Runner takes 80th birthday in his stride

RUNNER, Jannie Pieters will make his FNB Durban 10K CITYSURFRUN debut on Sunday, 13 October, one month after his 80th birthday.

Sharing his passion for running with his daughter, Michelle Carnegie, Pieters jumped at the opportunity for them to take part in this much-loved event.

“I’ve been running for over 35 years, since my 40s. Before that I was very competitive in the sport of karate having obtained a 3rd Dan black belt, but then the running bug bit. I’ve done over 200 parkruns, over 500 half marathons, the Mauritius Half Marathon, and the Vitality Big Half in London, to name but a few. It is always nice to run somewhere different and new. I love running at the coast and also wanted to do something special for my birthday. The FNB Durban 10K CITYSURFRUN is a month after my 80th in September, so it’s a great way to celebrate,” he said.

Jannie said taking part in the event with his daughter was going to be very special as they have shared the passion for running for more than 25 years.

“We get to go to races together and always have great chats on the way there and back. It is a treat to wait for each other at the finish and to end the morning with a cup of coffee. I look forward to experiencing the excitement of running through the streets of the city of Durban alongside thousands of runners and then finishing on the beach front. My goal is to finish while having a good time along the way,” he said.

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Michelle said: “Growing up with a sport loving father, I suppose I was bound to run. My Dad and I have travelled together to more local running races than I can remember. His face is always the first one that I look out for as I cross the line. He is definitely my biggest supporter. The most special running memory that I have is travelling to London with my Dad to run the London Marathon. We’d spoken about running an international marathon for years and in 2018 we got the opportunity. I love the freedom and accessibility that the sport of running offers. I have also witnessed first-hand the positive and life changing effects that running has had on the lives of so many.”

The event starts from Blue Lagoo at 7am, and finishes at the beachfront precinct near The Bike and Bean.

Entry is R185 (licensed) and R215 (unlicensed) for standard entry, and R850 (licensed) and R880 (unlicensed) for Gold Package entry. Entries close on Monday, 30 September.

Visit: www.durban10k.com.

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