Popular KwaZulu-Natal radio personality Keri Miller has confirmed she will take part in next year’s aQuellé Midmar Mile from 5-8 February, competing in the family race on the Saturday while also supporting the event as an ambassador for sponsor Mr Price Sport.
The co-founder of digital radio station PlayZN will be swimming her third aQuellé Midmar Mile, alongside a large family contingent which includes her sister, brother-in-law, niece and two nephews. “As a family, last year was our first time swimming Midmar together and we absolutely loved it,” she explained.
An interview with aQuellé Midmar Mile race director Wayne Riddin a few years ago and the promise of a coveted Midmar towel was all it took to nudge Miller into entering the event for the first time in 2024.
“It’s a really great towel,” she joked.
“For the 2025 race, my sister had already entered her whole family and I thought, if [my niece] Charli-Rose can swim it at six, then nothing is stopping me. It felt like one of the best family days we could ever have together. Such a cool memory to make.”
Miller said the event aligns closely with her belief in active living. “Considering I have a radio station called PlayZN, I’m a huge supporter of anything that gets us outside, off our phones and into our bodies. For anyone who’s had the privilege of learning to swim, this is one of the most satisfying things you can do. And everyone loves a medal. It’s such a celebration of how beautiful Midmar is.”
For Miller, serving as an ambassador for Mr Price Sport at next year’s aQuellé Midmar Mile also carries personal significance. “It’s a beautiful reminder that I’m in a strong, healthy body and that at 43 I can move happily and pain-free. Being able to represent a local brand in a local race feels special. I’m grateful and I hope to see more women my age shifting how they think about and treat their beautiful bodies,” she said.
As for preparation in the build-up to the race, apart from yoga and general fitness training, Miller reckoned: “I’ll do some training with Nix O’Driscoll, who is a wonderful coach and will give me all the pointers, and then keep some sea swimming going because we know Midmar is not flat!”
The family element remains central to her Midmar experience, however. “Spending time with Matt, Brad and Charli. Those three are everything to me… I just want to be present, cross that finish line together and get our family photo at the end. I get teary even thinking about it. I’m obsessed with those little humans,” Miller said.
Reflecting on the event’s broader impact, she added: “The sense of accomplishment at the end is huge and it’s so doable. You don’t have to be elite to compete. It’s the perfect race.”
Those keen to experience that sense of accomplishment for themselves can enter the aQuellé Midmar Mile at www.midmarmile.com with early-bird entries closing on 21 December.
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