It’s all systems go for Colgate Race

The Boksburg Athletic Club (BAC) says it’s all systems go ahead of the annual Colgate Race at Boksburg Stadium on May 5.

According to the BAC’s media liaison officer, Caronn Harris, they are ready and are confident of another successful event when runners line up for the 45th edition of the race.

“We are 100% ready. We have a full team on board from our club and from other local clubs that have offered to help us. We are all systems go,” she said.

Harris said the race is almost sold out with 4 800 online entries and 1 000 unpaid, adding they are left with only 1 500 entries.

“We hope to sell out at 7 500. The entries are still open online at https://www.entryninja.com/events/80162-colgate-road-race. The deadline for online entries is April 29.

“We will have entries available at Boksburg Stadium on May 2, 3 and 4 from 11:00 to 18:00, when participants come to collect their race numbers and goodie bags.”

She said the runners can look forward to the same organisational excellence, with local businesses like Hennies Restaurant, Century 21 and Shereno Printers and schools like CBC Boksburg and Curro Helderwyk manning the water points and handing goodies at the finish.

The race was first run as a single-lap 15km event in 1979 as the John Hattle Memorial Race. It was changed to a double-lapper 32km race in 1983 and Colgate has been the headline sponsor since 1979.

Harris said their 45-year partnership with Colgate was valuable, praising the company for going beyond their expectation to make the race successful.

There will be a new race shirt after the company changed the shirts from cotton to moisture-management t-shirts. They’ve also redesigned the medals so the participants don’t get the same medal as last year and the Colgate goodie bags will be overflowing with products such as mouthwash and bath soap.

“I can’t put into words how valuable the partnership is to us. They’ve gone way above everything we’d expected this year with goodie bags. They’ve also put in a lot of money to design a proper race shirt for our runners.” Harris said.

The race will feature the 32km main race, 15km and 5km fun run.

Also Read: In pictures: Colgate Race at Boksburg Stadium

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