Two new combination events and one established race from a new venue will be run this weekend.
Today, Mdantsane Athletics Club (MAC) will be hosting their 10 and 5km road race from the Indoor Sports Complex down the road from the Sisa Dukashe Stadium.
Tomorrow the postponed Kempston Run Ride in aid of Arcadia Rotary and Arcadia School is scheduled for 3 Silos just off the N6 and also on the day, a new three race event takes place out and back from the Jan Smuts Athletic Stadium.
The new Africa Day Half Marathon and 10km are both well funded races and are underwritten by both the province and the metro along with Metropolitan. There is also a 5km fun run attached to proceedings.
The MAC 10km race starts at 7am and also carries BCMM funding plus that of the Department of Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture.
Being run in hilly Mdantsane it will be a challenging race but for many it could also serve as a warm-up for the following day.
The All Stars 10km race in Amalinda last Saturday produced a surprise result when Born 2 Run veteran Siyabulela Madlavana, beat the favourite Luthando Hejana of Real Gijimas. That sets up potential re-matches at any one of the races over the weekend.
The Africa Day 21.1km starts at 7am and the 10km 15 minutes later. The two races are not likely to produce fast times given the course being used is the same one originally run for the Legends Half Marathon.
It contains a number of long climbs that will require tactical running if prizes are the object of the runners outing.
First prize for both male and female is R20 000 and then falls away to R8 000 for second and R2 000 less for each position down to five.
What this probably means is that runners will flock through from Port Elizabeth, and from Mthatha, possibly even Free State, Gauteng, Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, depending what is on offer closer to home.
Locally, Lusapho April is likely to lead the charge but of serious interest is the fact that Hejana was a mere nine seconds off the pace of Oxford Strider's April at the Mazars Diesel Depot 15km earlier this month.
Madlavana was third in that race and then turned the tables on Hejana at the 10km. An exciting melting pot could prevail.
Throw in the outside chance of a recovering Lukhanyo Ngxoko of Born 2 Run, who won a number of races before picking up an injury and even amongst the locals, there could be intense racing on the day.
The women's race is also likely to attract visiting runners and they will come up against Born 2 Run's Cindy Schwulst. She has run just two road races in 2017– the Kempston women's 10km and the Diesel Depot – winning them both.
In the absence of Hanlie Botha and it being unlikely that any of the Comrades runners will chance racing so close to the big event, Schwulst is bound to capture a podium finish at the very least.
Jaime Griffiths is a stable mate of Schwulst and could well challenge along with the likes of United AC's Chantell Adoons. The two had a close battle at the Diesel Depot.
Zandile Rubushe of Rainbow is another good competitor who, all things being equal, will come into contention.
There is also a strong possibility that some of the age group runners could impact on the senior results.
Closer to race day there may well be a clearer picture of just who is doing what racing wise.
The Kempston Run Ride offers two runs of 8 and 5km as well as three mountain bike events over 18, 12 and 5km. Biking takes place at 8am and the runs are at 9am. With good weather predicted there will be much for families to enthuse over.
Runners have wide choice to choose from
Today, Mdantsane Athletics Club (MAC) will be hosting their 10 and 5km road race from the Indoor Sports Complex down the road from the Sisa Dukashe Stadium.
Tomorrow the postponed Kempston Run Ride in aid of Arcadia Rotary and Arcadia School is scheduled for 3 Silos just off the N6 and also on the day, a new three race event takes place out and back from the Jan Smuts Athletic Stadium.
The new Africa Day Half Marathon and 10km are both well funded races and are underwritten by both the province and the metro along with Metropolitan. There is also a 5km fun run attached to proceedings.
The MAC 10km race starts at 7am and also carries BCMM funding plus that of the Department of Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture.
Being run in hilly Mdantsane it will be a challenging race but for many it could also serve as a warm-up for the following day.
The All Stars 10km race in Amalinda last Saturday produced a surprise result when Born 2 Run veteran Siyabulela Madlavana, beat the favourite Luthando Hejana of Real Gijimas. That sets up potential re-matches at any one of the races over the weekend.
The Africa Day 21.1km starts at 7am and the 10km 15 minutes later. The two races are not likely to produce fast times given the course being used is the same one originally run for the Legends Half Marathon.
It contains a number of long climbs that will require tactical running if prizes are the object of the runners outing.
First prize for both male and female is R20 000 and then falls away to R8 000 for second and R2 000 less for each position down to five.
What this probably means is that runners will flock through from Port Elizabeth, and from Mthatha, possibly even Free State, Gauteng, Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, depending what is on offer closer to home.
Locally, Lusapho April is likely to lead the charge but of serious interest is the fact that Hejana was a mere nine seconds off the pace of Oxford Strider's April at the Mazars Diesel Depot 15km earlier this month.
Madlavana was third in that race and then turned the tables on Hejana at the 10km. An exciting melting pot could prevail.
Throw in the outside chance of a recovering Lukhanyo Ngxoko of Born 2 Run, who won a number of races before picking up an injury and even amongst the locals, there could be intense racing on the day.
The women's race is also likely to attract visiting runners and they will come up against Born 2 Run's Cindy Schwulst. She has run just two road races in 2017– the Kempston women's 10km and the Diesel Depot – winning them both.
In the absence of Hanlie Botha and it being unlikely that any of the Comrades runners will chance racing so close to the big event, Schwulst is bound to capture a podium finish at the very least.
Jaime Griffiths is a stable mate of Schwulst and could well challenge along with the likes of United AC's Chantell Adoons. The two had a close battle at the Diesel Depot.
Zandile Rubushe of Rainbow is another good competitor who, all things being equal, will come into contention.
There is also a strong possibility that some of the age group runners could impact on the senior results.
Closer to race day there may well be a clearer picture of just who is doing what racing wise.
The Kempston Run Ride offers two runs of 8 and 5km as well as three mountain bike events over 18, 12 and 5km. Biking takes place at 8am and the runs are at 9am. With good weather predicted there will be much for families to enthuse over.
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