Tinaye Agere
The Art of Sport
Arthur Choga
THE early morning light is just breaking, painting the eastern sky grey and a light-purple haze. Birds weave through the trees along the street, breaking the silence with occasional squalls of song.
As the first fingers of light escape the horizon, a light footfall breaks into the morning quiet. Soon, the sound of measured breathing joins the footsteps as they gather volume, and a runner emerges from a curve on the road.
With a determined look on her face, she trots past.
It is just the start of another ordinary day in the life of a runner.
For people such as 37-year-old Loreen Alutah Chari, her day typically starts at 4.30am.
She can do a half marathon before heading to the office.
Running has become a lifestyle for her and countless other runners who exercise in the mornings and evenings.
Socially, runners have seemingly developed a community and can sometimes travel to different cities to take part in casual runs and marathons. Some have even gone as far as competing at major events such as South Africa’s Comrades Marathon in KwaZulu Natal, notwithstanding the fact that they are not professional runners.
Although the motivation to run differs, most people do so to remain fit.
Each runner has a unique story about the moment they actually took up running.
Some runners even take part in global competitions, thanks to wellness applications such as Fitbit, vivo and Samsung Health.
The challenges range from daily targets to annual targets. In some instances, some workplaces also now have fitness groups, as more and more people are becoming health-conscious. But not everyone is a fan of runners.
They sometimes use roads and make it increasingly difficult for motorists to navigate past them.
There have been reports of motorists running over or bumping into runners.
Some runners, especially those who are in the habit of using earphones, can get carried away and stray into traffic.
And then there is the odd lot that habitually hurls obscenities or negativity at runners.
However, most people believe runners need to be encouraged, not discouraged.
But early morning runners also need to be cautious; they should be wary of criminals, some of whom deliberately target women.
All in all, running has proved to be a reliable and cost-effective way of building fitness and good health for all ages.
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