Sign Me Up (Again)

Having used the Modern Athlete DARE TO TRI Programme to go from being a tri novice at Bela Bela to a good Ironman finish in PE of 13:29:50, Jason Edgecomb says he is ready for more of the same!

During April 2015 I was informed by a doctor that I should stop running altogether, as he had diagnosed a hip condition that would be aggravated by running, and eventually, in years to come, could result in a possible hip replacement. Needless to say, I stopped running immediately! I could only get an appointment to see an orthopaedic surgeon that specialises in hips four months later, and he assessed my hips via X-rays and an examination concentrating on stride, stride length, landing position and gait. He derived that being so tall (6 foot 4) resulted in me over-striding and subsequently putting too much stress on my hips.

I then saw a running style specialist as well as spoke to Jeppe Athletics and DTT coach Derick Marsicz, who both helped me adjust my running style, and the hip pain subsided. I had also been taking a natural supplement that helped me with my hips as well as other health-related benefits. That allowed me to finish my first Comrades in May 2016, and two weeks later I decided to accept the challenge of becoming an Ironman, so I contacted Derick and joined the Modern Athlete DARE TO TRI programme.

Up for the Challenge
Being terrified of open water swimming, I trained my swimming up to four times per week. I barely managed 550 metres in my first indoor session, but with Derick’s guidance I was soon completing 2000m sessions in the gym, and the coached open water swim sessions with DTT helped my confidence. Meanwhile, the bicycle training was also a challenge. Due to my height, it was difficult to find a bicycle that suited my length, but I eventually sourced a bicycle from a friend who is even taller than me. Then I ensured that I attended every weekend DTT ride – even though one of the regular training venues is more than 50 minutes’ drive from my house – and Derick helped with technique and gearing.

In August last year, I attempted my first triathlon at the Bela Bela 5150, which I finished in 3:05. The event was superb and I was ‘triathlon hooked,’ which saw me sign up for the full Ironman in PE, and so I continued to train with DTT. With two sessions per day, the late evening sessions were the hardest, as my wife trains as well and we needed to juggle our family commitments, as we have two young daughters.

Six weeks before the Ironman, I attended a Two Thirds Ironman distance training camp in PE, on the Ironman course. The sole purpose of attending the camp was to ensure that I was comfortable with the sea swim. Derick had advised me to concentrate on the swim and gauge my feelings for the race, and I ended up swimming 3.3km and felt good.

Ready for Action
So we arrived at race day in April, and it was amazing to stand on the beach amongst all the other athletes in wetsuits. The staggered start was fantastic and I started the swim feeling good and having fun, and the 3.8km swim was over much sooner than I expected. I really enjoyed it so much that I even ran from the beach into T1. The bike leg was also awesome, with stunning views along the coast. And I just kept reminding myself of the things Coach had taught me. It was awesome to see my wife at the 90km turn point, and I saw her again as I exited T2, to begin the 42.2km run.

I was dreading four loops of the run, but the loops actually proved to be stunning, thanks to the familiarity of landmarks as well as the support from friends and spectators. Even better, the camaraderie amongst the DTT, Jeppe and other Ironman participants was fantastic, so I looked forward to each loop to collect my loop bangles. With all four collected, the finish for a sub-5-hour marathon beckoned, and those final 100 metres were phenomenal, when I could hear the announcer and see the red carpet, as those words rang in my ears when crossing the line in 13:59: “You are an IRONMAN.” It was spine-chilling!

In fact, I enjoyed the event so much that I have signed up and registered with DTT to complete Ironman 2018!

Sign Up Today!
The DARE TO TRI programme is an affordable, manageable and sustainable training programme that fits in with your family, work and social commitments. For just R1500, you will receive coaching and be able to join coached weekend group training right up till Ironman PE on 15 April 2018. You cannot get this level of coaching for a nine-month period at this cost anywhere else!

For more info on the Modern athlete DARE TO TRI Academy, or to sign up, go to https://daretotri.canbook.me/dtt-2017, or contact the Coach at Derick.marcisz@stemcor.com.

Older & Slower

Recently I spoke to a master’s runner who, over the last few years, had noticed a small but steady decline in his running pace, with his strides devolving into shuffles. Despite experiencing no pain and having decades of running experience, his strides shortened and his running speed slowed down. So how does a runner’s body change as they age? – BY ERNEST HOBBES, BIOMECHANIST

As a runner ages, their lung capacity decreases due to a weakening of the diaphragm and reduction of the size and number of alveoli in the lungs. Maximal heart rate slows down by roughly one beat per minute each year, which means that at 60 years of age, your maximal heart rate is around 40 beats per minute slower than it was when you were 20. Since exercise intensity is related to cardiac output (heart rate x volume the heart can pump per stroke), a reduced maximal heart rate will reduce cardiac output, thus lowering maximal and near maximal exercise rate. As a result, running at the same pace will require a higher percentage of maximal effort, while running at the same relative effort will occur at a slower pace.

Flexibility also decreases with advancing age, particularly in connective tissues, such as tendons, as they become less pliable. The muscles also become increasingly inflexible, resulting in a reduced range of motion. This affects the backwards swing of the leg, resulting in an earlier recovery and a shorter cycle, reducing stride length. In a way, this works in tandem with the reduced exercise capacity, as the most economical running intensity is brought a gear down.

Aging results in a decrease in muscle size, particularly in the lower body. In addition, the neural stimulus for muscles to contract activates fewer muscle fibres, resulting in a decrease in muscle strength. Fast twitch fibres, which better accommodate high intensity work, are affected more than slow twitch fibres, which are suited for endurance events. Even though endurance runners rely far more on the slow twitch fibres, fast twitch fibres are also used. As men have greater muscular strength, they also have the most to lose, meaning that women can slowly close the gap on their male counterparts as they age.

Generally, sedentary adults lose fitness and strength much faster than active adults after the age of 30. The exact rate of decline is dependent on age, activity level and forms of exercise the runners participate in, but it is estimated that runners slow down between 0.2% to 1.4% per year. As age advances, the rate of decline increases.

There is some good news, though. As a previous article of mine explained, running economy continues to improve beyond the age of 30 due to a constant improvement in running technique. Studies have found that running economy at 40, 50, and 60 years of age show no observable decline. There are a few things runners could do to slow the rate of decline, and my next article will focus on this as well as the risks of activity at an older age.

About the Author
Ernest is a biomechanical, video, and running gait analyst at the High Performance Centre (HPC) of the University of Pretoria.

Legend of the Riddler

In his competitive days, Alec Riddle was known as the Riddler, whereas these days he is better known as the ‘Eye in the Sky,’ hovering above the leading runners at televised races to provide live updates from the route, which is just part of a very interesting and highly successful career as an athlete, coach and commentator. – BY SEAN FALCONER

In 2015, when the SABC was looking for somebody to put in a helicopter to do live commentary at the big races such as the Comrades and Old Mutual Two Oceans ultras, one of the names put forward was that of Alec Riddle. Having been a runner much of his life, done both races, and done many years of television commentary, it was a natural fit. “It’s a lovely way to watch the race, as you can see it unfolding even better than on TV,” says Alec. “I remember in 2015 telling the viewers and studio team to watch out for a guy I could see slicing through the top 10 at Camperdown, and that turned out to be Gift Kelehe, who went on to win the race.”

Of course, it helps that Alec has three silver medals each in the two big ultras and knows their routes well. In fact, he was 21st in the 1988 Comrades with a 6:05:23 time, came into the finish alongside 1990 women’s winner Nadine Harrison (whose sister is married to his brother), and in 1991 he finished alongside Bruce Fordyce after running much of the race with women’s winner Frith van der Merwe. “I was with her from 10km to 75km, because I was determined not to let a woman beat me. Then I blew spectacularly, and was sitting there when Bruce came along and sat down next to me. He told me he was waiting for a TV camera so he could tell everybody I was throwing myself a pity party… That got me going again!”

Having been awarded SA colours in biathlon, triathlon and lifesaving, in later years Alec came back from a long lay-off from competitive sport to earn spots at the World Ironman Champs in both Full Ironman and Ironman 70.3 distances, and in 2011 was crowned World Champion in his age category at the 70.3 World Champs in Las Vegas. Not bad for a guy who says he was very much a second-tier runner throughout school…

Running in Africa
With his father working in the building industry, Alec’s family left England when he was six and worked their way down to SA. “My Dad arrived home one day and my Mom said she had applied for a job in Africa for him, because she was tired of the English weather. So they packed their bags and the four kids, and we’ve been here ever since,” jokes Alec. He grew up in Natal and says he discovered a love for running at Westville Boys High School, then at Empangeni High School. “I wasn’t particularly good while at school, but we had an exceptionally good running culture at school, and one of my highlights was winning the under-15 schools category at the SA Cross Country Champs in East London as part of the Westville team.”

After school he went to study at the University of Port Elizabeth, and that is another interesting story. “I was registered to go to Rhodes, but just after finishing Matric, I went into the SweatShop store in Braamfontein, and Gordon Howie suggested I go to UPE instead, due to its strong athletics team. He phoned Mike Bosch, who organised me a bursary, and my whole life changed. We had a wonderful running club for the years that I was there, and legendary SA miler Johan Fourie once told me that UPE never had the same depth as Tuks or Maties, but in relays, we always managed to give them a real challenge.”

Alec went on to earn his SA University colours in this third year after finishing ninth at the SAU Cross Country Champs in Stellenbosch, but he says the highlight of his UPE days was in 1982 when a he was part of a 10-man team that broke the 24-hour relay World Record in Cape Town. “We ran 303 miles in 24 hours and I did 33 miles, with our team averaging about 4:40 per mile, which is equal to about 2:55 per kay!”

Talent Development
Having completed a BA degree, majoring in Mathematics, Alec began teaching at Grey High School in PE, then was offered a marketing post for the Grey PE schools. Later he started a sports management business, representing top sports stars such as cricketers Kepler Wessels and Dave Callaghan, and the next chapter saw him help launch Max Africa in 1999, with Xolile Yawa and Mark Sanan. It was a PE-based high performance training camp, backed by New Balance, that attracted some of the top talent in South Africa, and Alec is justifiably proud of their achievements.

“Our goal was to get SA athletes competitive, and we picked up a few international victories, with the highlight being Abner Chipu finishing fourth in the Boston Marathon. One year we also had six out of the top eight finishers in the SA Half Marathon Champs, with Abner winning the title. The athletes lived with us in a dormitory attached to our home, and my kids grew up in training camps in Lesotho, and it showed that if you incentivise the guys, they will perform.”

When Max Africa closed in 2002, Alec went into financial brokering, then became certified as a registered financial planner. He soon made his mark in his new field, and in 2008 he was a finalist for the Financial Planning Institute (FPI) Personal Finance Financial Planner of the Year Award, and in 2009 he won it. Today Alec is with Private Wealth Management, a division of Old Mutual. Today, aged 57, he lives in Stellenbosch with wife Michelle and kids Camryn (19) and Jamie (17). He still runs, but is also often seen seconding Jamie, who is quickly developing into one of SA’s hottest young triathlon prospects. Not surprising, given that his father was once of SA’s top ranked triathletes.

Simpler Days
“I got into triathons in the mid-80s after seeing a poster at the beachfront about a tri event. I was doing lifesaving and could run, so I just needed a bike. I won my first tri race, got a sponsorship from Stellenbosch Farmer’s Winery, and four months later I was part of the South African team in the London to Paris triathlon! Those were fun days… we would just leave our bikes next to a car or leaning against a tree while we did the swim, and we didn’t wear helmets back then.”

Alec went on to win an SA Champs title, to go with his SA titles in biathlon and the long run in lifesaving, and won a number of events, including the Durban Ultra Tri, which in turn qualified him for the Ironman World Champs in Hawaii, but due to SA being excluded from international sport in those years, he was unable to go. Frustrated, he took a break from all sport and admits he got very fat and unfit. “When I eventually returned to tri action, I was teased by my old friend Mike Bosch for only being on page 17 of the results, so that night I wrote on a serviette that when I turn 50, I will qualify for the Ironman World Champs in Kona.”

Having achieved that in 2010, a broken collar bone suffered in a fall while training in the USA wrecked his plans to compete, but just six weeks later he was back in action and finished third in his age category at the 70.3 World Champs in Florida, in spite of his lack of training. A year later, he was a World Champion.

Transform Your Swimming with DARE TO TRI

In the six years that we have run the DARE TO TRI Programme, the most asked question is always, “Can you help me with my swim?” It seems that for many would-be triathletes or Ironman competitors, riding up to 180km or running 42km is quite often not the biggest challenge – instead, it’s the shortest leg of the race that causes the most anxiety. For that reason, we are pleased to announce that DARE TO TRI is partnering with swim coach Jana Schoeman of Swim Smooth South Africa this year to put on specialised Swim Smooth workshops for the DARE TO TRI group.

Swim Smooth is the world’s leading swimming coaching company, specialising in simple coaching methods to help you become a faster, more efficient swimmer, and it is the official coaching provider for the International Triathlon Union (ITU) and British Triathlon. Jana is a Gauteng-based physiotherapist specialising in sports and orthopaedic rehabilitation, and as a passionate swimmer, she bought into the Australian-based swim coaching company, Swim Smooth’s slogan, “The world needs better swimming.” Earlier this year, Jana became the first Certified Swim Smooth Coach in South Africa, having travelled to the UK and Australia over the past three years in order to complete her training.

The Swim Smooth coaching methodology aims to address the three keys to improving swimming performance: Technique, training and open water skills.
• Swimming technique analysis involves a 90-minute video analysis and stroke correction session, making use of the latest technology. In most cases, the reality of what a swimmer is doing and their perception differ to a great degree, and this is pointed out through video captured from all angles above and below the water, and analysed poolside, including comparing your video to that of a professional swimmer. The stroke correction process involves live feedback relayed through an underwater headset, making it possible for the coach to communicate with the swimmer whilst they are performing specific drills to correct their stroke weaknesses.
• Training sessions not only focuses on the swimmer’s technique, but also involve optimising the swimmer’s fitness levels by developing his/her aerobic and anaerobic systems. Training involves a balance between technique, endurance and threshold training. This is facilitated through a small pacing device under the swimmer’s cap.
• Open water skills training is probably the most overlooked area of triathlon coaching. These sessions aim to teach swimmers how to face common fears associated with the open water environment, fit their wetsuit correctly, draft fellow swimmers, sight without disrupting their stroke, turn around buoys and adapt their stroke to the open water conditions.

Whether you are a beginner who would like to learn freestyle, an intermediate triathlete who wants to develop their stroke technique or an advanced swimmer looking to excel further, there is no doubt that Jana will assist in transforming your swimming. The Modern Athlete DARE TO TRI Academy will be collaborating with Jana in hosting specific swim workshops in the new season, and she will also offer personalised individual training to DTT members.

For more info on Swim Smooth, contact Jana on janaschoeman@gmail.com or 082 823 9478.

Sign up for DTT Today!
The new season of the DARE TO TRI Academy 2017/18 has started and you can start training anytime as we help you reach your triathlon goals. This training programme has transformed many everyday athletes and even self-confessed ‘couch potatoes’ into triathletes that have not only finished their first ever Standard Olympic distance triathlon, but then gone on to cross the finish line at Ironman 70.3 as well as the Ironman African Champs in PE.

This year’s programme will work toward several main goal events (but we will also do other events on the calendar, including some of the shorter sprint triathlons):
• 12 August 2017: 5150 Bela Bela – 1.5km swim/40km bike/10km run
• 24 September 2017: MiWay Cape Ultra – 1.9km swim/90km bike/21km run
• November 2017: MiWay Midlands Ultra – 1.9km swim/90km bike/21km run
• 28 January 2018: 70.3 East London – 1.9km swim/90km bike/21km run
• 15 April 2018: Ironman South Africa – 3.8km swim/180km bike/42km run

The success of the DARE TO TRI programme is an affordable, manageable and sustainable training program that fits in with your family/social and work commitments. For just R1500, you will receive coaching and be able to join coached weekend group training from the 22 July 2017 till Ironman PE on 15 April 2018. You cannot get this level of coaching for a nine-month period at this cost anywhere else!

To sign up, please go to https://daretotri.canbook.me/dtt-2017 and follow the prompts to register.

When We Were Young

The future stars of South African athletics did us so proud at the recent World U/18 Championships in Nairobi, Kenya, and following our team’s success brought back some great memories for me, when I was still competing as a junior two decades ago. – BY RENÉ KALMER

Team South Africa topped the medal table in Nairobi with 11 medals in total – five gold, three silver and three bronze – with China finishing second and Cuba third, followed by the hosts, Kenya, in fourth. Our young stars got the opportunity to compete on the world stage in front of the jam-packed Kasarani Stadium, which was filled with 60,000 spectators, and it all took me back to when I made my first national team at the age of 15, when I was included in the SA Junior Cross Country team for the World Cross Country Championships to be held at Stellenbosch.

Believe it or not, travelling to Cape Town for that meet was my first time on a plane! At first I was a bit disappointed that I did not get to travel overseas to represent my country, but thinking back, it was definitely one of my most memorable World Cross Country experiences. Every experience was new, and it was a real treat to stay in the Garden Court Hotel at Greenmarket Square for a whole week. After all, I was only used to Kalmer Camping trips! This is also where I fell in love with the Cape Town Promenade, where we did our morning runs each day, and one of the highlights was parading all my awesome new adidas Team SA kit with my roommate Georgina Fourie for my parents.

I finished 34th in the junior race and that was where the spark was lit for future international championships. The following year I had the opportunity to travel to Italy for the World Cross Country Championships in Turin. The experience I had gained in Stellenbosch paid off, and I finished in a surprising 12th position. The following year I duplicated this performance when I finished 12th again at the World Cross Country Championships in Marrakech, Morocco.

Back to the Track
Unfortunately, growing up I missed out on the World Youth Championships on the track, as they were only introduced in 1999, with Bydgoszcz in Poland hosting the first meet. However, I did qualify for my first ever World Juniors, which was held in Sydney, Australia in 1996, when I was 15 years old. I clocked 4:21 for the 1500m, but unfortunately I had to stay home as I was told I was too young to go. I just saw it as a temporary setback and was more determined than ever to qualify for the next World Junior Championships, in 1998 in Annecy, France.

In 1998 I qualified at the ABSA Series meet in Port Elizabeth. My goal was to run a sub-4:20 1500m in order to secure my spot on the team, and I crossed the line first after out-kicking Julia Sakara of Zimbabwe in the final 200m of the race. I was in total shock (and ended up tripping myself) when I saw that the clock was stopped at 4:09! I not only qualified for the World Juniors, but also for the Commonwealth Games, and I was ranked number one in the world with that time! That made me a medal hopeful leading into the World Junior Champs.

Unfortunately, a week before the champs I picked up a grade three stress fracture in my tibia. I tried to be brave and still lined up for the heats in Annecy, and it was without a doubt my most painful 1500m. Worse still, I was the first runner to miss out on a spot in the final, and it was heart-breaking to watch the final from the side of the track. The only consolation was that the winner of the race posted a slower time and that I was still holding the fastest junior time of the year for 1500m. Unfortunately, no medals are handed out for World leading times.

Staying Positive
I might not have brought any medals back home, but what I value the most of those Championships was the beginning of a very special friendship with Estie Wittstock (now Nagel). Over the past 20 years we have shared some great adventures while overseas and competing on the European circuit.

Due to the stress fracture, I also had to withdraw from the Commonwealth Games that took place in Kuala Lumpur, but that gave me the opportunity to focus on my final Matric exams. This was an instant cure for my Grandma’s heart problems, as she feared that her eldest grandchild might fail Matric after missing too much school that year – 46 days in total – while travelling the world and living a dream.

Keeper of the History

The current generation of South African track and field athletes is setting the world stage alight, but South African athletics has actually been blessed with many great athletes and achievements throughout its history. This includes gold medallists in the early Olympic Games of the 20th century, and various World Records or Bests by ‘greats’ that have long since disappeared into the realms of time, but thanks to Dewald Steyn, their legacy lives on. – BY SEAN FALCONER

Dewald’s detailed five-volume History of South African Cross-Country, Middle and Long-Distance Running and Walking, covers the full spectrum of the sport from 1894 to 2014, featuring an absolute treasure trove of stories, results, stats and photographs. The well-known athletics author says the project was born in 2013 when he realised that it would be a tragedy if the history of SA’s cross-country and distance running was lost to the current and future generations. “I knew that the only way was to actively engage in research and document it,” says the 74-year-old author and statistician.

“It is really important to preserve the history of our sport, because there are current athletes who don’t even know who legends like Fanie van Zyl or De Villiers Lamprecht are. Van Zyl was almost unbeatable in his time, was an amazing strategist and one of the best middle-distance athletes this country has ever seen.”

Furthermore, he decided to do more than just consult the available records and statistics in publications and media archives, but also to speak to as many of the living legends of South African athletics as he could, to get the best stories and photos. “It took four years to complete this set of volumes and a lot of research was put into this. I also spoke to a vast number of athletes, and this opened up a whole new world of information. Most of them had scrapbooks and memorabilia documenting their individual achievements, and those not only served as a wonderful source of information, but also led to further interviews and interesting anecdotes, all of which have been captured in the books. Some of the athletes also generously donated their scrapbooks to be preserved, and I’m still looking for the right place to house these valuable documents.”

Passion for Athletics
Born in 1943 in Sabie, Dewald later studied botany at the universities of Potchefstroom and Pretoria, and his career included posts as a teacher, researcher, lecturer and even Deputy Director at Department of Water Affairs. However, his unquenchable passion for athletics is what defines him. That was born out of being inspired by a speech in Potchefstroom in April 1964 by coach Arthur Lydiard, who was touring South Africa with Olympic gold medallist Peter Snell of New Zealand.

“The very next day after hearing the great man speak, I resigned as secretary of the Potchefstroom University Rugby Club and first team scrumhalf to become a long distance athlete,” he recalls. It didn’t take long for him to make his mark: In 1966 he finished second to De Villiers Lamprecht, South Africa’s first sub-four minute miler, at the South African Universities Cross-Country Championships, and he went on to represent South Africa in cross country against Rhodesia in 1967.

Dewald may also hold the record of the athlete that has represented the most provinces during his long career: He received provincial colours from no less than five provinces, namely Western Transvaal (1964-1966), Border (1967), Southern Transvaal (1968), Orange Free State (1969-1971) and Northern Transvaal (1972-1988), in track and field, cross country and road running. He also earned national colours by being selected for various South African Universities teams, competed in more than 70 South African Championship races, and won the Hardy Ballington Trophy as the first novice to finish the Comrades Marathon in 1975, when he finished 16th in 6:26. He went on to run the Comrades 10 times and earn Green Number 1940, with a best time of 6:25.

Early in his running career, Dewald also became involved in the administrative side of the sport. He served as a provincial secretary, later as a selector and race referee, and excelled as organiser of big meetings, including putting on both the South African Cross-Country Championships and the South African University Cross-Country Championships in 1966. Later he went on to serve 11 years as race organiser of what was then the biggest standard marathon in SA, the Hyper-to-Hyper Marathon in Pretoria, as well as other events. He also managed the distribution of the SA Athlete monthly magazine of the former SAAAU national body from 1973 to 1978.

Helping Hand
Besides his own athletic achievement, Dewald is best known for assisting many athletes from SA and neighbouring countries with coaching, management, bursaries, jobs, accommodation, transport, entries and gear, and many of his athletes went on to win prestigious races or titles, and represent their countries on the world stage, including the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games and World Championships. “I think some of my favourite moments as a coach and manager was watching Mike Fokoroni of Zimbabwe finishing 11th at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Marathon, and then Namibian Helalia Johannes finishing 12th at the 2012 London Olympic Marathon. Those were really proud days for me.”

He has also sent athletes to 23 different countries in Africa, Europe and Asia, and they have come back with more than 20 international marathon titles. “One of the really unique trips we do is to North Korea. I am the only South African manager who can take athletes to the Pyongyang Marathon, and we’ve been going there for more than 10 years now.

On home soil, his coaching groups have produced more than 50 winners in prestigious races such as the Comrades, Two Oceans, Loskop and Om Die Dam ultras as well as the Soweto, Cape Town and Johannesburg marathons. To make all this possible, he built a room in his own backyard to supply overnight facilities for black athletes from outside Pretoria, obtained and drove a sponsored mini-bus to transport these runners to many races, secured jobs for many of them when their competitive days were behind them, and often paid for the athletes out of his own pocket. Deservedly, Dewald was awarded the Reggie Walker Merit Award by ASA for special services to athletics.

Getting back to Dewald’s incredible books, perhaps the best way of summing up the vastness of the project is best left to Professor Pieter Labuschagne, who not only features in the books as a former great, but is also most famous for having coached Zola Budd and Elana Meyer: “The construction of the various volumes was indeed a mammoth task with the information scattered over the entire country, stored or contained in private collections and much of it dumped in cardboard boxes. But if you need a man with the doggedness of a committed private investigator to achieve this, Dewald is your man. In putting together this collection of information, he has once again made a major contribution to athletics in South Africa.”

Get the Books
Dewald’s book is available on order for R1380 for the entire set of five volumes plus index, or individual volumes can also be ordered. For enquiries or orders, contact dewalds@wordonline.co.za or 082 442 1860.

Speed Coach

As one of the leading athletics coaches in South Africa, Hennie Kriel is one of the main contributors to the current resurgence in South African sprinting. – BY REGGIE HUFKIE

After years of South African sprinting not quite living up to the potential this country boasts – for example, the men’s 100m record was ‘stuck’ at 10.06 seconds for 26 years – the last few years have seen an incredible surge in faster time. That includes SA now having five men who have dipped under 10 seconds and a current SA record of 9.89, with several more athletes knocking on the door of long-standing SA records. And one of the leading players in this resurgence of sprinting is Hennie Kriel, Head Coach at the Tuks High Performance Institute in Pretoria.

Working alongside assistant coaches Chris Conradie and Thabo Matibedi, they employ an integrated training philosophy called the Grigora System – Grigora is Greek for Quick – and this programme has already seen them deliver nine new South African records in various age categories and across the various sprinting distances. In 2014, then ‘Grigorians’ Henricho Bruintjies and Ncinci Titi combined with Simon Magakwe and Akani Simbine to clock a new SA men’s 4x100m relay record of 38.35. The following year, Gift Leotlela set new SA 100m and 200m under-18 records, Henricho became only the second South African sprinter to dip under the magical 10-second barrier, and Taylon Bieldt set a new SA under-18 record for the 100m hurdles.

In 2016 Taylon added a new SA Record in the under-20 100m hurdles, and in 2017, the 100m, 200m and 300m under-20 records fell to Clarence Munyai and Gift, while 16-year-old Sokwakhana Zazini set a new World Best in the boys under-18 400m hurdles. However, typically humble at all times, Hennie is quick to give others credit for the incredible run of records. “It is very important to note that I am not solely responsible for the performances of the athletes. Chris Conradie and Thabo Matibedi play important roles. And I only mentioned athletes who improved records whilst in the system,” he says.

CALL TO COACHING
Boasting 31 years of top flight sprint coaching, Hennie originally hails from Jan Kempdorp in the Northern Cape. He was a talented sprinter in his younger days, winning a silver medal at the South African Youth Athletics Championships in the boys’ under-18 200m. After school he joined the police force for four years, then attended the Pretoria Teachers’ Training College, studying to become a math teacher. However, he admits that coaching was his first love. “I grew up doing all kinds of sports and it was a natural progression to start coaching when I stopped competitive sport myself, so I became a teacher because I wanted to coach sport.”

Once he had completed his studies, Hennie began coaching track and field sprinters, and with a keen interest in speed, he found himself digging deeper into research and training methods. A big believer in the human body’s physical ability coupled with the power of the mind, Hennie was convinced that South African sprinters could do better if they got their mindset right. “A lack of belief in the ability of our athletes, or rather a lack of belief that a sub-10-second 100m could be run without the use of performance enhancing drugs, was keeping South Africans from going under 10 seconds. Also, outdated training methods showed a lack of understanding how to develop speed levels to achieve those times.”

His career has included coaching Myrtle Bothma, whose long-standing SA women’s 400m hurdles record has stood since 1986, and his success with sprinters caught the eye of the Blue Bulls Rugby Franchise, who brought him on board as a speed coach. That saw him play an instrumental role during the Blue Bulls’ highly successful years from 2000 to 2005, alongside eventual Springbok Coach Heynecke Meyer.

THE BEST IN SA
Today Hennie and his team of coaches look after a group of more than 80 athletes, ranging from the best youth sprinters in the country to established senior stars such as LJ van Zyl and Wenda Nel, and he says he is kept busy by the job. “Most days I am with the athletes at the gym between 6:30am and 9am, attend meetings until around 10am, and then I have a late breakfast and catch up on admin. I fit in interviews and other commitments before I make my way to the track at 2:30 to start preparing for the afternoon session that starts at 3pm and normally finishes around 6:30 for 7pm,” he says.

Looking ahead, the 2017 calendar includes the IAAF World Youth Championships and IAAF World Championships taking place in July and August respectively, and Hennie is hard at work to prepare his athletes for these meets – and hopefully bring home still more medals and records. “South African sport has been kept hidden from the world and it is my duty to contribute to not only show the world, but also our own people, and especially those responsible to administer and grow our sport, what can be achieved by straight-forward hard, honest and intelligent work.”

New DARE TO TRI Season Up and Running

The Modern Athlete DARE TO TRI Academy has had six very successful years since we started with our initial coaching project that took 10 novices to compete at the 70.3 Ironman South Africa in 2012. Now the 2017/2018 DARE TO TRI Programme kicked off on 10 July, so sign up today and let us help you reach your triathlon goals.

This training programme has transformed many everyday athletes and even self-confessed ‘couch potatoes’ into triathletes that have not only finished their first ever Standard Olympic distance triathlon, but then gone on to cross the finish line at Ironman 70.3 as well as the Ironman African Champs in PE.

The success of DARE TO TRI (DTT) is that it is an affordable, manageable and sustainable training programme that fits in with your family, work and social commitments. The programme is designed to take complete novices to the ultimate triathlon finish of an Ironman event, and this is done with a carefully planned gradual increase in training over the triathlon season. DTT specialises in training novices, and this past year we also took visually-impaired triathlete Helen Webb to her first ever triathlon finish at BelaBela, and seven months later she finished Ironman African Champs in PE, where we had nine novices amongst our 12 finishers.

This year’s programme will work toward these main goal events (but we will also plan to do other events on the calendar, including some of the shorter sprint triathlons):
12 August 2017: 5150 BelaBela – 1.5km swim/40km bike/10km run
24 September 2017: MiWay Cape Ultra – 1.9km swim/90km bike/21km run
26 November 2017: MiWay Midlands Ultra – 1.9km swim/90km bike/21km run
28 January 2018: 70.3 East London – 1.9km swim/90km bike/21km run
15 April 2018: Ironman South Africa – 3.8km swim/180km bike/42km run

Tried and Trusted Programme
Each week (usually Mondays) all members receive an e-mail detailing the week’s recommended training as well as the month ahead. The programme will have two training plans – one for novices and one for those who have already completed a Half Iron triathlon and are looking to improve their times. Weekday training is done by yourselves, or with friends, a training group or your clubmates, and then weekend coached sessions will be presented by DTT Coach Derick Marcisz, and all athletes are encouraged to come along and train with the Group. (Specifically structured training is available if you require it, and is especially recommended if you need a beginner’s programme for one of the sports.)

The weekend coached training sessions will be as follows:
• RUN training will be on Saturday mornings from Jeppe Quondam.
• SWIM training will be on Saturday afternoons, starting with indoor pool sessions at Virgin Active Bedfordview, and then we will start open water swims in September as the weather warms up again.
• BIKE training will be on Sunday mornings, either out in the Cradle or in the South of Joburg.

The DTT Academy will also host the following specialised workshops:
• SWIM WORKSHOPS (one indoors and one outdoors) – focussing on swim technique and open water swimming.
• BIKE WORKSHOP – basic bike maintenance.
• BIKE/RUN WORKSHOP – learn how to transition from bike to run.

Still the Most Affordable Option!
The good news is that we have once again kept the costs down, and for just R1500 you will receive coaching and be able to join coached weekend group training from 11 July 2017 till Ironman PE on 15 April 2018. You cannot get this level of coaching for this period (nine months) at this cost anywhere else, so go to https://daretotri.canbook.me/dtt-2017 and follow the prompts to register.

Meet The Coach: Derick Marcisz
The Modern Athlete DARE TO TRI Coach is 62 years old and can look back on 47 years as a runner, cyclist and triathlete – and he is still an active athlete. Derick has a marathon PB of 2:17:17, a sixth place finish at the Old Mutual Two Oceans 56km Ultra-marathon, and a top 20 finish in the Cape Town Cycle Tour. He has been involved in triathlon since 2000 and has competed in more than 120 triathlon and duathlons, at all distances from sprint to Ironman. Derick has represented the South African Age Group Team at five World Triathlon/Duathlon Championships. He is a qualified TSA triathlon coach and has been involved in coaching athletes for more than 20 years.

Turn Up Your Thermostat

63 years after Roger Bannister broke the four-minute mile, Nike rolled out its Breaking 2 Hours attempt to show that it is possible to run the marathon distance in less than two hours. I believe they succeeded in proving that it’s humanly possible, even though the attempt failed in definitive terms, as Kenyan Olympic Marathon Champion Eluid Kipchoge clocked 2:00:23. It was, however, an amazingly rhythmical and consistent effort that has many features that provides instant ‘take home’ messages and applications for every runner.

Analysis has shown that the massive clock tower on the lead car provided the greatest assistance as the runners were ‘guided’ by laser beamed lights into the draft zone behind the vehicle. Analysis of Kipchoge’s assumed power output and saving behind the car accounts for virtually all but a second of the increase in time. The rate at which Lelisa Desisa and Zersenay Tadese dropped back having exited the ‘safe zone’ was visual evidence of the energy-saving effect: they were either within two metres, or way out the back!

A point few have picked up on is the benefit of the course layout, which saw the 100% accuracy between the measured and run lines. This is due to the actual line being consistently in the middle of the track allowing the runner to be directly on top of the line for the whole test. This is normally not available to athletes in a race and the tighter corners and high curbs will often see runners going further around bends. Add in trips to refreshment tables and juggling around the bunch and it is not unreasonable that this alone saves 80 to 150 metres, which is in effect 12 to 23 seconds.

After these two items are taken into account the effect of the products, compression tights, strap blades (likeHermes wings) on legs, and shoes have minimal effect, although their contribution to maintaining the runners’homeostasis may come out of data. That, in turn, would contribute to the duration of the high intensity effort, and more importantly, the mental control shown by the Olympic Champion.

Brain versus Braun
For me this test of human performance was living proof that it is not the physiology that limits us – it is the mind. If it was physiology, then how could Kipchoge have picked up the pace over the final few hundred metres? Whatfueled this sprint? Certainly not the sports drink. If he was physically unable to continue, how was he able to walk for perhaps 20 or 30 metres after finishing, then jog to greet and hug a friend? If the physiological limit had been reached he would have collapsed over the line.

This supports, and to my knowledge is the first monitored endurance demonstration of, the Central Governor Theory evolved by Professor Tim Noakes in 2005. My favourite simile for this relates to engineering: The body has a factor of safety on the effort level that the mind (CPU in computer term) allows the body to do. As the intensity increases, the body sends signals (of fatigue) to the m ind to warn that high intensity level has been reached. The mind then tells the body to ease of, as a protection. The limiting intensity level is determined by past experience and also chemical action, such as lactate, which is brought in to protect the muscle but creates a different feeling in the body, which is then recognised as a signal not to sustain this level.

The monitoring of Kipchoge’s effort before and in recovery will hopefully allow the identification of the changes that prompted the moderation of effort, and if these can be trained then we can learn to physically improve the limiting level. Physical training can also change our perception of a limiting level. This is a direct benefit of time trials, intervals and hard workouts that convince us we are fitter, and therefore we ‘believe’ we can push harder in the next race. The mind then accepts a greater intensity, and of course physiological signs are less due to betterfitness for the task.

Mind Over Matter
But it has been shown in emotionally-driven explosive tasks, where time is too short to think, that the body can override and accomplish phenomenal action. It is desire and self-preservation that fuels these actions, blockingthe mind’s normal action. These actions can result in soft tissue damage, but the mind ‘allowed’ both because there was insufficient time to rationalise the action, and because it was lifesaving.

The problem with long duration tasks, such as distance running, is that we have too long to debate with the mind as to whether or not there is sufficient need to go beyond the normal limits. Most runners have experienced the doubts that can occur at the start of a race, and how we find potential excuses for holding back when we want to race, such as a bad night’s sleep, poor training, or a glass of wine the night before. However, once into the rhythm of the race, these often melt away as the mind is content with the level of effort. The questioning only returns in the last section of the race, where the level of desire is again tested and the winner is frequently the person who ‘wants it most.’ This cliché highlights that there is little to choose between the physiology, whereas the ability to override the ‘thermostat’ determines the winner.

Engineering’s fail-safe concept has also been experienced in long distance running. Quite simply, the mind will not let the body kill itself, so the normal protection is simply to get the body to lie down, as is frequently seen in both dehydrated or energy-depleted runners. Once on the ground, runners regain homeostasis, and may even get up and continue, the classic example being Johnny Halberstadt in the 1979 Comrades: He collapsed to the road, was fed a litre of Coke (sugar), and recovered to finish second.

Bigger Things to Come Clearly there was no lack of fluid or energy in Nike’s Breaking 2 Hours attempt, as both aspects were catered for. Kipchoge demonstrated that it was mental and perception-limitation only, and his final sprint showed that barriers can fall in the future. Importantly, the time of 2:00:23 will change perceptions of what can be achieved, notably with the marathon World Record. A World Record takes the performance beyond what the mind has been told is a limit. Conversely, these are not true limits, but barriers created by the mind. No matter what standard of runner we are, Nike’s inadvertent demonstration of the Governor Concept offers the potential of a whole new level of achievement for each and everyone of us, so turn up your thermostat!

About the Author
Norrie represented Scotland and Great Britain in numerous ultra-distance events, then emigrated and represented South Africa in triathlon. He is an IAAF-accredited coach and course measurer and is the official Old Mutual Virtual Coach. He has authored two books (Everyman’s Guide to Distance Running and Every Beginner’s Guide to Walking & Running), and counts 21 Comrades medals amongst his more than 150 ultra-marathon medals. More info at www.coachnorrie.co.za

Bouncing Back

I was over the moon when the doctor gave me the green light to start training again, having not been able to run for almost a year because of my hip surgery and then pregnancy. What I missed most during my pregnancy was… well, you guessed it…. running! Even more than I missed sushi, or a glass of wine. And I really love my sushi and wine! – BY RENÉ KALMER

At the time of writing, I have been training for three weeks, and that is all thanks to my friend Karen. A month ago she sent me the following message: “Time to get fit again! When are we jogging?” I ignored her at first, but a week later she sent me another message: “Are you up for a jog or two this week, my friend? No pressure, though!” I realised this was the perfect way to start getting back into a routine and make a comeback, as having a training buddy is a great form of motivation. It is much harder to skip a workout when you know you have a ‘ date.’

Luckily, Andre is more than happy to baby-sit at 5:30 in the morning, as he went into early hibernation after he “forgot” to train for Comrades this year. Most mornings father and daughter are still fast asleep when I get back from my run, with Karli’ s bottle still on the bedside table.

Mixing it Up
Even though Karen and I are highly motivated, we don’ t want to overdo it and risk injury. We jog every second day, and in between we mix up our training with sessions on the ElliptiGO, Wattbike or in the pool. This way the training stays fun and interesting. We are also very cautious not to increase pace and distance dramatically, and this is where a training logbook comes in handy. Keeping a journal/logbook of your runs is a great training tool. That way, whenever your motivation is a bit down, you can look back and be encouraged by how far you’ve come.

I’ m relieved that there is no big event on the near horizon, like an Olympic Games, that I need to rush my comeback for. Instead I can do it on my own terms… or Karli’ s terms. If she keeps us awake at night, I will reschedule my run, while grandma is babysitting. I always wondered who trains at midday, but now I know. And if I feel a niggle, I cut my workout short and walk back home. Even though this is frustrating, there is no use running through a niggle and potentially making it worse. Unfortunately, I had to learn this the hard way with my hip.

Going for Goals
Whatever your fitness level, setting a realistic goal is useful to stay motivated. At the recent launch of the Pretoria leg of the Spar Ladies’ Series, I committed myself to be in shape to race competitively again, which gives me three months to get rid of the preggy-belly and into my racing shoes again. So bring on the 5th of August!

For now, it is just really great being back on the road again, and sometimes you just have to stop for a minute and appreciate the small things that you have accomplished in your training. My small victories for now are being back on the road, and earning Vitality Active Rewards again, so I don’ t have to pay for my Kauai smoothies! And even though it is winter, I really look forward to the next steps of my journey back to competitive running. The struggle is real, but it hurts so good!