Marissa Groenewald is redefining endurance.
Most people run. Many people skip. But only a few combine the two. Marissa Groenewald – better known as @theroperunner on Instagram is one of them. A Virgin Active (VA) member and endurance athlete, she has taken this unexpected combination to new heights, covering marathons and ultra-marathons while skipping rope.
It all started as part of a recovery plan. “I started skipping at Virgin Active, in aid of, and recovering from an injury,” she explains. But standing in one place quickly became repetitive. “Being a creature of variety, the consistent jumping on one spot quickly bored me, so I thought: why not add a bit of running to this skipping thing?”
What began as a small experiment soon turned into a full-fledged endurance challenge. “Soon a few meters became a few km, and here I am today, running marathons and ultra-marathons whilst skipping.” Now, she’s redefining what’s possible with fitness, pushing limits with every rope, skip and run.
Training, Recovery, and Life at Virgin Active
To sustain such an intense sport, Groenewald follows a carefully structured training plan, incorporating cycling, strength training, core workouts, and endurance skipping. “I visit Virgin Active at least four times a week,” she says. Along with training, she values the social side of the wellness club. “I love connecting with the friends I’ve made in VA, so the co-work space and Kauai smoothies are always a favourite stop before heading off for the day.”
The Challenges of Rope Running
While the sport may look effortless, Groenewald’s journey has been anything but easy. “Starting my Rope Running journey was both tough physically and emotionally,” she admits. “I trained in secret for months, failed a lot, doubted myself more than I could count, and set myself up for ridicule and embarrassment. But I had a dream.” Her advice? “Never allow the noise of the outside to steal the seeds that were planted and learn to water those dreams.”
Running for a Cause
Beyond pushing her own physical boundaries, Groenewald is using her sport to make a difference. She has partnered with Love Justice International, an organisation dedicated to fighting human trafficking. “They specialise in transit monitoring, intercepting victims before crossing borders, and restoring them to their loved ones,” she explains. Her goal for 2025? To raise R500,000, which is enough to help save 200 lives.
Mastering the Art of Rope Making
With the sheer volume of distance she covers, Groenewald goes through skipping ropes really fast, with each one lasting only 20 to 30 km. To keep up, she started making her own. “I use something called a speed rope, which consists of two fairly light plastic handles attached to a wire cable with plastic sleeving. I’ve learned to make my own by buying off-the-shelf 1.5mm plastic-sleeved cables and combining them with the variety of handles I’ve collected from all the ropes I initially bought.”
Pushing Toward the Ultimate Challenge
Having already conquered intense races like the Balwin Sport Peninsula Marathon under brutal conditions, while experiencing stomach cramps, gale-force winds, and an undiagnosed viral infection, Groenewald is now gearing up for the Two Oceans and Comrades Marathon. “If I can complete THAT marathon with all the tremendously trying factors presented on the day, I can do anything,” she reflects.
But Comrades is a different beast. “I’m not there in my mind yet. It’s like eating half the elephant in one sitting. I’m getting there slowly in my mind. Your body can almost endure anything you throw at it but it’s your mind you need to conquer.”
For anyone looking to challenge themselves this year, Groenewald offers one simple but powerful piece of advice: Discipline will take you places motivation can’t.