South African runner Renata had planned to run Comrades “just once” with the challenging goal of cracking the 7:30 finishing time barrier. This story is about how not meeting that goal her first time at Comrades led to her becoming an elite runner. 

South African Renata Vosloo has loved running since she was young, and she had talent to run fast. For many years, half-marathons were her thing. But the pressure to run Comrades was so great, she decided, “Just once.” 

This story is about how Renata’s plan to run Comrades “just once” and crack the challenging 7:30 finishing time barrier has led to her becoming an elite runner for Team Massmart and knocking on the door of a top 10 finish. 

Renata’s journey takes a close look at the many factors that contribute to a runner getting to the next level of performance. And it touches on what running brings to our lives, regardless of what our time and event performance goals are. 

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

This episode’s recommended resource is Trail Sisters. There’s a lot to this organization, and they say it best: their mission is to increase women’s participation and opportunity in trail running through inspiration, education, and empowerment. 

The work they do makes trail running more accessible, welcoming, and enjoyable for women. You’ll find a lot of resources and information on their website, including articles, short films, ways to connect with local trail sisters, race reports, how to find a coach, and information about their grants and retreats, and more. 

For more, visit the Trail Sisters website: trailsisters.net.  

Ways to Connect and Engage with Women's Running Stories

Instagram: @womensrunningstories

Twitter: @WomenRunStories

Website: womensrunningstories.com

Email host Cherie: [email protected]

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