Family — the bond behind Spartan Harriers after nearly one and a quarter of a century

Like birds of a feather, Olympic Spartan Harriers Athletics Club members tend to stick together — because running is always better with a crew, said long-standing members Allizon Sangster and club administrator, John Miller.

Miller has been a member for 47 years and considers his club mates “a great bunch of people who have always encouraged him over the years. “It’s like being part of a huge family,” said Miller, who joined Spartans in 1978.

“The support at the club and beyond is amazing. People look after one another,” he said. 

“A runner went missing, and unbeknownst to her, a former chairman of the club brought her home without her knowing who he was,” Miller said. “Our members have been known to support those who have come down with ailments. One member even gave another member his car for two weeks while his car was in for repairs. Others have been known to provide meals for those who have become ill,” he said.

Although that family vibe extends well beyond the club and into the running community, Sangster believes Spartans is definitely the running club with the most “gees.”

“We are a very social club,” said Sanger, who is also the former club president and the first woman to hold that position at Spartans. “Every Thursday is called 'Thirsty Thursday' as the runners and walkers do not go straight home after their run/walk but come into the clubhouse for a drink and a snack.”

Sangster has been a member of Spartans for 39 years, having joined in 1986, and was awarded life membership in 2021.

“Spartan Harriers and particularly its walking section are like family to me; in fact, I fondly call them “my Spartans family,” she said.

Established in 1901, Spartan Harriers, headquartered in Meadowridge, is among the oldest running clubs in the country, steadily approaching its one and a quarter century mark.

Over the years, the club established a legacy of excellence across various athletic disciplines, including hosting South Africa's first marathon in 1907, won by club member Chas Childs in 3 hours 12 minutes 55 seconds.

Club lore has it that there was so much public interest that crowds packed the route, stacked a dozen deep in places.

By the late 1930s, Spartans had established a reputation as a dominant force in Western Province athletics, winning the cross-country team championship 27 times between 1906 and 1940.

Among the club’s founding fathers was none other than Cecil John Rhodes, who served as the first honorary president,” Sangster said.

The annual subscription for the year was five shillings at the time, roughly R30 in today’s currency.

In 1902, the club’s inaugural sports meeting was held at the old Green Point Stadium, with both the mayor and mayoress of Cape Town in attendance.

The Spartans clubhouse in Meadowridge was built in 1993, Sangster said, after years of using the Altona Hotel in Woodstock as its headquarters.

With running clubs springing up like daisies across the city, Spartans has always been a home for all,” she said.

“As far back as I can remember, Spartan Harriers has always welcomed all races, and there was never a split, even at social events, between different race groups,” she said.

“I do not know what processes were followed to make this happen; that's just the way it has always been,” she said,

Although membership has fluctuated over the years, the biggest knock to the club was due to the onset of COVID-19, she said.

“Pre-COVID, we had over 900 members, but post-COVID, we literally had to start growing our membership from scratch.  We currently have more than 700 members.  The walkers were and still are the athletes who continually perform well and bring accolades to the club.  Many of our walkers achieved national colours,” she said.

These and other club runners follow in the footsteps of notable Spartans, she said, including former South African 10,000 and 5 000m record holder, Ewald Bonzet, who joined the club in 1973.

Other club luminaries are walkers Conner Johnson and his wife, Eileen, who were both world record holders in their respective age categories. In the 20 km walk, Conner set a 20km world record in 2 hours and 9 minutes, she said.

“He was at an advanced age when this achievement was recorded.  He also won two gold medals in the veterans' 5000 m walk in a time of 29min30sec.”

“Then of course there’s Eddie Michael, from Lotus River, who secured Spartans’ first win in the 80km Big Walk, in 1980, from The Grand Parade in Cape Town to Simon’s Town and back. And not forgetting Helena Rothman, who, although she was handicapped, in that she was deaf, dominated the walking scene for many years and set world records in her age category in the 1980s.”

Sangster said a list of the club's star performers would be incomplete without mentioning the man once known as the fastest centenarian and oldest competitive walker, Philip Rabinowitz, who joined Spartans in the year 2000, at age 96.

"Flying Phil" sprinted his way into the Guinness Book of World Records in 2004 when he broke the 100m record in his division, in 30.86 seconds.

“Last but not least, is Peggy Reid, our oldest active member, who is 88 years old and broke quite a few world records in her age category.  Some of these records still stand,” Sangster said.