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One in a Million

One in a Million

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Susan Daly was never really an athlete. In the early 90s, she joined Run/Walk for Life and used to plod around Patterson Park in Norwood. She did a couple of 10km runs, but the running bug never bit.


We have two children. Ciaran, our son, is nearly 13 and Heather, our daughter, is 11. Ciaran is autistic
and severely epileptic. His epileptic seizures started at fi ve months and 12 years later, they are still not under control. We have been to many doctors and specialists from Cape Town to Manchester to try and find the cause of the seizures and an effective means to prevent and control them. Over time, Ciaran’s
seizures have ranged in length from a few minutes to two hours. Fortunately, the very long seizures are
now infrequent, but he still has about fi ve to ten seizures a month. Each seizure differs in severity; the more severe ones are life threatening and on many occasions as we have sat in the emergency rooms at
hospitals, we have felt ‘this is it’ and ‘it is just one too many.’ Ciaran fi ghts on and bounces back. As you can imagine, this takes an enormous toll on Susan, our daughter Heather and me.


Unfortunately, the number of seizures and the medication have also taken their toll on Ciaran. While he is a happy and loving child, the brain damage from years of unrelenting relapses and medication have caused retardation. Ciaran, in addition to being autistic and epileptic, functions at a three to four-year-old’s level. At this point, you may ask, what is the relevance of this to Susan’s running? Let me explain.


In September 2002, we were in Cape Town with Ciaran to undergo another barrage of tests. He had had over 200 seizures in six months and we needed to investigate, to determine whether he was a candidate for brain surgery. It was a traumatic time for us as a family. He was only six and looked so vulnerable as he bravely underwent the tests. The process entailed taking him off his drugs completely (‘cold turkey’) to induce seizures and then watching and waiting 24 hours a day for them to come. Ciaran does not have the cognitive ability to understand what is happening. In some ways this is a blessing but in another way it is terrible. You can’t explain to him the process and he is so trusting; we often feel that he is the innocent lamb that we are leading to the slaughter.


The tests established that Ciaran’s seizures were far too generalised and extensive to operate on. We packed up and left Cape Town to drive back to Johanesburg, very dejected and depressed. I remember starting our journey back to Jo’burg fi lling up at a Shell petrol station in Claremont, near the Vineyard Hotel.


Many of you may know it, as it is close the start of the Two Oceans. The petrol attendant kept
staring into the back of the car and eventually asked us, “What is wrong with him?” At fi rst, we were not sure what he meant, until we turned back to look at Ciaran. He looked terrible. He had patches of glue all over his head from the EEG wires and he was drooling and sitting, blank-faced, in a catatonic state. His eyes were dull and he looked so sad and vulnerable. The little boy, who had gone through so much and always seemed to bounce back, looked defeated. Susan and I looked at each other; we both knew what the other was thinking.


The petrol attendant’s question stuck with us throughout the drive back to Jo’burg. What was wrong with Ciaran? Why couldn’t the doctors bring his seizures under control? How much more pain and how many more seizures could this little boy endure? Where to from here? The possibility of an operation had
been, in many respects, our last real hope and now the situation seemed hopeless.


After the first few days back in Jo’burg, Susan received a call from one of her friends, Mad Kelly, a member at RAC. Mad told Susan that she needed to get out and come for a run to help her refocus. At that stage, Mad had run nine Comrades and eight Two Oceans. The next morning, Susan reluctantly met Mad for their fi rst run and, as they say, ‘the rest is history’. Susan set a goal: she wanted to do the Two Oceans before she turned 40. She did her fi rst Two Oceans in April 2006, a week before her 40th birthday. She did the Two Oceans again in 2007, missed 2008 and did her third Two Oceans earlier this year in her best time of 6:10. She said that she would need to do Comrades one day because in South Africa (her words not mine), “You are not a real runner unless you have done Comrades.” In April this year, we went to Mauritius for a ten-day family holiday and Susan did no training other than a couple of short jogs with her ‘not a real runner husband’ and one session on the hotel treadmill. A few days after we returned from Mauritius, Susan announced that she was going to run Comrades. I joked about which year she would be doing this, to which she replied, “This year.” Comrades was less than four weeks away!


The Sunday before Comrades, Ciaran had a severe cluster of seizures. Susan was at home alone with Ciaran, as I had taken my daughter and a friend to the IPL Cricket at the Wanderers. Susan realised
she had to get him to hospital as soon as possible, as the seizures were becoming more and more frequent and severe. She did not contact me immediately because she knew I was at the Wanderers
and would panic, and that it would take me an age to get home. At this stage, Ciaran was semi-conscious and a limp dead 40kg weight lying on the fl oor. Susan tried to pick him up but found she couldn’t lift him. With some serious prayer and a miraculous surge of strength, she managed to pick Ciaran up, carry him into the car and rush him to hospital. She phoned me as she was leaving and I left the Wanderers as quickly as possible to meet her at the hospital.


As we were standing in the emergency rooms with Ciaran still having seizure after seizure, we looked at each other and asked our usual question: will he make it or is this one too many? After a few of hours, the doctors managed to get the seizures under some form of control. Ciaran would not settle that night
and shortly before midnight, I told Susan to go home, that I would stay the night with Ciaran in the hospital. All I could think of was that in less than a week, she would be running the Comrades and her health and rest were essential. She refused at  first but after much debate, I persuaded her to go get some rest. The week leading up to Comrades was extremely diffi cult. Susan had strained her back lifting Ciaran and he took a few days to recover. To put it mildly, Susan had not been able to have the quiet, calm, restful week recommended to allow her to focus on the Big Day, 24 May.


I must admit that I was doubtful that Susan would complete the Comrades, not because she couldn’t do it. She had shown her ability and courage in the numerous marathons she had already completed. My doubts came partly from the fact that she had not really trained to run the distance but mainly from the strain of the events of the week leading up to the Comrades. Heather and I were lucky enough to support Susan at several points during the race, but when I saw Susan enter Kingsmead shortly before 5pm on that day, I was fl ooded with mixed emotions, including absolute relief and pride. I was relieved,
as I know how focused Susan can be and I was concerned that she would push herself too far. I was with Heather, Ciaran and Susan’s sister and brother in-law, who had travelled with us to share the experience (and to look after Ciaran as he would not have managed to follow the route with us). We all stood there with tears running down our faces, all of us except Ciaran who simply smiled at Susan and said, “Hello mommy”. He was the only one who could not fully comprehend what Susan had achieved and how far she would go for him and her family.


Susan’s running is so much more than ‘hitting the  road’. It is inextricably linked to her journey with Ciaran. Night after night she packs her running kit for the next morning’s early run. Each night, she goes to sleep not knowing what kind of night Ciaran will have and whether she will be able to run. This does not deter her. If he has a good night, she wakes up and runs, if he has a ‘bad night’, she doesn’t run. But she never uses this as an excuse. The fi rst thing she checks on her return from a run is whether Ciaran had a seizure. As soon as she hears him say, “Hello mommy”, her face visibly eases. If she does not hear ‘his call’, you can see her pain. It never changes and it never gets easier.


Here is an extract from an email Susan sent to parents at Ciaran’s school who were experiencing difficulties with their daughter. I found it so inspirational. It expresses perfectly Susan’s philosophy of how she follows her calling to run ‘the ultimate human race’ called life.


“We know that we are only able to get through all things because we are enabled by the Father who loves us immeasurably. It is a long, long road we walk with our children and we never know what comes around the next corner (or whether we are simply going ‘around the bend’!) but we get up again and again to take it on the chin. Someone asked me on Friday this week why I never seem to get down or why I seem to keep smiling. In ALL HONESTY, I replied that it was because perhaps I hadn’t faced adversity and that is why I cope with life. I have to tell you that she just STARED at me like I had lost all my marbles. I realized what I had said and how my crazy strange life with my epileptic autistic boy… is so inextricably bound in the hand of my loving Father that I really DO believe our lives are charmed. I quickly realized why she was staring so much and said – oh yes, I suppose I have faced some challenges.
This past Sunday, I ran my fi rst Comrades Marathon. I started running in September 2002 after Ciaran spent fi ve days in hospital in Cape Town undergoing treatment to determine whether he was a candidate for surgery. He wasn’t, but it was an extremely diffi cult time as he was left like an ox – very little going
on. We have seen him grow and leave those dark days behind, although we know something of his capacity was diminished in that diffi cult year (200 seizures in six months). When I returned from that hospital trip, my friend insisted I run with her. Look at me now! Last Sunday, a week before Comrades, Ciaran developed a succession of seizures that required me to take him to the ER. I was alone but managed to carry him (all 40kg) to my car by repeating out loud, “It’s just a hill!” as I struggled. He went on to spend the night in hospital because he continued having seizures, fi nally ending with a status seizure of 30 minutes. This Sunday, I ran the Ultimate Human Race. Part of the route takes you past a school for the profoundly disabled (I guess our kids qualify). I kept to the middle of the road simply because I was so overcome by their strength that I couldn’t breathe. I knew I had to, I still had far to go! It seems our race never fi nishes; there is always a corner, a hill, a valley or even a straight and easy track. Sometimes, I forget to look up and blindly follow the feet in front of me but every now and then I lift my head and see the mountains and valleys around me – it helps to look up!”


When Susan is not running or looking after her family, she spends her days tirelessly dedicated to helping others. She heads up the fund raising efforts for Kids Haven (a charity for street children) and she is also actively involved in Aqua (a school for autistic adolescents, which she helped to establish with two other families). I know there are so many Comrades runners who have their own stories of how they have overcome adversity to achieve what they have achieved. To a ‘not real runner’, just completing Comrades is an achievement in itself. Susan’s story is an amazing one. Completing her fi rst Comrades in 10:58 is a great achievement under ‘normal circumstances’ let alone with the challenges Susan faces on a daily basis. She is an inspiration to so many. Keep running Sue.

Physio vs Massage

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What is the difference between physio and sports massage and how do you know which is the appropriate option?


ANSWER
A sports massage is provided by sports masseurs and sometimes, by sports physiotherapists. Not all physios provide this service because of time constraints, but will often be able to recommend a skilled sports masseur.


Massage therapy is direct physical action on the muscles, tendons and fascia of the body. There are several techniques that can be employed while massaging,, depending on the desired effect. Sports massage is thought to help the recovery of muscles post exercise, by increasing circulation and nutrition to damaged muscles. There is also the belief that it reduces the delayed onset muscle soreness that follows strenuous exercise, as well as aiding the recovery of muscle strength and performance.


There is currently little evidence to support the belief that massage assists the recovery of muscle function following exercise. In fact, it appears that light exercise of the affected muscles is more effective in improving blood fl ow to the muscles and thereby enhancing healing and reducing post exercise muscle soreness.


Regular massage can, however, deactivate symptomatic trigger points (painful, palpable knots in muscle and a common cause of pain) and help reduce increased muscle tone. It also provides the opportunity to identify any soft tissue abnormalities, which if left untreated, could progress to an injury. A skilled asseur will also be able to identify an injury to muscle tissue which may require treatment by a physiotherapist.


A physiotherapist is able to treat muscle injuries by employing massage techniques that reduce excessive adhesions and scar formation. They also use other modalities (needles, ultrasound, etc) that help reduce infl ammation and enhance healing. In the case of more chronic injuries, a physiotherapist will use the massage technique, deep transverse frictions, to reduce thickened pain producing lesions which can develop in an injured muscle due to the development of excessive, poorly orientated and infl exible scar tissue.


A sports masseur would therefore be visited to help prevent muscle injuries, while a physiotherapist would be required once an injury has already occurred.




Toni Hesp – Modern Athlete Expert


Qualifications:
BSc Physio (hon)
BSc (Med) Sports Science (hon)

Shoe Care

Shoe Care

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Running is good for you – study after study has proven that – but it also places strain on your body. Each time you take a stride and land, your body has to absorb two to three times its own weight. Which is why we wear running shoes that are designed to handle the shock of thousands and thousands of foot strikes, with midsoles made from cushioning and shockabsorbing rubber
compounds that can handle this impact.


It is therefore important that you look after your running shoes well, both to prolong their running life and to ensure your running is smooth, comfortable and injuryfree. Fortunately, looking after them is easy, and there are only a few rules you need to abide by to ensure that your shoes last the distance.


1. NO MACHINES!
Many of us like to wash our running shoes regularly, because they get dirty, sweaty and smelly from running. The cardinal rule here is never to put your shoes through the washing machine or tumble dryer. This is because the heat from and detergents used in a washing machine cycle and tumble dryer break down the glues that hold your shoes together. The best method of washing shoes is to do it by hand in lukewarm water. Yes, it is hard work and timeconsuming, but essential if you want your shoes to last.


2. DRY THEM SLOWLY
The best way to dry your shoes, either after running in the wet or after washing them, is to stuff them with newspaper and leave them to dry naturally, preferably out of the sun and in a wellventilated room.


Don’t leave your shoes to dry in front of a heater or in the oven’s warming drawer, as they will dry too quickly and the intense heat could damage the midsole and adhesive glues holding the shoes together. Even worse, many a runner has forgotten their shoes resting against a heater or in an oven and come  back later to fi nd their lovely running shoes melted, deformed and useless. Running shoes are expensive and it’s sometimes difficult to find the perfect pair for your feet and running style, so you don’t want to have to throw away your favourite pair because you overcooked them!


3. NO SMELL
Regular handwashing and drying of your shoes, and using clean socks, should all help prevent odour  problems. You can also use an antibacterial spray between washes. This will help to kill the bacteria and fungus that cause shoes to smell.


4. ONLY RUN IN THEM
A big nono is using your running shoes for other sports or activities. Just as you wouldn’t use ballet shoes for rock climbing, you should only use your running shoes for running – this is what they have been designed for. The quickest way to wreck and stretch your running shoes is to hit the tennis court or play soccer in them. They are not designed for the kind of lateral movement that these sports require, nor the wear and tear of kicking.


5. TRAINING VERSUS RACING
Some runners have racing shoes for races and training shoes for training runs. While some have racing flats for racing and conventional models for training, in many cases the shoes are identical, but the specific pairs are used for specific activities. This is really only necessary if you are a serious runner
participating in two to three races a month.


It is a good idea to have at least two pairs of running shoes to help prolong their life and to make sure they don’t wear out too quickly. That way you can train in one pair and race in the other. Do some training in your race shoes, though, to get a feel for them and to ensure they are worn in before race day.


If you are looking for a secondary race shoe, it is worth making the decision based on the distance you plan to run. Generally, a lightweight racing shoe is fi ne up to 10km, but unless you are a superefficient and light athlete, you will need something more cushioned for longer distances.


6. ROADS VERSUS TRAILS
Another big nono is running offroad with your road shoes. Put it like this: take a pair of ultralightweight
roadracing shoes on a few trailrunning events and you’ll probably see them disintegrate before your eyes. Even more robust road shoes will eventually show signs of wear and tear if you use them on the trails.


Rough surfaces will damage road shoes, which are built for flat, smooth surfaces, so get a pair of trail shoes designed for the rough terrain. Even if you are running on light trails, it is worth investing in a pair of trail shoes.


7. REPLACEMENT DATE
A pair of running shoes can start to feel like an old friend after you’ve done many kays in them, so it can be hard deciding to replace them. Keep in mind, though, that no matter how comfortable and reliable they are, sooner or later they will let you down, because the rubber midsole material of running shoes has a limited lifespan.


To keep track of the mileage your shoes do, keep a shoe log and fi ll it in after every run, or include your shoes in your training log. If you don’t want to do that, at least make sure you check your shoes visually for the following signs of wear:



  • Visible evidence – excessive wear on the outsole or, for severe pronators, a breakdown in the
    heel area often indicated by the uppers tending to tilt inwards.

  • The ‘feel’ of the shoe – it won’t feel as bouncy as it once did. Over time the midsole of your
    shoe is compressed as you run, squeezing the air out and deadening the spring in your step.

Generally, running shoes last for about 600 to 800 kilometres, but this will vary from person to person, depending on your weight, running style and the surfaces you run on.


8. SHOES ARE NOT LIKE RED WINE…
The longer you leave a good bottle of red wine lying in a cellar, the better it gets. Unfortunately, running shoes don’t follow the same pattern. The rubber compounds used for their midsoles decay slowly over time, even if not used, so shoes that are left on the shelf at the shoe store and sold as bargain buys a few years later may not give you the cushioning and support you need.


Now this doesn’t mean that every running shoe will automatically break down or collapse after four years, but it is safer to avoid buying or using an old model. Most retailers will have specials on last year’s models if you are not able to splash out on the latest models, so you don’t need to buy four-year-old models – and few retailers would have them in stock anyway. Similarly, if you have a pair of shoes stuck away in a cupboard, bought a few years ago but never used, there is a good chance that the midsoles will have lost some of their integrity. We’re not saying this just to promote sales of new shoes, but you should be safe and go for a newer pair if you intend logging high mileage in your next pair of shoes.

Tennis: Chanel Simmonds

Tennis: Chanel Simmonds

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Chanel Simmonds, 16, is South Africa’s top junior tennis player. She uses running to increase her fi tness level and to help her focus in her chosen sport. Having started her tennis career at the age of six, Chanel slowly worked her way up the South African Junior Tennis rankings. She is currently South Africa’s number one ranked girl under 18. She has been the National Champion twice and was chosen to represent South Africa in the senior and junior Fed Cup Teams, as well as winning Junior ITFs held around the world, which attract many of the top international juniors. Although Chanel has only played in three senior events, she already has a world ranking on the WTA Circuit.


Chanel’s motto: If you don’t like running, you won’t like tennis.


Simmonds is sponsored by Prince and is currently the 14th ranked girl in the World Junior Tennis ranking. She explains that it is running and working constantly on her fi tness, as well as practicing hard, that have given her the edge to attain her current level of tennis. Under the guidance of her experienced coach, Earl Grainger, Chanel has taken her training to the next level by including road running and speed work in her training routine, thus increasing her fi tness, leg strength and acceleration. The basis of tennis is a combination of physical and mental fi tness. For Chanel, running between 5-8km daily has helped improve her stamina. Various types of sprinting exercises, such as line sprints and fi eld sprinting, have helped increase her movement ability on the court. Another part of Chanel’s fi tness regime is strength training, which she incorporates by doing short bursts, running with a tyre strapped to her waist. At 16,
she is extremely focused and needs to be to hold her world ranking, Chanel is adamant that she never wants to lose a  match due to lack of fi tness, strength or stamina so you will defi nitely see her on the road.


Chanel was also crowned African Junior Champion in Morocco in March 2009, an event in which top players from all the African countries participate. The highlight of her career this year was the reaching quarterfinals at the French Open Junior. She is no stranger to the grand slams, having also competed in the US Open and Australian Open Junior events. She is also currently participating in Junior Championship at Wimbledon. Her coach, Earl, agrees that it is Chanel’s physical presence and fi tness that have played a major role in her achievements to date and he is expecting big things from her. These events will give her invaluable experience for the future. Chanel is part of the highly-rated Earl Grainger’s Tennis Academy based in Bedfordview. Grainger has twenty years of international coaching experience and has coached many top players. The Academy has a full day function and students are home schooled to give them the time they need to focus on achieving the best results possible in their chosen sport.


It has been a long time since South Africa produced a world class ladies tennis player and Modern Athlete wishes Chanel everything of the best in her quest. Hopefully, we will see her on the road at a few short distance events.

Rugby: Heinrich Brüssow

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There is one name that is on the lips of everybody who supports South African rugby these days, the new Springbok fl ank sensation Heinrich Br?ssow. Modern Athlete spoke to Heinrich on how he uses running to stay fi t, fast and furious.


The muscular Br?ssow is a Cheetahs and Springbok rugby sensation. In the last couple of months, this 22-year-old former SA Schools player has turned heads with his bustling performances. He has been described as the new ‘wunderkind’ of rugby and has been praised for his fetching abilities on the rugby fi eld. Br?ssow made his test debut when South Africa played England in London on 22 November 2008. He has played four test matches and was nominated last year as Sasol’s Young Player of the Year, as well as the ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division Player of the Year.


Rugby is a multiple sprint sport and includes physical confrontation that lasts for well over an hour. The best way to reach the level of superfitness needed for this, is through running regularly, says Br?ssow.


Weighing in at 100kg, he does not enjoy running long distances, as it has an impact on his knees. He prefers shorter distances and sprints. He realises that running speed is the key to effective performance on the rugby field, especially when it comes to outpacing the opponent to the ball. His running programme is based on a lot of speed work and on working on his ability to recover quickly between sprints.


Br?ssow follows two different running and gym programmes, depending on the time of the season. In season, Br?ssow trains nearly every morning with his teammates, doing mostly ball-orientated exercises on the rugby field. Twice a week in the afternoons, he sweats it out on the treadmill in the gym. During these sessions he does two sets of interval training consisting of ten repeats of 45 seconds of fast running with a 15 second break. He usually plays a game on a Saturday and follows it up with an easy 4km jog on a Sunday. “The running exercises in my programme have helped me gain the necessary level of speed and fitness,” Br?ssow claims.


He runs four times a week out of season. His main focus is still on maintaining speed, but he has added
some longer runs to keep his endurance and overall fitness levels up. On a Monday morning, he runs 45 minutes and in the afternoon, does a running session on the treadmill, similar to the ones he does in season. On Tuesdays, he moves his quality session to the track, following the same interval principal by running for 45 seconds, cutting back for 15 seconds and repeating this pattern six times. He rests for one minute before tackling three more sets. On Wednesdays, he does field sprints, running to certain points on the rugby fi eld. He fi nishes the week off by cycling on a stationary bike in the gym. All of this training leads back to one thing, as he puts it, “I could never play at the level that I do, if it wasn’t for my running fi tness.”


Coming back from injuries is also always diffi cult for any Modern Athlete. Br?ssow fi nds running is the best way to do it. “It gets you fit very fast.” Heinrich enjoys running, even while on holiday at the beach.
“It’s relaxing and you get to see so many places while running.” He has never done any road races, but does mention that maybe one day he will line up at a race like the Two Oceans Half Marathon.


FAST FACTS




















Music: Anything from U2 to Counting Crows. 
Favourite food: Steak and chips. 
Favourite drink: Coke 
Role model: Schalk Burger 
Life Motto: Enjoy life, grab each opportunity that comes your way and live life to the full!
  

Swimming: Cameron van der Burgh

Swimming: Cameron van der Burgh

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Competitive swimming requires a high level of fi tness and cardiovascular ability. When you swim, you get a full body workout which tones all of your muscles and defi nitely works your fi tness. One thing all swimmers swear by is that one needs to cross train in order to make additional gains in the sport of swimming. And this is where running features. Running is an excellent cross training option as swimming and running compliment each other in so many ways. Running burns calories fast, improves bone density, builds strength and makes you fast when you do the right track training – all advantages to swimmers who need to be lean and strong with low body fat.


Pretoria-born Cameron van der Burgh recently made South Africa proud by becoming our very own world champion in the 50m breaststroke at the FINA swimming World Championships held in July in Rome. He fi nished in 26.74 seconds – smashing the previous record of 26.89 set by Brazil’s Felipe Franca da Silva. Cameron, the youngest South African swimmer to hold a world record, also won a bronze medal in the 100m breaststroke at the same championships. But more amazingly, just 11 days later, he broke three world records in 24 hours in the Telkom National Short Course Championships in Pietermaritzburg. He took 0.51 seconds off his 50m breaststroke world record, fi nishing in a time of 25.43. He then stormed ahead and broke his own 100m breaststroke world record in a time of 56.39, only to better it the next day with an impressive 55.99. Not bad for a 21-year-old!


This swimming sensation says fast running sprints help him to perform at his current high level. He trains six days a week, swimming 11km a day, combining aerobic swimming in the morning with lactate and threshold work in the evening. Twice a week, he sweats it out in the gym and three times a week he does gymnastic exercises to help him improve his core strength. Once a week, on a Saturday, he does sprint running on a track. Cameron does different sets of sprints, alternating between 50m and 150m sets. When he does 150m sprints, he runs the first few a bit more slowly and builds up to his maximum speed. Alternatively, he does a set of 50m sprints at maximum speed from the word go. He believes this has helped develop his fast twitch fi bres. “I have found these sprints really helped my swimming and have given me the best reaction time off the blocks.”


He does not believe in doing distance running as short distance swimming is an aerobic exercise that requires more speed than endurance. “My race is over in less than 60 seconds and long distance running won’t help me, but sprint running certainly does. I run 100m in 10.8sec on the track. Hey, maybe
I should take up running!” says Cameron.


He trains hard every day because a swimmer can lose fitness very quickly. Cameron explains the same muscles used in running are used when walking around every day. The same cannot be said about swimming. “Swimming is so different; there is no movement on land that can compare to it. You can start losing fi tness within three days of being out of the water; it’s like lying in bed for three days and then trying to walk fast,” says Cameron.


He has never been very unfi t. “I feel better as a person when I am in shape and therefore I never let myself go. Being healthy and living a good life is what I strive for.” Apart from swimming, he enjoys watching athletics on television and from time to time he enjoys jogging, mostly for fun and always with a friend. “I enjoy the chatter amongst friends while running. It puts me at ease and it is a time where I can really speak my mind. Running makes me feel healthy. It clears the mind and lets you think about what’s going on in your hectic life,” says Cameron, who has been active all his life. As a child, he was hyperactive and was on medication to control it. He eventually took up sport as a way to channel his excess energy. He has never done any running races but would consider doing the Two Oceans Half Marathon after his retirement from swimming. “I won’t be doing Comrades though. Comrades is crazy to me, but when I watch the race on television, I think of how brave those runners are. I am amazed that people can finish such a gruelling race.”


Cameron attributes his success to his self confi dence, hard work and attention to detail. “I believe in myself and hate to lose. I live to race. Sport is my life; it’s a refl ection of what I go through. I have fun knowing that I am being true to myself.” His mother, Beverley, was the fi rst person he called after becoming the world champion. “She has always been there for me and is a great support system to me.”


His amazing achievement only sank in the morning after the race. “When I woke up and saw my gold medal, I realised it was a reality. Becoming a world champion was no longer just a dream.” And what can we still expect from South Africa’s hunky poster boy of swimming? “An Olympic Gold in 2012,” says Cameron, who lives by these wise words; “Be yourself; not what you think you should be.”


FAST FACTS


























Favourite food: Paninis. 
Favourite book: Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi. 
First poster ever on your wall: Coldplay. 
Role model: Richard Branson. 
What does no one know about you? I read Vanity Fair. 
Dream car: Audi S5 
Favourite holiday destination: Cape Town 
Most romantic moment ever: Being woken up with breakfast in bed. 

Cricket: AB De Villiers

Cricket: AB De Villiers

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Top cricket players are hardly ever at home. They are continuously travelling all over South Africa and internationally, training and playing the sport they love and are so good at. To become a competitive cricketer demands dedication and extreme fi tness. Cricket is not a continuous steady state sport and often the game demands a mix of endurance as well as short and fast sprints when batting and chasing down a ball. Cricket players are also on their feet for most of the day; not to mention all the strength movements such as leaping, jumping and turning they perform while trying to catch a ball. Scotland’s
cricket coach, Andy Moles, recently summed up the fitness required from top cricket players when he said that players have to become fi t to play cricket rather than getting fit by playing cricket. Increased base fi tness is essential if they want to do themselves justice at the current ICC Champions Trophy,
Moles said.


Gone are the days where cricketers could get by with a good eye for a ball and a well-balanced drinking arm. A lot of the olden day legends, in particular the top order batsmen, never really reached peak fi tness. The likes of Eddie Barlow, Graeme Pollock, Mike Gatting and David Boon may have had a few disagreements with current day ‘fi tness coaches’. Bob Woolmer and Hansie Cronje were probably the pioneers in the fitness trend for our national side, a trend that has intensifi ed in the modern day game. These days, if you’re not quick between the wickets in a one day or Twenty20, the opposition immediately identify the weakness and they will pepper the stumps you are running towards. With the help of TV technology, you only have to be an inch short and you’re OUT!


AB, who plays for the SA Titans, the Delhi Daredevils in the Indian Premier League and for South Africa, knows all about base fi tness and says he uses running to achieve it. His prowess on the fi eld made him the natural successor to Jonty Rhodes and he must be classed as one of the best fi elders currently on the international circuit. He takes fi tness very seriously and his fitness programme includes a lot of running. “Running fi ts in everywhere. Whether we’re playing games, practicing on the field or exercising in the gym, running plays a huge role in all of it,” says AB. He follows two different fitness programmes, depending on the time of the season. Pre-season training is a lot more physical than in-season training. Pre-season, he trains fi ve to six days a week. It normally consists of four cardio sessions (two fat burner runs and two high intensity fitness runs), three strength sessions (each player follows a specifi c programme worked out by their fitness trainer, Rob Walter) and four stability sessions (six to eight core stability exercises specific to the individual).


“Our runs are normally no longer than 12km, but I love running! So I make time for longer runs. I did the Knysna Oyster Festival Half Marathon. It was awesome. I’m a bit shy to share it with everyone but I did it in 1:40. It was my fi rst 21km.” These types of longer runs and consistent running have helped his cricket. “Cricket is mostly about mental strength and endurance, and running has helped me a lot with both!”


AB, an attacking top order batsman, has been active all his life. All the sports he has played up until now have involved a lot of running. One of the reasons he absolutely loves to run today, is that it makes him feel ‘fresh, fi t, healthy’ and good about himself. He has never been very unfi t; he remembers his first year after Matric when he was not as active as he had been at school. He quickly got a wake up call and started training and has stuck with it ever since.


Long distance running and the training it involves have been part of AB’s upbringing. His parents, have both run the Comrades Marathon! “Comrades looks like quite a challenge. I have absolute respect for the thousands that partake. They are legends. I just think 21km runs will suit me better. At least for now,” says the 25-year-old AB. Don’t be surprised to see him line up at the start one day. It seems
like the running bug is in his genes, like it or not.


AB believes that his family, combined with a lot of hard work and his faith, have made him the cricket player he is today. His sporting goals include pushing himself to higher levels and to become even fi tter and healthier. He is also a budding musician and released his fi rst single, “Show Them Who You Are” a while ago. A complete rock album is on its way. “I grew up loving sport and will always love sport but I do realise there is more to life. It’s all about fi nding the right balance.”


FAST FACTS























Favourite food and drink: Pasta, passion fruit and soda 
Favourite book: The Bible 
Favourite song: Need by Collective Soul 
Advice to young cricketers: Look after your fitness and health from a young age 
Ever wondered what AB stands for? Abraham Benjamin 
Which sportsmen do you admire? Tiger Woods and Roger Federer 
Life motto: Dream your dreams with open eyes and make them come true 

Cycling: Hanlie Booyens

Cycling: Hanlie Booyens

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While both have their pros and cons, many cyclists choose running s a form of cross-training, giving them something different to d. And as most athletes will confess, a break in the sometimes undane routine of a chosen sport is often better than a holiday! One such cyclist who thrives on cross-training and incorporates regular running into her fi tness regime is Hanlie Booyens, women’s winner of the gruelling 2009 Cape Epic.


This tough, challenging race is one of the biggest mountain bike races in the world. Imagine eight days spent riding through 800km of unspoilt Western Cape nature, including climbing various mountain passes. There is no doubt that you have to be fi t for this event. And there, Hanlie has no problems whatsoever: she won the 2008 Totalsports Challenge, a tough multi-sport event that comprises seven disciplines – road running, trail running, road biking, mountain biking, swimming, sea paddling and freshwater canoeing. She was third in the 2009 Totalsports Challenge and placed second in the 2009 Southern Storm Duathlon.


THE START OF GREAT THINGS
An indoor hockey injury forced Hanlie to start cycling, and she loved it so much she never stopped. “Though most people think I ride my bike all day, I actually do have a full time job. I am an architect and
love my job. After working at a big fi rm for eight years, a partner and I started our own fi rm in 2007. I am a believer in the motto, ‘The more you do, the more you can.’ Fitting my training into my
busy schedule just takes effective time management… and a very understanding partner.”
Hanlie, who works and lives in Stellenbosch, has always been involved in some kind of sport. As a young girl she jogged with her dad before school. “Sport has always been my island of sanity,” says Hanlie, who placed sixth in the Pick n Pay Cape Argus Cycle Tour in 2003 and then represented South Africa at the World Enduro Champs in Norway and the World Cross Country Champs in Italy in 2005.

TRAINING
She cycles three to four times a week and runs two to three times. She also fi ts in core and stability exercises twice a week, and does a bit of paddling in the summer months. As if that wasn’t enough,
she also walks her Jack Russell, Danielle, every day! “Sport is a way of getting rid of work-related stress, so I try not to place too much pressure on myself, unless there is something specifi c I am training
for, like the Cape Epic,” says Hanlie.


Cycling takes a lot of time – especially when training for such events – and this is where running complements Hanlie’s training regime. It allows her to still fi t in a quality training session, which helps with general fi tness, but without keeping her away from the offi ce for hours. She loves running, especially trail running, and often competes in duathlons or multi-sport
events. “Running is so basic and such an honest sport. You put your shoes on and off you go – any
time, any place.”


She runs any distance ranging from 8km to 40km, depending on her goal race. “Running helps my cycling, especially when I don’t have hours to spend on the bike. It also keeps my mind going when
I sometimes get a bit bored of bike, bike and more bike… and the rhythm of a good run often
helps me to sort out design problems in my job.”


ROAD TO SUCCESS
Hanlie believes that hard work and commitment have helped her become the successful athlete she
is today. “I am for sure not the most talented cyclist out there, but I am very committed and I
can sometimes become a bit too focused on my goals.” Her passion for cycling and sport in general comes from that feeling she gets when exercising outdoors. “It’s the mountains, the sea, the sun and
the wind. I feel close to my Creator when I train at special places, such as Jonkershoek here in Stellenbosch. When I’m out there it feels like my church.”


Running makes her feel free and light, and though she completed the Comrades Marathon and the Two Oceans Marathon twice each a few years ago, she won’t commit to such long distances again any time soon due to knee problems. She has great respect for the thousands of Comrades runners, as she knows how much it takes to fi nish the race. “I fi nd it inspirational to see how thousands of ordinary people cross the fi nish line. Comrades taught me how much harder you can push your body than what you thought was possible.”


Hanlie’s favourite race was the recent Southern Storm Duathlon. “We ran the hiking route of the Otter Trail (in the Tsitsikamma National Park) on the fi rst day of the fi ve-day, off-road duathlon. It was magnificent!”


Cycling and running help her to fi nd clarity on tough issues in hard times, and in good times they help her stay humble. “I can’t imagine my life without sport and I thank my Creator every day for the absolute privilege to participate. Winning is great, but even better is the ability to participate, just because of the sheer joy it gives you,” says Hanlie.


Her advice to young and aspiring cyclists is to fi nd a good coach and to remember that Rome was not built in one day – that it takes time to become a good cyclist. “Train and race hard, but never forget
where your talent comes from and that it can be taken away from you, especially when winning becomes more important than the joy you derive from sport.”


FAST FACTS



































Age: 36 
Team:Team Jeep 
Favourite food and drink: Anything from a bakery. And Coke. 
Favourite song: Crazy by Seal 
Life motto: No one is in charge of your happiness but you. 
Role model: Ordinary people with extraordinary qualities. 
Without my bike I am? Frustrated 
Running keeps me: Sane 
Best race ever: SA Finals of the G4 Challenge 
Dream bike: I’m riding it; a Carbon Merida 96’r 
  

George Mofokeng

George Mofokeng

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 Club:Nedbank Running Club, Gauteng North 
 Age:30 
 Achievement:Clocked the fastest marathon time this year by a South African athlete on South African soil. 
 PB’s:10km (28:23), 21.1km (61:18), 32km (1:41:35), 42km (2:13:50). 


He does not race a lot of marathons, but when he decides to put his heart into a race, he certainly does so in spectacular fashion. Not only did George Mofokeng win the recent Nedbank Cape Town City Marathon, he also clocked the fastest marathon time this year on South African soil. The two-time South African Marathon Champion won the race on 27 September in a time of 2:14:20 and walked away with a R60 000 cash prize.


George is an experienced long distance runner and won the national marathon title in 2006 and again in 2007, when he clocked his PB of 2:13:50, a time he plans to improve on in the not-too-distant future.
In fact, he is convinced he will soon run a sub-2:10 marathon.


Unfortunately, George has struggled with injuries over the last two years. His victory in Cape Town was a welcome sign that he is back on track. “I was just running according to my fi tness. I did not try and break any records, but I was very happy with my time when I finished,” says George, who works for Transnet in Pretoria.


He does not believe in racing every marathon on the calendar and chooses his races carefully. “I don’t run for money. I run to clock fast times,” says George, who only ran two marathons this year and won both. His fi rst was the Marathon International Orange in June in Mauritius, where he fi nished in a time of 2:16:06.


His training consists of a lot of quality work. He runs an hour every Monday to Friday, with quality work on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings. This includes track sessions of 20 x 400m, 5 x 2000m, and a fast 8km time trial. Saturdays are rest days followed by a long training run of about two hours on Sundays. He usually runs these sessions at a pace of 3:20min/km.


“I love running. I started when I was at primary school. I used to play soccer, but when I saw the other kids running cross country, I joined in and realised I was fast,” says George, who placed tenth and earned a gold medal in the Two Oceans Half Marathon in 2006, fi nishing in a time of 1:04:48.


George’s biggest dream is to compete in the next Olympic Marathon – and his dream might just come true. ASA General Manager, Molatelo Malehopo, recently said ASA would defi nitely be inviting George to join the national performance squad in preparation for the 2012 Olympics.

Doing it My Way

Doing it My Way

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Not having enough time is a symptom of modern living. Between 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. In a series of features on how to balance a busy career with running, Modern Athlete speaks to various high-powered businesspeople to find out how these great leaders manage to fit sport into their hectic daily lives. In this issue, we chat to Ren? Otto (50), CEO of MiWay, a financial services company offering a full range
of financial products and services direct to the consumer.


What is your background and how did you get involved in the business world?
I have a Masters degree in law from the University of Pretoria. I was a state advocate in the courts of Johannesburg for five years. In 1988, I got a job offer from Auto & General, where I had worked for eight years as a director. I realised I wanted to be in control of my own destiny and I knew I had the ability and drive to run my own business. That’s when I started OUTsurance in 1997. I was MD for five years and left when the business was profitable. I was involved in business consultation for two years,
before I joined Channel Life in 2004 where I became CEO. In March 2007, I started MiWay.


How long have you been running?
I started in 1983 at the age of 24.


What motivated you to start running?
I wanted to lose weight. My brother, Jacques, was an excellent athlete and kept nagging me to join him at road races. My first race was a 10 miler (16km) at Jeppe Quondam. I couldn’t run with Jacques because he was too fast, but I met up with an old friend, Kobus Van Dyk. We ran together and I was hooked on running. I especially enjoyed the atmosphere after the race. Kobus and I agreed to meet the following weekend at another race. Shortly afterwards, we decided to run Comrades the following year (1984). We attended all the pre-Comrades talks and like two eager students, we followed our training
programmes religiously. Then we got a bit ahead of ourselves and decided we wanted to run silver, maybe too ambitious for first timers. We never got our silver medals that year, but I finished in a respectable time of 7:54.



How do you fit running into your busy life?
Running is such an important link to all other aspects of my life. When I run, I am able to concentrate better at work. It makes me feel good and that has a positive effect on my relationship with my four children and other people. Running has become a priority in my life. I plan where and when I can run. I don’t run in the mornings, but plan on which days I can get home early to run at 5pm. On Thursdays, I make a point of joining Phobians Running Club in Pretoria for their 8km time trial.


How many hours a week do you spend on the road and in the gym?
I run at least three times a week. When training for a race, I run four or five times a week. I also try to go to gym at least twice a week. I have reached a point where I am not a slave to running anymore, but rather try to fit it into my lifestyle.


How many more Comrades have you gone on to run?
I have done 11 Comrades. Kobus and I both ran silver in our second Comrades in 1985. After six consecutive Comrades, I skipped a few years. In 1993, I ran my seventh Comrades, but stopped again for a couple of years because of injuries. Kobus and I also lost contact and it was hard for me to train alone. In 2002, at the age of 43, I went through a difficult time. I got divorced and felt a strong need to rebuild myself; the best way I knew how, was through running. It gives you purpose in life and makes you feel good. Between 2002 and 2005, I completed numbers eight, nine and ten. After that, I had a knee operation and started cycling, but I missed running. On 16 February this year, my old buddy, Kobus, phoned and said, “Partner, we both turn 50 this year. Let’s run Comrades!” And so we did. I asked friends, family, loved ones and business connections to pledge funds to the Starfish Foundation, on condition that I earn a medal. I finished in a time of 11:41:35. The fund is currently sitting at R120 000 and money is still pouring in.


What do you see as the biggest obstacle to your running?
Time is always a challenge, especially when you have a family. Injuries have also hampered my performance in the past. By now I have learned how many kilometres I can do before injury. I have
reached my potential. My silver medals in Comrades and Two Oceans are the best I can achieve, given
my frame and ability.


Has running influenced your career and work ethic?
Definitely! Running has taught me the worth of consistency, focus and having a balance in life. If you want to achieve something, be it in work or running, you have to put the hours and work in. But you have to work and train smartly. Overtraining will lead to injuries and if you try and work 14 hours a day, you will become inefficient in your job. Running has made me realize that you do have limits, but you can also shift the goal posts, often achieving more than what you thought possible. When I ran my second Comrades and got a silver medal, I was just as proud of myself as Bruce Fordyce must have been
winning that year.


What is the best and worst advice you have been given with regards to running?
My brother advised me to never start too fast, not while training and not in races. When I start, I run very slowly for the first 20 minutes. Once, I read an article in which someone said that stretching did not help their running. I strongly disagree. To me stretching is not only therapeutic, but also essential.


What is your proudest moment in running?
The best race of my life was in 1987 when I finished the Two Oceans Ultra Marathon in 3:57. To get a silver medal at Two Oceans is a lot harder than getting a silver medal at Comrades. If you want silver in Two Oceans, you have to run at an average pace of 4:15 and reach the marathon mark in subthree
hours. That’s when the race really starts, because you still have 14km left and you have to run up Constantia Nek at the same consistent pace.


And in your business?
The first time OUTsurance started showing a profit.


Most embarrassing or worst moment in running?
My worst moment was when I heard I had to be operated on for a knee injury and I knew I would be out of running for a long time.


And in business?
I haven’t had bad moments in business. I believe every time a door closes, another one opens, often offering better opportunities.


The thing I love most about running is…
The runners high I get after 40 minutes on the road.


After a run the first thing I like to do is…
Stretch and take a shower.


My greatest ambition is to complete…
The Iron Man as well as a marathon on each continent.


Do you regret anything?
I never got a Bill Rowan medal. In the days when I ran sub-nine hours, there weren’t Bill Rowan medals at Comrades. That’s probably why I still have this thing in the back of my mind to go out there and get my Bill Rowan.


I don’t enjoy being beaten by…
(laughs) Someone that is clearly overweight and has no right to be running faster than me.


I enjoy training most…
On my own.


Who are your running role models?
In earlier days, it was Bruce Fordyce and Bob de la Motte. I also admired my brother. He now lives in England and doesn’t run much, but years ago he ran a sub 2:20 marathon. Not bad for a medical doctor, who had to fit training into his busy life.


What is your favourite meal after a big race?
A juicy steak and a glass of red wine.


I could not go running without my…
Running watch. I am very focused on time.


What would you say to someone who says that they don’t have the time to start running?
You are bluffing yourself. Exercise should be a priority.


What is your life motto?
There are no securities in life, only opportunities. If you accept this, you will take responsibility for your own life and start looking for opportunities.


Comrades times












































































Year  Age Time Medal Overall 
1984 25 07:54:59 Bronze 1 297 
1985  26 07:28:13 Silver614 
1986  27 07:24:17 Silver 995
1987  28 08:01:33 Bronze  1 141 
1988  29 07:50:05  Bronze  1 281 
1989 30  08:19:21  Bronze  1 802 
1993  34  09:09:33  Bronze  3 834 
2002  43  10:39:36  Bronze  6 889 
2003  44 09:31:24  Bronze  4 017 
2004 4510:05:17  Bronze  4 497 
2009  50  11:41:35  Vic Clapham  8 809