The Martlet

Summer is a time to kick back and relax for most students. But for two UVic undergrads, this summer will be one big marathon.

At the beginning of April, Erin van Wiltenburg, a fourth-year physical education student, and Reuben Jentink, a first-year student, will fly to Walvis Bay, Namibia, where they will start the first leg of their 4,200 kilometre journey across Africa. Within a few days, they will begin running the first of 100 marathons that they will complete in 120 days. Running 42.2 kilometres per day, the duo will travel through Namibia and Zambia before finally ending up in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

“We’re doing it because we believe in the dignity of the African people and we feel that their dignity is compromised on a daily basis,” said van Wiltenburg. “We need to hear about the atrocities and stuff that’s going on there but at some point we just need to celebrate who they are and that’s why we’re doing this.”

Their trip, called See Them Run, aims to raise $500,000 for several programs, including Rooms to Read, which builds libraries and learning programs in Africa and Southeast Asia.

“A lot of our money is going to [Rooms to Read] to start their Zambia project,” said van Wiltenburg, who is especially excited about the program after her previous experiences with volunteering in Kenya.

“In all my time in Africa, I’ve never seen a library,” she said.

The rest of the money raised will go to Engineers Without Borders and African Medical and Research Foundation.

Jentink and van Wiltenburg have known each other since elementary school and trained for triathlons together in high school. The pair came up with the idea of See Them Run during a long road trip back from running a marathon in Red Deer, Alta.

“We were throwing out crazy ideas,” said van Wiltenburg. They discussed biking along the Coquihalla Highway or running across Russia, but when the idea of running across Africa came up, the duo realized that they’d stumbled upon something special.

“When I think about Africa, I get so excited about seeing the kids and making a difference,” said

van Wiltenburg.

Because van Wiltenburg and Jentink will be camping throughout the trip, they will get a chance to experience first hand how the money they are raising will create change in communities.

“What we’ll try to do is stay at schools and camp in school compounds,” said van Wiltenburg. “We’ll get a glimpse at what is happening with education and hang out with kids.”

For Jentink, who has never been to Africa, camping between marathons will provide a chance to take in all of the beauty and culture that the countries have to offer.

“I’m really excited about the experience of seeing the continent,” he said.

Despite their enthusiasm, readying their bodies and minds for the trip hasn’t been easy for van Wiltenburg and Jentink. To train, they have been running six days a week.

“We started with one marathon back in October on the weekend. Four weeks after that we bumped it up to two marathons in a row and then four weeks after that we bumped it up to three marathons in a row,” said Jentink.

Now the pair are running five marathons a week.

“I was nervous before that we wouldn’t be able to do it but as it gets closer and closer, I realize that my body can,” said Jentink. “Our physicality isn’t a worry any more.”

While they may be prepared physically for running 4,200 km in 120 days, adjusting mentally is still a concern. Currently they have about a week to mentally recover after running a series of marathons. When van Wiltenburg and Jentink start running in Africa, they’ll only have one day to get over an entire week’s worth of marathons.

But as their departure date nears, the excitement continues to grow and the attitudes of community members are shifting.

“It took awhile for people to realize that we were actually serious about doing it,” said van Wiltenburg. “But now everyone says that we should be on Oprah.”

To learn more, or to donate to See Them Run, visit www.see-them-run.com.