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Running for Lewis

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With a loud crack, the huge tree began to fall,
but to the horror of the men cutting it down, it was falling the wrong way,
straight down on the Grade R classroom of the Carter Primary School in
Alexandra, Gauteng. The heavy branches crashed through the roof and severed the
lower legs of five-year-old Lewis Wynne, an energetic little boy who loved
running around and dreamed of becoming a policeman. Later that same day, Friday
14 October 2011, 38-year-old Carien Helberg of Somerset West in the Cape
watched the news on television and was moved to tears when Lewis’ mother told
how he had woken up and asked when he would be able to run again.

 

Having started running in 1996 and with a Comrades and
a couple of Two Oceans ultras as well as the AfricanX three-day trail event to
her name, Carien had decided that she wanted to dedicate her running in 2012 to
a good cause after watching disabled children taking part in the Pritt IronKids
race at the 2011 Ironman. “When I saw this one little blonde girl shuffling in
with a walking frame, I knew I had to run for a purpose, and not just run because
I can. So when I saw the news bulletin that night, the Wynne For Lewis Campaign
was born.”

 

LOOKING FOR LEWIS

With the help of Dezroy Poole and Jacky Maclean of Stillwater
Sports & Entertainment, organisers of the AfricanX, Carien made contact
with E.TV News reporter Michelle Craig, who had covered the story. Michelle put
her in touch with Eugene Makhene of the Assault Riderz Bikers club, who had sponsored
Lewis a wheelchair and who continue to support the Wynne family with groceries. Eugene has developed a
close bond with Lewis and got him into the Hope School in Parklands, which
specialises in the needs of disabled children.

 

When Carien went to Johannesburg a short while later for a sales
conference, Eugene took her to meet Lewis and translated for her, as Lewis’
family speaks only Zulu. “It was a very emotional meeting. I
could see that Lewis’ parents, Kenneth and Ntswaki, were devastated, but Lewis was
smiling. The
wheelchair had given him some mobility, but the factory turned-house the family
of six live in is not wheelchair-friendly at all, and Lewis has to be carried
around.”

 

“In the meantime, Europecar and Centauri Medical have come on board to
sponsor Lewis new prosthetic legs, and these two companies will also cover the
maintenance costs for the next few years, until the State hopefully settles the
lawsuit for negligence that led to the accident. The law firm handling Lewis’
case is also sponsoring Lewis’ school and boarding fees as well as transport
costs to his new school for the first year, but he will need long-term funding
for medical needs, counselling, care and schooling, so I decided to establish a
trust fund and get sponsorships for my running to raise funds for Lewis.”

 

Kays for the
Cause

Carien, who has a degree in nursing and currently works as a
medical rep for an orthopaedic company selling hip and knee implants, is aiming to run at least
600km in official races from 14 October 2011 to 14 October 2012, including the
Two Oceans, Comrades and Washie ultras, as well as the 3 Cranes and AfricanX
multi-day trail events. She will be running most of these races with long-time
running partner Elize Kruger of Kimberley, with fianc? Gary and
Elize’s husband, Frikkie, as their seconding team.

 

The AfricanX in March is set to be a highlight of the
campaign, with Eugene and his fellow bikers planning a road trip around the
country, in conjunction with Biker’s Life
magazine, to raise funds for Lewis, including a stop-over in Kleinmond during
the race to support Carien. Dudley of Biker’s
Life says they’re going to make a huge bike procession into Kleinmond, so AfricanX
is going to be a very special race for us all,” says Carien.

 

“I call Lewis Little Brave Heart, because nothing gets
him under. I think he will show everybody that life is what you make of it, and
will reach out to others who have suffered, to tell them to go on with life. He’s an incredible little
boy, and I want to do what I can to help get him back on his feet.”

 

To support Carien’s campaign to help Lewis, go to www.wynneforlewis.org.

A Steer in the Right Direction

Diepkloof Athletics Club – Empowering the Youth

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Diepkloof
Athletics Club was founded in 1984 and today still inspires the Diepkloof
community in Soweto by providing enthusiastic and inspiring runners a platform
to maintain a healthy lifestyle and spirit of running. The club thrives on
youth development and athleticism in the wider Soweto region, and focuses on
keeping young athletes away from township boredom that could potentially lead
them to drugs and criminal activities.

 

“In short,
the club believes that excellence is cultivated from a young age,” says Stan
Itshegetseng, the club’s chairman and financial advisor. ”We believe we create
leaders here. We have produced them over and over again. What we lack in funds
and technicality, we give back in strength and community,” says Stan.

 

A PILLAR OF STRENTH

The club’s primary
goal as a community institution is to change the idea of athletics in the area.
While the club is open to both young and old to uphold healthy, fulfilling
lifestyles, the club focuses more on the youth. The idea of promoting running
and the significance sport has on a person’s life is a chief idea for the club.
The club’s manifesto stands proudly as a democratic one, encouraging young,
old, all sexes and all races to join in on the fun week after week.

 

In a black
community, the club’s impact is crucial, believes Stan. The club aspires to use
running as an education and mindset, giving people a way to live a better life
when so often theft, drugs and alcohol appear easy ways out of poverty and
unemployment. In doing so, the club is looking to introduce athletics camps
during school holidays. “This is one area of focus that we have to seriously
look into to keep our athletes from township boredom that could potentially
lead them to drugs and criminal activities,” says Stan.

 

SHINING STARS

In its
first two years as an athletics club, only 20 members were part of the
movement. Now, close to 28 yeas later, around 250 members are registered,
including juniors, teens, seniors, masters and grandmasters. Most notable of the
athletic stars the club has produced are

?        
Tshamano Setone, 3 000m & 5 000m Junior SA Champion in
2006, who also represented South Africa in the Commonwealth Games in the same
year.

?        
Abraham Khumalo, 4km cross-country SA Champion from 2004 to 2006.

?        
Petrus “Qcoga” Monyai, 3 000m steeplechase SA Champion from youth and junior to senior
categories from 1998 to 2005, and who has won marathons in England, France and
Mexico.

?        
Violet Raseboya, 800m SA Games Champion in 2002 as well as 6km
cross-country SA Champion in 2006.

 

The club’s vision is to develop
athletes who can compete at a regional, national and international level. “Our goal is to produce champions
and in doing so we are trying to unearth talent in Diepkloof or any of the
previously disadvantaged areas. Even though we do not have many resources and
use a gravel track in Diepkloof, we have produced good athletes,” Says Stan.

 

RACING AHEAD

The club
used to organise a 15km and 5km race and prominent ‘celebrity’ runners like
Sonja Laxton, Kim Laxton, Gladys Lukhwareni, Dimakatso Morobi, Shadrack Hoff,
George Mofokeng, Coolboy Ngamole and Lucky Mohale have all run the race. The
event changed in 2005 and 2007 due to the club playing host to the Central Gauteng
Half Marathon Championships, and the annual event now comprises a 21km and 10km
run, with a 10km walk and 5km fun run.

 

The Diepkloof
Athletic Club sees its growing membership and participation in regional races as
testament to the power of running and a sporting lifestyle, and how they can
improve one’s mindset into a positive, optimistic one. And the club is planning
to continue with its focus of not only producing great athletes, but also giving
the youth of Soweto a way to live a better life.

Back for More!

TAKING MY LIFE BACK

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I
may not be the fittest girl on the block, but I am what they call the Modern
Athlete! I am a full-time mom to three gorgeous kids, I am currently going
through a very painful divorce, and have spent the last year battling my demons
to lose 21kg of post-baby weight I just never got the time to deal with. As
glum as this might all sound, I have emerged with huge motivation and a passion
for running I can’t even begin to describe!

 

I
decided to take on the task of home schooling my children over the last four
years, which literally took all the love, compassion and dedication I had to
offer. I became so consumed with being the perfect wife and mother that I found
myself forgetting how to just be me.

 

DOING SOMETHING ABOUT IT

I
reluctantly joined an outdoor fitness programme called Adventure Boot Camp (ABC)
after promising a friend I would, and remember thinking I would never make it past
day one. After a few weeks of consistent exercise, I quickly realised there was
hope for me after all and began to put myself back together.

 

It’s
now been one year since I joined ABC and the results are phenomenal. I weigh
21kg less, have lost 130cm from my entire body and am finally back to where I
started before having my children. Don’t let anybody tell you it’s easy,
because it’s not. It takes hard work and dedication waking up every morning at
4:30 to exercise and always watch what you eat. During my year of awakening, I
have also discovered a new passion for trail running.

 

Going
through a divorce is very difficult, but with the support of the women in my
boot camp and with regular exercise, I now have balance in my life. I bought a
promise ring to remind myself I need to take my goals into consideration with every
decision I make. I now have one hour every day that is all mine. This is
something all women should strive to achieve if they want to be balanced, happy
and healthy.

 

My
advice to other women struggling to find out who they are, or who want to have
some time in the day to just be, start by making consistent small changes: They
can make a huge difference over time. And believe in yourself, even if no-one
else does!

 

For
more info on ABC, go to www.AdventureBootCamp.co.za.
Entries for the 2012 Adventure Boot Camp Challenge open for Cape Town participants on 15 March. There are
big prizes to be won, but most importantly, a healthy lifestyle change is
awaiting you.


Rocking the Summit

Seven on Seven in Five!

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A
popular goal amongst runners is to complete a marathon on each of the seven
continents, but most take some time to achieve this due to family, work,
financial and recovery constraints. However, a new challenge was born in November 2003 when British adventurers Sir Ranulph Fiennes and Dr
Mike Stroud managed the feat in just seven days in the Land Rover 7x7x7
Challenge. Six years year
later, Irish ultra-runner and event organiser Richard Donovan decided to
attempt the challenge in under six days, and after running in Antarctica, Cape
Town, Dubai, London, Toronto, Santiago and Sydney, he had brought the record
down to five days, 10 hours and eight minutes.

 

Not content with that, in mid-January of this year
he decided to try doing it in less than five days (120 hours), since he was
going to Antarctica soon to recce the route for the upcoming Antarctic Ice
Marathon that he organises. Thus, within two weeks, The World Marathon
Challenge 2012 was set-up, which saw Richard return to Cape Town for a most
unusual midnight marathon.

 

“The Russians stage their Antarctic
flights out of Cape Town, so that makes it a logical point for the African leg
of the challenge,” explained Richard just before starting his Cape Town run. “I
prefer to run the Antarctic leg first because it is probably the hardest due to
the extreme temperatures and weather, but the rest are just as hard when you only
have eight or nine hours between each run. But I’m running to raise funds for
GOAL, an international aid agency that works to
alleviate the suffering of people affected by famine and drought in the Horn of
Africa, and that keeps me going.”

 

MIDNIGHT
MADNESS

So, having just run a 4:21:11 marathon in
Antarctica in temperatures as low as minus-10 degrees Celsius, Richard immediately
flew 4200km back to Cape Town, landed around 11pm on 1 February, and was driven
straight to the start point of the Aca Joe Cape Town Marathon by James Evans,
President of Athletics South Africa. As event director of the race, James had
guided Richard along the course during his 2009 run, and was on hand to do so
again.

 

Waiting at the start were
local runners Paul
Britain, David Fox and Cole Stanton, who had volunteered to keep Richard
company, and after a brief chat, the four set off, accompanied by a mini convoy
of seconding cars. With quick refreshment stops every five kays, they finished
at the Cape Town Stadium in 4:23:51, and after a quick shower at Paul’s
house, Richard was whisked back to the airport to catch his flight to Brazil,
just eight hours after landing in the Mother City!

 

GLOBETROTTER

Next up Richard ran a 4:19:00 marathon on the Sao Paulo
Air Force Base, then flew to Orlando in the USA and ran a 4:44:27. From there
it was off to London for a 4:32:45 run in temperatures as low as minus-6 degrees,
but he was warmed up by a surprise visit from his three sisters and his niece. However,
by this stage he was taking serious strain, as can be seen from this tweet
while waiting for his flight to Hong Kong: “Not able to keep food or
liquids down, which is a result of a combination of fatigue and travel. This is
a ‘marathon’ challenge of a different nature!”

 

That made the remaining legs very tough, but he
finished Hong Kong in 5:03:05 and Sydney in 5:21:40, crossing the finish line
in 4 days, 22 hours and three minutes! He had run 295km, flown 43 500km in just
under 56 hours in the air, and spent 10 hours waiting in airports and 18 hours
disembarking, going through customs and travelling to and from marathon
locations. His average finishing time for the seven marathons was 4:40:51.

 

After finishing, Richard wanted to
say thank you to everybody that followed and supported him, and who made
contributions to GOAL. “I am also extremely grateful to the measurers and
support crews in each location for their hospitality and for making the effort
possible. Finally, apologies to the Australian Border Control agent for causing
alarm when answering what countries I visited in the previous six days!”

 

Go to www.worldmarathonchallenge.com to find out more about
Richard’s run.

SA’s Olympic Marathon Hopefuls

Three Titles in a Row!

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I
was not sure if I would be able to run the SA Marathon Champs after my knee
injury in October at the Amsterdam Marathon. I was out for four weeks and did
my rehabilitation at the High Performance Centre in Pretoria. I also did lots
of cross-training in the swimming pool, and only returned to the road in
December when I started proper road training.

 

With
SA’s always happening so early in the year, it results in Christmas time being
a fine balance between hard training and relaxation. Fortunately, my training
during December went very well as I had no major niggles or health setbacks.
Looking back, I think the rest after my setback in Amsterdam was a bonus. We
sometimes forget what a privilege it is to be healthy and injury-free.

 

TIME VS TITLE

As
SA’s was approaching, I realised that if I could run on a flat course I could
make the Olympic A-qualifying time of 2:37. I was positive and was looking
forward to my race. I wasn’t so concerned about the SA title – my main aim was
to clock a good time. I knew it would take hard work to run the time, but I had
set my mind to it.

 

I
was woken up at 2:50am as one my team mates decided to have a bath! I couldn’t
sleep again, so I decided to get myself ready for the big day. The race started
at 5:30 in York Street, George, and consisted of three laps of 14km. At the
starting line I reminded myself again that I had to work hard if I wanted to
run a time of 2:37. When the gun went off, I immediately shot to the front to
set the pace. I did not want to run a tactical race as in 2011. My first kilometre
was just under 3:38, a little bit too fast, as I knew I should run a steady
pace of 3:42.

 

My
husband said afterwards the moment he saw the undulations through the
Pacaltsdorp part of the course he knew that 2:37 was a tall order. It became
hard work to run 3:42 on the hills. On the second lap I realised that a
finishing time of 2:37 was not on. To make matters worse, we were directed to
the wrong side of the road which also increased the race distance. At the 18km
mark, I managed to break away from the bunch that was running behind me. Only
Mpho Mabuza could hang on, but after 20km I was leading by 180m. As the last
lap approached I decided to still run hard, but within myself, so that I could
defend my title.

 

I
crossed the finish line in 2:41:56, successfully defending my title. This was
an average of 3:48 to 3:49min/km on a course where we climbed 230m. I was happy
with my performance, but deep down I realised I could have run 3:42min/km if it
was a flat course.

 

TRULY BLESSED

I
feel blessed to be one of only three South African women to take thee SA
marathon titles, a statistic that I was not aware of before the race. I am
grateful to everyone who supported me on the day, my husband and manager, Carel,
as well as my coach and parents. Also, a big thanks to Athletics Gauteng North,
Mr Price and Nike. The biggest of them all is God, who gave me the strength to
be healthy and strong on the day!

 

My
Olympic dream is not over yet, and I still have until the end of April to
qualify. My plan is to run the Rotterdam Marathon on 15 April. If I don’t make
it, my husband and I will go to the Olympic Games to support the South African
team.

 

PODIUM
PLACERS

In the men’s race, Coolboy
Ngamole made a strong bid for the country’s Olympic Games squad by running his
second qualifying time as he won the SA Marathon Championships in a time of
2:13:18. Second place went to Michael Mazibuko (2:15:50) with Zolani Ntongana
in third (2:16:50). In the women’s race, Mpho Mabuza was second in 2:43:29 and
Gladys Lukhwareni third in 2:48:25.


The Black Knight

Pick of the Best

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The Pick n
Pay Marathon is more than a race, it is a fun-filled day with something for
every member of the family and every type of runner. The race has built up a
status among South Africa’s competitive runners as a great one to test
endurance and pace, while it is marked out months in advance in the diaries of
many a recreational runner.

 

The route has
been described by many as a bit challenging at times, as the second half of the
half marathon loop has several inclines between the 14 and 17km markers, while
the last stretch has a strong climb to the finish. The 42km incorporates two
laps and is often used by many runners as a qualifying race for Two Oceans or
Comrades. The marathon’s course records are still held by Mark Plaatjies (2:14:47
in 1984) and Frith Van Der Merwe (2:33:29 in 1990).

 

This year
saw Thabo Nkuna winning the marathon in 2:21:42. “I did my homework on this one
and I am so happy that I did so well. It was a good race and this is a good
start, as Two Oceans is soon!” Thabo’s team mate from Bonitas, Riana Van
Niekerk, took the women’s race in 2:59:25. “It was pretty tough going. Bonitas
as a club sees this as an incentive race for all, but I went in it at full
force. I was nervous but I decided to try my best and give it a bash. In the
last 2km I went well and took the lead near the end, so I’m happy.”

 

In the half
marathon, ADT Athletic Club’s Jeffrey Gwebu was the first man home in 1:07:02
while Nedbank Running Club’s Kim Laxton was the first female finisher in
1:22:00.

 


Finishline

Modern
Athlete was at the finish line and chatted to a few runners on their race day experience.

 

Paul Namachera (Nedbank Running
Club)

Race: 21km

“The race
was good. It’s the second time I’m running it and I trained well for it. I’m
from Kenya, so I’m used to the altitude and my breathing was fine. I have just
come back from injury, so I’m happy with my performance on the day.”

 

Ambrose Klassen (Jaguars Running
Club)

Race: 21km

“This is my
first race of 2012, so I’m happy with my run. The weather was good on the day
and I started quick, picking it up near the middle. Sometimes it was extreme in
the heat and in the last 10km I got stitches, but overcame it. In the last 4km,
though, my pace was fast.”

 

Dimakatso Menong (Pirates Athletic
Club)

Race: 21km

“I started
the race a bit late, and pushed hard, even though it’s not the flattest course,
and luckily I started catching up to the women because I’m good on the hills.
The weather also turned out to be great, even though it was warm.”

 

Mark Kent (Rand Athletic Club)

Race: 21km

“My time
was around 1:55 and it was five minutes faster than I set out to do, so I’m
happy. The terrain is not too bad and the route is quite easy for a 21km, even
though there are three tough hills to get through.”

 

Samuel Bono (Bonitas Running Club)

Race: 42km

“In the
second half I was a little dehydrated due to the heat and because I pushed hard
in the beginning. Around the 35km I needed , but I pulled through and I felt
good at the end of the day. This is my fourth time running this race and it’s
always great.”

 

Kerry Koen (Bonitas Running Club)

Race: 42km (second woman)

“I enjoyed
the course very much, but it’s the sort of course where you can’t get into a
proper rhythm throughout. The altitude was okay and the weather was warmer than
I thought, but I’m happy with my time just under three hours.”

A spirit to the finish

Hot Tri Action in the Bay

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Over
130 ‘out of town’ athletes made their way to the Bay for the event, including
the big names Henri Schoeman, Claude Eksteen, Tayla Glover and Glen Gore. Race
morning brought ideal racing conditions for the start of the Elite and Age
Group race. Claude Eksteen took the honours in the men’s race, finishing in a
time of 1:58, followed by Henri Schoeman (1:59) and Gian-Nicola De Dominicis (2:03).
The women’s race was won by Lauren Dougall (2:16) followed by Tayla Glover
(2:19) and Geraldine von Fintel (2:31).

 

Despite
hot conditions in the junior categories, the youngsters raced well. Luke
Browett came in first (age 12-15) followed by Callum Simpson and Ben de la
Porte. Mikaela Jonsson took line honours for the girls, followed by Antonia
Bosworth-Smith and Georgina Dougall. The boys’ 16-19 age category was won by
Aidan Nugent with Bradley Schuit second and James Wewege third. Kerryn Grenfell
came in first for the girls, followed by Nicole Muller and Kerryn Farrell.

 

The
local Traffic Officials from uMhlathuze Municipality were out in full force and
the safe racing conditions allowed athletes as young as eight to race the same
route as the senior athletes. Special mention must go to the deaf athletes from
the Fulton School for the Deaf, who also participated in the event under the
guidance of their principal, Bev Campbell.

 

Thank
you to our title sponsor, Saverite, and Liquor Land, Backsberg Estate, Future
Life, ABI, Modern Athlete, Aspen Pharmacare, Browns Cash and Carry,
Mkuze and Empangeni as well as Umhlathuze Pharmacy, who all assisted in making
this event such a resounding success.

Parkrun

Triathlon Growing in Egoli

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The
Joburg City Triathlon Series consists of three Olympic-distance events, taking
place in November, February and March, and it attracts local and international
elite, as well as age-group, youth and development athletes. The second event
in the series was held at Germiston Lake and incorporated the Central Gauteng
Championships, which is the regional qualifier for the National Olympic
Distance Championships.

 

RACE MORNING

The
race organisers, Mayhem Sports and Troisport, made sure that the organisation
was excellent, which included securing road closures on the bike course – no
mean feat with the Johannesburg Traffic Authorities! The multi-lap format course
ensured exciting racing, and exceptional vantage points for spectators, while
the waters of Germiston
Lake reached 24 degrees
and meant that wetsuits were not allowed.

 

The
women were provided a separate start and Czech Lucie Zelenkova quickly took
command in the swim, exiting in first place, followed by Carlyn Fisher. On the four-lap
non-drafting bike course, Zelenkova stretched her lead with each 10km loop, and
went on to win the race in two hours and five minutes.

 

The
men’s race saw strong performances from many of the national team members,
including Erhardt Wolfaardt, Abrahm Louw, Wikus Webber and Chris Felgate.
Wolfaardt led out of the swim and never relinquished his lead, despite feeling
the heat from his competitors. He eventually took victory in 1:51.

 

The
main event was followed by junior and development events, where the young kids
and those new to the sport could share in the multi-sport fun.

 

Results:

1. Erhardt Wolfaardt            1:51:55

2. Abrahm Louw                  1:53:00

3. Wikus Webber                 1:53:54

4. Chris Felgate                   1:54:19

5. Micheal Davidson            1:55:38

 

1. Lucie Zelenkova              2:05:58

2. Carlyn Fisher                   2:07:01

3. Corinne Berg                   2:11:21

4. Caroline Koll                    2:13:16

5. Kathryn Du Buisson         2:13:57

All Eyes on London

Champs Reign Supreme

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Married life is definitely treating Conrad Stoltz
well! He is usually a little late for most of his races, but pitched up on time
at Buffelspoort before winning the event in a time of 2:20:08. He described the
event as a fun season-opener. “It was really scenic with a great atmosphere. I
had a good swim and made my attack on the mountain bike. I enjoyed this leg as
it featured a bit of everything. The run was tough with some big hills, this
combined with the heat and humidity on the day made it quite a challenge. I
take my hat off to all XTERRA warriors that raced longer than three hours. It’s
a long day out there.” Dan Hugo came in second, while Stuart Marais finished
third.

 

“I am really happy to start the season off on a good
foot and am looking forward to XTERRA Grabouw,” says Conrad. “I am thankful to
my wife, Liezel, as she helps and supports me on every level. I’m usually late
for my races, but this morning I was on time! I could relax and take it easy
before the start, all thanks to her. Married life really is better than
anything I thought possible.”

 

MORE
COMPETITIVE

Carla Van Huyssteen won the women’s race in 2:52:55
and was really pleased by the growth in the individual women’s category of the
event. “Every year I wish that the competition would become stronger, and when
it does, I’m forced to push myself even harder. XTERRA Buffelspoort is always
tougher than I’ve prepared myself for mentally. This year’s event was no
different. My wetsuit tore during the swim, resulting in some time lost and me
having to push extra hard on the bike. As a result I almost blew on the run!”

 

“I am happy with my result, though, and really enjoyed
the race. XTERRA SA truly is a great event with a vibe that is just as good, if
not better, than any overseas XTERRA,” says Carla, who walked off with her
third consecutive win at XTERRA Buffelspoort. Susan Sloan came in second, while
Sylvia van Tromp finished third.

 

The TOTALSPORTS XTERRA FULL consisted of a 1.5km swim,
27km mountain bike and 12.6km trail run, while the LITE event consisted of a
400m swim, 17km mountain bike and 6.3km trail run.

Overcoming Mountains

Ask an Expert

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QUESTION 1: Stressing about a Possible Fracture

I
started running at the beginning of 2010 and in June last year started training
for my first marathon. After a half marathon in early October, I felt a lot of
pain in my right hip. It was made worse by running or walking, or even standing
for longer than an hour. A biokineticist diagnosed me with tendonitis in my hip
flexor, and I took a complete rest from running since then. I continued cycling
and swimming, which caused no pain in my hip. The dull aching pain is still
there, and my hip hurts for days after a short 2km run, or even after a yoga
class. Could I have a stress fracture in my hip? – LISA FISCHER

 

ANSWER

Possibly
yes. Stress fractures are not uncommon in distance runners, and are usually
caused by a too rapid increase in mileage or intensity. The muscles become
fatigued and are unable to absorb shock. The stress overload is transferred to
the bone and causes a tiny crack – a stress fracture. It is characterised by an
aching (sometimes very intense, sometimes dull) groin pain, which worsens
during activity and eases off during rest. Factors that could make you prone to
developing a stress fracture include incorrect running biomechanics, weak core
and leg muscles, low bone density and incorrect/worn running shoes.

 

Remember
that the hip joint and surrounding structures are very complex, and pain can
also be caused by:

?Impingement in
the joint.

?Hip joint
pathology.

?Muscle,
ligament or tendon injury, or scar tissue from a previous injury.

?Inguinal hernia.

?Lower back
pathology where the sciatic nerve is involved.

 

See a sports
physician who will be able to do some diagnostic tests and/or send you for a
bone scan to determine a stress fracture. An MRI scan could diagnose hip joint
pathology. Depending on the diagnosis, the specialist will point you in the
correct direction regarding treatment, whether it is physiotherapy,
biokinetics, rest or surgery.

 

Modern Athlete Expert

Patricia Gouws

QUESTION 2: I Can’t Lose Weight!

I consider
myself as reasonably healthy. I train about an hour a day and try to eat
healthily. Like most of us, I sneak in a little chocolate now and again, an
occasional packet of chips and a beer over the weekends. I have normal amounts
of sugar and try to stay away from take-outs. Yet I battle to maintain my
weight. In fact, I have actually picked up 3kg in the last couple of months.
Help, I am frustrated! – HARVIN
PATTERSON

 

ANSWER

There are
gaps in the information provided, for example existing medical conditions,
previous dieting history, portion sizes, what filling is used on sandwiches,
cooking methods, the use of dressings, sauces and condiments and what else is
on the plate. The words ‘healthy,’ ‘normal,’ ‘occasional’ and ‘a couple’ are
also open for interpretation. Therefore some qualitative comments:

?        
Don’t
waste your calories on foods that provide more calories relative to nutrients,
such as the sugar in tea and coffee, alcohol, crisps and biscuits.

?        
Limit
crumbed meat and chicken (especially fried) and sausage (switch to chicken or
ostrich sausage).

?        
Rather
grill, bake, steam or boil food.

?        
Include
lean sources of protein at all meals, e.g. low-fat dairy, fish (twice a week),
skinless chicken, lean meat, and eggs and legumes.

?        
Increase
your vegetable intake, especially those that are considered ‘free,’ e.g.
tomato, broccoli, peppers and mushrooms.

?        
Aim
to eat three fruit servings a day.

?        
Manage
your portions of carbohydrate-containing foods and rather use higher fibre
alternatives, e.g. brown rice or quinoa instead of pasta and smash.

 

Aside from
the dietary side, let’s also look at training. Introduce some variety, since
this is a great way to shake up your metabolism:

?        
Interval
training: Your heart rate and energy expenditure rise in the high intensity
sections and you recruit fast twitch muscle fibres that might be lying dormant.

?        
Include
at least two strength-training sessions a week. It will make you stronger, increase
muscle mass and decrease fat mass. This improved ratio will mean that you can
burn more energy – even at rest – since muscle tissue burns more energy than
fat.

?        
Mix
the length of your runs: Do a long, slower run on the weekend and throw in the
odd 5km time trial run as a tempo run. Your body will continuously have to
adapt to the session.

?        
Mix
the terrain of your runs, with hilly routes and uneven surfaces, as they require
much more energy than flat, tar road running.

?        
See
a sports scientist who is a runner and can design a programme for you.

 

Modern Athlete Experts

Karlien Smit

Registered
dietician with Shelly Meltzer and Associates, working with the Sports Science
Institute of South Africa.

Kathy Mc Quaide-Little

Sports
Scientist and Media Manager of the Sports Science Institute of South Africa.