With just two months to go before the start of the 2011 Bonitas City2City Ultra-Marathon, many of South Africa’s top runners have started intensifying their training for the event. 

Last year’s defending male champion, Zimbabwean Prodigal Khumalo (29), is back this year to defend his title.  Khumalo, who is part of the Mr Price team, finished the race in 3:11:14 last year, just 24 seconds ahead of fellow Zimbabwean and Nedbank athlete, Brighton Chipere (40).

Top female runner from 2010, South African Riana van Niekerk, whose finishing time of 3:34:40 beat Julanie Basson’s 3:45:32, also has her eye again firmly on the top prize.

The Bonitas City2City Ultra-Marathon boasts total prize money of R200k and the country’s top running teams including Nedbank, Mr Price, Toyota, F1 Bluff Meats and Bonitas have begun training in earnest, aiming to set themselves apart at this year’s event.

Bonitas Team Elite’s Farwa Mentoor says she has set her sights on gold. Mentoor came fifth in the women’s category at the 2011 Comrades Marathon and was the first SA woman home.

But it’s not only the top runners who are getting in shape for the big day.  Runners entering the 21km and 10km City2City races should begin training as soon as possible to get the most out of their race day. A specially designed training programme can be downloaded on www.city2citymarathon.co.za, along with valuable tips on how to prepare for the big event. 

Entry forms can be downloaded from www.city2citymarathon.co.za or completed on line at www.entrytime.com.  Entry forms and race numbers for the 2011 City2City Marathon are now also available at Sportsman’s Warehouse and other selected sports stores.  Entries received before 1 September 2011 for all distances will receive a commemorative race T-shirt and goody bag. Enter online and you also stand the chance of winning a package trip for two worth R120 000 to run the New York Marathon.