Another Successful Swartberg Half Marathon

- Brian Modra -

On Saturday, 16 May, the Zwartberg Runners hosted their second annual Swartberg Pass Half Marathon – a course of 21.1km. The event also included a 10km race, and a 5km fun-run. Over 100 runners and walkers from various parts of the Karoo and the Garden Route participated. Prince Albert was well represented in all events, with several local runners performing particularly well.

Vuyo Witbooi of Outeniqua Harriers won the Half Marathon again and improved on his time of last year. He completed the race in 01:12:37.62 and was followed just under a minute later by Principal Fana of Nedbank (George). Salman Bool of Run/Walk for Life ran in third. The first woman home was Lorraine Fieuw, followed by Zwartberg Runners’ Johanna Mokoaqo, who was placed 11th overall.

Prince Albert’s Hendry Olivier took the honours in the 10km race in a time of 00:34:30, followed by Mihan and Kerry Roos of the Knysna Marathon club, in second and third place, respectively. Sixteen-year old Joshua Swanepoel of the Zwartberg Runners did very well to finish in fourth position. Well done too to the club’s Anton Joubert and Louisa Mokoaqo who finished in ninth and tenth place, respectively.

All the results and photographs of the participants are on the Zwartberg Runners web site: http://www.zwartberg.com/runners

Participants had high praise for the smooth organisation of the race and enjoyed the beauty of their surroundings. Terry Barnato, Chairperson of the Zwartberg Runners, was grateful to the various people who had made an extra effort to make the day the success that it was. She said: “In addition to our main sponsors, Lazy Lizard, Koggelmander, the Municipality, and Bergwater, others helped too- Johan Mulder of Lewis Stores, and Prince Charm, Lah-di-dah, Prins-Kem, Die Klerekas, Karoo Slaghuis, Aardvaark Cottage, Café Albert and Spar, who all provided spot prizes for the runners. Weltevrede donated naartjies for the runners along the routes. Thanks too to Therene Fourie for entertaining us at the finish and to the Police for help with the route. There were even people from out of town who helped! A special thank you to the Club’s committee and to all the townsfolk who rallied to help in all sorts of ways on the day.”

Zwartberg Runners Update

Zwartberg Runners turn out in force in KKNK races

- Brian Modra -

Seventeen Zwartberg Runners made the starting line-up at the KKNK Half Marathon and 10km races in Oudtshoorn on Saturday, 4 April.

It was a 4am start for some who value their morning cup of tea, before hitting the road from Prince Albert. Tracey Swanepoel's Combi, and the Modras’ Chrysler were needed to "transport the troops", who met at the Lazy Lizard before slowly making their way via the Poort, avoiding any misguided kudu and on to Oudtshoorn.

Despite a small navigational hiccup, the runners made it to the Wesbank Primary School in time to register and take their positions at the start. Roughly half of the bright orange T-shirted Zwartberg Runners were in the 21km race and the other half ran the 10km race, easily identifiable among the other runners.

The official enthusiastically shouted "On your marks, 3, 2, 1" then shot a blank. They were off, the 21.1 km runners starting about 100m ahead of the 10km runners, who soon passed them all at a thunderous pace.

Joshua Swanepoel, who is normally a very fast 10km runner, woke up that morning feeling ill, so he said he would walk it, but he passed all the other Zwartberg Runners and indeed most of the whole pack, "walking it" to finish in 45 minutes, with only the more experienced and professionals in front of him!

The KKNK race was well organised and had about 200 participants, from various parts of the Garden Route and Karoo, as well as from as far away as Norway. The runners were in good spirits, talking and joking along the way, perhaps only inhibited nearer the finish where the effort of endurance began to take its toll, and extra energy was reserved for muscles rather than tongues!
The route went initially out of town on a tarred road, but soon left that in favour of dirt roads and tracks through farmland.

The backdrop of the mountains, and the green fields alongside, complimented the good company of the runners. There is a degree of personal satisfaction in running a distance race and according to Zwartberg Runners' Janet Modra, "the fun of the outing is enhanced by mixing with other runners."


Well done, Tracey!

Zwartberg Runners’ Tracey Swanepoel completed her third Two Oceans ultra-marathon earlier this month in just over six-and-a-half hours. While it was not her best time, Tracey said that the race, its organisation and atmosphere were “incredible as always and really enjoyable.”


Swartberg Pass Half Marathon on 16 May

Zwartberg Runners are on schedule for their second Swartberg Pass Half Marathon and other races to be held on Saturday, 16 May. They are expecting a field of 100 or more, an increase on last year’s entrants.

According to Chairperson, Terry Barnato, local sponsors have again been very generous in their support of the race day. The club is again raffling a Karoo lamb worth R900 at R5 a ticket. Tickets are already on sale at The Lazy Lizard, while Zwartberg Runners members will be selling tickets in town and during the Town and Olive Festival.

Zwartberg Runners is well into its second year now and has seen a growth in members - 27 runners - and certainly a growth in enthusiasm and participation.

Future plans include organising trail runs off the road in the Swartberg Pass, which are intended to add some fun to regular running events.

Fun Run Attracts Young Runners

On Saturday, 28 March, Zwartberg Runners hosted a 10km, 5km, and 1 km fun run in Prince Albert, with free admission which drew a good number of young runners.

Prize winners were:

10km:
Women:
1st Johannah Mokoaqo 50:08
2nd Tracey Swanepoel
Men:
1st Petrus Bostander
Senior Boys
1st Eleis Oliphant 45:45
2nd Joshua Swanepoel


5km:
Grand Masters:
1st Melvin Berlin
Women:
1st Caryn Pastrana
Men:
1st Juan Pastrana
Senior Girls:
1st Emma Maeyer 27:35
Senior Boys:
1st Wensal Minnis 20:11
2nd Gavin Jacobs
Junior Girls:
1st Diedre Hendricks 24:01
2nd Hannah Modra 24:36
Junior Boys:
1st Justin Booyer 20:59
2nd Oscar Maeyer 23:50

Zwartberg Runners News

- Terry Barnato -

Six o’ clock in the morning, to the strains of “Chariots of Fire,” saw five Zwartberg Runners on the start line of the Cango Half Marathon. The sixth runner, Tracy Swanepoel had already left an hour earlier on the buses that would take the marathon runners out to the start at the Cango Caves. They would run the 42.2km back into Oudtshoorn, joining the 21.1km runners for the last 8km to the finish line.

The morning was cool and fresh and the run headed out of town, taking the runners on a dirt track through some of the rural area around Oudtshoorn, before turning back to finish at the Military Base. Our runners finished well, in that they were all happy with the effort they had made!

The finishing times were:
21.1km
Brian Modra 01.49.59
Terry Barnato 02.12.15
Juliana vd Westhuizen 02.19.04
Sandy Bower 02.19.09
Charlotte 03.01.03
Maruschka Erasmus 03.01.05

42.2km
Tracy Swanepoel 04.37.50
like these can be very enjoyable as all along the route there is encouragement from other runners, as well as the folk manning the marshal points and water stations. Somehow, it is easier to run these longer distances in this way than during everyday training.

Zwartberg Runners will be at the start line in Oudtshoorn again on 4 April at the KKNK, where a 21.1km run is offered, as well as a 10km race. We hope to take some of our Hoërskool Cross Country runners and see what they can do! Anyone wanting to join us is welcome! Just come and let us know.

The Cross Country at Hoërskool Zwartberg has begun very well. We have had a record attendance of 36 young runners whose enthusiasm has not diminished.

We have lots to offer these young folk in the line of competitions this year including our own event on 16 May. We are glad for their enthusiasm and we hope that these weeks will instil in them a love of running and keeping fit. We wish them good luck!

If anyone would like to join the Zwartberg Runners you can contact Janet or Terry at 023 5411 462 or 072 331 9354.

Zwartberg Runners Look to the Future

- Brian Modra -

Zwartberg Runners had a busy holiday season, organising fun runs for the December Children school holiday programme sponsored by the Municipality.

The runs were well-attended by youngsters of various age groups, who were encouraged to keep on exercising and to believe in their own abilities. Terry Barnato reminded the young participants that one of South Africa’s top rugby referees, Jason Jaftha, was a Prince Albert boy, who started his career at Hoërskool Zwartberg.

Zwartberg Runners will be hosting an Open Day on Friday, 6 February, from 3pm at the Lazy Lizard. New and current members will be able to sign up or find out more about the club.

Terry Barnato, the club’s chair, told the Friend: “We'd love to see our membership grow. Zwartberg Runners is all about enjoyment, so if you are a budding athlete, a marathon runner, or you simply like to walk, or if you just enjoy the social side, then you will fit in well in the Zwartberg Runners.”

“There is no pressure on anyone to participate and your level of involvement can even be very casual. We also like to be involved in the community, and are open to suggestions about what we can do.”, she said.

The club is gearing up for its second Swartberg Half Marathon and 10km to be run on 16 May. Fund-raising raffles were held at the end of last year, in which two Christmas hampers were the prizes. The R2.00 raffle was won by Megan Lottering and raised a total of R388.00. Sandra Esterhuizen won the R5.00 raffle, which raised R2030.

Zwartberg Runners would like to thank all the sponsors for their contributions towards the two hampers: Bergwater, SoetKaroo, John Southern, National Garage, Spar, Lah-Di-Dah, Prince Albert Country Store, Lazy Lizard and the Zwartberg Runners Committee.

Zwartberg Runners Romp Home

- Abigail Modra -

Meiringspoort’s smoothly tarred road weaves gently in the shadows of the spectacular Swartberg and crosses the Groot River several times. The craggy faces of the mountain are covered in rocks and little indigenous plants. Beside the river, the plants grow thickly and baboons are a frequent sight.
Unfortunately, you don't see much of this beauty when travelling half asleep in a car at 4 am!

Zwartberg runners travelled to De Rust on Saturday, 18 October, to compete in the annual Meiringspoort 21.1 and 10 km runs. At the registration, we joined 1 900 other competitors to sign in and were then transported to the starts in numerous ostrich trucks. The club entered three runners in the half marathon and eight runners and one walker in the 10 km.

3...2...1...BANG! We were off! The weather was beautiful, the course was gentle and there were many water tables. At the end each runner/walker was welcomed in with loud cheering and clapping and the aroma of freshly braaied wors. The food stalls must have made a small fortune that day.
Our lot did extremely well. Patrick Lottering was our fastest, coming 6th in the 10 km! He was joined by Joshua Swanepoel and Heindirie Bostander who both came in the top 15.

Thank you to Alex Barnato for driving us safely to De Rust and back and for cheering and photographing everyone. Keep an eye on the Zwartberg Runners website, www.zwartberg.com/runners, for the photos and results!

Our runners’ results and times were:

10 km:

6th Patrick Lottering: 37.13
14th Heinderie Bostander:44.28
15th Joshua Swanepoel:44.44
38th Johanna Mokoaqo:51.38
63rd Abigail Modra:55.17
82nd Cornelis Swanepoel:56.54
120th Matthew van Heerden:1.01.05
162nd Ellen Nicol (Joubert): 1.05.24
325th Ione May (walking): 1.23.39

21.1km(886 runners participated):

396th Tracy Swanepoel:1.56.08
736th Juliana vd Westhuizen: 2.26.57
829th Maruschka Erasmus:2.40.55

Pass the baton!

- Terry Barnato -

Zwartberg runners were once again loyal supporters of the 2008 Oudtshoorn Lamprecht & Meyer relay race. We entered three high school teams: "Zwartberg A, B en C spanne", as well as a walking team: "Zwartberg Stappers".

Our "A Span" came 2nd in the High School category, narrowly missing the gold medal, as well as finishing 9th overall. All our young folk gave their all and enjoyed cheering each other on.

We might not have won any gold medals, but we did get a special mention at the prize-giving, as well as a thanks for having made the effort to come over the mountain.

We then celebrated our efforts with Steers burgers sponsored by the Zwartberg Runners club. Most of all we came back all fired up and ready to start serious training.

We would like to thank Billy van Rooyen for his efficient taxi service and a very special thanks to our club members who helped cover the transport costs. Without you we could not have participated.

Zwartberg Runners Spring Relay

-Abigail Modra -

We had the noisiest relay ever on Tuesday the 23 September! We were celebrating the beginning of Spring and the launch of Prince Albert's recycling project and had quite a few fancy dress teams. There were runners swishing by dressed in plastic bags, even one crazy person (me) strung with soft drink cans, so you can imagine the noise we made.

There was a large number of teams: 23 teams of five listed alphabetically i.e. A to W. Thanks to many donations, there were lots of prizes. They went to: the 1st Adult team "Team A", the 1st Senior School team "The Untouchables" (who definitely lived up to their name), the 1st Junior team, "Team K" and then there were prizes for Best Dressed. The "Five Rs" won that and the "All Blacks" were runners-up. The "Red Wrigglers" got a special mention being the youngest team and then there were lots of spot prizes, including one for each child who participated.

We would like to say a big thank you to the following people, who all made the evening so enjoyable:

the Police, who made an excellent job of keeping the whole run safe,
our wonderful club members who yet again were there when we needed them
and lastly everyone who supported us!

Hopefully we can have many more relays just as successful and fun as this one was!

Put Spring in Your Step

- Terry Barnato -

As the mornings get lighter, Zwartberg Runners come out of their winter holes and hit the road again. We have been running during the winter but have kept it low key! But now there is nothing like donning a pair of tekkies and heading out in the mornings again to celebrate spring!

That’s why on 23 September at 18h00 we’re holding a fun Spring Relay. We’ll rejoice in the arrival of spring and at the same time, raise awareness of Prince Albert’s new waste recycling project. Use your imagination and come as an old baked beans tin in a team of four other tins... all ready for recycling! Fancy dress is optional, of course, but we would love to have you join us. There are prizes to be won and lots of fun to be had. We need your support. Please see our ad in this newspaper for more information.

Our cross country training at Hoërskool Zwartberg is a very encouraging. Every Monday and Wednesday afternoon we have an average of eight learners attending in addition to our other young club members. After doing some simple warm up exercises, we head out on a run of 3km, or 5km for the fitter ones!

It has been great to see the same steady group show up every week and what's more, they are really enjoying it! For us, that's the main objective.... to enjoy getting and staying fit! There's nothing like running to get the blood pumping and the result is a healthy feeling of well-being! Thanks to our school runners for their great spirit!

Another recent initiative: every Saturday morning we gather at the Lazy Lizard at 07h00 for a run that accommodates everyone who wants to join in. We all clamber into a kombi and some get dropped off on the Swartberg Pass to run a 15km route back to Prince Albert, while others start at various intervals along the roads towards the town, depending on what they feel up to doing. Whether you want to run a half marathon that morning or walk 5km, there is a place for you! Ask the four-year old who ran from Gay’s Dairy to the Lazy Lizard! Come along and join us!

Thanks to all our loyal club members who keep us going and who are always there with help and support every step of the way. A good spring to you and to all in Prince Albert!

Zwartberg Runners training Hoërskool Zwartberg cross country team

- Terry Barnato -

The local Zwartberg Runners club is helping Hoërskool Zwartberg develop a cross country running team and held their first training session at the school on the afternoon of 23 July.

The running club’s Terry Barnato was delighted at the turnout of ten runners. “Some were very fit, others were sort of fit, and some had a way to go before they attacked the Comrades! But the first hurdle was to arrive and that, these young students did,” said Terry.

The runners did a few laps around the field and then Terry chatted to them about some of the goals that were well within their reach. According to Terry: “We have our eyes on a 5km Fun Challenge in Oudtshoorn in September, as well as the possibility of entering two teams for the Business Relay in October, also in Oudtshoorn. Definitely on the cards is the Meiringspoort 10km run which comes around in October and which students of 15 years and older can enter. We may even have an entrant for the Half Marathon through Meiringspoort if Marius Williams feels ready!”

The cross country team plans to meet every Monday and Wednesday afternoon and will also head out along the streets of Prince Albert. Terry noted: “Running is an easy sport, and yet gives so much in return and we hope that these young folk can make it their own! We have lots of water sachets left over from our own half marathon in May, and these will become our good friends as the weeks go by and the days heat up!”

***
Two Zwartberg Runners’ members, Maruschka Erasmus and Juliana van der Westhuizen participated in the Knysna Forest Half Marathon on 12 July. Juliana finished in a time of 2:40:25, while Maruschka completed the race in a time of 2:46:01. Well done and thanks for representing the Zwartberg Runners.

Zwartberg Runners Take On the Two Oceans Marathons

- Terry Barnato -

Seven Zwartberg Runners’ members travelled to Cape Town over the Easter long weekend to participate in the Two Oceans Marathons. The bravest of the group was Tracy Swanepoel, who ran the Ultra Marathon: a gruelling 56km route through Hout Bay, over Chapman's Peak, down towards Fish Hoek, along the coast through Kalk Bay past Muizenburg and then back into Cape Town on Main Road to finish at UCT rugby field! Congratulations Tracy on your Blue Medal, finishing in 4505th place out of around 6000 runners in a time of 6hrs 27mins and 57seconds and representing Prince Albert in what is known as the world's most beautiful marathon!

In the Half Marathon, four Zwartberg Runners joined the 10 000 odd participants - the remaining two, Petrus Bostander and Burnett May having missed their transport and also the start of the race - to run the 21,1km, which also finished at the UCT rugby field, on a route that included the dreaded Southern Cross Drive... a good 3km of steady uphill. The results for these four were:

Brian Modra in 1778th place in a time of 1hr 50mins and 49s
Terry Barnato in 4190th place in a time of 2hrs 08mins and 14s
Juliana van der Westhuizen in 6710th place in a time of 2hrs 24mins and 34s
Marushka Erasmus in 9024th place in a time of 2hrs 47mins and 26s

Altogether it was a good experience and definitely a must for Zwartberg Runners next year. There's nothing like taking your place amongst the running greats of this world! Hopefully too we can get Petrus to the start line next year and cheer him home with a silver medal! Thanks again, runners, for your participation and support and unfailing good spirit!

Zwartberg Runners’ Fun Run

- Linda Jaquet -

The Zwartberg Runners certainly know how to organise and have fun at the same time – they hosted another successful and very exuberant Fun Run on Thursday evening, 13 March. Thirty-eight teams representing a wide cross section of the community took part in the relay race, where each member of the team had to run or walk one kilometre along a closed-off section of Church Street.

Many teams got into the spirit of things and came in fancy dress, while others took the event far more seriously. In fact, the winning two-man team, Petrus Bostander and Marius Williams, whizzed home in no time at all and hardly seemed out of breath! They were closely followed by the four-member “Untouchables” Soccer team and the “Dangerous Municipal Force” – no prizes for guessing where they work! The first children’s team across the finish was “Grade 9”, with the “Pirates” as runners-up.

Apart from awards for athletic prowess, prizes for creativity and originality also went to the “Cowgirls”, “The Survivors”, the “Nuns”, “Top Secret”, the “Gypsies” and the “Hoolas” for their fancy dress outfits.

Well done, too, to the teams from Huis Kweekvallei, who participated in wheelchairs and on foot and to their companions of the Thursday Group, whose enthusiasm was catching! They certainly did things in style, sipping port and cheering others on when they had completed their race.

The Fun Run was a fundraiser for the official Zwartberg Runners’ Half Marathon to be held in May. The club has to raise R11 000.00 as hosts of the race. The relay raised R1 260.00, while a raffle of a lamb donated by the PHL Trust of Victoria West, brought in a further R2 070.00. The winner of the raffle, drawn after the race, was Kay Howes.

The Run organisers were overwhelmed at the community’s enthusiasm and encouragement. They thanked all those who donated prizes and sponsored teams and had particular praise for the SAPS. “The Police were wonderful; we could not have done it without them,” said Janet Modra, one of the moving forces in the Zwartberg Runners.

What’s next on the club’s schedule? Seven members are tackling the Two Oceans Ultra and Half Marathons over the Easter weekend. Terry Barnato told the Friend that the club is already full steam ahead in its preparations for a fun run and a race for more serious runners during next month’s Prince Albert Town and Olive Festival.

“The real biggie for us,” she said, “is organising our first official half marathon in May in accordance with the strict requirements of Athletics South Western Districts (ASWD). But, with a dynamic organising committee and the town’s support we are sure we can pull it off and show just what Prince Alberters can do.”

Running IS Fun

- Linda Jaquet -

Twenty-two teams of enthusiastic Prince Alberters of all ages, backgrounds and levels of fitness turned out for the Zwartberg Runners’ first and very successful Fun Relay on Thursday evening, 8 November. That’s quite an achievement for a club that is only a few months old.

Four runners in every team had to run – or puff and pant - two kilometres each on a closed-off section of Church Street between the Lazy Lizard and Koggelmander. They were cheered on by their noisy team mates and a large group of bystanders, who revelled in the fun atmosphere. The SAPS entered four teams, Zwartberg Hoërskool was well-represented by its teachers and learners, employees of various businesses participated despite a hard day’s work and there were a good number of family teams. A team of cyclists, the Forty-plusers, even joined in!

In the end, Petrus Bostander of the Zwartberg Runners, his own one-man relay team, ran in an easy winner, followed by the Dangerous Municipality and Hoërskool Zwartberg in third place. A lucky draw after the race meant that there were prizes galore for the tired, but happy, participants, no matter where they came.

Thank you to the SAPS for their assistance on the evening and to all the sponsors and everyone involved in organising the event.

Zwartberg Runners shine in Meiringspoort race

- Terry Barnato –

We left at 5:30 from Prince Albert and arrived at De Rust and arrived just in time to catch the last truck taking the runners to the start. After a freezing bus ride, our runners lined up at the starting line. Soon both the 10km and 21.1km runners were on their way.
Joshua en Matthew, die klub se 'media' het in spanning gewag vir die eerste wedlopers om in te kom.

Eers het die 10km drawwers in gestroom en ons was besig gehou met fotos neem. Na hulle het die eerste 21.1km drawwers begin en na 2 en 'n 1/2 uur na die begin het ons laaste drawwers ingestroom.

Marius Williams en Petrus Bostander het baie goeie tye gekry en het die 21.1km binne 'n uur en 25 minute gehol. Brian Modra het ook 'n goeie tyd bereken.

Out of more than 900 runners, Petrus ended up in 6th place and Marius 20th.
Ons 10km drawwers het baie mooi gedraf en Melissa Haaroff wat 15 jaar oud is het die 10km gedoen. Ons het 'n paar stappers gehad wat deelgeneem het, goeie werk Iona en Jean May en Marizelle Oosthuizen.

Overall the day was a huge success and a great achievement for Zwartberg Runners. The club recorded excellent times and we hope to to be at many more races in the future.
Baie mooi almal!