Castle Lite Archives - The Running Mann

1st October 20251st October 2025

Lemo Mall Marathon (A Mangaung Resurrection)

[Marathon #281 / Unique Marathon #172 / 3 May 2025]

The first weekend of May is last chance saloon for many aspirant Comrades runners who still need to qualify and for those who’ve already secured their goal time it’s a last long run. There is a small minority, yours truly included, for whom the weekend provides a good excuse to run a marathon before winter properly sets in.

My choice of which marathon to run before the winter doldrums was made easier when I got an invite from Teboho Lemao to the second edition of the Lemo Mall Marathon. My frequent travel partners Julian and Farai were also on the guest list but unfortunately I was not able to travel early on Friday with them due to work commitments.

1st April 20252nd April 2025

Breaking News: Comrades to take CTM’s October race date in 2026

[For anyone late to the party, this article was published on 1 April as an April Fool’s joke – but it does provide a satirical commentary on the South African road running scene.]

In a surprise move, Comrades have announced that they will be moving their 2026 race date to the October slot recently vacated by Cape Town Marathon (CTM). Comrades has traditionally been run on the second Sunday in June which would be three weeks after CTM’s new 23 May race date.

14th August 202116th August 2021

The Unexpected Joys of Driveway Running

On 26 March 2020 the whole of South Africa was placed under house arrest. It wasn’t long before runners with itchy legs were doing all sorts of crazy things to get their running fix. I decided to join in the lunacy with a Home IronMann to raise money for Just The One Foundation but I would have to say that running a marathon in my driveway was my least favourite (and by far the toughest) leg of the triathlon.

The novelty of running a marathon in your driveway can wear thin very quickly. This is what I look like without my sense of humour.

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade – and when life gives you lockdowns, run marathons in your driveway. Continue reading “The Unexpected Joys of Driveway Running”