A 10KM is all I have ever managed to do in my more than 10 years of running. Granted, I have not fully committed to it. Praise must be given to how I started, though, running light pole to light pole in my hood. Walk, run, walk, run. Next was to run the distance of two light poles and then walk the distance of one light pole to another.
Next up was to tackle one of the many runs/walks taking place almost weekly in Durban. The first one I took on was the Spar Women’s Challenge, and I loved it.
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The fun runs come with all sorts of perks – a goodie bag, a vibe like no other, but more importantly, people just like me, barely runners – just there for the jol.
While these races attract elite runners from around the world, they mainly attract novices like myself. Inspired by this, I ramped up my training, this time, running three poles and walking one. The last run I ran was the Boxer Super Run, a 5km run that saw me cross the finish line in a time of 00:52:29.
Glenrose Xaba won the elite women’s division of the Boxer Super Run in 00:16:03. Clearly, I have quite a way to go. Nonetheless, I will be back next year.
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It was with my journey in mind that I felt encouraged when I read on the website that talks about World Run Day that: “Running is more than just a form of exercise. This type of activity is a celebration of the human spirit, a testament to human endurance and a universal language that transcends borders and cultures.”
From that, I took that endurance, for example, could mean different things for different runners. My idea of endurance might be 3km flat, no walking, while endurance to a Comrades Marathon runner is something I know nothing about.
5 fast facts about World Run Day
- World Run Day was the brainchild of Bill McDermott, a competitive runner from New York.
- World Run Day is celebrated around the world on November 5.
- The event was founded in 1999 with the aim of celebrating the sport of running in towns, cities and countries around the world.
- The mission was to broaden and promote the health benefits of running while also encouraging runners to make a donation to their favourite charity on this special day.
- The concept of a ‘Virtual Run’ was introduced by World Run Day, a term now widely recognised within the running community.
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