Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 51, October 2013

Race Report Records tumble in the Capital Spar Ladies Race 10km & 5km, Pretoria, Gauteng North, 31 August The ?rst four ?nishers all broke the course record at the Pretoria leg of the Spar Ladies Challenge, as winner Mapaseka Makhanya virtually assured her overall Grand Prix victory before the last leg in Jo’burg in October. – BY LAUREN VAN DER VYVER Heard At The Finish Keitumetse Motcha: “I’ve been training hard for this one so the course wasn’t too bad for me. I really enjoyed the 5km and I think I’ll build up to the 10km soon. I’ve ?nally started the Spar races!” H Skhosana Nqobile: “There are no problems on the route and the whole event is well organised. It’s a special day for the ladies you know in your life, to socialise and share something with.” aving already claimed victory in the Durban leg, a runner’s up place in Cape Town and third place in Port Elizabeth, Mapaseka Makhanya (Transnet) continued her great form in this year’s Spar Ladies series as she cruised to another win in Pretoria, clocking 33:37 to shatter Rene Kalmer’s 2011 course record of 34:50. Back from an injury she picked up at the Boston Marathon, Rene ?nished second in 33:56 with Nedbank teammate Irvette van Zyl third in 34:21. Also dipping under the old course record was fourth-placed Rutendo Nyahora (Nedbank, 34:32). “Rene and I ran together for a while, but I pulled away from her at about ?ve and a half kilometres,” s ays Mapaseka. “It was quite a tough course – hilly and windy – but I was quite comfortable until the last two kilometres, which were downhill and really hard on my legs. But when you win, you forget about all the discomfort!” This win further cements Mapaseka’s lead in the Spar Grand Prix points table ahead of the last leg in Johannesburg in October, with her win in the capital adding another 30 points to her tally and putting her 29 points ahead of former Grand Prix winner Irvette. The only way Mapaseka can lose the 2013 title now is if Irvette wins the Jo’burg leg in a new course record and Mapaseka fails to ?nish in the top 20. Jackie Thorpe: “I’ve done the Spar race for about three years now and we do it because it’s for a good cause and it’s great to see South Africans participating in something that’s good for their ?tness and health.” Brooke Thorpe: “The weather wasn’t hot or cold today, which helped us a lot. We keep coming back because it’s a great day out – and races with a great message is what we like looking for!” Attracting around 25 000 runners and walkers, Pretoria’s leg boasts one of the largest ?elds in a running event in the country, and this year the race was run as part of Spar’s ‘Life is beautiful because…’ campaign. Thus the organisers urged women to come out and express how leading a healthy lifestyle can make life better and more beautiful, by running the hilly 10km or participating in the accompanying 5km fun run. Top 3 in Pretoria: Irvette, Mapaseka and Rene. Nora Lenting: “I did the 5km after hearing about it from some clients who were taking it on, so I thought I’d try it out this year. The race is very well organised and the course is a great one, and not too hard. Just a great day to be a part of.” Lucy Matjebena: “My niece invited me to as women we need to keep healthy and positive, and we often have to juggle so many things, so exercise becomes dif?cult.” Images: Lauren van der Vyver & Reg Caldecott do the race. I think the race is special, because Calling Jozi Spar Ladies Race 10km & 5km, Johannesburg, Central Gauteng When: Sunday 13 October, 8am Where: Wanderers Club, Illovo 36 ISSUE 51 OCTOBER 2013 / www.modernathlete.co.za

Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 51, October 2013 | Page 38