Entries for this year’s TRACN4 Elands Marathon are pouring in.
Runners from across the country are signing up to compete in this Comrades qualifier between Emgwenya (Waterval Boven) and Ngodwana on April 22.
This event, known as Mpumalanga’s most scenic marathon, is fully backed by TRAC and is mostly run on the TRAC N4 toll route.
Presented by the Nedbank LVCC Running Club, the race is made up of three categories: 42.2km, 21.1km and 10km. This ensures that it is accessible to runners of various fitness levels.
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The main race, the 42.2km, will kick off at Laerskool Oosterlijn in Emgwenya, taking runners along the escarpment via the Waterval Boven tunnel and finishing at the Sappi Skills Training Centre in Ngodwana.
The half-marathon, the 21.1km, will start at the Malaga Hotel on the N4, while the 10km event begins and concludes at the Sappi Skills Training Centre. The 21.1km also ends at the Sappi grounds.
As the 42.2km race has already attracted more than 450 registrations, it looks like it will surpass the entry count from last year, clearly indicating its popularity. With the field filling up fast, athletes still wanting to run are encouraged to register online as soon as possible and before online entries close on April 3, by clicking here.
According to Mandla Nxumalo of the Nedbank LVCC Running Club, this year’s race is expected to be bigger and better than last year’s, not only because the road running fraternity applauded last year’s comeback race, but the prize money for this year has also doubled.
“The male and female winners of this year’s marathon will walk away with a whopping R12 000 each, while other top placements will also be handsomely rewarded for their outstanding efforts.
“For the club, the fact that entries are coming in fast is testimony to the fact that road runners are eager to take on this majestically beautiful race again, with many doing so to try and secure personal bests ahead of the 2023 Comrades in June,” Nxumalo said.
TRAC’s corporate social investment manager, Adri Fourie, agrees, adding that the concessionaire is amped for race day to arrive.
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“As the concessionaire of one of the most beautiful routes in southern Africa, it is an honour for us to host this event on our road. This event is directly in line with the company’s corporate social investment initiatives, and we are really looking forward to it.”
The Ngodwana Recreational Club will be selling food and beverages at the Sappi Skills Training Centre from early morning until the end of the event, while one of the key sponsors, Tifosi Sport, will host a special hydration station, have lucky draws and hand out road running merchandise at the finish line.
Thirsti, as an official sponsor of the Nedbank Running Club, has also confirmed its support for this race and will be sponsoring 4 000 bottles of water on the day.
For more information on the 2023 TRACN4 Elands Marathon, follow @TRACN4 or @LVCCRUNNINGCLUB on Facebook or visit TRAC’s website, www.tracn4.co.za. The organising committee can also be contacted at lvccrun@gmail.com or on 066 537 6955.
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