MUSABVUNDA Half Marathon and Family Fun Day founder and visionary Kudzai Pasipanodya has expressed delight at the success of the event, which saw over 3 000 participants taking part in the latest edition held at Blakiston Primary School on Sunday.
The event, which featured a half marathon, a 10km race, a 5km fun run and aerobics, saw seasoned athletes Rudo Mhonderwa and Tatenda Hove emerge as the winners of the premier 21.1 km races.
Pasipanodya is satisfied with the significant growth of the event.
"We had a very big event and the numbers were huge — this is the biggest attendance that we have ever had for this race," he said. "We are excited by the support that we are getting from the National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe, the athletes themselves and the corporate world," he said.
"This is a family fun day where we seek to cater for everyone, so we preach entertainment, we preach arts, we preach health, we preach fitness and we preach people to believe in whatever they are doing. That’s why we say ‘Musabvunda’ – do not be terrified," Pasipanodya said.
On the track, Rudo Mhonderwa of Cadence Athletics Club showcased her endurance in the open women’s 21.1 km race, clocking 1:19:40 to take first place ahead of Mirriam Sibanda (1:20:00) and Tabitha Tsatsa (1:26:28).
In the open men’s race, Tatenda Hove, representing Black Rhinos, triumphed in 1:04:11, narrowly beating his teammate Moses Tarakinyu by a single second. Kenyan runner Isaac Langaat of Mr Pace Academy finished third in 1:05:20.
The spirit of the Musabvunda event extended beyond professional runners.
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Bodybuilder Godwin Simbarashe Mhaka, a participant, lauded the organisers for promoting a holistic approach to fitness.
"I am excited to participate in this event. I am much more into weightlifting and bodybuilding, so it was something exciting to be in the track and running. The message for all bodybuilders out there is that we should not restrict ourselves to weights, but also do the other stuff that builds endurance,” said Mhaka.
Doctor Gerald Madzvivire, preparing for the Comrades marathon, found the half marathon to be excellent preparation.
“It was a great training run, especially for those of us who are preparing for the Comrades marathon. You test your speed and go as fast as you can just to let the legs loosen. It was a great race,” said Madzivire.
“We also encourage people to take up running as we want to get as many Zimbabweans as possible living a healthy lifestyle, while for the younger generation, we get to have them stay away from harmful activities such as drug and substance abuse.”
Pasipanodya’s vision of a community-focused event that promotes health, fitness, and a positive mindset resonated with the large number of participants, making this year’s Musabvunda Half Marathon a memorable occasion.
