Runners hit the road at the Benoni Northerns Marathon (SHORT FILM INCLUDED)

Road warriors assembled in their thousands on the morning of Sunday, April 24, to take on the new-name Benoni Northerns Marathon through the streets of Benoni.

April 27, 2016

Logan Green 4 minutes read

This is what running and finishing a 50km ultra-marathon does to a person. Eskom runner Justice Ramagoshi has a snooze on the Benoni Northerns grass after finishing his race.

Although numbers were down from last year’s event, 6 100 eager runners finished their respective routes.

There were 1 300 runners who braved the 10km route, 1 800 completed the 21.1km half-marathon, 1 450 runners conquered the 42.2km marathon, 750 finished the 50km ultra-marathon and 800 the 5km family fun run.

Participants were greeted by chilly and misty weather in the early hours, conditions which were favourable for efficient, early-morning running.

As the skies cleared and the sun came up it would be Kenyan Felix Rop (running for Rocky Road Runners) who would storm in to win the 42.2km main marathon.

Rop crossed the line in a time of two hours, 29 minutes and 28 seconds.

Relieved Kenyan runner Felix Rop raises his arms after winning the main 42.2km race, at the Benoni Northerns Marathon, on Sunday.

He was followed shortly by runner-up Benjamin Skosana,of Benoni Harriers Athletics Club, in a time of two hours, 31 minutes and 49 seconds.

Exxaro’s Kwena Mmonwa rounded off the top three with a time of two hours, 35 minutes and 50 seconds.

Kempton Park Athletic Club’s veteran runner, Vanessa Bowman, was the first open woman home in the marathon, in a time of three hours, 19 minutes and four seconds, followed by Team Vitality’s Melissa Pretorius, in three hours, 23 minutes and 12 seconds.

Heather Walden (Born 2 Run) was the third best woman finisher, in three hours, 27 minutes and six seconds.

KPMG’s Thulane Magagagule completed the 50km ultra-marathon in a time of three hours, two minutes and three seconds, followed by Reginal Ngobese (Rockies) in three hours and 23 seconds.

Nedbank’s Lympson Maifo (last year’s ultra-marathon winner) finished in third.

Comrades gold medallist and veteran Salome Cooper (Born 2 Run) was the best of the 50km women, with a time of three hours, 48 minutes and 49 seconds.

Nkangala Athletic Academy’s Trust Munkombwe was the first open runner home in the half-marathon, in a time of 71 minutes and one second (seven seconds ahead of Sibanye Gold’s Olebogeng Masine, in second place).

Maphuti Phaka (Born 2 Run) was the first open woman home in the 21.1km, in a time of 86 minutes and 54 seconds, followed by runner-up Tumelo Matlou, of Benoni High Athletic Club, in a time of 87 minutes and 59 seconds.

Chamankwana Mailola (Nedbank) was the first man home in the 10km race, while Emmah Mathibela (also Nedbank) arrived in first place, in the women’s 10km.

CLICK HERE for full results of the races.

Race organiser Jan Jordaan told the City Times he was extremely happy with the way in which the event turned out.

He reserved special praise for all the members of BNAC, who rallied together to ensure a well-organised race.

“We have such competent members in this club,” he said.

“I am proud to be a member of Benoni Northerns.”

Jordaan said that it was tough financially to pull off the race without a title sponsor, but they managed to arrange it.

He also thanked media sponsors Caxton Local Newspapers and the Benoni City Times for the event coverage.

* The Benoni City Times teamed up with Benoni-based film producers Silverwood Studios to bring you the first episode of Benoni City Times TV (Benoni Northerns Marathon 2016):

WATCH IT HERE:

* Read our interview with Benoni Northerns Athletic Club (BNAC) chairman Derek Wright here:

BCT: Derek, What does this race mean to the club and to the community at large?

DW: This race has been on the go in excess of 30 years. It brings a service to the running community. This year we had five different distances, all of which were successful and all of which are part of the Comrades build-up. Many people use it for training runs and to get different seedings for the Comrades Marathon. It’s a big event for the club, not just the athletics section, but also for Benoni Northerns as a whole, and actually for Benoni at large. We feel that it is important to produce a top-class event.

BCT: This change from the old sponsor to you guys now running the event yourself, how has that improved the race from your point of view?

DW: I think it’s been pretty good. Obviously we have had the support of you guys Benoni City Times and Caxton. We have had a few little minor sponsors as well. So, from our point of view we have done well without a big name sponsor. We have cut back on things like T-shirts etc to save some costs. It seems now though that we are at a point where we have to make some decisions about bringing in a future sponsor or continuing to market and brand it as the Benoni Northerns Marathon, as we have been doing this year – that will obviously go into our future planning and only time will tell.

BCT: Running is taking off again, what does running do for you and how does it benefit your life?

DW: At Benoni Northerns we are very lucky to be attracting runners between 25 and 35 at the club where in the past it may have been seen as an older person’s sport and it’s wonderful to see the younger generation embracing running. For me, running is a way of life. When I get back from December holidays and have maybe had too much red wine, meat or Christmas pudding it gets me fit again. Running is a way of life, you don’t train for one or two events you train throughout the year, you just keep going.