Online Reporter
Tendai Gukutikwa
Health Reporter
THE Zimpapers (Manica Post/Diamond FM) Ladies Fun Run has placed women’s health and physical activity at the centre of efforts to promote healthier lifestyles in Manicaland, Zimpapers board member, Mrs Sybil Madzikanda, has said.
The event, held last Saturday, brought together women who participated in the 5km, 10km and 21km races, with the organisers using the platform to encourage regular physical activity as part of everyday life.
Speaking at the event, Mrs Madzikanda said the fun run was about more than completing a race.
“The event is, not just about running, but about promoting wellness and reminding ourselves as women that every great journey begins with a single step. At the same time, it is also about celebrating the strength, resilience, health and confidence of women,” she said, adding that participation in physical activity was an important choice for women, particularly at a time when many are leading increasingly sedentary lifestyles.
“Every lady who participated in the event and other events that have to do with exercising is already on top of her game because she has chosen health over excuses, activity over inactivity and growth over limitations,” she said.
Mrs Madzikanda said the emphasis on physical activity was in line with growing calls for people to incorporate regular exercise into their daily routines to improve overall health and reduce risks associated with inactive lifestyles.
She encouraged women to view the run not as a competition against one another, but as an opportunity to take another step towards better personal health.
“Whether you run fast, jog steadily, walk part of the distance or simply cross the finish line, remember that your greatest competition is not the person beside you. Your greatest competition is the person you were yesterday. Every step you take today represents determination. Every kilometre represents courage and every mile represents joy,” she said.
Mrs Madzikanda said organisers hope the event will be bigger and better next year.
“Together, we can transform the Ladies Fun Run from a successful event into a lasting tradition. A tradition that promotes health, a tradition that promotes women empowerment and a tradition that strengthens communities,” she said.
She also praised partners for supporting the event and promoting fitness and healthy lifestyles, describing their involvement as closely aligned with the objectives of the run.
She said the support of sponsors demonstrated that investment in wellness goes beyond funding an event.
“Such sponsors do much more than support an event. They invest in people. They invest in communities. They invest in the future,” she said.
Mrs Madzikanda urged participants to carry the health message beyond the finish line and incorporate physical activity into their everyday lives.
She said the value of the event should ultimately be measured by the habits it inspires.
“Life is very much like a fun run. Success does not always belong to the fastest person. It belongs to those who keep moving forward, keep believing in themselves and keep encouraging others along the way,” she said.
In an earlier interview, Ladies Fun Run organising committee chairperson, Ms Eunice Sibanda, said the broader vision for the initiative emerged from efforts to strengthen wellness programmes and create platforms that encourage healthier lifestyles.
She said the fun run was among the programmes introduced alongside other wellness activities.
Ms Sibanda said the initiative had recorded significant participation, with over 200 women taking part in the inaugural edition.
“The ladies’ fun run was, not just a fun run, but it was also to celebrate women and the high number of women who participated shows how our women want such initiatives,” she said.
She said the wider objective is to make wellness a lasting part of women’s lives rather than something associated only with one event.
One of the runners, Mrs Charity Sanyanga, said she participated because the event provided an opportunity to become more physically active while encouraging other women to take their health seriously.
“I normally spend most of my day sitting at work, so taking part in the run reminded me that I need to make exercise part of my routine. It was encouraging to see so many women of different ages choosing to be active and looking after their health,” she said.
Another participant, Ms Memory Chiwocha, said the event had changed her perception of exercise by showing that physical activity did not necessarily have to involve intensive training.
“You do not have to be a professional athlete to exercise. You can walk, jog or run at your own pace. What matters is making the decision to get moving and continuing with it after the event,” she said.
