, delivered a painful reminder of how quickly a race can change. Tigst Assefa won the women’s race in 2:11:04, setting a course record, while Guye Adola took the men’s title in 2:02:50. Assefa’s closing kilometres became the central story as she struggled visibly before reaching the finish. [1] For South African runners preparing for a marathon or building towards Comrades, the news raises familiar questions. How firmly should we hold onto a target time? What happens when the day stops following the plan? And how do we talk about determination when an athlete is clearly hurting? Berlin gives us plenty...

How to Train When Your Pace Makes No Sense Welcome, fellow runners and fitness enthusiasts. You leave home with an easy run planned. The first kilometre feels comfortable. Then you turn a corner, meet a headwind and watch your pace slow while your breathing gets louder. If you run in Cape Town, you know the feeling. A route can look gentle on the map and become hard work once the wind picks up. The temptation is to push until your watch shows the pace you expected. Suddenly, an ordinary training run has become a workout you never planned. Before you speed up, ask yourself one question: What is this run supposed to achieve? The answer matters more than the number on your watch. Run easy days by effort An easy run should feel manageable. You should be able to speak in full sentences without fighting for breath. If a headwind makes that difficult, slow down. Your pace may look unusually slow, but your watch cannot measure how hard the wind is making you work. Trying to hold your usual pac...