Author: Modern Athlete

Take a drive around the V&A Waterfront area of Cape Town some days and you may be amazed to see a group of swimmers winding their way through the Waterfront canal system – despite there being large ‘no swimming’ warning signs posted up all over the place. So are these swimmers breaking the law, and will there be stern-faced officials waiting on the banks to arrest them? No, says ATC Multisport chairman Steve Attwell, because they have special permission to be there. “Our club members are officially the only people allowed to swim in the Waterfront Canals, although we must adhere to strict rules from the harbourmaster. All our swimmers must sign in when they enter the canals and sign out when they exit after a swim, they can only swim in strict club training times, and all must wear a bright orange cap. Anybody swimming outside of our training times, or not wearing an orange cap, will be arrested.”

Despite this strict regulation, Steve says that more and more athletes are joining ATC just for the great swimming training it offers. “The canals offer us an uninterrupted 1600m swim in clean, clear sea water with great visibility, and no fear of sharks! Although there was a sunfish in the canal the other day, which gave some of us a big fright when we suddenly saw this huge fin. But there is no truth to the rumours about dirty water filled with trash and litter, and no dead bodies, either!

BIGGER AND BETTER
ATC Multisport is one of the largest multisport clubs in South Africa. Established in 2006 as the Atlantic Triathlon Club, it evolved into ATC Multisport in 2009, incorporating the original Atlantic Triathlon Club covering triathlon, duathlon and Xterra, and adding ATC Running, ATC Cycling and ATC Swimming. The club is based in Mouille Point on the Atlantic Seaboard in Cape Town, using the Oceana Power Boat Club as its clubhouse.

Steve says he started the club with his friend and fellow triathlete, Guy Veysey, because he was disappointed in the low numbers of people participating in the sport when he returned from the UK in 2006. “I helped start a tri club in London and it quickly grew into a major player in the massive tri scene over there, but when I came back to South Africa I found that nobody here really knew about triathlon. For example, The Western Province Champs only had 60 participants in total, whereas I had done the UK Champs race and there were 180 athletes just in one starting wave!”

By the end of that first year the club had grown to 60 members, and passed the 100 mark the following year. Today it has well over 500 members across the various sporting sub-sections. “We have a few elite members, but our bread and butter is the 200-odd average Joe beginner triathletes. It’s a young club with a lot of young athletes, but we’ve also got quite a range of ages. We just tell people to come down and get involved, and once they meet other members, they soon get invites to training runs, rides and swims.”

“We had a fine artist do our branding, with our Neptune’s Trident fork logo being symbolic not only of the sea, but also the three disciplines that make up triathlon, and one of our members is a fashion designer, so she designed our kit. We reckon we have not only the best looking kit out there, but the best fitting as well! We also have New Balance on board as a sponsor, so we have great club clothing which is available to members at good prices, as are New Balance products, including running shoes.”

TRAINING TIMES
The club has a number of weekly training sessions, including a Tuesday evening track session, coached by former elite triathlete Grant Fillmore, which includes warm-up, plyometrics, core work, and then running. It is held on the field at La Med in Camps Bay, which makes for a stunning setting, especially at sunset. In summer, there are Tuesday and Thursday morning rides, a Friday morning canal swim, and if the weather is good, a Thursday evening sea swim at Camps Bay. Friday mornings also see a club trail run in Claremont, while the weekends are usually reserved for the longer cycling rides.

The club’s time trial is run once per month within the recently built Green Point Sport Park, and offers a safe, flat 3km loop that doesn’t cross any roads. Athletes can run one or two laps, results are posted on the club’s website, and Steve says they get an average turn-out of 60 to 70 athletes. ATC uses this same route for its Sunset Team Time Trial (SSTTT) 4x3km team relay, held twice a year in February and October. “It’s open to all clubs, with a floating trophy for the winning club, and we’d like to build this into a national inter-club competition, while we’re also looking at a corporate angle as well,” says Steve. The next one will take place on 12 October.

On the development front, the club has also established an ATC Development arm, with development coach Barry Goliath doing phenomenal work with a group of talented kids in Kraaifontein. “Barry already had a programme set up to work with these kids, so we got him into our club so that we could offer him our support,” says Steve. “We currently have six athletes signed up to the programme, really fast youngsters who can run 32 minutes for 10km, and we help with transport to events, kit for training and competition, and entry fees. New Balance is helping with clothing and shoes, and one of our members works for the Kelfords motor dealership and helps with a vehicle to get the youngsters, and sometimes their parents as well, to events. We were really proud when one of our kids recently qualified for the Western Province cross-country team for the national champs.”

CONTACT DETAILS
Chairperson: Steve Attwell
Tel. 082 739 9010
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: www.atlantictriclub.co.za
Clubhouse: Oceania Power Boat Club, Granger Bay, Cape Town

ANSWER
There are so many variables that need to be taken into account here: What type of pain is it? Does the pain go away as soon as you stop, or does it stay for a period of time afterwards? Do you always run on the same camber of the road? Have you had any previous injuries involving your left side?

Just by telling me what type of pain it is will guide me in a much better direction. If it’s a sharp shooting or burning pain, sciatic nerve compression is most likely. In this case, the pain normally starts from your bum area down towards your calves and not vice versa as you described. For pain relief here, gluteal and hamstring stretching is the best thing to do.

If it’s a dull ache, it’s more likely a muscular problem, especially the piriformis muscle being too tight and too weak, and not providing enough stability to the pelvis, while a deep gnawing pain tells me it’s osteogenic, meaning bone-related. This could be due to a leg length discrepancy and cause pain due to overcompensation of the one side of the body.

Stinging pain suggests muscular imbalances, such as your calves, hamstrings and quadriceps not being strong enough and not providing your joints with enough stability during running. You mentioned the pain gets worse during hill running. This is a great indicator of the muscles being too weak. Strengthening of the posterior muscles is very important for runners, especially the calves and hamstrings. One thing you can try during a run is to walk up the hills; this will strengthen your calves, whereas trying to run it will work your quadriceps more and put more strain on your weaker calves.

My suggestion is to see a professional, especially because you’ve been struggling with the problem for two years now. A chiropractor would be able to assist with all areas discussed here. A biokineticist would do a full biomechanical analysis, to pinpoint the problem area and fix it once and for all. Remember, all problems are fixable, as long as you seek the professional help you need. Your body is your temple, treat it as such.

Modern Athlete Expert
ANDRIES LODDER
Biokineticist at the Technogym Wellness Centre in Fourways, Johannesburg, lecturer in exercise science and Ironman finisher. Andries specialises in sport and orthopaedic rehabilitation and sport-specific testing and conditioning. (www.topbio.co.za)

How do I Run Faster?

I have started training for Comrades 2012, but am running too slowly to complete a 21km race within the three-hour cut-off. How can I increase my speed from my current 9min/km to the acceptable minimum of 6min/km? – DAVID SELBY, JOHANNESBURG

ANSWER
First of all, well done for being on the road. No matter how slow you are, you have made a start. Now to get you running a little quicker.

At first you will need to take a short distance within your training run and go faster than your average speeds. For example, if you are doing an 8 or 10km training run, choose a flat, short section of say 2km and try to run at between 6 and 7min/km over this section. Do this at least twice in your first week. Over the next few weeks try to increase the length of your fast section to between 3 and 4km. As you get used to this faster running, keep the distance of the fast section the same, but try to run faster, say between 5:30 and 6min/km.

Slowly you will teach your body and your mind to run faster, and I believe that you will start to drop your overall speed in your training runs. Becoming fit enough to run the Comrades is a long, slow process, so take it one step at a time. Also, look in this edition for an article on my 40th Comrades Bus in 2012. Maybe you will be on it?

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).

Mobii Systems (Pty) Ltd was started in February 2008 in Cape Town by a group of friends who collectively brought electronic and mechanical engineering, software development and business science backgrounds to the party, as well as a shared passion for sport. “We set out to design and manufacture a high-end locally produced GPS sport unit, producing nearly everything ourselves, including the injection-moulded casings and screens, and the accessories such as straps and covers, and packaging,” says Roderick Barret. “It’s taken us a few years to perfect, including going through a few model designs that have seen the unit’s size and weight reduced considerably, and now we’re focused on constantly improving the software so that the unit can do even more.”

The rectangular unit is 45mm wide and 63mm long, with a 15mm thickness, and weighs 53 grams, and is made from impact-proof polycarbonate plastic with a self-healing coating on the screen to protect against scratches. Using the various mounting straps, you can wear it on your arm or wrist, on a belt or waistline, or mount it on a bicycle, canoe, surfski or boat (the Motion is completely waterproof). The heart rate strap is an optional extra, since the unit is compatible with any ANT+ strap from other manufacturers.

IT DOES IT ALL
The Motion can measure speed, pace, acceleration, strides, energy, heart rate, location and course, elevation, gradient, tilt and G-force, cadence, power, laps (as well as sectors of laps, and phases of sectors), splits, and 3D speed. And it’s the combining of different measures which makes this unit so adaptable to different sporting codes – even racing car drivers are using it to plot their exact laps on a race track, using the built-in accelerometer to provide information on g-force when cornering or braking, and plotting their different laps on a map of the race course to see exactly where they are losing time by choosing a different line into the turns. It’s that accurate!

The unit comes with downloadable Motion Control Centre software, which allows you to do the set-up of your unit on your PC, analyse workouts, plot routes, share profiles and workouts with other Mobii users, add music to your playlist on the unit (no need for a separate MP3 player!), synchronise workouts with video footage (if you have a compatible camera), and more.

SETTING UP
I found it a complicated unit to master at first, with the navigation of the menu system and initial set-up requiring a detailed user-guide. I also had to get used to the touch screen buttons, which require slightly different pressure to my touch screen phone, but I soon got the hang of it. (You can change the ‘strength’ of the buttons to suit your own touch.)

Initially, you had to do the set-up on the unit itself, but the Mobii team has worked hard on the Motion Control Centre so that it can be done on your PC, which is quicker and easier. You start by creating your user profile, then set up your activities (workouts) and the customisable data view displays for each one, which can contain up to four different items, which can in turn also include images, like a heart for heart rate or clock for time. You can change the size, colour, position, font size, rotation and alignment of each item, so you really can set it up just the way you want it. The basic running activity that comes standard with the software has the following variables on separate screens, which are easy to toggle through by using the left or right buttons: Heart rate, time, energy, stride rate and length, and total strides. You can download many other data view sets, or set up your own, as I did, with a single display containing time, average pace, distance and heart rate.

Next you can create up to 32 Action Triggers per activity, such as programming the unit to automatically pause when you stop at traffic lights, or setting it to play audio feedback when your heart rate reaches a specified level. You can even record an audio message about the route, such as “steep hill in one kilometre,” or programme it to play Chariots of Fire as you start the last kay of your route!

RUNNING WITH MOBII
I found running with the unit quite comfortable, and the quarter-second GPS recording intervals meant I had no problems getting reliable, accurate info. I could easily read the display and find exactly what I was looking for, having set it up just the way I wanted it. Admittedly, I did hit the wrong buttons a few times and had to stop in mid-run to navigate my way back, but I soon got the hang of it, and the more I ran with the Mobii, the easier it became to use it.

And once home again, I couldn’t wait to download my runs, plot my routes on the map, check where I went faster or slower, and more. I was like a kid with a new toy for Christmas! Which is really saying something, because I openly admit to being a bit of a technophobe… It’s just that the Mobii makes training so much fun!

IMPROVING ALL THE TIME
One of the real bonuses of this unit is that the Mobii team is constantly updating and improving the software, which can easily be updated with free downloads through the Motion Experience Centre. Many of these improvements are based on feedback from users. For example, Roderick says that they’ll be rolling out two big updates in October: “The one will be the ability to edit Action Triggers in the Motion Experience Centre. These can already be set up on the Motion itself, but now athletes will be able to easily programme them in the same way that they would set up their Data Views in the software. The battery life of the Motion is also in for a big boost as new power-saving features are being added.”

The Mobii Motion Package is currently selling for R2695, including all accessories except for the heart rate strap. Contact Mobii Systems to find your nearest stockist, on Tel. 021 914 6982 or e-mail [email protected].

The Alter G Anti Gravity Treadmill (AG treadmill) was originally designed by NASA to assist astronauts to train for anti-gravitational environments, but it has since been adapted for use in training and rehabilitation for the Average Joe. It can be used in the rehabilitation of any number of injuries in the lower regions of the body, as well as treatment of neurological conditions, weight reduction and general training.

The concept is actually quite simple. Your weight is adapted by using air in a pressure-controlled chamber to gently lift you above the treadmill. This is known as the Air Pressure Differential and the advanced technology allows you to accurately adapt your body weight to up to 20% of your total weight in one percent increments. Though you will need a helping hand to get you through your first session and show you the ropes, it is not a difficult or dangerous exercise. After putting on a pair of specially designed shorts with a zip around your waist, you climb onto the treadmill and into the pressure chamber, zip yourself in, calibrate and away you go! It feels a little like you’re being lifted in the air while in a harness, but much more comfortable and stable since you are basically inside a balloon that keeps you upright and stable.

Whilst on the treadmill you can adapt your speed and weightas you wish, whether you are a professional sportsman, a weekend warrior, or someone with a physical disability who hasn’t been able to walk for years.

BENEFITS
According to Dr Mark Ferguson, leading sports orthopaedic surgeon and founding director at the Centre for Sports Medicine and Orthopaedics in Rosebank, Johannesburg, the one-of-a-kind machine allows patients to resume physical activity earlier in the recovery process thanks to its ability to deliver precise partial weight-bearing. “By reducing a large portion of your body weight, the Alter G strengthens and improves the coordination of muscles, promoting a full range of motion while minimising stress and enabling patients to maximise fitness on the often long road to recovery. When you have the opportunity to defy gravity, you give yourself the chance to recover better and train like you have never done before.”

The benefits of running with less gravity and therefore less impact on your joints are well documented and because of this, many athletes have ventured into the pool for aqua-jogging whilst recovering from an injury. However, swimming pools need space and are expensive to maintain. The AG treadmill might be expensive to buy, but after that it costs just about the same to maintain as a normal treadmill. The greatest difference between running in the pool and running on the treadmill is the mental confidence you gain when using the AG treadmill.

THE SA CONNECTION
The latest news is that this technology has made its arrival in South Africa and the first AG treadmill in the country has already assisted professional sport stars struggling with injuries, as well as enriched the lives of disabled people. The Centre for Sports Medicine and Orthopaedics is the first institution in the country to purchase one of these treadmills and according to Barry Getz, physiotherapist at the centre it has contributed to their rehabilitation programme to a great extent. Bafana Bafana defender, Matthew Booth used it to recover in record time from a season-ending knee injury earlier this year, and several injured players in the Lions Currie Cup squad have returned to the rugby field sooner than expected thanks to the new equipment. Matthew started running at only 40% of his body weight, improving his fitness and gaining confidence until the injured knee could support his full body weight. He was most thankful for the quicker recovery and the mental confidence he gained from running on the treadmill before he returned to the field.

The AG treadmill is ideal for runners with injuries like stress fractures or shin splints, where running with their full bodyweight will not only be excruciating, but also worsen their injury and prolong recovery… a vicious circle. When training on the AG treadmill, these athletes will be able to give their injuries sufficient time to recover while also keeping their cardiovascular fitness up. Not to mention the lowered frustration levels because they were able to do some running, albeit on a treadmill.