Steyn targets top 10 finish at Big Apple race
● Gerda Steyn will toe the start line of the world famous New York City Marathon this afternoon (SA time), with her sights set on a top 10 finish.
Renowned for her record-breaking ways, South Africa’s road running queen will not be too concerned about the clock this time around. Instead she will have her sights set on running tactically to improve on her previous placing at the Abbotts’ world major.
Steyn, a national holder of the standard marathon, Two Oceans and Comrades Marathon up-run records, has previously finished 13th and 11th at the Big Apple race. “I am approaching the NYC Marathon almost like a championship-type race where the race is often less about your finish time and more about strategic racing and positioning,” she said.
“I am not thinking about a specific time really. The NYC Marathon is both tactical and also quite a difficult route.”
That, though, does not mean she is not planning to be competitive. Far from it, for Steyn always laces up for every race out to give her utmost best. “Of course, I still want to run a fast time and I am sure that I can still improve on my personal best time,” said the athlete whose personal best (PB) at the race is a 2:27:48.
On top of her desire to break into the top 10, she would be delighted if she improved on that PB, though her 2:25:28 national record is not on her mind. “I want to run a strong race and improve on my previous NYC Marathon results.
“I think in 2019 I was a little bit conservative at the start. I lost touch with the front group early on and was never able to catch up again. I finished in 11th place so I would really like to improve on that.”
She knows the competition will be tough, but that is why Steyn has chosen to run New York instead of this year’s Comrades Marathon where she was expected to go for Frith van der Merwe’s 33-year-old down-run record after she had smashed the same runner’s Two Oceans Marathon mark in April.
Steyn has proven herself to be the best locally and she is keen to test herself against the world’s best. She had a decent run at the Tokyo Olympics marathon where she finished 15th. The New York Marathon has become a favourite of hers and she would love a top 10 finish.
“The start list is packed with some incredibly fast and talented athletes but NYC is a world major and such an iconic marathon, so it is not unexpected. But I just need to go out there and run the best race I can.”