Mandela Marathon gains recognition

The image of Madiba graces the cover of the latest edition of international magazine Distance Running.

The quarterly magazine is distributed to runners throughout the world by AIMS (the Association for International Marathon and Distance Races) and contains a feature article on the race which runs from Edendale, where Mandela gave his last speech as a free man in March 1961, up through Hilton and Worlds View to Tweedie where Mandela was captured on 5 August 1962.

This is likely to be a major boost for the prestigious race and road running in general in South Africa. Currently four events in South Africa are members of AIMS with three based in Kwazulu Natal - The Mandela Marathon, Comrades and the Weekend Witness Maritzburg Marathon. The fourth event is the Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon in Cape Town.

Distance Running magazine has a circulation of over 400 000 copies and is sent  to runners in 98 countries.

(File Photo:Gallo Images)

- Norrie Williamson