All it took was a single retort from her fiancée for Grace de Oliveira to immerse herself in the world of competitive road running – and leave a victorious trail of dust behind her.
Anyone – at any age or stage of life – can become a runner. But it’s the moment your mind shifts and you’re not just lacing up for another training run, but you’re actually looking forward to it, when you know you’ve fallen in love with the sport. For Durban North veteran runner Grace de Oliveira that was 40 years ago, on Durban’s beachfront, when two runners stopped her for a little chat.
“It was 1983. I was 21, engaged to my fiancée, Eloi – an already established runner – and figured it would be good to join him in the same sport.”
Grace started short distance training on the promenade and was soon after approached by two top female runners, who asked if she was keen to join their running club.
“They said I looked like a promising runner with a lot of potential. When I told Eloi, however, he just laughed. I felt a little hurt at his reaction but being the determined fighter that I am, I took that as a challenge to prove him wrong.”
Of course later on Eloi would take back his words, but Grace says he often tells her he was just using reversed psychology to get her fired up.
“If that was the case, it certainly worked!”
Today, aged 62 and a PA to the MD of Milady’s Head Office, Grace is still smashing records and stepping onto the winners’ podium as one of the most successful female ultra-marathoners in the country. She has a long list of outstanding achievements that include her clenching the title of South African marathon champ in 1994, and taking home seven gold and three silver Comrades medals and 10 golds in the Two Oceans Ultra Marathon … one of only three women to have achieved this. Her latest achievement? Becoming the second person ever to complete 100 SPAR Women’s Challenge 10km races, following in the footsteps of Sonja Laxton who got her century races badge of honour in 2019.
To her credit, Grace has done all of this and more, while holding down a full time job, being a supportive wife to Eloi, and sharing the responsibilities of raising their daughter, Daniela.
“It wasn’t easy, and Daniela was coming to races from when she was only a few weeks old. Timing was made even more difficult by the fact that both Eloi and I were competitive. But as time went by, things got easier, and Daniela became our biggest supporter. She’d often tell me I could win anything I set my mind to.”
And determined she is. So much so, that neither shingles, nor being bitten (twice) by dogs while training, and being knocked down by a car, has set her back in any way.
“The car incident was in 2007, a week before my ninth Comrades. I had bruising and some cuts on my legs and knees and was quite shaken. It almost seemed like I was not meant to run that year, but my view was that if I could walk, I could be at the start line to run, so I did and finished 10th in 6:57:36.”
When it comes to the SPAR Women’s Challenge, Grace says she’s drawn to this event because of what it stands for – empowering women.
“I ran my first challenge in Durban in 1992. Five years later they created the Top Runner Programme, which I was fortunate enough to be part of. There were 10 of us, and we’d be sent to compete in all the out-of-town races, so four races a year. I did that for 10 years.”
Then they introduced the Spar Grand Prix Series, held annually across six South African cities – Cape Town, Gqeberha, Durban, Mbombela, Tshwane and Jozi. Grace tried to run as many as she could, until she finally achieved her 100-milestone goal on May 27 this year at the Gqeberha event.
“This race has grown from humble beginnings to one of the world’s biggest road races. Completing 100 was a goal I’d set myself many years ago, and believe me, there were moments in my running career, due to injuries and illness, that I thought I may never get there, so it was a great sense of achievement for me.”
Currently part of the Phantane Athletics Club, Grace trains in and around Durban North with Eloi on most weekday afternoons, but on weekends, she prefers to train at Sparrows.
“Running with Eloi gives us a chance to catch up, as life is always so hectic with work, home chores, and being a very involved granny to my granddaughter Alessia and grandson Luca. I enjoy running on my own too. It gives freedom and time with ME.”
When asked whether she has any race day superstitions, Grace says, just a little bit of lipstick.
“You have to look good at all times because you never know who you are going to meet!”
When she’s not running, Grace sews and crochets. She loves making clothes and baby blankets for loved ones and friends. She also finds therapy in baking and cooking.
Always in pursuit of another podium finish, Grace intends running and competing in her age category (60 to 69 years). She’s running the Tshwane Spar race on August 5 and the Totalsports Women’s 10km on Women’s Day. And on her bucket list is a triathlon.
“I’d have to learn how to swim and ride a bike first, but I love a challenge! I’d love to do more overseas travelling once I am retired from work. I’ll never toss my running shoes aside. There are just far too many roads to adventure along in this life!”
