Comrades Marathon champion George Kusche is shifting gears back to high-speed road racing as he targets the Absa Run Your City Tshwane 10K on August 23.
“It’s very important for me to run a fast 10km because I train as a marathon athlete year-round and then switch to Comrades-specific training in March,” said Kusche.
Though he triumphed at the grueling Comrades Marathon in June, Kusche boasts a strong track background that gives him every chance of competing at the sharp end of the field in Tshwane.
The middle-distance specialist, who celebrated his 28th birthday last week, holds a 5,000m personal best of 13:28 alongside a 10km PB of 28:56 set two years ago in Gqeberha—a mark he looks fully capable of eclipsing.
Absa Run Your City Tshwane 10K: Kusche Aims for Sub-30 as Kibet Targets Win
“If you want to be a good marathoner, you must be able to run a fast 10km. I’m hoping to deliver a strong performance at the Absa Run Your City Tshwane 10K,” Kusche added.
“I’d love to see if I can run sub-30 minutes, which would be a great time at altitude. I’m curious to see how well I can do. I’m in decent shape and really looking forward to the challenge.”
While Kusche remains measured in setting a sub-30 goal, the competitive depth of the event will push him to his limits. In last year’s edition, the top 10 men’s finishers all dipped under the 30-minute mark despite the challenging high-altitude conditions.
Adding to the high-caliber field, Kenyan race favorite Salem Kibet will be aiming to build on the personal best of 27:29 he set at the Absa Run Your City Durban 10K last month.
“My target is to improve on my performance from Durban and compete for the win,” said Kibet. “Finishing second in Durban was not easy, especially running alongside a great athlete like Joshua Cheptegei. That experience taught me a lot. I thank God for the opportunity, and I am looking forward to giving my absolute best in Tshwane.”
@Michael_Sherman
IOL Sport
