Author: Modern Athlete

For many people, the 21 kilometres of a half marathon is a tad too long.

But many people still want to experience the vibe and atmosphere of a full scale running event.

Or perhaps they’ve just started running and want to experience the thrill of running in a competitive environment? Or they want to give their children, parents, sisters, brothers, wives, husbands or friends their first taste of the joys of running?

There are probably quite a few reasons why runners would want a shorter distance. And so, the organisers of the Dischem Half Marathon heard this plea and brought in the shorter “Dash” event.

Up until now, this five kilometre run was an all-out race with fierce competition among the runners. However, the organisers decided to make this a fun run which can be enjoyed by moms, dads, old, young, brothers and sisters and, indeed, the whole family.

The five kilometre Dash Fun Run starts at 06:30 and, although entries are sold out, go and support and encourage the field as they run the streets of Bedfordview. You never know, one of the runners taking part might become an international sporting sensation of the future.

The Dischem Half Marathon and Dash Fun Run will take place on Sunday 17 January 2016 at the Bedfordview Virgin Active Club. The start itself is on Riley Road, Bedfordview.

For more information, check out http://www.dischem21.co.za/

There are very few urban areas that can rival the picturesque streets of Bedfordview.

Just ask one of the regular participants of the Dischem Half Marathon and 5km Dash every year.

And many athletes who run this popular event year in and year out will say that this is one of the things that attracts 8 000 people to attend this event, which will take place on Sunday 17 January 2016.

As the event is, in effect, the season “opener”, it is consistently sold out quicker than most other running events. In fact, the limit on online entries was already reached earlier this week which is why the organisers advise that those who want to run this event should send their entries in as soon as possible.

Set to start bright and early at 06:00 on Sunday 17 January at the Bedfordview Virgin Active Club, the Dischem Half Marathon takes runners on a journey which includes Riley Road, Townsend Road, Acacia Road, Oak Avenue and Pine Road before it turns onto Bowling Road. Then runners follow Florence Avenue until the T-junction with Concorde Road where runners turn left onto Concorde Road.

After a distance, runners take the right hand split onto Hawley Road and then merge with Van Buuren Road. Runners then turn right onto Kloof Road and turn right onto Homestead Road after crossing the highway.

The field will no doubt enjoy the tranquil nature of Oriel Park as the route skirts all around this inner city green zone. After turning left onto Kloof Road again off Lynwood Road, runners then run along Tallisman Avenue before turning left onto Nicol Road and then right onto Van der Linde Road.

Using this road, runners cross over the highway and turn left onto Boeing Road and then right onto Batten Road. After this, runners then turn right onto Munday Avenue before following the sharp left hand bend into Malan Avenue. A short while later, runners turn left again into Clarkson Road.

Runners then turn left onto Davidson Street and then re-join Munday Avenue again with another right turn. A left turn onto River Road and runners cross the highway again, keeping straight past Eastgate Shopping Centre until River Road becomes Bradford Road as it crosses Nicol Road.

Turning left onto Smith Road, runners then pass Bedford Shopping Centre before turning right again onto Van der Linde Road and follow this road until the intersection with Geldenhuis Road. A sharp left hand corner leads runners onto Cyclonia Road and over the highway. Runners then turn left onto Taylor Road and then right onto Reginald Avenue.

Half marathon runners then turn right onto Cemetary Road and then left onto Beaconsfield Avenue. Runners then turn left onto Shamrock Road and follow this as it becomes Edenvale Road. A left turn onto Kloof and a right turn bring the runners back onto Townsend Road again. After crossing Van Buuren Road, this becomes Riley Road again which leads the field to the finish.

So if you’ve entered the Dischem Half Marathon, you in for a treat. Remember to train fairly hard and keep disciplined over the festive season as it is a relatively tough route and if you not fit or prepared for it, it will definitely expose you.

For more information or to view the route map, check out http://www.dischem21.co.za/race-info/

It’s now or never! Runners wishing to be part of the 2016 Comrades Marathon have just one week left to get their entry in.

The Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) has announced that entries for next year’s ‘down-run’ will close as soon as the cap of 20 000 entries has been reached or within the next week.

There are just over 3000 entries available due to the entry limit of 20 000 being implemented. Athletes from more than 60 countries have already made their entry for the 91st edition of The Ultimate Human Race, with the biggest number of entries coming from the United Kingdom, followed by the USA and Australia.

CMA Race Director, Rowyn James has encouraged all aspiring Comrades runners to enter as soon as possible to guarantee their place on the start line. James says, ‘The ‘down-run’ has traditionally attracted more runners than the ‘up-run’. We look forward to having many more athletes entering the race during this final week of entries.’

The world’s biggest and oldest ultra-marathon will be run on Sunday, 29 May 2016 and will be the 45th down-run in Comrades history. The race will start outside the Pietermaritzburg City Hall at 05h30 and finish 12 hours later at the Sahara Kingsmead Cricket Stadium in Durban.

Please visit www.comrades.com to enter the 2016 Comrades Marathon, view the rising entry barometer or obtain further information.

Although the name Dischem Half Marathon has been with us since the year 2000, the event itself goes back even further.

Johnny Halberstadt (1:07:01) and Sonja Laxton (1:24:15) were the first man and women home at the first half marathon in 1981 which was organised by the Bedfordview Country Club – Athletics.

But in those early years, the organisation of a race didn’t have the sophisticated technology we now take for granted today which can give an athlete “real time” results after an event. Everything had to be done manually.

Two club members Rob and Penny Oliver were appointed timing officials and were given two stopwatches and were given a “crash course” in timing by attending a race at Callies Immelman Stadium and practice time keeping at that race before actually doing this at the upcoming race.

After the race, the organisers had to rush back to Mary Howorth’s office, type out the 700 results before rushing back to the traditional braai with the other club members at Giloolys Farm. After the results were photostatted the next day, a crew from the club would then get together that Monday night to fold these results and fill envelopes, which would then be sent to all 700 athletes who took part in the race.

By 1988, the event had moved to Eastgate Shopping Centre parking lot and there was a record field of 5000 runners. Unlike today’s events, there were no pre-entries and all entries were taken on the morning of the race.

That race, according to the website, was memorable because there was an “error” regarding the “running man” trophies given to each participant. Some of the trophies arrived without the bronzing so many received a little plastic man as a reminder that they had run this race. Fortunately, errors like these have disappeared and runners can now expect beautiful medals as they cross the finish line.

Up until the 1993 event, Bliss Dairies was the sponsor of this event but when this company was absorbed by the Barlow’s Group, this company disappeared and Reebok came on board as a sponsor from 1993 to 2000.

Dischem came on board in 2000 and is still the sponsor of this event, which is constantly ranked in the top 10 and some even say the top three in the country.

Last year’s Dischem Half Marathon saw first man home Elroy Galant in a time of 1:07:24. Rene Kalmer was the first woman home, winning in a time of 1:18:26. So, although the men’s times are roughly the same, women athletes seem to be getting better and better every year compared to the 1981 result.

Participation of the event also seems to grow year on year with 8 000 runners participating in the 2015 event.

The 2016 Dischem Half Marathon will take place on Sunday 17 January at the Bedfordview Virgin Active Club. The route remains the same as previous years, taking runners through the picturesque streets of Bedfordview.

There will also be the ever-popular 5km Dash Fun Run in conjunction with the half marathon. This shorter event serves to give those not ready for a half marathon a race day experience. Although previously organised as a race, this is now classified as a fun run and entire families can enjoy a healthy but fun day out.

Athletes also return to the event every year because of its reputation as a well organised event with a “top shelf” goodie bag (courtesy of Dischem) and a T-shirt. It is regarded as a “must do” event which opens many runners’ yearly race calendar.

Online entries are open. Check out http://www.dischem21.co.za/race-info/entries/ for more information.