"This is preparation for next year's Comrades" - Mothibi targets Kimberley Marathon after Hollywoodbets Joburg 10km podium
After watching George Kusche dip inside 5:20 to smash the Comrades Up Run record in June and seeing his own training partner Tete Dijana clock 5:13:58 to win the 2023 Down Run, Edward Mothibi admits that the modern ultra marathon athlete must have speed in order to compete at the highest level. The 2019 Comrades Marathon champion whose five Comrades gold medals straddle the pre and post-Covid era from 2018 to 2025, says he will spend a lot more time working on his speed endurance to ensure that he performs well at next year's 100th edition of The Ultimate Human Race.
"These days the Comrades Marathon requires speed. You need to have fast legs to be able to keep up with the boys. So running 10km races is preparation for next year’s Comrades Marathon."
Mothibi was speaking moments after he clocked 30:51 to claim an unheralded second place at the Hollywoodbets Joburg 10km on Sunday 18 October. Pitted against 10km specialists and 2:06 marathoner Stephen Mokoka, the 41-year-old from Rustenburg ran an excellent tactical race as he stayed out of sight during the first half of the hilly race through Soweto which was led by Rea Obotseng of the Zoo Lake Group. Slenda, as he is affectionately known, produced a strong second half as he passed a number of runners including Obotseng who took third (30:51), to finish as the runner-up behind defending champion Thabang Mosiako (30:43).
"I knew the course would be tough," he said reflecting on the sold out race which started and ended at the Nasrec Expo Centre south of Johannesburg where 12 000 runners and walkers took part.
"So I decided to run conservatively during the first half and I backed my ultra marathon strength to work to my advantage on the hills. I also thought that it would take about 29 minutes to win the race, so even when I warmed up, that's what I had in mind. Overall, I'm happy with my performance," explained the Hollywood Athletics Club top runner who holds a standard marathon best of 2:13:54 set during the 2021 Sanlam Cape Town Marathon.
Satisfied with his hard 10km tempo run at the third edition of the Hollywoodbets Joburg 10km, Mothibi has now set his sights on the Diamond and Dorings Kimberly Big Hole Marathon marathon on 25 October, where his goal is to improve on his 2025 performance.
"I ran Kimberley last year. This year I'm hoping to do a better time. I ran 2:25 last year, so I'm hoping to do at least 2:20, if I feel good on the day. I'll take it as it comes."
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