Nedbank Runners' Guide Summer Race Dates 2012
Nedbank Runners' Guide is pleased to announce that it has teamed up with the Pink Drive and the Sports Trust to help promote the Rise to the Challenge Campaign and help set a Guinness World Record. A great way to train for Comrades and raise money for a good cause. Included is also the first ever mental training for Comrades by Lindsey Parry of the High Performance Centre at Pretoria University. Look out for the famous Summer Race Dates 2012 in goodie bags at the following races:

Nedbank Runners' Guide 2012
Have you got your copy of the Nedbank Runners' Guide 2012? Once again all the road races are there and the Off-Road races have been found, researched and detailed - a little something for everyone!

Look out for books at Sportsmans Warehouse, Exclusive Books, the Sweat Shop, CNA, Estoril Books and online at Kalahari.net.

Bonitas Cyclists' Guide 2012
The Bonitas Cyclists' Guide to Road and Mountain BikeRaces in South Africa is available at local sport and book shops - we are waiting for the kalahari link and will let you know as soon as we have it!.

Nedbank team get ‘Craned’ away
At the first major Gauteng marathon event of the year, the Nedbank Running Club dominated two separate podiums.

The Nedbank Green Dream team women made a clean sweep of the podium at the 21.1 kilometre at the annual Johnson Crane half marathon, while the full men’s marathon saw their Green Dream Team counterparts cover the top 3 steps.

The 21.1 kilometre women’s event was won by René Kalmer; Nedbank Running Brand Ambassador, in a new course record of 01:15:24 followed by Irvette Van Blerk in second and Christine Kalmer in third. All three are from the Nedbank Running Club Central Gauteng.

Van Blerk also won the 10 kilometre race in 34:54 at the George Claassen in Pretoria the previous day.

‘Spider Man’ Elias Mabane from the Nedbank Running Club Gauteng North won the full marathon in a fast 02:23:46 with Nedbank team mates Eliya Mogoboya and Wesley Ruto short on his heels in second and third positions respectively.
Future running star Simone Weitsz (Nedbank Jhb) scored another fine win in the junior 5 kilometre event.

Join a club near you and become a part of the Nedbank road running family. To find out more, visit www.nedbankrunningclub.co.za or call (012) 541-0577. (Photo:  Irvette, Rene and Christine with podium flowers.)

ProNutro AfricanX Trail Run presented by New Balance - 3 Day - 16 March 2012. Kleinmond  - WC.
“Let Nature Give You A Run For Your Money”
Calling all Trail Running enthusiasts, South Africa’s most exciting three day stage trail run, the ProNutro AfricanX Trailrun presented by New Balance returns to Kleinmond the weekend of 16 – 18 March 2012.

Teamwork forms an essential part of the ProNutro AfricanX Trailrun, as participants will have to rely on each other’s experience and expertise in order to complete the route.  Teams of two (male/female/mixed) will be seen battling it out on a route varying in distance between 25-35km each day.  The three routes have been planned in such a way that the runners have the opportunity to tackle a different breathtaking scenic route each day, allowing them to enjoy the full diversity of the world-renowned Kogelberg Biosphere.  This awe-inspiring trail run stage race will follow a cloverleaf format, which means that runners will finish in Kleinmond on each of the three days.  Their accommodation, meals and entertainment will remain in the same place for the duration of the race. 

FORMAT:                  Three-day stage race / teams of two (male/female/mixed)
VENUE:                     Starting & ending in and around Kleinmond each day
DISTANCE:                Day 1:     approximately 35km 
                                 Day 2:     approximately 35km 
                                 Day 3:     approximately 25km

The race village in Kleinmond will be a hive of activity with entertainment throughout the day, which makes the event ideally suited as a family breakaway.  Family and friends will also be able to support the athletes at various vantage points along the route.

Pre-entries are available at www.stillwatersports.com and close on 29 February 2012 or when the entry limit is reached. Teams consist of two runners per team and the limit is 300 teams. There are no individual entries. For more information contact Nicola Collins on 021-8832413 or visit www.stillwatersports.com.

Moffat Optical Ronnie Davel 16 km Run
Zola Budd Pieterse and Shaun Meiklejohn took part in the Moffatt Optical Ronnie Davel 16 km run hosted by the Hilton Harriers. Shaun finished in a great time of 01:06:14, winning the 50-59 category. Zola finished in a time of 01:09:50 as an overall winner as well as the winner in the 40-49 age category. Well done to everyone who took part! (Thanks to the organisers for the write up and the photo)

NSRI 10km Beach Run - SWD
The 11th running of this popular event, which took place on 2 January 2012, was again sponsored by Tekkietown and New Balance.  Presented as an off-road event, this only added to the festival holiday atmosphere.  Some brave participants ran barefoot and some “topless” guys were also evident in the 358 starters. The run is done along the beach at low tide and is started with the firing of a 1 000 ft flare.  Participants predict their finish times upon registration – then run without watches, cell phones, sun dials or other forms of time keeping device.  Running shoes, courtesy of Tekkietown and New Balance are then awarded to those that know all about “pacing”.  The pacing champs for 2012 then were Monty Mongomery with an 2sec margin of error while the queen of pace was Aneen Kock with a 10sec differential!

Gross proceeds of this event all goes towards the running of the local NSRI Station 15 in Mossel Bay. (Thanks to the organisers for the write up and the photo)

Swift Engineering Ou Jaarsdraffie – SWD.
The 10 km run took place in ideal weather conditions on New Year’s Eve.  The race was well supported by holiday makers in the Mossel Bay area and the 724 runners all added to the festive atmosphere of the event on a fast and relatively flat route.  Julius Korkee was the first to cross the finish line in 00:32:50 while Danica Dannhauser finished in a time of 00:38:37. Everyone enjoyed the event so much that the organisers, Hartenbos Drawwers, have been asked to make sure that the event becomes a regular feature on the calendar.  Everyone loved their unique multipurpose medals that went to all finishers and the category winners received T-shirts and generous prize money courtesy the sponsor, Swift Engineering.

Total Moordkuil 15km - SWD
The fourth running of the Total Moordkuil 15 km run, hosted by Hartenbos Drawwers, took place on 21 December 2011.   Run in ideal weather conditions a record number of participants took part in this evening run which saw records tumble. The run continues to grow in popularity whilst the picturesque surroundings and festive waterpoints all add to the events atmosphere with the event being sponsored by Total Great Brak River.  This year also saw the men’s winner Elroy Gelant, improve on his 2009 record time by 00:01:14, winning in a time of 00:51:43.  The ladies winner, well known national athlete Poppy Mlambo, improved the ladies record set in 2008 by 00:04:48! She won in a time of 01:03:26.   This demanding route attracts visiting holiday makers from far and wide and is set to top 500 participants in the near future. (Thanks to the organisers for the write up and the photo)

"In any contest between power and patience, bet on patience." W.B. Prescott

See you on the road

Tom Cottrell
& The Guide Book Publications Team

Fortnightly Race Dates

OR = Off-Road

01 February 2012

04 February 2012

05 February 2012

08 February 2012

10 February 2012

11 February 2012

12 February 2012

13 February 2012

14 February 2012

15 February 2012