Dom-inate!

US-based South African Dom Scott-Efurd not only ran the second-fastest-ever half marathon by a South African, she also established a new 20km SA record (in only her second half-marathon attempt!). This is what she learnt - and how it can help you in your next 21.1.

- By Mike Finch

Dom Scott is no stranger to the pain cave. She famously collapsed during the World Cross-Country Championships a few years ago, and has been competing in the cauldron of Olympic and world-class 10 000m events for years.

But few would have predicted how well she would do in only her second half marathon.

On a chilly Houston morning in January, Scott-Efurd ran an incredible 67 minutes 32 seconds on her way to third place at the Houston Half Marathon. Only Elana Meyer has ever run faster, with her 66:44 from 1999.

But how did she manage to pull off such a great result, in only her second competitive 21.1km?

FOCUS IS EVERYTHING

When I ran my first half marathon at the Great North Run, it was at the end of the track season, and was just for a little fun. But this event... I really trained for it. You realise how important mileage and aerobic workouts are when you run the longer distances, Scott-Efurd says.

In the build-up to the race, both Scott-Efurd and her coach Joe Boshard began to realise - based on her training workouts - that she was capable of a competitive time.

THE LONG RUN