Xaba sets sights on SA champs personal best
● After finishing third in SPAR series, focus switches to Half Marathon nationals
Elite SA long-distance runner Glenrose Xaba will be looking to set a new personal best when she takes on the SA Half Marathon Championships at Pollok Beach in Summerstrand on Saturday.
After finishing third in the SPAR Women’s Grand Prix 10km series in Gqeberha at the weekend, Xaba feels in great shape and is capable of running a personal best this coming weekend.
Xaba ran a personal best time of 32 minutes and 12 seconds and was the first SA athlete to finish on Saturday behind Ethiopian winner Tadu Nare, who clocked 31:35, with her teammate Selam Gebre of the Nedbank Running Club taking second place in 31:53.
Xaba said the race was a good motivation ahead of the SA Half Marathon Championships. “Last year, I didn’t run as per my expectations. I just ran a season-best of 70 minutes,” Xaba said.
“So, this year I want to improve and go under 70 or 69 minutes.
“I want to run a PB and according to the shape I am in now I could run a PB for the half-marathon.
“However, that will also depend on my health because at last year’s race when I reached the 10km mark I started to feel a little bit sick and that is why I ran 70 minutes.
“If I am able to be well and not be sick on race day, I promise I can run a PB.
“I’d also like a podium finish because I’ve not finished on the podium in that race since 2019.
“I always just finish outside the podium, but in 2019 I finished in third place.”
Asked which races she preferred to run the most between marathons and 10km races, Xaba said: “I enjoy long-distance races the most.
“When it comes to 21km, I’m dangerous because I have more oxygen the more I run.
“So, I am able to generate more oxygen in my legs.
“I’ll be running my own race on Saturday and I can win the race, it’s possible.”
Though Nare had compatriot Gebre as company for most of the race, she tore away on a long downhill stretch in the closing stages and coasted along the beachfront to secure a comfortable victory.
“I needed someone to help me push myself to run sub-31, which was my plan, but I’m very happy with the outcome,” Nare said afterwards.
“All in all it was a wonderful race.
“It was a great route and the weather was perfect. “This is my favourite city.” Blandina Makatisi of Lesotho was fourth in 32:46 and Cian Oldknow ended fifth in 32:49 in a lightning-fast race, which saw nine women dipping under 34 minutes.
Further back in the field, former ultra-distance star Grace de Oliveira made history by becoming only the second woman (after Sonja Laxton) to complete 100 races in the SPAR Grand Prix.
De Oliveira, a seven-time Comrades Marathon gold medallist, admitted she had not felt well but she managed to hold on to finish third in the grandmasters (60-69 years) age group, completing the race in 48:55.
“It was an incredible moment to have the reception I received at the end of my 100th race.
“It gave me goosebumps,” De Oliveira said.