The Eastern Cape-born athlete began his season on a high note, clocking 28:45 to win the Colchester 10km in the Bay by more than a minute.

Under the guidance of respected coach Mdu Khumalo, Nose believes he has made significant strides in his road running over the past year and credits his mentor for his steady progress.

The national 10 000m silver medallist is eager to take advantage of what is expected to be a fast race in the Friendly City, especially with elite competitors such as Adriaan Wildschutt targeting a sub-27-minute finish.

The 25-year-old from eNgcobo says his main focus is improving on his personal best of 28:41 in his home province.

“I’m in very good shape because I spent the whole of December training hard to prepare for a strong season,” he told SABC Sport.

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Nose feels he is in peak condition for the opening leg of the popular series and is motivated by the R33 000 prize on offer for the first man and woman across the line. He is confident of securing a top-10 finish while also lowering his PB on a route he knows well.

“Since the beginning of the month, I have been training hard for this race. People are saying it’s a flat and fast course, which means we could see some quick times. The plan is to stick to the race strategy and run my own race. I’m confident I can achieve a PB in the company of some of the fastest runners in the region,” he said.

With strong contenders like Kabelo Mulaudzi, who claimed four victories last year, also in the field, Nose is bracing himself for tough competition.

“The preparations have gone well, and now we are just waiting to test ourselves on race day. I am ready for the big day in a place I call home,” he added.

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