More water for runners

ALMOST half of the water points at this year’s Soweto Marathon will be spread over the final 12 kilometres of the race on November 5.

The lack of water stations has been one of the iconic race’s flaws in the past, but race director Danny Blumberg said they hoped the added points would keep the athletes hydrated up to the finish.

“We’ve put in 17 water stations this year, from the 30km mark to the finish there will be no less than eight,” Blumberg said on a reconnaissance tour of the route yesterday.

“The runners better get hydrated because it is quite hot that time of year, so it is going to be a great add-on.”

The race, which runs through South Africa’s largest and most iconic township, has gone from strength to strength since it returned in 2014 after it was cancelled the year before.

The route honours Soweto’s rich history which includes six significant heritage sites – Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, Walter Sisulu Square, the Regina Mundi Catholic Church, Morris Isaacson High School, Vilakazi Street and Hector Pieterson Memorial.

The race will for the second year start and finish at FNB Stadium.

Blumberg said they would take extra precaution to ensure that the runners are safe on the route, which also hosts impatient taxi drivers.

“It is something we need to work on, we would like to have full road closures on the route and I think it will (take) time for us to get there,” he said.

The race director said an athletes’ village would be set up at Morris Isaacson High School.

“Runners who don’t have a place to stay the night before (the race) will be able to sleep over there and the sponsors will make sure it is very nice for the runners.”

For the first time, the race has reached full capacity in all three race categories – 10km, 21km and the 42.2km – which will get under way from the same starting point.