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12 Weeks to My First Sprint Triathlon

Operating On Time

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Running has always been in Kim Laxton’s genes: Her mother, Sonja, is one of South Africa’s living legends, while her father Ian is a well known running commentator, and Kim has been running since she can remember! Over the years she has won many prestigious road races, often representing Gauteng at the SA Champs. Today Kim is a busy young doctor and though she doesn’t find much time for competing, she still makes time to do what she loves best.


What is your background and how did you get involved in the medical field?
I studied Medicine at Wits University. I then did two years of internship at Victoria Hospital in Cape Town. In 2009 I did my Community Service year at Themba Hospital just outside White River, and in 2010 I worked in emergency medicine in Nelspruit. This year I am employed by the Johannesburg Hospital and serve as a medical officer in cardiology.


Why are you so passionate about medicine?
I have always enjoyed the field of science and find the human body fascinating. Medicine has provided me with the opportunity to interact with many different people and to travel throughout the country. My work can be physically and emotionally draining, but until one has seen one’s own success in another’s eye, one really has no idea what it means to ‘help’ another.


What has been the highlight of your career?
I believe my best and most vivid moment was performing a Caesarian section on a mother whose baby was premature. The baby weighed 880g and both mother and baby survived the operation. However, the times I treasure most were when I prayed with mothers who had lost their unborn babies to miscarriage.


And in running?
My greatest running moments have, in fact, not been in races. When I lived in White River, I loved running my club’s (Legogote Villagers) 6km time trial every Thursday. The Lowveld is beautiful and our time trial meandered through places laced with pink forests and silver lakes. The best part was hearing the Purple-crested Loerie. I have competed many times at the South African National Championships in cross-country and road. My highlight in running came in 2005 when I competed at the World 21.1km University Championships in Turkey and came 12th. My greatest achievement was, in fact, passing surgery two days after I arrived back from the games!


How did you get into running?
I started running about the time I started to walk. I was never pushed into running, and only when I started playing hockey in 1998 did I realise that training on the track would help my hockey! I then discovered I was far better at running. I will continue to run until I can’t walk.


How do you fit running into your busy life?
It is extremely difficult. Medicine drains one physically. We are required to work up to 36 hours at a go and by the time you stagger out of work, you are exhausted. I still set myself goals, though, and plan to fit in a certain number of training sessions during the week.


What does a day in your life look like?
There is no typical day, it’s more like a typical month, with at least four to five on-call (24-36hr) shifts, and one to two weekends dedicated to the hospital. My days consist of running around the wards, resuscitating if need be. Sometime during that month I will fall over from exhaustion, and other times will be spent running hard on the tar to work off frustration. It’s no routine, it’s often not fun, but it is well worth the effort.


What is the biggest obstacle to your running?
There simply isn’t enough time – that can’t be purchased at a running shop.


Who do you run with?
I run alone, usually with an ipod.


Do you run a lot of races?
I used to run a road race every two to three weekends. This year has been very difficult to train properly and I usually don’t race if I am unfit. But when my job becomes more routine, the training will increase and the road races more regularly frequented!


Where is your favourite place to run?
White River! I had a 20km route that went around a large dam just outside town. I chose the early mornings and late evenings to run this route – for classic sunrises and sunsets.


How has running influenced your work ethic?
Running keeps me focused and dedicated. It gives me a chance to escape from stress and pressure, and has played an integral part in where I choose to practise medicine!


Why do you enjoy running?
Because I can do it! I enjoy the competitiveness and achievement when I have set goals and worked towards them.


What is the best advice you have been given with regards to running?
Relax and enjoy what you do. If a race is going badly, don’t fight it, get to the end and enjoy an extra long bath. The worst advice was to drink fizzy cool-drinks whilst you are running!


What is the first thing you like to do after a run?
Say hi to my cat. She stands at the garage door waiting for me. And she never complains if I’m sweaty, she’s just glad I’m home.


What is your greatest ambition in running?
To find the most beautiful parts of this country and run in them.


Who are your running role models?
Every year I am in awe of every single person who crosses the finishing line of the Comrades Marathon. For about five minutes after the final gun, I plan to at least try this great event the following year, but then I see everyone hobbling the next day and I change my mind.


What piece of running equipment could you not do without?
My running shoes! I have tender soles and I simply could not run barefoot.


Has your family played an important role in your sporting life?
Yes, because running is a central topic on a daily basis. My mum has competed forever and my dad never stops talking about the sport.


What would you say to someone who says they don’t have time to exercise?
There is always time. If you can’t go to the gym, take the stairs instead of the lift. It won’t make you finish Comrades, but if you’re unfit it will certainly give you some lactic acid in your legs.


What are your future running plans?
My future is uncertain on all levels. I plan to remain fit, compete when I can and simply enjoy what I do. I will forever involve myself with the sport, be it commentary or advice to youngsters. As all runners know, once the running bug has bitten, one is infected for life!

Zola Budd: Content

Sky-High Heart Rate

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I run 5-10km three to four times a week. I have been doing this for more than a year now. My heart rate is very high when I run. I use a heart rate monitor; in fact, I’ve been using two, as I thought the first one’s reading was wrong, but they both show the same readings! I run very slowly, yet my heart rate is very high throughout the run. For example, yesterday I ran 10km, my average pace was 6:34 min/km, and my average heart rate was 178. Because my heart rate is so high and continues to stay high, I feel exhausted all the time and after 10km I feel like dying! In the beginning, I thought my heart rate will improve as I get fitter, but after a year it’s exactly the same. Please help! – STANLEY LOUW, PRETORIA


ANSWER
Because I do not know your age, gender, state of fitness, or your actual individual Maximum Heart Rate (MHR), it is difficult to comment on whether this training heart rate is indeed high. Here is a link you can visit and depending on your fitness level – you can determine at least an estimate of your MHR – http://www.howtobefit.com/determine-maximum-heart-rate.htm.


There are a few things to bear in mind, however. Your MHR is genetically determined, so it’s your individual number, and there is great fluctuation among people of the same age. It’s sensitive to certain variables such as altitude, drugs, medication, but remains a fixed number, unless you become unfit. It only declines with age in sedentary individuals and tends to be higher in women than men. It cannot be accurately predicted by any mathematical formula, and testing needs to be done several times to determine the exact number.


Given all these factors, you can see that whilst an average training rate of 178 might be very high for a person who has a low MHR, it might be perfectly normal for someone with a high MHR. We can get overly caught up in technology and you might find that BECAUSE your heart rate ‘seems so high’ to you, that you feel worn out. And that had you not known your heart rate – you might have actually felt fine.


So my advice is:
• Try to get an accurate idea of your MHR to see at what percentage of your MHR you are actually training, and if it really is worryingly high – in which case you visit your doctor for a check-up. In fact, for ease of mind, go for a check-up anyway!
• Ensure you are following a scientifically sound training programme.
• Check on your general health status: Are you eating a healthy balanced diet? Are you overly stressed or not getting enough sleep, etc. All these factors can affect how hard a training session feels.


 Modern Athlete Expert
KATHLEEN MCQUAIDE-LITTLE
Sport scientist and Health Promotions Manager at the Sports Science Institute of South Africa in Cape Town, and a member of Celtic Harriers with many years running experience, including four Comrades and eight Two Oceans medals.



Skyrun Altitude


I completed my first Salomon Skyrun a while ago and would like to know why I was not affected by the altitude (2700m), despite coming from Cape Town. I did try and keep my heart rate low on the steep ascents, so as not to burn too much glycogen, and I finished day one in 13hours.


ANSWER
The effects of altitude on athletic performance have been extensively researched over the years in order to promote both superior performance and prevent altitude-associated illnesses. There could be many reasons why the altitude did not affect your performance, including genetics, exercising intensity and whether you had acclimatised to the environment beforehand.


The general belief behind altitude and exercise is that when at altitude, the percentage concentration of oxygen is less than at sea level. Therefore, when exercising at altitude, there is less available oxygen to be used/taken up by the muscles, thus you are unable to perform optimally. There is, however, much scientific debate whether the oxygen availability itself impairs muscular performance, or whether it is the brain down-regulating activity in response to it sensing the drop in oxygen concentration.


With the information you have provided you mentioned that you made sure to keep you heart rate down. Heart rate is a good indicator of exercise intensity. This means that you most probably did not push yourself too hard on the steep ascents where you would’ve felt the effect of the altitude the most. Furthermore, it seems that you ran at an average of 5km/h, and taking the slope/gradient into account, it seems that your running intensity was not high enough for you to feel the hypoxic effect of the altitude. Another possible reason was that you managed to acclimatise to the altitude prior to event, i.e. arriving at the destination a few days beforehand.


MODERN ATHLETE EXPERT
NICHOLAS TAM
Exercise scientist at the UCT/MRC Research Unit for Exercise Science and Sports Medicine, based at the Sports Science Institute of South Africa.

Tri Glory

The Running Rhino

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Most runners know that no matter how fit you are, running a marathon is hard work. You not only have to deal with aching muscles at some point during the race, but you also sometimes have to put up with blistering sun, wind or rain, and chafing in uncomfortable spots! In fact, running any distance is usually hard work.


Now imagine donning a 15kg rhino suit and strapping it to your body. The only thing sticking out is part of your face, your body can’t move freely, and you can’t turn your head, go to the loo, or grab your own energy gels or drinks at watering points. Even worse, imagine running 42.2km like that – not an easy task for anyone, but Chris Piears, a member of Breakthru Striders in Midrand, has never been scared of a challenge… especially if it involves animals and conservation.


SAVE THE RHINO
Chris is one of 50 international participants who has been selected to run the Virgin London Marathon – the largest fundraising marathon in the world – on 17 April to raise funds for Save the Rhino International (www.savetherhino.org). Out of the 50 nature-loving runners, Chris will be one of 20 running in rhino suits. His aim is to make members of the public aware of rhino poaching, especially in South Africa. Therefore, he has not only targeted running the London Marathon, but has already completed several local races in the rhino suit.


His fundraising target is to raise R50 000 over the next five months, and the organisations that will benefit include Save the Rhino International (KwaZulu-Natal), Hokoyo Wildlife Trust (Botswana), and certain translocation projects of SANPARKS.


CHRIS THE CONSERVATIONIST
Chris has been involved with conservation for over 20 years. His first involvement was when he joined the Honorary Ranger Corps of South African Parks. This saw him involved in the capture and relocation of white rhino’s to various game parks in Southern Africa as well as Australia and USA, the elephant Contraception project, the translocation of the first elephants to Pilansberg National Park as well as the capture and relocation of the first group of elephants back into Mozambique, to name but a few!


“I have always loved animals and been interested in conservation. Every available holiday my family and I were in the Kruger National Park, and it must have rubbed off on my youngest son, because he is currently studying to become a vet. But my real involvement came years ago after a visit to the Kruger National Park, where I saw a group of drunk individuals throwing stones from a car to make a group of lions get up so they could take better pictures.”


Chris felt helpless and wrote to the SA National Parks Board asking how he could become involved. And so began his love affair with conservation – and fundraising. Over the past 20 years, he has raised around R2million for various conservation projects.


CHRIS THE RUNNER
Other than conservation, Chris is also passionate about all things running. He has successfully completed 13 Comrades Marathons as well as several other ultra-distance events. His love for running started while seconding a friend at Comrades. “Every year I would say to my wife, one day I am going to run the Comrades. She eventually got the hell in with me and said, ‘If you are going to run this bloody race, go and buy yourself a pair of shoes.’” And that is exactly what Chris did. Armed with a brand new pair of Saucony’s, he went home and ran 1km to the shop and 1km back. “Back home I said to my wife I might have bitten off more than I could handle. And that was only 2km. Look at me today!”


Last year Chris decided to take things a step further… and become South Africa’s running rhino! “A group of my running friends decided to run the London Marathon. I knew it was a major fundraising event and started searching their website before coming across the rhino fundraising initiative. Rhino’s and elephants have always been close to my heart, so I sent my CV and applied for one of the 50 ‘rhino’ slots. That same evening I was accepted! Then my son and friends persuaded me to run the race in one of the organisation’s 20 available rhino suits. A friend offered to sponsor my air ticket and Rolec Grindrod offered to get the suit from London to South Africa. I was on my way to London!”


RUNNING AS A RHINO
Running in a rhino suit certainly does have its challenges, says Chris. The suit arrived in a big crate and had to be unpacked to barely fit into his car. “When I first put it on, I thought how am I ever going to run in this? I tried to run around the garden, with the dog going ballistic. It was extremely hot and the head was bouncing around all over the place.”


His first training run in the suit was with his running buddies in Midrand. “I saw two taxis hit the pavement while staring at me! I even saw a pedestrian running into the bushes!” Chris and his son then made some adjustments to the suit to make it more comfortable before his first road race at the George Claasen Half Marathon in Pretoria. He has since run the Johnson Crane Half Marathon, the Spring Striders 32km, the Pick n Pay Half Marathon and a couple of other races in the suit. “I run about 8min/km with the Rhino suit. 15kg of extra weight is a lot when running! Most runners want to know why I am doing it. Most say I am crazy, but they also say they take their hats off to me.”


Every race has been part of a learning curve for Chris. For starters, he had to make a plan as to where to store his energy gels, so he pinned a plastic bag to his chest to store his goodies. And on one of his first runs he also realised he should run in pants with a drawstring, as the elasticised version kept falling off! Chris also needs to pace himself correctly, as he can’t wear a watch around his rhino ‘arm’, and he says he doesn’t want to pin the watch to the rhino head, “otherwise I will have this big thing staring at me all the time,” says Chris. One of the most difficult things wearing the suit is that he can’t hear, can’t turn around and has limited ‘tunnel’ vision.


He says many runners approach him asking how they can help, and he usually refers them to his website, where one can make a donation. Chris needed to collect a minimum of R14 000 to run as a rhino at the London Marathon, which he has done, but more funds are needed for the plight of the rhino’s. “If each runner only donates R1, I could raise at least R20 000,” says Chris. Fundraising is not his only objective, however; he also tries to educate people and has been asked to give several talks on conservation at schools and organisations.


Chris has had many fun moments in the suit. “A lot of people run up to me and say they want to stroke my horn and at the start of the Dischem Half Marathon, I ran past a runner who got such a fright she shouted and ran away from me! It’s all good fun; the only thing that upsets me is when people shake my horn, because that throws me off balance.”


LONDON HERE I COME!
Chris will be making the most of his time when jetting off to London. He will be running the Paris Marathon (without his rhino suit) a week before the London Marathon, where he is hoping to finish within six hours. He is also looking forward to meeting the other ‘rhino’s’ in the fundraising group, and is also planning to give some talks on conservation while in the UK.


He will be back in South Africa on Good Friday and plans to then concentrate on final preparations for Comrades. “I won’t run Comrades in the rhino suit unless I can find two other idiots that will run it in a team with me,” chuckles Chris.


Even though he plans to hang up his rhino suit after the London Marathon, Chris plans to continue his fundraising efforts. “If you are a South African and you don’t know about the plight of the rhino’s, then you are living in a different world. I would move this earth for conservation, and if given the opportunity to run the London Marathon in a rhino suit again next year, I would do it without even thinking.”


Chris is very grateful to his sponsors, Breakthru Sports Performance, Garmin, R?hlig-Grindrod, Flight Centre and Recal Services. If you would like to make a donation to the Save the Rhino fund, go to www.savetherhinofund.org.


RHINO COUNTRY
South Africa is home to approximately 21 000 rhino’s – more than any other country in the world. Black rhino’s are listed as critically endangered with only about 4 200 remaining, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Approximately 1 670 black rhino’s were believed to be living in South Africa in 2009. The country’s other resident species, white rhino’s, are classified as near threatened on the IUCN’s Red List of Threatened Species.


The current wave of poaching is being carried out by sophisticated criminal networks using helicopters, night-vision equipment, veterinary tranquilisers and silencers to kill rhino’s at night while attempting to avoid law enforcement patrols. The recent killing spree is largely due to heightened demand for rhino horn, which has long been prized as an ingredient in traditional Asian medicine. It has been claimed recently that rhino horn possesses cancer-curing properties, despite there being no medical evidence to support the assertion.

IRONMAN 2011: Your journey to being extraordinary

Adinda Kruger: It’s all About Balance

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Adinda stunned the running world at Two Oceans last year when she finished just behind the Russian Nurgalieva twins, crossing the line in a PB 3:49 to claim third position and first South African home. In the process, she smashed more than 10 minutes off her previous best time. Even more amazingly, she finished only eight minutes behind the formidable twins, who have dominated the women’s races at Oceans and Comrades for years.


For Adinda, the outcome was especially enjoyable because no-one expected her to do so well. “I wasn’t even at the pre-race press conference. I had a quad muscle tear a few weeks before the race, so I didn’t know how it would hold up, but after 10km it felt fine. I had a relaxed run and even met friends along the road. I remember feeling strong going up Chappies and realising I was the fifth woman. I had decided beforehand I wanted to go for third position and started to make my move going down Chappies. As I ran into Constantia I could see the fourth girl about 100m ahead of me, and I caught her just before the top of the climb. I raced hard in the last 12km because I didn’t know where the third girl was, but I caught her about 5km from the end. From there, I just had to stick it out. I remember coming on to the field, I couldn’t believe I was third! It was amazing how everything just went according to plan, in spite of the quad injury.”


After performing so well at Two Oceans, she had high hopes for Comrades 2010, but things didn’t quite go to plan. She picked up the flu before the race and recovered just in time to line up, but struggled all through the race. “I can’t tell you what it feels like to see the sign that says there are still 80km to go and already be feeling tired and sore. I have never prayed so hard in my life. The doctor told me afterwards it was probably the flu that caused my problems. I was very disappointed.” She still managed to cross the finish line eighth in 6:51, but it was way slower than her ‘down’ run PB of 6:38, set in 2007.


A LOVE FOR ALL THINGS SPORTY
Adinda’s love for running and sport started at a young age. During primary school in Newcastle she discovered cross-country and loved it. Though she fell and finished stone last in her first 1200m race, the seven-year-old Adinda picked herself up and couldn’t wait for the next race. “I tried everything: running, hurdles, high jump, even shot put. I was never any good at shot put, but I kept going back, because it was so much fun.” After school she studied Biokinetics at Potchefstroom and didn’t pay too much attention to running. She only ran socially and played some hockey, but says she focussed more on her studies and the social life that goes hand-in-hand with sharing a house with seven friends!


Then came 2000 and her first Comrades. “A friend persuaded me to enter Comrades. I only started training at the end of January and had no idea what I was getting myself into!” When she lined up for her first ultra she had only ever run two marathons, one to qualify and another as part of her training. “I did no quality training such as hills or strength work. I remember reaching the bottom of Inchanga and looking up to see the people running in the mist at the top of the hill. It looked so high it seemed as though they were in heaven, and I had to stop to gather enough strength to take on that hill. Hopefully, when I get to that stage this year, it won’t be as intimidating!” Nevertheless, she still reached her goal on the day and earned her first Bill Rowan medal.


Three years later, in 2003, she took on her second Comrades and finished in 8:03. Then in 2005 she was back, this time improving her time with almost an hour (7:08) to win her first silver. Since then Adinda has soared, winning two gold medals in 2007 (ninth position) and 2010 (eighth). Her progression at Two Oceans has been just as impressive with a bronze, a Sainsbury and two golds since 2005.


A BIG YEAR
Adinda decided to give Oceans a miss this year to focus solely on Comrades. She is taking her training and preparation so seriously that she will be leaving the joint medical practice where she works about four weeks before the race to make sure she doesn’t pick up any bugs from the patients.


Still, she remains humble about her goals for Comrades. “The only thing you can really hope for is that your preparation goes well and that you get to the start of the race without any injuries. I want to finish the race and say that I enjoyed it. Last year was an awful race, I hated every moment, so I decided I have to go back this year to at least be able to say I enjoyed my race. Of course, improving my placing at Comrades will be wonderful, but all I really want to do is improve my time. I will be ecstatic if I can improve my PB, even if my placing is lower.”


RUSSIAN DOMINATION
Though she has a lot of respect for the twins, Adinda says it is possible to compete with them. “I don’t think it is impossible for a South African to beat the Russians, but I think the fact that they run full-time and don’t have to work helps them a lot. They have so much more time to train and recover. I won’t go out and race them from the start, though, because they put in faster and slower spurts. You have to run your own race against them.”


That’s one of the reasons why Adinda’s training this year has included more track sessions, so she can improve her speed. Her usual weekly training includes two track sessions, two long runs, one hill session and two gym sessions, averaging about 130-150km a week. As Comrades approaches she will drop a track session and increase her mileage to approximately 180km a week for about six weeks.


Adinda doesn’t have a coach, as her training as a biokineticist allows her to work out her own training programmes, but she admits it isn’t ideal to train without a coach. “It’s sometimes difficult to train without the feedback you get from a coach. When you’re tired, you don’t always know if your body really needs some recovery time, or if your mind is just being lazy. I’ve learned to listen to my husband when he tells me to take it easy, because he is usually right when it comes to that.”


FINDING A BALANCE
Though it sounds nice to not have to work and to be able to train all day, Adinda says it’s important to keep a balance in life and not just focus on running in your life. “My husband might say running means too much to me, because if I can’t run I get depressed. To me, running is like the air I breathe. But I have realised you cannot allow running to rule your life, you have to have a balance. Running can’t become your god; that’s not why you’ve received the talent. It has happened to a lot of people and it has happened to me too; I’ve fallen into that trap about three times and I had to learn the hard way through injuries that I had to find a better balance.”


Adinda says that the best, fastest and strongest runners do motivate her, but this is not where she finds her main inspiration. What gets her out of bed and inspires her is thankfulness. “I know this is just a God-given talent and you have to use your talents and develop them. You can’t hide them, because you never know when you’re going to lose them. My mother-in-law had a stroke a couple of years ago and even though she now struggles to walk and can’t use her one arm any more, she is still so strong and grateful for what she has. That inspires me. Not always the best runners, but normal people like my mother-in-law, my husband and the back-of-the-pack runners on Comrades day. They run just as far as I do, but they’re out on the road, in the sun and on their feet for up to 12 hours. I don’t think I’d be able to do that!”


THE FUTURE
For the next year or two Adinda plans to keep on running and improving her running, but a family is also on the horizon. “My husband said he’ll stop running the day I beat him, so I’m training hard to beat him so he can look after the kids when I go running,” Adinda chuckles. “I’d also like to give something back to sport one day when I have a family and am more settled. I’d like to help others by coaching, writing training programmes and helping injured people. When you’re running competitively everything is about you, so I would like to give back at some stage.”


“I don’t think I’ll ever stop running. I might just run a little slower when I get to the point where I’ve achieved everything that I wanted to. It was always so much fun to run more towards the middle of the field, everyone is so friendly and having fun, so I’d love to go back and run there again.”


But for now, it’s all about Comrades on 29 May and improving that PB.

Adinda’s PB’s:
10km:   38:12
21.1km:  81:07
42.2km:  2:51
Two Oceans:  3:49:23
Comrades:  6:38:31

Step it up

Listen to your Body!

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There are many causes of exercise-associated amenorrhea (the absence of menstruation), but in athletes missing a period for a couple of months is a warning sign that your body is under too much stress and does not have enough energy stores to support the healthy functioning of your body.


Scientifically speaking, amenorrhea occurs when you do not have enough of the female hormones oestrogen and progesterone in your body. This hormonal balance is essential and is influenced by, amongst other things, the amount of energy available to your body. This energy availability is, in turn, determined by the amount of exercise you do (energy consumed) and your calorie intake (energy available).


WHO IS AT RISK?
The problem is more prevalent in women with a low body weight and subsequent low body fat percentage. As an active woman, your body fat percentage should ideally be 18% or more. Once it drops too low you will stop producing oestrogen and progesterone, essentially causing temporary infertility. This happens because your body realises you barely have enough energy available to sustain your own body and training schedule, and takes precautionary measures to avoid pregnancy.


Athletes who participate in sports that place more focus on a lean body, such as running, gymnastics or ballet, often suffer from amenorrhea. It is especially common amongst young girls who practise these sports at a high level, but it is definitely not limited to a certain age group. Anyone who trains too hard and does not pay enough attention to their nutrition can suffer from it, and it can have long-term effects on your health.


In elite athletes the presence of amenorrhea is often associated with the female athlete triad which combines the absence of periods with eating disorders and weak bones. Even though this condition involves physical symptoms, it is mostly a psychological condition that should be treated immediately.


SIDE EFFECTS AND TREATMENT
When suffering from amenorrhea, the most serious risk factor is the possibility of developing osteoporosis due to a lack of calcium in your bones. Oestrogen plays an important role in regulating the amount of calcium in your bones and a lack of this hormone could lead to a decrease in bone density and injuries such as stress fractures, and eventually osteoporosis.


The most important thing to remember when dealing with amenorrhea is that the absence of your period is a serious condition and not a normal part of training! It is dangerous and unhealthy, and you should pay attention to it timeously. The first steps to take are decreasing your training volume, increasing your calorie intake, increasing your calcium intake by taking calcium supplements, and seeing a doctor. By addressing and treating amenorrhea early, you may prevent bone loss and avoid long-term side effects such as osteoporosis.
(Sources: The eMedicine Journal, The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism)


THIS MONTH WE TRIED: SPEED PLAY
By Michelle Pieters
This month I decided to go back to pure running roots and try some good old-fashioned speed play. We all get so caught up in logging distance and running times that we often neglect having some fun with faster runs. And while having fun we are actually also improving our running.


So I decided to keep it simple: no heart rate monitors, no exact running splits and no intricate calculations of lactate turnover point. No way! I donned my shoes, got out and did this: warmed up for 15 minutes and then started running at varying speeds for varying periods of time. Sometimes I sprinted for a couple of hundred metres, sometimes I kept race pace for 2km and sometimes I just jogged very slowly for a couple of minutes. Before I knew it, 45 minutes was done! I finished up with an easy-paced cooling down and by the time I got home I felt revived. Most of all I had fun!


Try it next time you feel like fun and games! Leave your watch at home and make up your training session as you go along! I bet you won’t only have fun, but without even realising it you will most certainly be improving your running.


GREAT GEAR FOR GIRLS:
PUMA NIGHTFOX TRAIL SHOE
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The Complete Nightfox is available at PUMA, Totalsports, Edgars and other selected retailers nationwide. For more information, visit www.pumarunning.com or www.facebook.com/pumarunning.
Suggested Retail Price: R1199

A MIND FULL OF RUNNING

Tygers on the Track

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There are two strong track and field clubs in the Western Province, Tygerberg and Bellville, and Mariana says it is all about coaching. “There are not enough coaches around, so people go where the good coaches are.” And the coaches at Tygerberg are good – the club won 17 titles at the last Western Province senior champs. Then at the SA Senior Champs, Tygerbergers brought home three of the four medals won by Western Province athletes, including a bronze in the women’s 400m by junior Sonja van der Merwe, who also claimed the SA Junior 200m and 400m titles last year.


At the most recent Western Province Annual Awards, the club also took home both the men’s and women’s Athlete of the Year Awards, which went to Sonja and javelin thrower Rocco van Rooyen. “They’re both SA Junior Champs, and Rocco went to World Junior Champs and came fourth,” says a proud Mariana. “We also had Travis Ishmael finish fourth in the national champs 400m, but he is also a good rugby player and has been bought by the Blue Bulls. Now they’re also after Justin Geduld as well.”


“Track and field unfortunately can’t compete with rugby, especially in the past three or four years due to all the problems at ASA. But I have full confidence in the people now in charge. I think they will be able to pull us out of this ditch. I think one of the big things that we need back is team competition, because it is exciting and athletes are pushed to go harder. That’s why I’m very excited about the inter-provincial meetings ASA have reintroduced to the calendar this year.”


YOUNG STARS
Triple jumper Jason Sewenyana, who also won bronze at the SA Champs, strides powerfully down the tartan track, leaping high as he practices for his specialist event. He’s a full-time qualified lawyer, and has to fit his training and competition in around his work. “I’ve got used to having a full work and then still coming to train. I enjoy it and look forward to training, although it does mean I hardly have a social life. But I have to train hard, because I want to make the All Africa Games team later this year, and want to medal again at the SA Champs.”


Nearby, a group of sprinters is taking a quick breather between sets of 150m sprints. Sonja van der Merwe, Alet van Wyk and Lynette Morgan have all competed at provincial level from 100m up to 400m. “I like training here, because the people are so friendly and considerate,” says Lynette, who originally hails from Sweden and is now studying Mandarin at Stellenbosch University.


Sonja, who is studying Sport Management and Coaching at Northlink College, says that her big dream is to go to the Olympics, but this 18-year-old has a wise head on young shoulders. “I’m setting myself manageable stepping stones as goals. This year I want to make it into the SA Student Team that’s going to China, and then each year I will set myself a new goal.”


Alet, on the other hand, has another goal in mind. She wants a gold medal, having brought home a sizable collection of silvers and bronzes at national champs during her track career. “They must watch out for me this year, because a gold is the only one I don’t have!” she says, having claimed the silver medal in the 400m, just ahead of Sonja (but running in the colours of Gauteng North, because she was studying in Pretoria at the time). Now working as a physiotherapist at Panarama Hospital just up the road, she has to balance her full-time practice and being on call for the orthopaedic ICU ward with her training. “It’s challenging and sometimes frustrating, but I love what I do, both at work and on the track.”


DREAMING BIG
Meanwhile, After 40 years steering the Tygerberg track and field ship, Mariana is still just as motivated as ever to keep coaching. “There’s always that one athlete that is going to make it, that you have to help. I often think I will retire when a specific athlete retires, but then another one comes along. My one big dream is still to see one of my athletes medal at the World Champs or Olympics.”

Iron Woman Tsheli

The Ultimate Tri Challenge

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Five weeks of training done. Five to go! How are you feeling? Strong and relaxed? You should be! The next four weeks is when you need to FOCUS on your training. Rest and recovery is as important as training. Focus on the weekend training – these are the key sessions – rest or go very easy on Fridays to ensure you can do the weekend training without strain!


During this KEY training period I hope that you have found a group of athletes with similar ability to train with. Training will be hard but should be fun with like-minded athletes, whereas chasing some lean, mean racing ‘snakes’ on the weekend is not fun!


IT’S ALL IN THE MIND
Your frame of mind is very important during this phase of hard training. Keep this in mind to stay motivated: it is a fantastic feeling when the race announcer shouts out ‘YOU ARE AN IRONMAN’ as you cross the finish line in PE before 12 midnight on 10 April! This is reinforced by the presence of the Ironman Champion of the day being present at the finish to hand the last athlete who crosses the line his or her medal. This does not happen in Comrades or any other major marathon. No matter what your finish time, YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!


Hours and hours have been dedicated to training just to get you to the start of the race! And everybody respects that commitment – ask anyone who has finished their first IM! Use this as motivation when the training gets tough and you will get through it.


THE TRAINING PLAN
The training plan for the KEY five weeks ahead is as follows:


SWIM
Your pool sessions should be 2.5 to 3km and should include some longer intervals. One open water swim per week of 3km is essential.
• Work on your technique.
• Get used to swimming close to other swimmers and try to find a pace that is relaxed, which you can comfortably maintain.
• Always do this session with other swimmers.


BIKE
The bike rides increase in distance and a good part of each long ride should be done without drafting. It is very important to get used to this aspect of the bike leg – 180km riding on your own without drafting is a long way!
• By now you should have got your nutrition right in terms of what food/drinks/energy bars and gels you want to use on race day. Ironman is a long day out and it is impossible to get through the day without proper nutrition. The bike leg takes up about 50% of your race time and it is therefore during the bike leg that you need to take in the major part of the days’ energy requirements.


RUN
The weekend runs will be between 24km and 28km
• Do these at a slow steady pace.
• One of the major issues with the Ironman marathon is that the pace at which most athletes run/jog/walk the marathon is much slower than what they do in training. Often the body finds it difficult to adapt to this during the event. It might sound strange, but I recommend that all Ironman training include some very slow running to get used to this!
• The weekday runs will include some faster running.


BRICKS
Brick training (bike to run) will continue, but make sure you keep the runs quite short, especially after the long bikes.
• These brick runs are just to get your legs accustomed to the change from biking to running.
• There is no real benefit for the average Ironman competitor to do longer brick runs, as the risk of injury or overtraining is high.


PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
We continue to use the same basic plan as for all triathlon training: the aim is to do a minimum of two sessions each week of each sport, with a maximum of three sessions. We will also do something a little different in that this five-week plan will include a ‘running block’ and a ‘bike block’. This is where we will run consecutively for a few days and cut down on the bike training for one week, and do the reverse the following week. The ‘bike block’ will be over the March public holiday. The training taper will start on 1 April for 10 days.


Click here for the training programme.


Look out for my article in next month’s edition which will give you some final advice for RACE DAY!


TRAIN WELL! THE REWARD IS WORTH THE EFFORT!


Modern Athlete Expert
DERICK MARCISZ
Derick has 41 years’ experience as a runner, cyclist and triathlete. He is the current 2010 SA Triathlon Champ in the Olympic distance for the age group 55-59 years.

Getting Sweaty in Comfort

Sand Warriors

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Put Aimee Faulmann and Ryle De Morny next to each other and you have quite some contrast. Aimee is a petite 17-year-old currently busy with Grade 12 at Muizenburg High School, and who would like to study veterinary science after school. Ryle, by contrast, is a tall, strapping 22-year-old business science student at UCT. But physical appearance aside, the two share a number of sporting traits. Both are members of the False Bay Surf Lifesaving Club, based at Muizenberg Beach, and both started the sport at a young age. Another trait they share is a talent for the sprint events.


WIDE CHOICE OF EVENTS
The sport of surf lifesaving consists of “loads of events”, says Aimee. “Basically, you get the ‘Beachies’ and the ‘Sea People.’ In the water there’s a run-swim-run, surf swim, kneeboard, surfksi, reel alarm rescue, torpedo rescue, board rescue, taplin relay, and the Ironman. The torpedo rescue is with the hand-held flotation device that the Baywatch lifesavers always carried, the taplin relay comprises all the events, while the Ironman is for individuals who do all the events in one competition.”


“Then there are the beach events: flags, sprints, beach relay and long run. Flags is where we lie on our stomachs, chin on hands, then jump up, turn and sprint 20 metres to grab small pieces of hosepipe in an elimination event. The sprints are straight sprinting, the beach relay is four in a team, either gender-specific or mixed, and the long run varies in distance for the age groups, 1km to 2km.”


FLAGS SPECIALISTS
Both Aimee and Ryle are specialists in flags – and it’s not just a race about speed and reaction time, says Ryle. “There’s a big psychological and tactical aspect to it. You have to find the weakness in your opponents, and you can work together with teammates to eliminate opponents, or make sure your teammates stay in the event.”


“Flags is amazing, I love it,” adds Aimee. “The best part is winning, and when it comes to flags I’m really competitive. I fractured my thumb at the Western Province Champs a few years back, but only realised it after the event. The sand at Blouberg is like cement!”
 
Aimee also participates in athletics at school, where she has earned provincial colours for the 100m. She also races cross-country, where she normally finishes in the top five, but prefers sprinting. “I don’t enjoy long distance, but once I’m in the race I just go for it.” Ryle has a similar outlook to Aimee, preferring sprints and shorter distances: “Two kays is fine for competition, but five is pushing it. I just don’t enjoy training that long.”


As lifesavers, it’s not just about running around on the beach, though. These athletes have to earn the right to compete by working on the beaches, keeping an eye on the swimmers. “You have do a certain number of duty hours if you want to do competitions for your club and your province,” explains Ryle. “But once you’ve qualified as a lifesaver, you can also do pro work and get paid for it.”


SUMMER SPORT
The surf lifesaving season runs from October till April, with the National Champss this year on 30 March at Camps Bay in Cape Town. “We also have the Hansgrohe Masters of Water Lifesaving Series, where basically a national squad gets picked each season, based on the previous year’s results, and we then compete against local or provincial teams,” says Aimee. Both are currently in the squad, which is also the essential stepping stone to making the national teams that regularly compete overseas.


“The biggest reason I do this sport is the opportunity to travel and experience different countries,” says Ryle. “I’ve been to Germany, Egypt, Japan and Australia, plus stopovers along the way, so I’ve seen some incredible places, and it’s an honour to represent your country.”


Aimee was a non-travelling reserve for the trip to Egypt last year, and was then selected as travelling reserve this year for the annual TriNations event in February. “We were both supposed to go to New Zealand, but they couldn’t get enough sponsorship. It would have been my first overseas trip with the national team, and one of the girls got injured recently, which means I would have been competing, so I’m very disappointed. Hopefully next time…”

HILLCREST VILLAGERS ATHLETIC CLUB

Total Team Tactics

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TOTALSPORTS CHALLENGE PRESENTED BY NEW BALANCE AND POWERADE, KLEINMOND, 8 JANUARY 2011


Taking part in the Totalsports Challenge was once again a dream come true, but I knew it was going to be tough! Not only did I have to be concerned about my own race, but taking part in a seven-man team meant that I had six other athletes relying on me. On top of that, we were racing against a combination of some of the most competitive athletes in the country and from abroad, all giving 110% effort to win the 2011 Totalsports Challenge Title. You need to give your best from the word go.


Racing as part of a team obviously meant we put the strongest members we could in each discipline, because a weak link in any of the disciplines can cost you precious seconds, which are nearly impossible to make up at elite level. With a team event it is not only your own race you have to be concerned about, but that of your team. We are all competitive athletes who go into a race with the mindset of winning.


SUPERB COMPETITION
Arriving at the venue I immediately noticed a difference in the vibe around the transition areas. Athletes arrived with enough time to warm up and prepare before their discipline began, and it was clear that this year teams meant business. Having a World Champion competing in almost all seven legs certainly raised the level amongst the top four teams. For me, knowing that I would be racing against former Junior and current Senior World Champion Ben Brown in the 13km K1 canoe leg was a thought that never left my mind!


RACING TACTICS
Our team’s racing tactics were simple: “Here’s the start, there’s the finish, go harder than you have ever gone before!” Having been part of a winning seven-man team in the past, I was prepared to give all from the start of my discipline.


Arriving at the Arabella Estate in Kleinmond, where the canoe leg started and finished, I felt a little anxious not knowing how my team was doing, as the runners went through a trail section before reaching the canoe transition. The waiting period is nerve-wracking for any athlete, especially for the top three teams. With minutes to spare and hearing the announcer say that the first two teams have broken away, the excitement mounted as I started wondering who was in the lead. The only thought that went through my mind when I saw my team’s runner seconds ahead of the competition was that I needed to get away as fast as possible and gain as much lead in order for the competing team to work as hard as possible to catch up.


ONE FOR ALL AND ALL FOR ONE
When your team has given everything they possibly can to get you into the lead position, you can’t help but feel the pressure. I wanted to ensure that everything was perfect and knew that the slightest mistake could cost my team the event.


As a canoeist, I always try to figure out the competition, wondering how and when he will make his move for the finish line. So having watched how Team My Training Day/JAG’s Ben Brown won the World Marathon title with an impressive end sprint, I tried to save as much energy and strength as possible during the event to avoid unnecessary mistakes.


Approaching the transition area where our mountain bikers were waiting, I faced two hard bursts from Ben, obviously hoping that I would drop off. His attempts were unsuccessful, though, and I managed to hang on to the lead all the way, including when we jumped out of our canoes and ran to our respective mountain bikers. The best part of my race was handing over the armband to the biker knowing that I’d done everything possible for my team.


When the last member of the New Balance team crossed the finish line in first position, we were all ecstatic! Our hard work had paid off and we won in a time of 5:35:22, about three minutes ahead of Team Training Day/JAG. What an awesome feeling!


WINNING THE DAY
Our team manager, Katharine Tromp from New Balance South Africa, was at each transition and got to see the race in its full glory. It was the third year that she arranged and managed the New Balance Men’s Pro Team. “There is something very special about witnessing elite athletes pushing their limits and witnessing the determination on their faces as they know that they have to race for not only themselves, but for the team as a whole,” says Katherine.


The Totalsports Challenge is such a unique experience. There is no event that I know that brings together some of the world’s best athletes to race for one title across seven different sports. As defending champions, we will without a doubt be back next year, and I will be the defending champ in my discipline, so I plan to return fitter and stronger!


TEAM MEMBERS
• 12km Surfski: Tom Schilperoort: (Western Province Colours in surfski and top finisher at numerous local and international surfski races)
• 1.5km Swim: Danie Marais (Currently SA’s second-best open-water swimmer)
• 50km Road Bike: David George (former SA road champion and one of SA’s top mountain bikers)
• 13km Road Run: Peter Tsawayo (winner of numerous relays and road races)
• 13km K1 Canoe: Lance King (South African National Protea Colours in 2010)
• 25km Mountain Bike: Manuel Fumic (Two-time Olympian and former U23 World MTB Champion)
• 9km Beach Run: Tsungai Mwanengeni (winner of numerous relays and road races)


TEAM RESULTS
1. New Balance 5:35
2. My Training Day/Jag 5:38
3. Totalsports Stars 5:49

TYPE 1 RUNNING

SA’s 2011 Marathon Champs

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SA MARATHON CHAMPIONSHIPS, GEORGE, 13 FEBRUARY 2011


Cool, cloudy and wind-still conditions paired with a flat course (3 laps of 14km) brought with it expectations of fast times, but it was not to be. In the men’s race, things were pretty much even as the front group clocked the first lap in a time of 45:42, a fairly pedestrian 2:17 pace. However Lusapho April and Coolboy Ngamole pulled away from the group in the second lap, clocking 43:21. Starting the third and final lap Lusapho was only four seconds ahead of Coolboy, but he soon increased the gap to more than a minute and finished his race without too much pressure from Coolboy, although slowing a bit to clock a last lap of 44:18.


Though it is heartening that Lusapho’s time of 2:13:21 was three minutes faster than Coolboy’s winning time at last year’s championships, he was still unable to break through the 2:12 barrier, most likely as he did not have strong competition in the last lap. Coolboy’s time of 2:14:29 is a personal best and hopefully he will be able to carry on with the steady progress he has shown since last year.


After winning the 2010 SA Marathion Champs race in Durban, Coolboy once again did not receive a championship medal, because he was competing as an individual and not representing a province. The silver and bronze medals respectively went to 2010 SA Champion Benedict Moeng (AGN) with his time of 2:16:10 and Othanial Phalane (AGN) in 2:17:29.


TOP WOMEN ABSENT
In the women’s race Charn? Bosman (AGN) was crowned as champion though her time was a disappointing 2:44:44 – although it was still faster than last year’s winning time in Durban, the 2:48:56 posted by Zimbabwean Samukeliso Moyo, and considerably faster than the 3:00:30 that gave last year’s second-placed finisher, Lindsay van Aswegen, the national title. In George, Tshifhiwa Mundalamo finished second in a time of 2:47:44, but also did not receive a medal because she was running as an individual entry. Catherine Skosana (AGN) therefore received the silver medal for her time of 2:48:06, while Mpho Mabuza (CGA) claimed the bronze in 2:48:09.


It is unfortunate that the top women did not run, because they would have probably been able to run a sub-2:30 on the route and in the perfect weather conditions, says Nick Bester, National Manager of the Nedbank Running Club. He cited a misunderstanding between the provinces and the participants as the reason for their absence. “Women’s running in South Africa is experiencing a massive revival and for the first time in years we have four women capable of running under 2:35. Unfortunately we do not have enough depth in our male runners and that’s why the winning time was not very good,” says Nick.


Results
MEN
1 Lusapho April (BORA)  2:13:21
2 Coolboy Ngamole (Ind) 2:14:29
3 Benedict Moeng (AGN)  2:16:10
4 Othaniel Phahlane (AGN) 2:17:29
5 Johannes Kekana (CGA) 2:17:31
6 Raphael Segodi (CGA)   2:17:38
7 Charles Tjiane (CGA)   2:17:55
8 Doctor Mtsweni (AMPU) 2:18:50
9 Mzwanele Maphekula (EPA) 2:20:16
10 Vusi Malobola (CGA)  2:20:16


WOMEN
1 Charn? Bosman (AGN) 2:44:44
2 Tshifhiwa Mundalamo (Ind) 2:47:44
3 Catherine Skosana (AGN) 2:48:06
4 Mpho Mabuza (CGA)  2:48:09
5 Riana Van Niekerk (AGN) 2:48:22
6 Azwindini Lukhwareni (AGN) 2:49:42
7 Melanie Van Rooyen (KZNA) 2:52:33
8 Bulelwa Mtshagi (WPA) 2:54:37
9 Farwa Mentoor (Ind)  2:54:50
10 Joanna Thomas (WPA) 2:54:53



We Want More
Donald Mathipa (CGA) competed at the event and finished in 2:24:27. This is his take on the event.


“I believe the SA Championships should receive priority on our athletics calendar and be given the same publicity as the Comrades and Two Oceans Marathons. Also, it is unfortunate that when enquiring about the event you end up being sent from pillar to post and given wrong information. How can we be compared to the power houses of distance running such as Kenya and Ethiopia?” says Donald.


“The lack of publicity is one of the main reasons why athletes who emerge victorious from these events remain without sponsors. The event should be publicised at least six weeks beforehand with at least the basic information such as the venue, prize money, registration fees and contact details for the organisers. Not only will this help ASA to get sponsors for the event, it will also help athletes who perform well at this event to find sponsors.”