Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 126, January 2020

ROAD RUNNING SA All-Time Men’s Marathon Rankings Sub-2:10 Evidence of this can be seen in the 2019 stats, with six of the top 10 times in the 10km for SA men being run in the FNB Durban 10K CITYSURFRUN, and three for the women. The bulk of the rest of the top women’s times were run in the Spar Women’s Challenge series, which has also brought in strong international competition. The half marathon times are a revelation, with eight of the top 10 men’s times run in Port Elizabeth at the NMB Half Marathon. In that race, the top 10 men all finished under 1:02:30, and it has been a long time since a South African race has boasted that kind of depth. Similarly, on the women’s front, six of the top 10 half marathon times were run in PE. These shorter races are vital for South Africa to become better at the marathon again, says Lindsey. “Athletes need to see the bigger picture and think long term. A good run at a Label race in South Africa will see them invited to international races, where they can earn Dollars. More racing overseas will also mean more racing against top competition, and gathering of experience. The knock-on effect is that when the current crop of youngsters move up to the marathon, there is a better chance of more being able to run competitive times. Success breeds success.” He adds that he believes that another two 10km Label races in SA would be ideal. “We do not want too many, because we want this current crop of athletes to race each other often, but without over-racing. So another two, maybe three Label races in the 10km would be ideal, preferably one in PE, and maybe one in Pretoria or Bloemfontein. If these were part of the FNB series, that would be even better, because Stillwater Sports has gotten the formula right, and has established themselves as the right group to make this happen.” Official Support Of course, there is also a role for both the provincial federations and Athletics South Africa to play. While Lusapho April these federations do not have the hands-on capacity to put on Label races, they can still make the most of them to help develop the front end of the sport. “Take Glenrose Xaba, for example,” says Lindsey. “In Michael Seme she has a brilliant coach, who works with a long-term goal in mind. She recently ran 69 minutes in the half marathon, and many are calling for her to go up to the marathon now already, but this is where Athletics South Africa should step in.” “She is already in the squad for the World Half Marathon Championships in March this year. Now ASA should help Michael get her to run a few 10,000m races overseas and qualify for the Olympics this year. Not for a medal, but for the long-term prospect in the marathon. Then in 2021 get her to go to the World Cross Country Championships, and the World Championships in Oregon for the 10,000m. The same in 2022 for the Commonwealth Games and the World Half Marathon Championships. Then prepare her for the marathon at the 2023 World Championships. She could debut in the marathon at the end of 2022 and I think she could well run a 2:25 on debut. She is only 25 now, so by 2023 she will be 28. That would be a great plan.” The irony is that the best female marathoners currently in South Africa, with a few exceptions, have improved because of Comrades, says Lindsey. “You can no longer win a marathon up-country in three hours, you need to be running 2:45 to 2:50, and the knock-on effect is that soon someone will start to run 2:40 at altitude, and then it is only a matter of time for someone to break 2:40 at altitude, and so on. Look what happened when Caroline Wöstman and Charne Bosman won the Comrades in consecutive years. All of a sudden South African women believed they deserved to be on the podium at Comrades, and now you have those 2:45 to 2:50 marathoners who are fighting for a top 10. Belief did that.” FNB Durban 10K CITYSURFRUN 32 ISSUE 126 JANUARY 2020 / www.modernathlete.co.za Glenrose Xaba 2:06:33 1999 Tokyo 2 Hendrick Ramaala 2:06:55 2006 London 3 Ian Syster 2:07:06 2002 London 4 Josia Thugwane 2:07:28 1997 Fukoka 5 Stephen Mokoka 2:07:40 2015 Shanghai 6 Zithulele Sinqe 2:08:04 1986 Port Elizabeth 7 David Tsebe 2:08:07 1992 Berlin 8 Willie Mtolo 2:08:15 1986 Port Elizabeth 9 Lusapho April 2:08:32 2013 Hannover 10 Mark Plaaitjies 2:08:58 1985 Port Elizabeth 11 Lawrence Peu 2:09:10 1997 London 12 Desmond Mokgubo 2:09:31 2018 Oita 13 Andries Khulu 2:09:36 1997 Berlin 14 Ernest Seleke 2:09:41 1984 Port Elizabeth 15 Ezael Thlobo 2:09:54 1998 Prague 16 MakhosokeFika 2:10:16 2003 Berlin 17 Martin Ndiveni 2:10:18 1996 Berlin 18 Benedict Moeg 2:10:21 2014 Xiameng 19 Xolile Yawa 2:10:22 1995 London 20 Joseph Skosana 2:10:29 1991 Durban 21 Elroy Gelant 2:10:31 2018 Cape Town 2:10 SA All-Time Women’s Marathon Rankings Sub-2:30 1 Elana van Zyl Meyer 2:25:15a 1994 Boston 2 Colleen de Reuck 2:26:36 1996 Berlin 3 Frith van der Merwe 2:27:35 1990 Port Elizabeth 4 Gerda Steyn 2:27:48 2018 New York 5 Rene Kalmer 2:29:27 2014 Berlin 6 Mapaseka Makhanya 2:31:02 2015 Hannover 7 Irvette van Zyl 2:31:26 2013 London 8 Tanith Maxwell 2:32:33 2010 London 9 Annette Falkson 2:33:39 1988 Cape Town 10 Christine Kalmer 2:33:43 2015 Valencia 11 Lebo Phalula 2:33:48 2016 Enschede 12 Nolene Conrad 2:34:39 2018 Cape Town Sub-2:35 Ginsberg Elroy Gelant 1 Gert Thys

Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 126, January 2020 | Page 32