Star proves running your socks off is worth it

“It’s like my legs can’t move. Once I take my shoes off, I feel free. Even those people who try to catch up with me, they can’t because I am running on air,” Dlamini says with a smile.

Although she thinks she is not as fit as she should be, her 2017 has certainly got off to an impressive start with ten-kilometre wins at the Van Wettens and Power of Love night races, as well as first place in the 21,1-kilometre event at the Uniwisp 3-in-1 Fast Marathon. She is looking forward to her favourite race, the Kaapsehoop 3-in-1 Marathon, where she hopes to improve upon her winning performance last year.

Also read: Folavio and Nontokoza reign supreme at Van Wettens

“I love the beautiful views, the many flat stretches, and the downhills of the race. Downhills are my best,” she explains.

Her long-time coach, Hester Pretorius, says she and her husband joke that Dlamini has a boyfriend at the newspaper because she features so much on the back page. But the athlete is, in fact, happily married to husband, Reuben, and one often sees her five-year-old daughter, Shantell, waiting for her mother at the finish line.

Dlamini started running track and cross country in 2003 when she was still in primary school. She admits she was always very good at long distances but that it was difficult to train, as facilities were poor in the Pienaar and KaNyamazane areas.

Well-known development coach in the Pienaar area, Boikie Gama, was Dlamini’s first real coach and she has only good things to say about the man who helped hone her talent from a young age. She still helps him out at the coaching clinics he organises.

It was when Dlamini was in grade 11 at Gedlembane High School that Pretorius recognised the pupil’s great talent for road running.

“She wins just about every race she enters, and she is so humble about it all. She will run against the men or anyone at all, she just wants to run,” Pretorius says.

Also read: Dlamini defends Uniwisp 3-in-1 Fast Marathon title

Dlamini also works as a teaching assistant at Kriewelkousie Nursery School which happens to be owned by her running coach and mentor. She works with the grade R class and says she loves interacting with the “little ones”.

She is as good in the classroom as she is running on the road. She shows such a lot of initiative in the workplace and the children just love her,” says Pretorius.

The young woman is certainly a force to be reckoned with; she has broken a lot of records and achieved many of her goals. One such dream was to buy herself a car, and she did it with prize money won at the M-cel Mozambique race a few years ago. She hopes to own her own fashion business one day and her determination is almost palpable.

Her running success has not come easy. She trains at least five times a week and participates in whichever races she can on the weekends. She heads to Port Elizabeth in June to represent Mpumalanga in the 21-kilometre South African Championships, and she thanks Pretorius and LVCC club for their support.

What is it about running that keeps Dlamini so motivated?

When I run, I feel no stress. I feel comfortable and strong, like I can overcome any problem,” she says.