Author: Modern Athlete

Thank you for all the great letters we get sent. You guys are amazing. If you would like to send us a letter regarding any topic, go to www.modernathlete.co.za and click on the Become a Contributor link.
(Note that some letters have been shortened due to space limitations.)

67 Minutes
Mandela Day falls on 18 July and on this day people are requested to give back 67 minutes of their time. However, it is so hard to decide what act of charity to perform and who to give to. Cancer has really affected our running community and is therefore close to our hearts, so we decided to raise money for CANSA. We invited all fellow runners and walkers to make a donation of any amount towards CANSA and by wearing a pink shirt, honour the beneficiaries by running or walking for 67 minutes on 18 July. About 30 people met in honour of this worthy cause at Sea Point promenade. Since this was not an official event, the amount raised is unknown but the sense of Ubuntu was unlimited.We got some pink t-shirts printed as a reminder of just how lucky we all really are and as athletes, how much we have to be grateful for.
– KERRY ROSETTENSTEIN & STACEY
SCOTT, SOUTHERN SUBURBS,
CAPE TOWN.

You Rock!
Thanks for the wonderful magazine. It is really great to read. I have to keep so many copies for friends who are not members of Boksburg
and boy do they get upset if I forget. – LINDA, SECRETARY: BOKSBURG
ATHLETIC CLUB

Oh Vlok…That Was Close!
We received several letters on the David Vlok story along similar lines of concerns whether David should have received his medal or not. The official response (see below) makes a lot of sense if you are a runner and embrace the Comrades spirit. Besides being a great story, the article raised a lot of interest because of David’s profile but NO runner would have been treated differently by the Comrades Referee who has final say on disqualifications.
 
David Vlok was not disqualified at the 2010 Comrades Marathon as no technical rule was contravened by him. If an athlete contravenes a technical rule they are disqualified at the finish line to allow them the right to appeal. Before a referee disqualifies an athlete, they access whether there has been any advantage gained by an athlete to ensure there is fair play for everybody. In this instance, David Vlok ran the complete distance within all the official cut-off times and he was actually disadvantaged due to his late start.
 
Life is about learning and growing from experiences. Accept and respect the official desicion and move on to focus on the next event. David is not the first runner to ever get to a start late from oversleeping, nor will he be the last. Learn from his experience and add a mental note to always ensure the alarm clock is set the night before a race. Don’t place it next to the bed, that way you have to get up to switch it off!

Comrades Profit
I read a recent newsletter by the Comrades Marathon Association and would like to comment on the following: “After the hugely successful implementation of the new early entry process for the 2010 Comrades Marathon, when over 23 000 athletes responded to the call for entries, the CMA has opted to stick with the winning formula and will open entries for the 2011 Comrades Marathon on Wednesday, 1 September 2010.
All former and aspiring Comrades runners are
invited to submit their entry for the 2011 race from
1 September to 30 November 2010.”

Let’s look at the stats for the 2010 event:
   Number of entries: 23 568
 
Number of entrants who met the qualifying criteria: 19 096
  
Number of registrations: 17 627
  
Number of finishers: 14 343 (That is a finishing rate of 60.86%. Winning formula?)
   Number of athletes not registered: 5 941
  Entry fees received but not ‘used’: R1 485 250

Now the question is, if the definition of ‘hugely successful and winning formula’ is to make a pure profit of R1 485 250, then yes, it was hugely successful, but if the definition is to provide a service to athletes then surely the CMA cannot claim that it was hugely successful.

Why can’t they at least then allow substitutions and charge an administration fee? At least then they would be delivering a service to runners and also ensuring that the actual starters were more than 75% of the entrants. – FRANCOIS JORDAAN

Comment from Gary Boshoff, General Manager Comrades Marathon Association:
The decision to run the Comrades Marathon is not one that is taken lightly by anyone. The decision is made at least six to eight months before race day as proper preparation requires months of dedicated training.
The decision to bring the entry period of the Comrades Marathon forward by seven months was motivated by the desire of the CMA to deliver a better quality service to the runner. By knowing who is going to run as early as possible, the CMA can tailor its services to the needs of the runner. We also believe that the early entry period served as a motivator for athletes to start their serious preparation. 

The suggestion that the CMA has made excessive financial profit through the new entry process cannot be further from the truth. In fact, only 15% of the Comrades Marathon’s race expenses are covered by entry fees; the rest is secured through sponsorship from our three major sponsors and an array of smaller sponsors that make this race possible. The additional entry fees have indeed enabled the CMA to provide more and better quality services to the Comrades runner. After having received 23 500 entries, the CMA’s planning and preparation was based on 23 500 athletes for race day, for example, the products were increased to cater for this number of athletes. Similarly, security, traffic, marshals, referees, medical personnel, tent sizes and most other operational requirements had to be increased to provide a quality service to the Comrades athlete. The CMA has made a commitment of quality to our athletes and is determined to improve on the standard of service delivery year on year. The entry fee is therefore primarily to help the CMA cover the extensive costs incurred to stage the race.
In response to substitutions, the Comrades race rules have for years stated very clearly that no substitutions are allowed. This rule is there to prevent corruption and certainly not to enrich the CMA. 
However, the CMA is presently revisiting some of the rules, of which substitutions are one. 
The Comrades Marathon Association is committed to our athletes and will continue to provide the best possible service through innovation and a future focused approach to race organisation.

 

This picture was taken at about 6am after one of our morning runs earlier in the year. Thanks to Modern Athlete for going out of their way by providing us with Modern Athlete magazines for our Comrades Talk in late May. – BETH LIBBY-NEALE,
RANDBURG HARRIERS

Randburg Harriers challenges all clubs to try and send a better picture!

 

To prevent knee injuries, would you recommend the POSE running method? And if so, is it necessary to buy special ‘mid-strike’ shoes or can this running style still be practised in ‘regular heel-strike’ running shoes?

ANSWER
Not many athletes are familiar with the POSE running method, so let me start by explaining what it is. The POSE Method? of Running technique, in short known as POSE Running, was developed in the 70s in the former Soviet Union and is currently taught and practised all over the world. It is used by athletes of all levels and ages.

 The characteristics of this running method include:
    S-like body position with slightly bent knees.
    Lean forward from the ankles to employ gravity and work with it, not against it.
   Pulling or lifting feet up under the hip and not behind the buttocks.
    Ball of foot landing under your body (your general centre of mass).

According to Dr Nicholas Romanov, the creator of the POSE running method, and as explained in a study published in the Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise Journal (2004), this method reduces impact and eccentric work on the knees by 50% and may also prevent knee injuries! This is due to the POSE technique’s shorter stride length and vertical oscillation (up and down movement during running) of the sacrum and heel in comparison with normal heel-toe running.

However, in contrast with the above findings, there was a higher impact and eccentric muscle work at the ankle in the POSE method compared with heel-toe running which may well lead to ankle injuries. But, there are no clinical controlled trials to date showing that the POSE running method may be associated with, or have a role in the treatment and rehabilitation of the different types and frequencies of running injuries.

To get back to your question on which type of shoes to run with when using the POSE technique, I would recommend a neutral running shoe with good cushioning for the forefoot. Most running shops will stock these. Dr Romanov recommends wearing lightweight shoes with thinner soles. I would like to emphasize that if you pronate, a neutral shoe will not give your foot enough support and may lead to injuries. For further information on the types of running shoes available to complement the POSE method, visit www.posetech.com.

Modern Athlete Expert
DAVID VAN WYK
Sport physiotherapist with private sport and orthopaedic practices in Elarduspark and Faerie Glen, Pretoria. Member of AS Eagles Running Club, sub-45min 10km runner.

Help! I’m Not Improving!
I have run a total of seven 10km races this year. My PB is 44min. Since then it seems as if I have regressed! Lately I am running slower and am floating between 49min and 55min for a 10km race. Is there any way I can keep running faster or at least maintain the sub-45min I used to finish races in? I train four times a week; I do steps and run about three 6km distances a week. I also go to the gym where I train my shoulders, quads, calves, etc.

ANSWER
Well done on your 44 minute PB. It’s a good time and I’m glad that you want to get back there. To do this, you will have to tweak your training a little. I would suggest you turn your step session into a running session. You would then be running four times a week and your programme would look like this:

SESSION 1:  6km  (Easy)
SESSION 2:  6km  (Speedwork)
SESSION 3:  10km  (Easy)
SESSION 4:  6km  (Tempo run)

Your speedwork session should alternate between:
A.  
Fartlek running: Warm up for 2km followed by running 2min intervals. Do seven in total and end with a fast interval at about 4min/km i.e. four fast intervals in total with your three slower intervals at about 4:40min/km. You will cover about 3km. End off with a 1km cool down.
B. 
Circuits: Pick a  +/- 2km fast i.e. flat or slightly downhill circuit. The route must be circular. Mark the 1.5km point from the start. Run a 1km warm up and then do two circuits, running very hard to the 1.5km point and jogging slowly back to the start. Finish with a 1km cool down.

Your tempo run should be a 2km warm up followed by 4km at just under
5min/km pace.

Good luck and let me know when you reach that 44min milestone!

Modern Athlete Expert
BARRY HOLLAND
Running coach with 33 years’ experience and has run 37 consecutive Comrades Marathons. His PBs include 1:17:21 (21km), 2:39:30 (42km) and 6:29:22 (Comrades).

 

She ran thousands of kilometres between various cities in South Africa in the 70s and 80s and at the age of 53, Mavis Hutchison became the first woman to run across the United States, from Los Angeles to New York City. The journey took her 69 days and she covered about 5 000km, an average of 72km each day in a record that still stands. Not bad for someone who was a sickly child and only started running at the age of 37! Today this remarkable woman, better known as the Galloping Granny, is 86 years old and is a World Ranked Masters Track and Field athlete. She still trains two hours a day and believes that everything worthwhile is earned by the sweat of your brow, one step at a time. – BY MICHELLE PIETERS

Until the 70s it was uncommon for women to run very long distances, especially older women. Then in 1963, along came 47-year-old Mavis Hutchison. She was the first woman in the world to run a standard marathon and the first woman to run the Comrades Marathon. She also set a new world record when tackling 171.26km in 24 hours in Johannesburg. And that was just the beginning of ‘Marathon Mavis’ or the ‘Galloping Granny’ as she affectionately became known.
She continued to run thousands of kilometres in South Africa before becoming the first woman to run across America, a record that is held in the Guinness Book of Records.

Today Mavis has slowed down a little, but she is certainly not over the hill! Since 2005 she has set South African W80+ master records for 110m (18.84 sec), 200m (45.46 sec), 400m (1:52.88 min) and 800m (4:34.13 min). “Wherever
I compete I am just one of the athletes. I am not an old
woman who is an embarrassment. Age is irrelevant; it is just
a chronological process, which is with us from the time that we are born. Sport has opened my heart and my mind to realise there is more to life than a daily routine. Sport has enriched every aspect of my life.
I feel like a bird set free from a cage,” says Mavis, who today lives in Cape Town and who is still as passionate about sport as she was back in the good old days.

GROWING UP YEARS
Mavis, one of identical twins, was born in Kimberley. As a child she was sick, nervous and timid. She suffered three major nervous breakdowns and spent months in bed. Sadly this kept her from participating in sport as a child. During the war years she worked as a fitter and turner. Mavis found love and got married. It was not to last and when they got divorced Mavis moved to Johannesburg. She then met her second husband, Ernest, who sadly passed away 19 years ago.

SHOWING MOM THE WAY
Mavis has four children from her two marriages. Her two sons, Jesse and Allan, were both very sporty and belonged to Johannesburg Harriers Athletic Club. “Even as an adult I was not very healthy and strong, but the boys encouraged me to train with them. The Rand Daily Mail Big Walk became a very popular annual event. Jesse won this event and he became one of the top walkers in Southern Transvaal! The first time I did the Big Walk in 1964 I trained very hard; or so I thought. It rained most of the way and after about 20km I had enough and called it a day.”

During the following year Mavis entered many walking races. “I soon learnt what real training was all about and in 1963 I did the Big Walk 80km in a time of 9:35, which was a record.”

In 1963 she decided to tackle a standard marathon, becoming the first woman in the world to complete a marathon. “I pioneered women’s road running in this country. Official distances for women in those days were 800m according to the IAAF. I was considered a freak! People pitched up at road races just to see me.” Many firsts followed; Mavis was the first woman to run the Harrismith Mountain race and in 1975 she ran 1 500km in 22 days from Pretoria to Cape Town. Her talents were not limited to road running. In 1977 she competed in Sweden and won two silver medals in the discus and 100m events. She continued to compete in various disciplines at local track events where she often won gold or silver medals.

COMRADES MEMORIES
In 1965 Mavis recorded another first. She became the first woman after the war to run the Comrades Marathon. “I was looking for a new challenge and thought there is no bigger challenge than the Comrades Marathon. I had to compete unofficially.” Mavis, who weighed a mere 48kg, trained mostly on her own. “Running the highways and byways made me a stronger person. It allowed me to cope with what life had to offer. I grew mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually.”

Her husband and son, Jesse, entered the Comrades Marathon in the same year Mavis did. “It was the wettest Comrades ever! I found the weather a major handicap. I caught Ernest just before Drummond where he decided to call it a day. That day I learnt the true meaning of mind over matter. A thousand times
I wanted to give up and a thousand times I knew I had to keep going. I almost gave up at Hillcrest where the rain was at its worst, the wind at its strongest and the cold more than I could endure. I finished cold, wet and triumphant. ”Mavis crossed the line in a time of 10:07 and went on to complete the Comrades seven more times.

FROM LA TO NEW YORK AND
ACROSS BRITAIN
In 1978 she undertook a run from Los Angeles to New York City. “I was very apprehensive at the start when I realised 5 000km lay ahead of me. I wished I was back home already and safe.” The whole trip from the first step to the very last step left a lasting impression on Mavis. “There were times that I was not sure I would get to the end of the day, let alone the end of the week! Sometimes even the next hour was not a certainty.”

On the 33rd day of her journey she was reduced to walking due to serious shin splints. “I was devastated. I remember the excruciating pain. It felt like I was on a suicide bid.” In spite of this Mavis continued running. She ran in intense heat, bitter cold and seven days of ceaseless rain. The physical pain outweighed the joy and sense of achievement she felt on fulfilling the ultimate dream. “I had been tried and tested to the absolute limit. I had run through 13 states and four time zones. I had run about six million footsteps – one agonising step at a time.” But the day after the run reality hit Mavis. “I thought surely this cannot be the end of the road? Surely there have to be more goals and challenges ahead!”

Mavis was sure to find new challenges; a year later in 1980 she completed the roughly 1 800km journey from John o’ Groats to Lands End across the length of the United Kingdom. “When
I saw the South African flag at the finish I burst into tears. When you are in a foreign country and you see the flag of your country, you feel your country is saluting you. At the same time you feel humble and grateful. This run taught me there are no limits to what one can achieve.”

STILL GOING STRONG
Over the years Mavis has kept fit and strong, competing in several provincial and South African Championships. Since 2005 she has also competed worldwide in various World Masters Games. In 2009 she competed in the World Masters Games in Sydney, Australia. “I competed in the 100m, 200m, 400m,
800m and the javelin. I won five medals: three silver and two gold.” Mavis also competed
 in the Africa Games in Mauritius where she was presented with a special trophy for many years of achievement in sport. She also won gold in the 100m, 200m and 400m events. Recently at the Vaal Triangle Championships this year, Mavis set a new SA record (11.33m) for javelin.

“Sport has opened so many doors. I am a very shy person, but sport has helped me to overcome that to some extent.” She still trains two to three hours a day four times a week on a track or sports field by first warming up, stretching and then doing the exercises specific to the discipline she is training for.

Since she started exercising all those years ago she has had no major health problems. “From the day I started exercising it took almost two years before I noticed the improvement in my health. My circulation improved and I had no more chillblains in winter. My nervousness also disappeared and I realised it was okay to fail as long as you keep trying and realise that sometimes you have to move the goal posts. I also learnt that attitude not circumstances creates events. I owe my quality of life to years of regular exercise. A healthy body is connected to a healthy mind and spirit.”

Mavis has now set her eyes on the World Masters Games in America next year. Listening to her speak she is sure to bring back gold. “We don’t grow old. When we stop growing we are old. It is vital to always keep on setting goals. I know everything worthwhile is earned by the sweat of your brow, one step at a time.”

 

True to club traditions, Durbanville is celebrating its 25th birthday in 2010 with lots of long distance mileage on the road, and plenty of post-run socialising in the clubhouse! – BY SEAN FALCONER

A first-time visitor to the Plexus Durbanville Athletics Club’s Member of the Month awards evenings would be in for quite an experience. The Durbac Captain’s Team calls the meeting to order and begins the presentation. But this is no ordinary presentation. The Club Captain describes what each runner has done to deserve their award, and then the winners are called up to get their awards. But first, they must adopt the Humble Pose…

They must bend forward and touch the insides of their knees with their opposite arms – right hand on inner left knee, left hand on inner right knee – and remain in that pose while the Captain’s Team ‘salutes’ them with a group war cry – and there are different versions for different awards. Without a doubt, the best one is the customised Haka, copied from the New Zealand All Blacks rugby team, but with adapted words
that include “Run Fasta, Fasta” and “Run Furtha, Furtha.”  It’s priceless!

It’s also quite appropriate that the word ‘further’ appears so prominently… because Durbac is not just known for its great socials; the club is also known as a great long distance club. As chairman Lionel Klassen puts it, “We had 99 finishers at Comrades this year as well as big fields in the Two Oceans, Laingsburg and Bainskloof Ultras, and last year we had six women in the Western Province squad for the National Marathon Champs. Our club just seems to love the long runs.”

HOW IT ALL BEGAN
The club was established in 1984 when the owner of Workout Gym, George Taylor, mentioned to his aerobics class that he had watched the Comrades on TV and that he wanted to run it. Several members of the class decided to join him and start training immediately to give themselves a full year to prepare, as none of them had done any running before. That Sunday, six runners ran 5km out to Fisantekraal Farm and back, and things grew from there – although poor Dave De Villiers took weeks to recover from the blisters he developed from running in Bata tekkies!

The Sunday runs soon saw the introduction of a seconding car, complete with water and sponges, and proved so popular that Tuesday time trials and Thursday pack runs were added. Amongst those pioneer Durbanvillers were Kathy and Martin Burr, who still speak fondly of those first pack runs: “Our best memory of the early years remains the camaraderie surrounding the seconding car – we were able to load our twin sons into the car and enjoy a carefree run. This camaraderie has endured and makes Durbac what it is today.”

Soon the group started talking about forming a club, but in order to meet the minimum requirements of Western Province Athletics, the full membership list of the gym was presented as the running club’s membership! Back then, the club colours were chocolate brown shorts and a brown-white vest, with the brown half on top. The rose was adopted as the club logo, inspired by the well-known Rose Garden in Durbanville, which is one of the leading areas in South Africa for rose cultivation. In 1988 the vests changed to an all-white design with the club name written on the front. This was partly due to the unavailability of the brown vests, but also because some members simply didn’t like the colour. When brown shorts also became difficult to find, yellow shorts were introduced. The acquisition of the first clubhouse in Langeberg Road (now demolished) played an important part in developing a healthy club culture… because legendary post-run parties became the norm. By 1989, the membership had passed the 100 mark, and by 1992 it had shot past 200. A bigger, more suitable clubhouse was needed, so the club arranged to use the Durbanville Squash Club’s facilities from 1993, and more recently moved next door to the Durbanville Hockey Club, which has great facilities including changing rooms, showers and a well-stocked bar! Today the club has some 350 members as well as 30-plus young development athletes, making Durbac one of the biggest clubs in the province.

AN AMAZING SPONSOR PARTNERSHIP
In 2005 Plexus Asset Management came on board to sponsor the club’s annual marathon (which has subsequently become a half marathon and 10km event, due to take place on 31 October this year). It was a happy marriage from the beginning, with Plexus Executive Chairman Dr Prieur du Plessis being an active runner, as are Managing Director, Paul Stewart and Marketing Manager, Gys Botha. The sponsorship was soon extended to a five-year full club sponsorship, which saw the club’s name officially changed to Plexus Durbanville AC. “We are very proud of our association with the club as well as of the athletes’ performances. It is an extremely well-managed institution that provides its members with a fantastic environment in which to train, compete and socialise. Our relationship with the club is more like being family,” says Gys.

A portion of the sponsorship is allocated to support underprivileged runners in the club’s Youth Development Programme, which was initiated four years ago, says Club President Dr Alan Nelson. “We adopted the Trevor Manuel Primary School in the Fisantekraal informal settlement, and over this period, between 25 and 40 young learners have participated as members of the club in cross-country events. They have done extremely well and in the past two years have often placed top of the log, particularly in the boys’ and girls’ under-nine and 11 age groups. With sponsor support from Plexus, we have been able to supply the kids with club kit, and club members actively support the learners by providing food packages during events.”

TRAINING TOGETHER
The club holds official training runs on Tuesday and Thursday evenings at 6pm as well as Sunday mornings at 6am (7am from April to August), with all runs starting from the clubhouse. On Tuesdays, the main group does a 12km run with water stops, with slower runners, beginners and walkers also catered for with the separate Penguins’ 9km run, beginners’ 4km run, and introductory level walking group, all led by experienced athletes. Some Tuesdays see the club doing a track workout on the field in front of the clubhouse. On Thursdays, the group does either a 12km or 16km pack run.

The superbly-organised and very popular Sunday morning runs are now considered a proud club tradition, says Lionel. “This is such a lovely area to run in. You only have to go 2km from the clubhouse and you’re in the vineyards, and we often have members of neighbouring clubs joining us.” The runs are usually about 20km long, with a different route every Sunday and with water and Coke stops every 4km. Each runner is asked to pay R7, to cover the costs of seconding, and there is a seconding duty list, with all members taking a turn. Luckily, with 350 members and just 47 Sunday runs in a year, nobody has to do seconding duties more than once a year and the long-distance junkies in the club can all get their regular fix.

FRIENDS FOR LIFE
Lionel is now in the third year of his second stint as Chairman of the club, and says that he particularly enjoys the way old and new members mix both on and off the road. “The Durbanville area is growing so fast and we have many new members coming in each year, but I love the fact older members stay with us, even when they no longer run. Many of them still come to club functions, and we have a great atmosphere at our socials.”

Other calendar highlights include the Beginning of Year Party, where new members are officially welcomed, the annual prize-giving, and the pre- and post-Comrades parties. Towards the end of the year the club also holds its annual pub run, which has now become so popular that it has earned the status of official club year-end party. “All members and their families are encouraged to participate in these socials because we believe that membership means much more than simply obtaining a licence to run races,” says Lionel.

Another thing the club is proud of is the several members based overseas who still proudly fly the Durbac flag. For example, Hilary Johnson says her brother Nigel Bennett recently relocated to New Zealand, but still runs in his Durbanville colours and came back for the special 2010 Comrades. “I had to purchase his new running kit from Somerset Sports Cape Gate in February and send it to New Zealand so that his wife could stitch on his running numbers for Comrades. Now how’s that for loving
your club?”

NOTABLE DURBAC PERFORMERS
 
Gert Meyer – SA Masters Athletics colours (1996) for 15km and 21.1km.
  
Elizabeth McCaul – seventh woman in 1997 Comrades; fourth in 1998 Two Oceans; twice represented SA at World 100km Champs in 1999 and 2000, winning the veteran category and part of the winning veteran
women’s team in 1999 to be crowned double World Champion.
 
Deon Velthuysen – Represented SA at the 2000 World Masters Pentathlon Games.
 
Cathy Taylor – SA Masters Athletics colours for 5000m
and 10 000m.
 
Marianne Nelson – SA Masters Athletics colours for 5000m walk and 10 000m walk.
  
Riel Hugo – 40 consecutive Comrades Marathon finishes from 1969 to 2008, running for Durbac from 2002 to present; one of only four runners to finish the race 40 times.
 
Nico Ras – Winner of the 80km Big Walk five times from 1996 to 2000.
 
Comrades: First in veteran women’s team competition
in 2001 and 2002 (Also overall runner-up women’s team in 2001).
 
Two Oceans: First in veteran women’s team competition in 2000, 2001 and 2002; first in master women’s team competition in 2010.

CLUB CONTACT DETAILS
Phone:  Lorraine Rogers (Club Secretary) 082 456 2192
E-mail:  [email protected]
Web:  www.durbac.org.za
Clubhouse:  
Durbanville Hockey Club, Durbanville Sports Grounds, Sport Road, Durbanville

 

Balancing stressful jobs and trying to spend quality time with the family, exercise is often the first thing that falls to the bottom of our list. Modern Athlete speaks to various high-powered professionals to find out how they manage to fit sport into their hectic schedules. This month we chat to Jodi-Ann Pearton, award winning celebrity chef who, at the age of 26, owns three businesses and has cooked for various Hollywood stars and other dignitaries. – BY MICHELLE PIETERS

How did you get involved in Culinary Art?
It was my dream to become a veterinarian so I enrolled for a course in veterinary science, only to realise a year later that it was not for me! I wrote a letter to my dad saying I could not pursue something that was no longer my dream. I then enrolled for a course in Culinary Art at Silwood Kitchen in Cape Town. After my first year I finished at the top of my class and started winning some competitions. I found my real passion.

How did your career progress from there?
I won the Junior World Champs and was South African Chef of the Year three consecutive years. I am the only person in the country to have ever won all three categories three years in a row! I also worked at The French Laundry in California, run by iconic chef Thomas Keller. Back in South Africa I cooked at a few restaurants to gain experience and developed menus for the Nando’s international market. I have cooked for various dignitaries, former president Nelson Mandela and even a couple of Hollywood movie stars!

About two and a half years ago I started the Food Design Agency. We write menus for restaurants, do food styling, cater and train. I also own the Cookie Design Emporium and I am the sole agent for Little Leaves, a range of microgreens in South Africa.

What does a day in your life look like?
I train from 5am to 6am. I run on the treadmill in the gym with two friends. Some days we run 30 minutes, other days longer. We also combine it with some weight and cardio workouts. If I miss a training session
I am a horrible person. I am at work at about 7am. The evenings are usually reserved for catering or functions where I am often a speaker. My day normally ends at about 9pm, but some evenings I finish after midnight.

How did you start running?
I was 16 when a friend invited me for a run. It was horrific! I was sore, I could not breathe and I swore to myself I would never put my running shoes on again. Then it became a challenge and the fitter I got, the more addicted I became. I eventually joined a running club.

What do you see as the biggest obstacle to your running?
Definitely time! I know I am a strong runner and if I put more time and effort into running, I will run so much better!

Has running influenced your career and work ethic?
Yes! You need to be dedicated to run. When you start running after a lay off it is always difficult to get going. But after a couple of days it does get better. Running teaches you to push through the hard
times. It takes dedication, passion and energy; all the elements required in a successful career.

The thing I love most about running is…
It clears your mind like no other sport.

I don’t enjoy being beaten by…
Anybody! I am very competitive. Even when I run on the treadmill, I always make sure my treadmill is on exactly the same speed or just a bit faster than that of my training partners.

What is your favourite meal after a big race?
A smoothie with oats, banana, honey and berries.

What would you say to someone who says that they don’t have the time to start running?
You can always make time for something you love.

Proudest moment in running and business?
In running it was reaching the top group in my running club. In business it was hearing people talk about my business, not knowing that I own it.

Most embarrassing moment in running?
I am very clumsy. One day on a run with an American doctor
I was trying to keep up with the boys. Next thing I tripped and fell face down on the ground!

And in business?
I invited a lecturer for dinner and spent hours preparing the sauce for the beef. While eating I noticed a few funny looks. I don’t eat much when cooking so I wasn’t having a lot of food. When I got up to serve the dessert, I realised I served the butterscotch sauce with the beef!

What is the first thing you do after a run?
Sit in the sun with a fresh cup of green tea.

What are your future running goals?
To do more races and ultimately run the Comrades. Many of my family members have run Comrades and their senseof achievement and camaraderie is wonderful. I want to be a part of that.

What would you still like to achieve in your career?
I want to establish my business as a bigger international brand.

Favourite quote?
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REWIND
Let’s rewind quickly; most athletes train their core stabilisers inadequately compared to other muscles. Running alone doesn’t strengthen the core sufficiently and therefore weaknesses or lack of sufficient coordination in the core can lead to less efficient movements, strain, overuse and injury. Add the exercises below to those you have been doing in Part 1 for the ultimate core workout!

Do the exercises three times a week and keep the following in mind:
 Begin with two sets of 15 repetitions and progress to three sets of 15-20 repetitions.
  Progress to more functional exercises as control is developed. Don’t tilt the pelvis or flatten
the spine.
 This first stage of core stability training begins with learning to stabilise the abdominal wall. Proper activation of these muscles is considered crucial before progressing to more
dynamic workouts.

PRONE PLANK
This is a fundamental, static core stability exercise.
Support yourself with forearms resting on the mat, elbows bent
at 90? and toes on the mat.
  Maintain the spine in a neutral position. Recruit the gluteal muscles and keep your head level with the floor. Keep a slight bend in the knees, while maintaining the abdominal brace. Start by holding the position for 30 seconds, working up to one minute for two to three repetitions. If your lower back sags and you feel discomfort, either adjust your position or release the position and rest.
 
Progression: One leg can be lifted off the mat, held for five seconds, and then repeated on the opposite side.

SIDE PLANK
This exercise is designed to challenge your body against gravity, and is an ideal exercise to train the back, side stomach muscles and gluteus.
 Start by lying on your right side resting on your elbow and forearm, which should be directly underneath your shoulder.
 Lift the pelvis from the floor and hold it in a straight line ‘plank’ position. The hips should not be allowed to sag toward the floor. Start by holding the position for 20 seconds, working up to one minute holds for two to three repetitions.
 
Progression: Raise the top foot to increasingly challenge the core and gluteus.

FOUR POINT SQUAT
This stability exercise strengthens all the lower leg stabilisers, quadriceps as well as the gluteus. 
 Stand on your right leg. Bend the right leg into a squat position while extending your left leg in front of you.
 Reach as far as you can with your left foot, keeping it just above the floor.
  Ensure you maintain hip alignment and that your knee is in line with the big toe of the foot on the floor. Return your left leg to the middle without touching the floor and repeat the above movement to the side, behind you and to the other side, taking your left leg behind your right leg, thus performing the movement in the 12, 3, 6 and 9 o’ clock positions. 
 Repeat on the left leg.
 
Progression: The above movement can be performed on a balance mat.

LUNGE
  Stand with feet shoulder width apart. 
 Take a big step forward with the right leg. 
  Lower your body straight down by bending your left hip and knee until your right thigh is parallel
to the floor.
 Ensure that the right knee is not pushing forward beyond the toes of the right foot.
  Contract the gluteus of the left leg and push yourself back into the starting position being careful not to arch or use the back. 
 Perform the same movement with the left leg.
 Progression: Once in the lunge position, lift the heel of the front foot slightly off the ground and hold position for five seconds maintaining hip alignment.
The value of core exercises cannot be over emphasised. Remember, by neglecting your core, you are neglecting your running!
Richard is a former South African and African Elite Men’s Triathlon Champion. He has an honours degree in biokinetics and is highly regarded in the field of conditioning, strength and flexibility for endurance athletes.