After battling addiction, beloved kwaito legend Kabelo Mabalane (aka Bouga Luv) traded the streets for the roads, finding refuge in running – a sport that taught him endurance and discipline. He committed to putting one foot in front of the other and has never looked back. Two decades on, he is a marathon veteran. Mabalane recently conquered his second Sanlam Cape Town Marathon. We caught up with him ahead of this year’s race.
You are known for your love of sport, particularly running. How did you get into it and what has maintained this love for running?
I started running over 15 years ago. I was overweight and I wasn’t my normal self. Growing up when I was a young boy and throughout high school I was always playing sport and I was fit and strong. So, when I gained weight, I knew that that wasn’t who I was naturally. I wasn’t a particularly great runner at school, but I took up running as an adult because it is a sport with the least barriers to entry. You put your running shoes on and off you go! The Comrades marathon has always been a big dream, so I started training for that and I absolutely fell in love with endurance running.
Marathons are no easy feat and take dedication and discipline. How has running impacted your life?
Running has impacted my life in such an amazing way. There are so many principles that you learn in endurance running that I apply in my daily life such as commitment and dedication. I always try to fuse these into my life by being there for my family, being a good husband and dad, and committing to creating a healthy environment for my family by spending time with them and being supportive. I don’t get 10 out of 10, but like the discipline and the dedication you learn from running, you know that you have to stick to certain things for the long run especially if you want to do anything of significance – running has definitely taught me that.
You’ve run countless marathons, and this was your second Sanlam Cape Town Marathon – what makes this particular race so special?
This race is flat, it is by the sea and you can breathe. It’s not in Joburg where it feels like you’re breathing through a straw. But jokes aside, my first experience last year was WOW. It’s a world class event – from the experience to the touch points, my first race was absolutely amazing. I had to come back for more. And it’s another excuse to visit Cape Town!
What does living with confidence mean to you and what gives you confidence?
Living with confidence is living with integrity. Integrity is when what you think, say and do, align. Again, I may not score 10 out of 10 for this, but I endeavour to make sure that what I think, say and do align and this is what gives me confidence.
Running a marathon requires goal setting, having a plan to reach your goal, dedication and commitment, the same traits required for successfully managing your money. Are there learnings you’ve acquired in your approach to running, that you have applied to ensure you have financial confidence?
Yes of course! It is about sticking with things for the long haul. Being a recovering drug addict and having gone through the sex, drugs and rock n’ roll lifestyle, abuse is inevitable; abuse of self and abuse of finances. Running has really whipped me into shape in more ways than one, with investments and savings and generally just being a tad more prudent with money. My discipline with money is definitely a spill over from the running, training and commitment over the years.
What is your advice for novice runners and anybody wanting to run a race like the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon for the first time?
David Goggins said “When you feel like you’re done and you can’t carry on, you’ve only depleted 60% of your reserve and you’ve got 40% to go”. Take it all in, the atmosphere on the day gives you 20kms in the bag – just the festivities and the ambiance and comradery, but unfortunately you have to work for the other 22. But have fun. You’re going to be a completely different person afterwards and I’m jealous because that feeling after your first race is incredible. We become better people when we are put in a corner, and a marathon will put you in a corner and you’ll have to dig deep to find the things you’ve learned through your training that will pull you through. You’re going to learn a lot about yourself, and remember you are tougher than you think you are.