BAC’s Kasu grabs bronze at Middelburg Marathon
This was his second podium finish in the 42.2km.
Boksburg Athletic Club (BAC) runner Paul Kasu claimed a bronze medal in the classic distance during the Middelburg Marathon Club (MMC) 5-in-one race on January 27.
Kasu finished third in the men’s 42.2km in 02:48:34, behind winner Ntakuseni Mudau (02:34:22) and runner-up Graham Malinga (02:47:42).
With the weather permitting, the runner was expecting an easy race, but the course provided him with his real test of the year.
He explained that he underestimated the race, adding that he dug deep to beat the hills and sharp turns on the course that started at Hoërskool Karankop.
“I underrated it as I thought it was easy. I started well, and before 16km, I was feeling the pressure. My pace was not great, and the route was challenging because of too many turns and small hills. Those hills looked small but took a lot out of me,” he said.
“I wasn’t expecting to finish on the podium. But I’m happy because many runners, including myself, were in pain, and we pushed.”
This was Kasu’s second-ever podium in the distance. He finished third in the Sasolburg Marathon in 2022, running at 03:37mins/km to complete the race in 02:32:46 for his marathon PB.
Despite averaging a slower 4:00mins/km to finish 14:13 behind winner Mudau, it was still a clean race from the runner, who plans to improve his marathon time and qualify for the Comrades Marathon.
“My pace was not that fast. At the halfway mark, I started to pass the guys in front of me and by the time I reached 28km, I was alone and no longer chasing. I started to feel tired after 35km but realised the finish was nearer, so I continued until I finished,” he said.
“I took this as a training run. I’m working on improving my marathon time, which will help me qualify for the Comrades. Right now, I want to focus on running the 21.1km. If I improve my time in the distance, it means I can improve my marathon easily.”
In his Comrades debut in 2022, Kasu achieved a silver medal after crossing the line in 07:19:38 to finish 161 in his category and 306 overall.
Last year, he saw an improved performance after slashing 42:14 off his PB when he clocked 06:37:24, placing 102 in his category and 177 overall.
“I’m expecting a sub-six at the Comrades. But working on my fitness and improving my time in the marathon will be crucial to achieving this goal,” said Kasu.
Kasu thanked his BAC teammates for their constant support, which he said has been crucial to his improvement.
“It’s like running with a family. We all take care of each other. I feel like I’m at home,” he said.
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