Welcome

A warm welcome to all our members. We hope that you are still on track with your training schedule as Comrades 2018 is just around the corner.

We invite you to take part in all our activities and to make yourself available when our club host events and at our club tent at other events in our province.

New members

Quite a few new members joined our club in the last three weeks. As a member of our club you are so welcome, and we invite you to take part in all the activities that the club offers.

ASA Race numbers

For those who have not yet collect your race numbers, the ASA race numbers are available and can be collected on Tuesdays at the club house from 17:00 till 18:00. You must wear the new 2018 race numbers at all races.

With your race number and registration for 2018 you will also receive an iron-on logo and instructions how to attach the new logo to you running vest. Please follow the instructions to ensure that you do it correctly. Remember that you may only wear approved running gear when take part in any official event.

Time trials

This is the place to be on a Tuesday afternoon at 17:30 (17:15 during winter) at the club house. This is where you get all information regarding events and other issues and you can meet other members (running and non-running) and where you can compete against yourself as we record you time. The results are also published on our national web site at http://www.nedbankrunningclub.co.za/

Click on Events, Time Trial Results and choose the Nedbank Running Club Vanderbijlpark Logo. There you will see all the results. Click on the event that you want, and it will be downloaded where you can open it in Excel.

Sasol Marathon and Vaal Marathon

We would like to thank all members who staffed our club tent during these two races. You did a stunning job and our members and members from other Nedbank running clubs really appreciated your friendly service.

Valentine Night Race

Our Valentines Night Race was quite something this year. Just when all was set, heavy rains poured down and the start was delayed for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes it was delayed for another 15 minutes because of heavy thunder and lightning and more rain. The route was inspected, and the race referee decided that the race could start but the 15km race was cancelled. In spite of the flooded roads athletes still enjoyed the wet conditions

The bad news is that the race might not be presented as a night race in future because the local government does not come to the party to fill the many pot holes and to fix the many street lights that are not working.

Upcoming events

The first five 5km “Froggy” serie is in full swing. In the first event more that 900 athletes participated. The next two events were also well attended. Get more information during time trials at the club house. Fliers for these events are available in the club house.

Functions

Our pre-Comrades function is scheduled on 25 May 2018. Please book this date and be there! This is always a great opportunity to meet all the brave Comrades members of our club.

Club Management

Our steering committee is as follows:

Chairperson: Pierre Pretorius

Vice chairperson: Leon Boshoff

Secretary: Salome Naude

Road running: Joggie vd Sandt

Cross country: Beaulah Valentin

Masters Track & Field: Braam Botes

Track & Field: Tracey Olivier

Additional member: Gerda Pretorius

Newsletter: Dawid Jordaan

Treasurer: Johan Strydom

Cycling/Mountain bike/Multisport: Salome Naude

Photos

We request you to please take photos of all the events (running and social) that you visit. We would like to post it on our web page and mention it in our newsletter. Please sent all photos and any other news information to me at jordaan.dawid@gmail.com.

100 Miles and More For CANSA

Jennifer Scharpe-Scott

I am a volunteer for CANSA Vaal Triangle for the past 3 years.

“Due to personal problems/circumstances in July 2017 I was feeling useless, worth nothing to the world, worth nothing to anybody and especially I felt worth nothing to the person I love the most in this world, it is difficult to explain how one feels when you are broken inside. Feeling sorry for myself I was walking with my head down, “snot en trane”, I bumped into a local farmer.

He said to me: “Hello Jennifer, hoe gaan dit? Wanneer ek verby jou ry en jy hardloop op die pad, ek waai nie vir jou nie, ek salueer jou, want jy hardloop.” And there he saluted me. I actually looked behind me to make sure he was not talking to somebody else, because I am worth nothing to anybody, and here this man salutes me!!!!!!! When I walked away and I thought about what this man had said to me I felt as if I could RUN 100 MILES!!!

About 2 weeks after these words were said to me I told my friend Lelani from CANSA Vaal Triangle what this man had said to me and I mentioned to her that I felt as if I could run 100 miles. And a day later Lelani phoned me and said that if I want to run 100 miles, CANSA Vaal Triangle will help me, without thinking I said YES, and the rest is History.

Nedbank Running Club, this is where I need your help, I want to raise funds for CANSA Vaal Triangle by running 100 miles FOR CANSA to help those who cannot run because of this disease, but cancer can be treated. The route I would like to take will take 3 days to run 106 miles:The Route which I chose is as follows:

Oranjeville to Frankfort = 54km, from

Frankfort to Reitz = 65km and then from

Reitz to Bethlehem = 52km, this is 171km = 106miles.

I would like to run this in March 2018 while the days are still long and not too hot and not too cold. Please can someone from Nedbank assist with my training/ guides and help me, and or would anyone like to join me in running the 106 miles for CANSA, and or would you like to involve every Nedbank Running Club in South Africa

I will then run the Sasol Marathon and the Cape Gate Marathons in 2018 as Comrades qualifiers and as training runs for the 106 miles.

I will run, walk and crawl if I have to from Oranjeville to Bethlehem for CANSA, I will do it. Who would like to join me??

If there is anybody who wants to join Jennifer (run or organise) please contact me: jordaan.dawid@gmail.com and I will forward your information to Jennifer