EasyEquities Athletes Conquer the Boston Marathon

Scott Bayvel and Sheldon Valjalo, athletes from EasyEquities, recently completed the Boston Marathon and are now gearing up for the Otter African Trail Run in October. This event, sponsored by EasyEquities, showcases a demanding 42km trail along South Africa's oldest and most iconic hiking path.

 “Rejoice! We Conquer!”
The 1896 Olympic marathon distance of 24.8 miles (39.912 km) was based on the distance run, according to famous Greek legend, in which the Greek foot-soldier Pheidippides was sent from the plains of Marathon to Athens with the news of the astounding victory over a superior Persian army. Exhausted as he approached the leaders of the City of Athens, he staggered and gasped, “Rejoice! We Conquer!” and then collapsed.

The Boston marathon is the oldest Marathon in the world and was starting back in 1897. The course was originally  24.5 miles (39.42km) and was originally won by John J. McDermott of New York, who emerged from a 15-member starting field and captured the first B.A.A. Marathon in 2:55:10, and, in the process, forever secured his name in sports history. In 1924, the course was lengthened to 42.195 km (26 miles, 385 yards) to conform to the Olympic standard, and the starting line was moved west from Ashland to Hopkinton.

Scott Bayvel and Sheldon Valjalo, two of our EasyEquities Otter athletes and Challenge contenders for this years 2024 African Otter Trail run edition competed in the 128th Boston Marathon on Monday.

Sheldon completed the event in a time of 3:10:00, just pipping Scott who finished in 3:10:52.

Sheldon and Scott, thoroughly enjoyed the event and recommend it to anyone in the running fraternity.

Sheldon gave the following update on the race: 'Thank you Boston! Your support truly makes this marathon something special! There wasn't a single km that wasn't supported and at max volume. Happy with 3hr 10min considering having a few niggles and not much marathon specific training as well as the course itself. Definitely one of the harder marathons with the undulating hills and the famous heartbreak hill!! I heard a lot of questionable language from runners at the bottom of it.'

Both Sheldon and Scott will be competing next at the Hyrox World Championships in France 7-9th June, Hyrox combines both running & functional workout stations, where participants run 1km, followed by 1 functional workout station, repeated eight times.

Following Hyrox, they will be back on the trial and building up to take on the Otter African Trail run in October.




The Otter African Trail Run takes place annually and runs in the opposite direction each year. The Otter Trail is officially the oldest and undoubtedly the most iconic hiking trail in South Africa. It runs along the spectacular coastline between the Storms River mouth and Nature's Valley and was opened in 1968. It's considered to be one of the finest multi-day trails in the world, and more than half of the entrants to the Otter Trail Run are already investors in EasyEquities.

The 42km route features rugged Indian Ocean coastline trails, indigenous forests, river crossings, and spectacular scenery. To protect this environment, the Otter has a green principle that helps to ensure that the near-pristine environment is better for you to participate in.
 
Every year, the Otter African Trail Run hosts two cut-off time-graded events:

• Otter - Challenge - Fearsome 11hr cut-off (this is the one Sheldon and Scott will be taking part in and hoping to do well).
• Otter - Race - Extreme 9hr cut-off

The event is run by not only fantastic people but also good friends of ours and is supported by the legends at FACES (who were also at the Boston marathon). It also has some amazing sponsors involved, such as SANParks and adidas TERREX, and we are privileged to be the presenting partner of the event.

To learn more about "The Otter African Trail Run," click here.

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