The Bothaville-born-and-bred Steyn is no stranger to rewriting the record books. She has won seven consecutive Two Oceans Marathon titles and conquered the Comrades Marathon on five occasions, but there is one notable omission from her impressive CV – she has never raced competitively in her native Free State or in Bloemfontein.

That is set to change in October when Steyn lines up for the inaugural ABSA Run Your City Mangaung 10K.

Gerda Steyn - Comrades

The hugely popular Run Your City series will make its first stop in Bloemfontein next month, giving Steyn the opportunity to race on what she regards as home soil and in front of supporters who have cheered her on from afar for years.

Steyn says she is thrilled to finally get the chance to race in Bloemfontein.

“Until now, I've never actually raced in the Free State or in the Northern Cape, so it would be an amazing experience for me to meet new faces,” said Steyn.

“I know that every year I get an immense amount of support coming from those provinces, so for me to finally line up at a race in their home territory is something that I'm very excited about.

“My one message to anyone wanting to come out and support is: when you see me, please say hello, please send a thumbs up. I see you all, and it means the world to me knowing that there's so much support out there.

“Bring the young ones out, let them come and watch us run, and watch us do a sport that brings the community together and brings so much joy into our lives as well.

Gerda Steyn - Two Oceans Marathon

“So, I look forward to meeting you all. I look forward to racing on home soil. It's going to be a fantastic day out there, and I don't want anyone to miss out.”

While Steyn is no stranger to the 10km road-racing scene and boasts a personal best of 32:24, set in Dubai in 2020, racing through the streets of Bloemfontein will carry a much deeper meaning.

For Steyn, the race promises to be much more than another entry on her impressive running career. It will be a return to a city that played an important role in her journey and where she spent several years studying and calling Bloemfontein home.

“As a Free State girl myself, who spent my entire young years growing up in the Free State, who called Mangaung home for many years, studying there, I can't really think of anything better than to now run the Run Your City Mangaung 10K race there.

“I feel like it's a little bit of a full-circle moment. When I lived in Mangaung and studied there, I never envisaged myself as a professional runner. So now, to return to the city from a completely different perspective feels really, really special.

“I'm sure that I will recognise every corner and every turn, and I'm sure that I will also recognise a lot of familiar faces there. So it really is exciting and special, and I can't wait to line up.”

Gerda Steyn, Irvette van Zyl, and Bloemfontein running great, Kesa Moletsane - UFS

With one of South Africa's most celebrated distance runners finally set to race in the city she once called home, the Run Your City Mangaung 10K promises to be a memorable occasion for Steyn and the Bloemfontein running community alike.

The Run Your City Mangaung 10K takes place on Sunday, 25 October, with the race starting at Grey College.

Morgan Piek OFM Sport