Leemisa Thuseho
ALL is set for the 2026 Lekhalong-La-Baroa Annual Run, which is scheduled for this Saturday in Lekhalong-La-Baroa in the outskirts of Maseru.
Backed by Vodacom Lesotho (VCL) Financial Services, through a partnership with organisers Mountain Runners Athletics Club, the race is entering its fifth edition.
As part of the partnership, VCL has injected M330,000 into the event.
One of the organisers, Thabo Mosebekoa, who is also a member of Mountain Runners Athletics Club, said preparations for the race had been completed.
“All is set; everything is finalised,” Mr Mosebekoa told the Lesotho Times this week.
He said the event had previously struggled to attract more than 200 participants, but the partnership had helped boost registration numbers to about 400 this year.
“We are expecting 400 registered participants, and that is a huge improvement,” he said.
Mr Mosebekoa said most participants were local social runners, with some expected to travel from South Africa.
The race will feature four distances, catering for runners of varying abilities.
The flagship 21km race will start at St Michael’s and finish at Lekhalong-La-Baroa, also known as Bushmen’s Pass, a scenic high-altitude mountain pass on the outskirts of Maseru.
The 15km race will start at Ha Phaloane and also finish at Lekhalong-La-Baroa, while the 10km event will start at Ha Molengoane. The 5km race will get underway at Ha Khati, with both shorter races also finishing at Lekhalong-La-Baroa.
This year’s event marks the fifth edition of the race. During its first three editions, participation was restricted to athletics club members before organisers opened it to the public for the first time last year.
There will be no prize money on offer. Instead, the sponsorship package will support the organisation of the race and the implementation of community upliftment programmes in communities along the route.
