Lara takes a bite of the Big Apple

Ballito’s Lara Kruiskamp is just two marathons away from accomplishing her goal of being the first woman in Africa to run a marathon on each continent in 12 months.
Her running has taken her to China, Vietnam, Sydney and Peru.
Along her journey Lara is raising funds through her non-profit organisation RestoreSA, which she hopes to use to build villages for vulnerable women and children in Africa.
The Courier caught up with Lara fresh from the 42,2km New York City marathon, which she ran on November 3.
The marathon is the largest in the world and this year’s made history with a record 50 266 finishers.
“We ran through Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and ended in Manhattan. Running through Central Park was stunning because of all the gorgeous autumn leaves. When I looked at the sea of people behind me, I realised 50 266 is equal to just one percent of the orphaned and vulnerable children in Africa.”
She said she met inspiring people along the way.
“I met a dwarfed man, a runner who was running his first marathon after losing 238 pounds and a man who still had shrapnel in his leg and was running in honour of the Boston marathon victims. People saw my South African kit and cheered me on and even donated $160 (R1600) along the way.”
The Blackmore Sydney marathon started at the Sydney Harbour Bridge and ended at the Sydney Opera House, which Lara said was an “easy beautiful” run.
“The spectators were so warm and chatty. I loved talking to locals.”
Lara will run the Sani Stagger in the Drakensberg on Saturday and her final marathon in March is in Antarctica.
Follow her journey on www.restoresa.co.za.