Nothing is impossible for Northerns’ Emslie
Despite the challenges of motherhood and health scares, she has managed to establish a solid career as a runner for her club.
Benoni Northerns Athletic Club (BNAC) runner Nadia Emslie has delivered a rallying call for women to use their day-to-day challenges as motivation to rise above all odds.
The athlete believes women, especially running moms, should remove the word ‘impossible’ from their vocabulary. Rather, they should back themselves up and remember that setbacks are temporary.
Emslie acknowledges that women will always face challenges due to motherhood, work and their health, but they should always seek to improve – which is something she has done all her life despite health scares and self-doubts.
“We have to these face these challenges. In the moment you are facing them, everything feels impossible. The most important thing is to back yourself up and remember that every challenge is temporary,” she said.
She’s had her fair share of setbacks, but through self-belief, hard work and determination, she conquered them all – which explains the mother of two’s quick rise to becoming one of the BNAC’s top female long-distance runners.
Emslie joined Northerns in 2017. After a five-year hiatus, she returned in 2023 but her comeback was unpleasant. She completed a few half-marathons early in the year but her health suffered mid-year and it affected her running for the rest of the season.
She came back stronger in 2024, running 03:26:28 at the TracN4 Elands Marathon, shaving a huge 30:00 off her 42.2km PB, which was around 03:56.
That performance started conversations about the Comrades Marathon, which she had no desire to run. But when the substitution process opened in April, she entered and had one of her best days on the road in the up-run to Pietermaritzburg on June 9.
“Lining up at the Comrades, I felt gratitude. I was grateful to do it, especially after my health scare in 2023. I was aware that it was such a big privilege to be able to run,” Emslie said.
She clocked 08:45:05 on debut for a Bill Rowan medal, becoming the BNAC’s first lady, first female novice and first open lady inside Scottsville Racecourse, which earned her three awards at Northerns’ end-of-season awards.
“As I went over the line, I thought to myself, what just happened? I was overcome with emotions. Finishing as the first novice lady was an honour. I had the best day on the road. Everything worked.”
She’s continued to improve this year, finishing the Johnson Crane Marathon 18th in January before bettering her Elands Marathon PB on March 1 with 03:14:20, chopping 12:08 off her time from last year.
After her incredible performance in Nelspruit, Emslie, part of Mark Dingle Coaching, will take the twin challenge of tackling the 56km Two Oceans Marathon and the Comrades.
It will be her first time participating in the world’s most beautiful marathon since 2013, while she plans to better her Comrades time in her first down-run.
“As a woman, tell yourself that despite challenges, you can do anything. It’s important, especially as a mom, to tell yourself that nothing is impossible,” she said.
Also Read: Northerns runners in top 10 at Old Eds race
Also Read: #Comrades2024: Locals make great strides at marathon
