In 2019, Zenade October was a familiar face on track podiums in the Helderberg, earning the DistrictMail and Supersport Let’s Play athlete of the month title in August that year.
Today, the 21-year-old Strand local is still running, but the scenery has changed drastically. From the local tracks around the basin, she is now based in Tennessee, USA, where she is currently a student-athlete at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU).
Her road to the US was nearly derailed by the 2021 Covid lockdown. Like many athletes, October felt the weight of the world during the hiatus (“Athlete poised for next year’s meets,” DistrictMail, 20 December 2021).
“I felt stuck, watching other athletes progress while I stayed in the same place,” she recalls. “I won’t lie and say that I never thought about quitting.”
She credits that period of adversity for her current mental toughness. After years of hard work, she realised running was part of her DNA. “Now, I carry a mindset that things will be tough, but if I keep working through it, something better is waiting on the other side.”
For six years, October felt stagnant, chasing a sub 2:13 time in the 800 m. The moment she finally broke that barrier, it wasn’t just a physical victory but a spiritual one too.
“That morning, I did my usual meditation… I said my usual prayer, but this time it felt different. I had a strong sense that something extraordinary was going to happen,” October says.
When the clock confirmed her breakthrough, it changed her entire trajectory. At that point, she had been ready to walk away from the sport and return home. Instead, that performance became her ticket to an American college scholarship.
The move to the US was facilitated by her mother, who found an agent on Facebook. Now, October is navigating the high-intensity world of NCAA Division I athletics.
“Training-wise, the difference between high school and college is huge,” she admits. Beyond the physical demands, the “team-first” points system adds a new layer of pressure. “You’re not just running for yourself anymore. You’re running for points, for your school and your scholarship. You carry your entire team with you.”
While October continues to dominate the 400 m and 800 m races – and the 4 x 400 m relay – her heart is equally set on a different kind of stage. She is currently studying Film and Acting, a passion she says she may enjoy even more than the track.
Despite the high-level competition, October remains grounded about her future.
While many expect a college star to eye the Olympics, she wants to keep her options open: “Athletics has mainly been a way to get to college and pursue my studies. If it is God’s will for me to go professional and represent my country, then that is something I would embrace gladly, but I want to focus on my career once I’m done.”
Though she is thousands of miles away, the “Boland spirit” remains part of her kit. She describes trying to introduce the South African sense of joy to her American teammates.
“If there is a loss, we mourn, then we dance and laugh. We lift each other up,” she says.
As for what she misses most? Aside from family and food, it’s the geography of home. “I especially miss the beach – going from being five minutes away to six hours away is tragic…”
October plans to return to Strand in December, looking forward to a traditional “South African festive” and the chance to be surrounded by “her people” once again.
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