Meet Eve Maygilip

Claim to Fame: Big Brother Africa StarGame contestant

Age: 26

Residence: Cape Town

I started running when I was in primary school. All through my school career I got sport awards. I ran 100 and 200 metres. I ran in high school but then life happened… I got caught up in the party lifestyle so stopped running for a while.

I live in the Cape Town CBD and often run to Camps Bay and back.

On the treadmill I run for 20 minutes at a steady pace and throw in some fast bursts at the end. I love running fast.

I love running with a passion. I would like to achieve something in running. I feel like I’m too old to race in sprint events. Because I’m older I want to run a marathon and run a good time.

When I decide I’m heading out for a run I go for a good hour and forty minutes until I’m satisfied. I run three times a week.

I put my ipod on while running. I just got out of Big Brother so I’m returning to normality. When I’m running I think about my career goals. While running on the road I see myself on a track and in a race.

Fast music moves me. I like dance hall. It gives me that speed I want. But if I feel like I’m slowing down then I listen to something rap-pish like Drake or Rick Ross. If I pick up pace then I listen to something faster.

I was in the Big Brother house for roughly five weeks. The experience was wow! You need a thick skin for that.

I have benefited from running in many ways. Socially I made friends, especially in the Botswana athletics team. My health is good. And more importantly I’ve learnt discipline.

Running for me is what a punching bag is for boxers. It’s my “get away” from the world. My “me time”. After a long run, I feel like I hit the Lotto twice. Honestly! I feel brand new. I always smile to myself when I complete a distance I never thought I could. I love running.

I’m from Botswana. I would go for training with the national team but I slipped back into my party lifestyle because I was trying to live in two worlds. I was trying to be an athlete and a little diva. I was trying to fit in with all the pretty girls and all the hot girls and wearing the hottest outfits. And then I also wanted to be a tomboy on the field so it just never worked for me.

I don’t like running in the heat of the day. So I head out when it’s cloudy. If it’s cloudy, I run fine.

I graduated in marketing from CPUT and I model part-time. I aspire to be a humanitarian and a motivational speaker.

I recently bought a pair of Vibrams. I was at the Hilton in Johannesburg a week before Big Brother. There was a man from the US on the treadmill next to me. And I kept looking at him, thinking: “Is this man running on socks? What are they?” I think he noticed I was staring. He was like, “Oh, do you like my shoes?” He was like, “they’re called the Vibram FiveFingers, blah, blah, blah” He gave me an address where I could get them. I found them at a store on Kloof Street. And they even have them in black, and black is my favourite colour. I enjoy running in them. I prefer them to my sneakers.

Maygilip plans to run next year’s Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon. The 56!

Interview by Allister Arendse / Runner's World
Photo by Nick Aldridge