Whalers Newsletter November 2008
Looking back to November 2007 it seems that the
unseasonal weather was very much a talking point, much like this year.
Apart from the odd niggles that we have to put up with occasionally,
colds and flu also seem to be taking its toll.
Sometime in August we had the first time trial in about 5 years where not
a single member ran. Despite this we had a better turnout at the Voet of Afrika
races with Alfred Tshabeni running a very credible 3.03 in the marathon.
A noticeable absentee was Louise Erasmus who had the misfortune to break
the bone in her lower leg. We wish
her a speedy recovery.
Saturday 18 October saw 14 members doing the long run
– the best turnout for a while.
This being the last newsletter of the year, we ask that
you forward it to anyone who may not have received it through the normal
channels.
Paardeberg
outing – 15 November
Andries and Coia de Villiers have invited us to their
farm in the Salmonsdam area on 15 November.
Those that have had the privilege of going before will know that this is
a really lovely outing. We will run
about 20km through and around the far, and then have a brunch/braai.
There are also lovely walks – ask Bertie Warren.
We will be leaving Hermanus in convoy at about 07:00 from the Stanford
end of 7th Street in Voelklip and everybody caters for themselves in
terms of eats and drinks. Further
details at the time trials or call Mikki or Les.
End
of the year function – 5 December
Our end of the year function will be held at the Tennis
Club on the evening of the 5th December which is a Friday.
It will be an informal function at a nominal charge of R30 per head .
Children are welcome at no charge. There
will be a cash bar available. Please
give your name to Arlene Ehrenberg if you are attending this function.
Onrus
Gateway Superspar 10km/5km races
This event will be hosted by Whalers on 20 December.
This is the one race that Whalers AC tackles on its own and we need
assistance on the day. You can
assist before or after the race and you can also participate.
Volunteers should contact Carina van der Merwe on 082 823 8632. An appeal is also made for cash contributions or in kind towards lucky draw prizes.
Track
and Field -SWD
Championships 24 Sept 2008
Unfortunately
the championships were held on a public holiday, Heritage day which was a
Wednesday. This certainly prevented some athletes from travelling to Oudtshoorn
as many of our members are still on the right side of sixty and are working
people. Consequently there were only about sixty-two masters present, but
fortunately about one hundred schoolchildren took part in their own events which
resulted in some exciting competitions. Normally there would be over a hundred
masters at this meeting. The results of the two Whalers who competed are:
M
70 Bertie Warren - 100m(3rd). 20.64 , 200m(2nd).
39.10, shot put (1st). 9.49 (Boland rec), discus (1st).
24.86, long jump (1st). 3.48, high jump (st)1. 1.15
M75
Leo
Benning
(These are all 1st places and all are Boland records as none existed. The HJ
is a SA record. The 100m and the three jumps are SWD open records.)
100m 16.94, shot put 7.36, discus 23.33, javelin 28.76, weight
throw 9.79, high jump 1.31 (SA rec), long jump 3.57, triple jump 7.36.
WP
Masters Club meeting 11 October 2008 Parow.
Unfortunately
only Leo was able to go. He won three events. 100m 16.16, HJ
1.29, TJ (triple jump) 7.70 (Boland record). The next T & F
event is on 15 November at the Parow track of the Tygerberg Club.
Please contact Leo for more details on T & F at 028 3164960
or cell 083 6030825
Bits
and Pieces
Renewed
applications for the Saturday morning ‘A’ team – Annaline Hugo, Suzie M,
Louis Koen and Karen de Bruyn. Iron
Man Gavin Turner is still setting the pace, and gets mad when the team does not
keep together. The new rule now is
that if a runner or group gets to the next stop early, they have to run back to
the main group, which is not only teamwork, but gives extra mileage.
Better tell that to No More Mister Nice Guy!
Louise
Erasmus was not kidding when she said her ankle was sore after a race.
X-rays proved that she had fractured a bone and has been put off
running for 6 months.
Suzy M went all the way to Port Elizabeth to see an
ex-boyfriend!
Norma W arrived back from the UK exhausted!
She had just spent 4 weeks with two of her children!
At
the Cape Odyssey, some Whalers worked hard at the watering tables.
Others were only to there to observe, and another pair went off into the
bushes together!
Carina recently complained of getting a sore bum
during the long runs! We know she
was not running on her bum, so why?
Personality of the Month – Gert Koen
Gert
Koen, who turns 83 on the 20th January 2009, started his running
career at the age of 58. He was watching the Comrades on TV as he did for many
years and decided if the shapes, sizes and aged he saw on TV could do the
Comrades, so could he. He started by running 100 metres and walking 100 metres,
for the first couple of weeks, as he was substantially overweight at the time.
As he progressed, he managed to lose 25 KG in his first year of running.
Gert
has always been athletic and his greatest attribute is his huge will-power and
determination. He was a natural and soon started to show his potential to become
an excellent runner, even at his age. He did his first Comrades at 60 in 2000
and did 13 Comrades in all, earning 10 medals and his green number. Two of the
races he bailed due to cramps and during one race he fell and sustained head
injuries. Interestingly, his time during two of the races differed by two
seconds, 10:47:02 in 1987 and 10:47:00 in 1994. His best time for the Comrades
was 09:18:47 in 1988 at the age of 63. Gert received the Founder’s trophy in
the Comrades in 1997 for the oldest runner at age 71.
Gert
also did the Two Oceans 5 times, with a best time of 05:22 and also received the
Savages Trophy for the oldest runner during 2000, 2001, 2002.
Other
achievements worth mentioning are the Jackie Mekler 56 Km race which he did 10
times. He was the 1st Grandmaster in the Korkie 56 Km race between
Pretoria and Germiston in 1987 with a time of 05:20. He was also the 1st
Grandmaster in the Mc Arthur 56 Km race in Potchefstroom. The Standerton Milk
Marathon he obtained first Grandmaster twice with a best time of 03:47. The Vaal
Marathon in 1989 was done in a time of 03:42 with a 1st Grandmaster
place. His best time over a 15 Km race was 01:11 at a Wits University race. He
did the 25 Km Germiston Nite race in 02:07 in 1989. Some good times over 10 Km
were 00:48:43 during the Sourthen Life Nite Race in 1987 and 00:48:42 I the
Johannesburg Nite Race also in 1989. He did a remarkable 00:46:25 during a 10 Km
Nite Race in Johannesburg in 1988.
Although
Gert is now obviously much slower at his current age, he still does between 40
and 50 Kms per week and recently did the 2008 Whale Half Marathon and the Voet
Half Marathon. He has set the Danger Point Half Marathon as his next challenge.
He has completed a remarkable 60 000 Kms during the last 20 and a half
year, since he turned 60 to June this year. Altogether he has completed
approximately 64 000 Kms since he started running in 1986.
Gert
has been blessed with fantastic health and intends to run till the day he is
physically unable to do so. Taking his incredible will power and determination
into consideration, we can expect to see him around for many more years, God
willing.
Committee:
Chairman:
Les Hanna
028-3163820
Club
Captain:
Mikki Milne
028-3121563
Treasurer:
Ronel Bootha
028-3130952
Secretary:
Louise Erasmus
028-3122220
Race
Co-ordinator
Carina vd Merwe
028-3163450
Executive
Member
Arlene Ehrenberg
028-3162037