Author: Modern Athlete

Liberty Health Baviaanskloof Trail Run 2011

We entered on the morning entries opened, hopeful to get two of the 100 entries available for this mysterious race. It is not one of those races that your friends at the club can advise you about, because 2011 was only the third running, so very few runners really know how tough it is. The fact that we have both completed a good number of Comrades really didn’t help, because we are total novices on the trail running scene.

Luckily, we both got an entry and the pressure was on: Three months for two unfit 40-year-old runners to get ready. While my partner was training regularly, I started with too much, too soon. From a slow 8km time trial, I soon ran a 23km trail run. The next week, after a heavy training session, I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my left calf. A torn calf muscle was the verdict and over the next few weeks I went through more physio than I thought I could bear. Every time I ran, the injury showed up at 19 minutes exactly. But I was not going to give up…

HERE WE GO!
Fast forward four weeks with no running for me and we were in Port Elizabeth, on our way to the Baviaanskloof. The area is spectacularly beautiful, but the mountains looked really high. With one day to the race, the fear started to get hold of me, as I simply did not know how tough this challenge was going to be, how my fitness levels and injury would hold up, and what it would be like to run a self-sufficiency race, carrying three litres of water and seven hours’ worth of energy supplies on my back. Then the (brilliant) organisers warned us that it could either snow or be 40 degrees Celsius on the day, but fortunately we had beautiful weather.

All too soon we were off and had to do two water crossings in the first 2km. That was soon forgotten, though, as the BIG MOUNTAIN got in our way around 5km in. True to form, my calf injury showed up at 19 minutes exactly, but not as sharp as before, although I still made difficult progress up the mountain. My partner kept waiting for me, so after consulting my heart rate monitor and my legs, I pleaded with him to run at his pace and let me struggle on my own. On advice from my local adventure store, I had bought a hiking pole to help with the more serious gradients. I was really grateful for this tool!

DELIBERATE FORWARD MOTION
The scenery as we moved up the mountain was breathtaking – not that there was much breath left in me. It was unbelievable to run in an area with only nature around you, no roads and no electricity cables. However, I was getting seriously worried about finishing 40km in seven hours. The uphill was relentless, almost on-all-fours-steep at some stages. I had never given up in a race before and was beginning to wonder whether this was going to be the one to beat me, but it was at this stage that I remembered a saying from my running partner’s dad, who came along to support us: Deliberate Forward Motion. That mantra kept me going.

At last I could see the Liberty Health tent, the only assistance point on the route. I had made halfway and gratefully ate some solids, then set off again, running from orange ribbon to orange flag along the well marked route. I slowly started to think that I will be able to finish, but had no clue as to the speed I was moving at or the distance still to go. After a (long) while, the path started to become very steep again, which was when I realised I had left my hiking pole at the halfway mark…

We were told at the race briefing that there would be a river crossing 1km from the end, so when I spotted the river I thought I would finish the race in time. Unfortunately, this was not the river crossing yet. The distance and degree of difficulty continued to take their toll, and just when I again began wondering about finishing, we turned towards the river. It was really weird wading in armpit-deep water, but I knew this was just 1km from the end. With a fellow competitor I crossed the line comfortably 55th out of 99 finishers, but this result certainly doesn’t reflect the journey I went through to get there!

• The route is in a section of the Baviaanskloof Nature Reserve closed to the general public. The area is inhabited by rhino, buffalo, leopard and plenty other game… including a lot of scorpions!
• Besides receiving a shirt, cap, ‘eco-green’ hold-all bag and dated medal plus lots of goodies, each finisher receives a potted indigenous spekboom to take home, a tree that is incredibly effective at fighting carbon emissions.

Kempton Road Runners was established early in the 1990’s when several members of the Kempton Park Athletics Club became more interested in long distance road running and didn’t want to compete on the track any more. They started off with about 50 members and today their membership stands at approximately 250, with an average of 100 Kempton Road Runners that travel to the Comrades Marathon each year.

According to club chairperson, Elize van Staden, they concentrate mainly on road running with a strong focus on ultra-distances at the moment, but this is definitely not all. “We have a growing number of race walkers, trail runners and cross-country runners, and there are also a number of cyclists and triathletes in our club, though they cannot compete in their triathlons and cycle races as members of our club.”

CLUB LEGENDS
In its 20-year existence, the club has produced some top runners and a Comrades legend or two. Combine this with the sense of camaraderie one gets when you run for Kempton, and it’s no wonder the stripy, white vests from the east of Johannesburg have become a well-known sight at South African road races, and are sure to remain so in the years to come.

Some of Kempton’s best-known and most-loved athletes include Willie van Heerden, who was the club’s fastest athlete for many years, usually going home with most of the club’s trophies at the end of each year. George Bester was the club’s founder and administrator for many years, and helped build the club to what it is today, running 17 Comrades along the way. Michelle Joy held the national half marathon record for women for nine years after running the Cartoria Half Marathon in Pretoria in 1990 in a time of 1:13:24, and Esti Wittstock (member of the 4x400m relay team that currently hold the national record) and Lindsay van Aswegen (Comrades gold medallist) also wore the Kempton colours in earlier years.

At the moment, the club’s most successful Comrades athlete is Johan van Staden, with 21 silver medals, a bronze and a Bill Rowan, while 75-year-old Calie Beneke collected his 35th Comrades medal earlier this year. Though Calie has now retired from the Big C, Elize says he remains one of their strongest athletes, even at his ripe old age. His Comrades medals include 20 silvers (the last of which he achieved in 2003 at the age of 66), a best placing of 11th overall and a PB of 6:04. “He’s officially our man of steel!” says Elize. At the moment, the two strongest athletes in the club are Joby Taylor and Vanessa Bowman.

THE BUSINESS OF RUNNING
One of the club’s biggest events of the year is the Arwyp Medical 15km night race that takes place on the last Wednesday of January at their Barnard Stadium home ground in Kempton Park. “It is the perfect time for a 15km because everyone is back training again after the Christmas holidays, so it’s a good challenge at that time of the year. The race has previously been appointed as the best 15km of the year and even though it has rained just before or during the event for the past four years, it has always been very well attended and we’re extremely proud of the success we’ve achieved with it,” says Elize. “Saying that, if the country is ever crippled by drought, we’ll just host a race and it is sure to rain!”

They have a 4km and 8km time trial every Tuesday at the Barnard Stadium, with Saturday training runs that also set off from the clubhouse. Several different training groups are formed every year according to athletes’ pace and goals, and the beginner group that begins training every year after the Comrades has produced many a successful Comrades finisher. The club has also recently decided to support the local CASA CARITAS Home for the Mentally and Physically Handicapped and regularly collects food for the SPCA at club runs.

TIME TO PARTY
The Kempton Road Runners’ clubhouse is located at the Kempton Park Sport Complex at Barnard Stadium. They rent it from the local municipality and have made several amendments and improvements over the years, making it a wonderful place for socialising and all-round enjoyment time for all club members. “We’re a family club and while the parents run, their children can play in the long jump sand pits until they’re old enough to run the time trial themselves. We enjoy socialising together and often go camping in the countryside when we run races a bit further a field. We’ve been to Sabie, Nelspruit, Parys and Rhodes, to name a few, and these outings are great highlights. Our regular functions such as the pre-Comrades pasta evening and post-Comrades Aches and Pains party are always well attended and lots of fun, and we make sure all our best athletes get recognition, but also those regular Joes for their determination, service and participation,” says Elize.

But she adds that it’s all of these things that work together to create a club that people want to be a part of. “The club management consists of volunteers and we share all the work between the members. It has become like our second home, and the members are our friends. We have competitive participation in our club, but with more respect for each other’s accomplishments than just trying to beat each other.”

I have seen numerous training programmes that include track training, e.g. 7×1 000m or 4x400m. Now I have tried that, but just want to know when and how this type of training will help me in a marathon, or even ultras. Personally, I don’t think it’s helping me a lot, or is it? – ALLISTAIR MEYER, CAPE TOWN

ANSWER
There is no doubt that track training is beneficial when trying to achieve fast times over a marathon or ultra-marathon, even Comrades. It is, however, very important that these sessions are built into a balanced training programme. Track work is intense and extremely hard. You would therefore not do it week in and week out, but rather as a part of a block of weeks that involve an emphasis on speed work.

There is an old training maxim that states “to race fast, you need to train fast.” Obviously not all the time, but you do need to train yourself to run fast. Track training yields both mental and physical benefits. The mental side is interesting. Once you’ve bashed out a number of 80-second 400’s (3:20min/km pace) on the track and you ask your legs to run at 3:45min/km in a fartlek session, it doesn’t seem so hard. Likewise, when you are looking to run under 4:00min/km at a time trial, the faster work on the track means these times become more doable.

Track is the greatest intensity and the greatest pain, but used correctly the benefits are substantial. When I went for my marathon, ultra and Comrades PB’s, track was part of every one of these training programmes.

Modern Athlete Expert
BARRY HOLLAND
Running coach with 34 years’ experience, and has run 39 consecutive Comrades Marathons. His PBs include 1:17 (21.1km), 2:39:30 (42.2km) and 6:29:22 (Comrades).

Can I indulge?

Fried fish and chips, is that bad for a runner? Can those lovely full Sunday lunches with curries, stews, chicken, veggies, etc. cause harm on a Monday when training starts again? And is a glass of wine with dinner healthy or should it be avoided? – ALLISTAIR MEYER, CAPE TOWN

ANSWER
Fried fish and chips are tempting for any human because the combination of salt, fat and sugar (from the potato chips) makes a fantastic combination for our taste buds. But it’s not necessarily good for any of us. Fried fish and chips are very high in salt, unhealthy saturated and trans fats, and of course calories! All of which can contribute to chronic diseases of lifestyle such high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes.

The Sunday lunch options could be a much better option if you choose carefully, like grilled chicken (without the fatty skin), vegetables and wholegrain starches like sweet potato, brown rice, etc.

When it comes to red wine, moderate consumption (not more than two 150ml glasses for a male, and one 150ml glass for a female) is shown to be cardio protective, as they contain beneficial compounds called polyphenols, antioxidants and flavonoids. So that glass of wine with dinner, in conjunction with a healthy meal plan and enough fluids, can easily be enjoyed.

Modern Athlete Expert
CHRISTINE PETERS
Registered Dietician at Sunninghill Medical Centre, Johannesburg. Member of Morningside Country Club with eight years’ running experience, including one Comrades finish and three ultra and two half marathon finishes at the Two Oceans Marathon.

Whilst sport creates general health, fitness and wellbeing, it vastly increases the demands and stresses on the body. The more intense the exercise, the more important it is to protect especially your bust line by supporting it firmly and comfortably in its correct shape and position. Remember, when you run, your breasts move in a repetitive figure of eight pattern. This continuous up and down and side-to-side movement can cause rubbing and chafing.

“Breasts should never be allowed to bounce, because this stretches the skin and tissue, causing irreparable damage. Correct bra size, high-tech design and superior fabrications are imperative in order to avoid premature sagging and the risk of damage during workouts, whilst still allowing comfort and freedom of movement,” says Belinda Reid, Merchandise Director at Triumph International.

KNOW YOUR ACTIVITY LEVEL
Most good sport bras these days provide a guide on the bra’s labelling to help you select the right sport bra for your chosen activity. Remember, the bra you use for running will most likely not be the same bra you use for your yoga workout. When selecting a sport bra, firstly know your activity level:
• Low Impact: This includes activities such as yoga, walking and Pilates.
• Medium Impact: This could be activities such as cycling, spinning and light jogging.
• High Impact: This includes sport such as aerobics, hockey, netball and tennis.
• Extreme Impact: This includes running, triathlons and horse riding.

KNOW YOUR SHAPE
So, you are in the shops and some sport bras look like crop tops and other like normal bras. Which is best? Consider the following:
• Compression bras usually look like crop tops and work well for small to medium busted women. They minimise movement by pressing the bust against the rib cage.
• Encapsulated bras work best for fuller busted women. They resemble regular bras and offer even more support. Some have under-wire for added bust shaping.
• Adjustable encapsulation bras provide maximum support for the fuller busted runner. These bra types incorporate encapsulation, a wide adjustable under-band and wider adjustable straps to create a custom fit and total support.

PUTTING THEM TO THE TEST
A sport bra is a very individual piece of gear and it is ultimately only YOU that can make the right decision in terms of comfort, fit and your chosen activity. We tested each bra by running with it, then we rated it in terms of comfort, fit, looks and most importantly, of course, the ‘bounce’ rate.

Style: Ergonomic Madison Sports Bra
Key features:
• Short crop top with double-breast area.
• Mesh structures and firm back X-cut to provide medium support during exercise.
• 95% Polyamide, 5% Elastane
This bra’s best feature is its’ superb comfort! It feels so soft and comfortable against your skin that I am tempted to wear it everyday under my work clothes. This is a medium support bra as FALKE only offers medium support running bra’s in their range, which means it is definitely not for bigger busted athletes, but would be perfect for small busted women. I found that even small busted women might still experience a certain degree of ‘bounce’ rate, especially when running hard. It can definitely be worn by athletes of all sizes when doing light activities such as yoga, Pilates and spinning. A great looking bra that is ideal for ‘lighter’ activities and ideal in doubling up as an everyday bra. (REVIEWED BY MICHELLE PIETERS)
Retails for R359.95 exclusively at select Sportsmans Warehouse stores.

TRIUMP TRIACTION
Style 1: Seamless Crop Top
Key Features:
• The black label on this garment identifies it as a perfect piece of gear for high impact sport such as netball, hockey and tennis.
• Moisture-absorbent fabric draws moisture away from the skin.
• Widened straps prevent chafing.
• Firm under-band elastic to prevent riding up.
• Racer back styling for freedom of movement.
• Double layered for extra support.
Triaction by Triumph has developed the ‘actiometer’ that provides a guide in selecting the most suitable sports bra for a specific activity and the range comprehensively covers all impact zones. The labels are colour-coded to clearly identify the level of support required.

I found this bra comfortable and strong. With separate support for each breast, this bra allows minimal bouncing when you’re running hard. Your breasts are not bunched together so tightly that it feels like you’ve wrapped yourself in strapping, but there is more than enough support to give you a comfortable and smooth run. Chances of chafing are greatly reduced because there aren’t any seams to cause irritation, and the straps across the back provide further support. Beware not to buy it too small as the straps can start eating into your neck and shoulders if you do. You can also adjust the bra size with a clasp at the back, always handy when you have a big ribcage. Highly recommended for anyone doing any kind of high impact sports, but its also comfortable enough to wear when you’re on the spinning bike or the yoga mat. (REVIEWED BY CATHARINA ROBBERTZE)
Retails for R279.95 at Totalsports, Sportsmans Warehouse and selected Edgars stores.

Style 2: Triaction No Bounce
Key Features:
• The black label on this garment identifies it as a perfect piece of gear for maximum support, so it’s ideal for running.
• Moisture-management properties.
• Comfortable shoulder straps to prevent garment cutting into the shoulders.
• Firm under-band elastic to prevent riding up.
• Advanced shaping and specialised design.
Triaction’s Summer 2011 campaign sees a shift away from the lifestyle sportswoman to appeal to the more serious consumer. The Triaction’s No Bounce bra is an absolutely superb bra, both in terms of fit and comfort as well ‘bounce’ rate. When I first put it on, it felt extremely comfortable, with very firm support but without squashing my breasts against my ribcage. It has separate support for each breast. One of the great features is its wide, soft shoulder straps, which means no riding up or straps eating into your shoulders, nor chafing. Whilst running there was virtually no bounce and even when sprinting it felt exactly the same. One of the great features is that this is the type of bra that you can wear on and off the sports field. It will definitely look great under T-shirts. Great value for money combined with comfort and no bounce makes this one the Modern Athlete Choice Award of the month! (REVIEWED BY MICHELLE PIETERS)
Retails for R179.95 at Totalsports, Sportsmans Warehouse and selected Edgars stores.

ADIDAS
Style 1: Supernova miCoach
Key Features:
• Smooth, seamless, supportive.
• Features CLIMALITE technology for excellent moisture transport which will keep you comfortable at all times.
• Compatible with the miCoach heart rate monitor.
If you’re not too well-endowed but still looking for extreme support, you don’t have to look much further than this one. The adidas Supernova miCoach adopts the strategy of a compression bra and holds everything together very tightly. When running, there is absolutely no bouncing around, but the fact that everything is so tight could lead to some chafing on long runs. The thick straps are comfy and provide even more support and it’s pretty enough that you won’t get any strange looks if you use it as a crop top. If you’re big-boned or well-endowed, move along, but if you’re quite petite, the adidas is an ideal option. (REVIEWED BY CATHARINA ROBBERTZE)
Retails for R449 at Sportsmans Warehouse, Sweatshop, adidas Retail and Rashid Cassim Sports.

Style 2: Supernova Racer Bra
Key Features:
• High impact support.
• Climalite fabric and Climacool provides heat- and moisture-management through ventilation that considers women’s specific sweat zones.
• Lightweight printed stripes for freedom of movement.

At first sight, this bra looked too pretty to be functional and I had my doubts that it would stop the dreaded bounce. How wrong was I! This is a great running bra that not only provides superb comfort, but also holds everything firmly in place without pushing your breasts flat against your chest. The bra is encapsulated, which means not only does it look great, but it also provides superb support for each breast. I found the racer back style and straps soft and comfortable without eating into my shoulders or chafing. In terms of looks it scores sky high and you can comfortably change your wet running T-shirt after a race without it looking like a bra. (REVIEWED BY MICHELLE PIETERS)
Retails at R399 at Totalsports and Sportsmans Warehouse

SHOCK ABSORBER
Style: The RUN Bra
Key Features:
• Absolute support.
• Friction-free comfort.
• Quick-dry moisture-wicked chest band minimises sweat collection and key hot spots.
• Seamless, soft inner reduces rubbing, chafing and repetitive friction injury.
• Wide, seamless, non-slip, fully-adjustable, padded straps with advanced technology.
• Fully back-opening for easy on and off.
• High performance fabrics and breathable mesh zones keep the body cool.
• Cushioned hook and eye for comfort.
• Reflective tape across cups gives high visibility when running outdoors
• During industrial testing, a reduction of up to 78% bounce was calculated, giving you a more focused running bra for a more focused performance.
This sports bra is unlike any other I have every worn. Usually I can still feel my breasts bouncing in my sports bra, but with the RUN Bra I’m not even aware of them being there, never mind moving. Although the bra gives brilliant support, it isn’t constricting or uncomfortable; on the contrary, the wide, seamless, non-slip, fully-adjustable, padded straps are so comfortable, I was really able to concentrate more on my running performance than on any discomfort my body usually experiences. It looks good, too, so you can wear it on its own. (REVIEWED BY LORI BOOTH)
Retails for R549.95 at Sportsmans Warehouse.

Aquatic Bodywork Hydrotherapy uses the mechanical and thermal effects of warm water together with passive bodywork techniques to massage, loosen, stretch and release muscles so that they recover faster. It is also said that Aquatic Bodywork can help improve athletic performance.

Since water transmits its temperature to the body 25 times faster than air, the tissues ‘warm up’ in a few seconds and are primed for stretching and bodywork. Deeper stretches can be achieved because of weightlessness and because fewer muscle groups are engaged that can restrict the stretch. The water provides the three-dimensional freedom that we don’t have on land in order to achieve this. The deeper the stretch, the more elastic the muscles and the better they perform. The warmth and weightlessness also lowers the risk of injury while stretching.

HOW IT WORKS
Aquatic Bodywork uses special floats designed to achieve neutral buoyancy in the water. Endurance athletes are usually sinkers, so hydrotherapists use floats under the legs, under the head, and sometimes under the chest to ensure that no muscle groups are engaged, the athlete’s body is aligned, and the deepest state of relaxation is achieved. This is further enhanced by the 34-degree temperature of the water, which calms sensory nerve endings, and the absence of other sensory stimuli – the eyes are closed, the ears are submerged and athletes can only hear the beat of their own heart and a few swirls.

Hydrotherapists encourage athletes to breathe deeper, especially during stretches. And usually people just let go. All these factors effectively calm the nervous system, and the parasympathetic mode kicks in much faster than usual. This is why half an hour is enough to achieve the results.

WHERE IT STARTED
In 2003 the physiotherapist of the Polish Olympic team, Tomasz Zagorski, began using Aquatic Bodywork Hydrotherapy on his athletes. They rested better, so they performed better – and won some gold medals at the 2004 Games. Later, after being invited to present his findings at the South African Sports Medicine Association’s conference in October this year, Zagorski asked Maria Gerondoudis to conduct a two-week study on endurance athletes so that he could include South African interviews in his presentation.

The athletes in the study received daily 30-minute sessions at the end of the day after their training. They filled in before and after questionnaires to gather information on their health, training habits, fatigue, anxiety, flexibility, rest, sleep, endurance and performance. Their blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) were taken daily and tabulated. “BP measures the pressure of blood on the arteries of the body. Athletes who maintain arterial pressures at the low end of the BP range have much better long-term cardiovascular health. They should therefore perform better for longer,” explains Maria. “We measured HR (rate of pumping) to see how hard the heart is working. The HR varies as the body’s need to absorb oxygen and excrete carbon dioxide changes. Generally speaking, the fitter the athlete, the lower the HR at rest.”

HRV is the interval of time between heart beats. Performance coach Partrick Ward says: “HRV is one method being used to evaluate the stress of the athlete and determine if they are in a more sympathetic or parasympathetic state, which would then guide the training programme for that day. Having a high HRV corresponds with a high Vo2max, while having a low HRV can be an indicator of increased mortality and possible cardiac events. In a nutshell, when HRV is high, this can be taken as an indicator of a parasympathetic state and being well rested. Athletes with high HRV scores are in better condition and are often able to recover at a faster rate following intense bouts of training and competition. When HRV is low it suggests sympathetic dominance, high stress and a potentially over-trained state.”

THE FINDINGS
The study showed that athletes felt less fatigue, less anxiety related to their performance, had greater flexibility, improved rest and sleep, fewer aches and pains as a consequence of training, improved endurance and better performance as a direct result of the intervention.
• After the first week, cyclist and long distance runner Anthi reported: “I felt like a machine on the bike today, I was the first in my group to get to the top of the hills and eventually I joined a faster group at the end. I did my personal best on this route today! So impressed.”
• Comrades runner and triathlete Lester Cary said his aches and pains as a result of training improved subsequent to hydrotherapy. “I suffer from plantar fasciitis and usually get up in the morning expecting pain in my foot as soon as I stand on it. I couldn’t believe it wasn’t there anymore. I feel great in my training.”
• Triathlete Eric Meyers, who will be participating in the Cape Town Ironman in a few weeks, reported longer endurance, better performance, improved flexibility and a marked difference in his rest and sleep: “This therapy helped me to let go and relax, both while in the water and also thereafter.”

“This research has key implications for both recovery from training or competition and rehabilitation from injury. It is ‘water-breaking’ stuff for South Africa,” says Maria. “It could very well become our secret weapon in international competitions. After all, if Polish Olympic athletes can win gold because of it, so can we.”

For more info visit www.aquaticbodywork.co.za or email Maria at [email protected].

Most South African race commentators in running, cycling and multisport only pick up the mic as a sideline on top of a ‘real job,’ but Altus Schreuder has managed to turn it into a professional career while still leaving himself time to do all the things he likes to do, including watching every sport on television, coaching athletics, playing touch rugby, going for training runs when most people are stuck at work, and spending real quality time with his son.

You see, in 2007, with a highly successful career as a scientist, Altus decided that he didn’t like the road he was on. “I sat down with my wife, An-Ria, and said I didn’t want to be a scientist and businessman any more, because it really isn’t me. She was trying to get her law career started while also looking after our son, Hugo, so I suggested we swap roles and she becomes a career woman while I become a house-husband and concentrate on commentary work.”

IT’S A DEAL
An-Ria agreed and four years down the line she has finished her Masters degree, qualified as an advocate, and is now Head of the Legal Department for Mass Retail at Old Mutual. She drives from Stellenbosch to Cape Town and back each day, but at least she gets to sleep in a bit, thanks to Altus. “I do the morning drill. I wake up Hugo, make the breakfast and get him to school. I take care of nearly everything in the house and garden, and in the afternoon I help with homework and do the cooking during the week.”

Altus then ‘puts in his hours’ on the weekend doing commentary – he is booked for 90% of weekends in the year and sometimes has up to four different events in one weekend, including run, bike, multisport and track events. Ironically, he got into commentary by accident in 1991, when coaching his athletes at a local track meet. The announcer had not arrived, so he was asked to take over, and did such a good job that he was asked again. By 1994 he was the stadium announcer for the national Engen Series, and also worked in TV commentary for the SABC. Since 2000 he has been the national field announcer for all ASA track meets.

STUDY, RUN, WORK
While studying at the University of Stellenbosch, Altus played rugby and also participated in modern dancing, but then decided to give athletics a try. “In my fourth year in 1984, I started with the 400m and ran a PB of 49.9 seconds, then moved up to the 800m and in 1986 I ran my PB of 1:52.9.” Having completed his M.Sc in Biochemistry, Altus moved to Pretoria in 1989 to work as a forensic scientist for the South African Police. He took up jogging to keep fit, and then a friend suggested he try a half marathon. Despite thinking he wouldn’t make the distance, he ran 1:15:34, which is still his PB.

After two years in Pretoria, he decided he wanted to come home again. “I resigned without a job to go to, just to come back to the Cape, but fortunately soon found a job as an analytical chemist at the Department of Agriculture in Stellenbosch, which regulates the wine industry. By 1996 I was Head of the National Wine and Spirits Laboratory, worked for a private lab from 1999 to 2003, then started my own wine lab. But in 2007 I wanted a change again, and that’s when An-Ria and I decided to change things around – and I could finally fit running in again.”

RUNNING GOALS
Being the analytically-minded person that he is, Altus has a detailed programme up to the year 2016, listing all the events he plans to do. His target for 2011 is a sub-3:00 marathon in November (his PB is 2:56:20), then a silver medal at the 2012 Comrades Marathon and Ironman in 2014, as well many trail races around the world, including the Marathon de Sables in the Sahara. Then in 2016 he wants to be back on the track for the World Masters Athletic Champs.

Of course, An-Ria and Hugo will go along whenever possible, because Altus says they have another deal: “Anria and I share a love for travelling, but I love sport while she loves shopping, so the deal is that she and Hugo will stay in ‘civilisation’ while I run. As with everything else, it works brilliantly for us both!”