Irvette Van Zyl nervous about her debut Comrades Marathon

The highly anticipated 89km down run from Pietermaritzburg to Durban kicks off at 5:30am, with thousands of athletes set to start from the City Hall in a sold-out event.

Speaking at a packed press conference, the Hollywood Athletics Club runner shared her pre-race jitters as she prepares for the monumental challenge.

 "Yes, I’m definitely nervous—probably more nervous than usual—but this race has been on my to-do list for a long time, and the time has finally come. I’m looking forward to it, even if it means my legs will take a beating.

The original plan was to start with the up run rather than the down run, but hopefully after Sunday, I’ll still be motivated to tackle the up run next year."

Van Zyl, a three-time Spar Women’s 10km Grand Prix series winner, will be the only debutant among the elite contenders in this year’s race.

READ: Piet Wiersma unfazed by favourite tag ahead of Comrades Marathon

 Last year, she began pursuing her dream of taking on the Ultimate Human Race for the first time, and now the long wait is nearly over for the four-time Olympic marathoner.

She has previously claimed two runner-up finishes at the Two Oceans Marathon behind Gerda Steyn and also captured victory at the Nedbank Runified 50km ultra-marathon.

 But the gruelling 89km distance will be her toughest challenge yet since turning professional.

The 37-year-old completed a test run and familiarised herself with the route, but she’s still unsure which part of the race intimidates her the most.

She confessed to knowing very little about the event, having only watched it on television for years before finally deciding to give it a try.

“I did a route tester and only managed 45km — I couldn’t even finish it — but I want to complete the full race on Sunday. I’m not sure what scares me the most; I just want to take in the whole experience and enjoy it without putting too much pressure on myself. I’m scared, but also happy,” she said.