My Shoes, Your Shoes
Once again, the most beautiful part of my year has arrived. The 2013 race was such a resounding success that I am more excited than ever to see the turnout of runners this year. The organising committee has outdone themselves this year with almost every aspect of the race topped and bettered. From logistics and the race route to entertainment and prizes – the organising committee have set out to wow you this year and I have no doubt that it is going to be a flawless event and that an amazing turnout will ensure that Pretoria keeps its title as the largest in both the SPAR series and in South African road races. One example of this is the new start of our 5km route. After years of trying to make this happen, the organising committee is ready to wow you with a new starting point that will better accommodate all of our runners. Every year, the months of planning and stress are worth it once we see how much the runners enjoy themselves. I can’t express the overwhelming sense of pride and achievement that I feel at the end of each race day. We are grateful to the thousands of participants who enter because it is you who makes the race possible. Without the runners, there is no race and at the end of the day it is about them – they are the ones supporting the event and making our donations to the beneficiaries possible. It is very moving to witness so many of Gauteng’s women running side by side each year for a common cause. In that moment each of us is inexplicably linked by one goal. While running this year’s race, I want you to think about what this means to you and to think about the woman running next to you. Put yourself in her shoes, is she a lawyer, a doctor, a teacher, a mother, a daughter? Imagine all the ways in which her life might be different from yours – and from the lives of those less fortunate than we are. This makes the running of the race side by side that much more meaningful for each of us. No matter where we come from or what lives we lead, SPAR has achieved something phenomenal in a race that puts women who all walk in very different shoes on a singular path. A phenomenal achievement that would never have come to be without you. I wish you all the best for this year’s race. Train hard and run to win! See you on race day.
Retha Ingenbleek
SPAR WOMEN’S CHALLENGE RACE ORGANISER
Before you judge a woman, walk a mile in her shoes. After that who cares? She’s a mile away and you’ve got her shoes.
This publication is proudly produced by Free Radical Media. ww.freeradicalmedia.co.za PUBLISHER Free Radical Media Fanie Hendriksz Managing Director info@freeradicalmedia.co.za EDITOR Retha Ingenbleek SPAR Women’s Challenge – Race Organiser MANAGING EDITOR Nicola Weir: +27 84 701 1753 editor@freeradicalmedia.co.za DESIGN & LAYOUT Aneska Meintjes: +27 82 851 1441 aneska@freeradicalmedia.co.za IMAGES © iStockphoto.com, 123RF,
Official SPAR Photographer: Reg Caldecott SPAR Map Illustrations: Rob Foote ADVERTSING SALES Sales office: +27 87 820 4624 sales@freeradicalmedia.co.za Ilse Mather: +27 83 675 0331 mediaoptions@tiscali.co.za CONTRIBUTORS Retha Ingenbleek, Desmond Borrageiro, Nicola Weir, Gerda Van Schalkwyk, Natasha Bryant, New Balance, Oxigen Communications, Linda Wasmer Andrews, Melissa Rom, Freya Labuschagne, Primedia, Josh Clarke, Susan Steinbach, Mimmie Lancaster, Exercise Intelligence.
My Race Magazine is published annually by Free Radical Media. My Race is subject to copyright in its entirety. The contents may not be reproduced in any form, either in whole or in part, without the written consent of the publisher. Unless specified, all rights are reserved in material accepted for publication. All letters and other unsolicited submissions (manuscripts, art, photographs and other materials) will be considered for publication unless clearly labeled ’not for publication’. All letters may be subject to editing. My Race is not responsible for any unsolicited submissions. Free Radical Media reserves the right to reject any advertising at our discretion without explanation. Opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of Free Radical Media, SPAR or their clients. Information has been included in good faith by the publisher and is believed to be correct at the time of going to print. No responsibility can be accepted for errors and omissions. No material (articles or photographs) in this publication
may be reproduced, in whole or in part, without specific written permission from Free Medical Media. No liability is accepted by Free Radical Media, the publisher, SPAR nor the authors for any information contained herein. Neither My Race magazine, SPAR nor its publisher is responsible for damage or harm, of whatever description, resulting from persons undertaking any activity or health advice featured in My Race. Submissions of articles and photographs for publication are welcomed, but the publisher, while exercising all reasonable care, cannot be held responsible for any loss or damage.
2014 • MY RACE MAGAZINE
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