Johannesburg – There are very few things that”d make 25 000 people get out of bed at 4.30 on a cold Sunday morning. The Old Mutual Soweto Marathon is one of those things.
Fitness, culture, heritage, comradery and love for South Africa -- these are some of the reasons runners cited for participating in the marathon.
“Thank you for coming out to support us, you all,” shouted one runner as he started his 21km run. Fans watching from the sidelines cheered loudly. Parents, spouses and kids watched as their family members kickstarted the marathon.
Age didn”t matter. A 10-year-old was seen running with a 60-year-old. Selfies were taken as the race began and prams with kids were pushed.
The route, which includes two Nobel Prize winners houses, was one of the reasons first-time marathon runners signed up for the Soweto Marathon.
“The heritage sites and the route shows that South Africa is beautiful and incredible, despite the little hiccups we face now and then,” said Masego Setlhoti, a 10k marathon runner.
The Soweto Marathon was Natalie Gardiner’s first marathon in South Africa, and the heritage sites and the route were the main reasons she signed up for it. She wanted to understand the culture of South Africa more, she said.
For some people it was about the opportunity to go out there and have fun. We want to be a part of the culture and take it all in, said Palesa Ngogo, another 10km runner.
While for others it was about beating their previous records and making sure they’re on the right track to being fit. This is not about competing against the best. It is about competing against ourselves, said a number of marathon runners.
Friendship played a major role in runners signing up for the marathon too. Ingra Narsai, a runner said she signed up to support her friend and finish the race together. It “builds and grows friendship,” she said.
By the 1-hour, 30-minute mark, runners started making it to the 42km finish line, while it was at about 1:07 minutes the 21km runners started coming in. The live telecast of the race inside the FNB stadium made the fans pile in to catch their favourite runners race.
Ethiopian runners Sintayehu Legese Yigesu and Selam Abere Alebachu finished first at the 42km men’s and women”s respectively, drawing huge cheers. Irvette Van Zyl, who wasn’t sure if she was going to run the marathon a couple weeks ago finished third in women’s. She was also the first South African woman to finish the race. Van Zyl was a crowd favourite, fans loving how determined she is to make a comeback after the foot injury before the Rio Olympics.
Even taking the bus across the 42km route during media day was enough to understand that the Soweto Marathon was special in many ways. Vilakazi Street in particular was beautiful and rich on culture. To be able to say they finished the Soweto Marathon has to be a special feeling.