Close finishes proves Masterful runs
Lategan, Mgubo find their race legs to secure fast times and overall victory
Age group racing at the NFB Tony Viljoen Marathon is what the race is all about and there was plenty of such action on the road from MacLeantown to Beacon Bay Country Club on Sunday.
Nonetheless spectators are interested in who comes in upfront as well, and that provided some surprises.
In the men’s race it was All Star’s leading runner, Bulelani Mgubo, who lead the field home from Nedbank’s Nkosinathi Nzingo. Both men are prolific racers, which encourages lively debate on its own.
Mgubo, the slightly younger of the two, finished in 2:26:44 and Nzingo in 2:31:15. They also occupied first and second on the 35-39 race podium.
Welcome Tishini, also of Nedbank, was the first 40+ male in with a 2:33:50 finish, beating the highly fancied Xolisile Sinkintana of Real Gijimas who arrived at Beacon Bay in 2:38:31.
Thereafter the various five year categories fell to Zakhutini Retyu of Queenstown Harriers, Kenny Swartz of Oxford Striders, Nkosana Mpolweni from Real Gijimas, Atlantic Cape Town’s Mark Wagenheim and Sam Damane of Born 2 Run.
A remarkable performance was that of well-known roadrunner, Casper Greeff, also of Atlantic, who at the age of 83 finished in 6:01:22.
The large entry of 717 was a race record, and of those 640 made it to the finish.
This included many women, and the fairer sex did not disappoint in their racing.
Easy Equities Born 2 Run’s Caryn Lategan was part of a fast bus that included pre-race favourite Andrea Ranger, also from Born 2 Run, and Old Selbornian’s Ingrid Webber. Later on another member of Lategan’s club, Melanie Schemel, boarderd the bus too and had a few folk scratching their heads as to who she might be.
They raced together until around 22km, when Webber fell off the pace and was later followed by Ranger at around 24km.
All the while Lauren Ranger of Born 2 Run, who had started off conservatively, was stalking. Her sister, Lategan, meanwhile sped away from the group and made a determined quest for a maiden marathon victory. Lauren Ranger edged past both third and fourth placed runners on the approach to Merrifield School.
Lategan powered on to a win in 3:04:52, at a stage when Schemel was battling with tight and cramping quads.
It was on the approach to the finish that Ranger finally went past Schemel. The two women finished second and third in 3:10:34 and 3:10:47 respectively.
The first three women home all ran personal best times.
Karen Davis was the expected winner in the 40+ category with her Born 2 Run teammate, Bonnie Currin, second in a personal best for her.
There was an exceptionally close race in the 45+ category, where Tracy Kitching, of Oxford Striders, held off a fast finishing Janet Kieck from Born 2 Run, who only qualified for the category during the week before the race.
In the 50+ masters race visiting Hillcrest Village’s runner, Mary-Ann Paton, beat off novice to the marathon distance, Hanlie Pedro of Born 2 Run.
Born 2 Run’s Hester Ferrezuelo, who has made a comeback to racing after a lengthy lay-off, was the first in the 55+ category, ahead of Sharon Eldridge from Old Selbornians, who still holds the course record for women after all these years.
Beanie Beard, also of Old Selbornians, continues to astound with her grit, winning the 60+ segment of the women’s race.