20 FIFTEEN
Thursday, December 31, 2015
On this, the last day of 2015.
Let me take this opportunity to reflect on the year that has been 2015. This year I have grown physically, emotionally and professionally. From earning my first pay cheque, to running my longest distance and most importantly remaining Injury free. I have ran more kilometres this year than any other year in my life.
On the flip side though, I did less races this year and I did not reach some of the goals that I had set out for myself. Such is life though and we look to the new year to achieve new things and set more goals.
My year started with excitement I was starting my first job at one of the biggest law firms in the country and I was very excited that I would be entering the corporate environment. I donned my suit and tie with pride and I made sure that I wore interesting colour combinations to the office so that I would brighten everybody's day and that they would remember me as that intern. That IT intern that dressed well, I should have been a lawyer...
January consisted of a whole lot, of trying to be an office rat while also trying to run and enjoying being "independent". I also had my first taste of Nike Training Club. Also casual Friday is amazing!
The following people were featured over the course of January and February:
- Ipeleng Motuba
- BKS Reel Entertainment
- Andy Chan
- Marek Lavorenti
- Onthathile Ratshoafo
- Pixie Harlow
- Jupiter Desphy V
- Tina Araneta
- Dear Legs
- #INDIERUNNERTAKEOVER by Anna Hankings-Evans
- Nqabisa Ndodana
- Adrienne Knight
- #INDIERUNNERTAKEOVER by LeAnne Kerr
- Francine Askew
- Keilynn Hopkins
- Gabriela Delgadillo
- Tanya Kovarsky
- P I N K
March 2015 was dedicated to the men who run. We live in a society where women have a month and public holidays dedicated to them but not men. It is justified that we live in mans world, but sure enough men feel left out by campaigns that are aimed at women so I decided to celebrate men who run. Running is not the easiest of things to do, so showcasing men to inspire other men who run was my goal and it was achieved.
I called the project x THE MEN and it was hard finding men to feature and it was even harder to find men who would do the #INDIERUNNERTAKEOVER. The project was executed nonetheless and I look forward to doing it again in 2016. If you are a man and you want to be featured in March 2016, be sure to send an email.
The following Men Who Run were featured over the course of March:
- Dale Bannatyne
- Bonginkosi Ndima
- Yongama Dekeda
- #INDIERUNNERTAKEOVER by Fitsum Kassie
- Keketso Mahope
- Mxolisi Benedict Msomi Gumede
- #INDIERUNNERTAKEOVER by @2brothersrunning
- Eros Munoz
- Noel Young
- Antonio Del Rio
- Cydesigner
- #INDIERUNNERTAKEOVER by Adam Francique
- Marshall Kiewiet
- William Nanjero
- Dominic Storom
After that it dawned on me how hard scouting female runners for the project in August was going to be. Also some colour came on the blog, I also got to finally run with Dominic, if you are ever in Johannesburg, send an email and lets make a run happen!.
The following runners were featured over the course of April:
All of a sudden it was May, time had flown I had lost the weight that I had gained while I was an intern and I was being a lazy runner. Running only when I had a thought to do it and we will not speak of my diet. I decided to challenge myself and run my age on my birthday. The longest distance I had run at this point in the year was probably 10 kilometres and I did not know how I would survive this.
I took a leap of faith and with my cousin we ran all over Randfontein. I was very saw afterwards but oh well Sweat must fall. A week after or two after that I was in a tv studio giving an interview on running culture.
The following people were featured over the course of May:
- #INDIERUNNERTAKEOVER by @flo_cg
- #INDIERUNNERTAKEOVER by @reneeashleyruns
- Matthew Sizwe Mahlangu
- Lerato Musi
- #INDIERUNNERTAKEOVER by @jilly_pen
- Jeremy Tobing
- Chelsea Beasley
- Kamohelo Mokoena
- Adriana Flores Bernal
- Maru Moremogolo
- Mariella Dierks
- #INDIERUNNERTAKEOVER by @movinguphill
The episode of Sistahood that I was featured on aired on the 1st of June on Etv, a national broadcaster. I was interviewed alongside Busi, the owner of the Runners Store a running specialist store based in Pretoria. She inspires me, she left her corporate job to follow her passion of running by opening her own running store and essentially her own brand, the Runners Gear. Winter had arrived and I was very happy to be running in my new reflective tights.
The following people were featured over the course of June:
- Mike Saes
- #INDIERUNNERTAKEOVER by @tessilorgat
- Danielle McNeilly
- #INDIERUNNERTAKEOVER by @running_view_photography
- #INDIERUNNERTAKEOVER by @dvdjoseph
- Ntombi Mngomezulu
- #INDIERUNNERTAKEOVER by @quaniet
- VJ Balan
- Esther Akihary
- #INDIERUNNERTAKEOVER by @larasenanglari
- Fernanda Melo
- Michael Jones
Nike Run Club launched in July and I was sad that I could not be a pacer. I am a full time student and because of this I missed out on an awesome opportunity. As cold as it was in July, I continued running and managed to run 108.47 km.
The following athletes were featured over the course of July:
- #INDIERUNNERTAKEOVER by @middpro
- Phetsile Joy Nxumalo
- Nick Makoha
- #INDIERUNNERTAKEOVER BY @gagankdhillon
- Derron Gadison
- Sharon Van Wyk
- Nicole D
- #INDIERUNNERTAKEOVER by @jilliansrunningjourney
- Sean Roberson
- #INDIERUNNERTAKEOVER by @ricky_gopro_runner
- Fersandy Lukman
August had arrived with its winds and I was ready to execute round 2 of x THE WMN. I was dissapointed by many of the women that I had approached for this project, but I managed to replace them with other female runners and it was quite a good effort. I look forward to doing this project again in 2016. Maybe this time I will get a brand to work with for this project.
The following WomenWhoRun were featured over the course of August:
- Elisabeth Kellerer
- Venetia Marriott
- Siabatou Sanneh
- Jen D
- Makosi Miracles Musambasi
- #INDIERUNNERTAKEOVER by @platinum_runner
- #INDIERUNNERTAKEOVER by @nellysiwe
- Mirka Markkula
- Blessing Okagbare
- Alyssa Conley
- Okty Syaira
- Mapaseka Makhanya
- Zamandulo Mayekiso
- Erika Neola
- #INDIERUNNERTAKEOVER by @zonkifiyah
- Nada Taalab
- Lucie Zelenkova
- #INDIERUNNERTAKEOVER by @robkaity
- #INDIERUNNERTAKEOVER by @busimqingwana
- Jessica LeBron
Winter had come and gone, the school calender was almost finished. The sun was out, that meant I could wear short shorts and ditch the tights. My speed had improved because the fastest night in Africa.
The following people were featured over the course of September:
- #INDIERUNNERTAKEOVER by @nunutoon
- Juliet Okpalanma
- #INDIERUNNERTAKEOVER by @missjkwright
- Oh Wonder
- #INDIERUNNERTAKEOVER by @tsatsiran
- Rose Eyenike
- Agnes I.
Exams were looming and I had neglected the blog a bit. I was also running more thinking that I was going to be doing my first marathon in November. My exam timetable was released and with my first exam the day after the Old Mutual Soweto Marathon doing the full marathon was not a viable option. So I decided to train for the half marathon. That was my October...
The following runners were featured over the course of October:
- Timothy Rossi
- #INDIERUNNERTAKEOVER by @roadtorun
- #INDIERUNNERTAKEOVER by @confidentcurls
November started with me completing my second official half marathon, extra special because my mother finished her first 10km race. I expanded the social media to snapchat and periscope, so add us on both, username: thatindierunner.
- #INDIERUNNERTAKEOVER by @lee_tsotetsi
- #INDIERUNNERTAKEOVER by @itsjustyu
- Lucky Miya
- #INDIERUNNERTAKEOVER by @michalis_vin
- Thulisile Madi
- #INDIERUNNERTAKEOVER by @superwomankw
- Thamsanqa Mazwi Dlamini
- Me
Anxiety over exam results, thoughts on how time seems to be passing by and stress over wasting my young years. Memoirs on the year past and playlists being curated because now you can listen to running playlists from the blog on 8tracks.
The following people were featured over the course of December:
- Anathi Titi
- #INDIERUNNERTAKEOVER by @susieeekim
- Jacqui Poug
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, to everybody that has contributed to the #RunRevolution movement it has been greatly appreciated.
For your last run of 2015, please listen to our specially curated running playlist. Which can be found here.
For your last run of 2015, please listen to our specially curated running playlist. Which can be found here.
Looking forward to 2016
#RunRevolution
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