Category: Columns

Should you wear racing shoes, or racing flats as they’re known, when you want to go for faster times in races? Here are some guidelines to help you decide.

You’re lined up at a race when you notice that one of your shoelaces has come untied, so you kneel to retie the bow. While you’re down there, you look at the other running shoes around you and notice that some runners are wearing sleek, lightweight racing shoes, whereas you’re in the bigger, heavier running shoes that you usually train in.

Now you start wondering if you should get a pair of racing shoes as well, because they look so aerodynamic, so built for racing and faster times, but you’re not sure if they will really make that much difference. After all, you’re not exactly an elite runner… Here’s what you should know.

Race faster: Research in the USA has shown that most runners go about one-second-perkay faster for every 30 grams that they shave off their running shoes. So if you go from a 320-gram training shoe to a 200-gram racing flat, that’s four seconds per kay, which means 40 seconds saved in a 10km race, or nearly five minutes in a marathon. Granted, it isn’t that much, but for some runners that could mean finally setting that elusive new PB.

Feel faster: When you line up to go after a fast time, you want to feel ready to race. You eat more carefully, make sure you have everything you need, then warm up extra specially, so go the whole hog and add racing shoes as well, even if it just makes you feel faster.

Less cushioning: The midsoles of racing flats are thinner than training shoes, so they provide about 20% less cushioning. If you are a bigger, heavier runner that needs the extra cushioning, rather stick with your trainers.

Less support and stability: The reason racing flats are so light is that they are relatively simple shoes, not offering much in terms of stability, support or motion-control features. If you need these, you probably shouldn’t wear racing shoes.

Lightweights versus flats: Lightweight trainers are designed for fast training and long-distance racing, making them the perfect compromise for most racing distances and runners. They usually weigh about 250 grams, which is midway between a training shoe and a racing flat, so still provide good cushioning and support.

When in pain: Conventional wisdom is that you shouldn’t race when your muscles are tired and sore, but many of us line up for races a bit sore anyway. If so, more cushioned training shoes are better as they minimise further muscle damage.

Go short in flats: A good suggestion is to wear racing shoes for 10km races, then switch to lightweight trainers or normal training shoes for longer races. The theory is that you won’t do that much damage to your muscles in the shorter races if you do need more cushioning.

Our bodies are constantly subjected to different stresses. Long working hours, too many late nights and hard training sessions place high demands on our bodies. Often the stress becomes stored in our physical structure, causing ailments such as muscle spasms, headaches and lower back pain. All of these things ultimately affect our sporting performance. Having this body stress released can enhance your quality of life – and benefit your running.

Body stress occurs when the body fails to adapt to an overload of stress, and tension becomes stored in physical structures causing pain and discomfort. This stored tension has an impact on the nervous system and undermines the body’s natural ability to co-ordinate its functions and heal and maintain itself.

“Many people have more stress in their bodies than what they are aware of. Tension and stress don’t always manifest as pain. Not being in pain is not a defi nition of health. Complete health comes from functioning 100% mentally, emotionally and physically,” says Rory Litchfi eld, a Body Stress Release (BSR) practitioner in Greenside, Johannesburg. Rory, who has treated many top athletes, has been a practitioner for five years and became involved in BSR after experiencing the benefits of it himself.

He describes BSR as a complementary health technique based on helping people deal with the physical effects of stress. It helps the body heal itself by releasing stored tension. This technique was the brainchild of Ewald and Gail Meggersee, two South African chiropractors who researched stress extensively. Though the technique has been around since 1981, most people still don’t know enough about it, says Rory.

STRESS IN SPORT
Our bodies are wonderfully-made machines with miraculous self-healing abilities. Think of cutting  yourself; you stick a plaster on it, but ultimately it is the body that heals the cut. Our bodies can perform optimally if we respect them. When doing sport, we need to listen closely to our bodies as they are constantly subjected to different kinds of stresses:

• MECHANICAL OR PHYSICAL STRESS: Everyone has different points of stress overload and when that point is reached, the body will automatically start to protect itself by tightening the muscles over the area of stress, effectively splinting the involved joint. In this way stress can become stored in the physical structure. Take overtraining as an example, explains Rory’s colleague, Brent Garvie. It may often result in more stress than the body can adapt to and this stress may then become stored in the body. Brent says that most injuries are not the result of sudden catastrophes, but occur because of what is popularly known as ’overuse’, which means that a key part of the body simply can’t stand up to the pressures of training and competition without breaking down.


• EMOTIONAL OR MENTAL STRESS: Competitive sport can lead to emotional or mental stress, often induced by competitiveness and the pressure to perform or win at all costs.


• CHEMICAL STRESS: Chemical stress can be caused by dehydration and over-hydration, as well as environmental pollutants such as car fumes.

HOW CAN BSR COUNTERACT THESE STRESSES?

• A BSR practitioner can help anyone, from babies to office workers, and can help athletes perform optimally. A release of stressed muscles provides new energy.


• When muscles are protectively splinted over an area of lockedin stress, it takes tremendous energy from the body to keep those muscles in their protective state, energy that should be
  available to help improve performance.


• BSR leads to improved fl exibility. Brent tells of a fellow BSR practitioner who had a client complaining of tight hamstrings. He did repeated toe-touching exercises to stretch his tight
  hamstrings. But those exercises were stressing his lower back even further, causing irritation to the nerves flowing from his lower back into his legs. After a BSR session and stopping all toe-touching exercises, he was back on the road with no fl exibility problems.

HOW DOES BSR DIFFER FROM OTHER TREATMENTS?
Physiotherapists are effective at treating torn or strained muscles while chiropractors manipulate the skeletal system. “Body Stress Release Practitioners are trained to specifi cally locate sites of stress and release the stress in order to help prevent injuries. It is thus corrective and preventative in nature.” Rory emphasises that BSR is not a medical treatment or an alternative therapy. “We do not diagnose anyone. It is a 100% complementary therapy and preventative in nature.”

THE MODERN ATHLETE EXPERIENCE
I went to Rory for two sessions to experience BSR. I have no running injuries, only a persistent shoulder muscle spasm I have learnt to live with. The first session lasted about 25 minutes. You stay fully clothed while lying on a specially designed bed that looks like the bed chiropractors use. You stand against it
and are lowered onto it.

Rory located the exact areas where my body was exhibiting signs of stress by using my body as a biofeedback mechanism monitor. He applied light but defi nite pressure to the sites of body stress, thereby activating the body to release the stress. He kept checking my feet and marking certain spots on my back, explaining that he uses the feet as a biofeedback monitor.

He explained that applying light pressure to certain muscle groups close to the spine creates a temporary nervous system irritation, which creates a temporary leg reflex response. “When I test for a site of stress, your one leg will temporarily shorten in relation to the other. That is a muscular response and it shows
me in which direction the muscles are pulling and where the stress is located. I use light pressure in a specific direction on those muscles. That pressure encourages the muscle to release stress layer by layer, creating an unmasking effect. Because I am stimulating the muscle to relax, it almost peels the layers of tension off.”

The pressure along my spine, legs, neck, head, buttocks and shoulders was very light, so when Rory
warned me that I might be sore the next day, I had my doubts. But by that afternoon I was indeed sore; my muscles felt like they would after a hard gym workout. By the next morning I was fine and my muscle
spasm felt much better, especially while running. My second session followed the same process. In the days following, though the spasm was not completely gone, it felt much better during training.

LIFESTYLE
It differs with each person as to how long it will take to release the tension and how long it will last, depending on your lifestyle, explains Rory. Generally you should start feeling better after three sessions over a ten-day to twoweek period. It is recommended that you go for follow-up sessions. “Remember, you personally have to take responsibility for your lifestyle and make certain changes,” says Rory.

Between stressful jobs and trying to spend quality time with the family, exercise is often the fi rst thing that falls to the bottom of our list. In a series of features on how to balance a busy career with running, Modern Athlete speaks to various high-powered professionals to fi nd out how they manage to fit
sport into their hectic schedules. This month we chat to Cheryl de la Rey, Vice-Chancellor and Principal at the University of Pretoria.

What is your background and how did you get involved in education?

I assumed my position as Vice-Chancellor and Principal of Tuks at the beginning of November last year. Before this I was the CEO of the Council on Higher Education after having been Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Cape Town for six years.

 

What is the most exciting thing about your job?

Interacting with people – students, staff and all our stakeholders  – and being in a learning environment. Each day is different and exciting.

 

How long have you been running?

For about 20 years! I recently joined Irene Road Running Club in Pretoria.

 

What motivated you to start running and what was your very first run like?

My husband influenced me. He was a runner at the time. My first run was the 10km Ladies Race in Durban. My only preparation was three 3km runs coached by my husband. On the day of the race, he stood at the 5km mark to check whether I needed to quit. I continued and finished the race in 62 minutes. I felt as if I had won the race! I have been hooked ever since.

 

How many hours a week do you spend on the road?

Since my new position at Tuks I have become more of a jogger than a runner! With the change in my job, I need to re-organise my training. But, no matter how busy I am, I run about 10km every Saturday. In the past few years I have had to limit my running due to a persistent knee problem. I have recently discovered the problem is actually due to the mobility of my right foot. I am now receiving professional help.

 

What do you see as the biggest obstacle to your running?

Finding time to train and managing the effects of overused joints.

 

Has running influenced your career and work ethic?

Running is a great stress reliever and I use my running time to think about work-related challenges. Training for marathons and long distances has given me an enhanced sense of the importance of discipline and focus. After I completed my first Two Oceans 56km many years ago, my confidence to tackle a range of new challenges was boosted. I felt that if I could do that, then there were many other challenges that I could take on.

 

What is the best advice you have been given with regards to running?

Forget about the finishing time, just enjoy it.

 

And the worst advice?

Buying expensive shoes that turned out to be wrong for me.

 

Proudest moment in running and in business?

In running it has to be completing my first Two Oceans ultra, and in business being appointed the Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Pretoria.

 

Most embarrassing moment in running and in business?

In running, using the bushes en route… and in business, not getting the name of a VIP correct on an important occasion.

 

The thing I love most about running is…

The feeling I get after a run. Running is also an excellent way to get to know one’s neighbourhood. I have moved cities several times. Running is a good way of getting to know a new place and its people.

 

After a run the first thing I like to do is…

Sit on the patio with a cup of coffee after a morning run or something cold after an evening run.

 

My greatest ambition is to complete…

One of the world’s great city marathons (outside of South Africa).

 

I don’t enjoy being beaten by…

I don’t enjoy not being able to beat my own previous times.

 

I enjoy training most with…

On my own and with friends.

 

Who are your running role models?

Working mothers who still find time to train for long distance events.

 

What is your favourite meal after a big race?

Definitely a braai with a glass or two of good wine.

 

I could not go running without my…

Peak cap. It keeps both sun and rain out of my eyes.

 

What do you think about when you run?

I usually think about work-related issues but I also like looking at the gardens and houses.

 

What would you say to someone who says that they don’t have the time to start running?

You have time, reprioritise!

 

My favourite race is…

Two Oceans – both the ultra and half marathon.

 

Favourite Quote

Gary Player’s “The harder I practice, the luckier I get” and the ad slogan “Just Do It.”

 

What is your favourite place to run?

I step out of my front door and start running – my neighbourhood and on the Tukkies campus.

 

Life motto?

You won’t know if you don’t try.

 

He was given many nicknames over the years: Yster Bester, the Iron Man, Ultraman and Comrade Nick. But one thing is for sure – Nick Bester’s name is synonymous with some of the toughest athletic challenges. It’s a name that will go down in the record books as one of South Africa’s top all-round athletes, a man who won the Comrades Marathon, the gruelling Ultraman and many other ultra endurance races, often only weeks apart.

Time and age have not slowed Nick Bester down. This is the first thing you notice when you see him in his Pretoria office, the base from which he manages the Nedbank Running Club and also runs his own business importing houseware products. He will turn 50 in July this year, but his body is still hard as iron, his skin golden brown from the many hours spent training and participating outdoors.

Nowadays he still cycles three hours every morning, and in the afternoons he runs before going to gym. As we sit down to chat, he passionately talks about that morning’s ride just hours before our interview, and that the evening has been reserved for a run with his daughter followed by a gym session.

He has clearly not slowed down, and his passion for sport still burns as bright as it did all those years ago when he was at the peak of his career. Just recently he won a bronze medal at the SA Mountain Bike Champs and finished fifth overall in the six-day Southern Storm Duathlon. “I will always keep training to stay fit and strong. I love training, but when I am in a race I am still competitive. It’s something I just can’t get rid of.”

His wife, Sharon, has always supported him while his son, Shaun- Nick, and adopted son, HB Kruger, are both excellent cyclists who were awarded SA Colours last year. Shaun-Nick is currently in Spain riding for an international team. Nick’s daughter, Zjardene, who is studying law, is part of the Blue Bulls Babes and also an avid runner.

LATE STARTER
Nick, who grew up in Welkom, only started running in 1984 at the age of 24. He regularly ran home from rugby practice and realised he enjoyed running. Then a friend entered the pair of them for the 702 Run (8km) and of about 6 000 entrants, Nick finished 32nd. “I realised I could run better than play rugby,” says Nick, who moved to Pretoria later the same year. Barely two months after his very first race, Nick tackled the former JSE 50km race. He finished in sub-3:30 and was hooked! In November of the same year he ran his first 100km track race, finishing eighth, and in 1985 he decided to take on the Big C.

DEFYING CONVENTIONS
Nick followed his own instincts when it came to training and nutrition. “I read a lot of books on running and trained with a strong group of runners including Leon  Swanepoel, Philemon Mogashane and Jacob Thlape.”

He never ate like a traditional runner. “Tests were done on me at the University of Pretoria. I ate between 29 000 and 31 000 kilojoules per day, but according to a dietician only needed between 13 000 and 15 000 kilojoules. The dietician advised me to eat less meat and more carbohydrates, but my recipe has always been the same; I eat meat three times a day and I don’t take the fat off it. I also add pap to it. That is what my body tells me it needs. Just this morning I ate wors and eggs, and for lunch I am having mince. Tonight it’s meat again,” says Nick. He has to “force feed” himself once in a while with fruit and vegetables, which he refers to as “junk food”.

Nick is a man who likes to prove people wrong, such as the time in 1985 when he ran Comrades for the fi rst time. “Everyone said I was too big. I weighed 73kg and guys like Bruce Fordyce weighed 55kg. I had a lot more muscle because of all the Ironman races I did.”

And while other runners dug into pasta the night before Comrades, Nick had lamb chops and pap. The day before he won Comrades in 1991, Nick had a breakfast of bacon, eggs and wors. For lunch he had bully beef and brown rice (his favourite) followed by chops and pap for supper. It obviously worked!

COMRADES GLORY
It was a slow build-up to his eventual Comrades victory. Nick’s Comrades journey started in 1985. He finished 67th in a time of 6:38 to earn a silver medal, and was 25th in 1987 (6:12). His third attempt at Comrades in 1988 saw him earning his first gold medal when he finished third in 5:39. The following year he followed it up with a fourth position (5:43) and in 1990, he was hoping for a victory, but finished in a disappointing tenth position (5:52). “The day before the race I went for a massage and I was sore. I made such silly mistakes that year.”

But 1991 was Nick’s year! He fulfilled his dream by winning the 66th Comrades in a time of 5:40:53. It was a year that saw many upsets, with the hero of South African ultra-distance running, Bruce Fordyce, suffering from a stomach ailment.

“I was so sure I was going to win that year. The run was just a formality. That is how positive I felt. The last 50km of the race I ran in front. I am sure I could have gone faster if I was challenged. The funny thing is, I had better races the times I came second. Those races were much more competitive and my finishing times were also faster than the day I won.”

Nick had to settle for second position three times after his victory, in 1994 (5:42:52), 1996 (5:30:48) and 1997 (5:30:41). “It was so close, yet so far. Second place was good, but just not good enough.” From 1999 he trained fanatically and Nick believes that was a mistake. “I listened to the Russian athletes and thought I should be training the same way. I regret that. I am sure I could have had a few more gold medals if it was not for that.”

The ultimate disappointment came in 2001, when he was forced to withdraw from the race. Nick says he still cringes when he looks at the letters ‘DNF’ next to his name. “I broke my kneecap that year. I was in fifth position but halfway I had to give up. Willie Mtolo and Vladimir Kotov passed me and I gave all my energy gels to Willie. There are only two races I have not finished,  Comrades 2001 and a duathlon where I fell off my bike. I believe in finishing no matter what, because if you don’t, it’s too easy to give up the second time.” He tried his hand at Comrades one more time in 2004, but finished 41st.

Nick finished Comrades 15 times, taking home nine gold medals and six silver medals in total. He says Comrades will always hold a special place in his heart. “It’s about the spectators and the atmosphere. I have been to many international marathons and none of them come close to Comrades.”

When asked who his toughest Comrades opponent was, he says it has to be Bruce Fordyce. “The year I won, Bruce battled. In 1994 he came 17th and I got second. He was always a great competitor.” Others include Mark Page, Bob de la Motte, Allan Robb and Charl Mattheus. His toughest international rivals include the likes of Dimitri Grishin, Konstantin Santalov and Alexei Volgin, who today are some of his best friends.

SUPERSTITIONS
The number 13 is Nick’s lucky number. His Comrades number is 13617 and the day he broke a South African record in triathlon was the 13th. When he goes to Comrades he usually makes sure his fl ight is at 1pm (13:00). “That is all part of my preparation. My motto before a race is: ‘Do everything right.’ If I lose a race it should not be because of a mechanical failure. If a tyre on my bike just looks a bit weird, I replace it.”

When training for Comrades, Nick made a list of 50 things to keep in mind. These included:

• Never eat with a knife and fork with plastic coverings on the handles because of possible germs.


• Don’t get into a lift two months before Comrades. One can get flu when someone sneezes.


• Do everything 150% right.

Nick remembers one year when he wasn’t sure which shoes to run in. “I had ten pairs. I measured a distance, put on a pair of shoes and ran for 3km at a certain pulse rate. I would rate the shoes in terms of comfort and speed. Only then did I decide which pair to race in.”

Some evenings while training for Comrades, he had to choose kayaks. I still have scars from flipping over!” between going to sleep early or staying awake later to have another meal. He often chose the latter as the extra meal was more important to keep his energy levels up for the next day’s hard training. He never thought anything was too much effort. “I have a very strong will and I am very dedicated. You have to work hard. Success does not happen by itself.”

YSTER BESTER
Besides his Comrades exploits, Nick made his name as a multisport athlete. In 1985 he got involved in the old South African Ironman races after seconding a friend in an event. Back in those days Ironman consisted of paddling, cycling and swimming – not to be confused with the present-day Ironman swim triathlon event. “The bug just bit,” he says, and he won the Transvaal Ironman twice. Nick also won the Natal Seals Ironman three times, a competition in which entrants had to complete the Duzi Canoe Marathon, the Midmar Mile swim and the Comrades Marathon.

In the 80s Ultraman was seen as one of the toughest endurance events in the country. Competitors had to paddle the Duzi in January, ride the Argus Cycle Tour and the Pretoria Vasbyt 160km cycle races in February/March, compete in the Transvaal Ironman in March, run the Two Oceans in April, the Comrades in June, the JSE 50km in August and swim the Midmar Mile in January/February. Nick won it three times.

Many criticised him for competing in these gruelling endurance events while also trying to perform at Comrades, but to Nick this type of training was a blessing in disguise. “When I trained for Ultraman I did not run as much. And when Ironman finished end of March, I started focusing on Comrades. This meant I spent less time on my legs in the fi rst three months of the year compared to others training for Comrades.”

Nick was awarded national Colours 17 times in three different sports: running, duathlon and triathlon. He finished fifth in the World 100km Championships in Belgium in 1993, and represented South Africa twice at the World Duathlon Champs, finishing 12th in 1991 in the elite category in Palm Springs, and 11th in Tasmania in 1993.

GOLDEN MOMENTS
With such a long and varied competitive career, Nick says it is hard to pick his  favourite highlight. “There were so many! I was SA duathlon champion, SA triathlon champion, Comrades winner, Ultraman winner, Ironman winner…”

His fondest memories are of training sessions and not races. “Racing is too hard. You hurt and don’t enjoy it. My training was the best. I remember one year at Sun City we were training for an adventure race. At night they would put on the machine that makes the massive waves and we would get in there with our kayaks. I still have scars from flipping over!”

THE NEXT CHAPTER
Nick was involved in sports development at Telkom and Harmony for many years before becoming the manager at Nedbank Running Club about three years ago. He says he loves being involved in management and seeing athletes develop.

Nick advises his athletes to always remember that everybody is different. “Set a goal for yourself and make sure you achieve it, but always remember it has to be a realistic goal. Also, don’t ever give up or bail, because every time, it becomes so much easier.”

He does not believe in overtraining and says one can train wrong, but one can’t overtrain. “I dislike that word. One can train wrong by, for example, doing three long runs or three speed sessions in a row, but overtraining is overstated. Rather sleep more, eat more and go for massages so you can train more and handle the harder training in order to achieve your goal.”

We runners and walkers in the Johannesburg/Pretoria area are extremely fortunate in being able to participate in a road race in one or both cities virtually every weekend, but do we ever stop to consider the cost? The inconvenience caused to motorists and residents is one thing, but this is temporary and something race organisers try to minimise. Far more costly is the damage we cause not only to our reputations, but more importantly to our environment – a route littered with discarded water sachets is never a pretty sight.

Why can’t we simply hold onto our empty sachets till the next water point, or find a bin to drop them into along the way? Do we really need to throw them into the bushes or drains to further pollute our already threatened environment? Do we ever spare a thought for the helpers, whose thankless, back-breaking task it is to clean up the mess afterwards, and how much easier it would be for them if we were to throw our sachets into the ample waste bins usually provided at the water points?

At Phobians, we have embarked on a campaign to ensure that all our members are made aware of this litter problem – and how easily it can be countered. We encourage all clubs to join our campaign by placing notices on their websites and in their newsletters requesting members NOT to drop empty sachets between water stations. We also call upon race organisers to ensure that the announcers repeatedly remind participants of these requests before the start of each race. Let’s see if we really can make a difference.
– ELISE MCFADYEN, PRETORIA

Ed’s Reply: Well said, Phobians! The mess we leave on the roads is simply not
good enough, and we all need to do our part to change this.




Tough One Is Tops
What an awesome race. All clubs wanting to organise a road race or fun run, please come and see the organisation/logistics of this superb event! Well done, RAC, and all the sponsors. Thanks for the Corn Syrup, Bar One chocolates, for the cold water and cold drinks, for the Jelly Babies. When I went to
work on Monday morning, not one plastic water bag or cold drink cup… awesome. The friendly supporters and helpers at the water points, the traffi c marshals and the JMPD, a week after the 94.7 Cycle Race, and the patient public… thanks a million! May this race go from strength to strength.
– PETER BADENHORST, VIA E-MAIL

Ed’s Reply: Well done, RAC!




Remembering Regents
Thanks for the magazine – it’s a great read, and I enjoyed the article on Ryan Sandes and of course, Regent Harriers, my old training group. I did loads of training with them when I lived in Durban. It really is an amazing group and I know Stephen Light very well – used to run with him quite a bit. Good luck
with the mag.
– SUE ULLYETT, CAPE TOWN

Ed’s Reply: We’ve received so much positive feedback on the Regent Harriers article – seems half of South Africa has run with them – or wants to!




More Walking, Please
Just a short note to congratulate you on a superb magazine. It far surpasses any other publication on the market. I am the manager of Run/Walk for Life in Edenvale PM and I make sure that all my members take one each month. I too give out a newsletter each month and you have helped me in that you have taken a lot of the pressure off me regarding tips, advice, etc. I can concentrate more on what’s happening in the club and forthcoming races. Having been in the printing industry and publishing sector, I recognise class when I see it. The articles are well written and the layout is tops. AND there are no boring articles! Well done again to all of you and may you grow from strength to strength. PS: The walkers asked if you could sneak in an article or two for walkers.
– XAVIER KUUN, EDENVALE

Ed’s Reply: Walkers are just as much a part of the Modern Athlete family as runners, so look out for more walking articles.




Where To Get It
Where can I get your mag? Do I need to subscribe? I am in Pretoria, in the Waterkloof area, and I belong to Phobians running club.
– CANDICE, VIA E-MAIL

Ed’s Reply: Phobians and other clubs in your area receive copies of the mag each month, which are handed out free to members. The mag is also available for free at several sports retail outlets as well as a number of physios in your area – see the full listing of stockists at www.modernathlete.co.za, under the Contact Us section. If you would like the mag delivered to your postal address, to ensure you never miss an edition, then consider taking out a subscription – details also on the website.




Compliments
I really must compliment your magazine, for all the effort you make. I was reading the latest edition along with all the other editions – it really is a nice, positive, INTERESTING, honourable thing you are doing, and I love reading about other athletes.
– LESLEY TRAIN, BOKSBURG

Ed’s Reply: And we love reading about our readers’ running experiences – see page 41 of this edition…




Need Your Help
I would like to know if it would be possible to send you some info regarding our race. We as a club in the ’platteland‘ need a bit of help to survive – to be here next year. While we at Warmbaths/Bela-Bela were very fortunate with our 950 athletes for the second year, a lot of clubs in the Limpopo region were not so lucky and were not able to host their races this year – some of the clubs even closed down. Would it be possible for you to put our race report in the Modern Athlete?
– RIANA VORSTER, WARMBATHS MARATHON CLUB

Ed’s Reply: To all clubs: send us your race reports and pics, and to all runners: send us your My Experience articles about races you’ve run. What we can’t publish in the magazine, we’ll put on the website, so send, send, send! More details bottom left on this page.




Walkers’ Start Times
I am responding to your online survey about the starting times for walkers and runners. I am an official at races and on the board of CGA, and this has been discussed but we are still looking for ways to resolve this issue. At races where there are walking prizes, there is a different start time and little stickers are stuck onto race numbers indicating that the walkers are in the same race and have started with the group. But at races where there are no prizes, I have personally tried to separate the two groups and requested walkers to move to the back. Boy oh boy, what a mission – I am sure you will know the abuse the officials get.

Yes, it would be a great idea if we could separate the start times or even start areas. Doing this would also stamp out the problem of walkers running with the runners, as this does happen when there is no separate prize. I am open to any help or suggestions from runners and clubs, so it can be discussed at board level.
– STEVE, VIA E-MAIL

Ed’s Reply: We will pass on all ideas and input from our readers, Steve, and see if we can make some helpful suggestions.




Dream Job
Sean, I am busy with your ever so interesting mag and I just realised how much fun you’re having there when I read your piece, ‘Good to be back’. I have resigned from my job to take a bit of a break before trying something new, so your piece made me realise how nice it would be to work where one can have fun.
– RATSELA, VIA E-MAIL

Ed’s Reply: I reckon most of the runners in SA want my job!

It might not be the most visible running club at road races, and it certainly doesn’t have the most members, but each and every one of this small close-knit club’s members is passionate about promoting the love of running in their hometown community, south of Johannesburg.

The idea of starting a club in Lenasia began with five friends debating the issue on their journeys to different road races in and around Gauteng. Siva Veeran and his four friends, all from different clubs, longed for a club in their hometown they could call their very own. Their dream became a reality in 1988 when Lenasia Athletic Club (LAC) was formally established.

Initially, it was such a small club that Siva had to register all his family members in order to meet the amount of members required for a club to be recognised by the former Transvaal Road Runners’ Association (TRRA). Club colours were chosen as white with blue and red stripes, but the TRRA rejected the design as not being visible enough. Two circles (blue and red) on the front of the vest were then accepted and today this design serves as the proud logo of LAC.

The club’s goal back then was simple, to offer runners an opportunity to be part of a local running club. Today, nearly 21 years later, the club’s goal is still very much the same. There is only one slight difference: over the years a strong focus on the development of running, especially among the younger members of the community, has developed.

GIVING BACK
LAC has about 130 members. “We are not known for hosting big races and we don’t have a lot of members, but we feel strongly about our community and about getting youngsters involved in the sport of running,” says Club Chairman, Nadisha Khan, better known as Nadi amongst friends and fellow runners.

Up to four years ago, LAC proudly hosted a 10km/21.1km race in Lenasia, but a lack of sponsorship forced the club to cancel the race. This did not demoralise members and they pursued their passion for organising development races, which are mostly run on a shoestring budget and require determination and hard work to put together. “We try to focus especially on the development of school children, but we also try to get the adult community involved,” says Nadi.

LAC’s biggest development race is the annual Valentine’s Night Race, which is held in February and starts at the Trade Route Mall in Lenasia. The turnout is anything between 300 and 400 runners. Entry for school children is free and older participants only pay R5. There is no prize money, but the organisers make sure each and every participant is sent home with a medal.

Once a month, from July to November, more development races are held in Mayfair, close to Lenasia. “We have experienced that a lot of adult community members support these races. They are hesitant to participate in the usual big club road races, but they feel more comfortable and willing to try their hand
at running in a more relaxed atmosphere. And even if it’s just a water bottle, we ensure that everybody gets something,” says Nadi.

CHANGING A GENERATION
Nadi is the first to admit the Indian way of life is not conducive to health and fi tness. “The Indian population has a very high incidence of diabetes and heart disease because of their lifestyle. We cook with a lot of butter, we eat a lot of meat and the majority of Indian people generally just don’t exercise and are not health conscious.”

Less than 1% of Lenasia’s 200 000 residents walk or run. “The younger generation is slowly growing up to be more active and healthy, but the older generation is still not very health conscious.”

A couple of years ago, a gym opened in Lenasia and helped to establish a gym culture, mainly among the younger community members. Walks such as the annual Ghandi Walk and the Spring Walk usually attract the adult community members.

LAC helps the different community organisations with the marshalling of these events. “More people are starting to live active lives and many are going to the gym, but very few are running. A lot of residents are still saying to me, ‘Why must I run like Nadi when I can walk like Ghandi?’”

Running was brought to the foreground in Lenasia in 2009 when their hometown girl, Kashmira Parbhoo, finished as the tenth lady in the 2009 Comrades Marathon. “Kashmira’s achievement was a huge boost for running in Lenasia. Residents started realising the benefi ts of an active lifestyle and saw what could happen if you believe in yourself. Kash’s performance also forced the running community to recognise LAC and take notice of us!”

SOCIAL SCENE
LAC utilises the facilities of a sport centre in Lenasia when they hold club functions. A pre-Comrades get-together is organised every year while the club’s annual gala awards evening is the highlight of their social calendar. LAC encourages its members to recruit family and friends, even if it is just to join in on a weekend run. “I always encourage our runners to be social and friendly on the road, because they carry the club’s image,” says Nadi.

TRAINING
Because the club is relatively small, nearly all its members train together in the mornings. Some meet at the gym while others get together at different garages. Each group has a different training pace and some of the more serious groups mix their distance running with quality work such as hills. LAC does not host a weekly time trial, so members try to incorporate some speed work into their morning training runs.

“Lenasia is very small. You won’t even be able to run 15km around it. Therefore, it is quite convenient for runners who choose to run shorter routes to just drop off anytime and find their way home,” says Nadi.

And though the club is small, nearly half of its members enter Comrades each year. “The Comrades culture in this country is just so big that even in our small club nearly everyone enters.” More than 60 members have entered for Comrades 2010, says Nadi, who has completed seven Comrades and a few
Iron Man races.

Last year, 45 members entered the 2009 Comrades. While two did not qualify, one did not start and eight did not finish, some achieved remarkable performances, such as Naresh Nana who completed his 21st race, Pete Naidoo who ran his 19th and Adam Suliman who walked away with his 17th medal.
Those members who did not finish the 2009 race are determined to tackle the 2010 race, including
Sullie Saloojee. “I know I was lazy, but I know I have the potential to complete the race. My lack
of training has caused me to disappoint not only myself, but most importantly my family and friends. Running allows me to be myself, it gives me time to refl ect and connect with the Divine. I will be back.”

LAC has a strong walking group that trains under the guidance of Valla Moodley. Many of the walkers participate in the annual 50km Verulam Big Walk in KwaZulu-Natal. Quite a few LAC members are also eager cyclists. “Every year we encourage our members to try something else other than just running. I believe that you have to do something every year that challenges your boundaries and comfort zones, and that excites you.”

RAISING FUNDS
The fi ght against cancer is a subject close to many members’ hearts because many of them have experienced the pain of losing family members or friends to this disease. Each year, LAC raises money for CANSA as part of their build-up to Comrades. They have donated more than R70 000 to CANSA over the years. Most recently, seven runners raised a further R17 000 by participating in the New York City Marathon. Nadi Khan, Bhupenda Purbhoo, Hasmukh Patel, Ajit Vallabh, Jeff Sukha, Pradeep Gowan and Nanda Dalpat, all experienced runners, ran their very first international marathon in  November in the Big Apple. Apart from having the time of their lives, they did it all for a very worthy cause they truly believe in.

“We had a fabulous time. The runners from other countries were very soccer World Cup orientated when they saw us. They all shouted that they would see us in 2010,” says Nadi, who ran in a shirt depicting the South African flag.

Though it is a small club, LAC is vibrant and its members believe in what they do. Most importantly, they have a passion for their community – and that is what counts, according to Nadi.

Club: Boxer Superstores Athletic Club, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal
Age: 33
Achievements: Represented South Africa at the 2006 Commonwealth Games, 2007 All Africa  Games, and 2007 and 2009 World Athletic Championships.
PBs: 10km – 33:58, 21.1km – 1:14:41, 42.2km – 2:36.

Tanith, a Durban-based athlete, has just received an elite entry into this year’s Virgin London Marathon on 25 April. “Competing in the London Marathon has been a dream for years. London is like a second home to me, having gone to school and later worked there,” says Tanith, who ran the fastest marathon time by a South African female since Elana Meyer in 2001, when she clocked 2:36 in the Warsaw City
Marathon in 2008. “I am hoping to run a sub-2:32 or better in London!”

At the time of writing, Tanith had also been invited to take part in the Xiamen Half Marathon in China on 2 January. She will be concentrating on the shorter distances up until mid-February, then build up her mileage for London in April. “I hope to participate in a couple of 5000m track races and 10km road races.”

Running international races is nothing new to Tanith, who competed in the Great South run in Portsmouth in the UK last year, although she fi nished a little disappointed in 12th position. “It was an amazing experience lining up with 35 000 runners for a ten-mile race. Unfortunately, I picked up severe Achilles problems and wasn’t able to put in the performance I wanted.”

Tanith’s running ability must be in the genes. From a young age she was seconding her parents in the Comrades Marathon. She was eight years old when her uncle won the SA Marathon Champs in Durban in 1983. “I was really taken with running and he actually bought me my fi rst pair of North Star takkies!”

A typical training day consists of two sessions. She does quality sessions in the morning, including track intervals or longer tempo runs on the fl at beachfront area followed by a gym session. In the afternoons, she runs 90 minutes as part of a recovery session. Her weekly mileage during peak marathon training is around 150km much part of my life that I would feel lost without it.”

Tanith prefers the half marathon distance, although she hasn’t had the success she would have liked at this distance. “It’s not as demanding and gruelling as the marathon distance. Marathon preparation is tough and if something goes wrong in the race, it goes very wrong! I fi nd the half marathon requires a good balance of both speed and endurance, and allows an athlete to be competitive over all the distances from 5000m.”

The highlight of her running career has been representing South Africa at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia. “It was such a memorable experience and my first real taste of international competition.” She has also had her fair share of disappointments; at the Hamburg City Marathon she had fl u but decided to push through. “Just after halfway, I lost my vision and collapsed. That was the fi rst marathon I did not fi nish,” says Tanith, who works part time for adidas.

She describes herself as compassionate, determined and dedicated, and has one big dream: to represent South Africa at the 2012 London Olympics. “It would round off my career and it would be such an incredible experience to participate in an Olympic marathon in London! To say you are an Olympian
and to compete at the highest level possible is something very special to me.”

 

 

I started running to lose some weight. Since then I have fallen in love with the sport and in the process also achieved my initial goal by losing 4kg quickly!
I still need to lose another 2kg, but I am battling. No matter how much I run these days, my weight stays constant. Any advice on how to burn off the last excess kilograms? – MEGAN, NELSPRUIT

ANSWER
Delighted to hear about your love of running! Since I don’t know your height and weight, it’s difficult to know if you really do need to lose another 2kg at all. However, what I would suggest is that instead of focusing on your scale, which after all, only tells you how much of you there is, rather concentrate on your measurements. For example, if you lose a few centimetres on your waist, it’ll indicate some fat-loss, but you might weigh the same because you gained a bit of muscle mass. Your body composition is changing for the better. The scale can be very deceptive. If you still feel you need to shape up a bit more, then why not include a session of interval training or speed work (even a time trial will do) once a week? This will certainly kick-start any sluggish metabolism. Also, if you feel your eating habits might not be ideal, consult with a registered dietician – it’ll be well worth it.

Kathleen McQuaide-Little – Modern Athlete Expert

Qualifications:
BSc. H.D.E M.Ed. BSc (Med)(Hons)
Exercise Science

I was interested to note in your article on shoes (November edition) that one shouldn’t wear road shoes for trail running. So what shoes would you wear for running on the beach or gravel/jeep track?  Personally, I wear road shoes for easy trail/beach and gravel, and trail shoes for technical single track. I do however know of quite a few people who prefer road shoes and wear them on all terrains – simply because it’s ‘their shoe’ (you know how protective we get when we find a shoe that works for us). Would be interested to hear your advice. – ELLIE COURTS, CAPE TOWN

ANSWER
You can indeed run on any surface with a conventional road shoe, but trail shoes are generally better for off-road surfaces, as they provide more grip thanks to the heavily lugged sticky rubber outsole materials and designs. It comes down to the same principle as cyclists using slick tyres on a road bike for less resistance on the tar, and knobbly tyres on a mountain bike for improved grip on loose surfaces. Similarly, better grip in your shoes means sure footing and no slipping.

Trail shoes also tend to be more supportive and protective than road shoes, with thicker padding in the upper and full-length anti-rock plates to protect your feet. The upper is usually made from stronger materials, which are better suited to the mud, gravel and sand, both in terms of handling the wear and tear as well as being darker coloured, so less likely to be ruined by a muddy run.

The bottom line, however, is that you should wear whichever shoes work best for you. There is no right or wrong answer here.

Sean Falconer – Modern Athlete Editor & Gear writer

Sean has ten years’ experience testing and reviewing running shoes for runninng publications.

These days many of us use GPS navigation units in our cars, and many runners and walkers wear GPS wrist units that tell them the distance they’ve run and their average pace. Now most of us only know the bare basics of the technology and history of GPS, so Modern Athlete did a bit of research.

The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a satellite-based navigation system launched in 1978 by the United States Department of Defence. It was originally intended for military use only, such as pinpointing targets for missile strikes or search and rescue locations for downed pilots, but in the 1980s the US government opened the system to civilian use.

Today GPS is widely used to aid ground, sea and aerial navigation, for map-making, land surveying, scientific use, tracking and surveillance, and outdoor sports and hobbies. However, us Modern Athletes are most interested in two specific uses: keeping track of our distance, speed and route when we run or walk, and finding the start venue of our next race!

HOW IT WORKS
GPS is made up of a network of 32 satellites in six orbital planes around the Earth. They make two complete orbits of the Earth each day, at an altitude of approximately 20 200km and a speed of roughly 12 250km/h. Their orbits are arranged so that at least six satellites are always within line of sight from any point on Earth’s surface, with up to ten being visible at ‘peak’ times.

The satellites transmit radio signals that a GPS receiver – the unit in a car or a runner’s wrist unit – uses to calculate the user’s exact location. Basically, the GPS receiver compares the time a signal was transmitted to the time it was received – the difference tells the GPS receiver how far away the satellite is. A GPS receiver must lock on to the signal of at least three satellites to calculate a 2D position (latitude and longitude) and track the user’s movement. With four or more satellites in view, the receiver can determine the user’s 3D position (latitude, longitude and altitude). Once the user’s position has been
determined, the GPS unit can start calculating distance from starting point, speed, pace, direction and more.

GPS works in any weather conditions, anywhere in the world, 24 hours a day. The signals pass through clouds, glass and plastic, but will not go through most solid objects. Buildings, mountains or sometimes even dense foliage can therefore block or slow down signal reception, and GPS units usually don’t work indoors, underwater or underground. That said, modern receivers are accurate to within a few metres thanks to their multi-channel technology that allows them to maintain strong locks on numerous satellites at the same time.

ON THE RUN
Using a GPS unit provides an integrated training and monitoring system that allows you to track your distance and pace, and thus get the most out of your training as well as aid your racing. Some of the basic benefits for runners and walkers include:

• Accurate distance: Many runners follow training programmes ahead of a goal race, but are never sure of the exact distance they’ve run – unless they run the same measured route day after day, which can become boring and un-stimulating. A GPS unit allows you to keep track of your run and make sure you do the right distance for your training programme.
  
• Average pace: Some training programmes call for an average pace to be run, either to maximise the effect of your programme, or to get you race-ready by practising the pace you will be running on race day. Also, setting your GPS unit to display average pace is an invaluable aid when going for a specific time in a race or time trial, as you don’t have to do mental calculations at each kay marker, just stick to your target pace, and you get onto your target pace right from the start of the run – particularly useful if you’re a pacesetter!

Some advanced units even tell you your altitude and let you view your route afterwards on Google Earth, or through downloadable maps and altitude profi les on your PC – and if you get lost during your run, they will help you find your way home again!



GPS VERSUS THE REST
Athletes often ask how GPS compares to other devices that measure pace or distance.

• A pedometer uses a spring-loaded weight inside a small device worn on your belt to detect the shaking motion of your body as you take a step. They’re inexpensive but less accurate than other types of devices. Their features tend to be very basic.
  
• Foot pod systems use an accelerometer inside a pod that’s attached to your shoe to detect and
  measure the motion of your foot. They work quite well once calibrated to your stride, but tend to
  lack more sophisticated features available with GPS. Where they do stand out above GPS units,
  however, is for people who run in areas where the sky is completely blocked by heavy tree cover or tall buildings.
  
• GPS units use triangulated signals from satellites to monitor your position and calculate pace and
  distance. Modern units are highly accurate – if you run where the unit can receive strong signals from the orbiting satellites.