Durban University of Technology’s (DUT’s) Yenziwe Olifant is all psyched up for the 94th Comrades Marathon and is in the best shape of her life.
The first-time Comrades runner (novice,) is a fourth year Emergency Medical Care and Rescue (BH: EMC&R) student, who is all set for the gruelling Up Run on Sunday, 9 June, 2019.
The race starts at the Durban City Hall at 05:30 am and ends 12 hours later at the Scottsville Race Course, in Pietermaritzburg, covering a distance of approximately 87km. This will be the 48th Up Run in Comrades Marathon history.
For Olifant, her love for the sport began when she started her BH: EMC&R programme in 2015 at DUT, but because the course requires every student to maintain a certain level of physical preparedness she had to start and learn to run.
“Training has been difficult since the exams are around the corner, however, running is the best thing to do when you want to feel energised. I am very nervous because we are so close to the actual date, and that is insane,” she added.
The sporty lass has also run a number of races, leading up to the Comrades, which include half marathons, marathons and ultra-marathons. “I ran the 21 Kilometre Durban City Marathon which I did my best time, the 52 Kilometre Rising Sun Chatsworth Marathon, and the 60 Kilometre Gijima. com’s (G.C) route tester which was a lovely insight to what running the Comrades Marathon is like,” she said.
Olifant added that running all the races, especially G.C’s route tester challenge was a great feeling that she cannot put in words. “It may look like suffering during the race, but at the finish, it all goes away,” she quipped.
Olifant follows a strict training plan which entails her trekking over hills, speed running, going long distance, as well as strength and core training. She started her training regime for the Comrades in August 2018, and it is her dream to finish it. “At the moment I feel like I am fitter than I have ever been, if you look good you feel good, but days are not the same, I am hoping for the best on Comrades Day,” she said.
Pictured: Yenziwe Olifant.
Waheeda Peters
