Legends on the road can still run the distance

I SPENT time in the company of South Africa’s road running legends this weekend and it pained me that such men are not being fully utilised to help improve the sport in this country.

My initial reaction at finding out that both Shadrack Hoff and Johannes Kekana were coming to race the 21.1km of the Polokwane City Marathon was one of dejection. You see, I registered for the race with the ambition of winning the 50+ age category. But how could I with these two on the start line?

Fortunately, Kekana chose to compete in the veterans (40+) section instead of his proper age category and I ended up finishing a distant runner-up to Hoff. Kekana, despite being over 50, still won the category in which he competed against younger runners.

Speaking to him on Friday, I was left in awe by the man’s immense knowledge and passion for the sport. As he briefly shared his running journey, Kekana confirmed what I believe and I wish Athletic South Africa (ASA) could find a way to implement this. Runners need not rush to do ultras and the younger ones in particular should be dissuaded from them and encouraged to earn their stripes via track and cross country.

That Kekana can still run as well as he is has a lot to do with the fact that he took his time running the shorter distances, 10km and half marathon, before going up to the full marathon where he stayed long enough and even managed to become South African champion. He only went to the ultras in his 40s and even though he got a gold at Comrades Marathon, the man from gaMashashane quickly realised just how tough the Ultimate Human Race is and the toll it takes on one’s body that he stopped doing it.

What pleased me is finding out that he is now passing on his expertise to younger athletes through his training camps out in Moloto and he says the one lesson he wants all his athletes to take from him is that ‘discipline’ is the key to success. It might sound clichéd but Kekana has lasted as long as he has at the highest level because he understood that to be a successful athlete you need to respect the sport and treat your body as the work tool it is.

“You can’t be a successful athlete if you are a socialite. You have to rest.”

He also advocates for athletes to take charge of their careers and not allow managers to force them into over-racing or doing the tough ultras at an early age.

Hoff, who I spoke to as we awaited the prize-giving ceremony, concurred. Having previously spent six months training in Kenya, he is pained that South Africa has lagged so far behind the East Africans in the marathon. Partly to blame, he believes, is the obsession with ultras that has seen many a talented runner with incredible speed rushing to the ultras when they could have focused on the marathons and easily got to running sub 2:10s.

Our country is teeming with great running legends – a lot of whom are sitting idle in their provinces –and the sport’s powers that be wonder why we are not succeeding. Why they don’t engage these legends and provide them with support to help with developing the abundant natural talent in this country speaks to the lack of vision by those who run the sport.

We’ve got to change this attitude as a matter of urgency if we are to stop adding to the numbers and watch as the East Africans dominate road running.