Gerda Steyn happy with her Joburg 10km display as she prepares for ultra marathons

Steyn is using short distance races as part of her preparations for next year’s major ultramarathons.

For the Hollywood Athletics Club runner, the race was mainly about training as she prepares for next year’s Two Oceans Marathon in April and Comrades Marathon in June.

“My personal experience this morning is that the Spar Women’s 10km Joburg is one of my favourite races in the country. I always try my very best to be here, and every year it just gets better,” Steyn told SABC Sport.

“Competing in 10km races is extraordinary for me because I focus more on the marathon and ultramarathon distances. However, I still dedicate part of my year to shorter distances to stay sharp and speedy and to race against some of the best 10km runners in South Africa.

“It was very challenging, and I tried something different. Today, I used it as a training run and as part of my preparations for the Comrades.”

READ: Glenrose Xaba ready to give others a chance after historic fourth title

Steyn says races like the Joburg 10km play an important role in keeping her fit ahead of her bigger targets.

“This race keeps me fit and is ideal preparation for the Two Oceans in April. It is part of my long-term and short-term plans,” she added.

Her next stop will be the Absa Run Your City Mangaung 10km on 25 October, where she plans to use another shorter race as part of her training.

The two-time Olympian will be hoping for another strong performance and a top-10 finish.

“I put all my energy and focus into every race, and we will see what happens next,” Steyn said.