Mark Wagenheim gunning for Number 29 in this spring’s Gun Run Half Marathon

This September heralds the 29^th running of the OUTsurance Gun Run and Mark Wagenheim will again be at the start, having run each edition of the Cape’s popular half marathons since the inaugural run in 1993.

Something about the Gun Run appealed to the 67-year-old chartered accountant, Wagenheim, from the outset and while he never set out to run and maintain a 100% attendance record, the scenic road race along the Atlantic Seaboard always brings him back to the start line, come spring.

One of Cape Town’s ‘Big Five’ road races alongside the Two Oceans and Cape Town Marathons, the ABSA Run Your City 10km international race and the SPAR Women’s 10km Challenge, the Gun Run continues to attract many of the increasing number of people who have embraced distance running in recent years, for exercise, health and social reasons.

Former Mayor of Cape Town, Dan Plato, fires the Noon Gun from which the Gun Run takes its name. Photo – Bruce Sutherland / City of Cape Town

With its history, traditions and generous prize money, the race has attracted many of South Africa’s leading distance athletes to the Mother City each spring and this year is likely to be no exception.

But although Wagenheim is good enough to challenge regularly for a podium finish in his age group, it is the race’s history and traditions, rather than the prize money which brings him back each year to face the model cannon used to get the race underway.

Early days – Mark Wagenheim finishes his 13th Gun Run in 2005. Photo – Stephen Granger

He is justifiably proud of his record and shows no sign of calling it a day, or even ‘downgrading’ to the Gun Run 10km or 5km dog walk anytime yet.  He shares the 100% honour with Pinelands Athletics Club runner, Mike Ulrich.

“It’s been a special race for me,” said Wagenheim. “A mixture of creative innovations, some strong race traditions, the variety of the race which incorporates a good hill climb and the exceptional scenic beauty along the Atlantic Seaboard have made it a race I seem to keep coming back to.

“A race which takes in sights of Table Mountain, Signal Hill, Lions Head, Camps Bay and Clifton has got to be special.  And the fact that I do most of my training on or near the route makes it even more of a ‘close to home’ race.”

Table Mountain towers in the background as runners get underway in the 2019 OUTsurance Gun Run. Photo – Bruce Sutherland / City of Cape Town

Wagenheim recalls one incident which was amusing in retrospect. “I managed to finish ahead of my close age-group rival, Kenny Williams, but noticed he had a faster time than mine in the results.

“When I followed up to clarify the situation, it transpired that race officials had missed me, having been distracted by leading master, Nancy Will, who finished with me but was physically ill as she crossed the line!”   

Wagenheim recalled another incident, when a security boom across the course near the Table Bay Hotel in the Waterfront remained closed as the lead runners approached. “That caused a bottleneck with runners not knowing whether to go over, under or around the boom,” admitted Wagenheim. “After some hesitation, I slipped around the side.”

Mark Wagenheim – racing Gun Run number 28 last year. Photo – courtesy Mark Wagenheim

Wagenheim supports the diversification and expansion of the Gun Run in recent years. “I love the more inclusive nature of the Gun Run with the additional races on offer, including the 10km and more recently the trail race and dog walk. That gives everyone a chance – the more people involved the better. One never know where the next Gerda Steyn will come from!”

A former rugby player, distance running became Wagenheim’s primary sporting discipline many years ago. “I’m in reasonable shape this year,” said Wagenheim. “My last two Gun Runs have gone well, but at 67 years, I’m up against some faster younger athletes who have only recently turned sixty. I’m starting to look ahead to the 70 years category!”  

Mark Wagenheim with Atlantic clubmate Aneen Claassen and two VOB runners after last year’s Gun Run. Photo – courtesy Mark Wagenheim

September’s Gun Run provides Wagenheim with a chance to test his fitness, just a month ahead of the Amsterdam Marathon in Holland. “If my training goes well, I’m hoping to run a ‘sixties’ personal best at Amsterdam. I’ve run 3 hrs 29 min for the marathon in my sixties and I’m aiming to improve on that time.”

Meanwhile Juliet Prowse, winner of the lucky draw prize for the Gun Run trail run at the launch of the OUTsurance Gun Run last week, is deliberating a new lease of sporting life in trail running. Technical sponsor of the Gun Run Trail Run, Brooks, donated a pair of trail shoes as the lucky draw prize, won by Prowse.

Juliet Prowse on her way to winning the 1995 Gun Run. Photo – Stephen Granger

Prowse, who completed her high schooling at Van der Bijl Park’s Hoerskool Transvalia, moved to the Western Cape to study and won the third Gun Run in 1995. But it was the following year when she really made her mark, defending her title in the then record time of 75:03. 

Prowse attributes that performance – her life-time best over 21km, which still stands as the fourth-fastest in Gun Run history – to the inspiration of her famous aunt after whom she was named.

A Hollywood dance and cabaret artist who co-starred with the likes of Frank Sinatra (to whom she was engaged), Dean Martin and Elvis Presley, Juliet Prowse senior succumbed to pancreatic cancer just a week prior to the 1996 Gun Run.

“I ran the 1996 Gun Run within a week of my aunt dying and I guess that gave me special powers on the day,” recalled Prowse. “She was such an inspirational person in my life. I flew back from the States just before the race, but the deep emotion I felt far outweighed any travel fatigue I may have felt.”

Athlete Juliet Prowse with Actor and Dancer Juliet Prowse in 1992. Photo – Stephen Granger

Having competed at elite level on track, road and cross-country in the 80s and 90s, how does Prowse view the standard of distance running today compared with what she experienced?  “I think athletics was bigger in the 80s. Perhaps there were fewer distractions,” Prowse reflected. “And we trained very hard.

“I watched the Mo Farah movie the other day and I cried a bit, recalling just how much blood, sweat and tears we invested in the sport.  I ran 50 out of 52 weeks in the year. I think there are only a handful of people from my running days who understand just how hard it was and the extent of the sacrifices we had to make.”

Due to a prior commitment, Prowse will be unable to compete in this year’s Gun Run, but she aims to return next year, possibly to regain a place on her age-group podium she earned in last year’s Gun Run 10km.

Might Prowse join the steady stream of distance runners who are moving from road to trail? “I enjoyed running off-road on forest trails while training as an elite athlete,” she admits. “But I always preferred track or road in competition and was never great at running fast along technical trails!” recalled Prowse.  “So I doubt I will make a decent trail athlete at my age.”