Heart attack victim, Yusuf Abrahams will run the Old Mutual Two Oceans 56 km ultra marathon back to back to raise funds for the Heart Foundation Children’s Programme.
At midnight on Friday April 14, Abrahams and a group of friends will start running the ultra in reverse. They will start at the finish at UCT Sports Grounds and finish at the start in Main Road in Newlands in time to start the main race at 07h00, along with an expected field of over 8 000 runners.
Abrahams suffered a heart attack last year on February 28 and after undergoing major surgery, ended up running the 2005 ultra just three weeks later. He then went on to run all the major ultra marathons around the country, including Comrades, the Washie and the Hewat 100 km. He ran a total of 1 400 km last year.
Abrahams’ and his friends aim to raise awareness around healthy eating, regular cholesterol testing and the benefits of exercise to ensure a healthy heart. This incredible feat will also raise much needed funds for the Heart Foundation Children’s Programme. The programme, established in 1997, teaches children and their parents, teachers and child minders about heart health and has reached more than 1,5 million disadvantaged children countrywide.
An important part of the Heart Foundation Children’s Programme is the Sow-A-Seed project, which provides several crèches in Khayelitsha, Gugulethu and Nyanga with the opportunity to establish their own self-sustaining garden patch. These crèches are able to grow healthy and nutritious fresh vegetables that can be added to the children’s basic diet. The project empowers and teaches children about leading a heart healthy lifestyle, as well as giving them the tools to run the project.
Abrahams is currently running between 70 to 80 km per week, and puts in some 40+ km runs on the weekend. He also cycles and swims to cross train and help his running. “I think I’m in good shape and am getting stronger as the training progresses.
“On the day we will run at a consistent pace and aim to finish the first ultra in around six hours 45 minutes in order to have time for a quick massage and something to eat before we start all over again. The aim is to run the second ultra as close to seven hours as possible. We plan to “Raise a Half a Million Rand to feed a Half a Million Children”,” said Abrahams.
The ultra takes place on Easter Saturday April 15, 2006 at the new start time of 07h00, with the half marathon starting at 06h20
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