Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 119, June 2019 | Page 31

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What has been your hardest Comrades?
Last year was the hardest Comrades I have run, coming through halfway vomiting
and then having to go on for another 40km was so hard. In the last 10km, I just
kept telling myself you need to finish to get your Green Number. I have only bailed
once, in 2014, and despite the fact that I was sick and feeling horrible, I just told
myself you need to keep going, you only get the opportunity to run this race once
a year and you put so much into getting there. All the supporters on the route kept
me going, and I did it for all of them.
Who has been your greatest influencer going into this year’s race?
My new club, all my sponsors, my coach, everything is new, and all of them have
made this new chapter exciting and filled with possibility. As they say, a change is
as good as a holiday.
Who do you see as your biggest competition for this year’s race?
Gerda and Ann are obviously who I will be going up against, but my biggest
competition is myself. My focus is on me and the time I want to run, and that’s
always going to be my biggest competition.
Knowing what to expect at Comrades, what has been your biggest focus in
your preparation?
My focus is to run my own race and not get distracted, so my number one goal
is to focus on my race plan and do my training. I don’t have any control on my
opponents and what they do, all I need to do is get Charne to the start of the race
as strong as possible, and then run my race for me and go as hard and fast as
possible, while focusing on my plan for race day. Having won the Down race, how important is it to you to win the Up race as well?
It will always be my goal to win both and add the complete package to my trophy
cabinet. I am going to try, but if it doesn’t happen, it won’t be the end of the world.
In 2012 I wanted to qualify for the Olympics and when it didn’t happen I was
devastated, but I have learnt from that experience – that it is not good to have an
obsession – so this year if it happens, it happens.
I don’t over-anyalyse my race or getting to the race, because thinking too much
about it only stresses you out. I try keep a positive mindset. Thinking about
Comrades every day will make me mad, you don’t know what’s going to happen on
race day, all you can do is be happy now and everyday. What are you most excited about for this year?
Just to be part of Comrades is very exciting, because this race is very near to my
heart. This year I will be running with my Green Number for the first time, and when
I got my invite to the VIP Area the excitement really set in.
You have an impressive eight gold medals at Comrades, so is the aim for this
year’s race to make it nine?
Yes, that’s the aim, but it gets tougher every year!
Amongst South African women, Farwa Mentoor holds the most Comrades
golds, with 10 to her name. Have you given thought to attempting to equal or
even pass that record?
It would be great if I can top that, but at the end of the day there are new
challenges and new goals that I have set myself. It would be awesome, but every
year, new competition comes in and makes it harder.
What inspires you to keep coming back and giving it your all at Comrades?
Comrades has been a journey for me, it stays a challenge for me to keep pushing,
to keep giving it my all. I want to keep running at this level for as long as I can,
but I want to be clever about it and look after myself, while pushing myself within
my limits. Having a happy body and mindset, creating a balance between training
and having a life, is what it is really about for me. There is no point in pushing too
hard, damaging your body, forcing you to stop doing what you love. I am still here
because I work within myself – I push boundaries, but I balance it. So, when I came
back to running in 2015, I started cross-training to up my strength, and it provided
me with a new challenge that kept things fresh and exciting.
What does it take to finish in the top 10 at Comrades?
It takes a lot of training to keep you on top of your game, but that training needs to
be adapted. You have to keep changing it up to make yourself better. I am learning
all the time, trying different things, like cross-training making me stronger in
different areas, because you can’t just run. And while training is one part, you need
family support, good sponsors, good coaching, good training partners... there is a
lot that goes into getting you there.
All my Comrades journeys have taken years of commitment and understanding
from family and partners. It is all about your commitment to training, and it takes a
lot to stay focused, especially when you are training alone. It’s very challenging, but
on the day, it’s you, yourself and the race.
Yolande Maclean
Age: 41
Best time: 6:29:47 (2007)
Medals: 8 gold
2018 – 10 th in 6:52:16
2016 – 5 th in 6:43:24
2015 – 10 th in 7:01:49
2007 – 7 th in 6:29:47
2006 – 7 th in 6:47:03
2005 – 8 th in 6:37:36
2004 – 7 th in 6:45:40
2003 – 9 th in 6:44:40
How are you feeling about Comrades this year?
Like every other year, I’m nervous, because it’s a scary race and it never gets
easier. Every year the race amongst the women gets faster. When the Russians
were here it was different, and the competition is a lot tighter and faster now, so it’s
going to be tough this year.
What has been your most challenging Comrades?
Last year, just 15km in and I wasn’t well at all. I battled through the whole thing
and was lying 12th with 10km to go. I was down and out, and at 8km to go I was
on the climbs and couldn’t go hard, but where I could push, I did. I pushed as hard
as I could and with one kay to go I passed 10th place. That gold medal was a big
motivation, I couldn’t let her go, and I am just hoping that this year is better.
Which do you prefer, the Up or Down route?
Both routes are hard, but I prefer the down finish in Durban. There is so much
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