In the footsteps of an ultra-walker
Mompoloki Rankgate - Nelson Letshwene | Monday September 11, 2023 06:00
The Makgadikgadi Night Walk, organised by Y-Care Charitable Trust this past weekend, attracted a large number of participants from different walks of life.
One of those in the crowd was Nelson Letshwene, who is better known as a prominent economist and economic commentator.
At 51 years of age, Letshwene is full of energy and does not shy away from the long distance walks. The Makgadikgadi Night Walk was almost 90 kilometres long and took two nights. The annual event takes place on the Makgadikgadi Pans in Mosu, the world famous salt pans that are the remnants of an ancient lake.
A certified financial planner by profession, Letshwene is also a trustee on the Y-Care board and a support volunteer in the same organisation.
Fondly known as “The Sweeper” by his peers, Letshwene says he started off as a runner and has always been passionate about physical fitness.
“I used to be a runner before.
“I used to do middle distances, and well I guess I just changed the pace and started walking because I really believe in physical fitness and all of that stuff.
“So running did that for me, but with the changing temperatures, things were getting too hot.
“I decided that maybe it’s better I just walk instead of stopping completely and so I started walking,” he said.
Letshwene began by doing the ultra-distances in 2013 after he met with a group of gentlemen who suggested that they should do the 50-kilometre Tswapong walk.
“It was a one-day walk, but we did 50 kms and that got me into the ultra walks,” he recalls.
“The same year in 2013, I did the 100 km Makgadikgadi Walk.
“I have been doing the ultra walks for 10 years, even though I had done smaller walks before that.”
Letshwene boasts 22 medals and says he has done so many walks that he cannot immediately count them all. Some of them did not involve medals. Since he started the ultra walks 10 years ago, he has participated in most of the walks that have come his way.
“I have done a lot of walks, the ultra walks.
“I started with Y-Care in 2013 and they have two ultra distance walks per year.
“The ultra marathon where you have Comrades, where you have a marathon at 42 kms and then ultra marathon at double that, I have done for 10 years except during the Covid years where we didn’t do any of those things.
“I have done the two walks every year except here and there.
“Over the past 10 years I could say maybe I have done 15 of these walks.”
Letshwene advises that those who would like to start doing walks, especially ultra walks, should stay away from intimidating themselves with the distance.
“If you think of 100 kilometres as a 100 kilometres then you really are gonna intimidate yourself out of walking.
“We always tell our walkers that to do this long distance walk, you have to be walk fit not just any kind of fitness.” He said runners sometimes struggle with ultra walks, because running and walking are not the same thing. The posture for the two is different.
For Letshwene, ultra walks are a test of whether your feet can carry your body for 12 hours with very little stops. One cannot train for an ultra walk in the gym.
“You have to hit the road. You have to walk to train for the walk.
“Those interested should start small, and pace themselves and start with five kilometres and increase gradually, until they reach their desired goals.”
He further implores individuals to get into the habit of walking even if they are not interested in doing ultra walks.
“Walk to get your health back in order and to strengthen your heart and your muscles.
“It a healthy thing to do.
“Even if you are doing the ultra walks, it’s a good thing to walk everyday and get yourself where you need to be,” he says.