The World Athletics Cross Country Championships course at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee, USA, presented Central Gauteng athlete Zanele Maisa with a test unlike anything she has encountered in her running career.

The brutally demanding natural terrain route – a punishing mix of sand, water splashes, deep mud and the venue’s trademark ‘rollercoaster’ hills – stretched Maisa in ways no cross-country course in SA ever has.

“The course was tough. I didn’t expect to face all the challenges I faced. I’m used to running 4km races, which, though challenging, are straightforward. In Tallahassee, it was really hard. There was water, mud and a sand beach. It was a lot,” she said.

But the Waterfall AC standout embraced the challenge on her debut in the country’s green and gold on January 10, digging deep to complete the women’s 10km race. In a contest won by Kenya’s Agnes Ngetich, Maisa crossed the line in 67th place in a PB 37:43 after five gruelling laps, gaining invaluable experience in her first time competing internationally.

“For a debutant, 67th out of over 100 athletes who started the race wasn’t bad. Being my first time representing our country internationally, I learned a lot. Competing in the same race with elite runners like Agnes was great.”

One of the eight debutants in SA’s 28-member team, the 29-year-old said it was a dream come true representing the country, especially after a breakout season where she shone on the road, track and cross-country.

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“It was always my dream to dress in the SA colours. Putting on the tracksuits felt like a dream come true. I finally competed on an elite stage after years of hard work.”

Though Maisa did not execute her plan as cleanly as she would have liked, undone by inexperience and a bout of stage fright, the event proved an invaluable learning curve for the KwaThema resident, who admitted she now “knows exactly what to do if I qualify for the championships again”.

“The race didn’t go according to plan. Things just happened so quickly and affected my entire race. I had planned to be the fourth SA woman to cross the line. I didn’t get the result I was expecting. It wasn’t easy.

“My aim was to learn as much as possible and run a personal best. By the grace of God, I achieved it. Besides my challenges in the course, I had a great experience,” said Maisa.

With this goal now ticked off her bucket list, the top runner will turn her focus to the track season and qualifying for the 24th CAA senior athletics champs in Ghana in May.

“The world taught me the importance of switching on from the moment you set foot at the starting line. The rest of the field pushed hard from the gun until the finish. That’s how the East Africans do it. Going forward, I will implement all that I learnt from the champs.”

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