This race not for the faint-hearted

Running in mid-December is a tough assignment at the best of times, but in the hinterland of the Eastern Cape it can be particularly testing.

The Heroes Marathon from Qunu to Walter Sisulu University in Mthatha is particularly onerous if the conditions are harsh.

The race being run on Sunday December 16 has a number of siblings to cater for, those who are not so keen on 42.2km, especially one starting when the sun is well up at 6am.

The half-marathon, a favourite distance to many in the running community starts at 6.30 from Viedgesville, while an even speedier 10km is under starter’s orders from Qweqwe at 7am. An inevitable 5km fun run starts at 8am and could well push total numbers into the thousands.

Motorcars for winning the marathon and a total prize purse on the day of R700,000 is sure to attract many to the attractions of the land north-east of the magnificent Kei River.

Entries are available at any Pick n Pay outlet.

The talking point in local circles is can an Eastern Cape man or woman break the out of province stranglehold on a race in Madiba territory.

It appears unlikely given current stats, but there is always hope that a young man or woman will make a sudden and surprise appearance on the scene. It could be in the 21, the 10 or even the 5km. Those are the races where talent is born. A perusal of the career of 2017 winner, Nkosikhona Mhlakwana, will show how running track, cross-country and short distance road races builds a runner.

800m: 1:52:08 in 2013 1500m: 3:55.75 in 2014 5000m: 14:32.67 in 2017 10000m: 29:56.67 in 2017 (same weekend as 5000m)

10km road: 30:04 in 2017 Half-Marathon: 66:37 in 2018

We take a look elsewhere in this publication at the outstanding, indeed world-beating talent that this province has produced over the years, and allow the conversation to develop further in the hope that the province might find ways to again develop such exciting runners. There is expertise to show the way and it ought to be utilised.