In the fast lane

In 2012 SA sprint sensation Anaso Jobodwana shot to fame as he made the final showdown in the men’s 200m at the London Olympics, setting a PB of 20.27 in the semi-final as he gave World Record-holder Usain Bolt a run for his money. A year later, the speedster from the Eastern Cape grabbed a double victory in the 100m and 200m at the World Student Games in Kazan, Russia, then made the final of the World Champs 200m in Moscow. We caught up with him to chat about training in the USA and building confidence for future podium spots. 

MA: Where did your love of sprinting begin?
AJ: I tried every sport at school, running in inter-high events that only happened about once a year. In 2008 when I was in grade 10, everything changed and I took my running more seriously. A year later, I was fourth in the 200m and sixth in the 100m at the SA Youth Champs. I knew I was on form and at the end of 2009, getting introduced to a coach and various training programmes, I knew that I could really follow-through with it. I went on to win the SA Schools 200m title in 2010, but then picked up quite a bad hamstring injury, partly leaving me out of the 2011 season.

MA: But you qualified and got that spot for London. How trying was it being on the sidelines in that period?
AJ: Pretty frustrating! I remember the federation requested athletes to qualify again before the World Junior Champs and I competed, having already picked up the injury in April that year. I rushed the rehab process – more than I should have – and it took me more time to recover afterwards. So in 2011, I knew I had to look after myself and start to recover in my own time. My confidence was low – I even remember telling my coach that maybe I wasn’t cut out for it – but in late 2011, I moved to Jackson State University in Mississippi to study physiotherapy and focus on my athletics, so I put that behind me.

MA: Last year, you clocked 20.13, the fastest 200m in the National Collegiate Athletic Association, and ran a wind-assisted 20.00 at the World Student Champs, where you also matched your 100m PB of 10.10. Has training in the USA helped you, and how do you balance training and competition with your studies?
AJ: It’s great because the coaches and teammates push you in training and they’re quick, so it makes you work that little bit extra. There are regular track meets in the States and there’s another level of competitiveness. Also, at the end of 2011, introducing strength work helped my recovery and fitting in three weight sessions a week definitely helped me push out the blocks faster. We train Monday to Saturday with Sundays off for sleeping in! We also prioritise nutrition in the time leading up to competing – that’s our fuel and we follow that up with adequate amounts of carbs and high-protein for quicker recovery while getting enough sleep.

Balancing everything as a student is manageable for me. Training definitely puts me under more stress, but luckily we’re given a three-month break from school to focus solely on competition. Then you can get your head in the right space.

MA: You’re based in Florida at the moment but visiting SA for a while. Why are you back and what does this year hold for you?
AJ: I’m home to get some rehab sessions done, because I picked up two hernias and I’m waiting for results from my doctor before getting into training again. It’s great to have support from family and friends here – they always check up on how I’m doing and they’re very interested in watching me when they can. As for 2014, I’m set on getting out of the blocks quicker, steadily working on my times and technique, and continually learning new things about my body. That will only translate into the results I want. Obviously there is African Champs and the Commonwealth Games to look forward to later this year!

MA: In April, Simon Magakwe became the first South African to break the sub-10-second barrier, clocking 9.98 in the 100m at the SA Champs. Do you think you can go faster?
AJ: I’m not too sure! Only time will tell. I’m just working hard to come back and then I’m always thinking about Rio 2016, which is great, because I never even thought I’d make it to London, but there I was, running against Usain Bolt and other stars. It was just an absolute highlight!

You can follow Anaso on
Twitter: @Anaso
_J

Sullwald wins in Chengdu

South Africa’s rising triathlon star Wian Sullwald showed this weekend that he is becoming a force to be reckoned with at the senior elite level. Following his recent 15th place finish at the World Triathlon Series Cape Town event in April the 21-year-old picked up his maiden ITU World Cup victory in Chengdu, China on Saturday.

The 2012 ITU Junior world champion finished in a time of 1hr 48min 47sec for the 1500-metre swim, 40-kilometre cycle and 10km run, beating American Kevin McDowell by just one second. The Marble Hall athlete heads to Japan next for the third round of the World Triathlon Series, this time in Yokohama.

Below is a short highlights package of the race in China as well as an interview with Sullwald on Tri Talk SA following his win in China at the weekend.

The Lesotho Ultra Trail (Photo Credit – Anthony Grote | www.anthonygrote.com)

Mokgopo signs for Kargo Pro MTB Team

It was announced today that William Mokgopo has joined the first official UCI XCO MTB Team in South Africa, The Kargo Pro MTB Team.

It has been a long journey from humble beginnings when William was first discovered by Simon Nash at the Diepsloot Mountain Bike Academy (DMA), and his persistence and dedication to his dream has finally beared fruit.

Shaun Peschl of Peschlsports, who manages the The Kargo Pro MTB Team, says he has been following the young star’s progress for the last two seasons. “It was clear to me that William is a hard working individual and over the last few months he has really stepped it up; I believe much of his success is a result of the support structure around him and the positivity of his friends and mentors such as André Ross, Chairperson of the Diepsloot MTB Academy, who have been walking this road with him.”

William has represented South Africa on three occasions in the last eight months- at the UCI MTB World Championships, the African Continental MTB Championships, and most recently at the UCI MTB World Cup.

“With more than half the season still ahead of us, we will be working hard to improve his national and international rankings,” says Peschl.

The team’s immediate plans are to take William to the German MTB World Cup at the end of May as preparation for the UCI MTB World Championships in Norway later this year.

William will continue to pursue his B.Sport Science degree at the University of Pretoria and his race schedule will be planned around his studies accordingly.

“I am truly humbled and honoured to finally be recognised as a pro-athlete,” says William with his trademark smile wider than ever. “And that not with any team, but with the only UCI registered XCO MTB team in the country. This adds to my belief that anything and everything is possible with hard work, focus, and people who believe in you like the DMA have done for me. This is proof that dreams do come true, whether you want to be a pro-athlete, a movie star, or a businessman.”

The Kargo Pro MTB Team is also embarking on a partnership with the Diepsloot Mountain Bike Academy. “Being involved with the DMA is a very exciting project for us,” says Shaun of the synergy with the academy. “We look forward to working alongside the management of the DMA in identifying and developing the young cycling talent in Diepsloot and surrounds. We hope to make the aspirations of having a previously disadvantaged rider from South Africa on the start line of the Commonwealth and Olympic Games a reality.”

”We are excited at this next step for William in his MTB career and grateful to Peschlsports for the belief they’ve shown in him. As the only UCI registered MTB team in South Africa, we could not think of a better platform for William to grow into his full potential. Being surrounded by riders of the caliber of Rourke Crouser and Stuart Marais, as well as being able to learn under the leadership and management of the experienced Shaun Peschl, is the ideal environment for him to continue working towards achieving his goals. This landmark opportunity for William, as well as the partnership between DMA and Kargo Pro MTB team, proves to other riders from less fortunate backgrounds that anything is possible through hard work and focus.”

Furthering the South African theme of the team, William will now be campaigning on the locally designed and developed MOMSEN brand of bicycles.

“Once again we are very excited and happy with how things are progressing with the Kargo Pro MTB Team. This new signing is another major step in the right direction, not only for South African mountain biking, but also for our global ambitions,” says Victor Momsen, owner of MOMSEN bicycles.

“Kargo National is proud to welcome William to the Kargo Team. We are confident that William will do well and show great sportsmanship,” says Leigh Oliveira, National Marketing Manager at Kargo National. “This partnering between the Kargo Pro MTB Team and the Diepsloot Mountain Bike Academy is a step in the right direction for development in the sport as a whole and we very excited in following the progress throughout the coming seasons,” Oliveira concludes.

The Lesotho Ultra Trail (Photo Credit – Anthony Grote | www.anthonygrote.com)

Cramps: Can you prevent them?

According to Wikipedia, a cramp is an involuntary temporary strong muscle contraction or over shortening, which may cause a severe pain. Usually the onset is sudden while the cramp resolves spontaneously in a few seconds to minutes. *Common causes of skeletal muscle cramps may include muscle fatigue, low sodium, low potassium, and/or low magnesium (*citation needed)

The million dollar question is how you prevent them, particularly during long races like the Two Oceans and Comrades. Many runners swear by different remedies or solutions. Salt tablets, bananas, magnesium supplements, massages, the list goes on and on. On today’s Ask Coach Parry Podcast the question is asked if there is anything you can do or eat to prevent cramping. Comrades Coach Lindsey Parry also touches on the role that supplements, prior to and during a run, play in the prevention of cramps.

Have a listen to podcast and let us know what works for you when it comes to cramping in the comments section below.
 

Supporters cheering a runner passing through the Nedbank Green Mile in last year’s Comrades Marathon.

Smal wins Nedbank Save The Rhino 3 Day Mountain Bike

After a busy three days of mountain biking, riders can all give themselves a good pat on the back for some fantastic riding. This is the second year the Nedbank Save The Rhino Mountain Bike has been hosted, this year at Mabalingwe Nature Reserve, sponsored by Nedbank, to help tag the rhino’s in the Reserve. The 3 day stage race allowed people of all levels to participate and enjoy the beautiful surroundings, while also getting up-close an personal with some challenging terrain. The TriSport and Mabalingwe teams set out the routes, as the race had various options for the riders, to do either a 1, 2 or 3 day.

Riders who were only doing the 1 Day option could choose between a 10km, 30km or the 62km. Those that chose to do the 10km and 30km had a relaxed, less technical route, and came racing to the finish after enjoying the shorter fun ride. They had the opportunity to ride through a heard of buffalo and saw various species of antelope. Winning the 10km, Christo Lombard, our junior hero for the weekend, came racing over the line with a smile on his face in a time of 27:18. Also racing to the finish to win the 30km, was Johan Gouws in a time of 1:10:18. All the riders then spent some time at the race village, swimming, enjoying food and drinks, and waiting to see the longer distance guys cross the line.

Day 1 was the most challenging day for the event, at 62km, taking riders around the Reserve, over a few hills, rocky outcrops, through thick sand, beautiful single track and over the monster of the day, Kubu. The winner of the 1 Day, 62km, was Gregory Hill who was cheered on coming over the line, finishing in a time of 4:02:19. For the 2 and 3 Day riders, Anton Smal came in 1st overall for the stage 1 of Nedbank Save The Rhino Mountain Bike. Some athletes crossed the finish line shaking their heads at the challenging day they had just finished, others still smiling after completing a technical day cycling. Keeping spirits high, they had time to relax and massage tired legs whilst looking forward to day 2.

Day 2 was a shorter, and easier day for riders, taking them around the reserve on a 56km route. The route took riders through a heard of buffalo and some were lucky enough to see some rhino in the reserve, the motivation for this special event. The 56km involved some smaller hills, rocks and some thick sand. The consensus from the athletes was that it was quite a bit easier than day 1. This was seen as they came over the finish line with massive smiles on their faces and ready to take on day 3. Anton Smal was 1st over the finish line winning stage 2. The winner for the 2 Day Nedbank Save The Rhino Mountain Bike was Grant Frerichs in a time of 6:00:57.

Day 3 was the last day of the Nedbank Save The Rhino Mountain Bike, with riders lining up at the start with smiles on their faces, ready to race. The 63km route was also easier than day 1 taking riders over some more hills, namely the Vodacom hill in the reserve, and past the glorious ‘kings of the jungle’, Mabalingwe’s lions. Over the three days, various riders made a concerted effort to try catch the person in front, chasing a podium position. Some feeling like the only way they’d be able to catch up, would be the person in front running out of steam or one suffering a mechanical failure. Pieter Duif had been chasing Smal for the whole 3 days, trying his best to get sighting of Smal’s dust. Duif came in 2nd in an overall time of 8:40:22. Smal took the podium for 1st place with an overall time of 8:27:12. With cheers for the ladies, Esmari Goosen was our first female across the finish line in a time of 10:17:47, smiling from ear to ear. A brilliant and exciting 3 days of mountain biking in the Mabalingwe Nature Reserve!

Without any major hiccups, all riders enjoyed a weekend of spectacular mountain biking. We were all grateful to the weatherman for sending through sunshine and warm weather, so everyone could enjoy the event. The final results and links for the beautiful photos, of the race will be posted on www.facebook.com/trisportsa. Well done to everyone who participated in the event, and also to those who dedicated time and donated money to saving the rhino’s at Mabalingwe Nature Reserve. Tagging of the rhinos will take place in June 2014, just after our Nedbank Save The Rhino Trail Run Event 14 & 15 June 2014.

Entries for the Nedbank Save The Rhino MTB 2015 will open 1 July 2014.

By Shona Kelly and Sonja Terblanche-Otto (MSc Exercise Science) from TriSport and organizers of the Nedbank Save The Rhino 3 Day Mountain Bike at Mabalingwe Nature Reserve from the 26-28th April 2014.

Cheerleaders during last year’s Comrades Marathon celebrations at the Nedbank Green Mile.

Phalula Consolidates Grand Prix Lead

Barefoot runner Diana-Lebo Phalula’s record-breaking victory at the Spar Women’s 10km Challenge at Pollock Beach in Port Elizabeth on Saturday has given her a massive headstart in this year’s Spar Grand Prix.

Maxed Elite’s Phalula, who became the fourth-fastest South African runner when she crossed the finishing line in 32.27 minutes, also won the Cape Town leg in record time. With bonus points for beating the previous year’s time in both races, she now has a massive 60 points on the leaderboard – 26 ahead of her nearest rival, Mapaseka Makhanya.

With Phalula holding a massive lead, the tussle is likely to be for second place, with several athletes closely bunched together. Boxer’s Makhanya, who was last year’s Grand Prix winner, finished fifth in Cape Town and third in Port Elizabeth and has a total of 34 points. She is just two points ahead of three times Grand Prix winner, Rene Kalmer of Modern Athlete. Kalmer finished eighth in Cape Town and second in Port Elizabeth. Two points behind her, with 30 points, is Nolene Conrad (Boxer), who finished third in Cape Town and ninth in Port Elizabeth.

Kalmer’s sister Christine is in fifth position, with 24 points, and Phalula’s sister Lebogang is five points behind her, in sixth place.

The Grand Prix rewards the top runners competing in the five Challenge races, which are held around South Africa. The winner will receive a Nissan Micra, and the runner-up R30 000. There are also prizes on offer to the top runners in the various age categories.

Only South Africans are eligible for Grand Prix points, so foreign runners like Ethiopians Hunduma Gemeda and Chelity Asefe, and Zimbabwe’s Rutendo Nyahora are not eligible for Grand Prix points.
After years of Nedbank dominance on the club leaderboard, the Green Team is playing second fiddle to Boxer, who top the club leaderboard with 118 points. Nedbank is in second place, with 91 points and Maxed Elite are in third, with 61 points.

While Phalula has said she is determined to run all five Challenge races so that she can drive away in a brand new car, her immediate focus will be on qualifying for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in July in the 5000m and 800m events. Makhanya, who won her debut marathon last year, will also be turning her attention to road races in Europe, while Rene Kalmer is heading for the United States for some road races there.

The next Spar Challenge race takes place in Durban on August 24.

Sonja Laxton (Photo credit: Reg Caldecott)

The Second Half of the Comrades Marathon Down Run

The second half of the Comrades Marathon down run is brutal. There is no other way to describe it. After what a is rather challenging run up until that point, you reach the 39km to go board and the next 10km on the Comrades down run is what does most of the damage to already tired legs.

You’ll descend down Botha’s Hill and then you’ll reach the top of the infamous Fields Hill where you’ll get you first glimpse of Durban. The gradient coming down Botha’s will hurt already tired quads and then combination of the gradient and camber on Fields Hill will leave you wondering what happened to your legs when you hit Pinetown.

It is vital that you do not push to hard on that stretch of the down run to make up for lost time. If you do, you are in for a very long final quarter of the race. On today’s Ask Coach Parry Podcast, Comrades Coach Lindsey Parry talks you through the second half of the Comrades Marathon down run. This is the third of a three part series that will guide you through the Comrades Marathon down run (Here are the previous articles in this series: Part 1 – The Start of the Comrades Marathon down run and Part 2 – The First Half of the Comrades Marathon down run.)

 

Half Marathon For 20 years of Freedom: The Mandela Day Marathon


Runners throughout the world have the opportunity to be part, celebrate the life and commemorate the legacy of Nelson Rholihlahla Mandela, the father of the nation, and the world icon who led South Africa through its most difficult period in history. Less than a year after the passing of Nelson Mandela and in only its third year, the Mandela Day Marathon is making the event more accessible to a greater diversity of participants.


As a mark of Coming – Of – Age and moving into the 21st year of Freedom, a 21km distance has been included in the day that already offers the Flagship 42km Mandela Day Marathon and a 10km race. The half marathon addition is only the first of a number of innovations planned for the 2014 race.


“It is absolutely appropriate that the full marathon has challenged runners with a tough, unyielding uphill course: that is a fitting reflection on the life of Madiba,” said uMgungundlovu District Municipality Mayor Yusuf Bhamjee. “However, Madiba’s objective was to provide a country for people of all diversities. The addition of the half marathon will bring not only younger runners, but also open the way for those who perhaps are not yet ready for the full challenge, as well as those who are now older and less able to complete a marathon.”


“Commemorating Madiba’s legacy is about sharing the experience and atmosphere, and we want everyone to have the freedom of that opportunity,” continued Bhamjee. “We are finalizing a number of other events and opportunities and we are convinced that over 10,000 people will be participating in the Mandela Day Marathon events this year.”


Registration is set for a three day period both in Durban and Pietermaritzburg towards the end of August.


The addition of the half marathon now gives runners the option of three events:


• The “Full Mandela ” 42km,
• The “Half Mandela ” 21km
• And the 10km, while there will be a 4.664km walk and run for invited VIP’s.


The 10km kicks off at 06:30 am and all distances finish at the site where Mandela was captured, located on the Lions River road north of Midmar Dam.


Entries for all three events are available:


• online (www.Mandelamarathon.co.za ),
• by hand delivery to the MANDELA DAY MARATHON Office C10, 242 Langalibalele street Pietermaritzburg,
• by post to: Mandela Day Marathon, PO Box 3235, Pietermaritzburg, 3200.


All entries close on 31 July 2014, and no late entries will be accepted.


Given the challenge of the “Full Mandela” it is only open to registered club runners over the age of 20 years on race day, where as non-licensed runners can enter the 21km and 10km providing they are over 18 and 15 year respectively on race day.


The Full Mandela commences at 07:00 am at the Manaye Hall in Imbali Edendale, where Madiba, then known as the “black pimpernel”, gave his last speech as a free man on 26 March 1961.The 42km runners face the unrelenting and appropriately named 8km Struggle Hill to Sweetwater, before the shorter but steeper Challenge Climb to the highest point in Hilton which signals the drop towards Cedara.


The Half Mandela commences at 06:45 a.m. in the suburbs of Hilton with runners initially benefiting from the drop towards the Midlands Meander, but then facing more than a few undulations prior to running through Howick Stadium, which not only hosts the Anglo-Boer war memorial, but also the start venue for the 10km race.


All runners then enjoy the many scenic views of Midmar Dam, the Dam wall and the rolling foothills with the World famous Drakensburg Mountains as a backdrop, as they run into the Nelson Mandela Capture site.


The event is one of only six South African races registered with AIMS (Association of Marathons and Distances Races) and all distances are IAAF certified.


In the last edition of the Mandela Day Marathon attracted over 5 500 runners nationally and with 13 international countries. This is the first running since the passing of Madiba, and the number is expected to significantly increase.


With a route so full of history and character, runners, walkers and even spectators will find no better way to commemorate and celebrate the life and legacy of the icon.The three uniquely designed Mandela Day Marathon medals will be proudly displayed by all who complete the challenging route. This is one marathon that every runner will want to have completed.

Top three runners in the PE race in 2013

Spar Ladies Race Port Elizabeth – Race Report

This weekend the second leg of the Spar Grand Prix took place in Port Elizabeth. Lebo Phalula continued her winning streak of Spar Cape Town and Two Oceans half marathon and won the race in a record time of 32:27min. This puts her in fourth on the SA all-time lists behind Elana Meyer (31:13), Colleen de Reuck (31:16) Zola Pieterse (32:20). I moved to 5th place with a time of 32:28min.

Lebo Phalula took the lead very early in the race, while myself, Mapaseka Makhanya and Gezashigh Gemeda from Ethiopia played cat and mouse throughout the race fighting for the remaining podium spots. Mapaseka and I worked together to drop Gemeda to ensure an all South African podium. I managed to break clear of Mapaseka in the final two kilometers and finished 2nd in 32:23 followed by Mapaseka in 32:28. I was really happy with my performance after finishing a disappointing 8th place at the Spar 10km in Cape Town.

It was also great to have Sonja Laxton back on the running scene after the horrific hit and run accident in November last year. Irvette van Zyl also made a good comeback, finishing 10th in 34:55 after being out of action for six months with a knee injury.

I'm looking forward to the next Spar 10km race, taking place in Durban on the 24th of August.

Results of the Spar Grand Prix Series, Port Elizabeth


1. Lebo Phalula Maxed Elite 32:27
2. René Kalmer Modern Athlete 33:23
3. Mapaseka Makhanya Boxer 33:27
4. Gezashigh Gemeda Ethiopia/Nedbank 33:35
5. Rutendo Nyahora. Zim/Nedbank. 33:44
6. Lebohang Phalula Transnet AC 34:06
7. Chelitu Asefa. Ethiopia/Nedbank 34:18
8. Lineo Chaka Lesotho/Nedbank 34:27
9. Nolene Conrad Boxer 34:35
10. Irvette van Zyl Nedbank 34:55

Spar Grand Prix 2014 Standings (Open Category)

1 Diana Lebo Phalula Maxed Elite 60
2 Mapaseka Makhanya Boxer 34
3 Rene Kalmer Modern Athlete 32
4 Nolene Conrad Boxer 30
5 Christine Kalmer Boxer 24
6 Lebogang Phalula Transnet 19
7 Myrette Filmalter Nedbank 15
8= Annie Bothma Nedbank 14
8= Thozama April Transnet 14
10 Zintle Xiniwe New Balance 12

Rene Kalmer

The First Half of the Comrades Down Run

As I write this we are 25 days away from the 2014 Comrades Marathon. Less than three and a half weeks. As the final preparations get made for Comrades race day and the last bit of training gets done, it is important to start looking to 1 June and what you can expect along the route.

In yesterday’s edition of the Ask Coach Parry Podcast, Comrades Coach Lindsey Parry spoke about what you could and should expect at the start of the race (You can listen to that here). On the second of this three part series about Comrades race day Lindsey talks us through the first half of the down run.

If you’ve never run a down run, at about 40 kilometers you will be thinking that the world has being lying to you because there is not much down about the first half of the down run. For me, at the time, the first half of my first Comrades was the hardest marathon I had ever run. It is important to know what you’re in for in the first half, and even more important to save something for the brutal second half of the down run.

Lindsey gives some great tips today and be sure to come back tomorrow as we talk about the second half of the Comrades Down run.