Elsa Meyer, una marchadora de 61 años, tomará la salida en el Comrades Marathon, una de las pruebas ultras más importantes del mundo, que se celebra el próximo fin de semana entre las ciudades de Durban y Pietermaritzburg, en Sudáfrica. A pesar de no ser una prueba específica de marcha, la carrera, de 90 kilómetros de recorrido, cuenta con un número cada vez mayor de marchadores entre sus particpantes.Meyer se clasificó cuarta en los 5 y 10km W55 de los Campeonatos del Mundo celebrados en 2005 en San Sebastián.
A long and winding walk lies ahead for this tough Comrade
Pretoria News, June 14, 2007
Hanti Otto
When the road gets too long, or a muscle stiffens, Elsa Meyer just sings in her head: "I believe I can fly … "
"And then in the end I finish the race," the 61-year-old race walker said.
What she modestly refrained from saying was that she often won these races.
Always looking for a bigger challenge, this sprightly Capital Park resident will walk her first Comrades Marathon this year.
"I couldn't have done it before due to back problems. But I had an operation, so why not try and see if I can finish this marathon in time," she said.
About two weeks ago she read a Comrades article. It scared her so much she did not sleep for two nights.
But now, only a few days before the big event, she is geared up and ready, saying: "Hey, one has to do it before you get old."
Meyer said she only knew of about seven race walkers who would participate, as the race was geared for runners. However, since the Comrades was extended to 12 hours, walkers decided to try their luck and endurance too.
She will be walking with a friend who is doing his third Comrades. They aim to cross the finish line by 4.45pm on Sunday.
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Meyer said since she decided in January to tackle the challenge, she has ensured she put "enough kilometres" on her legs by being the first walker to complete the Loskop 50km race and the second one to finish the "Om die Dam 50km".
"The Comrades has no prizes for walkers. I am doing it to test myself," she said.
Meyer started walking on her own in 1996. About two years later she and her daughter participated in a formal walk race. Meyer finished eighth.
The bug bit deep and she joined the Agapé running club.
In 2005 she received Springbok colours in masters athletics walking and went to Spain for the Masters World Games. There Meyer came fourth in both the 5km and 10km events.
And, just to prove what Pretoria women are made off, she not only won the Masters SA Competition in Bloemfontein in April in both the 5km and 10km race, but also set a new Free State record for the 5km race, completing it in 30 minutes and 54 seconds.
"I am as ready as can be for this Comrades. We drive down on Friday. Will I do it again? I don't know.
"People say you have to at least do the Comrades in both directions. I will first see how this one goes," she said.
