Can’t wait for the sea of social runners to return

One of the most spectacular things to witness in South African sport is the finish of a Spar Women’s Challenge 10km race. The sight of tens of thousands of runners and walkers flooding the streets, all in matching shirts, is awe-inspiring.

That’s what makes the contrast so noticable under lockdown.

Two weeks ago, the finishing area at the opening leg of the Spar Grand Prix in Pietermaritzburg included just a few officials, some journalists and a film crew producing the live stream.

The three-lap route also ensured there were limited marshals and volunteers, and once Ethiopian athlete Tadu Nare slammed it down up front, stretching out the small elite field, the atmosphere was quietly eerie.

The commentary team, led by Arnold Geerdts, did their best to break the silence, but their booming voices could only do so much to fill the air.

We watched as each athlete galloped past, their lonely footsteps echoing behind them and their gasps for breath far more evident than they would have been if we were in a string of lead vehicles barelling down a road lined with spectators.

The peformances in Maritzburg were great, especially considering the field was somewhat depleted with multiple athletes still recovering from the Olympic Games, and 20-year-old Nare produced a fine display of front running, again showcasing her tremendous potential.

Glenrose Xaba, meanwhile, delivered another consistent effort to finish second, and local prospect Tayla Kavanagh made a breakthrough by reaching the podium at a Grand Prix contest for the first time.

So there was a lot to shout about, just not many people to shout about it.

The second leg of the series in Cape Town today is expected to produce more fireworks, with the absence of Namibian Helalia Johannes and injured athlete Irvette van Zyl opening the door for Nare to cement her place at the top of the standings, and for the South African contingent to put up a fight in an attempt to spring some more surprises.

But it’s going to be quiet again at the side of the road, and while the elite aspect of this year’s series offers as much as always, it will be a relief when life gets back to normal.

Running at home as part of the virtual Grand Prix campaign is not the same, and the amateur masses are sorely missed.

Until the sea of social runners return, they have left a gap in the sport that just can’t be filled.