Gonste Mathabathe worked up a real sweat after the 2.5 – 5 km run on Tuesday. Photo: Tendai Dube
WITSIES braced the cold to participate in the first Nike Run at the Bozzoli Sports Pavilion on Tuesday evening. Fitness brand Nike partnered with Wits Sports Club to launch a weekly running club for those in and around the community.
“We’re running this because we want to really create this healthy lifestyle,” said Liz Chase, Wits sports officer.
Participants had the option to run the 2.5km or 5km route from the Bozzoli Sports Pavilion through East Campus.
The first to reach the finish line were best friends Nhlanhla Vilakazi and Brandon Matthews. The two had opted for the 2.5km, much to Chase’s dismay. “You see, the thing is, I’ve been on holiday now for more than a month and I didn’t want to finish myself,” said Vilakazi.
The launch did not get large numbers but had Witsies known it involved swopping your old sneakers to run in a brand new pair of Lunar Glide Nikes then perhaps more would have attended.
We’re running this because we want to really create this healthy lifestyle
“It’s not the easiest thing to do but there’s a saying, ‘summer bodies are created in winter’ and that’s what keeps people motivated and training in winter,” said Zama Mthethwa, coordinator of the Nike Run at Wits.
Witsies and staff are encouraged to join the runs taking place every Tuesday evening at 5pm starting at Bozzoli.
