Over a thousand runners are expected to line-up to celebrate the 10th edition of the Nelson Mandela Bay Half Marathon at Pollok Beach, Summerstrand, on the 1st of June.
Organisers are expecting the biggest turnout ever this year with the support of 88 clubs from all over South Africa already confirmed and nearly 200 hundred individual entries.
Race director Michael Mbambani said this year’s race would be welcoming the masses to enter, as well as top athletes competing in the ASA Half Marathon Championships.
“Our focus is on creating platforms for local runners to compete and excel.
“We have introduced a new trophy this year for the Club with the Best Spirit,” said Mbambani, of the event which is organised by EP Athletics.
Local runners are encouraged to take the 21km challenge to achieve their personal best time on this beautifulcoastal flat route.
Athletes will be able to pick a bus that suits their race finish time goal for the 21km, with pacing buses ranging from a comfortable2h10 led by Jabulani Dubi, to sub 2 hours led by Border Athletics, Road Running Chair, Phaphama Malusi, (affectionately known as Papic),and also from East London, Mkhululi Jack (Mk) who will lead the sub 1h45bus.
Running is a sport that is truly life-changing, saysErrol Whittal, of Elite athletic club, who will be part of the marshal team on race day.
“Although I ran at school, I took myself in hand in 2012 and started running again, weighing 125kg and feeling heavy and slow.
“I stayed committed and built up my fitness and today at a healthy 90kg I am able to run asub 3-hour marathon and I’m aiming for my personal best Comrades marathon this year.
“My advice to anyone who takes up running is to set goals to build your distance from 10km to 15km and then grow, training ideally four days a week, towards your first half marathon.
“Running is addictive and has a positive spin-off into all areas of your life, your diet, work and relationships,” advised Whittal.
Well-known local top runner, NtombesintuMfunzi, who will be competing in the Half Marathon, also shared her advice for runners.
“I have been through many challenges, my toughest recent challenge after my maternity break, was the diagnosis of a heart condition, Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT) which needed surgery.”
“It has been scary returning to running, but I have realized that I must be patient and not rush my fitness to try and return to my old self too quickly.”
“My advice to runners who have been through a challenging time andneed to return to running, is allow yourself time to recover, tomake your comeback easier by allowing your body to reset, heal and be grateful that you are alive and able to run and continue to do what you love, added Mfunzi.
For the speedier runners up front, great prize money has been set up for the 10th edition of this race.
A generous R100 000 will be going to the winnerfrom a total prize pot of R559 000, and with a bonus of the ASA Championship prize money worth R111 000.
Gqeberha runner, Thabang Mosiako, who recently won the Two Oceans Half Marathon, will be defending his NMB Half Marathon title.Mosiako won the Nelson Mandela Bay Half Marathon in a personal best time of 01:00:29, a course record and an EP record time.
The race which also incorporates the Athletics South Africa (ASA) Half Marathon Championship will attract many elite athletes from South Africa and the rest of Africa too.
Athletes can enter online at www.webtickets.co.za or at Brian Bands Sports and Sportsman Warehouse. The closing date for all online and manual entries is at 17h00, on Monday, 27 May.
All athletes that enter before Friday, 17 May, will be seeded according to their qualifying time, with a maximum of 200 per seeding block. All late entrants, irrespective of ability, will be allocated to the last seeding block.
The collection of race numbers, as well as late entries, will be available at registration at the Oyster Catcher venue, First Floor, Southern Sun The Marine Hotel, Summerstrand, on Friday, 31 May, from 10h00 to 20h00. No late entries will be allowed on the morning of the event, and collection of race numbers will only be allowed at the Hotel from 05h00 and 06h30.
Enquiries: Mike Mbambani 079 149 6796 or email epa@pe.co.za.