ASICS FrontRunner Wandisile ‘Wandi’ Nongodlwana did 2h50mins at the recent Chicago Marathon in his ASICS DynaFlyte 4s. The journey however, was a far longer one than that. And one that carried much importance for Wandi.
“During the London-to-Paris adventure earlier in the year I was exposed to a much broader running community through social media, than I had been previously,” Wandi explains of the comments and support he received on his daily updates back then.
It was through that process that he connected with Michael Clayton, a runner based in Wisconsin in the USA. “He said to me: ‘You know Wandi, if you ever want to come and run the Chicago Marathon, let me know and I will host you.’”
One conversation lead to the next and before Wandi knew it, he was sorting visa applications (it would be his first trip to the States) and flight itineraries.
“It was late in the year however and the official Chicago Marathon entries had already closed. Michael however does a lot of charity work – something I am also really passionate about – so we joined forces to run in aid of the Red Cross and that’s how I got an entry.”
Wandi boarded his flight(s) to the US, not knowing exactly who he would be meeting (aside from the picture on Michael’s LinkedIn profile). “One of the great things that he did, was to introduce me to his family via email so I had some kind of an idea,” Wandi says.
“When I landed he was there waiting with his wife Debbie and they were just so overwhelmingly welcoming,” he says.
“It was just one of those experiences where, for me personally, running it showed again that running is not just ‘running’ but an amazing opportunity to connect and relate to other people at the most human level.”
“I said the same thing with the London-to-Paris adventure and that was my big takeaway from the Chicago Marathon: There, on the road, we are all the same. It is not how much we have, but it is who we are that is important - we are humans!”
“You know, irrespective of colour, race or background, running has provided me with a platform where I believe in that spirit of togetherness. The Chicago Marathon experience and the people I met on the journey proved that once again…” - Wandisile Nongodlwana
“Michael and Debbie are just some of a few that I have met in my running career (hobby) that I wouldn’t have met if it wasn’t for running,” says Wandi. “And related to them on such a deep personal level if it wasn’t for running.”
I’m deeply thankful to them and to ASICS (and the FrontRunner programme). I’m definitely enriched by what ASICS has done for me.”
According to Wandi, the brand associating with Team Red Cross is so much of a bigger contribution than just running. “Making sure that they contribute positively to humanity and that really important to me. So running the Chicago marathon was not just a race for me.”
The actual run, of course, was also very special for him. “There were over 45 000 runners and to experience the unity among the runners and spectators was unreal. Even though it was windy and cold the support was phenomenal and again reaffirmed just how running brings people together,” he says.
