Hundreds of runners have started trooping to the Teslim Balogun Stadium to collect their kits ahead of the 2017 Access Bank Lagos City Marathon slated to hold on Saturday, February 11.
Several participants were seen in high spirits as they collected their kits at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Indoor Sports Hall of Stadium, while availing themselves of the medical facilities provided by the organisers to check their fitness levels ahead of the race.
Mahmud Mustapha Mukaddam from Borno State and competing in a marathon for the first time. He is looking forward to joining thousands of runners in the historic race taking place next Saturday.
He said: “I am really excited and hope to make something good out of it. I am hoping that my legs do not fail me on that day. Unfortunately, I will be running alone, but with my kids in my heart. I’m running for my son, daughter and wife. I have checked my blood pressure and taken other vitals, but if I’m told I am not fit for it, I won’t try to run.”
“I commend the Lagos State government for organising this marathon because it has really raised awareness about the importance of physical fitness. It’s really impressive that so many people have turned up, and we still expect more of them to show up.”
Two sisters Sarah Adeneye and Hannah Akinsola are hoping to give each other moral support when they take on the challenging task next week.
Sarah, who is the older of the siblings said: “I participated in the marathon last year and stopped after the 21km mark. I believe I can do better this year. I have been training hard and better than I did last year. I am also in better shape than I was when I ran last year. The target is to get to Ikoyi, but if we still have the strength, then we can take it further to 1004. We know we are not going to win the money, but we want to run for fun.”
Hannah, who used to be a professional basketballer, is hoping that her sister pushes her hard. “I have been training alongside my sister who participated last year. I used to be a professional basketball player but stopped 12 years ago to start a family. This is going to be my first time of running a marathon but it is going to be fun running alongside my sister because she was the one that told me about the race.”
The collection of kits will end on February 9.
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