Spar Northrand, hosts of the Pretoria leg of the Spar Women’s Challenge, have announced that this year’s race will take place on 30 August. The Pretoria leg is the biggest and most popular race in the Spar Women’s Challenge Grand Prix series, which attracts a whopping 25 000 avid runners each year. Now that the date is known, all prospective participants can begin to mark their calendars and dust off their running shoes. As always, the race will offer women the opportunity to partake in a 5km or a 10km race, with the 10km challenge forming part of the Spar Women’s Challenge ‘Grand Prix Series’, which has cash prizes at stake for the more advanced athletes among us. At last year’s race screams, whistles and cheers greeted race winner Mapaseka Makhanya as she crossed the finish line of the 10km race in a record time of 33 minutes and 37 seconds. Two more record breakers followed her. René Kalmer, the overall Spar Grand Prix Winner in 2012 was in second place and Irvette van Zyl in third place. In the Junior Category, three of 2013’s race brand ambassadors, the Labuschagne triplets from Wonderboom, made a clean sweep winning all three first places. As always several local artists will entertain the crowds with live performances at SuperSport Park on race day and will set the stage for the handover of Spar’s donations to the race beneficiaries, which are Irene Homes, Helpnet, The Chrysalis Foundation and Good Morning Angels. The Spar Women’s Challenge is the most popular and inclusive road race in South Africa, attracting the country’s top professional female athletes and a vast range of recreational runners. The race began in 1999 with just 600 entrants racing along the University of Pretoria’s Groenkloof Campus. Now, more than 25 000 entrants from around Gauteng run through Centurion’s streets, starting at SuperSport Park stadium and looping back along both a 5km and 10km route. Participants include Olympians, top age-group competitors, and many thousands who run for charity and to achieve their own personal goals. An estimated 15 000 spectators turn out in support of the event, along with hundreds of print and broadcast media. The Pretoria race is a key part of the Spar Grand Prix series – the only competition of its kind in South African road running. It allows outstanding women runners to score points over the series of five Spar Women’s 10km races, and be eligible for cash prizes and other rewards. The Spar Women’s Challenge is the premier event of the Gauteng road running calendar. All participants will receive a T-shirt and a copy of My Race magazine when they enter. On the day, all entrants will receive a goodie bag filled with wonderful products courtesy of Spar and all runners to cross the finish will receive a medal, compliments of Spar and the race sponsors. More entry details will be made available as soon as entries open. Stay on top of the latest race news, enter exciting competitions and show your support by liking the Spar Women’s Challenge Pretoria Facebook Page or following @SPARladiespta on Twitter.