"I'm a very spiritual person" - Motlagale shares how his father's passing forced him to become a better runner

Reflecting on the loss of his father who was both his mentor and coach, Tumelo Motlagale reveals that he had to draw on deep wells of spirituality to get him through a difficult last 12 months which ultimately forced him to grow as a person and a runner.

Adam Motlagale, himself a 61 minute half-marathoner, tragically passed away along with Motlagale’s training partner Mathews Leeto in June 2025 after the pair were involved in a car accident in the North West province. Tumelo who lived with his father in Zeerust, felt the loss most intimately, and subsequently struggled with form as he failed to break 31 minutes for 10km last season. It required a period of sustained introspection which he believes was necessary for him to develop as an athlete.

Motlagale in action at the 2026 Absa RUN YOUR CITY JOBURG 10K on National Heritage Day. He finished just 14 seconds outside his 29:03 lifetime best. Photo Credit: Action Photo.

“I’m a very spiritual person,” he explained. “I had to improve my spirituality to try and understand why this was happening. In a sense, somethings have to happen in order for other things to happen. Sometimes you can get too comfortable. But once things happen, this pushes you out of your comfort zone and then you start growing.”

That growth was evident on the 24th of September when the 40-year-old Phantane Athletic Club top runner produced the second fastest 10km clocking of his 20-year-career (29:17) to take eighth position overall and finish the demanding Absa RUN YOUR CITY JOBURG 10K as the first veteran (40 plus). The 2022 SA Marathon champion who represented South Africa at the 2023 World Championships in Eugene, Oregon in the United States of America, says continuous learning is the secret to running faster as one gets older.

“It always goes back to commitment. You have to commit to what you are doing and love it. There are many ways to improve without having to resort to ‘other things.’ For example you can watch videos on YouTube which can empower you and allow you to improve your craft. That worked for me and it all started by asking myself what is it that I am not doing that some of the top guys are doing. I had to do my homework,” he told #TheTopRunner

Motlagale at the back of the lead bunch feature some runners who are almost twenty years his junior. Photo Credit: Tobias Ginsberg.

Perhaps it’s the humility of the man who started his career as a 1500m, 3000m and 3000m steeplechaser back in 2008, that might prove his greatest asset? Motlagale’s hunger to learn and improve means that he still sets new targets for himself. One of those is to improve on his 2:11:15 42,2km personal best which could come at the Nelson Mandela Marathon in Cape Town on 18 October.

“I might do the Nelson Mandela Marathon. I’ll never leave the short distances - even on the track. You might see me running the 10 000m. But the main goal right now is to improve as a marathoner and obviously over the ultra marathon as well.”