Makhanya aiming to make the top five at the Soweto Marathon on Sunday
Image: Roger Sedres/Gallo Images
Mapaseka Makhanya‚ star of the newly launched all-women’s elite Massmart team‚ is aiming to make the top five at the Soweto Marathon on Sunday despite losing crucial training time after her younger brother was badly hurt in a recent car accident.
The bulk of the eight-strong team‚ unveiled in Johannesburg on Tuesday morning‚ will compete at the Kaapsehoop marathon on Saturday.
Makhanya‚ SA’s fastest female over 42.2km this year‚ is not sure how she will perform in her maiden marathon in her home town.
“I’m not entirely ready‚” the 32-year-old admitted.
“My heart is willing‚ I hope my legs will take me.
"I’m doing it to tick off my bucket list — it’s one of the races I’ve always wanted to do as a Sowetan.”
She said she hadn’t done much speed work after losing five weeks of training recently.
“My little brother was in a very bad car accident so I was every day in the hospital. Even now I’m taking care of him at home so my training hasn’t been up to standard.”
Makhanya is one of eight members of the new elite team that is looking to lift the standard of women’s road-running South Africa.
“There are all-men’s teams‚ so why not an all-ladies team?” said team captain Ann Ashworth.
Cracking a sub-three-hour marathon was the prerequisite for making the team‚ she added.
“We’re hoping to improve female performances over the marathon distances and then ultra-marathon.
“We want to make sure our ladies are all competing at a sub-2hr 40min level and are then able to compete sub-2:30 eventually.
“The plan is to coach‚ develop and improve overall performance of the team.”
But she is already targeting silverware at next year’s Two Oceans and Comrades ultra-marathons.
“We might not be the fastest marathon runners‚ but I’d like us to be the fastest ultra-marathon runners‚” she said‚ adding team prizes were in her sights‚ along with two or three gold medals from the two races.
The big question‚ then‚ is if Makhanya‚ who is eager to drop her marathon best to below 2:30‚ would step up to the longer race.
“At some point Mapa is going to make the jump. I’m not going to say when.
“The team has a lot to learn from her.”
Makhanya‚ who started out as an 800m runner‚ was even more elusive when asked the question.
“There was a time I never thought I’d do a marathon.”