Baie teleurgesteld
So uitgesien na die eerste ‘fun run’ vir die winter. Met aankoms was dit al ’n groot teleurstelling, ek het ’n week voor die tyd gaan ‘pre enter’ sodat ons nie vandag sou sukkel en lank wag nie toe is die ‘pre entry’ lyn langer as die ander lyn wat op die dag inskryf.
Hul het geen sisteem van alfabeties of wat ookal nie – dis net van name uitroep en soek. Uiteindelik kla en die ‘race’ begin,goeie tyd gehad toe ek weer by dieselfde ‘marshall’ kom vra haar moet ek weer die kant toe hardloop, ja sê sy.
Weer by ’n ‘marshall’, nee sê hy die merkers is verkeerd, ons het ekstra gehardloop. So is daar stappers voor my wat draf, kla.
Nie net met van ons 4.9km drawwers het dit so gegaan nie van die het amper 2km verder ompad gehardloop.Selfs die 15km mense moes omdraai by plekke. Nou het jy geen tyd vir jou afstand nie,want jy weet nie eers wat is jou afstand nie.
Vir almal wat maar ook net bek gehou het, en bly vasbyt het, ‘Well done’.
Ms Sandra van der Walt van Highveld Mall responds:
The race was organised by Coal Dust Running Club. Sportsmans Warehouse and Highveld Mall sponsored prizes, the venue, and arranged various other logistics.
We are specialists at leasing stores to superb retailers, not specialists at organising a road race, hence the use of a professional club. They were let down by a large number of marshals on the day, hence the confusion on the route.
I personally drove the route prior to the start, and every single marker was correct. As the mall we have learnt valuable lessons re the marshals and the registration process, and I can assure you it will be 100% better next time. Overall this day was a huge success and whilst your reader had a bad experience, I can report that we only received overwhelming praise and thanks on the day from the majority of the over 400 runners, with many many requests for another one in the near future.
We are extremely happy with Coal Dust Running Club and their involvement and we look forward to many races together ahead.
Mr Derek Reilly from Coaldust Road Runners responds:
Saturday, June 14 saw the hosting of the first annual Coaldust Road Runners Ice Breaker 14km and Family Fun Run road race. The event took place at the Highveld Mall outside Sportsman’s Warehouse.
The event was a major success with over 400 athletes taking part. First person home in the 14km race was Amos Thantekwayo in a very respectable time of 43 minutes, with Sherilene Gelderblom winning the female race. Sherilene picked up a double category win on the day by winning both the Open Female and Junior Female race.
In addition to prize money for the category winners, Highveld Mall and Sportsman’s Warehouse generously sponsored numerous spot prizes.
The route was a fairly tough one, starting and finishing at the Highveld mall and winding its way through Del Judor. Athletes from Mpumalanga and Gauteng made the trip to take part in this winter morning’s race.
Organisers have confirmed that this race will be an annual feature on the running calendar.
