For those seeking a healthy, fitness-fuelled start to 2023 to burn off the traditional festive excesses, Francistown College of Technical and Vocational Education (FCTVE) have the perfect antidote.
The ‘FCTVE Run F/town Half Marathon’ makes its debut in the second city on 21 January, with runners of all levels and ages invited to take part.
Organised by the college’s Sports Recreation and Leisure students as part of their syllabus, the event represents a huge step-up from anything the youngsters have attempted before.
Previously, pupils had limited their efforts to organising tournaments and ball sports in the local schools located in and around their Gerald base.
Now, as Lecturer, Cytto Mathe explains, they are ready to take the initiative to the next level.
“We wanted to go bigger and really stretch ourselves, engage the Francistown community and beyond. This is a Francistown event and we are confident the people of Ghetto will embrace it,” she said.
The event, which has the backing of the Botswana Athletics Association (BAA), is divided into three distances: a 5km fun run, a 10km race and the half marathon (21.1km).
Although organisers are still to finalise the route, it will start and end in FCTVE, with the trail taking runners through town and over the spaghetti as well as parts of Gerald.
“The goal is to be visible in town and the community we are based in,” said Mathe.
Yet to secure a main sponsor for the event, Mathe invited any interested companies to get in touch.
“This is going to be a proper marathon of international standards, including a state-of-the-art timing system. Every runner will have a race number with a chip that will record their official time,” she told Voice Money.
Finances are also needed for race t-shirts, technical officials and marshals’ fees, as well as prize monies for juniors, seniors, veterans and masters in both the men’s and women’s categories.
“There will also be 12 water points, which local businesses can sponsor and decorate with their merchandise/logos – a great advertising opportunity for anyone interested,” continued Mathe, adding after the half-marathon they intend to make a donation to Gerald schools, including Tagala and Nahudiri Primaries and Tadabigwa JSS.
Registration is currently on-going, with individual entry set at P100, P150 and P200 for the differing distances. There is a special discount for groups of 10, who will have to shell out: P900, P1, 350 and P1, 800. For more information, contact Mathe on 72264633.