Rand Athletic Club promotes fitness with races
BORDEAUX – A 10km run draws those training for the Comrades Marathon as well as everyday runners.
A whopping 2 500 happy faces filled the streets for a 38th annual run hosted by Rand Athletic Club.
The Rand Athletic Club / Sweat Shop 10km run now forms part of the Toyota Rush series, and saw community members hit the road in the name of fitness on 19 May.
Runners chanted and sang songs as they made their way down Republic Road and William Nicol Drive, on lanes cordoned off by marshalls and Metro Police officers. The route took runners off busy roads onto quieter streets in suburbs such as Willowild and Hurlingham, before taking the runners back to the club in Bordeaux.
The atmosphere was electric, and a spirit of community and togetherness prevailed as runners cheered each other on.
“The run has always been 10km,” explained Dick Welch, who founded the run 38 years ago with his wife Vreni. “It’s a tough course but people always enjoy it. It is 10km, which is nice for runners at the end of their Comrades Marathon training, and also for new runners getting into running.”
He said this was why many families were present, taking on a running distance that was in reach of everyone.
“The highlight for me afterwards was hearing everyone talk about the tough hills, but also seeing their sense of achievement after finishing the run.”
Welch explained that two more runs will be held in the Toyota Rush series: The first by Roodepoort Athletics Club on 7 July and the second by Pirates Road Running on 14 July.
Prizes will be given away by Toyota at the end of the third run based on how runners had done over the three races.
“So you do not have to be blitz-fast to win prizes, you just have to have completed all three runs and done decently across the three of them.”
Welch also invited community members to take part in the weekly time trials at Rand Athletic Club every Tuesday at 5.45pm. There are 5km and 8km free runs.
The next big run the club will host is The Tough One, the 32km flagship run for the club, on 24 November.
Details: Rand Athletic Club randathletic@iafrica.com; 011 442 8256.
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