Innocent Kurira [email protected]
BULAWAYO’S road-running community is being presented with another major test of endurance, with the Cimas iGo Powerthon set to bring together elite athletes, recreational runners and fitness enthusiasts for a morning of competition and healthy living.
The event, scheduled for November 22 at Busters Sports Club, promises a busy morning on the roads, with four race categories catering for different levels of ability and ambition.
The headline attraction will be the 42km marathon, which will share the programme with the 21km half marathon, 10km and 5km races.
For a city with a growing appetite for road running, the expanded programme presents an opportunity to attract a wider field of participants while giving seasoned athletes another platform to measure their endurance.
Bulawayo Athletics Board chairman Watson Madanyika believes events of this nature are important in sustaining the city’s running culture and encouraging more people to embrace athletics.
“Having different distances is important because it gives everyone an opportunity to participate.
“We want to see our experienced athletes competing at the highest level, but we also want ordinary members of the community, including young people and beginners, to come out and enjoy running.
“Events like the Cimas Powerthon help us build a stronger running culture in Bulawayo. They give athletes something to prepare for, create opportunities for competition and, importantly, remind people that sport and physical activity should be part of everyday life,” said Madanyika.
The introduction of the full marathon adds another dimension to the event, giving long-distance
runners an opportunity to tackle the prestigious 42km distance on home soil.
The full marathon will involve two laps of the established half-marathon route at Busters Sports
Club.
The 21km race is expected to attract competitive distance runners, while the shorter distances offer
an opportunity for those who are still developing their running capabilities or simply want to be
part of the occasion.
It is this combination of competitive athletics and mass participation that gives the Powerthon its
wider appeal.
The event will also provide an opportunity for running clubs and individual athletes to come
together, with participants able to choose a distance that matches their preparation and fitness
levels.
The race programme will begin with the 42km marathon at 5.30AM, followed by the half marathon
at 5.45AM.
The 10km race will start at 6am, while the 5km event gets underway at 6.15AM.
Registration has been set at US$15, making the event accessible to those wishing to participate in any of the four categories.
