City of Joburg’s runners to show Comrades how it’s done

23 May 2016

 

At least 50 City of Joburg employees will be among 20 000 athletes from all over the world who will line up at 5.30am on Sunday May 29 for this year’s Comrades Marathon.

 

The 89.5km down-run – from Pietermaritzburg to Durban – is one of the toughest marathons in the world.

All the runners were briefed about the logistics and received their City of Johannesburg-branded apparel – a carry-all backpack, golf shirt and body warmer – at a farewell lunch at Marks Park Sports Club in Emmarentia on Friday May 20. The runners, who belong to different athletic clubs, work for the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD), Pikitup, City Power, Johannesburg Roads Agency, Emergency Management Services, Joburg Market and departments such as Sports, Transport, Group Communications & Marketing and Administration.

They are all ambassadors of the City's Healthy Lifestyle Programme, an initiative of Executive Mayor Councillor Parks Tau that encourages everyone in Johannesburg to engage in physical activity – including running, walking and cycling – to prevent diseases and conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity and help to boost the City’s life expectancy.

Derrick Oliver, 58, a Manager at City Power, will run his 33rd marathon this year. He ran his first Comrades at the age of 25 in 1983 and hopes to keep going until he has run his 40th. His best time – 7hrs 20min – was in 1994.

“It’s a tough race, it doesn’t get any better,” he said.

“But now my role is to help other runners, newcomers to the marathon. People who struggle at the back need motivation,” Oliver said.

JMPD’s George Manamela aims for an under-seven-hour finish this year.

He ran the fastest City of Johannesburg time last year – 7:16.

“I had a niggling groin injury but the training has been going very well,” said Manamela, whose first Comrades was in 2013.

Despite not finishing the race last year, Kedibone Maponyane is determined to cross the line under 12 hours.

“This is my second Comrades. I didn’t finish last year because of an injury. The preparations have been better. I’m confident I will finish,” said the traffic officer who has been running since 2008.

She trains every Wednesday with her colleagues and also on her own. James Moloi, the City’s Sports Manager, said a support team would be available throughout the race. A suite has been secured at the finish line for all runners to meet.