The rainy skies gave way to the first sunshine since the Heroes left  Bela-Bela a few days ago. This  fact was welcomed by all, but in in fact not much distance was covered due to the workhorses, Willie and Ruben, having to travel back to Johannesburg overnight to attend an ASA meeting. Normally they account for fifty kilometers of running every day, which meant that the remainder of the Heroes only covered about forty kilometers instead of their usual quote or one hundred or so.

The group of children gathered at the Lebowakgomo Stadium for the coaching clinics were a much less exuberant lot than those at other spots, so handing out the balls were easy, since there were also less than 200 of them present (Two hundred is the number of balls allocated to each stopover). After the coaching clinics were completed, the usual handover of SRSA-donated sports equipment to the municipality was done.

What is amazing is the see the range of ages of children attending the clinics. It ranges from school leavers to toddlers no older than three or four. Sometimes it makes catering for everyone’s needs difficult, but at Lebowakomo several pre-school teachers pitched in and helped keep the little ones occupied.

The convoy of vehicles the Heroes travel in suffered a minor, two-car bumper bashing on their way to Lebowakgomo, but fortunately no one was hurt. Some of the roads they travel on are in less than ideal condition, and goats, cows and other animals run freely across them making travelling in some parts quite difficult. Generally the incident was a wake-up call for everyone to drive carefully.

Tomorrow the Heroes turn south to Burgersfort, about 100km from Lebowakgomo. They’re already about 20km before the town, so will in all probability push hard to cover some of the 169km to Phalaborwa – the longest stretch on the Sport Heroes Walk route.

Despite heavy rains during the past two days, the Sport Heroes have doggedly been running along their predetermined route through Lephalale, Marken and Mokopane. Although all of them were drenced to the bone, none had complaints, the worst being having to stop by their accommodation to change into dry clothes before starting the day. Even so, the limited visibility due to the rain as well as foggy conditions made running on the side of the road a dangerous affair, even though the runners are all trailed by either their own or traffic vehicles.

In both Marken and Mokopane the coaching clinics had to be cancelled to a large extent, because of wet fields. In both places however large groups of children had gathered to welcome the Heroes at community halls, and they were well rewarded by SRSA’s handout of soccer balls, and a few basic instructions from the Heroes.

The Heroes were particularly well received in Mokopane, where the local municipality looked after their every need. It seemed that the whole town’s police and traffic force were commandeered as they personal body guard, trailing them everywhere and making sure they’re safe on the wet and dangerous roads.

Councillors from Mokopane accepting their sport equipment from SRSA's Kanyane Mohlala.

In addition they were treated to a gala dinner by the municipality at a Mokopane hotel. SRSA handed over sports equipment to the municpality amid much jubilation. Later on the event turned into a birthday party for soccer star Veronica Budu Phewa, who got a huge, surprise birthday cake. Counting the number of candles on the cake, She managed to blow all of the candles out in one go, even though, when counting them, I thought she was a little young to be an international football player!

The Sport Heroes Walk Against HIV/AIDS has now been going for almost a week. What is impressive is the quiet dedication of the Heroes, never complaining about anything. When there’s a task at hand, they simply fall in and do their best. This is what makes them true Heroes – the willingness to sacrifice almost three weeks of their time to share their skills and insights with less priviledged communities.

Next on the stopover list is Lebowakgomo. It’s a short 60km drive there from Mokopane, and anyway, the Heroes stopped about thirty kilometers on the other side of the town, so they’re once again well ahead of schedule.

And let’s hope the rain keeps to the evening hours, so the Heroes can stay dry during the day.

Running in the rain... Ruben and Willie on their way to Lephalale from Thabazimbi.

Today started off with a 5km walk for everyone, together with the mayor and officials from Thabazimbi. The cloud cover had increased, and further on where faithful workhorses Ruben Ramolefe and Willie Mtolo were grinding away the kilometers towards Lephalale, it had started to drizzle. Not that the rain put the two off, they were seen chatting amiably among themselves, greeting passing locals and generally just taking the 28 kilometers they completed in about three hours in their stride.

Most Heroes didn’t do any running and walking, since they’re ahead of schedule. Only forty kilometers were completed, with the day’s walk ending in Lephalale town.

Along the beautiful, meandering route of lush, green bushveld locals were curiously watching the runners pass.

Where are they from?
Pretoria.
And where are they running to?
Thohoyandou.
Hau!

The disbelief was clear.

The weather seemed to put a damper on activities during the rest of the day. During their march through Lephalale, the Sport Heroes handed out condoms in the streets and at the local taxi rank, but found it to be almost deserted. ‘Normally these places are teeming with people’, several of them commented, ‘but there’s almost nobody in sight here. Where’s everyone?

Later at the coaching clinics held at well grassed, neat stadium it was only a small group of children who gathered to take lessons from the Heroes. The proceedings were quite informal, and was more of a relaxing activity session than coaching clinic.

SRSA handed its equipment allocation to a number of schools who were represented at the venue. Even though the value of the equipment exceeds R20 000, it was clear that it was a drop in the ocean when one takes the total needs into consideration.

So for the Heroes and their support teams it was a fairly early finish to the day, with everyone leaving by 4pm.

Tomorrow will see the Heroes back to their quota of about 80-100km per day, that will take them to the small village of Marken. There’s more rain on the way, they say, so the inevitable northern Limpopo heat is avoided for another day.

It was a slow start to the day in Lephalale, with the Heroes only arriving at the sports field in Thabazimbi around one o’clock, after having done a walk-through in the town centre. All the Sport Heroes hummed their approval that the cloudy weather was most welcome and helped to keep things cool on the road during the running part of the day. The only Hero with a complaint was Desiree, who has a nagging knee problem. Fortunately the physio was at hand to apply some ice and a bandage. Let’s hope it clears up (her knee, not the weather…) since a few more days of cloud cover will be most welcome.

The kids that took part in today’s coaching clinics was a particularly playful bunch, who prior to the coaching clinics and after the formalities were done took to the field like a cage full of kittens, rollicking around on the grass, chasing each other and generally being, well, just kids. Much of the subsequent coaching clinics was taken up by impromptu races, boxing matches, ball games and mini cricket tournaments. For an hour or so the air was filled with cheers as spectators egged each other on, or in celebration of a win.

In the end, however, it was the spectators who lost out. Since, yet again, there weren’t enough of the soccer balls SRSA hands out for everyone, a decision was made to only give them to kids who actively particpated in the clinics (there are about three times more spectating children ambling round on the field). So while the field was filled with kids throwing balls around after the handout, there were also a lot of long faces.

The number of balls handed out per  once stop-over – two hundred – was based on the average participation in last year’s Sport Heroes Walk. But this year participation is considerably increased, which is of course great, since it means the Walk is having a greater impact, even if all participants don’t receive a free ball.

Regarding the walking and running route, the Sport Heroes are now ahead of schedule and stopped the day’s run about forty kilometers before Lephalale, tomorrow’s stop-over point. The organisers envisages that this will enable the Sport Heroes and their support team to take a day off running, just to rest and recuperate sore muscles and bruised feet.

Most of all, let’s hope the cloudy weather continues for a few more days!

The answer is a big yes! However, the ten Heroes don’t EACH walk 1700km, that would take forever to complete. So they do it in relay, with each runner doing a stretch of between 5-25km each day, depending on their strength and ability. Long distance runners like Willie Mtolo runs 25km every day, so he would’ve completed almost 500m by himself by the time the Walk reaches its final destination!

Early in the morning, each runner is dropped off at a predetermined position, with the effect that all of them run more or less at the same time. Each is also followed by either a traffic vehicle, or one of the Walk support vehicles. This means that they complete about 100km every day on average, in the space of four hours or so, leaving them time to visit hospices and conduct sport clinics.

And yes, they have a physiotherapist on board to help with the inevitable aches and pains at the end of each day!

At last! Sport Hero Desiree Ellis arrives at the end of her 10km part of the day's walk.

It was a very full day for the Sport Heroes, with moments of thinking time (that’s while they were running from Pretoria, passing Bela-Bela and moving on towards Thabazimbi) and then an action packed afternoon as they tackled the mammoth task of teaching almost 1000 kids who turned up for the coacing clinics the finer arts of football, running and cricket.

The Sport Heroes Walk coaching clinics are chaotic yet fun-filled parts of the Walk. Imagine a football field filled with screaming kids of all ages, running around catching (or missing) balls, tossing and booting them around, doing physical exercises and generally just fooling around while laughing and smiling, and you have the picture of a Sport Heroes Walk coaching clinic. The eagerness to learn and enjoy themselves was evident, and judging by the smiles and giggles of the Sport Heroes, they were having quite a bit of fun themselves today.

It’s fair to say that due to the large number of kids, all hands were on deck as both Sport Heroes and SRSA support teams pitched in to help make the clinic a success. A few of the less fit ones are probably going to wake up with sore muscles tomorrow morning!

I now have my very own ball... this girl was the first to receive a ball during the coaching clinic.

The akward moment came when SRSA had to distribute the 200 soccer balls they brought with to distribute to kids taking part in the clinic. This number was far too few to guarantee everyone gets a ball, so handing them out was a boisterous affair, but by the time everyone left Mandela Village, kids could be seen kicking their new footballs around in the dusty township streets, so in that sense, it had a positive impact.

Earlier in the day Bela-Bela’s mayor had welcomed the Heroes on their arrival at the town’s municipal hall. During the welcoming she said that the municipality was winning in the campaign against HIV/AIDS as infection rates were down and that HIV awareness campaigns were starting to show dividends. Good news indeed, perhaps the Heroes Walk adds momentum to this trend.

Condomise! Kanyane from SRSA handing out condoms to spectators during the Heroes entrance parade into Bela-Bela.

Tomorrow morning the Heroes pick up the route 60km on the other side of Bela-Bela toward Thabazimbi. They start at seven o-clock, will pass Thabazimbi, and move on in the direction of Lephalale. (They try to gain a bit of extra distance every day to prevent falling behind). The day’s activities, which normally start around eleven o’clock, will take place in Thabazimbi.

At exactly eight o’clock this morning, the Sport Heroes, and a whole crowd of supporters, started walking the 2009 Sport Heroes walk Against HIV/AIDS from the Diepkloof Mall outside Johannesburg. Their ultimately goal – the town of Thohoyandou in Vendaland.

The ‘workhorses’ of the Walk – the strongest runners of the Sport Heroes – shot ahead quite quickly. Boston Marathon winner Willie Mtolo and Kilimanjaro climber Evelina Tshabalala both vowed to complete 25km on the day, which means that 50km of the route will be behind the Sport Heroes team. (The Heroes walk and run in relay, each taking over from another, depending on their ability).

The rest of the Heroes as well as their supporters, led by Johannesburg Metro Police vehicles, tackled a 15km distance, from where the team would carry on alone.

Among the supporters were a large team from Nike, who is a major sponsor of the event.

Some members from Mamelodi Sundowns also joined in. ‘I’m definitely joining in next year,’ said one of them, looking decidedly disappointed that he couldn’t join the Heroes to do the full Walk.

The Heroes’ second activity stop is a school in Winterveld, and tomorrow the proceed to the first stop in Limpopo province – Bela-Bela.

The scene: A football field in Diepsloot, a settlement in northern Johannesburg. The event: The first stop on the Sport Heroes Walk, and a few hundred people, mainly children, are gathered to have fun, and learn a few sports tricks from the likes of Veronica Phewa, one of South Africa’s first class female football players.

Brand new soccer balls!

Suddenly the doors of a silver Volkswagen van opens, and brand new soccer balls start rolling out the doors. There’s about thirty seconds of silence and stares, and then dozens of children storm the van. This is the first of the consignment of soccer balls that SRSA will be handing out at each stopover to kids and other participants int he Sport Heroes’ coaching clinics! Adult marshals have their hands full controlling the children, loosly assigning smaller kids first in line to receive their complimentary soccer balls from the SRSA support team on hand. One hundred balls are handed out, which means that about all kids under the age of six or so are moments later dribbling a ball around the soccer field.

I walk around speaking to some of the Heroes. Pointing to the blazing early afternoon sun, they’re all speculating what the heat will be like once they reach the likes of Musina and Phalaborwa. ‘We’re in for a hot trip’, is the standard answer.

I catch up with Cynthia who is watching the hullabaloo on the soccer field. I’m rearing to get going, to hit the road in Limpopo’, she says. Communities out there are waiting for us’. Indeed.

She confirms that the first run of the 2009 Sport Heroes Walk will start tomorrow (Sunday, 15th) right here in Diepsloot, and ending in Winterveld north of Pretoria, where the next stopover will be. On Monday it’s on to Bela-Bela, the first stop in Limpopo proper.

The show’s on the road!

Yesterday the sports equipment bound for handing out on the Sport Heroes Walk arrived at the SRSA offices, and today staff are hard at work checking it, and packing it into batches for dispatching to the various stopover points on the eighteen-stop route.

Packing up... Somkhele, one of the interns that'll be in the SRSA support team traveling with the Sport Heroes.

Each stop will receive about 150 pieces of sports equipment ranging from athletics stopwatches, relay batons, netball, football, cricket and softball balls, bats, and much more. The equipment hampers will be donated to needy clubs, and some of it will also be used by the Heroes when they hold sports clinics. The value of the equipment is in excess of R700 000, and is the result of a long process of consultation with municipalities and other stakeholders to establish the most important, common needs in their areas.

In addition, each stop is in for a soccer surprise… what this space!

The growth of the Sport Heroes Walk in stature was evident last night during the event’s fund raising launch evening. And what an A-list event of sport names it was!. It’s rare that you’ll see so many of the who’s who of South Africa’s sport gathered in one room, which is a huge credit to the Walk organisers, and the event itself.

You name them, they were there…. Ali Bacher, Bruce Fordyce, Baby Jake Matlala, Fanie de Villiers, Danny Jordaan, and the star of the evening, Sir Ian Botham, who’d come over from England to attend. Another special guest was Judge Edwin Cameron, who delivered an inspiring and heart-felt message about the stigma of AIDS.

Representing government was the Director General of Sport and Recreation South Africa, Mr Vernie Peterson, and while he couldn’t be there physically, a video message of support from Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe was shown. His words left no doubt about government’s hands-on and positive approach to the eradication of HIV/AIDS.

The highlight of the evening without doubt was a video screening showing how care centres that have benefited from the Heroes Walk in previous years have used the money to buy vehicles, furniture, and other materials.

The event, attended by about 200 guests and shown live on SuperSport, was held at the grand Summer Place Convention Centre.

The only pity was that the sport heroes themselves, who will be tackling the 1 700km route on Saturday morning, were mostly absent. Only four of them were present, mainly due to the fact that the rest haven’t arrive from Cape Town (does that mean Cape Town has more sport heroes than Gauteng?)

So now it’s all systems go for Saturday’s activities at Diepsloot, and the first walk from Diepsloot to Tshwane on Sunday.