Sport	Race
Event	The Wonderful Run
Date	13 December 2025
Where	Akasia, Pretoria, South Africa
Distance	10 Km
Finishing Time	00:57:42
Race Number	1985
Result	46/259
Top %	18%
Pace	5:46 m/km
Speed	10.4 km/h
Click here for details about The Wonderful Run
Comments	View Comments

My experience at the event:

It happened. After ten years, I was back running a 10 km race.

I stopped racing that distance when I moved up to marathons, ultras, and eventually a few Comrades. Over the past few years, running became purely functional, something I did only to stay fit enough to play football. Lately, though, even with a hip surgery behind me and a long list of accumulated injuries, I have started rediscovering the simple pleasure of running.

This race was ideal. Small field. Almost flat, with just one short climb around kilometre six, followed by a fast three kilometre downhill stretch to the finish. Mostly suburban roads, no battling taxis, traffic, or crowds. It felt relaxed, almost like a solo run.

The rain near the end was not great, but it never got cold. There was no food at the finish, no pancakes, no boerewors rolls, nothing. On the upside, I finished, got straight into the car, and was on my way without the usual Sunday chaos of Johannesburg races. Fewer people, fewer cars, fewer hills.

Overall, I was satisfied. The goal was to run close to an hour, and I finished comfortably under that, even with the course being about 130 metres longer than advertised.

Now it is a break in Italy for a cold Christmas, then planning more races for 2026.

Back to sports

---