There are indications that winners of the men and women 10 km race, to be introduced in the 2018 Access Bank Lagos City Marathon, will smile home with brand new cars, courtesy of the race’s Official Automobile Partner, GAC Motor.
This has made thousands of runners double their preparations for the 10km race of the next edition of the Marathon slated for February 10, 2018.
Sonia Audu has done a couple of marathons and half marathons but she has started training for speed because she wants to win a car from GAC Motor.
“My cousin works in the company and she told me they are giving away two cars to Nigerian men and women winners of the 10 km race. I have seen the cars, they are beautiful, and I will love to drive them. In fact, I have changed my training. Before, I trained for endurance because I want to finish 42km but now, I am training for speed because you need to run fast to win the 10k. The world best time for women is about 30 minutes but that is by a Kenyan. If I can run 40 minutes, I know I will win the car and I thank God Kenyans and other foreigners will not be allowed to run the 10km, ‘’ Audu said.
Many other runners, especially national runners of 10,000m event are all training for the 10km race. Fun runners are not left out as they all dream of winning the cars from GAC Motor.
A survey from different parts of the country shows that thousands of Nigerians, from professional runners to fun runners, are interested in the 10km event. Organizers of the marathon will have to work hard on logistics as there could be over 100,000 participants in the 10km race alone. The first two editions of the marathon, limited to just the 42km elite race, had over 50,000 participants in 2016 and over 70,000 participants in 2017 during the second edition.
When contacted, Olukayode Thomas will neither confirmed nor denied the claim that GAC Motor will give the 10km winners cars or whether there will be a 10km race in the 2018 edition.
“What I can say for now is that in the next few days, we shall convene a press conference where the plans for the 2018 edition of the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon will be unveiled,’’ Thomas said.