With a new-look calendar, the road running season is still in full swing | The Citizen

Usually, by this time of the year, the local and international road running campaigns are starting to wind down, but with adjustments having been made at home and abroad, the 2022 season is still in full swing.

While the international calendar is generally split into two seasons – spring and autumn – the popular London Marathon was shifted back a few months this year, placing much of the focus on the second half of the campaign, which already includes a handful of other world-class races.

Similarly, moving the prestigious Comrades Marathon (which was recently held in August for the first time) has seen a shift in the local circuit.

This move has brought a nice balance to the season, ensuring there is as much to watch in the second half of the year as there is in the first, maintaining interest in the sport throughout the campaign.

Therefore, while we’re already in October, there is still plenty of racing to come.

Over the last few weeks, the Berlin, London and Chicago marathons – all part of the top-flight World Marathon Majors series – have taken place, attracting massive fields and quality elite line-ups. But the year-end calendar is still packed with world-class events.

The Sanlam Cape Town Marathon will be held on Sunday after being pushed back a few weeks on the calendar, with SA’s top road runner Stephen Mokoka expected to lead the charge, and next weekend is the sixth and final leg of the popular Spar Grand Prix women’s 10km series, also being held in Cape Town.

Another of South Africa’s biggest races, the Soweto Marathon, will be held on November 6, essentially bringing a close to a domestic season which has seen multiple World Athletics Label races being held on SA soil, spearheaded by the nationwide Absa Run Your City series.

Abroad, the Amsterdam Marathon will be held on Sunday, and the prestigious New York Marathon is on November 6, featuring SA women’s record holder Gerda Steyn who skipped the recent Comrades Marathon to focus on the iconic race in the Big Apple.

Serving as a reminder that the effects of Covid remain a concern, the World Half-Marathon Championships which were scheduled to be held in Yangzhou next month have been cancelled.

Even without the biennial global 21km championships, however, there is no danger of the 2022 campaign fizzling out, with plenty of action still to come.