Over 8 000 moving to the beat
RHYTHM RUN: ENERGISING MUSIC AND LIGHT DISPLAYS KEPT COMPETITORS ON THE MOVE
n efforts to fight off the winter-evening blues, Discovery Vitality Group and Johannesburg radio station 947 FM partnered to create the Rhythm Run, which took place last weekend at the Kyalami race track in Midrand, Gauteng.
The races sought to incorporate healthy living with a pop-culture musical twist and runners of all levels and ages came out to stretch their legs over a single lap of 4.7km or a double loop of 9km.
Dynamic music and light displays kept legs moving and the lure of the after-party with a host of DJs, including DJ Kent, Chrizz Beats and DJ Dino Bravo, pushed everyone to the finish line.
This year’s event introduced a speed-lap with 250 speedsters who took to the track for 9km ahead of the main run.
Split into male and female groups, the men’s race was won by Donald Mashamaite in a time of 26 minutes and 54 seconds with Marko Bucarizza second (27:00) and Kennedy Sekhuthe third (29:34), taking home a share of R17 500. “I am very happy I won. “My mom is building a house and I’m going to give her this money to contribute to that,” Mashamaite said.
In the ladies race, Caroline Poonan crossed the line first in a time of 34:38, followed by Madri Wiid (35:28) and then Cian Oldknow (35:47). The ladies also shared R17 500 between them. Poonan said a friend encouraged her to enter the Speed Lap and so she would share her winnings with her. Iona Maclean, head of experiential marketing at Discovery Vitality, said: “Some people like running socially while others are motivated by people like Discovery ambassador Wayde van Niekerk, who is the current world record holder, world champion and Olympic champion in the 400 metres.
“It didn’t matter why people were running, what is important is that over 8 000 people were on the track working those leg and heart muscles.”
For some of the 9km lap finishers, stepping across the line was a taste of what it would feel like to finish a marathon like the Comrades, which is takes place this Sunday in KwaZulu-Natal.
Some people like running socially while others are motivated by people like Discovery ambassador Wayde van Niekerk, the current world record holder, world champion and Olympic champion in the 400m. Iona Maclean Discovery