Lipschitz in it for the long run

Professional runner Durbanite Adam Lipschitz defended his 10km title in Jerusalem on 18 July at the Maccabi Games, crossing the finish line ahead of about 2 000 runners in just under 32 minutes to take the gold. Second-placed Jordan Schilit of the United States came in three minutes behind him.

“It feels good to have won,” says Lipschitz, the 126th best male road runner on World Athletics’ rankings. “I won it last time, so it was nice to win it again.”

Lipschitz found himself alone at the front for basically the entire race. “We ran a hilly course in Jerusalem, with a lot of ups and downs,” he says. “The temperature was 28°. We ran a bit through the Old City. It was tough. We ran on cobblestone, we ran on the side of the road, but it was very nice to run in the city. A good vibe was going on there, a lot of music. It was a good race. I enjoyed it.”

Lipschitz changed a few things in his training routine leading up to the race. “Knowing it was going to be hot, I ran at a hotter time during the day so my body could adapt.”

This Glenwood High School alumnus started running cross-country and athletics events in primary school, before representing South Africa in running during his high school and higher education days.

He lives in Durban, but his running career takes him across the world.

He ran a half marathon in Rome in March and a half marathon in Romania in May, finishing fifth in the latter. “I’ve also been place-making in Europe, in the marathons in Hamburg and Rotterdam recently.”

He was pencilled down to run in the 5km race at the Maccabiah on 20 July, but wasn’t sure if he would be able to take a stab at defending the title he won in the 2017 games as his body was a bit sore from the heat.

During the games, he has been staying at a hotel in Jerusalem. “Everyone is all over the place at different hotels all around the country, but my hotel has about 1 000 people, maybe a bit more,” he says. “I’ve been spending time with the Americans, Canadians, Australians. No other South African runners are here, but I’ve got a lot of friends. I’ve been meeting up with them. You do spend a lot of time with people in your own sport, but you eat breakfast, lunch and dinner with everyone when you go down to the dining hall. It’s very festive and a great place to be if you’re a sportsperson and you’re Jewish.”

In August, he will be competing in a half marathon in Northern Ireland. Two weeks later, he will be participating in the Great North Run half marathon in Newcastle, England.