SIYABONGA Mafuleka of the NRB Harriers Athletics Club is one of the runners who will compete in the Zululand District Marathon (ZDM) of 56km which will be run from Lundi, wrapped in KwaNongoma, on Sunday.
This race is sponsored by the Zululand District Municipality led by Mayor Michael “Mkhonyovu” Khumalo, which was last run in 2019. Ukhuza returns this year with the aim of helping runners from the Zululand region and its surroundings to book their place in the Comrades Marathon which will be run on June 14, in Durban, ending in Pietermaritzburg.
This year’s ZDM, which is expected to be run by great runners from other states and outside South Africa, will be run from Mangosuthu Buthelezi Airport, Lundi, to King Bhekuzulu High School, KwaNongoma.
Mafuleka (32) from Jozini, KwaMhlabuyalingana, under the NRB Harriers Athletics Club, ran the Mhlathuze Crocs Marathon of 42km in Mpangeni, on March 21, where he finished second in 2:30:25, behind Sicelo Mkhwanazi who won the race in 2:28:43.
Last year, he won the Best of the Best Marathon for a distance of 42km, and placed 13th in the Prince Mangosuthu Ultra Marathon for a distance of 52km.
“I will be running this race for the first time, I don’t know the route. However, this race will be used to prepare me to run the Comrades Marathon.
“Many of the runners I talked to told me that this (ZDM) race is a good test to prepare for the Comrades, especially since this year’s will be run uphill (from Durban to Pietermaritzburg). So I will need all the complaints to be ready for the Comrades race,” said Mafuleka who clocked 5:39:55 in 2023 from 21st place.
“This year I have tried to see what will work for me. It takes time to find the right form, it requires a lot of time and patience. The important thing is to avoid injuries. But I am sure that I will be able to enter the first ten in this Zululand Marathon race.
“Many runners will be fighting for the big prize so it won’t be an easy race. But I’m determined to do well.”
The winner of this ZDM race will walk away with R100 000, second place will be R50 000, and third place will be R25 000.
Numbers will be collected on Saturday, at Prince Mangosuthu Regional Airport, from 10 am. Those who want to join, can go to the website: www.webtickets.co.za