'The race is growing' - Lesedi AC Annual Reconciliation Day Half Marathon almost sold out

Billed as an opportunity to run your personal best, the Lesedi Athletic Club Annual Reconciliation Day Half Marathon is expected to be a sold out event. Taking place on in the Ekurhuleni township of Vosloorus on Monday 16 December, the race which celebrates it’s fourth edition this year, has become an annual pilgrimage for many looking for a last race in around Johannesburg before the breaking for the festive season. Manape Malebana who is the Deputy Chairperson of the Lesedi Athletic Club says their decision to start this event back in 2019 was informed by the identification of a need to bring the sport of road running closer to the people of the township.

"A healthy mind in a healthy body. We are actually trying to use athletics or running as leverage to appeal to the people of Vosloorus and Ekurhuleni at large to adopt a healthy lifestyle. The main idea is to take the youth off the street. The next Akani Simbine may come from Vosloorus. There’s a lot of talent in the townships and we want to unearth that talent by creating a conducive environment for people to start running," he told Kwena Moabelo during an interview with NewzRoom Africa.

The start of the 2023 Lesedi AC Reconciliation Day Half Marathon where just over 900 runners took part over 21km, 10km and 5km. 3000 participants are expected to run and walk on 16 December 2024. Photo Credit: SMacPix.

The club's Public Relations Officer Linda Ladlokova agrees. "The problem we have in townships is that our people don’t know much about road running, so the more we have these races in the townships the more people get exposed to these things. When you tell people about road running they think it's something impossible because they have to go to Sandton or places like that, but now we are bringing it to the people."

 A veteran road runner with 14 Comrades Marathon medals to his name, Ladlokova has been a road runner since the mid 2000’s. He says when he started running, most races took place in the suburbs which made it difficult for athletics enthusiasts from the townships to take part. But because of the growing trend of well-organised township races pioneered by events like the Thembisa Mile and Diepkloof Half Marathon, township residents now enjoy greater access to road running events which is why the number of participants in these types of races is on the rise.

A bus of runners enters the Vosloorus Stadium during the 2023 event. A number of bus drivers have been enlisted to take part in the 2024 race to help runners reach their target finish times in both the 10km and 21km races. Photo Credit: SMacPix.

"When we started in 2019 we had less than 500 participants. Last year we had just less than than a thousand runners take part but now we will be doubling the number. The response has been great this year. We are expecting to have about 3000 runners on the day. It's growing."

Proceeds from the Lesedi AC Half Marathon which also includes a 10km race and a 5km fun run, will go towards supporting runners with running shoes and entry fees for some of the big races such as the Comrades Marathon, while sweets and toys will be given out to local kids on the day in celebration of the festive season. At the time of writing 400 of the total 3000 entries remained, which are available on a first come first served basis at the Vosloorus Stadium on 13, 14 and 15 December.