12 Months to Marathon - Episode 69 - Graeme & Daphne Smith, First Time Marathoners at 55 and 42.

Two South Africans. first two marathons. One brutal plot twist.

When the Cape Town Marathon was cancelled on the start line due to high winds, Graham (55) and Daphne (42) refused to let 16 weeks of training die in the gutter. They found another race one week later, a small, hilly course with 600m+ elevation, and did the damn thing. Graham finished strong; Daphne finished last with a police and ambulance escort, and a medal she absolutely earned.

Inside:

•  How Graham turned a lifetime of “maybe I can’t” (and a 37 kg/80 lb weight loss journey) into “watch me.”
• Daphne’s return from teenage injuries and a 20-year running gap—plus the mindset shift that killed her ego and lit her confidence.
•  Why a simple plan done consistently beats a perfect plan debated forever.
• Juggling kids, jobs, businesses, and life while training—practical trade-offs that actually work.
• Cape Town cancellation → rapid reset: how to salvage a peak block and race seven days later without blowing up.
• The “ragged-tooth shark” course profile, pacing decisions, and what changes when the goal shifts from time to finish.
•  What’s next: Dolphin Coast Marathon, a 30-mile ultra, Cape Town 2027, and eyes on Comrades.

If you’ve ever thought “I’m too old,” “too busy,” or “too late,” this one will punch holes in the story and hand you a starting line.

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