Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 57, April 2014 | Page 11

My Goal

Ready to Run!

The 2014 Old Mutual Two Oceans Ultra Marathon will
be a landmark race for two very well known South
African long distance runners, as Elana Meyer takes
on her first voyage, while Bruce Fordyce does his
30th! – BY NICOLE DE VILLIERS

Images: Courtesy Nedbank & Endurocad

TRIPLE GREEN GOAL
For someone who has recently sustained an injury, nine-times Comrades
Marathon winner Bruce Fordyce is remaining calm: “I was planning
to run a sub-5:00 at my 30th Two Oceans, and my training was going
beautifully until I decided to take on the youngsters at our club time
trial and did something to the heel of my foot. I think I struck a stone
with my left heel. I resorted to riding my mountain bike to keep my
fitness levels up, but I might not be able to do the time I was hoping to
do. Let’s face it, you will have to cycle for days to get the same fitness
result as you do with running.”
Never one to panic, Bruce remarks that these things happen, and since
it happened with more than a month till race day, he reckons he will be
fine. “The worst that could happen is me running a little slower than I
had planned. I would have been worried if it happened a week before
race day, but there was enough time and I am feeling optimistic. At the
end of the day, so what, if I don’t do a sub-5?” he says.

MAIDEN VOYAGE

Former Olympic 10 000m silver medallist Elana Meyer only made the
commitment to run the Two Oceans Ultra in January, and it will be her
first race beyond the marathon distance, so she admits to being a little
worried that it is such a long way, but says she is looking forward to
the day. Elana also says she is not worried about her time: “My main
objective is to raise funds and awareness for Endurocad, to support
young and upcoming SA athletes.”
“The first month of training went
pretty well, and I managed to
lift my running from the casual
four to five times a week to six
solid days of running, including
one long run. I ran my qualifying
marathon at the Cango Marathon
in Oudtshoorn in February. It
went really well and I ran a
comfortable 3:24. However, since
the marathon I have had a niggly
Achilles tendon bothering me, but
I am very lucky to have my own
in-house guru, Jacques Janse van
Rensburg, who has been treating
me regularly.”

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