Gerda Steyn advises Comrades runners to enjoy their race

The 89km down-run will start in Pietermaritzburg at 5:30 a.m. and finish near Durban’s Moses Mabhida Stadium.

Thousands of runners will take part in the sold-out ultra-marathon this weekend. 

As the excitement builds across KwaZulu-Natal, the 35-year-old ultra-marathon star extended her best wishes, especially to the newcomers.

Steyn is aiming for a historic and rare double by winning both the Comrades and Two Oceans marathons in the same year.

She enters the women’s race as the favourite and remains one of the most beloved athletes among the cheering crowds along the route.

“My advice to all Comrades runners, especially novices, is to trust in yourselves and the training you’ve done,” Steyn told SABC Sport.

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“Don’t let nerves overwhelm you. For first-time runners, remember to embrace the experience—you're only a novice once. It’s a special race that will stay with you for the rest of your life.”

Gerda Steyn claimed her first Comrades Marathon title, known as the Ultimate Human Race, while running for the Nedbank Running Club.

She went on to secure back-to-back victories in the ultra-marathon, breaking both the up and down run records while representing Phantane Athletics Club.

This weekend, the two-time Olympian will compete under the banner of the Hollywood Athletics Club, who signed her in a high-profile event in January.

The club has already reaped rewards from the signing, with Steyn winning her sixth Two Oceans Marathon title — and fifth consecutive — as well as the Pirates Half-Marathon in Johannesburg in February.

Speaking to the national broadcaster, Steyn expressed her excitement about running the Comrades for a third different club. A victory on Sunday would not only complete a hat-trick of titles but also mark her third Comrades win while representing three separate clubs.

“Yes, that’s right—I’ll be running in the colours of Hollywood Athletics Club for the first time at this year’s Comrades Marathon,” said Steyn.

“It’s a very exciting moment for me. I don’t feel any added pressure from the club, but rather a strong sense of support.

We’re all working towards the same goal: to have one of our runners win on Sunday. I know it meant a great deal to them when Joseph Seutloali and I won the Two Oceans Marathon in April, and to deliver another big result for the team would be a real privilege and an honour.”