We exited the N1 around the 34km mark , on the southern outskirts of Polokwane . Seshego is on the north-western periphery of the city , so this meant we had to conquer another 16km through industrial areas and suburbs to earn a finish . However , the race does reward you with a mostly downhill second half . The highest point of the race is just after the 23km mark , and with the exception of a handful of speedbumps , it ’ s a gentle drop all the way to the 44km mark on Nelson Mandela Drive … where you suddenly face the steepest hill of the day . That hill is exactly one mile long , and I endured a long walk to freedom before the final push to the finish line .
Signing out from the Seshego Marathon
Getting It Done
This race does offer something different from the other Polokwane marathons and ultra , which nearly all finish at the Peter Mokaba Stadium ( except for the Mall of the North Marathon ). Instead , this one finishes in the Seshego Stadium , and I arrived just in time to get my medal . Inaugural marathons often have one or two teething issues , but in this case it was not too few medals , but that the supplier did not deliver in time . However , my sedentary pace was perfectly timed to get the first batch of medals ‘ hot off the press ’ directly after they arrived at the finish .
Seshego gives the long-distance runner the chance to experience township running , and is a good option if you want a well-organised undulating point-topoint 50km in Limpopo . The race is organised by the 015 Running Club – 015 is the dialling code for Polokwane – and all proceeds go to the Sisonke Foundation to assist learners from underprivileged families who experience reading difficulties , to get reading glasses .
I had a few chats with race organiser Phateng Kgomo before and after the race , and also caught the post-race interview he did on EnergyFM . The first race went really well , but he did acknowledge that there were a few improvements to be made ahead of next year ’ s event . He has an ambitious vision and timeline for the Seshego Marathon : “ We want it to be a national landmark . Give us two years .”
About the Author
The Running Mann has run over 240 marathons and ultras around the world , and his current mission is to run every marathon in South Africa , so he is particularly looking forward to running the 45k Timbavati Traverse on 9 July . If you ’ d like him to run your race or talk at your event , email therunningmann @ gmail . com . You can follow his adventures on Twitter , Facebook or Instagram , and on his popular blog .
“ Seshego gives the long-distance runner the chance to experience township running , and is a good option if you want a well-organised undulating point-to-point 50km in Limpopo .”
It was a long walk to freedom up Nelson Mandela Drive
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