South African marathon and utlra-marathon runner, firefighter, and mother Enie Manzini has loved to run since childhood, and now she competes at the elite level of her sport. But she has had to overcome harsh challenges to get there. This is the story about how Manzini embraced her power and continues to rise to her potential.

South African firefighter and now single mother of two Enie discovered her love and talent for running at a young age and began running seriously in 2007. Not long after, Enie had the first child. Committed to excelling in her sport, she worked in her training around motherhood, household duties, and a demanding career. 

And then Enie came face to face with the biggest hurdle of all: her home life turned violent. For a decade she would endure increasingly severe domestic abuse from her husband.

Enie shares her very personal and ultimately triumphant story of how her passion for running and desire to be a positive role model to her children were instrumental in her decision to end a destructive marriage. Enie has gone on to become one of South Africa’s best ultra-marathon runners. She is also a member of Team Massmart, South Africa’s first all-women’s elite long-distance running team. 

Enie’s journey demonstrates how a deep belief in yourself and commitment to standing your ground and following your dreams can give you strength even in the darkest of times. 

This episode is part of our first season, and the theme of this season is experiences in and around the Comrades Marathon, which is a 90-kilometer, or roughly 56-mile, road race that takes place each year in South Africa. It is the oldest and largest ultra-distance foot race in the world. 

Recommended Resources

The recommendation for this episode is the blog Free to Run, which is part of the Free to Run organization. The organization works with females in conflict areas to involve them in outdoor activities, including running. To quote the website, their goal is to increase opportunities for women and girls to engage in public life, using sport as a tool of empowerment and education. The blog follows the work of Free to Run.   

Learn more about Free to Run on their website: https://freetorun.org/

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Twitter: @WomenRunStories

Website: womensrunningstories.com

Email host Cherie: [email protected]

Women's Running Stories is a member of the Evergreen network: https://evergreenpodcasts.com/

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