Author: Modern Athlete

Towards
the end of January, Athletics South Africa (ASA) put out a media release to say
that 11 South African athletes were sanctioned during 2012 for doping offences,
with a further six outstanding cases awaiting finalisation (including that of
Comrades winner Ludwick Mamabola, at the time). The media statement added that
this is a very high number for a single country, even more so given that there
were only four athletes sanctioned in 2011, according the annual report of the
South African Institute of Drug-Free Sport (SAIDS).

 

As
ASA President James Evans put it, “There is clearly something badly wrong with
the knowledge of the athletes and their support teams. In many cases the
substances were taken out of pure ignorance, but even in those cases where it
was not only ignorance, one gets the sense that some of the athletes felt that
the testers will never catch them. They obviously believed the myth that the
testers are always one step behind the takers. If that ever was the case, it
isn’t any longer.”

 

CATCHING UP WITH CHEATERS

James
is so right, because in early March the international sporting headlines
included a story that six athletes from Russia
and Belarus had been caught for doping in retrospective drug tests of their samples from the 2005 Track and Field World Champs in Helsinki,
Finland, including three gold and two silver medallists, mostly in hammer throw
and shot put, some of whom had also been Olympic medallists between 2004 and
2012. The frozen samples from Helsinki were re-tested by the International
Association of Athletics Federations’ (IAAF)
just within the eight-year statute of limitations for drug violations laid down
by the World Anti-Doping Code.

 

That was
followed a few days later by another news report that 17 athletes worldwide
face doping bans after abnormalities were detected in their IAAF biological
passports, which show any changes in an athlete’s blood sample, compared to the
original profile, which could have been caused only by doping. The biological
passport programme was pioneered by the International Cycling Union (UCI) and
introduced by the IAAF in 2009.

 

PASSPORT CONTROL

“The
biological passport concept evolved out of the realisation that traditional
anti-doping methods were relatively ineffective, and that our insistence on
finding a ‘smoking gun’ in order to detect doping was compromising the fight
against doping,” says Dr Ross Tucker of the Sport Science Institute of South
Africa. “That is, we were naive to think that simply testing for a substance,
either in or out of competition, was going to catch cheats and dissuade
potential cheats. It’s just too easy to avoid detection, and the effect of
drugs persists long after the drug is gone.”

 

“So
now we have a paradigm shift in doping control, and it involves longitudinal
testing in the form of a biological passport. The concept is that rather than
try to find the substance in the body, we can find its physiological effects.
There is a natural biological variation in blood variables, and unusually large
deviations are flagged as suspicious. By tracking an athlete over time,
anti-doping gets a ‘fingerprint’ that allows any future changes to be detected
in the context of individual physiology.”

 

AND IT’S
WORKING!

Ross points to the stats as evidence of how this
programme is proving effective: In 2001/2002, he says about one in eight
samples tested showed abnormal percentages of reticulocytes, the immature red
blood cells that mature into mature red blood cells. The normal count is
between 0.5% and 1.5%. If an athlete has blood removed and re-infused (as in
illegal blood-boosting), or uses EPO and other banned substances, this count
can go abnormally high or low. When the test for EPO was developed in 2003, the
number of abnormal results climbed substantially, then tailed off again until
just 1 in 10 abnormal results were found. However, since the biological
passport programme has been in place, Ross says the stats now show just 1 in 40
abnormal results, and he concludes that, “Doping has been squeezed down.”

 

IAAF President Lamine Diack echoed this in a recent
media statement: “The IAAF’s message to cheaters is increasingly clear that,
with constant advancements being made in doping detection, there is no place to
hide. The IAAF will continue to do everything in its power to ensure the
credibility of competition, and where the rules have been broken, will
systematically uncover the cheats.”

Information
on testing procedures and which substances are prohibited can be found on the
SAIDS website, www.drugfreesport.org.za, as well
as ASA website www.athletics.org.za (under Info Centre, Anti Doping).

“I remember
crossing the finish and I thought it wasn’t real at all,” says Randfontein born-and-bred
Cornelia as she recounts her victorious day at this year’s SA Marathon Champs
in Oudtshoorn. “I was happy and shocked at the
result. I became the youngest champ ever, and this was my first ever marathon!”
Before that, Cornelia had focused on half marathons, but recently stepped up to
a few 32km races and done some longer training runs in preparation for her debut
marathon, which she won in a time of 2:46:13.

 

What makes Cornelia’s victory even more extraordinary is that she beat experienced marathon
runner and Central Gauteng team mate Kim
Laxton, who seemed the favourite to take the title this year. Cornelia
remembers running to keep up with Kim to the 23km mark, but then she knew she
could pick it up. “In the last 19km or so I ran up front and I did not see her again
before her finish. I guess now that I have this victory at a young age, I can learn
from it and better myself and my times.” Kim came home in 2:47:25 for the
silver medal, while third place went to Melanie van Rooyen of KwaZulu-Natal in 2:48:35.

 

While her
win was still three minutes outside the women’s qualifying
standard of 2:43:00 for World Champs qualification, Cornelia says it’s a great
stepping stone for her. “It’s so positive for me after little time for
preparation. I want to get to the point where I can represent South Africa
and also get some sponsors so I can run overseas,” she says.

 

BORN TO WIN

Cornelia has always been an athlete, having started running and
competing from the age of nine at primary school, where she participated in the
1 200m and 1 500m events. At the age of 11 she received her SA colours for the
first time and her talent continued to develop in high school, where she was
awarded further accolades for her running, and as her love of running grew, she
turned to cross-country and eventually road running, where she has blossomed. With
her great attitude towards the sport and her forthright humility, she was
pretty confident of running at a top level after school. “I trained on my own
for a while, but it didn’t fit with me,” she explains. “In the last four months
I’ve been with a coach who is pushing me for results and times, and picks out
the races in Gauteng.”

 

At the moment, Cornelia holds personal bests of 35 minutes for 10km and
77 minutes for the half marathon, and is hoping to bring her times down soon, so
that sponsors will take notice. “That’s what you’ve got to do now – you have to
compete with the top runners, and get the results and times, so sponsors and
teams will get behind you.” She adds that she believes running can take her to
new heights and places she hasn’t been before. “I’d love to be able to compete
with the best and also run some races overseas! If I can get represented and
can improve, I will get there.”

 

Despite her optimistic outlook, Cornelia also hopes Athletics South
Africa gets their act together with paying athletes for their wins. “There’s a
lot of athletes not getting paid and looked after, so there needs to be a
change there. As an athlete you rely on winnings and the athletics body
standing up for you.”

 

SACRIFICE AND
JUGGLING

During the week Cornelia trains on the track with her coach, including 1
000m intervals to work on her speed. She says bringing her times down on the
shorter distances is her priority. “I’m doing my first track champs soon and I
don’t know what to expect, but I have been working hard because I’ve been
struggling with running on the track.” On the weekends, she lines up regularly
at shorter local races on Saturdays, and does 30km long runs on Sundays. In the
recent Sarens Half Marathon in Edenvale, Cornelia grabbed a fifth placing with
a 1:23:24, and other notable runs in recent months include finishing as
runner-up in last year’s Ocean Basket/Marcel van’t Slot 15km, where she clocked
59:01, and a close second at the Jakaranda SABS Half Marathon in just over
1:22.

 

Having appointed a coach just a few weeks before the marathon champs,
Cornelia says that decision is really paying off. “If I don’t get my times, if
I’m struggling, my coach won’t put me down. He is always positive about my
running and that helps me when I compete!” she says. “It’s about eating
healthy, too! Of course, I cheat sometimes but you have to eat the right things
if you want to be better.”

 

Cornelia says that her current success is also thanks to her being able
to juggle being a mother to four-year-old Stephen and still fitting
in a lot of hard training. “It’s very hard to be a mom – when you have a
kid, you always have to run around anyway!” As for Stephen, he may still grow
up to be a runner as well, but Cornelia says she will let him choose his own
way. “I won’t push Stephen to run and compete one day – if he does, it will be
great, but it does take a lot of dedication!”

 

KEEPING IT REAL

For an
up-and-coming star on SA’s running circuit, Cornelia stays grounded and relaxes
by singing at Karaoke nights once a week. “I get my mind off things when I’m singing
and performing,” she says. “You always need to do things besides running to
relax!” And while her status as a top runner is slowly growing, Cornelia says
she still looks up to Rene Kalmer as her role model on the big stage. “She’s my
favourite because she has talent, she has a beautiful personality, and gives out
advice easily!”

 

And so,
with fresh, young legs, heaps of talent and dreams of international races and
becoming a star name, Cornelia is definitely an athlete to watch for the future,
and her unassuming approach to the sport should see her go far and get the
times she trains so hard for. “I feel like one day I will be able to tell the
kids who want to run to never give up – even if you don’t win and struggle at
first!”

In 2004, the year that Chapman’s Peak Drive was reopened and the Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon returned to its traditional route, the field in the 56km ultra-marathon climbed to an all-time high of 9 769 entries. That beat the previous record of 9 227, set in 1991 but now, in 2013, we have a new record, as the entries counter was standing on 9 847 at the time of going to print, near the end of February, with two weeks still to go before entries closed on 5 March!

When you add the maximum sold-out 16 000 entries in the half marathon, the maximum sold-out 800 in the trail runs, and the 900-plus entries already received for the International Friendship Run, plus entries already received for the various fun runs the total number of athletes who will be in action over the Easter Weekend already stands at over 29 000. In 2012, the total number across all events reached 28 794, and at least another 1 000 entries are still expected to come in for the Good Friday Fun Runs, so the total figure for 2013 could go past 30 000 – but even if no more entries came in (which we all know is not going to happen), the 2013 Two Oceans is already the biggest of all time, and further cements the event’s status as South Africa’s largest running event.

Looking at the statistics of the ultra, it is interesting to note that 39% will be doing the race for the first time, undertaking their first Two Oceans ‘Voyage,’ which is testament to fact that earning a finisher’s medal at the ‘World’s most Beautiful Marathon’ remains a highly sought after achievement. In fact, there are already 1 300 more novices in the ultra than last year’s race, which had a 27% novice entry stat! Another very pleasing figure – if you will excuse the pun – is the number of women running the ultra this year. Last year 26% of the field were female, while this year the stat has climbed to 30%. Comparing numbers, by the end of February there were already nearly 1 000 more women in the field than 2012.

But wait, there’s more… as they say in the TV infomercials. International entries in the ultra (from countries outside of Africa) have risen this year to all time high of over 700. Last year there were 567, which was already a big jump over the 2011 record of 494 – so the international marketing efforts of the Two Oceans Marathon Organisation are clearly paying off! Also, the record for African entries (from countries outside of South Africa) has been broken: It was 176 entries in 2011, while this year entries have already climbed past 180. (Oh yes, the entries for the International Friendship Run on Good Friday have also climbed over 900, well past the 2012 record of 768.)

Bringing things all the way home, the split between Western Cape entries and those from other provinces stands at 25% to 75%, which is very similar to the 26-74% split of 2012, but note that the total number of entries in both categories are significantly higher this year, which once again shows that the Two Oceans ultra is not only one of the country’s most popular events, but is growing in popularity!

Ultra entries close on 5 March, as do all substitutions, upgrades and changes of seeding, and absolutely no changes whatsoever will be permitted after that date. Runners should also take note that it is against the race rules to give a number away to another runner if you can no longer run, and this will lead to disqualification for both runners and a ban from the event for a year

So, now it is full speed ahead as we move towards the Easter long weekend and the annual voyage around the Peninsula. The 2013 Two Oceans promises to be the biggest and best of all time… and perhaps we may also see some new course records set to go with all the record entries!

 

 

 

PLAN YOUR OCEANS WEEKEND

The programme for the annual Two Oceans Easter Weekend is jam-packed with highlight events, so check out the list below and start planning your long weekend.

 

Wednesday 27 March to Friday 29 March

Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon Exhibition

Venue: Cape Town International Convention Centre

Thursday 28 March

Blue Number Club Dinner

Venue: Old Mutual Business School, Pinelands

Friday 29 March

Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon & Half Marathon Special Friday Run

Venue: Main Road, Newlands

Friday 29 March

Old Mutual Two Oceans 22km & 10km Trail Runs

Venue: Jameson Plaza, UCT Upper Campus

Friday 29 March

Old Mutual Two Oceans International Friendship Run 5km

Venue: V&A Waterfront Amphitheatre

Friday 29 March

Old Mutual Two Oceans Fun Runs

Venue: UCT Rugby Fields

Saturday 30 March

Old Mutual Two Oceans Ultra Marathon & Half Marathon

Venue: Main Road, Newlands

 

 

 

THE EXPO THAT HAS IT ALL

The Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon Exhibition runs from 27 to 29 March at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. Traditionally, the exhibition was a pick-up point for race numbers, but it has grown into a far more inclusive sports event.

 

Open to the public and free of charge, the Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon Exhibition is the perfect opportunity for running and fitness enthusiasts to see the latest gear from top sports brands, notably adidas, the new technical sponsor of the event, which will be showcasing their range of BOOST running shoes amongst other running apparel innovation. And there will be new products to test from the likes of Gu at their Energy Lab, as well as innovative new technology from many other industry leaders on display.

 

These three days of pre-race build up provide the perfect opportunity for runners to get into race mode. Old Mutual will be inviting visitors to meet the Virtual Coach or check cholesterol and general health with trained professionals. They will also be offering foot massages and will be handing out personalised supporter posters too.

 

With over 100 exhibitors to see and buy from, race runners are also able to pick up any last minute gear that they may have forgotten en route to the world’s most beautiful marathon. With all of these services and exhibitors under one roof, the pre-race routine just got that much easier. The only thing left to do is run.

 

Wednesday 27 March, 10:00 – 19:00

Thursday 28 March, 10:00 – 19:00

Friday 29 March, 09:00 – 17:00

 

For further information, please visit: http://www.twooceansmarathonexpo.co.za

 

 

 

OCEANS OF CARING

The Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon doesn’t just provide a great day out for runners, the event is also a fantastic way to give something back to the community. For that reason, the Two Oceans Marathon Initiative (TOMI) was launched for the 2012 event and replaced all previous race charities. TOMI is a fundraising initiative that provides much-needed funding for select groups of charities, with the emphasis placed on ensuring that the education and sporting needs of children are met, education facilities are provided and upgraded, and environmental issues involving our parks, flora and fauna, as well as animals both on land and in the water, are included.

 

If you would like to do a direct deposit, our banking details are:

Bank: Nedbank

Branch Code: 198765

Account Number: 1077006233

Account Holder: Two Oceans Marathon Association

 

 

 

BRING THE FAMILY

Runners and walkers of all ages are invited to take part in the Old Mutual Two Oceans Fun Runs, taking place at the University of Cape Town (UCT) rugby fields on Good Friday, 29 March. There will be loads of fun for the whole family:

12:00  56m Nappy Dash – for kids aged 3 and younger (must be able to walk)

12:30  300m Toddlers’ Trot – for kids aged 4 to 6

13:30  2.1km fun run/walk – for the young, the old and the not so fit.

14:00  5.6km fun run/walk – for the fitter and more adventurous runner/walker.

15:00  8km fun run/walk – the perfect loosener for those running the half or the ultra marathon.

 

There will be no time limits on any of the fun runs, so bring your family and friends, especially your kids, and come and experience the spirit of this great event. Prize-giving will be done in phases: For the Nappy Dash, Toddlers’ Trot and 2.1 km fun run/walk the prize-giving will start at 14:00. For the 5.6km and 8km, the prize-giving will start at 16:30.

 

The entry fee for all the events in the fun run programme will be R25. Late entries will be taken on the day in the registration tent at UCT from 9am onwards, but to avoid the queues, enter online at www.twooceansmarathon.org.za. You can also pre-enter manually at the Western Province Athletics office at Vygieskraal Stadium, Johnstone Road, Athlone, weekdays 09h30-15h00, or at the Two Oceans Expo on the Wednesday and Thursday. More info at Tel 021 699 0615 or [email protected]

 

 

 

FUN RUNS FOR THE COMMUNITIES

A series of ten 5.6km community fun runs, organised as a joint initiative between the Two Oceans Marathon Association and Western Province Athletics, kicked off in August 2012 to encourage participation in physical activity and bring the Two Oceans Marathon brand and spirit to the greater community of Cape Town. The remaining fun runs in the series will be held on:

16 March  Rocklands Sports Field, Mitchells Plain

20 March  Green Point Stadium, Sea Point

23 March  Florida Park Stadium, Ravensmead

 

The distance of 5.6km was chosen to align these fun runs with the 56km Old Mutual Two Oceans Ultra. The series provides an opportunity to identify running talent and creates a platform for development of future top runners, as some participants will be invited to take part in the Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon Fun Runs on Good Friday.

 

 

 

DINNER FOR BLUE TENNERS

When you run your tenth Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon, you are awarded your permanent Blue Number, and similarly, when you complete your tenth Two Oceans Half, you receive your Light Blue Number. The Blue Number Club (BNC) was founded to celebrate this achievement, and a special BNC area is reserved for BNC members at Registration as well as on the finish line on race day.

 

Furthermore, each year the Blue number Club Dinner takes place two days before the race, to give all the Blue Number holders a special opportunity to meet up. This year it will be held on Thursday 28 March at the Old Mutual Business School in Pinelands. For more info, contact Tel: 021 657 5140 or e-mail: [email protected].

 

 

 

SPECIAL CARE IN RUNNERS’ VILLAGE

One of the most notable charitable initiatives of the Two Oceans event is the Runners’ Village, which provides accommodation and meals to athletes from disadvantage communities who do not have the financial means to participate in the Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon, but do have the desire to be part of the ‘world’s most beautiful marathon.’ Runners must be a club member and must earn no more than R3000 a month in order to qualify for the Village, and once in, they are always looked after very well by the dedicated team of volunteers. Who knows, perhaps we may see a gold medallist amongst the Runners’ Village runners this year.

 

 

 

PLAN YOUR PARKING!

With the increase in entries at this year’s Two Oceans, it is more important than ever for runners to ake note of the parking arrangements that the organisers have laid on. The UCT campus rapidly fills up on race day and cannot accommodate all the tens of thousands of cars that will head towards the start and finish of this great event, so rather use one of the extra parking facilities at four schools within a 1km radius of the start, at Westerford High School, SACS High & Junior Schools, and Groote Schuur High School. A shuttle service will run at regular intervals from the finish to all the schools so that runners can get back to the ir cars after completing their event. There will be a stand at the Expo with large maps and marshals to explain the various options to you. And remember the best way to avoid stress on race day is to arrive early!

 

 

 

QUICK SUPPORTER’S GUIDE

The following spots have been identified as spectator ‘hot spots’ and are great for watching the race and taking in the breathtaking views that Cape Town has to offer:

•  Main Road, Lakeside

•  Fish Hoek-Kommetjie Road

•  Silvermine Road intersection

•  Noordhoek Village, start of Chapman’s Peak

•  Constantia Nek

•  Cecelia Forest, along Rhodes Drive

•  Kirstenbosch Gardens

•  Union Avenue towards UCT

 

Just take note that several roads will be closed on race day to ensure the free flow and safety of the runners. To see a full list of road closures, go to www.twooceansmarathon.org.za/support/road-closure

 

 

 

CATCH IT LIVE ON SABC 2

The world’s most beautiful marathon will be broadcast live on SABC 2 on race day, so if you’re not running and can’t be on the course to support the runners come Easter weekend, make sure you have the alarm clock set, the coffee and rusks ready and couch booked from 6:25am! The broadcast will start with the start of the ultra, and coverage will continue until 10:30

 

 

 

CATCH US ONLINE

Visit www.twooceansmarathon.org.za for all the latest race information, or follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/TwoOceansMarathon and Twitter @2OceansMarathon. You can also contact us on tel. 021 657 5140 or e-mail: [email protected].