Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 55, February 2014 | Page 15

Balancing Act

Running On Air
BY LAUREN VAN DER VYVER

J

ust like being behind the mic, running is a habit
that will always follow Phindi. “I remember finishing
my first Comrades and I had lost three toenails. I
said I’ll never go back, but I was on the road again
two weeks later! I think the thing about running is
that you absorb the environment and connect with
runners,” she says. So it’s a little like radio then…

MANNING THE MIC
Initially, being on air wasn’t on the cards for Phindi.
After school, she studied chemical engineering in
Cape Town before working for SAA as an analyst
programmer. “Then I discovered radio and called
Metro FM. I got the job and started reading the
news,” says Phindi, who knew that this was her
calling, despite still being at SAA. “I went through
training and Voice of Soweto then asked me to
host a show from nine to 12 in the evenings.”
However, Phindi chose to stick to SAA, which
provided more
security, but
fate had its
way when
YFM came
calling. “I
became part
of the new
station’s
original

crew,” she says, “I was there for five years before
moving to East Coast Radio in 2003.”
For six months, Phindi flew from Jo’burg to Durban
to host weekend shows before she got a weekday
slot and made the permanent move to the coast. She
spent five years at East Coast, then took a year off
to form her own marketing company, but it wasn’t
long before radio came calling again and Phindi was
asked to host the 9am to midday show on Gagasi FM.
After another successful five-year stint, newly-formed
Vuma 103 FM approached the radio veteran to become
station manager at the end of 2012. “After two years,
Vuma has gained 120 000 listeners and my goal is
to take it to 1 million in 2015,” she says. “We started
from scratch and we look out for the community. We’re
committed to give local presenters a shot and we
inspire on air.”

GUNNING FOR COMRADES
As much as Vuma FM keeps Phindi busy, overseeing
the news, the sales teams as well as the presenters,
keeping active is another top priority. “I was never
into running – I was a yoga and Pilates girl! I was
Comfortable behind the mic.

as I’m a brand ambassador, and Kevin joins me. We’re
also in for this year’s Brighton Marathon and my goal is to
run one international marathon a year.” In between her
running, Kevin, who is a chef by profession, also makes
sure they eat healthily.

lucky enough to grow up in a household where eating
healthy and exercising was important, but my running
was all due to my husband Kevin.” In 2012, having run
four Comrades Marathons, he dared Phindi to take it
on herself after she had been his race-day supporter
through the years. “After going to races, giving Kevin
water or food and seeing him afterwards, I figured I
should join,” she says, “and one day after going on a
run, he dared me to take on the Big One.”

She is also involved in the Comrades Marathon Women’s
Seminars and being a race ambassador means it’s
important that she shares her story, encouraging other
women to run, especially first-timers, and sending out the
message that Comrades can be done. “I guess I’ll rest
when my heart stops beating!” she laughs. “People make
excuses. Do yourself a favour and set a goal for yourself
instead of trying to please others.”
Follow Phindi on Twitter: @PhindiGule

“I had about eight months to get to the start in
Pietermaritzburg, and while some said ‘go for it,’
others thought I was crazy! Luckily, Kevin helped
me through and I progressed from 10km to 21km to
my first marathon in Soweto, my hometown.” In her
debut Comrades, Phindi says she was humbled by
the togetherness, getting to the finish in 11 hours 59
minutes and 3 seconds. “Comrades runners have a
common goal: To get to the finish! It doesn’t matter
if you’re a CEO or a security guard, it is touching
that every runner helps those in need. I was near
the Hilton Hotel and I remember hearing that we
had four minutes till the cut-off. I made it and felt
like I could do anything!”
Phindi is already setting her sights on this year’s
Comrades and running for the PinkDrive, dedicating
early mornings for a run before work. “I also spend
some evenings running with the New Balance team,

All in for the PinkDrive.

Images: Kevin Burley

Having spent 15 years in the industry,
radio personality Phindi Gule now heads
up the team at Durban-based isiZulu
commercial station Vuma 103 FM. Besides
her role as station manager, she still
finds time to fit in her running, and also
gives back to the sport as a motivational
speaker at the popular Comrades Marathon
Women’s Seminars. –

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