The Fortress Running Series will once again take place, with registration for the 2023 event now open.
Since its inception in 2018, the Fortress Running Series has been “dedicated to bringing the thrill of running events to rural communities, providing a platform for local residents to participate and showcase their athletic talent”.
Fortress Retail hosts the four-race series in partnership with the ISMO Athletics Club, led by renowned athletes Israel Morake (1992 Two Oceans Marathon winner) and Hezekiel Sepeng (1996 800m Olympic silver medallist), alongside athletics administrator Dorah Mngwevu.
The ISMO Athletics Club’s goal is to identify athletics talent in rural communities, with a focus on the youth.
“In a nation where unemployment is soaring, organised sport has become a luxury that many cannot afford – especially in South Africa’s rural and peri-urban areas. But because of the low economic barriers to entry, athletics (running in particular) presents an opportunity to enrich the lives of the country’s youth by giving them access to meaningful participation in community-based sports events. For this reason, ISMO Athletics Club has registered clubs around the country (especially in rural areas) to take running to the people,” said a statement.
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“We identified a gap in rural areas where there is a lack of well-managed sponsored athletics and rural development events. The Fortress Running Series bridges this gap – most of the major events take place in the big cities, but these races give exposure to athletes from rural areas,” said Israel Morake, who started his running career in Sterkspruit. “South Africa has such an abundance of talent. When I was running, there were many clubs that helped and provided us with opportunities. The running environment has changed and it is now up to us former runners to introduce the sport to the next generation.”
The Fortress Running Series includes development programmes with local schools in the areas where the races take place. These initiatives aim to upskill the community and make a positive impact. ISMO Athletics Club will be conducting coaching clinics and ‘Futballing Girls’ will be donating books to partner schools.
The series schedule is as follows, with options to run the 21.1km, 10km, or 5km races:
Venda Plaza, Limpopo – 16 July
Evaton Mall, Gauteng – 20 August
Sterkspruit Plaza, Eastern Cape – 8 October
Flamwood Walk, Klerksdorp, North-West – 19 November
All finishers will receive medals and the total prize pool for the 21.1km and 10km races is nearly R20,000 per event.
Runners can register at www.entrytime.com (search ‘Fortress Running Series’).
