SEVERAL hours after clinching first place at the Amanzimtoti parkrun on February 8, Warren Gibson laced up his running shoes once again, this time for a much bigger challenge.

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The very next day, he tackled the Rolando Hillcrest Marathon and managed to beat his own target time. A dedicated member of the Amanzimtoti Athletic Club, Gibson often uses parkruns as part of his training. But what started as a routine fitness run turned into an unexpected victory. He planned to take it easy, maintain a steady pace, and save energy for the next day’s marathon. That plan, however, quickly unravelled when he found himself leading the pack, eventually crossing the finish line at 22:35.

The following morning, with little time for recovery, he faced the 42.2km challenge of the Rolando Hillcrest Marathon. Despite the fatigue, Gibson pushed through and finished in an impressive 03:44:22 seconds, beating his own goal of 03:45.

“I’m happy with that result. It was a well-organised race, and I really enjoyed it,” said Gibson.

Gibson is no stranger to tough courses. The Amanzimtoti parkrun, a gruelling 5km stretch along the beach, is widely considered one of the toughest in the region, second only to the infamous Thousand Hills parkrun. Just the previous Saturday, he had taken part in the East Coast Brewery parkrun in Umkomaas, proving his dedication to the sport.

At the latest Amanzimtoti parkrun, 222 runners participated, with Daniel Swart securing second place in 23:36 and Micah Subramani achieving a personal best of 24:47.

Gibson’s next race is the Om Die Dam Marathon in Hartbeespoort on March 15.

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