While the Powerade Marakele marathon is touted as one of the toughest marathons in the country and good a preparation for those who are running the Two Oceans and Comrades, champion Lebogang Khonkhobe was pleased with his achievement.
Khonkhobe won the race on Saturday in 2:40:41 and found the marathon tougher than he anticipated.
Khonkhobe won the event in his maiden race on Saturday and said afterwards that the marathon was good preparation for the Comrades in June.
The race took place inside the Marakele National Park out in Thabazimbi, Limpopo and tests not only one’s running capabilities but one’s faith and trust in the game rangers.
The runners spend hours on foot inside a park teeming with all of the Big Five, but there was nothing stopping the athletes from running the race and finishing it.
“The race was very fantastic. It was the first time I ran this marathon. The first half was a little bit tough and I was feeling a lot of strain when I was going up,” Khonkhobe told Sowetan after the race.
“But coming down, the downhill was also tough. But overall, it is a very nice race, especially if you are preparing for a race like the Comrades and Two Oceans.”
The 34-year-old walked away with R5000 for winning the race and said he took the lead after the 2km mark and ran alone until the finish.
“I didn’t expect it to be fast because last week I was running in Gqebera [Nedbank Runified 50km]. I just came here to run easy, so it happened that I stuck with the guys.
“At the second kilometre, I started to break and there was no one who was following me, so I just kept the pace up until I felt now it is hot, then decided to drop because the gap was too big.
“It was tough running alone, but for some of the training I do it alone, so I’m used to it. I hope this year will be my year and I will perform well.”
In the women’s race, Linday van Aswegan won in 3:44:53.
Other runners who finished the race also said that this was a tough course but were pleased as it would prepare them for the Two Oceans and Comrades.
Tough Marakele marathon sets pace for Comrades, Two Oceans
Khonkhobe takes the crown
Image: Supplied
While the Powerade Marakele marathon is touted as one of the toughest marathons in the country and good a preparation for those who are running the Two Oceans and Comrades, champion Lebogang Khonkhobe was pleased with his achievement.
Khonkhobe won the race on Saturday in 2:40:41 and found the marathon tougher than he anticipated.
Khonkhobe won the event in his maiden race on Saturday and said afterwards that the marathon was good preparation for the Comrades in June.
The race took place inside the Marakele National Park out in Thabazimbi, Limpopo and tests not only one’s running capabilities but one’s faith and trust in the game rangers.
The runners spend hours on foot inside a park teeming with all of the Big Five, but there was nothing stopping the athletes from running the race and finishing it.
“The race was very fantastic. It was the first time I ran this marathon. The first half was a little bit tough and I was feeling a lot of strain when I was going up,” Khonkhobe told Sowetan after the race.
“But coming down, the downhill was also tough. But overall, it is a very nice race, especially if you are preparing for a race like the Comrades and Two Oceans.”
The 34-year-old walked away with R5000 for winning the race and said he took the lead after the 2km mark and ran alone until the finish.
“I didn’t expect it to be fast because last week I was running in Gqebera [Nedbank Runified 50km]. I just came here to run easy, so it happened that I stuck with the guys.
“At the second kilometre, I started to break and there was no one who was following me, so I just kept the pace up until I felt now it is hot, then decided to drop because the gap was too big.
“It was tough running alone, but for some of the training I do it alone, so I’m used to it. I hope this year will be my year and I will perform well.”
In the women’s race, Linday van Aswegan won in 3:44:53.
Other runners who finished the race also said that this was a tough course but were pleased as it would prepare them for the Two Oceans and Comrades.
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