Gillian and Oliver Bettendorf

Hi! I am Gillian Bettendorf. I have entered the Cape Town Marathon 2023 and will be running with my son, Oliver, who is physically disabled, born with Cerebral Palsy. Oliver is unable to walk independently and is non-verbal. We have many challenges and my husband sadly passed away in 2014, but this does not keep us from leading an active and sporty lifestyle.

I have personally been running for many years. I have run over 30 half marathons, with a personal best of 1:42; over 25 full marathons, with a personal best of 3:28; and 4 Two Oceans Ultra Marathons, with a personal best of 4:55. I have also run the Comrades Marathon in a time of 8:48 and various other distances in between. I have done a Half Iron Man and I have cycled many Cape Town Cycle Tours, Double Centuries, and various other cycling events around the Western Cape.

I run regularly and I have always run by pushing Oliver in a pram / wheelchair. In fact, he has ‘run’ 4 half marathon races (Riebeeck Kasteel, Safari, Two Oceans Half Marathon, and Peninsula Half Marathon), all around the 2 hour mark. He has also taken part in the Cape Town Cycle Tour – a volunteer rider pulls him in a buggy attached to their bicycle. 

Cape Town Marathon 2023

Apart from the personal challenge and achievement for Oliver and myself of participating in the Cape Town Marathon 2023, we want to bring awareness to the fact that physically or other disabled people should be integrated into our running community and be able to take part in races and activities. Warrior On Wheels Foundation has made many adventures possible and we would like to show Cape Town – and the world – that we are strong, brave, inspiring and that we have Hope, Courage and Adventure!