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Brought to you by: www.nedbankrunningclub.co.za

13 March 2024

Om die Dam 50km

Nedbank running club Comrades stars in action at Om die Dam 50km.

Saturday 16 March 2024 sees the annual Trojan Om die Dam 50km return to the Hartbeespoort Dam and as one of the big ultra marathons on the South African distance running calendar, a host of Nedbank running club green dream team athletes will be out in action, with some racing and others using the iconic event as prep towards the Comrades Marathon.

The Rustenburg Nedbank champions as they have commonly now ben referred to will have a big squad assembled on race day but will be taking the event as training towards the big C on the 9th of June. Comrades’ champions Edward Mothibi and Tete Dijana spearhead the team, together with fellow teammates and Comrades gold medallists Dan Matshailwe, Joseph Manyedi and Johannes Makgetla with fellow female athletes Galaletsang Mekgoe and Slindile Chili joining them.

Manyedi who is a former winner of Om die Dam will also be training but Nedbank running club teammates Charles Soza, Pfarelo Mathada and Sithembele Fanekho will be looking for honours up front in the men’s race. In the women’s race, former winner, and Comrades 2023 runner up, Adele Broodryk will also be looking to retain her title which she won last year whilst also in prep for another Comrades attempt.
Coach Dave Adams who has guided both Dijana and Mothibi to victories over the last 3 Comrades Marathon’s is

looking forward to Saturday’s race in which he says is vital for his athletes’ preparations for the big day in June. “I gave the team a very long break after a busy 2023 and we only started up again in January so as we move towards mid-March, we are starting to go longer and Om die Dam is perfect prep for us,” said Adams.

Adding two new runners to his Comrades squad this year in the form of Chili and Reuben Mosiane who will also be taking it easy on Saturday, Adams has mastered the art of preparing for Comrades and the results over the last three editions is testimony to that.

“If you want to achieve success you must believe that you can and then you must have a well-constructed plan, on how you are going to achieve that success,” says Adams.

“We make sure we spread our Nedbank Elite Green Dream Team across South Africa to compete and concentrate on the main races so that they don’t overtrain or get over raced for the Comrades marathon in June 2024.The team is leaving for a high altitude training camp early May” said Nick Bester-National Nedbank Running Club Manager.

Nedbank Running Club Bavaria Malt Refreshment and social drinks station and hospitality site at Om die Dam Marathon Saturday 16 March 2024

Nedbank Running Club National will host all Nedbank Running Club athletes this year again at Om die Dam Marathon on Saturday 16 March 2024.

We will be setting up our gazebos with our sponsors’ branding just after the finish and will be there from Friday 15 March at 15H00.

You are welcome to join us Friday evening to sleep under the gazebos with Jacque and enjoy some breakfast before you run as well. Leave your bag and car keys before your run and come and enjoy a cup of coffee. Once you finished your run, join us for, a Bavaria, a hot dog, coke, Thirsti Water and some spoils from Biogen and Futurelife.

Hope to see you all there and good luck with your Marathon.

2023 OM DIE DAM HOSPITALITY SITE

Race Results and Stories

LAKE FARM CENTRE CHARITY RUN

Lake Farm Centre celebrated the 29th edition of their annual Charity Run fundraiser in perfect weather conditions on Saturday, 9 March. Proudly sponsored by Bukani Print, Pam Golding Properties, Investec, and Kingfisher FM.

Race Organisers, Nedbank Running Club, and Lake Farm Centre were happy with the support of the event, which doubled from last year with nearly 900 runners enjoying the three road distances, 5km, 10km and 25km on Saturday.

“We are thrilled with the response this year, and would like to thank all the runners, suppliers and sponsors who made this fundraiser possible,” said Lake Farm Centre General Manager, Amelia Laubscher.
“This year Lake Farm Centre dedicated the 25km Endurance Challenge to honour Ralph Kordes, local former world class athlete who is now coping with dementia.
“Rolf Kordes, an esteemed Duathlon athlete, Ironman, Comrades and Two Oceans athlete, used this Lake Farm 25km route for most of his training runs.
“Rolf, now 83, was at the Lake Farm Charity Runs to start the races and we are confident that this event will grow in support next year,” added Laubscher.

Runners, and their friends and families, enjoyed Lake Farm Centre’s famous Coffee Shop’s bakery and frozen foods, including scones & cream, Mastertons Coffee, pancakes and boerewors rolls.

The Saturday events were rounded up by Gareth Burley, with a prize giving and lucky draw.

Well known local top athlete, Melikhaya Frans, of Ikhamva athletics club, won the 25km in an excellent time of 1.26.55, closely followed by training partner, Thabang Mosiako, of Nedbank running club, in 1.27.03. Ross Barnard of Hollywood Bets, finished in third position in 1.29.34.

Kayla Nell, of Charlo athletics club, who won the 10km last year, won the 25km with a comfortable lead in 1.49.31. Theresa Buchner, of 32Gi athletics club, finished second in 2.06.01, with Sitha Sigenu, of Vukani running club, in third position in a time of 2.08.24.

Andile Motwana of Nedbank running club won the 10km run on Saturday, in a time of 0.32.18. He was followed by team-mate, Sibahle Maqwara, in second position, in 0.33.13, with Mzwanele Maphekula, of Ikhamva athletics club, finishing third in 0.34.54.

Leigh Callaghan of Achilles AAA, finished first in a strong time of 0.41.01, Refiloe Solomons, of Nedbank running club, was in second position in 43.27, followed by Inge Williams in third position in a time of 44.37.

Johnye Pullen was the first male to finish the 5km and Kylie Dorfling was the first female runner to finish the 5km.

This year the Lake Farm Centre celebrates 64 years of providing a loving home and work place for intellectually challenged residents from the Eastern Cape. The goal of the Charity Run is to raise much-needed funds and create awareness for Lake Farm Centre.

Lake Farm Centre would like to thank all the visitors this past weekend for making a huge difference with their fundraising support.

See you at the Lake Farm Centre Run next year!

Looking Ahead

Enriching the Comrades Novice Experience

“The expert in anything was once a beginner.”
Phobians Athletics Club will host the first of four Comrades Novice Seminars in Gauteng North this Thursday, 14 March 2024 at 19h00. With 88 days to go to the 49th Comrades Marathon Up Run, the Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) is putting Runners First, with an extra special focus on the Comrades novice athlete.

Thursday’s session kicks off at the Phobians Clubhouse, 378 Queens Crescent, Lynnwood, Pretoria and is designed for the first time Comrades Marathon runner.

Pertinent training information and advice from the Comrades Coach, Lindsey Parry and a dietitian will be shared, including injury prevention, training, running shoes, tapering and race day strategies.

The dietitian will cover runners’ nutrition, including meal ideas for optimum nutrition before, during and after training as well as race day sustenance.

Registered Dietitian, Nicki de Villiers works with athletes and guides them to optimum nutrition to train well and achieve their running goals. Nicki has been working in the field of dietetics for more than 20 years and has been concentrating on sports nutrition for the last 18 years.

Official Comrades Coach, Lindsey Parry will share pertinent information about training, including recovery; reasons for failure and how to prevent them. Parry’s advice to novices is: “As a novice, your main priority should be to arrive at the start line of Comrades, injury free and healthy. A few less miles in the bank and fresh legs will serve you far better than lining up with problems before the gun goes."

The Comrades Novice Seminars will also include short motivational talks by local running legends as part of the Comrades’ Local Legends campaign for 2024. The line-up includes:

•   Pretoria: Nick Bester – 1991 Comrades Marathon winner
•   Johannesburg: Bruce Fordyce – Nine-time Comrades Marathon winner
•   Cape Town: Vladimir Kotov – 2000, 2002 and 2004 Comrades Marathon winner
•   Durban: Blanche Moila – 18 Comrades Marathon finishes

These seminars are interactive and highly informative. Entry is free and bookings are not necessary.
No Doubt - Nakanjani

Comrades renews and upscales Thirsti Water partnership

The Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) is proud to announce the four-year renewal of its Official Hydration Partner and now Tier One sponsor of the world's biggest, oldest and most famous ultramarathon.

In addition to other traditional refreshments, runners will be supplied with Thirsti Natural Spring Water at refreshment stations all along the Comrades route. Focused on delivering the highest quality water that nature can provide, Thirsti will make available two million Thirsti water sachets for #Comrades2024.

Besides the delivery of water from start to finish, Thirsti will enjoy a range of exciting activations at the upcoming race, from the emotionally charged start line, along the 88km route, all the way to the sought-after Comrades finish line.
Over and above the endless flow of natural spring water, Thirsti will also supply Comrades runners with 600-thousand sachets of its electrolyte-fuelled range of sports drink. Superior in composition, this scientifically formulated hydration drink is high in electrolytes and vitamin B providing runners with the ideal energy source required to fuel prolonged activity.

Outside of the 47 on-route refreshment stations, Thirsti will also sponsor the newly introduced Elite Athlete Water Stations, the revived Comrades Winners Circle and the highly prized Comrades race numbers.
Thirsti will continue to contribute a remarkable amount of logistical support to the Comrades Marathon in the form of warehousing and delivery of its sponsored water; and the direct distribution of water and Thirsti+ to all on-route refreshment stations, thus enabling the Comrades Marathon Association to ensure that all runners have adequate hydration available and that no refreshment stations run dry on race day.

As part of Thirsti’s generous agreement, an extra 52,000 bottles of their spring water will be made available to all participants. Each runner will receive a bottle of Thirsti product in their goodie bag and another at the finish.

CMA Chairperson, Mqondisi Ngcobo says, “As a proudly South African and KwaZulu-Natal event, the Comrades Marathon Association is immensely proud to renew this prized partnership with Thirsti as our official hydration partner and to introduce them as a new tier one sponsor. Thirsti has established a formidable national footprint in the bottled water market and has already injected a new level of excitement and passion into the planning and execution of this year’s Comrades refreshment stations.”

Ngcobo adds, “It is heartening to know that by partnering with a company that shares our values, not only will our runners enjoy the benefits of pure spring water but we will lessen our impact on the environment and ultimately benefit our own local economy and communities.”

Rob Hoatson, Managing Director of Thirsti says, “We have found significant value in being the hydration partner to the Comrades Marathon since 2019 and are thrilled to amplify our partnership with such valuable real estate leading up to the 100th race. As a KwaZulu-Natal based business, the Comrades Marathon has always been close to our heart, and it gives us immense pride to be part of the story in this historical event.”

Adds Hoatson, “We firmly believe that come race day, we’ve done our best to ensure the runners remain both hydrated and re-hydrated for The Ultimate Human Race. It is our honour to partner with this race and hydrate all participants. Naturally, we wish all runners well on this year’s Up Run on Sunday, 9 June 2024.”

CMA Race & Operations Manager, Ann Ashworth says, “The Comrades Marathon Association is proud of its six-year partnership with Thirsti. This year is special as Thirsti remains not just the official hydration partner to The Ultimate Human Race but also moves on up to tier one status, a very real show of commitment to the Comrades Marathon and the future of road-running in our country.”

With the brands main activation point coming in at Polly Shortts, approximately 80km into this year’s 49th Up Run, Thirsti’s Head of Marketing Michelle Lillico says that the brand is honoured to be a partner to The Ultimate Human Race.

Lillico says, “We’re a brand that admires those with a thirst for life, and are proud to show our respect, support and encouragement to the athletes by supplying them with their most valuable race day refreshments. In addition, we’re planning an exceptional Polly Shortts activation point that we hope will uplift and energise the athletes to complete this year’s 97th running of the most loved ultramarathon.”

The Comrades Marathon takes place on Sunday, 9 June 2024 starting at the Durban City Hall at 05h30 and finishing at the HollywoodBets Scottsvillle Racecourse at 17h30. This will be the 49th Up Run, covering a distance of nearly 88km.

Partners