Page 6 - Kyalami Estates Issue 3 Aug 2024

Kyalami Estates Corporate Brand Bible Design 26
3.0 Folder (Inner)
ESTATE NEWS ESTATE NEWS
ESTATE NEWS
RUNNING IN KYALAMI ESTATES

he Kyalami Running Club was estab- due to being unwell, completed the Comrades
lished by Gillian Keartland in 2011 to marathon! We are proud of all of them, but espe-
encourage residents, especially young- cially three, for whom being at the start line on
Tsters living in the estate, to get involved Sunday 9 June 2024, was doubtful.
in running and build friendships. Thirteen years
ago, members of the club would get together Robin had a groin injury but was desperate to
for a social run starting at the Kyalami Estates run his 8th Comrades this year and simply did
clubhouse on Wednesday evenings, and for an not take ‘no’ for an answer. He reduced his daily
informal run on Saturday mornings. This practice training distances, hoping for a recovery, but this
continues to this day. never happened. To our surprise, he strapped
up his injury and finished the race in under ten
This article looks at the remarkable stories of the hours! Such is the makeup of the runners in the
triumphs of our runners, and the will that drives Kyalami Running Club!
them to cross the finish line of the races they
choose to run. The stories echo the heart and soul Andrew was diagnosed with a stress fracture of
of running, where every step taken is a testament the tibia five weeks before the event. Following a
to perseverance, hope and dreams. Our wish is for follow-up consultation with his sports physician
other residents on the estate to experience this less than a week before the event, he decided to
and to join us on a Wednesday evening, irrespec- dispose of his moon boot and finished the race
tive of whether you have run before and no matter with eight minutes to spare! There is nothing like
Leonard what your running goals are. Runners’ abilities a runner who keeps you on the edge of your seat
range from those who run ultra marathons to right to the very end.
those who do park runs. All goals are embraced,
and all residents are welcome! We are especially proud of Emma, who was diag-
nosed with breast cancer in April 2021. She has
Some of our ultra marathoners recently ran the overcome unbelievable challenges of chemothera-
Comrades marathon. This race, stretching almost py, radiation and surgery in her journey back to run-
90 kilometers between Durban and Pietermaritz- ning, only 18 months before the 2024 Comrades
burg, is not just a test of physical strength but marathon. It’s not easy for a runner to return to
also resilience, community and the the sport after a long break but Emma did
human spirit. It challenges you to con- it, finishing in under ten hours! She says
front your limits, embrace the journey that walking and running got her through
and inspire others. the dark days of her treatment and that
exercise is medicine.
Robin Each of our runners has a story to tell
about their journey before and during Another of our runners, Leonard, who had
the Comrades marathon. They are been a Kyalami Estates’ couch potato for
regular people balancing work and many years, started running when he was
family, but with a training schedule. The 50 years old. This was his sixth Comrades mara-
journey is not marked by accolades or re- thon, and he had a lifetime goal of achieving the
cords, but rather by small victories and coveted Bill Rowan medal, awarded for finishing
friendships made in shared strug- the event in under nine hours. He achieved this
gles. Each step is part of a commit- with extra training and cutting back on the late
ment to finish what they started, night snacks he so enjoys; on the day he was not
proving that their strength lies not just a contender but a warrior on a mission to get
in being great runners, but in the that medal - and he did!
courage to embrace the journey,
regardless of the outcome. Enough about our runners … What about you?
Yes, you reading this article? When was the last
Of our 13 runners, all except time you did something for the first time? When
one, who retired during the race was the last time you challenged yourself? As you
can see from this article, our runners share all
your challenges and all your excuses.
Some of our runners
who ran the Skukuza You don’t have to run the Comrades marathon
half-marathon on 3 to be called a runner, you simply need to start
Emma
August 2024 running, even if it is only a short distance. Our
runners are never going to participate in the
Olympics, none are ever going to be chosen to
represent their country or province and truthfully,
none have any real talent (although we like to
think that we do).
So, why not join us on a Wednesday evening at
the clubhouse, 17h45, for a 3, 5 or 8 km run in
the estate, followed by a beer? Alternatively, a
Saturday morning run from the Kyalami Country
Club in Beaulieu at 06h30, followed by coffee and
a chat? Although we have focused on the Com-
rades marathon, you would have gleaned from
this article that running the Comrades is not the
true goal. It’s about getting off that couch, doing
something new, forging new friendships, challeng-
ing your limits and embracing your journey!

Contact Sharon on 083 287 2513 or Leonard on 082 495 8302.

4 Kyalami Estates • CONNECT • Issue 3 • 2024