Reasons women do not run

Bathini Tsele writes:

I have a passion for running and I know a lot of people who do.

We run to stay fit and have fun and I have done six Comrades Marathons and four Two Oceans Marathons because I like to challenge myself.

I have been running 10km and more since 2012 and longer distances since 2014. I do not keep count of the number of marathons I have finished.

Unfortunately, I have noticed over the years that fewer people, especially women, do not enter organised runs. Often, one of the biggest calling cards is the lovely entry packs people receive, and the money you have to pay to enter a race is offset to a great extent by the goodies you get in the pack. These can include a shirt, bandana or buff, snacks and a drink, and of course the medal after the run.
That was what made the Absa runs so popular, the excellent entry packs.

A lack of sponsorship at some races means the entry packs are smaller than they used to be, especially since Covid-19.

I feel the prize money should be higher as well, and often men earn more than women.

Of course, at women’s-only races such as the SPAR ones, there are no men.

But if the prize money was higher, more competitive runners would enter.

I have also seen more foreigners coming to South Africa to compete in big races and it seems unfair. If we did it as they do in Europe events where there are separate prizes for local and international runners, that would make everyone happy.

Lastly, the price of good running shoes is much too high. In South Africa, the living costs are already so high and to spend several hundred rands every year is difficult for most.

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