An adventurous role model
SANDTON – Inanda-based resident, Willy Castle, is an adventurer who aims to inspire others through his achievements.
A true adventurer lives in Sandton.
Willy Castle, an old boy of St David’s Marist Inanda and chairman of the school’s old boys’ association has not only completed 29 Comrades marathons, including this year’s, but has climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, completed 13 Two Oceans Marathons, four London Marathons, three New York Marathons, completed a 100km race in Florida, United States, and taken part in four Duzi Canoe Marathons and three Fish River Canoe Marathons.
Castle taught at St David’s from 1978 to 2014 and was the headmaster of the preparatory school in his last year at the school. The school planned a warm farewell for him at the end of 2014 to commemorate a teacher who inspired so many pupils, and he continues to inspire the youth through his athletic accomplishments.
He said, “I can say [that I inspire pupils] as a lot of our parents, old boys and fellow staff members have entered and run the Comrades and have even trained with me.
“My message to the boys before they went on [school] holiday are the three R’s which are to Rest, Run and Read and this is something they all know me for.”
He added that he ran the Comrades to stay fit and healthy. “You have to train all year round [for the Comrades] with an emphasis on upping the mileage from January to April, then you start to taper down in preparation for the race at the end of May, beginning of June. I follow the blood group diet and have found this to be very helpful to stay strong and healthy.”
The St David’s Marist old boys’ Facebook page is filled with compliments for Castle’s work as a teacher, runner and adventurer.
James Daniel Parkin wrote: “So well deserved. A truly great man, honoured by generations. I have had the honour of running Comrades with Willie, he leads me and inspires me to this day.”
Reece Webster wrote: “One of the bests role models a St David’s man could ever hope to grow up around. Willy Castle a true legend.”
Read more:
History of St David’s Marist Inanda
Nine to climb Kilimanjaro for breast health
Spreading the word and inspiring
