Toti Athletics Club long distance runner Ewoud Grobler was selected for the KZN marathon team to do battle at the SA marathon champs in Mossel Bay from 26 September.
Ewoud, who turns 35 in October, received the good news two weeks ago from KZN Athletics and credits his eight-and-a-half minute improvement when he recorded a time of 2.46 at the Postnet Pietermaritzburg Marathon in February as the catalyst to his selection.
Unfortunately he picked up an injury before this year’s Comrades, but he has completed three – in 2007, 2008, where he claimed a silver medal for his personal best of 7.24, and 2014.
“From 2008 to 2014 I concentrated on middle distance and cross-country running,” he said. “In the last two years I have picked up the mileage.”
In 2013 he recorded a 4.10 at the Two Oceans Marathon.
“I run six days a week and twice a day on two of the days for a total of 100km a week. It’s very difficult, as my wife Sonja also runs. So with two children I leave at 4am to get back by 5.30am, when she goes for a run.”
Ewoud was born in Pietermaritzburg, but grew up in Toti. He attended Kuswag Skool from grade 1 to matric. He met Sonja while he was living in the UK from 1999 to 2004 and they married when they returned to SA in 2005.
They have two boys – Heinrich (7), who is following in dad’s footsteps, having enrolled in grade 1 at Kuswag this year, and Ewan (4).
He has been a member of Toti AC since 1997.
“It’s important for me to get my training in, but I like to involve my family. Heinrich has started doing cross-country in school now.
I believe in being consistent and conservative in my running. Now that I’m in my 30s injuries are a worry. I have to concentrate on my core and stretching.
I was not a serious runner at school. I only started competing competively in 1997.”
In 2000 Ewoud won the Scottburgh to Brighton canoe race in 3.19, where runners race 50km along the beach against paddlers. “I finished two or three minutes behind Hank McGregor, who was the first paddler home, so that was satisfying.”
He repeated his win the following year.
He won the Quicksand 25km beach run in Margate, UK in 2003 and 2004 and returned a top time of 9.08 at a 3,000m field event.
He won the 21km SAPS Striders half-marathon in Durban in a time of 76 minutes.
“I hope to improve on that at this year’s run on 13 September. My goal is a 74 or 75 minute run. But I will not overdo it, as I want to keep something in the tank for the SA marathon champs.”
Ewoud has had a number of trainers and mentors over the years, including Andre Olivier, a lifelong member of Toti AC, George Bradley and more recently JP Chelin of Westville.
He is a devout Christian, an avid reader and loves the outdoors.
“Running is my passion though and I get grumpy when I’m injured.”
At the 2011/12 SA cross-country champs he won silver with the KZN 30 to 34-year-old team.
“I hope to do well now with the KZN team at the marathon champs. I plan to run a sub 2.40, which will be a good milestone and really competitive.”
