Just how widely and profoundly Terri-Lynn Penney had inspired others was brought to light in her memorial service at PJ Olivier High School on Saturday March 16. Around 200 people – many of them fellow runners in their running gear who had earlier completed the Human Race in Kariega – came to honour the athlete and coach who passed away in the early hours of March 6 after suffering a pulmonary embolism, days before her 47th birthday.
Alongside some of the hundreds of messages posted on social media, Gino Nel, the pastor who led the service, read tributes from EP Athletics, Albany Runners and African Connection women’s football club coach Chris Totobela, who spoke about her support and encouragement for the club’s girls and young women. Poet Harry Owen described her as the epitome of life.
“When you legs get tired, run with your heart,” was one of her trademark encouragements recalled on Saturday.
Many knew Terri-Lynn through her beautiful photographs of Makhanda that she shared on social media – often taken during her epic early morning runs.
PJ Olivier principal Joubert Retief brought to life Terri-Lynn’s qualities. He recalled his Run/Walk for Life sessions in Makhanda that she and husband Stephen led several years ago.
“You have to be an athlete to understand the true grit it takes to be on the line at the start of an event when you feel all the odds are against you,” Retief said.
“First you have to overcome those fears; then, around half-way through, you ask yourself, ‘Why am I doing this?’
“Then when you got to the end, you say to yourself, ‘When are we doing this again?’”
He spoke about how Terri-Lynn used to fetch other athletes who didn’t have means, and take them to races.
She had raised funds to help them get to the bigger races, or to buy them proper running shoes.
Retief got to what many felt was the heart of Terri-Lynn when he spoke about her attitude to others.
“Young children, old people – Terri-Lynn never thought she was too grand to help. Even when she was in the middle of a hectic training schedule, she took that moment to stop, look you in the eye and spend time with you as a person.”
Retief described how during training sessions, most people only saw the back of Terri-Lynn.
“But she would always turn and come back for those of us right at the back. She would always come back to fetch us and motivate us: ‘Jy kan!’
“Terri-Lynn pushed us all to be better people; to overcome our fears.”
In his opening tribute, Terri-Lynn’s father-in-law Sid Penney noted that Terri-Lynn had been known and admired across diverse communities, and had been fluent in English, Afrikaans and isiXhosa.
During her 30 years of running, Terri-Lynn had completed Four Comrades Marathons; 16 Two Oceans Ultra-Marathons; Three Full Ironmans; Eleven 70.3 Half-Ironmans; 25 Kowie Striders 27-kilometre races; scores upon scores of ultra-marathons and standard marathons; and hundreds of half-marathons, 15km races and 10km races. Terri-Lynn was also an avid cross-country athlete. She represented Eastern Province Athletics as a senior athlete, veteran athlete and was also a coach.
“The cherry on top came when Terri-Lynn was selected to the South African squad some years ago that took part in World Triathlon Championships in Hungary and Canada. These comprised swimming, cycling and running,” Sid noted in his tribute which was read by Pastor Gino Nel.
Terri-Lynn had come very close to completing 100 consecutive days of running 12 kilometres a day for cancer awareness.
The Herald last week reported on how members of the running community had rallied to complete Terri-Lynn’s personal challenge. She had covered 1 380km on the 94th consecutive day of the challenge. Members of the Sleekgeek Health Revolution Facebook community, from across the globe, had posted their runs in Terri-Lynn’s honour, towards completing her challenge for her, on the group.