Maber focuses on getting her form back
“I want to get to a point where I am competing comfortably, where I feel the pain, but it is comfortable and manageable.”
While the goal is to qualify for the Athletics South Africa (ASA) cross-country championships in September, Carina Maber’s primary focus is returning to the form that saw her clock personal bests two years ago.
Much of the Boxer AC runner’s training this cross-country season has focused on developing a solid aerobic base for next year’s track and field season.
“The focus is getting back to where I was before. The aim is to still qualify for nationals,” she said.
Peak performance
As a student at the University of Pretoria, the 24-year-old hit the right notes on the track, clocking lifetime bests of 59.68 in the 400m and 2:15.12 in the 800m in 2023.
The middle-distance runner then enjoyed a successful first quarter of 2024.
After running a personal best of 4:52.13 for fourth place in the senior women’s 1 500m finals at the CGA seniors and U23 track and field championships, she represented the province at the nationals in Pietermaritzburg.
Afterwards, she clocked her second-best 1 500m time of 4:52.25 at the ASA Grand Prix – a World Athletics Continental Tour challenger – held at the University of Johannesburg, where she finished fifth.
However, her form suffered drastically as she struggled to balance work with competing at the highest level.
Despite this, the 24-year-old is determined and focused on getting back to her best, and the wheels are already in motion.
“It’s a lot to manage and stay motivated because you get tired. It’s about staying disciplined and focused.
“My training group at Hans Moore pushes me to keep up. It is a supportive and healthy environment,” said Maber.
Shifting gears
The goal is to return to run 04:00min/km and cover the 4km cross-country distance. She clocked 17:34 in the first CGA cross-country league meeting in May but aims to run under 16 minutes.
“I want to get to a point where I am competing comfortably, where I feel the pain, but it is comfortable and manageable.
“Now, it is a case of pushing but you die on the first lap. I want to get back to sub-16 minutes in the 4km and finish in the top three in the remaining leagues.”
Maber started running as a six-year-old in pre-school after winning a sprint race. She continued running at St Dunstan’s College and at university.
She said athletics had a positive impact on her life and taught her accountability.
“Discipline is a big thing. You have to show up, be consistent, and be sure everything aligns, so you can focus. It also builds character,” Maber said.
She has her sights on improving her 800m time to under 02:10 next season. Once she achieves that, she will work towards earning her national colours.
“It does not have to be for the World Athletics Championships or Olympics. It can be for the African or regional games.”
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