Gerda Steyn’s astonishing Comrades Marathon pace, averaging 4:01 per kilometre over 85.77km, highlights her ultra-distance dominance as she set a new up run record with a time of 5:44:53, a feat nearly impossible for most runners to match even for a single kilometre. Picture: Gerda Steyn/Facebook (left), Michael Sherman (right)
Image: Gerda Steyn/Facebook (left), Michael Sherman (right)
For most people — and even most runners — understanding just how fast Gerda Steyn runs in the Comrades Marathon is almost impossible to comprehend.
Steyn set a new up run record on Sunday as she crossed the finish line in Pietermaritzburg in a time of 5:44:53. It was her fourth consecutive Comrades victory and her fifth title overall at the Ultimate Human Race.
Over the 85.77km route, Steyn averaged exactly 4:01 per kilometre.
On paper, that’s just a number.
But unless you’ve actually tested yourself over a known distance, it’s difficult to appreciate just how demanding that pace really is.
For context, maintaining Steyn’s average pace would result in a 20:05 Parkrun 5km time — a mark many recreational runners spend years trying to achieve.
A few hours after Steyn stormed across the finish line, I decided to put myself to the test at my local park, which also hosts a weekly Parkrun.
The assignment was simple: run 1km at the same pace — or faster — than Steyn’s Comrades record pace.
Surely one kilometre couldn’t be that difficult?
Not exactly.
At 40 years old, my fastest running days are definitely behind me, but I still train consistently and consider myself reasonably fit.
I chose a relatively flat section of the Parkrun route and used my DJI Osmo action camera and DJI Neo drone to document the attempt.
At first, the pace felt alarmingly quick. My watch showed I was moving at around 3:50 per kilometre pace and I could immediately feel my heart rate climbing.
After a few hundred metres, however, I managed to settle into a rhythm.
The temptation to slow down was definitely there, but once my body adjusted to the intensity, I was able to keep pushing.
In the end, I made it.
I completed the kilometre in 3:52, finishing nine seconds inside my target time.
Was it easy?
Not at all.
Could I have held that pace for another kilometre or two? Probably.
Could I have maintained it for another 84 kilometres?
Absolutely not.
And that’s the point.
For most runners, Gerda Steyn’s Comrades pace is the sort of speed they can only sustain for a few minutes if at all. The Smiling Assassin maintained it for nearly six hours.
That’s what makes her one of the greatest ultra-distance runners South Africa has ever produced.