A column by Jaryd Clifford – Runner’s Tribe
On the start line amidst the shadows of descending dusk, Keely Small stood in the wings of history. Her head held aloft, arms slightly parted from her body, her eyes stared fiercely ahead, unblinking and determined. She was only fifteen. For this fleeting...
A column by Jaryd Clifford – Runner’s Tribe
Standing on the submerged start line in the middle of Oakbank Racecourse, shivering and shin deep in mud, I was utterly bewildered at my predicament. I was thirteen, a diminutive figure preparing to run in the National Cross Country. It was something I...
A column by Jaryd Clifford – Runner’s Tribe
When David Rudisha came to Australia to kick-start his Olympic title defence in 2016, the expectation was that it would be a procession of royalty. After all, he was the king of the track, an Olympic legend and the fastest half-miler the world...
A column by Jaryd Clifford – Runner’s Tribe
“Fall down seven times, stand up eight” – Japanese Proverb
Carrara stadium was a furnace and the mondo was on fire. Flames licked at the heels of any runner that stepped foot on the track last weekend. It either ignited incredible performance, or, contrastingly...
A column by Jaryd Clifford – Runner’s Tribe
Under the bright lights of the Stade de France, Genevieve Lacaze’s feet are dancing the final crescendo of an epic story. She is smiling. Her body is in a world of hurt, yet she smiles – she is invincible. With each step, she...
A column by Jaryd Clifford – Runner’s Tribe
On the start line, Brad Mathas stands motionless. Around him, other runners restlessly meander. Inside his head are a thousand thoughts and one – there is no option to fail. In the quiet that precedes the splitting cry of the gun, he can...
A column by Jaryd Clifford – Runner’s Tribe
The moments preceding dawn are laden with mystery. There is a glowing darkness during this time, a sense that even the shadows seem friendlier. An atmospheric calm sweeps the land with the tiniest breath of wind. The world is at its most peaceful....
A column by Jaryd Clifford – Runner’s Tribe
Under the African sun, a furious game of football is in full flight. The young boys dart around the pitch, their skinny legs whirring a hypnotic dance. The dust they kick-up ascends into a cloud of fire that rains down on them,...
Bryce Anderson – A glimpse of the future - Feature by Jaryd Clifford - Runner's Tribe
”I know I’m not the most talented runner in the world. I’m a grinder. I can hurt.”
In the mountains, a lone runner pounds the dirt. Through the lashing rain, his hardened legs skip through...
