Some people are just born to run. And the rest of us? Well, to cheer them from the sidelines.
No stranger to the sound of applause is Caroline Wostmann who aced the bragging rights for this year’s Comrades Marathon.
Wostmann (32) who hails from Lynnwood, Pretoria east, put the capital city and the country on the map with her stellar performance at the 2015 Comrades, a gruelling 90km ultra marathon.
Wostmann crossed the finish line first in the women’s category in a time of 6:12.22.
“I followed a plan my coach and I had worked out. It just so happened that I took the lead early. I was sticking to my plan.”
The man who worked out the plan is Lindsey Parry, of the University of Pretoria High Performance Centre, who achieved a remarkable double. He also coaches Charné Bosman, runner -up to Wostmann in the Comrades.
Wostmann, a management accounting lecturer at Wits University, finally broke the foreign stranglehold on the women’s race, which last witnessed a South African winner way back in 1998 in the form of Rae Bisschoff.
This makes Wostmann the first South African woman to win the race in 17 years. She also became only the second South African woman, after Frith van der Merwe in 1989, to win both the Comrades and Two Oceans in the same year. “It took a lot of dedication and commitment. I ran 3 000km from January up until the day of the Comrades.”
The mother of two also took swimming classes and cycled to prepare for the race. “I guess it was fifth time lucky this year, because in all previous occasions I didn’t reach my desired goals.”
Wostmann first got into jogging when she was trying to shed the weight from her first pregnancy in 2007. “After losing the 10kg baby weight I figured why not tackle the Comrades.”
”I did all there was to do to win – from a stern training regime, a strict diet and lots of prayer. I must say the Polly Shortts was the most taxing during the race.”
Since winning, she has become an overnight sensation in the capital and says the media attention is overwhelming and humbling.”
Wostmann and Bosman visited acting mayor Eulenda Mabusela, at her Centurion offices yesterday. Mabusela said it was to recognise the achievements of individuals who excel in Tshwane. “The city is privileged to be home to such amazing athletes. They (Caroline and Charné) now join the list of Tshwane ambassadors. The youth in Tshwane look up to champions like Caroline and Charné.”
Wostmann said: “It is heart-warming and a lovely gesture from the city.” Her motto in life? “It takes 21 days to make or break a habit, so give yourself 21 days; it could change your life,” she said. - Pretoria News