Gerda Steyn back in SA for Comrades after ‘unforgettable’ Alpine training block in France
Gerda Steyn returns to South Africa after a six-week high-altitude training block in France, preparing for her fifth Comrades Marathon title on June 14, with plans to stay at high altitude until just before the race. Picture: Gerda Steyn/Facebook
Image: Gerda Steyn/Facebook
After six weeks of high-altitude training in France, Gerda Steyn has returned to South Africa to put the finishing touches on her preparation for the Comrades Marathon on June 14.
Steyn completed her first run back in South Africa on Thursday, a 10.3km workout in Tshwane with the caption “Where did the mountains go?” which she posted on Strava. In a post earlier this week, Steyn said: "Six unforgettable weeks of alpine training done".
Interestingly, Steyn did not even take a break in her training, even though she would have had to take an energy-sapping flight from France to Johannesburg.
Steyn’s last run in Sainte Foy Tarentaise, an authentic French Alpine village, was posted on Wednesday. That 10.4km run was entitled “Monal” with the caption “Hard to leave on a day like this”.
Steyn’s Training Strategy and Comrades Marathon Preparation
It’s unclear what Steyn’s final plans are before Comrades, but she will likely remain at high altitude like Tshwane until a day or two before the race. Going down just a couple of days before to sea level will see Steyn reap the most benefits of adjusting to more oxygen in the air at low altitudes.
Not long after Steyn won this year’s Two Oceans Marathon, it was off to France to begin the short training block between the two races.
Steyn, the heavy favourite in the women’s race, will be bidding for her fifth Comrades Marathon title when she lines up for the up run from Durban to Pietermaritzburg in just over two weeks.
As far as Steyn is concerned, she has often faced criticism for her training or schedule - but she seldom, if ever, fails to achieve her goals.