BNAC ready for ultimate human race
The club held its annual Rian's Run, a 60km event, in preparation for the Comrades Marathon.
The Benoni Northerns Athletic Club (BNAC) Comrades Marathon preparations kicked up a gear when members completed the annual 60km Rian’s Run on May 6.
The event is the last long training run for the club’s runners, who will participate in the ultimate human race in June.
“We had 160 members running some or part of the 60km route through Boksburg and Benoni.
“Our club members and families helped making the day possible by volunteering with hosting 13 support stations along the route,” said the BNC’s Kerry Webb.
Named after club legend and founding member Rian van Wyk, the event was first run in the 1980s as the Rock’s Run.
Organised by the Springs Striders, the race was from Springs Old Boys to Rock’s Resort in Witbank.
It was then taken over by Ronny Jankelowitz from Benoni Harriers, who hosted it for several years until Van Wyk took the reins.
“They ran it in various locations – Bedfordview, Bronkhorstspruit and Heidelberg. When I became a figurehead, the club decided to run it in a circle in Benoni.
“It has a sacred culture about it. It’s run by a close group that will participate in the Comrades,” Van Wyk said.
The Comrades will take place on June 11 from Pietermaritzburg to Durban.
The club had 169 runners in the event last year and had 49 novices, 49 members vying for the green numbers and one going for double-green.
A total of 119 BNC members finished the race, with Shane McGregor and Nico Pretorius being the club’s first athletes over the finish line.
The club has 165 members who have qualified for the event.
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