Words: Lisa de Speville | Photos: Pierre de Villiers
Summer, winter, morning or evening, there are few activities as convenient as walking or running. No matter where you are in the world, all you need is a suitable pair of shoes and comfy clothing to get some exercise – indoors or outdoors. Set aside 20 minutes. Inhale deeply. Stretch out your legs. Left-right, left-right. Get your heart pumping. It really is this easy.
“We’ve supported many athletes over the years across a variety of outdoor disciplines,” says Nick Bennett, Marketing Manager.
“The spirit behind the K-Way brand is for customers to ‘Gear up. Get out’ and that’s why we decided to extend our athletic relationships to include VOB Running Club. Runners and walkers can ‘Gear up’ with K-Way and ‘Get out’ with VOB,” Bennett adds.
VOB is the largest running club in the Western Cape and they host 20 weekly events, which include morning and evening runs, time trials, track sessions, trail runs and social events. These are open to non-members too. They also have a talented development squad of committed development runners. It’s because of this well-established infrastructure that VOB is able to offer something to all runners and walkers, regardless of age, ability and interest.
“Like us, VOB has an increasing focus on trail and they present trail runs every Saturday morning. They’ve created a strong community to grow running across all levels and they provide a safe environment for runners to get outdoors, especially on trail. We’re proud to have the K-Way logo emblazoned on their traditional blue-and-white-striped vests,” says Bennett.
K-Way’s road and trail athletes assist the company in developing and improving their ‘Fast and Light’ range of moisture-wicking and performance gear and apparel.
“Our partnership with K-Way has evolved very quickly, with thanks to the foresight of the K-Way team,” says VOB Running Club chairperson, Ian Nixon.
“Our brands link seamlessly and club members have embraced the new sponsorship with excitement. We look forward to the challenge of growing together, for the benefit of our members and the greater running community,” he adds.
At the K-Way VOB Running Club launch, held on Monday evening, enthusiastic participants ran a social, eight-kilometre route below the slopes of Table Mountain. Starting from the Cape Union Mart store in the Gardens Centre, there was much chatting and laughter as the runners meandered through the streets, enjoying the warm summer evening.
This scenic route, starting from the Gardens Centre, will be held bi-weekly – on alternate Monday evenings.
This run also provided an opportunity for those present to meet and chat to K-Way athlete AJ Calitz. He had an exceptional year in 2013 where he won numerous races, often setting new course records. Calitz’s most notable achievements included a convincing win at the 100-kilometre Verdon Canyon Challenge in France and another sub-4h30 run at The Otter African Trail Run.
Although Calitz is a world-class, competitive trail runner, he took advantage of the social run to meet other runners. He’s always up for a good chat.
“The possibilities really are endless as to what K-Way and VOB together are able to present and achieve,” adds Nixon. “After the success of our first run from the Cape Union Mart store, I can confidently say: ‘Things have only just begun!’”.
The K-Way VOB Running Club can be found online at www.kwayvob.co.za. They also have a presence on Facebook (www.facebook.com/VOBRunningClub) and Twitter (@VOBRunningClub).
