Danny Oosthuizen, or better known as Danny Boy, has been living in Benoni since 1958.
He is a member of the Benoni Harriers Athletic Club and has had an impressive running career.
He trained with Comrades gold medallists Tommy Malone and Alan Robb and has helped many runners achieve their goals.
Oosthuizen spoke to the City Times about his life in Benoni.
BCT: Tell us about life growing up.
DO: I was born in Germiston and, when I was five years old, I went to boarding school to Nelson House in Middelburg.
In 1958 I moved to the Benoni Agricultural Holdings with my parents and attended Benoni High School.
I remember this whole area (Northmead) was a farm and I used to run everywhere.
When I was invited to have Sunday lunch at my aunt’s house, I used to run there.
BCT: Tell us about your family.
DO: My wife’s name is Myra Oosthuizen.
We have two sons, Charles and Gavin Oosthuizen.
Charles lives in Cape Town and Gavin lives in Bonaero Park.
My family members are also keen runners.
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Benoni Northerns Athletic Club (BNAC) runners at the Comrades Marathon 2017, July 4, 2017
Gavin has run six Comrades marathons and Charles likes to run and cycle as well.
I have six grandchildren and the two eldest girls are also runners.
My mother, Mavis, started running in 1954 and my father, Daniel Oosthuizen Sr., also ran and was the last man home at both the 1972 and 1973 Two Oceans Marathon.
BCT: Tell us about your achievements as a runner.
DO: I finished under the top 10 twice at the Two Oceans Ultra – I ended up with 19 finishes, and six of those were silver.
I ran the Comrades 22 times and won seven silver medals.
I received five of those medals for completing the marathon in seven hours and my best position was 37th overall.
I completed 200 standard marathons with a personal best of two hours and 29 minutes.
I also completed two 100 mile races and two Iron Man challenges which included canoeing, cycling and running.
BCT: Do you still run?
DO: No, but I walk.
I average about eight kilometres a day.
BCT: What advice do you give people to improve their running?
DO: The more time spent on the road training means less time on the road racing.
We used to train a lot back then and that is why we got the results we did.
Running is like a tube of toothpaste, the more you squeeze it the more you get out.
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