Challenges for road runners in 2023
Sailing into 2023 is a navigational challenge which runners are preparing themselves for, in respect of competition, structures, and development.
Race, club, and provincial structures are mostly under pressure following lockdowns, while the masses of runners mostly show little interest in how it works — they merely want to run, which is vastly different to the surges of interest in years past.
Examples of a need to sit up and take notice of events of historical value include two Border-based marathons, which are scheduled for October and November.
Border Athletics host the Amathole Marathon from Stutterheim to Qonce (King William’s Town) on October 9. It is one of the oldest standard marathons in SA, with its origins in 1964. The race peaked in the period 1988 through to 1991 in an era when Amatola Pirates were the driving force behind a fine race, won by the likes of Sam Tshabalala, the first black man to win the Comrades Marathon, and who still holds the race record of 2:18:23.
Changes in club structures amid other regional changes saw the race lose its appeal and sponsors faded and the club closed. A small band of interested parties kept the event alive and deserve immense credit for having done so.
This year the race offers a new beginning for the road running fraternity and is scheduled for October 9, still under Border Athletics, but with club involvement, including Stutterheim AC and Buffalo Runners AC, based in Qonce.
For the first time in years there will be Tshirts
and medals on offer with a better prize purse too.
What the organisers were not expecting however, was the quotation for traffic assistance of R19,026.
Road running over an extended period has had a superb relationship with such authorities and in the main, events have gone ahead smoothly, at a minimal cost. Clearly at this level of costing most clubs and races will be under huge pressure.
Earlier this year a race with World Athletics certification was affected, when the paid-for service of closing roads and taking charge of the race safety was scuttled by a no-show of authorities.
Border Athletics was never refunded for their outlay. Most of the province’s top athletes were affected, but also protected by swift action on safety. It could have turned ugly. Of more concern therefore is for new race organisers who may need all the support that can be offered, and if paid for, is delivered.
It is an issue for the new Border Athletics board scheduled to be elected the day before this year’s marathon, to address urgently and speedily for the sake of the sport in 2023 and beyond.
The other marathon, inclusive of a half marathon, which is scheduled for November 5, is the Twizza Bonkolo in Komani. Runners across the board will be hoping for fireworks of the absolute best running kind.
Both marathons are qualifying races for the Comrades on June 11 and Two Oceans, on a date yet to be confirmed.