Nedbank Running Club runner Adele Broodryk is happy to be on the sidelines and let Gerda Steyn shoulder the expectation of breaking the Comrades Marathon down-run record on Sunday.
Last year during her debut outing in the world-renowned ultra-marathon, Broodryk finished in third place behind Russian Alexandra Morozova and Poland's Dominika Stelmach. Her finishing as the first South African was not something many anticipated as she ran a near-perfect race.
Going to this year's 87.7km run from Pietermaritzburg to Durban, Broodryk is more experienced and better prepared to tackle the Ultimate Human Race.
"The Comrades preparations have been very good, I had to make a few adaptations to my programming due to Comrades shifting to June," said Broodryk.
"This year was completely different, I did four ultra-marathons in nine weeks. I had to focus on various aspects of every race, whether it was the pace or the nutrition or experimenting with shoes. For me the focus is Comrades. I don’t want to be over-trained or sustain an injury come race day. I’m definitely in better form than I was back then," she said about her preparations.
With the distance shorter than last year's edition, there's expectation that Frith van der Merwe's 5:54:43 record from 1989 will fall. Van der Merwe told Sowetan's sister publication TimesLIVE that Steyn will break the record. Going to Sunday's race, Broodryk would not focus on the record but on running her race.
“The whole world’s pressure is currently on Gerda, I don’t want to say I’m shifting the pressure that side but I’m not feeling pressure because everyone believes she will win and take the record," she said.
"My plan is to focus on my race and not to focus on any other contenders because I know there’s going to be athletes gunning for records and SA titles for instance.
“I have to stick to my guns and my strength and not go out as fast as last year. For instance, last year I went out too fast and that might have cost me. One would never know if I went out a bit slow. This year, it’s a much more controlled race, focusing on my strength," said the North West University lecturer.
Broodryk diverts Comrades record pressure to Steyn
Newbie returns to ultra-marathon more prepared, more experienced
Image: Darren Stewart/Gallo Images
Nedbank Running Club runner Adele Broodryk is happy to be on the sidelines and let Gerda Steyn shoulder the expectation of breaking the Comrades Marathon down-run record on Sunday.
Last year during her debut outing in the world-renowned ultra-marathon, Broodryk finished in third place behind Russian Alexandra Morozova and Poland's Dominika Stelmach. Her finishing as the first South African was not something many anticipated as she ran a near-perfect race.
Going to this year's 87.7km run from Pietermaritzburg to Durban, Broodryk is more experienced and better prepared to tackle the Ultimate Human Race.
"The Comrades preparations have been very good, I had to make a few adaptations to my programming due to Comrades shifting to June," said Broodryk.
"This year was completely different, I did four ultra-marathons in nine weeks. I had to focus on various aspects of every race, whether it was the pace or the nutrition or experimenting with shoes. For me the focus is Comrades. I don’t want to be over-trained or sustain an injury come race day. I’m definitely in better form than I was back then," she said about her preparations.
With the distance shorter than last year's edition, there's expectation that Frith van der Merwe's 5:54:43 record from 1989 will fall. Van der Merwe told Sowetan's sister publication TimesLIVE that Steyn will break the record. Going to Sunday's race, Broodryk would not focus on the record but on running her race.
“The whole world’s pressure is currently on Gerda, I don’t want to say I’m shifting the pressure that side but I’m not feeling pressure because everyone believes she will win and take the record," she said.
"My plan is to focus on my race and not to focus on any other contenders because I know there’s going to be athletes gunning for records and SA titles for instance.
“I have to stick to my guns and my strength and not go out as fast as last year. For instance, last year I went out too fast and that might have cost me. One would never know if I went out a bit slow. This year, it’s a much more controlled race, focusing on my strength," said the North West University lecturer.
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