With expectation hanging over the Purple Team like a humid Durban dawn, Hollywood Athletics Club manager Manfred Seidler is refusing to lace his athletes with the weight of obligation ahead of Sunday’s Comrades Marathon Up Run from Durban to Pietermaritzburg.
For Seidler, the script is refreshingly simple. Run hard, run smart and make it safely to the finish line.
With defending champions Gerda Steyn and Tete Dijana leading one of the deepest squads in the field, Hollywood has been cast by many as the team to beat. Seidler, however, is refusing to turn prediction into pressure.
“It’s the case of, look, we always turn around and say to the athletes, there’s no pressure. What happens on race day happens on race day. You perform to the best of your abilities because we know that that’s what the athletes will do,” Siedler told SABC Sport
“You have a bad day, you have a bad day, so be it. You have a great day, fantastic. But from the club’s point of view, there’s never a pressure and an expectation that you must win or you must get on the podium. Obviously, that is what we’d love to see.”
The philosophy feels almost rebellious in an era where prediction has become a pre-race pastime and social media often sprints faster than the runners themselves.
Hollywood’s women’s challenge is spearheaded by four-time champion Gerda Steyn, with Irvette van Zyl preparing for her maiden Up Run alongside Carla Molinaro and American Courtney Olsen.
“We’d obviously love to see Gerda and Tete taking the title. But the expectation is, do your best. That’s all one can actually ask for. I think in terms of preparations and so on, the athletes, obviously, with their coaches and so on, they would have prepared accordingly. We’ve got a good team.
“We know this. We’ve got a professional team. A lot of them have been doing Comrades for a while. And Irvette, this will be her first Up Run. We know how strong Irvette is. So we’re hopeful. We’re hopeful for really good results. But again, like I said, there’s no expectations. From our side, from the club point of view, we basically need to provide as much as possible in terms of the support structure that is physically possible.”
Away from the stopwatch and split times, another narrative has gathered momentum in recent seasons, with many portraying Comrades as a heavyweight duel between Hollywood Athletics Club and Nedbank Running Club.
Seidler is not buying into the theatre.
He believes the world’s greatest ultra marathon stretches far beyond the colours of two clubs and expects numerous athletes to shape Sunday’s story on the demanding 85km journey to Pietermaritzburg.
Still, there is no hiding the depth in Hollywood’s ranks. The men’s squad features seasoned ultra specialists capable of dictating the tempo and producing late surges when the road bites hardest, while the women’s team carries proven pedigree and impressive depth.
Individual success is only one target on the horizon. The Purple Team also has its eyes fixed on Monday’s breakfast ceremony, where the coveted team prizes will be handed out.
Hollywood will aim to defend its women’s team title while mounting a strong challenge for the men’s honours, trusting that collective strength, careful preparation and calm minds can carry the club all the way to the tape.
In a race famous for breaking bodies and humbling favourites, Seidler’s message is strikingly uncomplicated. Sometimes the fastest way to greatness is to stop chasing pressure and start chasing the road itself.
Photo Credit: Adnaan Mohamed
