Runner raises R123k for church
"I love a challenge," said 76-year-old Jay Thaver who recently conquered the Two Oceans Half-Marathon tp raise funds for his church.
GREYVILLE resident Jay Thaver (76) recently raised R123 000 for St Anthony’s Church when he tackled the Two Oceans Half-Marathon.
When asked what motivated him to tackle the marathon, Thaver said he loves a challenge.
“It was the first time running outside of my province. My whole family are parishioners of St Anthony’s Catholic Church. The church has always been talking about funds they need to raise to repair the roof of the church, and that inspired me to take the initiative to help them raise the funds,” said Thaver.
“Total funds raised were R123 000, and all funds will be used towards the church roof repair,” he added.
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Thaver, who belongs to Durban Athletic Club, completed the marathon in just under 2.5 hours.
“The Two Oceans Half-Marathon was the most exciting and challenging run. With 18 000-plus runners, it was amazing. My finishing time was two hours and 26 minutes,” he said.
This adds to his track record.
“I did the Absa Run Your City 10km race in 58 minutes which is my personal best for the 10km,” said Thaver, adding that he ran the 25km Stella Ruby Race in a time of 2 hours and 58 minutes – his personal best for that distance.
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Thaver has been a runner for years, enjoying both the mental and physical benefits it offers.
“My passion for running has helped me stay fit and stress-free. I always wanted to stay active. I joined the Durban Athletic Club five years ago and was running socially for many years prior to that,” he said.
The athlete said he trains four days a week, covering a total distance of 40km.
“I ran a few 21km races and other shorter distances in the months prior to the Two Oceans as preparation,” added Thaver.
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