London marathon dream becomes a reality

Crossing the finish line of the 2013 Virgin London Marathon marked the culmination of a life dream for Khubulani Zondo. The 36-year-old athlete from Soweto recently completed the marathon in a time of just 2 hours and 31 minutes, earning a silver medal and finishing first among the South African contingent of runners. 

A few months ago, completing one of the world’s most prestigious international marathons was nothing but a pipe dream for Zondo, whose job as a security guard in Johannesburg’s West Rand has not afforded him the same privileges enjoyed by other local athletes. 

But thanks to a charitable initiative undertaken by Virgin Money South Africa, Zondo, along with two other runners from underprivileged communities, was given a unique opportunity to shine on an international stage.

“It’s always been a dream to run in the world’s biggest marathons, but I never thought I’d get the chance,” says Zondo, who had previously achieved four silver medal finishes in the Comrades Marathon. “I have watched the London marathon on TV, and when I found out about this opportunity, I knew I had to go for it.”

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nbcnews:

First ever Palestinian marathon: Running to change West Bank’s image

(Photo: Ammar Awad / Reuters)

BETHLEHEM, Israel — Jesus’ traditional birthplace has long been linked to tensions between Israel and the Palestinians. On Sunday, around 1,000 athletes took a step towards transforming Bethlehem’s modern image by running in the first official Palestinian marathon.

Read the complete story.

14-year-old Winter Vinecki is the youngest to finish marathon on Antarctica; she aims to run all seven continents in honor of her deceased father

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A father who has completed more than 1,000 marathons and triathlons while pushing his disabled son will now have a life-sized statue of himself unveiled in Boston.

Dick Hoyt, 72, has pushed his son, Rick Hoyt, 51, in almost 1,100 endurance events and is preparing to compete in their 31st Boston Marathon.

The exact number of races they’ve competed in is astonishing. In total, they’ve completed 1,091 events, including 252 triathlons, 70 marathons, 94 half marathons, and 155 five-kilometer races. They have never finished last in any of them.

It all started when Rick told his dad in middle school that he wanted to compete in a marathon for a basketball player who was paralyzed in an accident. 

“Rick came home from that basketball game and he said, ‘Dad, I have to do something for him. I want to let him know that life goes on even though he’s paralyzed. I want to run in the race,’” Dick explained.

He agreed to push him in his wheel chair in the race, but it was Rick’s words after the race that pushed him to do more.

He told his father the night after the race, “Dad, when I’m running, it feels like I’m not handicapped.”

Rick has cerebral palsy and is quadriplegic. Doctors told Dick to put him in an institution because he was “going to be a vegetable for the rest of his life.”

But he refused, and never thought once of putting him in a home.

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R800,000 raised for Mitchells Plain schools

52 Dutch runners representing the Run4Schools Foundation ran the 2013 Two Oceans Marathon in support of the organisation’s after-care sports programmes in Mitchells Plain. Together they have raised ±R800.000 (68.000 euro).

“We are very excited to have done this together so that the children of Mitchells Plain can spend their after-school hours in a safe, supervised environment,” says founder and athlete Leslie Pangemanan. It is his 9th Two Oceans in support of the foundation he established in 2004.

Run4Schools has raised millions since then. Four schools are currently under the organisation’s wings. “When I was 19, I was sent to Cape Town by the Dutch sports authority NOC/NSF, with the task to start a sports project in Mitchells Plain,” Pangemanan recalls, who is now 41 and working as a sports therapist in Amsterdam.

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Edeline Mutize is running two Two Oceans marathons back to back this weekend to raise funds and awareness for Newkidz, a non-profit organisation whose major focus is to establish loving homes for orphaned, vulnerable and destitute children.

“Too often, we see obstacles as barriers that inhibit us from achieving the extraordinary but I say, ‘challenges are stepping stones to higher ground’.

These inspiring words were uttered by Edeline Mutize, 28, a woman who is becoming known as a social activist and an innovative thinker with a thirst for making meaningful impact in the lives of South Africa’s orphans and underprivileged children.

She was speaking with regards to her latest campaign called ‘Mission Possible –Two Oceans marathon back to back -2013’, a daring challenge aimed at raising funds and awareness for Newkidz, a non-profit organisation whose major focus is to establish loving homes for orphaned, vulnerable and destitute children, by competing back to back in the 2013 Old Mutual Two Oceans marathon.

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Unique African marathon offers hope to street children

There’s something stirring in Makeni. Here, in Sierra Leone’s largest city, thousands of street children are now being reunited with their families and given access to education.

This welcome change is all thanks to a small, voluntary-led charity, Street Child, and the runners who are brave enough to take on the charity’s challenging but hugely rewarding fundraising event, the Kiln Sierra Leone Marathon, now in its second year.

“I’m not aware of another marathon like it,” says race director, Lewis Aldridge. “The London Marathon is a fabulous race, with a lot of people raising money for different charities. But here it is totally integrated, with runners seeing the projects – and the children who will benefit from their fundraising – first-hand, before they run.”

The majority of this 26-mile course runs along hard mud roads and red dirt tracks, snaking through some of Sierra Leone’s most beautiful scenery. Occasionally, the trail changes to tarred, urban terrain as runners course their way through the more developed parts of Makeni in humid 33C heat. Local families line the roads to wave runners on – sometimes they’ll join in to show their thanks and support.

“It’s a fantastic challenge. The race itself is a personal challenge, but what really makes a difference is that most of the people taking part, everybody involved in it, are all raising money for the same charity,” adds Aldridge.

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[photo source]

nbcnews:

Man helps girlfriend with spinal cord injury cross finish line

(Photo: Kathleen Flynn / The Times-Picayune)

Four months ago, Monique Koll was in a hospital bed, wondering if she would ever walk again. The Louisiana woman had suffered a severe spinal cord injury when a motorist struck her while she was riding her bicycle, and doctors originally weren’t sure she’d survive.

On Sunday, Koll was back on her feet, crossing the finish line of the Rock ‘N’ Roll New Orleans Half Marathon with the help of her boyfriend who has been with her every step of the way. Koll, 35, slowly and steadily made it across the finish line while she held the left arm of Nick Zaunbrecher, 31, who had pushed her in a wheelchair for the entire 13-mile race up to that point.  

“I was crying,’’ Koll told TODAY.com. “I thought I hid it from everybody, but then the cameras caught it. I didn’t know how emotional it would be. Nick was amazing. He pushed that wheelchair over those crazy New Orleans streets for 13 miles. For him to be able to help me walk across the finish line, it was just crazy.’’

The photo by New Orleans Times-Picayune photographer Kathleen Flynn of Zaunbrecher helping Koll across the finish line went viral on Monday after a friend posted it on Reddit, but the couple says they weren’t even planning to end the race that way. Koll and Zaunbrecher had initially planned that she would use her walker to cover the final hundred feet to the finish line. However, the pair found themselves an hour ahead of their projected pace and didn’t know if the person who was supposed to meet them on the racecourse with Koll’s walker would be there by the time they reached that mark. They concocted a new plan on the spot.

“She just needs help with balancing, so I just gave her an arm to let her get over (the finish line),’’ Zaunbrecher told TODAY.com. “It was really thrilling. I was exhausted at that point in the race, but it was a very emotionally-charged moment. I was just there to help.’’

Koll currently goes to physical therapy three times a week near her home in Lafayette, La. She has progressed from originally getting dizzy whenever she stood up, to using a wheelchair, to now being able to use a walker.

“The prognosis according to the surgeon and my physical therapist is really good that I’ll be able to run again,’’ she said. “When it first happened, they thought I might die, and then I couldn’t feed myself.’’

The half-marathon marked the latest milestone in Koll’s steady recovery since shattering three vertebrae and suffering a spinal cord injury at the level of her C7 vertebra on Oct. 8, 2012. While on a bike ride with a neighbor on a country road near her home, she said she was struck by an unlicensed driver. The case is still working its way through the court system, according to Koll.

She has since juggled her arduous recovery with taking care of her 6-year-old son, Liam, from a previous relationship. Zaunbrecher moved in with the two of them following the accident and helped take care of Liam in the two months she spent in Touro Infirmary in New Orleans doing physical therapy.

 “It’s been challenging, definitely, but very rewarding,’’ Zaunbrecher said. “It’s really meant a lot to be able to be there for her and for Liam. It’s brought us closer together. It’s very rewarding to see her improving so much every day. It’s a slow process, but it’s definitely been moving in a steady direction forward.’’

“It was the most difficult time of my life,’’ Koll said about the immediate aftermath of the crash. “It was hard on (Liam). When he first saw me, he was like, ‘Mom, you look like a zombie.’ He’s used to it now, and he helps with the walker and everything else. I’m glad I can set such a good example for him.’’

This isn’t the first accident Koll has endured. In 2002, she was in a car accident in which she broke her collarbone and her right hip before making a full recovery. She started to get into running and triathlons two years ago while trying to stay fit in the midst of juggling her job as a veterinarian and raising her son. Her participation in last year’s event in New Orleans marked the first time she ran a half marathon, and she had planned on running it again with friends this year before she was injured.

The USA Paratriathlon organization has reached out to her to participate in events, which she plans to try, but her ultimate goal is to cross the finish line of the New Orleans event all by herself one day.

“I plan on racing again,’’ she said. “The doctors think I’m going to get back to everything, and I’m determined.’’

mothernaturenetwork:

9-year-old runner takes on Antarctica marathon

While a typical 9-year-old’s bucket list might include video game supremacy or Disney World, Nikolas Toocheck is aiming higher. “Wouldn’t it be cool if I could run a marathon on every continent?” he asked his mom. And thus began the young runner’s epic odyssey, a mission that will take him to Antarctica this weekend to run in his second marathon.

“Nikolas is a 9-year-old boy who loves to run. He sort of came out running,” his mother, Tara Toocheck, told ABC News. “He’s always on the move. He’s a bright, happy, adventurous, fun kid who decided at around age 6 to run some races and since then he has run quite a few with his dad.”

His dad, Daniel Toocheck, is a seasoned runner with about a dozen marathons under his belt. Nikolas started running with his father and loved it. “I just think running is so fun, and one of the things I like about it is running with my dad,” Nikolas said.

The 72-pound, 4-foot-6-inch athlete finished his first marathon in Delaware last December in just under six hours. He runs his races to earn money for Operation Warm, a charity started by his grandfather that provides coats for children in need.

When the globe-hopping idea was hatched, the family set out to ascertain the safety of his quest by subjecting Nikolas to a barrage of specialists including pediatric cardiologists and sports medicine experts. He received a green light from all; training and recovery regimens were meticulously planned to ensure the good health of his young body.

Nikolas and his father will be running the race together. No special ice gear will be required as the race will take place along the 2 percent of the continent not covered in ice. And since it’s summer in Antarctica now, the temperatures are not expected to drop below the mid-30s, actually warmer than Nikolas’ home state of Pennsylvania.

Nikolas enthused, “I just think it’s really cool, and I’m really excited, and I want to meet a penguin!”

Fauja Singh, World’s Oldest Runner At 101, Races For Women’s Rights

Before retiring from racing, the world’s oldest runner has made sure to take a big stride for women’s issues.

Fauja Singh, who says he’s “older than 101,” will be hanging up his sneakers later this month, but he wouldn’t do so before raising awareness for the rights and security of women, the Hindu reported. The seasoned racer, also fondly known as “Turbaned Tornado,” partook in the “Mini Marathon” in January organized by Punjanbi paper the Rozana Spokesman.

“I am pained to listen that my daughters, grand daughters and great grand daughters are no longer safe,” Singh, a follower of Sikhism, said at the event, according to the Hindu.

Singh, who first took up running at 89, is now planning for his final two marathons in Australia and then Hong Kong at the end of February, according to the Times of India. But he said he plans to continue to run at least four hours a day to serve as an example for others.

“But I will keep running to inspire the masses,” he told the Times of India. “Running is my life and I really would not have stopped competing if I had not crossed the age of 100,” he said.

mothernaturenetwork:

Runners hit the streets with shelter dogs

We can all benefit from a little fresh air and exercise — and the same goes for dogs. That’s why organizations across the U.S. are pairing runners with shelter pups to keep them active and help make them more adoptable.

Programs like Monster Milers in Philadelphia, which has more than 330 active volunteers, get six to 12 dogs out of shelters for mile-long runs on a daily basis. It may seem like a small effort, but it’s a big deal to the dogs.

“The immediate benefits are obvious,” says Monster Milers CEO Carrie Maria. “The dogs are just happier. Happier dogs are easier to find homes for. Rather than pacing in their crates, or whining, most of the dogs are calm and relaxed after a run. It helps them get through a scary time in their lives and it allows them to meet lots of new friends — our volunteer Milers. “

Volunteer opportunities like Monster Milers can be found from coast to coast, from the Seattle Animal Shelter’s Get Fit with Fido program to the Washington, D.C., Human Society’s People & Animal Cardio Klub.

Some of the programs even come with additional perks for participants. Volunteers with Team Spiridon’s Jog-A-Dog program in Austin, Texas, get discounts at a local running store, and each time they run with a shelter pup, they earn stamps that can be redeemed for gift certificates.

But for many of these organizations, getting shelter dogs out of their crates and giving them one-on-one time with runners is just a small part of their overall mission. For example, in addition to the daily runs, Monster Milers holds annual 5K races to support animal rescues and educates the public about the more than 30,000 animals in Philadelphia’s shelter system.

“One of our main goals is to educate the wider community about adoption. We set up at local races to introduce runners to the dogs in our program. We just want to keep adoption at the forefront of the running community’s minds,” says Maria.

Most of the shelters require that volunteers attend a training session before they start running with the dogs. Orientation typically covers shelter regulations, safety procedures and tips for interacting with shelter animals. But participants say the most important part of running with shelter pups is developing a connection with the dogs — even if it’s just for the day.

“It’s really cool to see the runners and dogs when they get back — even if it’s the first time the runner’s been out with the dog, you see a visible bond,” says Team Spiridon member Ron Hill. “The dog is looking up at them and they’re all happy, and they’re laying at their feet.”

Is this the next Usain Bolt? 12-year-old boy closes 20m gap in breath-taking style to win sprint race

Following his astonishing success during London 2012, Usain Bolt became the undisputed fastest man in the world. But, if this incredible video is anything to go by, it looks like he may well soon have a rival -  in the form of a 12-year-old boy.

James Gallaugher was running the final section of the 4x100m New South Wales primary schools championships in Australia when he showed an incredible turn of pace.

As reported by Eurosport, when the baton was handed to him, the youngster was 20metres behind the boy in the lead. But what followed next was nothing short of incredible. As his rival powers to what looks like a comfortable victory, James,  from the small Australian coastal town of Ulladulla, turns on the gas.

Within a couple of seconds of leaving the blocks, he easily overtakes a few boys ahead of him to move into second place. But this is clearly not good enough for the youngster. Despite the gap between him and the boy in front looking to big to recover from, he starts to track down the leader.

Incredibly, as the line draws nearer, James begins to catch up his rival. With just a few feet between the line and the two boys, James then overtakes the boy to win the event for his school. He had run the 100m in 11.72 seconds - the time would have been enough for him to win the gold medal in the 100metres at the first Olympic Games in 1896.

The time was faster than anything else recorded in the U.S or Australia for his age group. His coach, Scott Richardson,  said the youngster is a  ‘standout’.

‘He is a freak and I mean that in the very best way,’ he told News Ltd. When I talk about him with my wife and my family, we just say he is going to be the greatest sprinter we have ever had if he keeps improving at the rate which he is. He has just got the build and the legs and just the natural propensity to running with a good technique without much interference.’

Already, four professional rugby league clubs in Australia have expressed an interest in the youngster as well as Michael Johnson’s Spire Athletics Institute in Ohio, America.

goodstuffhappenedtoday:

Cross country runner saves life, finishes race

by Geoff Calkins

MEMPHIS — He had started in on his second loop, halfway through the cross country course, and Seth Goldstein liked the way the race was unfolding.

A group of kids ran just in front of him. Many more had fallen behind.

“I was feeling good,” said Goldstein, 17. “That’s when everything happened in front of me.”

One of the kids in the pack dropped to the ground. The others raced onward toward the finish line. Goldstein did something altogether different.

He stopped.

He stopped racing. He went to the kid who had fallen, who by this time was in severe distress.

“His lips were turning blue and his eyes were rolled back in his head,” said Goldstein. “I was terrified. But then I thought to myself, freaking out isn’t going to help any here.”

The right lesson

What lessons do our kids learn through sports? It’s hard not to wonder at times.

Winning is the main thing. Steroid users seem to hit a lot of home runs. If you’re a gifted athlete, you’ll get more chances than you deserve.

Sportsmanship is so last century. The flashiest athletes get the richest sneaker deals. If you want a headline, you’ve got to crush the other guy.

Those are the real lessons, aren’t they? If we’re being honest with ourselves? So consider today’s story a reminder of what it’s supposed to be about.

nativeamericannews:

Second Annual Turning Stone Races a Success

The Turning Stone Races held this past weekend at Turning Stone Resort Casino saw runners working there way through some hot weather (but beautiful surroundings) through the farmlands and woods in upstate New York.

Produced by Eident Sports Marketing and hosted by the Oneida Indian Nation, the races included a 5K, 10K and half marathon. Nearly 120 individual prizes were awarded to women and men, including several wheelchair competitors.

The 5K races were won by Heidia Szalach, from Syracuse, with a time of 21.13, and Brian Stevens, from Rome, New York, with a time of 17:11. The 10K winners were Alison Ashe, from Syracuse, with a time of 48:17, and Zakaria Adam Djoma, from Utica, New York, with a time of 36:21. And finally, the half marathon winners were Karen Dolge, from Valatie, New York with a time of 1:31:10, and Richard Cohen, from Utica, New York, with a time of 1:17:07.

Eident Sports Marketing President John Mathews said, “Our second year was another great success.  The Turning Stone Races offer something for everyone from the long distance runner to those who prefer a shorter distance.  We thank our hosts, Turning Stone Resort and the Oneida Indian Nation for helping us bring this fantastic weekend of events to the people of Central New York.”

Runner without country to compete at Olympics

Guor Marial ran for his life to escape a Sudanese child labor camp. Now he will get to run at the Olympics.

Marial’s heartwarming rise from a fearful kid who hid in a cave, fled his war-torn homeland and finally arrived in the United States as a refugee took another incredible turn Saturday.

Despite having no passport and officially no country — and at one time very little hope — the 28-year-old marathoner was cleared by the IOC to compete at the London Games under the Olympic flag.

(click-through for full story)