Wind wrecks Cape Town Marathon dreams

A seasoned running enthusiast has spoken about her disappointment after the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon was cancelled on Sunday.

The decision was made by a Joint Operations Committee after severe winds wreaked havoc in the race village and along running routes.

The extreme weather began just after midnight on Saturday, causing widespread damage.

Race organisers said steel structures, fencing, and road furniture along routes had been blown over.

Infrastructure at the race village was also damaged.

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This damage put into question the safety of runners, volunteers, and officials.

Gloria Chitedze was one of the affected runners. She was on track to complete her 10th Cape Town Marathon, her 20th overall.

This achievement would have earned her a "permanent number" a feat not many runners achieve.

"I've done it nine times, and this was going to be a special one because I was supposed to do my tenth, which gives me the blue number club identity and the permanent number," Chitedze said.

She had also trained hard with an aim to get her best marathon time to date.

The decision to cancel the race left her in tears. "I've been really, really disappointed and it's affected me badly. I even cried."

"To come up with an idea of what my next plan is... I have no idea," she added.

Chitedze had hoped to use the Cape Town Marathon to improve her seeding at the Two Oceans next year.