With the Comrades Marathon 2026 now behind us, the running world is still wondering: How does Gerda Steyn continue to do it? The “Smiling Assassin” rewrote the record books again, breaking her own course record with a remarkable time of 5:44:53.
While headlines often focus on achievements and records, there is another side to success in ultra-endurance running that is receiving increasing attention from researchers: the psychological demands of the sport. A 2023 review by researchers at the University of Pretoria found that mental health and psychological well-being – including stress, anxiety, sleep, exercise addiction and general mental health – are increasingly recognized as important areas of study among ultra-endurance athletes.
Steyn’s story isn’t specifically about these challenges, but her approach offers a rare glimpse into the mental habits that help her return year after year to one of the world’s toughest endurance events.
Ahead of this year’s race, we spoke to Steyn about the psychological strategy required to tackle an ultramarathon. Their answers provide insight into the habits and thoughts that carry them through moments when physical strength alone is no longer enough. This philosophy is also at the heart of her role as OMO Sports Ambassador and the brand’s #StayUnbeatable campaign: resilience is not built in the easy moments. It is forged when the going gets tough.
Running for more than just results
For Steyn, Comrades is not just another race on the calendar, it has become a central part of her professional running story – her ethos. “When I first started running and fell in love with running, it was largely because I took part in the Comrades Marathon and realized how special it was,” she says. This relationship with race has changed over the years. “The meaning of my running has grown and evolved so much,” she explains. “It was about finding out if I could make it as a professional athlete and compete with the best athletes, to this day where I feel like running is no longer just a personal journey for me, but also the message I convey and how it can impact other people’s lives.”
Today, she draws her motivation not only from chasing faster times, but also from the example she sets for others. Young runners dream of taking the sport seriously. Everyday people trying to live healthier lives. People discover what they are capable of through movement. “It all plays a role and makes me want to come back every year, apart from the physical goals of improving my own performance year after year,” she tells us. It’s a gentle reminder that longevity in sport often comes from tying your goals to something beyond the finish line.
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When the real race begins
Every Comrades runner knows the infamous 70km mark. Eina! It’s the point where fatigue sets in, doubts grow louder and the finish line still seems frustratingly far away. A whole 15,777 km, to be honest. According to Steyn, this is where the preparation pays off: “By the time you get to the 70km mark, it’s still usually a long way to go. You can’t really hear or see the finish line yet, and you’ve already covered a brutal distance.”
This is often when the mind begins to negotiate. “You start to doubt yourself and wonder if you really have what it takes to make it to the finish line,” she explains. “For me, that’s where your mental strength and mental preparation comes into play.”
“You need to have a deeper purpose and a drive that will get you there long after your physical body and muscles have done their part,” she says. When everything hurts and giving up seems sensible, she returns to the reasons she started in the first place.
“When I remember why you started, why you are on this journey, and the fulfillment it brings, I remain unbeatable.”
– Gerda Steyn
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Tear down the mountain
It’s not for nothing that the Up Run has a good reputation. The route’s relentless five climbs can seem overwhelming in their entirety, which is precisely why Steyn refuses to think about it that way. Your strategy? “I definitely think the best way to approach the Up Run is to break it down into smaller pieces, pieces that you find more manageable and doable on their own, rather than looking at it as one big giant and one big mountain that you have to overcome.”
Long before race day arrives, Steyn prepares mentally. She creates a collection of thoughts to return to during the race, almost like checkpoints for her mind. “I have pre-planned thoughts that I memorize before the start of the race. As the race progresses, I remember those mental notes,” she says. “I thought about all the great experiences I had preparing for the race and all the early mornings and times when I might have felt tired but still managed to get through the training.”
“I remember how special it is to be part of such an iconic and historic race.” Instead of worrying about the entire race, she just focuses on what’s immediately in front of her. This psychological tactic – known as “chunking” – helps her get through. “It’s definitely mentally easier to focus on the next two, three, five or 10 kilometers than it is to focus on 86 kilometers.” It’s a simple concept, but one that applies far beyond running. Big goals become less intimidating when you stop staring at the entire mountain and focus on the next step.
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The golden rule for first-time Comrades runners
Comrades can be intimidating to newcomers, and Steyn understands this better than anyone. “For beginner runners, it is often daunting and uncertain and not easy to know exactly how to approach the race at first.” Many beginners forget this. “Even the most experienced runner out there had to start somewhere,” Gerda emphasizes.
“You don’t have to be great in the first race. You just have to try. You just have to start and start somewhere.”
While people know that Steyn plans every detail of her races, she believes preparation should come with confidence. Before each event, she creates a detailed race plan based on her training and current fitness. At the same time, it leaves room for the energy of race day, the support of the audience and the unique atmosphere that cannot be reproduced in training. However, especially for comrades, one principle stands above all others: “It is very important to start with a comfortable effort and a comfortable pace.”
With many of the toughest climbs coming before the halfway mark, early restraint becomes an investment in the miles ahead. “It’s very important to maintain your pace and make sure you conserve your energy to be strong in the second half of the race,” says Steyn. While experience is helpful, she believes runners should trust themselves, listen to their bodies and resist the temptation to get carried away by the excitement. “Make sure you don’t push yourself too hard in the first half so you can be strong and enjoy the second half of the race.”
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In the head of Gerda Steyn
After riding at world-class pace for almost six hours, we had to ask ourselves the obvious question: what exactly is going through Gerda Steyn’s mind for all those kilometers?
The answer, not surprisingly, is that very little is left to chance. “I put quite a bit of planning into my inner monologue.” Before race day, she consciously creates a series of positive memories and thoughts that she can draw from when the inevitable difficult moments arise. “I try to plan thoughts that I will have and remember during the race. Those thoughts are all positive, all positive.” She revisits her favorite workouts. The reasons why she loves running. Previous experiences where trusting yourself paid off. “I remember that it is a privilege to be out here and I remember previous experiences that resulted in a good outcome and where I trusted myself.”
Because she has learned one thing: the mind can become the biggest enemy when fatigue sets in. “It’s easy to wander during a race and convince yourself that it’s okay to give up when the going gets tough.” That’s why these mental notes are important. “It helps me keep perspective and not react in a moment when I might be struggling or not feeling at my best.” When challenges arise, she reaches for the stored memories and memories. “I can bring them to the forefront to motivate myself to keep going and remind myself that when I get to the finish line it will be so worth it.”
So far this approach has not let them down. “So far it has always been so fulfilling and more than 100% worth it.”
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The biggest lesson
Perhaps this is the greatest lesson from one of the greatest ultrarunners of her generation. Mental toughness isn’t about silencing discomfort or pretending the struggle doesn’t exist. 86km of walking is hard to miss. No, it takes thorough preparation for these moments before they happen, knowing exactly what you’ll say to yourself when they happen, and remembering why the journey matters long after the excitement of the finish line has worn off. And just like the physical training that comes with running, our minds deserve training too. It’s something we can all take with us to our next race, challenge or milestone.
