About us

About Ipuso Marathon

The road to self determination

The Marathon is unique as;

It will follow the route to independence of Botswana.
It covers the distance of 160 Kilometres across the two countries
be the longest Marathon in Botswana as well as being the first inter country Marathon.
Traverse 5 Local authorities in Botswana and South Africa: Mahikeng,Gaborone City, South East District Council ,Lobatse Town Council and Rolong
Promoting inter-country sports, culture, political, tourism relations
Embrace both single and team competitors and open to both genders
Covering different distances for different age groupings, and ability
The Marathon will be pitched at International level for both gender thus the overall objective will be to attract top marathon runners of both gender to be able to attract good sponsorship and Merchandising for the project to self-sustain ;
To attain International Status the Project will associate and partner with the; World Athletics Association, Its Africa continental Federation, The Zonal Association through the Botswana Athletics Federation. In this regard MAGLODO PTY Ltd has already got the support of the Botswana Athletics Association President ;
The Marathon will adhere to both the World Anti-Doping Agency ( WADA) and The World Athletics Codes and or rules plus dictates;

Purpose of Marathon:

The ultra-Marathon is aimed at recognising and celebrating the independence of Botswana , formerly Bechuanaland Protectorate which had her administrative centre in Mafikeng.

Athletic Event Proposal

This event is also a great place to propose marriage if you’re the one participating in the event, or if you’re doing it together. Proposing after an event of this magnitude and status is definitely a way to catch her off guard with your proposal.

Race for charity

This gives one an opportunity to choose a charitable organisation that they wish to raise funds for through this run. There will be a minimum amount expected to be raised.

What is a

marathon?

The event is named after the legendary 26-mile run made by a Greek soldier from the scene of the battle of Marathon to Athens, where he announced the defeat of the invading Persians.

The origin of marathon begins around 490 BC at the time when the Persians were invading Greece. The most famous legend tells of a Greek messenger: Pheidippides who was tasked with the mission of informing the peoples of Athens that the Greeks have defeated the Persians at the Battle of Marathon. Pheidippides who viewed the mission as important set off on foot and ran non-stop. Upon reaching the gates of Athens, he stormed into the government assembly and proclaimed the Greek victory where he fell to the ground and died after that due to exhaustion.

A marathon symbolizes a herald running, bearing glad tidings of victory. Ipuso Marathon encapsulates Botswana’s spirit of resilience and determination to rule herself. This road to independence is paved with the blood of sweat of Batswana who defeated the marauding parties of enemy armies among others the Ndebeles, Kololo and the Boers. The three Batswana chiefs who sort protectorate status from Great Britain in 1895 outsmarted Cecil John Rhodes who wanted to annex their territory to be part of the British South Africa Company.

Why are we then running marathons?

Although running a marathon is tough, especially for beginners, there is an attraction that draws crowds to marathons and there seems to be the rage these days for people to enter marathons. Reasons differ for every individual why they choose to run in marathons and among others are:

To test of one's own endurance;
To get a Been there, done that and got a t-shirt experience eg. the race shirt, the finisher shirt, medals, goodie bags, etc.
Healthy lifestyle and to keep running fit so long we can still run;
It's not a race with anyone but it's your own race against your own clock;

Why

Ipuso Marathon?

The idea behind the race is to revive knowledge of the ' Road to independence'

(title of Peter Fawcus and Alan Tilbury's book)and keep a living memorial of the process from Lobatse talks to independence in Gaborone and from capital in Mahikeng to Gaborone.

The road to independence was a culmination of a process

Achieved 'through painstaking consultation and negotiation, he built a broad consensus around certain principles and objectives which remain strongly entrenched in our constitution, legislation and system of government' (Foreword by Sir Ketumile)

The marathon will test the physical endurance

The marathon will test the physical endurance of the entrants which symbolises the difficult conditions under which Botswana's independence was negotiated.

It is through resilience and determination that Botswana made it. Where:

Resilience- capacity to withstand or recover quickly from difficulties; toughness
Determination-firmness of purpose

It's a marathon for the 'Very brave or very foolish'

To borrow from QKJ's memoir where at independence they were told 'its either you are very brave or very foolish' to request for independence given that Bechuanaland was amongst the poorest of the poor countries in the world otherwise known as Least Development Countries.