IS THERE a champion marathon runner out there who can run a 56km ultra marathon and finish it in just under two hours?
If you are reading this and you’re that kind of a runner, you should compete in the Old Mutual Two Oceans marathon, as you could be R1 million richer in 24 days’ time!
Marathon organisers are dangling a carrot in front of such runners, both men and women, who can achieve a new course record.
The 48th edition of the race known as the “world’s most beautiful marathon” will take place in Cape Town on the Easter weekend of 15 April.
In addition to the prize money organisers have announced that any ultra marathon runner who can break the current record will be handsomely rewarded.
The current records for the men’s and women’s race were set in 1988 and 1989 respectively.
Any self-respecting elite runner will remember the exploits of Thompson Magawana and Frith van der Merwe.
Zimbabwean Magawana set the men’s record in 1988 when he crossed the finish line in an astounding time of 3:03:44, while South Africa’s Van der Merwe set the women’s record of 3:30:36 a year later.
Magawana’s record saw him improve on his previous year’s win by almost two minutes.
The accomplished runner died in 1995.
The bonus of R1 million was introduced in 2014 and has not been claimed yet.
Carol Vosloo, Two Oceans marathon NPC general manager, reckons breaking these records will be hard.
“The records were set on a downhill finish, while runners now face the challenge of having to contend with an ascent to the finish line at UCT,” she said.
“We don’t think it’s impossible to break these records, but Old Mutual’s virtual coach, Norrie Williamson, estimates only runners with lightning fast marathon times – 2:07 for the men and 2:23 for the women (over 42,2km) – will have a fighting chance.”
Karen Thomas, Old Mutual’s head of brand, said: “It’s a massive event that continues to grow. What really elevated the race to another level was the bonus incentive we introduced for the runners who break the record.
“More international runners have been drawn to the race since the bonus was introduced, plus it’s added an extra element of excitement to the day.”
All eyes will certainly be on last year’s winners, Mike Fokorani from Zimbabwe and South Africa’s Caroline Wostman.
Wostman showed her competitors a clean pair of heels in the women’s category of the recent Om die Dam race to breast the tape for the second year in a row in a credible time of 3:29.47.
But the Comrades marathon winner’s battle for supremacy with Charne Bosman, who came second in Hartbeespoort in 3:34:42, will again be renewed in Cape Town where they will both be chasing the record.
