Florida running club’s Gielie Nel made his debut at the Johnson Crane Hire Marathon finishing the race in an impressive time of 4:43:59.

The 43rd edition of this historic race took place on Sunday, January 25, in Benoni, Willowmoore Park, featuring 13 500 runners participating in different distances.

Gielie, who started running long distances in 2024, said he was driven to take up the sport to challenge himself and push his endurance limits. “I wanted to see how far I could go,” he said.

Sharing with the Roodepoort Record, he expressed that he was pleased with his performance despite the challenging heat. “The route was generally flat and fast, but the heat was tough,” he said.

Gielie is now setting his sights on the Comrades Marathon set to take place in June, which he will be running for the second time this year. He used the Johnson Crane Marathon as a qualifier and is also participating in other races to improve his seeding.

“My advice to aspiring marathon runners is to be consistent with your training, focus on building endurance gradually, and listen to your body,” he said.

“Don’t skip rest days, practice proper pacing and nutrition, and most importantly, enjoy the process.”

His best times include 22:00 for 5 km, 51:00 for 10 km, 2:3:00 for 21 km, and 4:40:00 for 42 km.

The Comrades-bound runner is looking forward to the challenge ahead and inspiring others to take up the sport.