Broodryk confident ahead of Two Oceans after winning Balwin Sport Peninsula Marathon
Although the Comrades Marathon remains her main focus, Adele Broodryk is ready to give it her all at this year’s Totalsports Two Oceans Marathon. This year, South Africa’s two biggest ultra marathon races are just eight weeks apart which has forced many of the country’s top ultra runners to focus on one of the two events. But the woman who claimed third place on her Comrades debut in 2022 and then took second behind Gerda Steyn in a sub 6 hour clocking last year, says Steyn has inspired her to run hard at both events.
“With Gerda’s performance last year, she showed what is possible by winning Two Oceans and Comrades in record time. Also Carla, with her podium finish at both races,” she told #TheTopRunner as she reflected on Steyn’s record-breaking run at both races, which was accompanied by notable performances from Carla Molinaro. The World 50km Champion finished in third place at both The Ultimate Human Race and Oceans.
And to get ready for the World’s Most Beautiful Ultra Marathon race around the Cape Peninsula, the Nedbank Running Club top runner took part in the Balwin Sport Peninsula Marathon on Sunday 18 February where she came away with an assured victory. After taking the lead in the first 5km, Broodryk crossed the finish line of the point-to-point race run from Green Point to Simon’s Town in 2:46:46, with Deane Laubscher just over a minute adrift (2:47:51), while Maretha Smit was third (2:55:10). The mother of two from Potchefstroom says the wind scuppered her plans to improve on her 2:45:03 42,2km lifetime best set at the 2023 Nedbank Runified 50km race.
“It’s a beautiful race and like always I came in here hoping to run a PB on my marathon but first 10km we ran into a headwind and in the last 10km we also ran into a headwind. But I just love tis race and this route because it’s also part of the course of Two Oceans and I feel that the more you run the route, the better prepared I will be come April,” said the 33-year-old.
And it turned out to be an excellent day at the office for the Green Machine because after sweeping the podium in the women’s race, it was also a Nedbank runner that breasted the tape in the men’s race. Lloyd Bosman shook off the early attentions of Boxer’s Gladwin Mzazi to win in 2:22:25 as Mzazi came home 56 seconds later. Nedbank Western Province’s Lindikhaya Mthangayo was Thord (2:29:36). Bosman who hails from George and trained with Elroy Gelant during the December break, says he is happy with his effort, which he used to get ready for Two Oceans on the 14th of April..
“The run was nice. Gladwin went out really early and I think the wind caught up with him. We caught him at about 8km. After that at round about 10km we ran into the wind and then at about 31km I went away from them. 2:22 is not a bad time even though we were targeting under 2:20. We’ll take it because after this my next big race is Two Oceans.”