Ryan Sandes wins the 4th Desert – Antarctica!

The Nedbank Running Club would like to salute Ryan on his tremendous achievement of becoming the 1st person ever to win all 4 Deserts. www.4deserts.com  Ryan has serious GLOBAL TALENT! 
It is a remarkable accomplishment, especially given that Ryan won all four deserts on his 1st attempt and that he is competing against runners from across the globe! 
Congratulations Ryan and thank you for flying the South African flag so proudly across the planet!

Nedbank Team covers the podium in Pietermaritzburg.

The ever popular annual Greater Edendale 10km road race saw another dominant Nedbank team performance this past weekend.

Nedbank Kenyan star Daniel Yegon; the winner of the Soweto 10km last week, repeated the feat with another fine win as he broke the course record and clocked a fast 29 minutes and 28 seconds for this tough race in Maritzburg.

Yegon will be competing in South Africa for the next 3 months in the colors of Nedbank Running Club and the club is expecting great things from him on the local circuit. 

He was accompanied on the podium by team mate Sibosiso Nzima from the Nedbank running Club in Soweto in 29 minutes and 41 seconds in 2nd position.

The ladies race was won by Botswana born Nedbank Running Club’s Oneille Dintwe in 35 minutes and 15 seconds who also won the Irene ladies 10km race in 35 minutes and 58 seconds in Pretoria just 24hrs earlier.

RAC City Lodge Tough One 32 km

Jaun van Deventer have won the RAC Tough one for the last three Years, he's times is as follows

2009 - 1:43:38

2008 - 1:45:04

2007 - 1:46:17

28 November. Old Parktonian Club, Jan Smuts Avenue, Craighall - CG.
The RAC Tough One has been consistently ranked by the Runner’s World race judges as a well organised and well presented event. Over the last four years it achieved distinction as South Africa’s sixth best race overall. It was also voted the best race in the non-standard category.

Without fail, this event achieves a high level of organisation, from an orderly start venue to well-appointed watering tables and a finish with the vibe of a big race. It is a good way to round off a year of running. By tradition the Nedbank Runners’ Guide is launched at this race and this year will be no exception. Contact Vreni Welch on 011-4428256 for details.

R60 000 REASONS TO SMILE

Johannesburg, South Africa – Nedbank Running Club Johannesburg’s Irvette van Blerk had 60 000 reasons to celebrate on Wednesday, when she pocketed a cheque for R60 000 after finishing at the top of the SPAR Women’s 10km Challenge Grand Prix ladder.

Top athletes competing in the five Challenge races, run in Port Elizabeth, Cape Town, Pretoria, Durban and Johannesburg, had the opportunity to score Grand Prix points, with the top runner receiving prize money of R60 000. There are cash prizes for the top 20 runners.

Van Blerk, who won the Pretoria, Durban and Johannesburg races, after finishing second in Port Elizabeth and eighth in Cape Town, collected a total of 112 points – 20 ahead of her nearest rival, club mate Rene Kalmer; Nedbank Brand Ambassador for road Running, who wins R30 000.

“The Grand Prix is a really good idea,” enthused Van Blerk.  “It really makes it worthwhile to run in all the Challenge races.” “It makes the Challenge races more competitive, because you know the best are going to be there.”

Twenty-three-year-old Van Blerk said the money would help her as she prepares for another important year in athletics. “I’m planning to go for the marathon next year,” she said.  “I want to go to the world championships and also to the Olympic Games in London in 2012, and I think the marathon is the way to go.  I know I’m young, but I’m very excited about tackling a new distance.”

Kalmer, who has won the Grand Prix twice in the four years of its existence, won the first two Challenge races, but was hampered by illness later in the season.

Zintle Xiniwe (NRC Western Province) was third, with 79 points, followed by Thozama April (64) and Nandipha Dywili (60).

Dywili, who received R9 000 for coming fifth, pocketed an additional R3 000 for winning the junior category.  Tessa Burrell won the veterans category, Olga Howard finished top in the master’s category, and the evergreen Sonja Laxton triumphed in the grand masters section.

Nedbank CGA, which boasts Van Blerk and Kalmer, as well as two other top ten runners, Mpho Mabuza and Christine Kalmer, was the top club, with 376 points. Boxer was second with 136 points, and Nedbank GN third with 113.

Irvette – SPAR Grand Prix winner Irvette Van Blerk smiling her 60 000 reasons to smile at the SPAR Grand Prix Awards, held at Buitengeluk, Broadacres SUPERSPAR on 17 November 2010.

Grandprix- Smiles all round at the SPAR Grand Prix Awards, as Club Winner Nedbank CGA representative, and Irvette Van Blerk hold up their trophies. From left – Nick Bester (National Manager of the Nedbank Running Club); Geraldine Pillay (Board Member of Athletics South Africa); Irvette Van Blerk (Winner of the SPAR Grand Prix), and Mike Prentice (Group Marketing Executive of the SPAR Group Ltd.). 

Dear Comrades Runner

It's not just Comrades runners who are doing the running, but time as well! That's something anyone and everyone can attest to! So it comes as no surprise that the penultimate month of this iconic year has just about flown right past us. This month you will see the window period for 2011 Comrades Marathon entries close and we hope that all aspirant Comrades runners would have submitted their entry by 30 November 2010. Thanks to each one of you, for making The Ultimate Human Race, the glory that it is today!

Entries to 2011 Comrades Marathon

As many Comrades enthusiasts know, entries to the 2011 race formally opened on the 1st September and close on 30th November 2010. The total number of entries received to-date is 15,461. The race is an 'Up-Run' from Durban to Pietermaritzburg on Sunday, 29 May 2011. Entries for next years Ultimate Human Race has been capped at 18,000. We urge all runners to enter before closing date to avoid disappointment.

NO LATE ENTRIES WILL BE ACCEPTED.
NO ENTRIES WILL BE TAKEN IN 2011.
NO SUBSTITUTION WILL BE ALLOWED.

Race 4 Charity

'Get into Giving!' – The AmaBeadiBeadi Charity Campaign gives individuals the opportunity to not just make a difference, but to unite people of all backgrounds to get involved and race for charity collectively, in order to effect a greater positive change in the rainbow nation. All AmaBeadiBeadi charities namely: Community Chest, Pink Drive, The Sports Trust, Starfish Greathearts Foundation and Wildlands Conservation Trust will benefit via this exciting campaign. So, if you've ever yearned to do something for the environment or to make a difference in the lives of the less fortunate, then the Comrades Race 4 Charity is for you, as its sole purpose is to facilitate the process of raising money for a good cause.

Here's how it works: the CMA has allocated 1,000 entries for runners who need to raise R5,000; for example by getting 100 friends, family and colleagues to sponsor them R50 to run the Comrades Marathon. This will ensure that they get to start in their own special seeding batch ("CC" - Comrades Charity batch) near the front of the field on race day. So if you're a 'back of the pack' runner, this is your chance to get in that special seeding batch.

Go to the Comrades website www.comrades.com and follow the AmaBeadiBeadi Race 4 Charity link. Runners are able to sign up, whilst family, friends and supporters can donate and leave messages of motivation. Runners get to choose which of the five AmaBeadiBeadi charities they would like to support. The campaign takes on an added air of excitement as prizes are up for grabs for those who have raised the most funds.

All Race 4 Charity runners will also receive an exclusive goodie bag which they can collect at the Charity stand during Registration. The entry process is also a simple one. Runners need to enter the Comrades 2011 by November 30th but will have until 6th May 2011 to sign up and raise funds. Please note that normal race rules still apply for entries and there are no refunds, should a runner fail to qualify or raise the minimum amount.

If you have entered the 2011 Comrades Marathon we urge you to visit www.comrades.com and follow the AmaBeadiBeadi Race 4 Charity link to be a part of this amazing initiative..

Calling on all 2010 Comrades Novices

2010 Comrades novice finishers wishing to add another medal to their collection, have been encouraged to enter the Rainbow Nation's 86th Comrades Marathon next year. Up for grabs to the select group of 2010 novice athletes who completed The Ultimate Human Race, is the coveted 'Back-to-Back' medal. They will receive this in addition to their normal Comrades finish medal, be it Gold, Wally Hayward, Silver, Bill Rowan, Bronze or the Vic Clapham.

A sure sign of conquering the world's biggest ultra-marathon twice, the 'Back-to-Back Medal' was introduced in 2005 and has been awarded to Comrades Marathon runners who complete both the 'Up-run' and 'Down-run' in succession. Since then, the medal has become a somewhat revered and respected recognition for novice runners of The Ultimate Human Race.

'If you want to win something, run 100 meters. If you want to experience something, run a marathon.'

Yours in running,
Comrades Marathon Association

Tel: +27(0)33 897 8650
Fax: +27(0)33 897 8660
info@comrades.com
www.comrades.com