Northerns’ Westner clinches MNS Attorneys Carnival City Marathon
Although she started the race wanting to achieve a C seeding for the Comrades Marathon on June 8, she led the race for large periods and eventually became the first ever female winner of MNS Attorneys Carnival City Marathon.
Alexandra Westner’s name will be etched in the history books of the MNS Attorneys Carnival City Marathon after winning the inaugural edition of the race at the Carnival City Sports Grounds on Workers Day (May 1).
The Benoni Northerns Athletic Club (BNAC) runner dominated the women’s race to clinch the title in 03:38:58, running at an average of 05:11min/km. The runner-up Petronella Khumalo of Run Zone was 02:08 off the pace after crossing the line in 03:41:05.
The Boksburg Athletic Club’s (BAC) Sheree Rogers finished 14 seconds behind Khumalo to clinch the last podium place in 03:41:19.
Victory was the furthest thing on Westner’s mind when she stood at the starting line. She was targeting a Comrades Marathon C seeding and maintained an average pace of 05:08min/km in the first half of the double-lapper race.
She breezed through the first 13km in 01:06:23 in third place before taking the lead and completing the next 21km in 01:47:54.
Westner increased her pace to 5:09min/km in the last 8km to eventually breast the tape in 03:38:58.
“I’m thrilled. The first place is honestly a bonus. I was going for my Comrades C seeding. A win makes my heart happy. It was a good race, well-organised and it had such a good vibe at the water stations,” she said.
Giving her analysis of her performance, she said her discipline and mental strength were key to her victory.
“I think it was just staying strong mentally. When the body is tired, listen to the mind. If your mind tells the body to run, it runs. It doesn’t matter how tired the body is. I took the necessary rests when I needed them at the water stations.
“My goal was to get a C seeding. I wanted to keep at a 5:11min/km pace. I came through halfway very positively in a 5:08min/km pace, which was ahead of where I wanted to be. I stayed disciplined to my 5:11min/km pace. It all came together on the day,” said Westner.
After achieving her C seeding, Westner will shift her focus to the ultimate human race on June 8, where she hopes to finish the down-run, from Pietermaritzburg to Durban, in under nine hours for her first Bill Rowan medal.
“It will be my eighth Comrades. I had a C-seeding last year. I wanted a C-seeding this year. But for me, it doesn’t matter what seeding I start in. It’s about the day. It is about staying focused, not walking too much and not taking in too much. So, hopefully, I get a Bill Rowan medal.”
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