Humorous Anecdotes, Observations & Accounts of Marathon Running & Agile Adventures.
This article provides detailed information on all South Africa’s August and September marathons and ultras including race descriptions, recommendations and travel information.
An August Comrades’ means that there is no much happening over these two months but the few options available are quality runs.
A summary of all your choices is below:
Continue reading “The Running Mann’s Guide to August / September 2022 Marathons & Ultras”
This article provides detailed information on all South Africa’s July marathons and ultras including race descriptions, recommendations and travel information.
It’s slim pickings in July with just ten confirmed marathons and ultras at the time of writing.
A summary of all your choices is below:
Continue reading “The Running Mann’s Guide to July 2022 Marathons & Ultras”
This article provides detailed information on all South Africa’s June marathons and ultras including race descriptions, recommendations and travel information.
There’s a paltry ten options for the road running enthusiast this June which is surprising since this should be a peak Comrades training month.
A summary of all your choices is below:
Continue reading “The Running Mann’s Guide to June 2022 Marathons & Ultras”
This article provides detailed information on all South Africa’s May marathons including race descriptions, recommendations and travel information.
Unless you’re triskaidekaphobic, the good news is that after a very quiet April there are 13 marathon and ultra options in May.
A summary of all your choices is below:
Continue reading “The Running Mann’s Guide to May 2022 Marathons”
This article provides detailed information on all South Africa’s April marathons including race descriptions, recommendations and travel information.
After a busy March, marathons are scarce in April with just six options (four marathons and two ultras), but there are some quality choices on the list. Continue reading “The Running Mann’s Guide to April 2022 Marathons”
Where were you when the Springboks won the Rugby World Cup for the third time?
In an ethnic hair salon in Stutterheim is my unlikely reply.
How I got there was a result of bad planning and incredibly low expectations.
South Africa has three marathons on the first weekend of November – Soweto, Kaapsehoop and Bonkolo. Soweto and Kaapsehoop are two of the biggest marathons in South Africa whereas Bonkolo, with just 120 runners, is definitely the acutest angle on this running triangle. Continue reading “Bonkolo Marathon (Warming up for a World Cup win)”
Running a marathon in the Vaal Triangle for the views, is like watching a porno for the storyline.
As they say in the classics, “Before you judge a man, walk a mile in his shoes”. I’m not one to judge anyone for what they do in the privacy of their own home – and you shouldn’t judge those who choose to run in the Vaal Triangle (not until you’ve run a marathon in their shoes anyway)! And speaking of classics, Debbie might already have done Dallas – but Stuart still needed to strut around Sedibeng. Continue reading “Sedibeng Marathon (Getting down & dirty in the Vaal Triangle)”
A true test of a man’s virility can be found north of the Jukskei. Pretoria, aka Snor City, is the original Home of the Moustache. Fortunately fast facial hair growth is my superpower and, despite only putting my razor blades away halfway through Movember, I arrived at the start of the Riana van Niekerk Run & Walk For Bibles Marathon sporting a moustache of impressive elegance, grace and girth.
Continue reading “Riana van Niekerk Marathon (Showing off in Snor City)”
I’ve seen plenty of “You know you’re a runner when…” lists. They usually include items like getting up earlier on the weekend than during the week, having one pair of smart shoes and a dozen pairs of running shoes, spending more on running kit than on food, etc.
Unfortunately, for you the aspirant real runner, all those lists are completely bogus. The real test of whether you’re a real runner or not is, of your own volition and free will, travelling to Welkom to take part in a triple-lap ultra. That’s my excuse for making the three hour drive south to run the Anco 48k Ultra and I’m sticking to it.
Continue reading “Anco Ultra (You know you’re addicted to running when…)”
The chance to run a golden jubilee marathon happens once every 50 years. The chance to run the golden jubilee of the Diamond Marathon is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Therefore, when it came to planning my 2020 race schedule, the first race that went down in ink was the Northern Cape’s oldest marathon.
Continue reading “Diamond Marathon (Roughing it amongst the diamonds)”