Team Vitality: A decade of growing the love for running and cycling

The love for Team Vitality has been growing for 10 years. Started in 2014 by Discovery Vitality, Team Vitality is celebrating 10 years of spreading the love for running and cycling within a community where the motto is clear: no one gets left behind.

This year, Team Vitality, will have 1,691 runners, two of them in the 70+ age category, who will not get left behind as they take on the up run of the Comrades Marathon from Durban to Pietermaritzburg in June.

Known for their striking pink colours, Peteni Kuzwayo, the Club Manager of Team Vitality, says it’s the most rewarding running and cycling club in South Africa.

At over 1,600 entries, it means Team Vitality has the most entries in this year’s Comrades, with runners entering from across Gauteng, Kwa-Zulu Natal, Eastern Cape, and the Western Cape.

Peteni is an avid runner himself and is running his eleventh Comrades Marathon this year.

“By now runners would have mastered a structured training plan, which includes long runs, speed work, hills, and cross training,” he says.

Peteni’s three top tips in the lead up to Comrades:

1. Reduce the weekly mileage you run, especially the long runs over weekends. Complete runs at the Comrades target pace you have set for yourself or 10 to 15 seconds quicker per kilometre than that target pace.
2. Maintain the quality of your training sessions. Keep your work rate high with cross training and speed sessions.
3. Avoid and manage any injuries. Spend adequate time on recovery doing foam rolling and stretching exercises. Having a few sports massages in the lead up to race day are also quite important. But avoid having a massage a day or two before race day, especially if you haven’t had a massage before.

Peteni says, “I wish all the runners who will be joining me and the more than 1,600 runners from Team Vitality well on race day. Vitality members participating in the race will get a full 3,000 Vitality points.”

Team Vitality also offers many opportunities for beginners to seasoned athletes with the Vitality Run Series. These events across the country aim to promote better health through exercise and social interaction. Held in the Western Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape, these events are popular among the national running community and are attracting more newcomers.

When running with the Team Vitality club, Vitality members get 50% back on race entry fees in cash or Ðiscovery Miles. There are also VIP hospitality areas at selected races.

Want some extra support to train with a community of like-minded people? Connect with a champion in a Team Vitality Zone or connect with the Team Vitality Running Club or Team Vitality Cycling Club on Facebook.

Vitality Run Series race dates for the remainder of the year:

1. Johannesburg:
1. Race against Cancer: June 22, 2024
2. Rockies Gerald Fox Memorial Race: July 14, 2024
3. Randburg Harriers Challenge: July 28, 2024
4. Old Eds Road Race: August 11, 2024
5. Wanderers Road Race: August 25, 2024.
2. Garden Route:
1. George: September 7, 2024.
2. Plettenberg Bay: December 28, 2024.
3. Tshwane:
1. Irene Farm Race: October 26, 2024.
2. Tom Jenkins Challenge: November 16, 2024.
3. Black Diamonds Race: November 30, 2024.
4. Eastern Cape:
1. Gqeberha: October 12, 2024