Irvette van Zyl, an athlete who previously could not participate in the race due to injury, is finally debuting in her hometown at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY TSHWANE 10K race.
During the Totalsports Women’s Race in Johannesburg last Sunday, Van Zyl felt severe fatigue and wanted to stop. Despite not expecting a miracle and being dissatisfied with her condition at the beginning of the week, stopping was impossible for her.
Her determination was reinforced by thoughts of her eight-year-old son, who taught her a lesson in perseverance without even realizing it. The day before, her son Gideon participated in his first provincial cross-country championship. He ran with childlike enthusiasm, despite still being young.
Van Zyl shared that when the race became difficult the next day, she remembered her son. She admitted that she wanted to stop, but recalling how beautifully her son ran in the cross-country, she realized she could not teach him persistence if she gave up due to difficulties.
She explained that her son became her motivation because he would ask why she didn't finish if she quit the race. This experience, which she hopes Gideon will remember, is about continuing to move even when it gets hard, regardless of the result.
This principle is very familiar in the career of the 39-year-old athlete, who has always overcome difficulties, adapted, and found a reason to move forward. Her history includes three Olympic marathons, where she did not achieve Olympian status because she failed to complete the distance twice (London 2012 and Tokyo 2020), and did not start in the third (Rio 2016). Nevertheless, she never gave up and completed the 42.195 km distance in 2024, taking 37th place at the Paris Games.
Now, approaching the veteran category, she is discovering new reasons to continue. When it comes to approaching 40, she jokes that she is not too old yet. However, she looks forward to this stage, seeing it as a new chapter in her career, rather than a retreat from serious competition.
Van Zyl has never strived to be tied to one definition. She is capable of running 10 km at a speed comparable to the best in the country, yet she embraces the harsh demands of the Komrades Marathon. Despite the volume of ultramarathon kilometers, she still does not consider herself an ultra-runner.
She emphasizes that short distances remain an important part of her athletic identity, as speed cannot simply be turned on after months of endurance training; she needs to 'run herself into shape'. Therefore, races are training grounds for her.
She admits that if she doesn't participate in short distances for too long, she loses the necessary sharpness for competition, as she is not ready for 10 km after an ultramarathon.
Van Zyl looks to the future with optimism, watching runners she once considered young become significant figures in South African sports. Among them is Glenrose Shaba, the winner of the Sunday race, who will also be a favorite in the upcoming Absa RUN YOUR CITY Tshwane 10K race.
She admires Shaba's progress, noting that observing this transformation is deeply satisfying. She also speaks of Karabo Mailule and other young women, feeling that she is now playing the role of their 'oomas' (grandmothers).
Despite the humor, she feels genuine pride, understanding that a career eventually ends, but an athlete's influence should not cease with competitions. She is ready to leave now with satisfaction, but she is not willing to give up on contributing to the development of running.
Furthermore, the Komrades Marathon awaits her. She wants not just to run another Komrades, but to be part of its history. The 100th Komrades Marathon will take place in 2027, and she intends to be there. She plans to qualify well in advance for optimal preparation.
She believes that the second Down Run will differ from the first, where she did not make the podium, and she considers experience critical over the 90-kilometer distance.
Van Zyl remains a student, constantly learning and mastering the art of running, which perhaps best explains her longevity. She is not just an athlete clinging to achievements, but a runner curious about her body's potential and inspired by her young son.