Cian caught the attention of many in the 2023 and 2024 running seasons, setting personal bests and making headlines with standout performances. George Sithole chatted with her about club life, her routines and her performances over the last two years.
She won the Hollywoodbets Durban 10km on her debut in 2023, clocking a PB, and eight months later smashed the course record at the Durban International Marathon. It was an impressive season for Cian, who had only just joined Hollywood Athletics Club in April 2023, following the sudden closure of the Murray & Roberts Running Club.
“I had been keeping an eye out for a club after it was announced that Murray & Roberts was closing. It was a bit of a stressful time, but I told myself not to worry, the right thing would come at the right time,” Cian shared. “When I landed at the airport after the World Cross Country Champs in 2023, (Elite Athlete Manager), Manfred (Seidler), approached me and asked if I’d consider joining Hollywood. I was so excited. It felt like exactly the right thing. They’ve been amazing since. I love the support we get and the way our team cares about us.”
Cian’s love for running goes way back. She started in Grade 3 and joined her first running club by Grade 5. Even at nine years old, she had a natural feel for the sport. “I love the sport itself. I truly enjoy being out running. I love the sense of accomplishment it brings, and the way it brings people together. I’ve made a lot of special friends through running. I also feel like it’s part of my purpose. Like I was made to run, and I’d love to express that.”
It’s hard to argue with that. Her recent performances have been world-class. She clocked fast marathon times in Valencia (2:25.08 – the third fastest ever Marathon time by a South African woman) and was the first South African female home at the Olympic Games, an especially notable achievement considering she was up against experienced runners such as Gerda Steyn and Irvette van Zyl, who are also her clubmates.
Paris 2024 Olympics Marathon Mission: Run my heart out and little legs off- have fun doing it & be the proudest crossing that finish line🏃🏻♀️🔥🫶🏼🇿🇦
— Cian Oldknow (@cianoldknow) August 14, 2024
Mission accomplished 😍👋🏼😜🇫🇷
32nd in 2h30:29 & 1st SA lady home 🙏🏼💫
📸: @DannY__ReiD pic.twitter.com/7PQZXDaCX2
What’s even more impressive is that she only made her marathon debut last year at the Johnson Crane Marathon (January 28), where she set a new course record. “I love marathons. I think there’s something about them; they feel like home. I just know what to do,” she explained.
With a packed race calendar and travel taking its toll, balancing personal life and training isn’t easy. But Cian credits her close support system, especially her mother, who’s been there since the beginning, and her sister, who continues to be a solid source of encouragement. She also shares much of her journey on social media, often with her boyfriend James, who regularly joins her at Hollywood Athletics Club events. “He’s been such a blessing. Running over the past two years has been good, and I’ve received a lot of support with him by my side.”
Balancing elite sport with personal life requires discipline and the ability to split your time accordingly. “Sometimes it’s hard. I love sleep too, but it helps to have people who understand what you do,” she said. “So, we can do dinner, but an early dinner is better. I can do breakfast and coffee dates. You find time for important things. But rest and downtime are important too.”
Followers of Cian’s journey also know her for one consistent routine: banana on sliced bread before every run. Her pre-race nutrition is well thought out. “I like to follow a process going into race day. The day before a marathon, I aim to eat around 500g of carbs throughout the day, spread out so it’s not just three big meals,” she explained. “It’s usually oats with banana and honey for breakfast, a Maurten bar for a snack, a sandwich with jam or a bit of chicken, then more oats, pretzels, or something like rice and bananas with honey. Dinner is usually pasta or rice with a bit of chicken.”
Her approach of equal parts discipline and passion clearly works. With big races and bigger goals still ahead, Cian looks more and more like a runner who was, as she says, truly made to run.
