Zola Budd wins Iron Girl South Africa run

Friday, 08 April 2011 19:09

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Legendary Zola wins debut Iron Girl SA

By Jarred Bradley

Zola Budd, the world-renowned barefoot runner of the 80s from Bloemfontein, is a former Olympic track and field athlete, who not only managed to win the World Cross-country Championships twice, but also broke the world record in the Women’s 5000 metres twice.  She did this all in less than three years.

It seems that Zola is continuing her streak of making history, as she has not only taken part, but won Nelson Mandela Bay’s first-ever Iron Girl South Africa Fun Run.  Iron Girl was held for the first time on African soil earlier this year when more than 300 women took to the streets of Buffalo City for the Iron Girl 10km Fun Run that was held at the Spec-Savers Ironman 70.3 South Africa.

Zola Budd’s running career started about thirty years ago, when she started training and running barefoot as a teenager.  Her most recent race was the Queensburrow Mineshaft Half-marathon in Durban, which took place on Sunday, where she managed to finish second overall.  “They call it the mineshaft marathon because of all the hills.  It is extremely ‘hilly,’’’ said Budd.

Budd originally came to the Ironman Expo, to promote Newton shoes, but was glad to hear about the women’s 10km Iron Girl race.  Even though she does not have any specific goals for this race, she is sure to have a lot of fun and believes that this would be good practice and preparation for future races.

 

“I was glad to get an entry in the race,” said Budd.  “I have had great races in Port Elizabeth, and there is a certain sense of nostalgia in having another run here.”

Added to Budd’s personal excitement, there is the incredible atmosphere of Ironman and Budd is proud just to be a part of this.  Her next race will be the Loskopdam Half-marathon, and her goal for the year is to compete in the cross-country and 5km events at the World Masters in July, which is taking place in Sacramento, California.

Zola bought her first wetsuit yesterday, and it seems possible that the triathlon bug has bitten her.  

When asked about competing in the Spec-Savers Ironman South Africa, Budd replied: “I do not think that would happen very soon.  I swim like a rock.” She admits that she will consider doing a short distance triathlon in the future.  “But the Ironman seems too tough,” she said.

Her motivation and personal philosophy is: “If you know why you are doing something, you can do anything.

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