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Take a Rain Check

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Nine boys from King Edward High School were struck by lightning and
injured while trying to cover up the school’s cricket pitch after rain
disrupted their practice session. Shortly after that, a Soweto teenager was
injured, and then a 17-year-old boy was killed by a lightning strike in the
Eastern Cape.

 

Most of us train outdoors, but how does one know when a storm can turn
‘deadly’ and when it is safe to enjoy the freedom of running in the rain?
“Storms are dangerous and they must be treated as such. It is far better to sit
around with friends moaning about not being out there – than sit at a friend’s
funeral because they decided to take the risk,” says Prof Ian Jandrell,
Transnet Professor of Systems Engineering and CBI-electric Professor of
Lightning at the University of the Witwatersrand’s School of Electrical and
Information Engineering.

 

CHECK,
PLEASE

Ian advises athletes to consider taking a ‘rain check’ when a storm is
brewing or it is raining outside. “Lightning tends to precede the rain, and
tends to continue after the rain has stopped. When we say that a storm is
dangerous if it is detected to be within, say, 25km distance, it is not just
because it can reach us quite quickly, it is also because lightning can travel
significant distances horizontally. You do not need to be under a storm cloud
to be struck!”

 

WHEN CAUGHT
OFF GUARD

Start every run by looking around to see if a storm is approaching,
receding, or perhaps just passing by. At least ensure that your route allows
you to take shelter if needs be. When you are unexpectedly caught in a storm,
Ian says there are several things you should do:

?        
Seek shelter in the nearest building, or in a motor
vehicle or bus.

?        
Avoid single high objects such as isolated trees.

?        
If you are in an open space, minimise your probability
of injury by sitting down cross-legged. This ensures that you are low down, and
that your contact with the earth is minimised.

?        
If you are running in a group, spread out to allow at
least two metres between each runner.

 

COUNTING
DOWN

According to Ian, sound travels at about 330 metres per second, and the
light of the flash reaches us instantaneously, so if we hear the thunder three
seconds after we see the flash, the strike is about 1km away, whereas a 30-second
delay between the flash and the thunder would imply that the strike was 10km
away. However, be warned that this would still be considered to put you at very
high risk.

 

“If lightning is that close, you needed to have taken shelter a while
ago! We consider lightning 20km away to pose a danger,” says Ian. “You are OK
if the storm is more than 25km away. But beware: Storms can move very fast; and
lightning can travel significant distances horizontally.”

 

TREATMENT
101

One of the biggest dangers is fibrillation of the heart, caused by
current flowing through the body and affecting the heart muscles. Immediate
application of CPR is important. However, the most important piece of advice
Ian can give anyone is to rather be safe than sorry! “Many folk have run
through storms with no ill effects. But, equally, many folk minding their
business outdoors have been killed. Choose safety over ill-informed bravery!”

Ready

Healthy Hamburgers

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The average fast food burger contributes a whopping 2 500kJ and that’s
without the fries, Coke, extra patty or cheese! By simply making healthier choices,
you can easily reduce the unhealthy calories by half and improve the nutrient
quality.

 

AT FAST FOOD
JOINTS

 

To lower the
fat percentage:

?        
Patty: Opt for leaner meat options, e.g. ask for pure
chicken breast, grilled venison, tuna, salmon or turkey, or go vegetarian.

?        
Sauces: Swap fatty mayonnaise for tomato sauce/BBQ
sauce.

?        
Extras: Don’t add cheese, avoid butter and margarine.

 

To
lower the sugar content:

?        
Patty: Make sure patties are 100% pure – processed
meats often contain sugar.

?        
Sauces: Reduce the amount of sauces and increase fresh
tomato, lettuce and onion. Add mustard or avocado for more flavour.

?        
Bread roll: Opt for a whole grain bun or whole meal
pita.

 

To reduce
total calories:

?        
Don’t supersize! Opt for a smaller burger and add a
side salad. Double the size, double the calories!

?        
Cut cheese and mayonnaise out and replace with more
fresh produce with colour, e.g. pineapple, salad, mushroom or beetroot relish.

 

To
increase fibre content:

?        
Opt for lentil or chickpea patties.

?        
Choose whole grain rolls.

?        
Add onion, tomato, lettuce, rocket or grated carrot to
your burger.

 

MAKE
YOUR OWN BURGERS

 

Venison
burgers

Serves: 4, Time
to make: 20 minutes

 

Full ingredient list: 500g venison
mince, ? onion finely chopped, orange zest, 1/2 cup breadcrumbs, 1 teaspoon
meat seasoning, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, 4 whole meal pita breads,
4 cups lettuce, 4 teaspoons relish.

 

?        
Place mince in a bowl with onion, orange zest,
breadcrumbs, seasoning and parsley. Use hands to mix ingredients, then shape
into four patties.

?        
Grill or braai burgers for about six minutes each
side. Slice pita breads horizontally. To assemble, add lettuce, then burger,
and top with relish.

Tip: To make
beetroot relish, mix one cooked beetroot (diced) with 1 finely chopped red
onion, 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon
wholegrain mustard.

 

Lentil
Burgers

Serves: 4, Time to make: 40 minutes

 

Ingredients: 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil,
1 onion finely chopped, 2 fat garlic cloves crushed, 2 tablespoons nomu Egyptian
dukkah, 1 can large lentils, 2 teaspoons finely chopped parsley, 125ml fresh
breadcrumbs, 1 disc feta cheese – crumbled, 1 pinch salt and milled pepper, 1
extra large egg – lightly beaten, 1 dash vegetable oil for frying.

 

?        
Heat olive oil in a pan and saut? onion and garlic
until soft.

?        
Add dukkah spice and fry for two minutes or until
golden.

?        
Remove from heat and place into a bowl with lentils,
parsley, breadcrumbs and feta.

?        
Mix lightly to combine and season.

?        
Cool mixture, then add egg and stir until mixture is
combined.

?        
Shape into four large patties and refrigerate for an
hour to firm slightly.

?        
Heat a glug of vegetable oil and fry lentil patties
for about two to three minutes on each side until golden brown.

A Harlequin Heart

You can bank on that

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Dave
Macready takes advantage of every gap in his busy schedule to still fit in
plenty of exercise: “I am usually up early and like to train at odd hours, and
when I travel, I can exercise in the morning before work, because I can be
selfish with my time when away from my family. In Joburg, I live in a hotel
opposite the Nedbank offices, so I leave a sport bag there with all my kit, and
I always travel with running shoes, as it’s the best thing to get lost on the
run in a new city!”

 

On Mondays
and Fridays, when at home in Cape Town, he regularly cycles to work, either doing
a 23km mountain bike ride from Constantia to the Waterfront along the slopes of
Table Mountain, or going by road via Hout Bay for a 34km commute. “It’s a
privilege to be healthy and experiencing such beauty,” says Dave. “It keeps one
sane and takes away stress, because you can’t work at this level unless you
have some sort of exercise.”

 

CAREER MAN

Dave (54) is
married to Debi and they have three daughters, Leigh (25), Carey (22) and Skye
(9). He was born in the Transkei and studied at UCT, qualifying as a chartered
accountant before heading to the UK for 10 years, where he became a partner in
Deloittes. In 1990 he returned to SA and joined the Nedbank Group, a career
move he describes as his best decision yet. “The most enjoyable part of my
career has been at Nedbank, as part of the executive team that runs the group. I
love that Nedbank is a value-based company, seriously focused on making things
happen for our clients, and pursuing its position as a green bank.”

 

“Also, I am
very proud of our investment in social endurance sport, like road running and
cycling. Nedbank sponsors the Sani2C and Tour de Tuli events, and is a big
supporter of the Cape Argus Pick n Pay Cycle Tour, so everything we do goes
back into the sporting communities. Nedbank is also the biggest corporate
participant in the Cycle Tour – we have our own start time, with over 1200
clients and staff in Nedbank kit lining up together, including over 160
youngsters from disadvantaged communities who are sponsored with bikes and kit
as part of our Nedbank Sports Development Cycling Programme. Our focus now is
on the developmental side, because it’s a big thing for our clients, who love
to ride their bikes. Also, we recently contributed to the South African
Institute for Drug-Free Sport (SAIDS) to help fight doping in all sports.”

 

ENDURANCE BACKGROUND

Dave played
mainly team sports at school, but also achieved provincial colours in swimming
before getting into running at varsity and doing his first Two Oceans and Comrades
ultras in 1985. He went on to earn four bronze medals at the Big C, posting a
best time of 10:09:30, and finished the Two Oceans 10 times from 1985 to 1995
to earn the permanent number 919. “I was determined to get a Blue Number under
1000, then I retired from the long ones because I was really struggling with
Achilles Tendonitis. I eventually had both scraped, and after that I became
bullet-proof, so in 2001 I ran one more Oceans – just to prove I could still do
it. The beauty of endurance sport is that you compete against yourself and determine
your own level. You can draw the line where you want.”

 

He
subsequently moved into triathlon and cycling, going on to finish the
SpecSavers Ironman SA once as well as earning four medals at the 70.3 Half
Ironman, riding the ABSA Cape Epic four times as well as many other bike races,
including the TransAlps in Europe, and also finishing eighth in the SA Masters
Champs in 2012. “I could already swim, so triathlon was a natural fit, and I
found I had a talent for cycling. I still run a few half marathons each year,
but I have become reasonably competitive in cycling, and it gives me the exact
same high as running, but with less strain on my body as I get older.”

 

“Health and
fitness means everything to me in my present work situation as well as personal
life. It enables one to think, get perspective, get clarity of thought, and de-stress
completely. Yes, I have to manage my diary around my work commitments and
travel in order to exercise, but if you plan in advance, you can always fit in
training. And best of all, my family comes with me to all my big events. The
day they stop supporting me is the day I stop doing them.”

Oceans Hopefuls

3,2,1 Action!

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Ask Fleur van Eeden about a day in her life and it sounds like a fairytale.
If she is not on her mountain bike in Swellendam, running around in stunning
gorges, or paddling with her boyfriend in Knysna, she is on a glamorous movie
set, mingling with actors and performing stunts that are physical, spectacular
and almost always dangerous. And that is one of the reasons why Fleur makes
sure she is super fit. “You need to be very fit and condition your body
constantly. I love mountain biking and running, and use these two
disciplines as my main sports to stay fit and gain a fitness base,” says Fleur.

 

BORN TO PERFORM

As a child she
participated in tug-of-war, athletics, hockey, horse-riding and running, then
after school, while studying public relations, she represented South Africa in
tug-of-war. She also worked as a river guide on the Breede and Orange Rivers,
and this is how her career as a stuntwoman started. “I worked with a guy whose
brother opened a stunt company in Cape Town called Pyranha Stunts. I contacted them
and a few months later, on my 21st birthday, I got my first stunt job on the
American mini-series Triangle. I had to sit on a rubber duck in huge water
between the Waterfront and Robben Island. I loved it and got called a week
later to be in a ‘plane accident.’ I was hooked.”

 

Many days she does ‘normal’
day-to-day stunts, such as horse-riding, but then there are always the awesome
new challenges. “There is always a risk of getting hurt, but it is done in a
controlled environment where the stunts are made as comfortable as possible,”
she says. The most dangerous stunt Fleur has performed was while connected to a ratchet (a machine that yanks you and you go flying). “I
was yanked through two swing doors and literally got pulled through the door.
It looked amazing, but I hurt my knee and had a concussion.”

 

RUBBING
SHOULDERS WITH THE FAMOUS

As a stuntwoman Fleur has rubbed shoulders
with the rich and famous and has most recently worked alongside Samuel L.
Jackson on the movie Kite. She can
also add the movies Dredd 3D, Doomsday, Blue Crush, Primeval and Death Race to her CV, to mention just a
few. “In South Africa we produce between five and eight
movies a year and I usually double all the actresses.”

 

And when she is not
jumping off buildings, on her bike or running, Fleur spends time with her partner,
adventure racer Graham Bird of the team Merrell Adventure Addicts. They make an
ideal couple, given that he is just as fit and active. “I believe if you put
your mind to doing something physical, your body will follow. My job challenges
me physically and mentally. And it proves to me how amazing our bodies are.”

Boost Your Running!

Flash of the track

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When Geraldine was picked
for the SA Team for the first time in 2003, to participate at the IAAF Track
& Field World Champs in Paris,
France, she got
a tattoo of a Springbok emblem on her right shoulder. “It was a celebration of the hard work that had paid off and also
achieving the highest level in SA sport!” says Geraldine, who also represented
her country in the Olympics, Commonwealth Games and African Championships. “For
me, it was a huge honour – this wasn’t just school anymore! I was proud to
perform at the highest level and inspire people.”

 

In 2004, Geraldine grabbed a
gold in the 200m at the African Champs, along with bronze in the 100m dash.
When she got to the Olympics later that year in Athens, Greece,
in front of an 80 000-strong crowd she placed sixth in the 100m final and was
overwhelmed at the attention she received. “People don’t care if you’re number
one in the world. To be there and compete is quite something,” she says.

 

Two years later, at the
Commonwealth Games in  Australia, Geraldine upped her pace
in the 100m to clinch silver as well as bronze in the 200m. In the same year,
she won silver in the African Championships 200m. She also holds a fourth
placing at the IAAF World Champs and competed in Monaco,
Rome, Paris and New York. “As a pro
athlete, I got to travel the world and meet people like Carl Lewis and Thabo
Mbeki.”

 

IT’S ALL SACRIFICE

Her fearless attitude on the
track came from her days at primary school where she came second in an
inter-house athletics race and her love of running only grew from there. “I
loved competing in front of people and this continued into high school,” says
Geraldine. “I had never thought it could be a career for me, but I remember a
teacher telling me I could run at the top level.”

 

She became a force on the SA
running scene and admits sacrificing a lot in order to succeed. “I never had
time to socialise – I had a strict schedule!” In full training, Geraldine would
hit the track for two hours every morning before a one-and-a-half hour gym
session later in the afternoon. She would also go for sports massages and made
sure to eat properly to recover and prepare for competition. “I always thought
to myself, ‘if this doesn’t help me run 11 seconds, I’m not going to eat it!’”

 

COACH AND MOTHER

Since 2009 Geraldine has
held a position on the ASA Board as chairperson of the Athlete’s Commission. “My
job is to fight for the athletes and make sure their needs are being met by
ASA. It helps that I was in their position a few years ago.”

 

Geraldine juggles being a
mom to 15-month-old son Diego and coaching athletics at Willowridge
High School in Pretoria. In her down time, she loves nothing
more than to put Diego in his stroller and walk in the park. After her
pregnancy, she was committed to get fit again and coaching helped: “The
training is intense – it is the only way I know how to run,” she says. “I gymmed
three to four times a week and stuck to a programme I knew would see me lose
fat fast.”

 

As a coach, Geraldine feels
privileged to see her athletes develop in front of her. “I see the shy guy develop
into the stand-out runner,” she says, “and that’s why sport is important – it
not only builds character, but reveals it.”

 

GERALDINE’S PBs

60m             7.68 seconds (2002)

100m           11.02 seconds (2005)

200m           22.78 seconds (2005)

 

 

GERALDINE ON OSCAR…

Geraldine came under fire
recently for questioning Oscar Pistorius’ inclusion in the 400m individual race
at the 2012 Olympics. This is what she told Modern
Athlete:

 

“I have a mandate to fight for fairness when it comes to athletes and
selection. So many athletes suffered because of the strict SASCOC selection
criteria, so it was unfair for one or two athletes still to be included while the
rest stayed at home. I was not trying to launch an attack on Oscar. I wrote a
letter to SASCOC explaining my comments and I said if they perceived it as
bringing the sport into disrepute, then I apologise for that. However, that
doesn’t mean I’m backing off from what I said. Oscar didn’t qualify for the
400m individual race, but in the end participated in that race, while Simon
Magakwe had to watch the Olympics at home.”

When Water Becomes Dangerous…

Running Free

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As I sit down to put my experience on paper, I struggle to find the
words to describe my six-day-journey at the Wild Coast Ultra, a 250km race that
starts at the Umgazi River mouth and finishes on Nahoon Beach in East London.
After waiting to do this event for three years, and after all the planning and
all the dreaming, it was finally here.

 

The truth is, I was nervous as hell. The furthest I had ever run in a
week was 160km, and that was primarily on tar. Now I was planning on running
250km on terrain that in Jo’burg you simply can’t train for. In preparation for
this race, I had taken part in the three-day Umgeni Trail Race in August 2012 –
not only my first trail race, but my first multi-day trail race at that, and winning
the event overall! I also ran a 21km trail race in Buffelspoort in December,
finishing in third place despite being diagnosed as anaemic.

 

Apart from that, I had tried to do all my weekend runs on trail, and I
hoped I could challenge for first place at Wild Coast, which I figured was
probably a little ambitious given my recently diagnosed anaemia, and the fact
that I most certainly could not call myself a trail runner.

 

The day before the race we all introduced ourselves and I found myself
amongst both newbies and those who had taken on some serious challenges. My
greatest achievement? Finishing Comrades, which in the light of what we were
facing and what the others had done in the past, seemed somewhat insignificant…

 

DAY 1: 55km

The air had a mix of excitement, nerves and fear of the unknown. We were
about to run along one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world, with no
checkpoints, no water tables, no marked routes. Then a simple gong of a cattle
bell sounded the start of the Wild Coast Ultra. The appeal of this race for me
was the adventure of being out there on your own, figuring out your way to the
day’s finish.

 

For a large part of day one we ran quite far inland, through thick white
beach sand, over narrow grass single track, down steep rocky forest areas,
through thick grass paths and along rocky dirt roads. I ran with a sense of
freedom. I was out here in the middle of nowhere, I was running wild, I was
running free, and for the most part it was simply me and my creator. The
feeling was exhilarating.

 

Day one saw me finish at the Ocean View Hotel in second place after
running further then necessary due to little detours. I was tired and my legs
were sore. Had I gone out too hard? I had finished the day in 7:09, but I
really felt a time closer to six hours would be more reasonable if you knew
where you were going.

 

DAY 2: 45km

I woke up feeling a little tired, but not too bad. Day one had felt
tougher than my last two Comrades runs, but I was ready for more running, and
with a slight ‘old man shuffle’ I was underway. We set out past White Clay and
along the cliffs, which has to be some of the most amazing and stunning
scenery. We reached Hole in the Wall and it was beautiful! Then after taking a
few wrong turns, I set off for the day’s finish at The Haven, feeling certain
that this delay would have left me in second place again. But it hadn’t, and I
finished first in 5:24.

 

DAY 3: 42km

I woke up feeling like I had been dragged through a bush backwards. I
felt broken. I tried not to think about it, I simply got ready, filled my pack,
ate some breakfast and headed to the starting point. I managed to open a decent
lead, which was a good thing, as once again I made some bad navigation errors.
I ran along the beach for 20 to 30km and never saw a single human being. There
were no other footprints in the sand.

 

Suddenly the strangest thing happened: I began to miss people. I had
been taking people for granted and for the first time in my life I began to
realise that we have been created to be part of a community. So I was very glad
when I saw people as I finally arrived at Kob Inn in first place in a time of
4:47

 

DAY 4: 32KM

I felt surprisingly good and was eager to get underway, but it was tough
going into a strong headwind. This was a short, predominantly beach run, with
lots of thick sand and rocks, but on the hard flat sand sections I was able to
get into a fairly decent rhythm. I finished the day in 3:21, and it felt far
too short as the sad realisation dawned on me that we only had two days left.

 

DAY 5: 29KM

I love running in the rain and I couldn’t have felt more blessed to be
running this stunning coastline with God pouring out his blessings upon me. I
felt a lightness in spirit. The Morgan Bay cliffs were amazing! Once around the
cliffs, it was a hop, skip and a jump to Haga Haga and our final sleepover. I
finished the fifth day in 3:09 and it was nice to get warm, get the legs up and
sip on a warm cup of coffee.

 

DAY 6: 45KM

The final day dawned. Where had this week gone? I didn’t want this
adventure to end… The day’s run was broken into two sections. The first was a
run from Haga Haga to the start of the Surfers Challenge event, approximately
27km, and the second was the Surfers Challenge itself, a popular 18km race.
Before I knew it I was at the starting point of the race.

 

The idea of hammering out a tough 18km after having already run 232km in
a week was an intriguing challenge, and on the run I hit the wall. One of the
female spectators shouted, “Come on, run! You’ve been passed by a woman,” but my
body was screaming for the finish line and I simply had to settle for being
‘chicked.’ It was certainly the toughest 18km I have ever run!

 

I was finished. I had won the 250.5km Wild Coast Ultra in a combined
time of 27:54:08. A quick interview, a shower, then prize-giving and it was all
over.

 

AFTER ALL
WAS RUN AND DONE

I woke up the next morning and felt like I could run back to the start
over the next week. My mind struggled to process the last six days. It had been
a blessing, a gift, a wonderful experience and a journey. You don’t race the
Wild Coast, you experience it!

 

What more can I say? The organisation was superb, the goodie-bags were
the best, the accommodation was top class, the food was fantastic, and the
competitors were all a great bunch. But above all, our creator had kept us all
safe, provided us with superb weather and poured out his blessings on us each
and every day.

 

Words simply can’t describe this event. Make sure you put this one on
your bucket list!

There’s Always Time

Your Hips Don’t Lie

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Pronation in the foot results from a combination of motions resulting in a
position where one’s foot is everted (rolls inward on the run). That’s normal.
We all pronate. In fact, without it, running would be rather uncomfortable… but
too much pronation, or over-pronation, can lead not only to unevenly worn
shoes, but sore knees and other niggles. Now, the theory holds that a larger Quadriceps
angle – the Q-angle at which the femur (upper leg bone) meets the tibia (lower
leg bone) – puts more stress on the knee joints and ankles, resulting in
increased pronation, and since women generally have wider hips than men,
resulting in a larger Q-angle, it holds that women will generally pronate more
than men.

 

For podiatrist Chris Delpierre,
of the Sport Science Institute of South Africa, the subject of women pronating
more than men due to their diverse biomechanics is a difficult one. “It seems
pronation has somehow become the bogeyman in running, an evil motion that
somehow is responsible for all our running injuries. It is in fact a very
normal movement of the foot and ankle during weight-bearing activities, that helps
with shock absorption,” explains Chris, who does however note that excessive
pronation can cause unnecessary stress. “The question about women pronating
more than men somehow implies to me that women should then get more running
injuries linked to pronation, which is not the case. Women definitely have
different biomechanics to men, and this means that women need different shoes, not
just smaller ones with different colours!”

 

ANOTHER VIEWPOINT

Meanwhile, registered
biokineticist Faaeza Bala doesn’t rule out the
larger Q-angle theory: “It does change the biomechanics of women’s running
style compared to men, placing a greater amount of stress on the knee joint and
therefore increasing the risk of knee pain and injuries.” However, she says
there an even bigger factor in increasing a
woman’s odds of over-pronating. “The main factor is her ability to
become pregnant. During pregnancy, hormones are released in the body to loosen
ligaments in the pelvis to allow for easier delivery. Unfortunately, these
hormones tend to affect all ligaments, including those in the feet, which support
the arch and prevent over-pronation.” It’s the same reason why many women also
find their feet growing during pregnancy.

 

So while the myth remains an
up-in-the-air issue, there are definitely injuries that pop up with a larger
Q-angle:

?        
The quads pull on the
kneecap, which can cause added stress on a long run, and over time this can
damage the cartilage on the underside of the kneecap, resulting in the common
over-use injury known as ‘runner’s knee.’

?        
ITB occurs with
weakened hip muscles, whereby the illiotibial band, a stretch of tissue extending from the pelvis and hip and inserting just
below the knee, is crucial for stabilising the knee during running. The added
stress on the band will cause inflammation and pain on the band right next to
the knee.

 

The good news is that there’s a
way to get around injuries caused by over-pronation. “Exercises aimed at
strengthening the muscles supporting the joints in the foot can help to reduce
functional pronation,” explains Faeeza. “Also, exercises to strengthen the
thigh and hip muscles that stabilise the knee joint can also reduce the number
of knee injuries caused by a larger Q-angle, or wider hips.” In other words, by
strengthening one’s quads, the knee won’t be as affected by the natural
movement of the foot.

Banish the Bounce!

Run Better… by Swimming

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Swimming to cool down after a hard run in summer is
always a treat, but swimming offers so much more. For starters, it is
particularly useful for recovery, as the water has a cooling effect on muscles,
which enhances recovery. Still better, swimming is non-weight-bearing, so when
used as part of your fitness routine, it promotes recovery of muscles, joints
and bones. There is an increase in activity of the circulatory system due to
increased bloodflow through muscle activity, and swimming also activates the
core muscles, which can lead to faster and longer running form. Furthermore, something
that runners might not know about is the beneficial effect swimming has on the
brain: Learning and practising new motor-neuron skills has a significant
positive impact on the aging process on our brain and body functions.

 

The caveat to all these benefits, however, is that
with poor swimming technique, other problems can arise, so it’s not just a case
of jumping in. For example, back pain and an unconditioned shoulder can result
from hyperextension of the spine from a poor body position in the water. Poor
technique can also result in swimming too hard and taxing yourself in what is
meant to be a recovery session.

 

SWIM MINDFULLY

Even runners who swam at school and think they are fairly
competent should be careful: That was a long time ago, and the type of swimming
you did then was fast and not mindful at all. Runners are also challenged to
adapt mentally to swimming in a pool, because with just a black line to look at
and little opportunity to chat to mates in your usual running group, boredom
could set in, so it’s important for you to up your focus.

 

Before starting, it’s best to get some advice on
technique, to avoid injury and stay motivated. Find a coach who is focused on
technique, because just joining a swim squad is not the answer, as these can
turn into mini races – especially for the competitive runner. Frustration could
also set in as you discover that you are not as good at swimming as you are at
running. Squad swimming can result in poor swimmers, but swimming more
mindfully will decrease chances of injury and take away the boredom factor. You
will have too much to think about as you practise executing a good stroke, and
swimming will become a form of meditation and rest from running (and life).

 

FIND YOUR PACE

Since you are not looking for a major gain in your
fitness, it is best to practise swimming in the very lowest range of perceived
effort. This might be a challenge, though, if you have poor technique,
especially relating to breathing. Seek advice, don’t just try and plough
through! Avoid training sessions that you find on the internet, as these don’t
speak to technique and will often recommend training aids which may not benefit
you. For example, kicking with a kick-board may seem like a good idea, as it
will certainly give you a workout, but you are also putting your back into a
hyper-extended position, which might cause you pain. The same goes for hand paddles
– they add resistance and build muscle, but put strain on unconditioned shoulders
and could lead to injury.

 

You might say that since you only want to swim for
recovery, it doesn’t matter how you swim. Well, it does matter. First avoid
injury and in time you may discover another joy, aside from running. And it
could turn out to be a bonus if you find yourself laid off from a running
injury. You never know, you might become addicted to swimming and find yourself
lining up for a triathlon or swimming race in the future!

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Georgie Thomas is the Head Coach of Total
Immersion Swimming South Africa. Go to www.totalimmersionsa.co.za to find out about
workshops all around SA, or mail [email protected].

Otter Records Tumble

31 Days Atop the Table

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Many athletes defy their age, happily accepting compliments like, “Wow,
you don’t look your age,” and I believe that how we choose to celebrate birthdays
is key to how we will ‘age.’ With birthdays, I place myself in the same
position as I do when I am competing as an athlete: I want to be better than
the previous year (or race), stronger than before, changed in a way I will only
know through exhaustion. So, come the 1st of October each year, I
require two things of myself, each for 31 days or more. The first is a physical
change (permanent or not), and the second, a mental challenge.

 

This year, turning 29, I felt I was peaking physically as an individual
and athlete, and as a businessman, so it needed to be a significant birthday.
The physical change (non-permanent) was a full beard – keeping in mind that I
cannot stand facial hair in the slightest. It’s itchy, looks untidy, and gives
me the creeps when I look in the mirror. The mental challenge: 31 days of climbing
Table Mountain every morning at sunrise.

 

Admittedly, I hadn’t quite thought the second part through that
thoroughly, but the prospect was motivating. Needless to say, however, that when
I worked it out, I realised I would have to be up every weekday morning at 4am
to be on the mountain by 5am, which is about 22km from where I live in Blouberg,
then have just over an hour for hiking to be back in the car by 6:20, in Blouberg
by 6:45 to get ready for work, take my daughter to school and be at work by
7:50. Weekends I would have to be up at 4:30, on the mountain by 5:30 and down
by 7:30 to take my Fit Friend class at 8am on Saturdays and sailing on Sundays.

 

The first 10 days, I was all over that mountain like a dassie on drugs,
trail running like a king, taking photos of everything, rock-hopping till my
quads and calves burnt like the 4th of July fireworks. Days 11 to
20, I was not quite so optimistic. Fun ran ahead of me… far ahead! Miserable
fatigue and exhaustion were setting in for the long haul.

 

Days 20 to 25…I had never felt so deeply drained before, almost
regretting the sheer stupidity it took committing to such a challenge without
thinking it through. I talked my way out of it several times when my alarm went
off, but then talked myself back into it at the five-minute snooze buzzer. Most
mornings I faced a stubborn tug-of-war with myself. Thankfully, on days 26 to
29 I felt at ease with the fact that I only had a few days left. I had come
into a rhythm I appreciated.

 

The mornings of 30 and 31 October, and Friday 1 November (when I hiked
Lions Head for a change of view), were some of the most epic mornings I have
experienced, in so many unexplainable ways. My expectation of the days had
changed forever. I felt so intrinsically connected with the world, with myself,
with everything I came into contact with.

 

I wrote in a diary every day to map my thoughts, and the amount of
self-coaching I went through during the month was impressive. It’s fair to say
I am very hard on myself, but extremely effective. The beard was with me throughout,
and having the world around me on board with my double challenge, the
exhaustion in my face was always a conversation-starter. But shaving on the 1st
of November was, well, bliss.

 

As difficult as this challenge may have seemed, once it was over I knew
I could do 100 days if I really wanted or needed to. Like many athletes, I have
the mental capacity to persevere and push myself where many don’t, or can’t go,
and through sharing my madness I saw friends, family and people in my fitness
classes change their perspective and expectations of themselves.

 

I feel strongly that at some stage during the month this became bigger
than me, and that’s one of the biggest reasons I completed the challenge. It
was not so much about finishing it, but having started it in the first place. There
are adventures in our lives that we sometimes forget we have had, but building ourselves
from those blocks, I think, is the foundation by which athletes define
themselves – personal experiences all put together to make up this person that
achieves, that strives for more from themselves.

Cramping your style?

Enchanted by Magical Hobbit

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Merrell Hobbit Trail Runs presented by Nikwax, Hogsback, Border, 11-12 October


The
100km event takes runners on a magical journey along the Amatola Hiking trail,
with over 5000m of ascent, making it one of the toughest multi-day trail running
events on the calendar. The two days are long, with average finishing times of between
eight and 12 hours each day, giving the runners plenty of time to reflect on
life’s subtleties as they experience the physical, mental and emotional highs
and lows that come with covering the extreme route. There is also a ‘rustic’ overnight
stay at Cata Hut, adding to this truly unique experience.

 

A
field of 41 runners lined up at the start line at Maden Dam on the Friday
morning, with only 30 managing to get an official finish at the Arminel Hotel,
Hogsback on the Saturday afternoon, once again led home by 2012 winner, Ryno
Griesel, while race novice Driekie Black claimed the women’s title. Most runners
finished elated and smiling, some with tears of relief and joy, but all saying
there were no words to describe how they felt as they crossed the line.

 

While
the 100km runners were busy with their second day, over 220 runners made the
trip to Hogsback for the one-day races. The 38km event took the runners on a
loop out and over Hogsback Mountain, joining up with the 100km route, while the
16km runners did a tough loop in the forests surrounding Hogsback. The 5km loop
was far tamer, with families and kids getting a taste of single-track trail
running at its best.

Check out www.mountainrunner.co.za
for more photos and results.