FILE. Gerda Steyn, the overwhelming favourite for the women’s Comrades Marathon title, is approaching the race with the mindset of giving her all as if it were her last chance, aiming for a fourth consecutive victory and a fifth overall. Picture: Armand Hough / Independent Newspapers
Image: Armand Hough/Independent Newspapers
If Gerda Steyn needed to strike a little extra fear into the hearts of her challengers, she may have done exactly that after revealing she is approaching this year’s Comrades Marathon as though it could be her last.
Health permitting, it almost certainly won’t be. But that mindset of giving absolutely everything she has could prove to be one of Steyn’s greatest weapons on race day.
The Smiling Assassin is the overwhelming favourite for the women’s title as she hunts a fourth consecutive Comrades victory and a fifth overall.
Ahead of Sunday’s up run from Durban to Pietermaritzburg, Steyn revealed the mentality that has driven her preparation for this year’s race.
“This year in training already, I told myself, I am training for this race as if it’s the last time I’m going to run. Hopefully it’s not the last time, but I’m training like it is,” said Steyn.
“That has been stuck in my mind the whole time, training for this race. I thought to myself in training, if I give my 110%, I’ll be standing on the start line knowing that I’ve given everything to be ready.”
As for the race itself, Steyn intends to carry that same mindset with her onto the road.
“I will continue doing that also on race day. So that was my mantra leading up to this day and that will be my mantra on Sunday — to run as if you will never get this chance again.
“To stand on the start line of the Comrades Marathon is already such a privilege and an honour. You stand there knowing that you’re part of something way bigger than just yourself. You’re part of history.”
For a runner who already owns four Comrades titles, that hunger to treat every opportunity as though it might be the last could be a worrying sign for the rest of the women’s field.