Landie Greyling surprised by her maiden national marathon title

Greyling was the first South African to cross the finish line in 2:55:01, placing third overall.

Jenna Challenor won the Cape Peninsula Marathon in 2:51:24 but was not competing in provincial colours, which disqualified her from the ASA title despite being the first local runner to finish. Campbell Tracy Anne of Eastern Province Athletics secured second place in 3:04:59, followed by Makhosazane Mhlongo in third with 3:06:03.

 Greyling earned R20,000 for winning the national title, while Challenor took home R12,000 for her Cape Peninsula Marathon victory, which saw 8,000 runners compete in challenging windy conditions.

READ: Bennet Seloyi claims his maiden national marathon title

"This was my first time running the Peninsula Marathon and also my first time competing in the ASA Championships. The wind played a huge role today—we always hear about it but experiencing it firsthand on the road was a real challenge,” Greyling said.

“Despite that, the route was beautiful, and there were plenty of groups to work with. However, in the last 4km, it became an individual battle to the finish. I’m both relieved and surprised to have won.

“It was a fantastic morning, and I appreciate everyone who made this race possible, from the marshals to the sponsors. My focus was on running according to my target time, as this race was crucial for my qualification for the Two Oceans and Comrades Marathon.

“I was aware that the wind would be a factor from 21km to 32km, so I made my move around 28km to catch up with the leading group.”

Trail runner Greyling finished 16th in last year's Comrades Marathon.

“Hopefully, next up will be the Two Oceans Marathon. I still need to do some hill training, and then I'll use the Comrades down run as part of my preparation. This win was a huge confidence booster, especially since I hadn't competed in a road race since June last year and had no idea what to expect. Now, I feel more confident heading into the next three months,” she said.

Her personal best time is 2:51, but she believes she could have run 2:50 if not for the wind.

"I’d like to thank my husband, my child, and my coach Ernie for their support—it was wonderful to have them by my side—as well as everyone I train with," said Greyling.