Through the Nedbank City Marathon and Nedbank Matha Series, the bank has become renowned as a supporter of road running. In addition to the title sponsorship of domestic races, Nedbank is also a proud sponsor of the Comrades Marathon and Tom Cottrell's annual Runners' Guide - an essential part of every runner's armoury.

Despite only being launched two years ago, the Nedbank Running Club is making a big impact on the running community. With 11 fully fledged clubs across the country and two development clubs, Nedbank is offering a unique experience to the widest possible spectrum of running enthusiasts.

Through the clubs, Nedbank is committed to partnering with each runner of varying abilities as they pursue their goals, whether they are health-based, sporting or professional.

Nedbank Brand Ambassador and four times Olympian road running legend Hendrick Ramaala, is also a member of the Nedbank Running Club, but the clubs are, however, open to runners of all abilities.
Nedbank's Running Clubs have grown tremendously and they would like to invite you to join a club near you.

To find out how you can join the Nedbank running family, visit www.nedbankrunningclub.co.za or call the Nedbank Running Club in Stellenbosch and talk to Piet Jacobs (073 129 0292).

They also hold a time trial every last Tuesday of the month at 17:45 from the Van der Stel Sport Fields. Runners or walkers in Cape Town are welcome to contact Jacques van Heerden (082 962 3538), as he takes care of the Nedbank Running Club in Cape Town.

This was a point she proved at the 10 km event held at the Nedbank SA Marathon Champs in Durban on 8 February, where she won the race with a personal best time of 34 minutes and 08 seconds.

Unfortunately for Irvette, she suffered an Achilles tendon injury and had to sit out for some time.

However, she has wasted little time and fully recovered from her injury, again making a big impact in competition and in training.

Her training is going very well and she recently competed in several races, the last being the Spar Ladies in Pretoria on 22 August, where she finished in seventh place in a time of 36 minutes and 12 seconds.

"I'm hoping to rekindle the form I had in Durban or do even better in the upcoming Nedbank SA 10 km Championships taking place in Stellenbosch, and I'll be chasing nothing less than a top five position," said an enthusiastic Ivette.

Entry numbers for the 2010 and 85th anniversary of the Comrades Marathon will be cut off at 20,000 runners, and no extensions will be entered into, thus making the 2010 run a special event as the CMA has never had a cut off number in the past. We are confident that this number will be achieved very quickly as in 2000 we received 24,000 entries. Therefore we urge all runners and potential runners that wish to run in 2010 to take careful note of the entry process and the cut off dates. We therefore request that you enter early to avoid disappointment. Entries will be done in 2 phases.

Phase 1:
1 September 2009: Entries open to all previous Comrades Runners and will close 31 October 2009. The total will be capped at 15,000 entrants.

Phase 2:
1 November 2009: Entries open to all Novices and will close on 30 November 2009. Total number of entries will be capped at 20,000. Thus should there only be 12,000 entries from previous runners, there would be 8,000 entries accepted for Novices. Qualifying period for 2010 will be as follows: 24 May 2009 to 26 April 2010. Runners who finish the 2009 Comrades Marathon can use their finishing time for 2010.

Coolboy Ngamole came 22nd in  the Marathon and recorded he's season's best time of 2:16:20. 

WOMEN	Name	Time	Club
OPEN
4th	Sharon Tshavenga	35:16:00	Nedbank
5th	Poppy Mlambo	35:55:00	Nedbank
7th	Irvette van Blerk	36:12:00	Nedbank
9th	Onneile Dintiwe	36:14:00	Nedbank
10th	Marlize Retief	36:14:00	Nedbank
14th	Pauline Njeya	37:30:00	Nedbank
15th	Tshifhiwa Mundalamo	37:58:00	Nedbank
23rd	Mandiwana Ndofhiwa	39:02:00	Nedbank
25th	Madziva Loveness	39:24:00	Nedbank
27th	Samanele Mabuza	39:25:00	Nedbank
28th	Bronwyn Small	39:30:00	Nedbank
29th	Maxine Heine-Wacker	39:33:00	Nedbank
30th	Paulina Phaho	39:34:00	Nedbank
50 - 59
1st	Marietjie Ceronio	42:59:00	Nedbank
3rd	Francis van Blerk	45:44:00	Nedbank
JUNIORS
1st	Madziva Loveness	39:24:00	Nedbank
2nd	Maxine Heine-Wacker	39:33:00	Nedbank
4th	Bianca van Niekerk	40:47:00	Nedbank
5th	Nadia Hechter	40:47:00	Nedbank

 

Here are the club standings in the 2009 SPAR GRAND PRIX after 4 races.
1	Nedbank CG	333
2	Boxer	178
3	Mr Price CG	146
4	Harfeld	87
5	UJ	81
6	Celtics	78
7	Irene	66
8	Bashewa	51
9	RAC	51
10	Gauteng Striders	43
11	Nedbank AGN	30

The Puffer - 22 August

If you think Comrades is a challenge, how about doing it off-road, accross the Cape Peninsula? The Puffer
takes runners from Cape Point to the Waterfront, past Ou Kaapseweg, Ou Wapad, Constantia Nek, Table
Mountain, Platteklip Gorge and Signal hill - a distance exceeding 80km. I have also heard of something
known as the 'tougher Puffer' where some crazies turn around at the Waterfront to run the entire route back
to Cape Point as well!

Goat Farm Trail Run - 30 August

Something closer to home - this run will take place at Skeerpoort near Harties. The blurb from the organisers
indicate: "Awesome trail run in the Magalies Valley.A great well marked track with a surprise arpound every
corner, hills, descents, flat fast sections. Ideal for all ability levels." Get more info from
www.sportingopportunities.com

The Wild Coast Wildrun - 3-5 September

This is certainly one of the highlights on the trail running calendar this year. 3 days (stages) of fully supported
running, covering a distance of 112km along the beautiful Wild Coast. It will start outside East-London, and
finish at Hole-in-the-wall.

Domeland Adventure Festival Trail Run - 6 September

Outside Parys, the 12 or 20km routes are sure to challenge runners with rugged terrain and some steep hills.
For the really adventurous, there is a short (35km) adventure race the previous day. This will involve some
mountain biking, running, obstacles and some fun in the river no doubt. Entries are now officially open at
www.payportal.co.za with information posted to www.ar.co.za

Mont-aux-sources - 12 September

One that might be known to some - if only for the hard-to-get entries! This one only allows 250 entries per
year, based on selection from a long waiting list. The run starts in Royal Natal National Park, threads up past
the chain ladders to the top of the amphitheatre, and then back down - all-in-all a vertical ascent/descent of
1800m.

Four Peaks - 26 September

Moolmanshoek in the eastern Free State is a farm ringed with some very prominent hills. 'Prominent', of
course, means very steep. The run will complete the 24km circuit of the farm, and as the name suggests,
crest every peak available. The race has attracted Thule and Salomon as title sponsors, and it sounds like
there will be a television production crew in attendance.

Nedbank Running Club Tent:
Refreshments after the race for Nedbank running club members
Tog bags can be handed in at the tent

ORGANISER:
 Athletics South Africa/Boland
 
DISTANCE:
 10, 5
 
START:
 Coetzenburg Stadium
 Stellenbosch
 
ENQUIRIES
Athletics South Africa
 (W) 011-8805800
 (Fax) 011-4423091
 asa@athleticssa.co.za
 
Boland Athletics
 (W) 021-8620924
 (Fax) 021-8628258
 bolandathletics@sun.ac.za
 

 
Route type: Circular. Many people consider this to be the fastest 10km course in South Africa, not just because of the layout, but because of the scenic and appealing environment. Starting from just outside the Coetzenburg Stadium the race has an extremely gradual climb up through tree-line residential streets for the first 2km, which is followed by a speed-inducing 3.5km natural downhill through the town on Merriman Street.  Another two flat kilometers sets the stage for runners of all abilities to record personal bests and the crowd encouragement as the course winds through the Victorian architecture of the Town centre virtually assures everyone that they can hold pace over the final 1.5km back to finish on the stadium track.

The race is open to all runners and walkers with seeding applied to ensure a smooth start. This is an ideal course for the elite and the novice and is held in the vibrant university town surroundings with a vast array of wine farms eager to welcome post race celebrations.

The 5km Dash and school challenge uses a similar first 2km returning back down Van der Stel to pass the Danie Craven Memorial and finishing on the back straight of the track. This race is preceded by a 10km wheelchair event where the push-rim competitors reach amazing speeds over the distance.

Online entries from www.nedbanksponsorships.co.za

ORGANISER: Athletics South Africa (011) 880 5800  or  Free State Athletics (051) 430 3251  fsa@athletics.org.za
VENUE: Free State Athletics Stadium, Att Horak Avenue, Bloemfontein
START: 07h00 for 21.1km and 07h15 for 5km

ROUTE DESCRIPTION: (c/o Tom Cottrell)  Expect an extremely fast and flat route. Starting in the historic city centre outside the City Hall, the race heads out south, past many civic buildings and historic monuments, crossing the canal in sight of the Supreme and Magistrates' courts.

The race is run through the south-western residential arterials of Haldon and Du Bruyn Roads, passing through Gardenia Park and into the suburb of Universitas. Although predominantly flat, there is a gradual climb around the university sports fields which takes you to the highest point of the race in Koos van der Walt Road. From here, there is an easy descent down Nelson Mandela Drive and then DF Malherbe.
The race will feel familiar as you return to Du Bruyn Road, with a hop-skip-and-a-jump onto Paul Kruger. After passing Universitas Hospital, the course proceeds towards Bloemfontein's famous Grey College, that well-known learning institution which boasts numerous sporting, literary and political luminaries. Ruben Kruger, the rugby player; Kepler Wessels, the cricketer; Sir Laurens van der Post, the writer and Bram Fischer, advocate for Nelson Mandela at the Rivonia Trial, are all famous sons of Grey College.

Onward and into Kingsway, the course passes the Zoo and Loch Logan Park with the waterfront close by. And there is the finish, at the Free State Athletics Stadium.

Online entries at www.nedbanksponsorships.co.za