Meb Keflezighi might have competed in his final Boston Marathon yesterday but he is destined to keep running. Why? Because he loves the simplicity of the activity, the process of training and the lifestyle. OK, he might not performed up to his own high standards yesterday (13th in 2:17:00) but the guy is seriously healthy for a 41 year old elite athlete.
Closer to home and the "forties-slide" certainly doesn't apply to Hendrick Ramaala. Hendrick reminds me a lot of Meb, always smiling, always a good soundbite and a friendly one at that. And at 45 years of age, the Polokwane-born Olympian is as busy as ever
"I'm still hanging in there," says Hendrick Ramaala. "Of course I'm getting crushed by these youngsters but we are all doing well."
As the finish clock on the UCT sportsfield registered a windswept 3:27 and some change, Hendrick finished well up the order in the Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon. Smiling and chatty of course, there was more to Hendrick's happy demeanour than just the elation of yet another solid race finish. You see, he is coach to many of our beloved land's best athletes up in Jozi. And they did well.
"Can we stand in the sun," he asked as we talked. "Eish, the wind is so cold."
Hendrick went on to say how being a coach is not as glamorous as it seems. It's a stressful job, he said, before going to add that he has to do his own training, look after his family and so on. Pretty much like many a fulltime working parent hey?
But Hendrick, like Meb, isn't going anywhere soon. Guys like these have got too much to offer and the sport needs them. Yes, Zoo Lake might not be Mammoth Lakes but that doesn't matter, least of all to Hendrick Ramaala.
"It is a lovely place," he says. "Nice to train there. Zoo Lake is lovely and peaceful, the grass is green and soft, and we are doing well. But the dream is see South Africa winning, that is the main dream. We had a guy finish top-12 in Rotterdam so it is working out now."
