For the Kwa-Thema Striders Athletics Club, not being able to compete in some of the country’s big events due to the coronavirus health risk and/or the national lockdown is not as big a deal as it would have been had they not been social runners.
The club’s chairman Maruping Kodisang admits that it is to an extent disappointing that they cannot compete in events such as this year’s Comrades Marathon, but says they have the luxury of not worrying too much about things such as prize monies because of their participation being merely for recreation. This year’s 95th edition of ‘The Ultimate Human Race’, which was scheduled for this month, was called off last month due to the health risks involved, but Kodisang says they have accepted it and look forward to next year’s race.
“But remember, in running we’ve got two categories, and we are just social runners. We just go there to run for fun, for health and other things. But you have those people who depend on the prize money, so it hits them very hard in the pocket; for those that are a called the elite runners, they are very disappointed.
“We enjoy the sport, but I think not being able to go there (to the race) affects us, but we look forward to the 2021 race,” says Kodisang.
Kodisang has also expressed his relief at being allowed to train at any time of the day again under alert level 3 of the lockdown, as announced by the government last week. It was also announced that non-contact sports will be allowed to resume under level 3, which came into effect on Monday.
Kodisang also says the club has also accepted the possibility of the cancellation of the last of this year’s major athletics events, the Soweto Marathon, which is scheduled for 1 November, subject to the levels of safety.
“I think chances are very slim that they will have it but you will never know, we are just waiting. But, either way, whether it happens or not, we just continue with our training. If it comes, it comes, my brother. But remember, we don’t know what is going to be happening between now and then with the level of infections – so there are a number of permutations. But if it comes and the number of infections is low, then I think we will be very much looking forward to Soweto.
“Plus, Soweto is one of a number of races between November and December, so I think we’ll try to be involved; but if it happens, it happens, if it doesn’t, we’ll just be looking forward to the next year,” adds the chairman.
Kodisang, also a runner, adds that even if the race were to take place this year, the club’s management would have to take into account a number of health considerations before advising their runners about participation.
“We would have to advice our runners about the protocols that are put in place by Soweto – the health and hygiene protocols- because remember, you breathe as you run and some people are spitting and everything, so you don’t want to take that risk. So it would have to be clear about whether there are no longer any level of infections or they are very minimal, to say the least.”
Comentarios