The 21st running of the LCE Weskus Marathon event takes place on Saturday 18 March.
The scenic event is regarded as one of the best in South Africa and a bucket-list race for most marathon runners. Runners can take on the 42,2 km full marathon, a 21,1 km half marathon, a 10 km or the 5 km fun run/walk. The 42,2 km full marathon is a Comrades qualifier as well as the very last marathon where runners could qualify to run the 56 km Two Oceans Ultra Marathon in April.
The full marathon is a one-of-a-kind race with 20 buses taking 1 200 athletes early in the morning from Langebaan Country Estate (LCE) to the Langebaan Lagoon within the West Coast National Park. Runners will be taken to the starting point at Tzaarsbank on the beach at the Atlantic Coast side.
Participants run back to Langebaan through the park and finish at the LCE driving range. No cars are allowed within the park for the duration of the race, so runners can enjoy the beauty of the Weskus fynbos, the sea and the lagoon while they tackle the undulating route and close to the end the scary Black Mamba Hill, before finishing on the green lawn of the golf driving range.
The 21,1 km route takes the runners via a beautiful part of Langebaan towards the West Coast National Park, taking a 11 km circular route inside the Park and then back via the Black Mamba Hill on their way to finish line.
The 10 km and 5 km routes are mostly within the Langebaan Country Estate, with all four races finishing on the driving range. Once again, close to 5 000 participants are expected in the four races, with nearly 1 500 expected for each of the marathons and half-marathon.
Presently, the record holders of the marathon are Lungile Gongoa (2:23:17) and Farwa Mentoor (2:58:49). The half-marathon record holders are Bernard Rukadza (1:06:53) and Leanda du Bruyn (1:20:10).
All Weskussers are invited to join in the festivities of the day and take on one of these distances. Entries for the 42,2 km, 21,1 km and 10 km races can be done at www.weskusmarathon.co.za, entries close Tuesday, 14 March.
Entries for the 5 km are taken at registration at LCE clubhouse on Friday 17 March between 16:00 and 20:00 and on Saturday morning, 18 March, from 04:30 to 07:15. The 5 km starts at 07:45.
For more information, visit www.weskusmarathon.co.za
