Boksburg Athletic Club (BAC) secretary Caronn Harris has raised concern and outlined what the second cancellation in as many years of the Comrades Marathon means to the local running club.
The Comrades Marathon Association board recently announced the enforced decision of cancelling the global race due to ongoing concerns and uncertainties surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic.
Upon discussing with the Advertiser what this means for BAC, Harris said the Comrades is the be all and end all for the majority of runners.
“So basically it means a lot of people will not renew their membership because they feel as though if there’s no Comrades to train for, then what’s the point of being part of a club.
“They may feel they might as well do their weekend runs.
“If you’re part of the club then we hire out the Comrades suites and we have Comrades functions and dinners and breakfasts. Then there is the Chairman’s Run and the Aches and Pains party that follows the Comrades.
“So without the Comrades it means that people are reluctant to renew membership, because why would they need club membership or an Athletics South Africa license?” she explained.
“But in saying that we have been lucky so far. A lot of our club members have been loyal to us. That’s why we’re upping our game with our time trials every Wednesday at the stadium and our club runs for example.
“We need to keep our guys motivated, we need to keep them interested so that they will renew their membership.
“We are hopefully going to have our Colgate Run at the end of the year, either hitting the road or as a virtual event.
“If it weren’t for the Colgate Road Race then the cancellation of Comrades would’ve put the club in real jeopardy, without them we would not have been able to carry on.
You can like the Boksburg Athletic Club Facebook page where the club gives constant updates. Anyone is welcome to do so, you do not have to be a member.
The Comrades was scheduled to take place on June 13.
Also Read: Comrades Marathon cancelled – again
