How Phoenix runners redefined endurance achievement

WOODVIEW Athletics Club's (WAC) Progressive Marathon breaks traditional endurance barriers in Phoenix, transforming everyday runners into marathon-ready athletes through a three-month journey of manageable stages and community support.

From sunrise runs to triumphant finishes, WAC’s innovative marathon format proves that health, resilience, and community spirit can go the distance.

As the sun rose over the Shree Mariammen Temple grounds, in Mount Edgecombe, last Saturday, runners laced up for the final leg of the club’s Progressive Marathon.

What awaited them was not just a 7km course, winding along Golf Course Drive, but the culmination of a three-month journey that redefined what marathon running meant.

Rather than the traditional one-day endurance test, WAC designed its Progressive Marathon to spread the challenge across manageable stages.

“We wanted to bridge the gap between everyday fitness and marathon-level achievement,” saidd club secretary, Parusha Mahadeo.

“By splitting the marathon into daily 5km or 7km efforts over several days, we gave people the chance to build stamina, experience the marathon journey, and grow from 10km runners into Comrades-ready athletes,” she added.

Over 60 participants - juniors, women, seniors, and seasoned athletes - turned out for the final run. The atmosphere wasfestive, with groups pacing each other, cheering finishers, and celebrating every step forward.

At the sharp end of the race, Ricky Naidoo claimed victory in 36 minutes, followed closely by Heemesh Ramkissoon, Avinesh Naidoo, and Enrico Chinniah, who all clocked impressive 37-minute finishes.

“They displayed stamina, strategy, and sheer grit,” Mahadeo said proudly.

But the true heart of the Progressive Marathon lay in the stories beyond the stopwatch.

One participant, returning from injury, completed each day’s distance with determination, crossing the finish line on Saturday with a smile as wide as the morning horizon.

“That journey embodied everything this challenge was about,” Mahadeo reflected.

The Progressive Marathon formed part of a trilogy of challenges that began in June with a 10,000-steps-per-day commitment, followed in July by a Mandela Day 32km circuit. Together, they offered a stepwise build-up that not only improved physical endurance but also deepened mental resilience.

For WAC, whose roots run deep in Phoenix since its founding in 1986, the initiative reflects a simple but powerful mission: health and community go hand-in-hand.

“It’s about encouraging consistency, togetherness, and the belief that anyone can go further than they think,” Mahadeo said.

As the club looks ahead to more progressive challenges and its flagship 2026 road race, one message resounds: in Phoenix, running is more than sport—it’s a movement of spirit, solidarity, and self-belief.