Elite and social runners and walkers will take to the streets for Thembisa’s premier road running event, the popular SPAR Thembisa Mile on October 30.
The annual event, which includes a street mile (1.609km) and a 10km race, will start and finish at Moses Molelekwa Arts Center next to Makhulong Stadium.
Registration for the race, available online at www.thembisamile.co.za, opened in July and closes on October 23 or when the maximum race capacity has been reached.
The race is open to a total of 2 000 participants, with 1 500 entries available for the 10km event and 500 for the mile. The registration fee for the 10km race is R150 for ASA licensed athletes, while unlicensed runners will pay an additional R30 for a temporary license.
The registration fee for the mile is R50 for ASA licensed athletes, with unlicensed athletes paying an additional R10 for a temporary license. Participants will also have the option to purchase race T-shirts with their entries at R100 each.
Also Read: SPAR and Operation Hunger make sure 3 000 families have food on the table
Ahead of the race, participants will be able to collect their race numbers and T-shirts at the SPAR Thembisa Mile Expo, to be held between October 28 and 30.
With the prestigious road running the event is again expected to attract some of the country’s top athletes, and a total prize purse of R75 000 will be on offer for the elite field. The men’s and women’s winners of the 10km race, which makes a comeback to the calendar after being cancelled due to Covid in 2020 and 2021, will each take home R5 000, while the winners of the invitational mile contests will take home R3 000.
In addition, SPAR vouchers will be given to the top three boys and girls in the U10, U13 and U15 age groups in the mile. All finishers will receive a medal and a SPAR goodie bag.
The event organisers are also aiming to raise R30 000 for Thembisa Athletics Club development programmes.
“We believe in giving back to the communities we serve and we share a vision with this race. This partnership is a great way for us to do that while contributing to the development of road running,” said Nhlanhla Twala, Retail Operations Manager, SPAR North Rand.
“With Covid regulations lifted, we are delighted to see live sports events being held again. The SPAR Thembisa Mile is always one of the most exciting races on the calendar. We are looking forward to a strong field, great times from the elite runners and plenty of fun for all other participants and spectators,” Twala added.
The race will be streamed live on the Vision View TV app.
The SPAR Thembisa Mile is made possible by the event’s valuable partners SPAR North Rand, City of Ekurhuleni Sports and Recreation, Vision View TV, Lenmed Zamokuhle Private Hospital, The Thembisan, Athletics South Africa, Central Gauteng Athletics and Thembisa Athletics Club.
Event Diary Details
• Date: October 30
• Venue: Moses Molelekwa Arts Center next to Makhulong Stadium
• Time: 07:0
Enter online: www.thembisamile.co.za
The entry fees for the 10km are R150, 1 Mile is R50, the temporary license for 10km is R30 and for the 1 Mile, it is R10.
Also Read: SPAR Grand Prix expanded to include Mpumalanga