Reflections about Training for a Marathon

The Two Oceans Marathon is one of the biggest races in South Africa (second to the Comrades Marathon). On our way back from Cape Town in April, Michelle and I met someone who ran the Two Oceans. We were waiting for our taxi to fill at a taxi rank in Durban when a man walked up wearing running shoes, running shorts, and a technical Tee; none of which are normal attire for men in our village. Out of curiosity, I asked the man if he had run the Two Oceans Marathon. He excitedly answered that he had, and thus began our multi-hour conversation about running while we rode the taxi back to our village.

My conversation with the runner, as well as observations I made while I trained to run the Victoria Falls Marathon, got me thinking about what it takes to train for a marathon in rural South Africa compared to in the US.

Context
Running seems to occur in two forms in my village: children playing together or boys/men playing soccer. It’s rare to see woman play soccer. It’s even rarer to see villagers running for the sake of running.

The Soccer Team at Joe's School

The Runner I met on the taxi while going back to my village was an exception. Seeing as how I hadn’t observed other villagers running just to run, I was curious to see why he ran. What ended up being more interesting was what it took for him to be able to run and compete in races.

Race Registration
I have heard many people say that running is a cheap sport, which can be true if one doesn’t participate in any races. However, if one does strive to complete and, even further, compete like the Runner I met, money becomes a factor. For example, in the US, race registration can range from $15 for a local 5k to over $150 for a marathon (not including travel and accommodations if one travels for a race). In South Africa, races vary in price as well. In addition to paying for race registration, runners need to maintain a running license to compete in races and, in some cases, belong to a registered running club.

Joe Taught His Learners (Both Girls and Boys!) How to Play Ultimate Frisbee

Equipment
Further, there’s running equipment: shoes, socks, shorts, pants, short-sleeve technical Tees, long-sleeve technical Tees, beanie, gloves, stopwatch (or satellite watch), etc. While it isn’t necessary to run with most of these items, it becomes harder to compete on a national level with other runners when one doesn’t use them. These items are widely available throughout the US. Virtually all major US cities, and many towns for that matter, have whole stores dedicated to running. Since arriving in South Africa, I have only seen one running store and it was in Pretoria, several hours from my village. There are a few chains that specialize in sports that carry running gear; however, the selection is limited. I also recognize that I’m still getting to know the country, so there may be stores I haven’t yet discovered. The point here is that my village does NOT have a running store, so the Runner has to travel at least a few hours (by taxi) to get to one.

Nutrition
Then there’s nutrition. US stores carry a variety of foods that are used by runners. And not just running stores. Grocery stores and department stores carry running food. In my village, I found sports drinks (most of which contain too much sugar in my opinion) or Energade jellies. With an absence of easy-to-go foods, one has to be cleverer about how to refuel during a run.

Many Families Grow Mealies (i.e. Corn) to Supplement Their Nutrition

Running gels and bars aside, a well-balanced, nutritious diet requires access to protein, healthy fats, fruits, vegetables, and carbohydrates. This was an important issue for the Runner because he highlighted that it’s common to see villagers eating pap (a food most akin to grits) and chicken with gravy. While the chicken is a good source of protein, pap is mostly eaten as a filler because it’s cheap. Given that the unemployment rate in my village hovers at about 50%, a lot of people eat pap.

Donations
While I was talking with the Runner, I learned that he was “sponsored” by people in my shopping town. In addition to using a portion of his income, he also went to local businesses and the hospital to ask for donations. The Runner was humbled by people’s generosity because he said he wouldn’t be able to run without their help. Leading up to a race, he goes door-to-door asking for donations, which he uses to pay for the items I mentioned above – race registration, equipment, and food – as well as travel and accommodations. When he returns from the race, he makes it a point to visit everyone who donated; no matter the amount. The Runner shows them his race bib, photos that were taken during the race, and any medals he earned.

Catching the Last of the Sunlight after an Early Evening Run

The Payoff
The Runner is sort of like a local hero. The people in my shopping town and the surrounding villages take pride in what he has done and how he represents our area. Not only does he represent the area, he represents it well. As the taxi pulled away from the rank, the Runner was pleased to show me the medal he was awarded for finishing within the top 100 of the race where thousands of people compete. Not too shabby for a guy from the village.