Of the thousands of athletes set to line up at the start of the 2026 Two Oceans Ultra Marathon on Saturday, the spotlight will shine brightest on Gerda Steyn.
South Africa’s ultra-distance running queen is poised to chase a historic seventh consecutive title in the Mother City, revealing that her mindset has been the greatest asset behind her remarkable and sustained success.
“I don’t think about the race as something that I have won 6 times, because every year is different,” said Steyn.
‘I build on previous performances’
“A previous victory doesn’t guarantee a future victory, and each year, I have to put everything I have got into the preparation. I try to find ways to improve by building on previous performances. I would never allow myself to get too comfortable.”
It’s an approach that has served Steyn well since she first completed the World’s Most Beautiful Marathon in 14th position (4:15:44) in 2016. Using her usual Dullstroom training base to prepare for what is expected to be a highly competitive race against the likes of Irvette van Zyl, Neheng Khatala, Shelmith Muruiki and others, the Two Oceans course record holder (3:26:54) chose to do some of her training sessions with up-and-coming Omuhle Kubheka. Rather than adopting an adversarial stance towards the likes of Kubheka, Steyn sees the importance of sharing her knowledge.
Passion for uplifting others
“It makes me extremely excited to see a young, talented athlete like Omuhle being so passionate about running. It feels like yesterday when I was in her shoes, desperate for advice from more experienced athletes, and so it just feels right to try and spend time with her.
“Also, I train on my own most of the time and even though I am used to it, company makes the miles go by so fast. When you train with others, you share some of the load. We were all based in Dullstroom, training towards the same goals, so why not join forces and help each other where we can?”
‘Target is key’
“The race has grown so much in popularity and in quality, so that means I have to make 110% sure that I am ready for the known as well as the unknown challenges that may come on race day,” she says.
“For me, motivation comes with setting a target and trying to achieve it. Confidence comes from training and preparation. But to be successful, everything must go right on the day and if it doesn’t, I still have to be the one that can navigate through it better than anyone else.”
- Gerda Steyn aims for a historic seventh consecutive Two Oceans Ultra Marathon title, emphasizing mindset as key to her sustained success.
- She treats each race year as unique, focusing on continuous improvement rather than past victories.
- Steyn, the course record holder, trains in Dullstroom and collaborates with rising star Omuhle Kubheka, valuing mentorship and shared training.
- She highlights the importance of preparation, motivation through goal-setting, and adaptability to handle race-day challenges.
- The Two Oceans Ultra Marathon has grown in competitiveness, requiring Steyn to be fully prepared to maintain her dominance.
