Women called to run 10 km distance

By Molaole Montsho

River Mokotedi

The organisers of the annual Lethabong Fun Run are calling for female runners to sign up for the 10 km in the third edition of the fun run.

“We have a challenge of women not running the 10 km. In the first edition in 2024 there was one runner, and in 2025 there was no woman in the 10 km,” said race organiser Rivers Mokotedi.

 “You rarely see women jogging in the area. They prefer to train for short periods and are not confident enough to tackle the 10 km distance.

 “We are going to intensify the marketing of the race; maybe this will attract women to run the 10 km distance even when they are from outside Lethabong,” he said.

 The sole woman runner in the first edition of the fun run, Motshabi Segale, did not defend her title, as she was nursing her father.

“Motshabi could not run because her father was sick and she was taking care of him.”

Princess Montsho, 11, who ran the 5km in two previous editions of the fun run, said she would run the 10km distance in this year’s edition.

“I will start training for the race in February, and in December I will be fit enough to run the longer distance.

“There are few female runners doing the 10 km; it means even if I walk the entire distance, I will still win, as there will be no one competing against me,” she said.

Tsietsi Majang from the Majang Foundation, the sponsor of the fun run, said the aim of the race was to remove youth from the streets and from drug and alcohol abuse.

“We want the youth to participate in sports and also to identify talent. Two runners were identified in this fun run and were assisted to compete in various road races.” he said

The 2025 race attracted runners from outside in the men’s category and brought a challenge in the 10 km distance.

“Athletes from outside have shown interest in our race, and we hope the next edition will attract more runners from home and outside,” Mokotedi said.

The fun run is held on the last week of November or the first week of December.

Mokotedi said it was the youth who were exposed to alcohol abuse, as there were more than 40 taverns in Lethabong and not enough sports facilities to keep the youth busy and healthy.