Author: Modern Athlete

We are constantly bombarded
by articles with contradicting advice regarding the consumption of different
foods, especially red meat. Some experts say stay clear while others promote
the regular consumption of meat, even the night before a big sporting event,
and in some cases, even on race day. Think back to the days of the legendary
Wally Hayward, who used to stop next to the road during races to polish off a
juicy piece of red meat. So who’s right and who’s wrong? Read on.

 

WHAT’S IN RED MEAT?

?        
Protein: Red meat provides high-quality, highly digestible protein, with all the
essential amino acids that are used by the body to build structures and perform
functions, including bone, muscle, skin, nails and hair.

?        
Haem Iron: Iron is needed for red blood cells and oxygen transport, and haem iron
is more absorbable than the non-haem variety found in vegetables. Red meat
contributes more than 50% of the body’s iron needs.

?        
Zinc: The zinc in meat is better absorbed than from plant foods. It is
necessary for strong immune function, brain function, fertility and healing.

?        
B Group Vitamins,
including B12: These vitamins are necessary
for energy and brain function, and are only found in animal products.

?        
Carnitine: Its main role is to help the conversion of fat into energy in the
body’s cells.

?        
Cholesterol: Red meat contains cholesterol, which in high levels are associated with
increased risk of heart disease, but more recent studies have shown this only
to be true for people up to the age of 50.

?        
Saturated fat: Red meat contains saturated fat, the kind that when eaten in excess,
has been thought to raise blood cholesterol and the risk of heart disease.
However, lean red meat, with visible fat removed and little marbling, is lower
in saturated fat.

 

ATHLETES AND MEAT

Red meat is useful for athletes because
it’s a high-quality source of protein, calories, B vitamins, zinc, and most
importantly, iron. One of the major functions of iron is to carry oxygen to and
carbon dioxide away from all the cells in your body. The brain also relies on
oxygen transport, so without enough iron, you will find it hard to concentrate
and feel tired and irritable. Iron is also needed to maintain a healthy immune
system.

 

Athletes
that consume red meat the night before a race are
usually people who eat meat regularly and are used to high-fat diets and
digesting meat. The reason many do this before an endurance race with a lower
intensity, is that they can then rely on fat being a good source of energy for a
longer period, without needing large amounts of carbohydrate to remain fuelled.

 

BUT IS RED MEAT SAFE?

In late 2007, the World Cancer
Research Fund (WCRF) reported a link between red meat and colon cancer, which
caused worldwide concern. It recommended eating less than 500g of red meat per
week and avoiding processed meat. However, this advice was disputed by other
experts who believe it was based on inconsistent research results. Health
authorities now recommend that we eat lean red meat three to four times a week,
where a serving is equal to 65-100g of cooked meat, e.g. a small steak, half a
cup of mince, or a couple of slices of roast meat. Any less and other iron-rich
foods will need to be eaten.

 

Much of the reservations about meat
come not from the food itself, but rather the methods used to rear the animals,
and to the processing done after the animals are slaughtered. Therefore, choose
cuts from animals that are as naturally reared as possible, and in an
unprocessed form.

 

MEAT MYTH: Does eating a lot of
protein help build muscle?

Protein alone does not build muscle
mass. A strength-training programme, along with enough calories from healthy
foods, as well as recovery time and sleep, are also needed for building muscle.
Overdoing it adds extra calories and won’t build bigger muscles.
Strength-training athletes, like bodybuilders, might benefit from more protein,
but even that extra amount of protein can be met by simply choosing
protein-rich foods.

I remember clearly being totally shocked when I stared
at the pregnancy test that had two stripes on it. Not because I didn’t think
that I could fall pregnant, but because I had just arrived back from running my
eighth Comrades Marathon. I had trained very hard for this one. After finishing
11^th three times, I was not going to finish eleventh again, so I
finally got some coaching help from Alec Riddle and it was all falling into place
as I ran a 10km PB two weeks prior.

 

So when I was tripped at the start of Comrades
by a runner turning back to pick up his sunglasses, I was devastated. I tried
to get up several times, but each time I got stampeded. Thankfully my brave
husband Michael turned back and grabbed me by my arm, pulling me to the side. My
knee was stuffed, my hip bruised, my hands grazed and my confidence shaky, but
I battled on and finished. I vowed that I would put my fitness into something
else, to make all the training, early mornings and sacrifices worth the while.

 

RUNNING WITH BABY

So there I was, staring at the pregnancy test,
and my first thought was that it probably was a blessing in disguise that I
took a tumble at the start of Comrades. My second thought was, I wonder how
long I can still run? My elation was short-lived as I Googled running and
pregnancy. After only finding a few scrappy bits of information on elite
athlete Paula Radcliffe, I was forced to broaden the search to include any form
of exercise. Even though it was wonderful to read that Paula Radcliffe ran
throughout her pregnancy, a normal working pleb like me didn’t have the privilege
of four-hour afternoon naps, massages and nutritious meals being prepared for
me. In the real world there are work stress, deadlines and family commitments.

 

I was amazed that in today’s information-overloaded
society, there are just scanty bits of info on something as popular as running,
and as prevalent as pregnancy. So I used my medical background to do a bit of
research and found that the only real enemy in pregnancy is core temperature,
and the biggest risk is during the first few weeks when most women don’t even
know that they’re pregnant. So with my newfound knowledge I went to the gynaecologist
to discover I was nine weeks pregnant. When I asked him about running during
pregnancy, he simply said listen to your body. He added that as long as I’m not
racing and chasing mega miles, running doesn’t pose any risk to the foetus.

 

CHALLENGES AND ADVANTAGES

I soon found that running was not the enemy, but
that heat, hills and hormones were, especially the ones that shrink your bladder
to the size of a pea. I ran early mornings, limited my runs to an hour and kept
my running speed down to a minute per kilometre slower than usual. So it may sound
impressive that I still did a 5km time trial in 24:34 the night before I went
into labour, it is all relative, since a few months earlier I was easily running
sub-4min/km.

 

I think running helped with morning sickness,
and the only days I felt slightly queasy were the days I didn’t run. It
definitely helped with the tiredness, as I had a second burst of energy the
nights I went out for a little jog. Backache and constipation, the two ugly
sisters of pregnancy, were definitely alleviated by being active, so all in all
it really lifts your spirits and helps to keep your mood elevated and in a
positive frame of mind – which is a good thing for baby. I also believe being
active helps you to eat healthily, as you don’t want to feed your body rubbish
when you are training, and being used to eating that way, I hardly had to
adjust my diet during my nine-month stint.

 

I read an article by Michelle Pieters (editor of
Modern Athlete) on running and
pregnancy, which was so nice in that it gave me some backup that I wasn’t
endangering my bubba, as a few frowning faces suggested during some club runs! In
fact, I was increasing blood supply to the placenta, thus increasing nutrients
and oxygen to ensure optimal growth. I can’t even remember how many times I got
asked till when I was allowed to run. My answer was always the same: Until it
feels uncomfortable – and luckily that never happened! I tried swimming a few
times, but I missed the running camaraderie too much, and just felt like I
didn’t really do a workout if there was no sweat involved!

 

COMRADES VS IRONMAN VS BIRTH

Now
the question I get asked most these days is what is more difficult, Comrades,
Ironman or giving birth? Well, they are all different, Comrades being hardest
on the body, while Ironman is mentally tough, but birth for me was just bliss –
maybe because out of the three, the birthing process took the quickest and had
the best prize at the end!

 

I
woke up just before 5am and soon realised that this could be the start of D-day.
My biggest fear was that I was going to arrive at hospital, this
Comrade/Ironman athlete, only to be told that labour had hardly started and I
need to go back home and maybe come back in a few hours. So, after walking the
dogs, buying bread and taking a leisurely shower, I finally phoned hubby at 9am
to say he better get his butt back home (it’s a 40-minute drive from Uitenhage
to PE).

 

We
arrived at the hospital at 10:30 and I sill posed for a photo at the entrance,
not knowing that I was already 8cm dilated! When the sister did the internal, her
eyes widened in surprise. She kept asking if I wanted any gas at least, but I
kept waiting for things to get unbearable, which fortunately never happened. With
hubby diligently rubbing my back, I breathed through it all, and baby Ryan was
born at 12:15, weighing 3.1kg.

 

GETTING BACK INTO SHAPE

It
is such a privilege to have a happy, healthy and content little baby. In fact,
he even went for his first seconding outing the week after he was born. Being a
protective dad, Michael said we’re only allowed to join him on route after sunrise,
so we caught up at the 20km mark. We’re also planning to wait for Dad at the
finish line of Comrades.

 

I think the most challenging part of this journey is
going to be getting back into serious running after giving birth. The Doctor’s
orders were once again, listen to your body. Since the birth was uncomplicated
and relatively easy and fast, after three weeks of walking our two Scotties, I decided
to do an easy 4km jog. I am happy I erred on the side of caution, since prolapsed
bladders and other complications can rear their ugly head only later in life. Now
that baby is old enough to accompany me to the gym, I can supplement running
with the elliptical trainer. My goal is to maybe do the Knysna Marathon just as
a jog to get back, and then build up to attempting a sub-3hr marathon towards
the end of the year.

 

But I do find that the motivation to get out the door
is much harder with a little nunu gargling, but I’m hoping that supporting
hubby at Comrades will light that fire to go back next year. I also just
received a luminous pair of pink Nike racers that I’ll keep by my bedside table
as a neon sign of hope that I can aspire to race again.

 

Whether it be a marathon or a 10km, every runner out
there has their personal goals in mind, and what pregnancy has taught me is
that it is such a privilege to run and be active, and I hope to still be
running one day when Ryan wants to go for gold at Comrades. In theory, we’ve
done one together already!

Davera
has a marathon PB of 2:48, has finished 10 Two Oceans Marathons with a best position
of eighth in 2010, has completed eight Comrades Marathons (PB 6:59, with three
11^th positions) and has completed a couple of 70.3 Ironman events
(best result a fourth position). She has also completed four full Ironman
events (best position eighth), including one Kona Ironman finish in Hawaii.

On air,
Koula is energetic, knows the local music scene and has become one of the
country’s most loved radio personalities. Off air, she has taken to running to
keep herself fit and happy. She is ready and motivated to be competing at
Comrades next month and will be using May to taper down from her long runs in
April. “When it comes to running, I just love to put on my shoes, run and have
fun. I wouldn’t call myself a fast runner, but when I run I can run far, and it
is one of the most rewarding experiences,” she says.

 

GETTING HOOKED

Koula was
encouraged to run Comrades six years ago by Kaya FM presenter Thabiso Sikwane,
who wanted to run for charity. Having no experience running long distances, Koula
was put on an eight-month programme to get Comrades-ready – a tough ask for
anyone! “We built it up, walking then running, and then competing in a 5km, 10km,
half marathon and so on. Before Comrades, Bruce Fordyce told Thabiso and I to
have beer and biltong before!” she laughs, recalling how she’d take any advice!

 

Koula’s
first Comrades was a down run and after her 11:35 finish, she vowed never to do
it again. “Then I thought I’ll have to do the uphill, and from then I was
hooked and kept doing it. Comrades is such a buzz, there is great support and it’s
a real leveller – everyone is equal on the day, everyone is there just to get
across the finish!” She adds that it’s easy to get inspired to keep going, even
though your body is tiring: “We pass a kids’ home and some are in wheelchairs
cheering you on, and there are also blind runners at Comrades. It gives me
goosebumps!”

 

FITTING IT ALL IN

Media guru
Koula has always been a fan of the music scene and decided to work in the radio
industry, studying journalism at the former RAU, spending time as a DJ at the
campus radio station and getting a job at Edgars Club Radio. She worked herself
up to 5fm and now holds a prime spot on 94.7 Highveld Stereo. In between gigs, freelance
work and appearances, she manages to keep up her training and relies on early
morning sessions. “I wake up at 4:30am and do short distances in the week, just
before work and meetings. My weekends are dedicated to long distances and
races.” Koula says early starts also allow her relaxing time in the evenings
with husband PJ Budler.

 

On top of
it all, Koula also has time to dedicate her love for running to a great cause by
being an ambassador for the Starfish Greathearts Foundation, a non-profit
organisation that raises funds and runs various development programmes for
orphaned and vulnerable children in South Africa. “I am proud to be a part of
Starfish because they uplift communities. There is an all-round team effort for
raising funds and they do a great job starting up feeding schemes for children
as well as teaching sustainable development, helping people help themselves.”

 

Koula is
running this year’s Comrades for the charity and is thankful for her position
to punt it on the airwaves, “I can luckily use it to motivate people to
contribute to a great cause. Running is very self-indulgent and takes up a lot
of your time, so I’m turning it around and giving back!”

 

LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCE

Koula’s says
her lifestyle has changed drastically since getting into long distance running.
She has changed her diet, lost a lot of weight – which made her second Comrades
on the up route a little easier – and she sticks with a balanced protein and
carb diet… even though she admits she loves baking in her spare time. She bakes
cupcakes for friends’ parties and thinks it’s a great combo to be a runner and
foodie! She also runs races with PJ and likes to renovate homes.

 

“I want to
run a 100-miler in a few years. I am in love with Comrades, so I could carry on
longer with it, too! I’d also love to run New York, London, The Texas Marathon
and even the Arctic!” Meanwhile, for newbie runners wanting to tackle the Big C,
Koula has the following words of advice: “Start slow, build yourself up and wear
the right shoes! Don’t do too much, too soon, and join a club – you won’t be
left behind and will want to do more.”

Look out
for The Starfish Greathearts Comrades Campaign at www.facebook.com/starfishcharity
and sponsor a Greatheart runner!

As most
athletes know, it takes a huge effort from a sporting club to put on a race, be
it a running race, triathlon or cycling event. There are just so many variables
to consider. Now imagine organising an event such as the Olympics. It takes
years of planning, construction and practising, and the statistics and
logistics around this event are simply mind-blowing!

?The 2012 Summer Olympic Games will be held
in London from
27 July to 12 August 2012, followed by the
Paralympic Games from 29 August to 9 September.

?It is expected that 205 nations will take
part in 300 events.

?London previously hosted the Olympics in 1908 and 1948.

?26 Olympic sports and 19 Paralympic sports will
be played.

?31 competition venues will be utilised.

 

TICKETS

?There will be 9.6 million tickets
for sale – 8 million for the Olympics and 1.6 million for the Paralympics.

?Organisers say 75% of all tickets
will cost less than ?50 and offer free travel on London transport.

?Tickets for the athletics will start
at ?15 and there will also be 20 000 ?10 tickets for the Olympic Park to watch
on big screens.

?A sell-out rate of 82% for the
Olympic Games and 63% for the Paralympics is projected.

 

THE OLYMPIC VILLAGE AND STADIUM

?The Olympic stadium will have a capacity of
80 000. It is the lightest Olympic stadium ever built.

?Construction of the park started in
May 2008 and more than 5 250 people have worked on it.

?80% of athletes will be housed within
20 minutes of their events and 97% of athletes within 30 minutes of their
events.

?93% of training venues are to be
within 30 minutes of the athlete’s village.

?The village will have 17
320 beds and provide each athlete with 16 square metres of floor space.

?Each apartment will have
a TV, internet access and a private courtyard.

?The dining hall will
cater for 5 500 athletes at a time.

?A tri-generation plant will supply
electricity, heat and chilled water to the Olympic Park, using technology that produces
33% lower CO2 emissions than the electricity grid.

 

SPECTATORS

?There will be 500 000 spectators per day.

?This will include 35 000 foreign
visitors per day.

?It is predicted that on event days,
78% of spectators are likely to travel from within London
and 22% from the rest of the UK
and Europe.

 

TRANSPORT

?There are 9 000 planned park-and-ride
parking spaces to be made available at Ebbsfleet, where spectators can board a
10-minute javelin service to the Olympic Park. This is the same station where
continental spectators travelling by Eurostar will join the javelin to the
Olympic Park.

?The aim is for 90% of venues to be
served by three or more forms of public transport.

?There will be two major park-and-ride
sites off the M25 with a combined capacity of 12 000 cars, within 25 minutes of
the Olympic Park.

?Organisers estimate 80% of visitors
and staff of the Games will use rail services to reach the Olympic Park.

?Low- or no-emission vehicles will be
used to transport Olympic athletes and officials.

 

MEDIA

?20 000 members of the media cover the Games.

?Live Olympic backdrop
presentation facilities will be available to broadcast rights holders, via
rooftop studios on the main press centre with a direct view of the Olympic
Stadium and Park.

 

ECONOMY

?Value of tourism income is an
additional ?2.1 billion.

?Food and beverage turn-over: 18
million meals.

?It is estimated that over 135 000
hotel rooms will be available within 50km of the Olympic Park, up from 120 000
before.

?Total workforce needed: 200 000.

?The Games are expected to cost ?20
billion. London
taxpayers have contributed approximately ?625 million.

?Due to these games, the economy of London is projected to
grow by $80 billion by the year 2015.

?The Games are projected to generate 12 000
new jobs in the Olympic Park.

?9 000 new homes will be built.

?10km of new roads will be built.

?There will be 60-70 London 2012 sponsors.

 

WHEN ALL HAS BEEN SAID AND DONE

?After the Games, four arenas will be
deconstructed and relocated to other parts of the UK, along with the swimming pools
that are used for water polo and the 50m training pools.

?Charities will be given the sports
equipment used in the Games.

?The Olympic Village
Polyclinic will be converted into a learning centre for the east London community, with
nursery, primary and secondary schools.

?The village will be
converted into 3 600 apartments, most of which will be offered as affordable
housing.

?The media and press
centre will become a creative industries centre for east London.

?After the games, the Olympic park
will become one of the largest urban parks built in Europe
for more than 150 years.

BECOMING A WARRIOR

So after completing
school last year, Brent decided to join Warriors, an extreme sporting gap programme
for young adults that was started in 2004. The programme’s selection is very
particular, with just 24 to 40 participants selected each year. The Warriors
base camp is in Magoebaskloof in Limpopo, and
the course focuses on four crucial values: Social skills, self-actualisation,
entrepreneurship and leadership, as well as adventure, eco-tourism, health and
fitness.

 

Going
through the Warriors programme boosted Brent’s confidence and he became more
independent, self-reliant and sociable. He faced fears some of us would never even
dream of and did amazing activities that many people would like to tick off
their bucket lists! “The only risk in life is not taking one, and Warriors has
helped me face a lot of fears,” says Brent.

 

EMBRACING THE PHYSICAL

In this day
and age, it’s important for youngsters to be exposed to nature, skills and
society while maintaining a mental and physical health, says Warriors facilitator Rowena Viljoen. “It is important for us to challenge the Warriors to play
outside of their comfort zone, in what we refer to as the courage zone. Our
philosophy is that you are more than what you think. A healthy body is a
healthy mind. It keeps us young and pumps endorphins to keep us happy,” she
explains.

 

So
what is the programme all about? Well, apart from waking up at 5am every
morning for a 10km run around base camp in Magoebaskloof’s misty hills, the
Warriors endure long distance swims, challenging themselves to swim the
renowned Ebenezer Mile Open Swim, and often go on regular 80km mountain bike rides.
The Warriors also go rafting, scuba-diving and camping, learn to build fires
and set up small traps and snares, and do first aid courses.

 

A
big part of the physical side of Warriors is mountain biking. They even compete
in a 24-hour race to test their endurance. And while the group maintains fitness
with daily running, there are several hiking expeditions, some over several
days, where participants learn trail ethics, learn to cook their own food, and navigate
a route through the unmarked Serala Wolkberg Wilderness.

 

Other
adventure activities include scuba-diving in Mozambique,
ocean sailing in KwaZulu-Natal
(where students can earn a yacht hand’s certificate), horsemanship, bridge
swings and even abseiling from the country’s great waterfalls.

 

”For
us as a family, this is a way of life, and the feeling and experience of making
a difference in the lives of young adults gives us a sense of purpose and
meaning,” explains Rowena.

 

AN ENRICHING EXPERIENCE

The
Warriors programme has been a blessing to many participants. Michael Swilling,
a Warrior from 2006, describes the programme as enriching to his life. “Every
facet of my being grew in leaps and bounds. There can’t be many places in the
world where one can experience both skydiving and sewing, gun-handling and
gardening, horse-riding and scuba diving, all the while exploring both the
country and yourself.” Michael also feels that there is too much pressure for youngsters
to go from high school to a tertiary institution and then work. “Warriors
builds an amazing foundation from which to live the rest of your life.”

 

Antonia De
Luca, a Warrior from 2004, recommends the programme to anyone leaving school.
“I was young and it really helped me to grow up. Warriors pushes you out of
your comfort zone, so it is great for personal growth and achievement!”

 

Rowena
gives simple advice to those who are looking to make a change and do something
completely different. “If you are serious about your future and are looking for
an exciting and adventurous environment where you could take a look at
yourself, what you want from life, and what attitudes you need to develop to
get there, then Warriors is the place for you!”

 

One thing
is for sure: After tackling the Warriors programme, you should be able to
tackle any endurance sporting event in the world!

Record #1: Stephen Doubles
Up

Triple
Comrades champion Stephen Muzhingi of Zimbabwe became only the second male
runner to hold both the Comrades and Two Oceans ultra-marathon titles at the
same time, thus equalling the record held by Derek Preiss since 1974, and only
the third male runner ever to win both races. Derek won both the ultras in 1974
and again in 1975, and if Stephen can retain his Comrades title in June, he
will also match Derek’s feat of winning both races in the same calendar year.
The only other runner to have won both is Fusi Nhlapo, who won the Two Oceans
in 1998 and the Comrades in 2003.

Having
stayed with the leaders most of the race, Stephen took the lead at 52km, then
accelerated up ‘Chet’s Hill’ on Union Drive, the last big climb of the race.
There was a moment of drama when he slipped and fell in the mud as he turned
into the home straight, but after a quick glance backwards, he picked himself
up and finished strongly, clocking a new PB of 3:08:08, the 10^th fastest
time ever for the race.

 

Before
the race, Stephen said, “I want to improve on my 3:09 of last year. Everyone
wants to win the race, but I look to improve each year. And if the other
runners let me win, then that’s fine.” He sure lived up to those words, but after
the race, he made light of his win and equalling Derek’s record: “This is all
part of my preparation and build-up for the Comrades. I was going for a good
time, and I knew that it was good enough for the win. The conditions suited me.
I think I do better in difficult conditions, and I felt strong towards the
finish.”

 

Record #2: Gert Smashes
World Best

Possibly
the best performance of the day saw SA marathon record-holder Gert Thys (40) smash
the world best for 50km in the veteran (40-49) category, clocking 2:48:39 at
the intermediate timing mat as he went on to finish fourth in 3:09:42 and also
break the veteran course record by almost four minutes. Both these records were
held by Vladimir Kotov and were set 12 years ago.

 

After the
race, he mentioned his career-long insulin difficulties and complained that his
second could not get onto the course to test his blood sugar levels at three
points during the race. “I am certain I would have won if I had been able to
correct this at 47km. At the finish my sugar level was much too low. I know a record is possible on this
course, but the weather conditions were against us.”

 

He then
predicted another record in the near future: “I congratulate Stephen on his
win, but I will be back to race him in Comrades. I am going for the record – it is
soft and little more than a jog. I will be the first person to run the Comrades
in under 5 hours!” (The current Comrades record is 5:20:41, so this year’s
elite race should be enthralling to watch!)

 

Record #3: Elena Equals
Monica’s Four

Elena
Nurgalieva of Russia
became only the second athlete ever to win four Two Oceans titles as she won
the women’s race in 3:41:55. The only other runner to have achieved this feat
is Monica Dr?gem?ller, who won in 1988 and 1990-92. Elena had been tied on
three wins with her twin sister Olesya as well as Bev Malan and Angelina
Sephooa. Olesya did not run this year due to injury.

 

When asked
if she had been going for the fourth win and Monica’s record, Elena said
winning was her focus, not records. “Yes, I know this legend woman and this
year read more information about her in magazines, but for me it was more
important to be the winner this year than count how many times I won Two Oceans
or Comrades in the past. The rain and wind didn’t help us in the race, but all the
runners were in the same conditions, and everybody struggled. To tell the
truth, for me the temperature was very comfortable, not hot and not cold. I
liked it!”

 

Another Russian, Natalia Volgina, claimed second position, having won
the race in 2002 but not run it since 2003. She led much of the race with
Elena, but eventually slipped back going up Constantia Nek. It did appear they
were working together at times, but Elena refutes this. “I saw her only on the start line and
so we hadn’t any agreements before the race. Just we passed drinks to each
other during the race because we are friends in normal life, but not on the
road. Here it is business! But it is always a help to have company and someone
to talk to, so I want to thank Natalia.”

 

56KM MEN

1 Stephen
Muzhingi (Bluff Meats F1 – ZIM) 3:08:08

2 Henry
Moyo (Nedbank RC Int – MAW) 3:08:35

3 Collen
Makaza (Nedbank RC Int – ZIM) 3:08:45

4 Gert
Thys (Mr Price WPA) 3:09:42

5
Bongumusa Mthembu (Mr Price KZN) 3:10:16

6
Mthandazo Qhina (Nedbank WPA) 3:11:00

7 Tsotang
Maine (Toyota
RC Int – LES) 3:11:51

8 Lucas
Nonyana (Absa Group RC) 3:12:03

9 Odwa
Tunyiswa (Nedbank CGA) 3:12:50

10
Kimutai Lezan (Nedbank RC Int – KEN) 3:12:58

40-49: 1 Gert
Thys (Mr Price WPA) 3:09:42

50-59: 1 Vladimir Kotov (Century
City AC – BLR) 3:32:47

60-69: 1 Sizinzo
Kama (Achilles AAA) 4:37:53

70+: 1 Brian Key
(Foresters RC) 4:49:33

56KM WOMEN

1 Elena Nurgalieva
(Mr Price Int – RUS) 3:41:55

2 Natalia
Volgina (Nedbank RC Int – RUS) 3:45:29

3 Devon
Crosby-Helms (Nedbank RC Int – USA)
3:47:30

4
Mamorallo Tjoka (Toyota
RC Int – LES) 3:48:50

5 Samukeliso
Moyo (Mr Price Int – ZIM) 3:49:10

6 Adinda
Kruger (Bonitas RC CGA) 3:50:13

7 Lizih Chokore
(Nedbank RC Int – ZIM) 3:52:26

8 Ntombesintu
Mfunzi (Mr Price EP) 3:52:39

9
Tshifhiwa Mundalamo (Bonitas RC CGA) 3:53:00

10
Paulina Njeya (Toyota
AC) 3:53:29

40-49: 1 Ursula
Frans (Celtic Harriers) 4:09:53

50-59: 1
Annatjie Botes (Nedbank SWD) 4:34:39

60-69: 1 Hester
Kotze (Plexus Durbanville AC) 5:21:43

 

 

Record #4: SA’s largest
21KM

With an extended 16 000 entries this
year, the Old Mutual Two Oceans Half Marathon made an even stronger claim on
the title of biggest 21km in the country. Granted, the weather probably
prompted a number of runners to stay in bed, but over 12 500 made it across the
finish line within the three-hour cut-off. South African men and women
dominated the top 10 positions in the half marathon, with Xolisa Tyali winning the
men’s race and Rene Kalmer crossing the line first amongst the women.

 

Due to the larger field, the organisers had changed the first half of
the course, in order to clear the ultra route quicker ahead of the 56km
starting 25 minutes after the 21km, and times were expected to be slower
overall due to the inclusion of a big climb in the first three kays. However,
while the winning times were slower than previous years, no fewer than six
fastest times for the year in SA were run in various age categories, including
both the men’s and women’s open categories, so it remains one of the faster
courses in the country. And with the rain only beginning about 90 minutes after the start,
most of the top runners only had wind to contend with.

 

21KM MEN

1 Xolisa
Tyali (Nedbank CGA) 1:04:54

2 Joel
Mmone (Nedbank CNW) 1:05:01

3 Lucky
Mohale (Mr Price CGA) 1:05:09

4 Tshamano
Setone (Mr Price CGA) 1:05:22

5 David
Manya (Nedbank) 1:05:50

40-49: 1 Graham
Katzen (Celtic Harriers) 1:12:50

50-59: 1 Raymond
Howard (Celtic Harriers) 1:21:36

60-69: 1 Clive
Owen (Edgemead Runners) 1:25:30

70+: 1 Chris
van Coller (Acsis VOB) 2:02:45

Juniors: 1 Xolisa
Melane (Nedbank WPA 1:14:49

21KM WOMEN

1 Ren?
Kalmer (Nedbank CGA) 1:15:02

2 Irvette
van Blerk (Nedbank CGA) 1:16:22

3 Rutendo
Nyahora (Nedbank RC Int – ZIM) 1:18:30

4 Zintle Xiniwe (Nedbank WPA)
1:19:39

5 Christine Kalmer (Nedbank CGA)
1:20:05

40-49: 1 Janene
Carey (Boxer Superstores AC) 1:25:37

50-59: 1 Olga
Howard (Celtic Harriers) 1:37:51

60-69: 1 Ria
Donnoli (Collegians Harriers) 1:53:06

70+: 1
Willemien Smuts (Bloemfontein
Achilles) 1:57:00

Juniors: 1 Jessica
Pollock (UCT) 1:27:17