After a stellar season where she won every race she competed in, Glenrose Xaba is optimistic with her chances when she lines up at the Valencia Marathon on December 7, as she feels she is in good shape.
Xaba has been outstanding this year and capped it off by winning the Boxer 5km race in Marks Park in Johannesburg on Sunday morning in 16 minutes and 16 seconds.
She said she used that race to test her speed ahead of Valencia, where she will compete in only her second marathon after she made her debut at the Cape Town Marathon last year.
“My race plan was to go from the start because I know everyone that I’m competing with; they are much stronger and they have speed,” Xaba said after the race.
My race plan was to go from the start because I know everyone that I’m competing with; they are much stronger and they have speed
— Glenrose Xaba
“I also have speed, but I know the strategy when it comes to every race because it was my test for my marathon preparations and it looks so good if I can run this time in the higher altitude; it shows that I am in good shape.”
Xaba said the course was tough and hilly and said she is pleased with her performance as she continues with her preparations for the marathon, where she is aiming to become the first South African woman to break 2:20.29.
“The race was very tough; it was too hilly from 2km. That’s where it is tough until 4km; only 1km is downwards, but I’m glad that I was able to run a good time in the tough course,” she said.
“Thanks to Boxer for organising this race because it means a lot when it comes to the young kids out there that they look up to us and get motivated when they see us.”
Sowetan