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Ellina Mhlanga Sports Reporter

SEASONED long distance runner, Collen Makaza, has set his sights on the Comrades Marathon as he prepares for his retirement.

Makaza has had a fulfilling career in athletics, stretching over two decades, after he started pursuing his passion from a young age.

And, as he plans for retirement, he wants to go out on a high and is looking at shifting his focus to the Comrades Marathon.

“I turned 40 years in May, so, now I’m in veterans category and I am planning to be a Comrades runner full-time for the next five years, then l will retire from professional running,’’ he said.

“I am going to become a Comrades champion.

‘’All l want is to win it, then my name will be listed in the history books of Comrades winners and heroes.

“Not only that, winning Comrades will change my life too, so I have to chase my dream to be a Comrades champion and it will be a good ending to my running career.”

Major highlights from his career include winning the International Association of Ultra-runners 50km World Trophy twice in 2010 and in 2014.

In 2016 he came second in Two Oceans Ultra marathon behind fellow Zimbabwean Mike Fokorani.

In 2009, he was the pacesetter for winner Stephen Muzhingi in the Comrades Marathon.

Muzhingi went on to win the race three times. “Muzhingi inspired me a lot because I was also his pacesetter in his first win in 2009 and l am still the halfway record holder of the Comrades down run.

“I can compete in other races just to build up mileage to run the Comrades race. Now that I am 40, this is the right age to run ultra-marathons,” Makaza said.

This year’s edition was cancelled due to coronavirus outbreak.

The Zimbabwean runner will probably be hoping he can get his plans underway for the next edition.

The former IAU 50km World title winner, who runs under the Mr Pace-Maxed Zimbabwe Athletics Club based in Chitungwiza, said they were now back in training under the stipulated guidelines.

Makaza said they were also considering to participate in virtual races, starting with the Cape Town event next month.

This will help the athletes, who have not had any races since March.

‘’The club will soldier on despite the challenges posed by the Covid-19. And we are going to compete in these virtual races,’’ he said.

“Races like Cape Town marathon and Spar Ladies this year will be competed in virtual form where athletes enter, as usual, get their race numbers, compete online using an app which record each athletes from the distance they cover, time and so on.’’