Novaneers brave the Soweto Marathon

NOVANEERS braved the Soweto Marathon and Soweto Half Marathon on November 4 for the learners of Nova Pioneer.

These brave runners entered the race to raise funds for Kilometres 4 The Kids (K4TK). K4TK is an initiative aimed at raising funds to support Novaneer learners to take their innovations into the real world, as well as setting up a scholarship fund to enable talented learners who could otherwise not afford to attend Nova Pioneer.

Maryam Ebrahim, Inge Wulff and Asmaa Khan, from Nova Pioneer Ormonde, participated in the recent Old Mutual Soweto Marathon, they relate their experiences:

Maryam Ebrahim:

As the race started for the 42km, we were all together. Everyone carried on at their pace and soon there was just two of us.

Chantell and I kept shouting out for each other until I couldn’t hear her anymore. I tried to look back, but the sun was too bright to see. I continued for another 13km when finally God answered my prayers.

Just as I took a break, Chantell passed me. I was so happy to see her, I screamed so loudly. At 15km I found my friend, my partner. We continued strong until we hit half way and maintained the pace right through to 30km.

That’s when it hit us. Legs like jelly. But we continued to bond even more along the way. There was no way I was leaving her, and she wasn’t leaving me either.

Without much strength in our bodies, we got to 38km, where the ambulance forced us to get in because “our time was up”. We were not ready to go. But we had no choice but to give up those last 4km.

They dropped us off at the stadium and we were allowed to cross the finish. First time runners in the last place. But the air was as fresh as when we started.

Inge Wulff:

My first 21.1km done. I went in thinking it was going to be like two 10km after each other and I was sorely mistaken.

The 150km of preparation I had done leading up to the race was being tested in every way. Somewhere between 14 and 18km, I started losing faith as my body started failing me (from asthma, a hip bone that felt disconnected and of course, body cramps).

I finished, not near my goal time, and not with the valance of a movie hero I had desired, but I am grateful for the lessons learned and for the opportunity to stretch my mental perseverance.

What this race taught me is that no person is an island and if I didn’t have Kilometres 4 The Kids (K4TK) and personal support team in mind I would have never made it.

Asmaa Khan:

I finally understood why they call the Soweto Marathon The People’s Race.

People all around come out of their houses to support the runners, young and old, they are all there, handing out salt, fruit, sunblock, sports gel and words of encouragement.

I was determined to complete this marathon in less than six hours and at the end, it just wasn’t looking good for me to accomplish my goal. No matter how fast and hard I ran, the stadium wasn’t coming closer.

Just outside the stadium with about 800m to go, I paused and looked down, feeling defeated.

Then this amazing soul runs past me and turns around, grabs my hands and interlinks her fingers through mine telling me that I was going to make it.

I begged her to leave me and run faster to get her medal but she continued running and ignored my pleading.

Her name is Khosi Madladla from KwaZulu-Natal. She was the answer to my prayers and the miracle I had been begging for.

This race is not only about running, but it is also about building community. My faith in humanity is restored. Without the support of all my people, I would have never reached that finish line.

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