We know that many of our readers are Comrades runners, and we’re keen to get your viewpoint on some of the concerning issues that have come out of the 2023 Comrades Marathon, so please take our poll and let us know your thoughts.
Author: Roxanne Martin
‹ BackRegistration for the Thembisa Mile and 10KM are Open!
Registration for Thembisa’s premier road running event, the Thembisa Mile taking place on Sunday, 29 October 2023 is OPEN. The race comprises of a street Mile (1609m), and a 10km run for the masses. The race will start and finish at the Moses Molelekwa Arts Centre next to the Makhulong Stadium.
Entries are available online at www.thembisamile.co.za
Entries will close at midnight on Sunday, 22 October 2023, or when the maximum race capacity has been reached. The race is open to a total of 3000 participants, with 2500 entries available for the 10km road race and 500 for the 1 Mile Road Race.
The registration fee for the 10km is R150 for ASA-licensed athletes, while unlicensed athletes will pay an additional R60 for a temporary license. The registration fee for the 1 Mile Race is R50 for ASA-licensed athletes, with unlicensed athletes paying an additional R20 for a temporary license. The registration fee excludes the online service fee administered by the service provider.
Participants will be able to collect their race numbers at the Race Expo which will be held from 27 to 29 October at the race venue.
For the elite runners, the race offers a total prize purse of R100 000 (hundred thousand Rand). The men’s and women’s 10km winners will each take home R5000, while the invitational Mile winners will each take home R4000 each. SPAR Vouchers will be given to the top three boys and girls in the U-10, U- 13, and U – 15 age group categories for the 1 Mile Race.
All registered finishers will receive bronze medals, while category winners will earn gold medals.
Discovery Vitality members can earn 600 vitality points for completing the 10km race.
The race is run through the two main streets of Thembisa namely; RTJ Namane Drive and Andrew Mapheto Drive.
The race is made possible by the following sponsors and partners; SPAR North Rand, City of Ekurhuleni Sports and Recreation Division, Vision View TV, Lenmed Zamokuhle Private Hospital, The Thembisan, Move the Nation, Central Gauteng Athletics and Thembisa Athletics Club.
The race will be streamed live on the Vision View TV app.
Event Dairy details:
Date: Sunday, 29 October 2023
Time: 07h00
Enter online: www.thembisamile.co.za
Entry Fee (excluding online service fee): R10k = R150, 1 Mile = R50.
The temporary license fee is R60 for 10km and R20 for 1 Mile.
Late registration: R170 for 10km and R60 for 1 Mile.
Are You Ready to Make an Impact
Where The Two Oceans Meet
Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series excited to welcome Tshwane as its latest destination
Stillwater Sports, the organizer of SA’s award-winning road running series is excited to welcome Tshwane as the latest destination of the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series with the Absa RUN YOUR CITY TSHWANE 10K set to make its debut on Sunday 27 August 2023.
Featuring five groundbreaking events in 2023, the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series is more than just a series of traditional road races, this premium series has redefined the concept of mass participation, encouraging walkers, lifestyle enthusiasts, friends, and families, as well as elites both locally and from abroad to come together and take part in the most experiential road running events in the country.
“We are proud to bring the excitement of the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series to Tshwane, a city that possesses all the qualities necessary to host a world-class 10km road run,” said Managing Director of Stillwater Sports and Founder of the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series, Michael Meyer who was speaking at the official Absa RUN YOUR CITY TSHWANE 10K launch function that was hosted at the Premier Hotel in Pretoria today (21 June).
“We would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to both the City of Tshwane and Athletics Gauteng North (AGN) for their invaluable support in making this event a reality. Their unwavering commitment, collaboration, and shared vision have been instrumental in bringing this exciting road run to Tshwane. The city’s exceptional infrastructure, cultural heritage, and warm hospitality provides the perfect backdrop for participants to embark on a memorable journey, while AGN’s dedication to promoting athletics and fostering a thriving running community has been truly inspiring.”
“Our aim is to create an unforgettable experience that transcends traditional road runs, inspiring a passion for athletics and sparking a culture of health and well-being,” continues Meyer. “With its scenic routes and inclusive atmosphere, the Absa RUN YOUR CITY TSHWANE 10K will not only showcase the beauty of its host city, but also provide a platform for athletes to showcase their talent and compete at the highest level. We are confident that this event will have a lasting impact on athletics in the region, attracting participants from all backgrounds, while encouraging a lifelong love for running.”
“We received a lot of interest from Absa colleagues, customers and community members when we hosted the first Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series in Gauteng last year. The extension of the series to two more cities, including Tshwane, came at the right time as we want to ensure that this event is accessible to all. Our biggest goal has always been to grow this platform and encourage more people to have an active lifestyle, while we get closer to our colleagues, customers, and most importantly, the communities in which we operate, and we are excited to activate in Tshwane,” said Absa Regional Segment Head, Premium, Jolene Grobler.
“Through the Absa Force for Good initiative, we will be able to change lives in this beautiful city and push people to their limits. For every 1km run/walked by Team Absa Walk Run members on Strava, Absa will donate R1 towards a worthy cause in the community of Tshwane. We look forward to welcoming thousands of participants on 27 August to create a meaningful impact in a fun way,” said Grobler.
Meyer closes off saying: “Together with the City, AGN, Title Sponsor, Absa and key sponsors such as PUMA, DHL and Chery to mention just a few, we are proud to celebrate the event’s debut by bringing world class performances and unparalleled excitement to the streets of Tshwane. We look forward to hosting an event that showcases the best of Tshwane’s spirit, athleticism, and community engagement.”
“We are thrilled to welcome the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series to Tshwane,” says City of Tshwane MMC Member of Mayoral Council, Peggy de Bruin. “The event represents a remarkable opportunity for our city to shine on the global stage, uniting runners from near and far in a celebration of athleticism, culture, and the indomitable spirit of Tshwane. We welcome participants and spectators with open arms as we showcase the beauty of our city’s landscapes, the richness of our heritage, and the warmth of our community. Get ready to witness Tshwane come alive with the energy and excitement of this monumental event.”
“As Athletics Gauteng North, we are excited and thrilled about the partnership with Stillwater Sports in delivering a successful inaugural Absa RUN YOUR CITY TSHWANE 10K, that will benefit the club members, provincial elite athletes as well as providing a boost to the sport at grassroots level,” says President of Athletics Gauteng North, Mr Hendrick Mokganyetsi. “Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress and working together is success.”
To find out more and to enter the event, visit the race website https://runyourcityseries.com/tshwane-10k/
The People’s Race Will Happen!
First it was cancelled, then it was on again… this has been the yo-yo experience for the running community today as news broke about the Soweto Marathon. As a long-term media partner to the race, Modern Athlete got in touch with the ‘right’ people to get to the bottom of what is really going on.
On Wednesday morning, we woke to the news that the 2023 Soweto Marathon had been cancelled due to an ongoing dispute regarding the broadcast rights for the race, and the funding received for these rights. Thankfully, a few hours later news broke that the 28th edition of the event known as the People’s Race will go ahead as scheduled on Sunday 5 November.
The original media release announcing the cancellation of the race was apparently issued on Tuesday evening or Wednesday morning, and quoted Soweto Marathon Trust (SMT) Chairman Sello Khunou directly, so it appeared to have been issued by the SMT. This media release laid the blame for the cancellation squarely at the feet of Athletics South Africa (ASA) and Central Gauteng Athletics (CGA).
However, according to a statement released today by provincial athletics body, Central Gauteng Athletics (CGA), Khunou as well as General Secretary Ishe Sadiki and Board Member Pamela Tainton had already been suspended by the provincial federation the previous week, for bringing the sport into disrepute, and they each face a potential two-year suspension from all athletics activities, subject to a disciplinary and appeal process. The original press release therefore appears to have been released following their suspension.
Furthermore, on Sunday 18 June, CGA met with 15 of the 17 Soweto athletics clubs that make up the SMT, to ensure that the race will be hosted successfully following the suspension of the above Trust members. According to CGA, the clubs welcomed the suspension of the three members and indicated to CGA that the race must take place in 2023. Note: The Soweto athletics clubs are the beneficiaries of the Soweto Marathon, and both the event and these Soweto clubs are affiliated to CGA, and through the provincial federation, also to Athletics South Africa (ASA).
Getting Back on Track
When asked about the unfortunate turn of events, newly elected SMT Board Member Thokozani Mazibuko said, “This is not what we as the Soweto Marathon Trust wanted or expected. Our focus is to find a solution to the problem and get the 2023 People’s Race on track. The sudden announcement of cancellation from disgruntled members created panic and was completely unnecessary.”
He added that the Trust, the Board, and the relevant athletics bodies are all committed to ensuring the race happens, saying, “Our message to the runners planning on tackling the Soweto Marathon in November is that our 2023 edition is happening, and we can’t wait to welcome you to the streets of Soweto.”
We also spoke to long-standing Race Director, Danny Blumberg, and he assured us that while the opening of entries has been delayed due to these internal issues, this is in no way holding up the organisation of the 2023 edition of the race. “My team is working hard in the background to ensure that when we are able to open entries, everything will be on track to make sure that this edition of the People’s Race is as good as runners expect it to be,” he said.
The Soweto Marathon has been a much-loved fixture on the running calendar for nearly three decades, and we look forward to bringing you all the news, including the opening date for entries, expected to be announced soon!
Venter’s Visionary Race
The Totalsports Two Oceans Marathon was first run in 1970, and there is an interesting story behind that first edition of what is now one of the biggest and most internationally renowned races in South Africa. – By Sean Falconer
The fledgling idea for the Two Oceans Marathon was born in the late 1960s when former Durban-based runner Dave Venter was transferred to Cape Town by his then employers, BP Southern Africa. To his great disappointment, Venter found that running in the Cape was very much behind Durban, where the 90km Comrades Marathon had been on the calendar since 1921. He had been a keen member of Savages Athletic Club and had run his first Comrades in 1967, just a year after starting to run at age 36, but in the Cape in 1968, there were only a handful of marathons to choose from and no ultra-marathons.
Venter ran the Stellenbosch Marathon, which only had about 20 entrants, and then had to wait several months for the Western Province Marathon in Bellville, which attracted a mere five entrants. Shortly after this, he took two months’ leave and returned to Natal to run his second Comrades, as well as the Bergville/Ladysmith Ultra. He was actually playing with the idea of asking BP for a transfer back to Natal, but after discussing it with former clubmate Gerry Treloar of Savages, he decided to give the Cape another chance. This after Treloar said, “Now that you’re there, why don’t you try and improve long-distance running in Cape Town?”
That convinced Venter to try to start an ultra with a similar distance to the Bergville/Ladysmith, around 35 miles, as he reasoned that runners in Cape Town planning to run the Comrades would enter it as a training run. However, when he took the idea to Celtic Harriers, the club committee said they didn’t feel there was any need for such a race in Cape Town.
The Western Province Amateur Athletic Association (WPAAA) also turned the idea down, but help was at hand. Through Celtic Harriers secretary Harold Berman, Dave was introduced to The Argus sports reporter Bryan Grieve, who lent his public support to the idea. At the same time, Stewart Banner was elected chairman of the WPAAA, and he too gave a favourable response, so Venter decided to try again. He went back to Celtic Harriers and said if the club would give him its backing, he would take care of all arrangements and ensure the club was not involved in any way.
Convincing the Doubters
With that agreement in place, Venter attended a WPAAA committee meeting in late 1969, and after a heated debate, he was finally given permission to hold the race on 2 May 1970 – just one week after the Peninsula Marathon, in spite of the small number of long distance races on the calendar at that time. Interestingly, the most outspoken critic of the idea was journalist and statistician Harry Beinart, who said he did not see the point of a 35-mile event!
Meanwhile, the WPAAA said the race should take place in May, at the end of the track and field season, so as not to impact other events on the calendar, and added one further strict condition: The race should not interfere with the cross country event scheduled for that afternoon – and Celtic Harriers echoed this condition!
With that hurdle out the way, Venter had an easy decision to make. His favourite training route ran through Muizenberg, Fish Hoek and Noordhoek, over Chapman’s Peak Drive, through Hout Bay, up Constantia Nek Drive and Rhodes Drive, down past Kirstenbosch, offering an incredibly scenic route measuring the approximate distance he was looking for, so the choice of route was simple. He also found a suitable venue for the start and finish by asking BP if he could use their Impala Park grounds in Newlands, and BP donated a floating trophy for the winner.
Getting to the Start Line
The race flyer for the first Celtic 35 Mile Road Race duly went out, with extra emphasis on this being a perfect training run for those planning to run the Comrades. The entry fee was set at 50 cents, with entries closing on 29 April. Runners would need to supply their own seconds to compliment the sponges and drinks available at the 10, 20 and 30-mile markers, where timekeepers would be stationed to record each runner’s progress. The top three finishers would receive prizes, thanks to Venter donating some of the prizes he’d won in Durban, and he also contributed another R6 in order to buy a few extra awards.
Race day arrived, with a small but intrepid group of 24 runners lining up on a wet, blustery morning in Newlands. Dirkie Steyn would go on to win that first edition of the race, in 3:55:50 – and remarkably, he ran the entire race barefoot! It was the start of 50-plus years of incredible running around the Cape Peninsula, and out of that first, small race was to grow one of the biggest running events on the South African calendar.