Author: Modern Athlete
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Balance Biomechanics
The average runner strikes about 600 times per kilometre. Somebody who weighs about 70kg lands with roughly 120 tons of force per square centimetre per foot strike.
Does this get your attention? Now imagine your foot is not striking correctly; that means your ankle is not working properly, your knees are under strain and a whole lot of muscles are trying to counteract the imbalance. Are you still wondering why you have that niggling injury you just can’t seem to sort out? Maybe it’s time you start paying attention to your biomechanics.
INJURIES
The foot is a complex structure made up of 26 bones, 33 joints, 107 ligaments and 19 muscles and tendons. With all the pressure we put on our feet every day, it’s no wonder that many runners land up with knee, hip, back and even neck problems because their feet and legs are not aligned correctly. Many running injuries are caused by over training, lack of stretching and in fact a large percentage of all lower limb injuries in sport are caused by poor biomechanics, say Franklin Dubowitz, podiatrist from the Centre for Sports Medicine and Orthopaedics in Rosebank, Johannesburg.
Running is a repetitive action and if your biomechanics are not working properly, it is bound to cause problems. “South African runners are out there every single weekend, winter and summer, and many run crazy distances. A lot of athletes don’t take care of themselves and ignore pain or slight niggles. Some leave it so late that they end up with serious injuries,” says Franklin.
Very few people are 100 percent balanced and aligned. Most of us supinate (roll outwards) or pronate (roll inwards) to a certain degree, and it is normal to pronate within certain perimeters, therefore it is not everyone needs intervention. Running shoes play a role in helping with problems such as excessive supination and pronation, but in a lot of cases, shoes are just not specific enough. That’s when you should start considering consulting a podiatrist. “If I measure the way you strike with your feet and one foot has a 15? of pronation while the other foot has a 24? of pronation, how can you expect one set of running shoes to work for both feet?” says Franklin, who has treated sporting stars such as Shaun Pollock, Graeme Smith, Sachin Tendulkar and most other members of the Indian cricket team.
THE OLD AND THE NEW
Most of us know the traditional system of orthotics, where an impression of the foot, called a plaster cast, is taken while the patient is sitting in a non-weight bearing position. Podiatrists use this cast, as well as computer technology, to design a device that balances and corrects problems. This process normally takes anything from a couple of days to sometimes a few weeks, a sometimes frustrating waiting period for someone in a hurry to sort out their injuries. New technology now allows for orthotics to be made instantaneously in as little as an hour including consultation; a first in South Africa, says Franklin.
You can walk out of the consultation room with your new pair of orthotics in your shoes and you can be sure it’s going to be a pair that is flexible, comfortable, functional and transferable. Franklin does not work with rigid orthotics. “One has to remove the abnormal movement of the foot but at the same time still allow for the normal movement. Your foot has to be able to move and absorb shock and that is the reasoning behind more flexible orthotics,” says Franklin.
In Sachin Tendulkar’s case 11 years ago, rigid orthotics were the cause of his stress fracture. “He battled to run in the hard orthotics and eventually flew in from India to see me. We manufactured a special orthotic and within seven days he was up and running. That orthotic is still known today as the Tendulkar orthotic,” says Franklin, who has been treating runners, amongst others, for 27 years.
THE PROCESS
A patient is assessed by a video gait analysis system while running or walking on a treadmill. Four high speed cameras record the foot strike from all angles. This information is recorded instantaneously on a computer. While playing back the recording, one can see how the patient is landing and how the foot moves through the gait. “We can slow down the recording and dissect the leg, ankle and foot from each and every angle and establish whether the patient is supinating or pronating,” says Franklin. He is strongly against methods of assessment where the patient runs up and down an alley in order for a podiatrist to diagnose what the problem is with the naked eye. “Your eyes are simply just not quick enough to see exacts,” says Franklin.
The best method of assessment is a video gait analysis system, used by a many podiatrists these days. Usually, an additional analysis is done where the patient walks across a pressure plate. Information about the stride, pressure points (superficial and deep seated), possible supination or pronation, and a comparison between your left and right foot are recorded on another computer, which shows two and three dimensional images of pressure under your feet. It also shows the exact movement from heel strike to toe-off. In more traditional methods of treatment, this information helps podiatrists with the manufacturing of orthotics in a laboratory.
New technology changes all of this. In many cases, orthotics can now be manufactured instantaneously in the comfort of the consultation room. You can walk out with the orthotics in your shoes, says Franklin. It works like this: first a ready made module which fits into your shoe gets chosen for your specific sport or daily activity. These modules, of which some are made of carbon fibre, are imported. Previous information gathered from your stride, pressure points and possible supination or pronation help Franklin to manually adjust the mould around your feet until it feels comfortable and is customised to your specific problem. The success of the system is that your orthotics are made under weight bearing circumstances, which allow them to feel soft, light and flexible. All adjustments are made while you are standing on the orthotics in the machine. A negative impression is done with the assistance of a sophisticated pressure sensor plate. The selected module is then pre heated and laminated. It is inserted into the digital mould and the patient is then asked to stand on the machine once again to allow the module to set in the required position. The patient steps off and the orthotics are done.
Remember, this machine does not perform magic and all orthotics take time to get used to. One should at first walk with the orthotics before attempting to run. Wearing orthotics also does not mean that you will never get injured again, but, according to Frankin, your chances of injury are greatly reduced.
ADVICE TO RUNNERS
Christine on PROTEIN
Dietician, Christine Peters, shares some secrets about how PROTEIN affects our diet!
Proteins are made up of amino acids, the building blocks of all tissues in our body. As well as being essential for growth and repair of body tissue, they are used to make hormones, enzymes, antibodies and neurotransmitters, and help transport substances around the body. Both the quality of the proteins you eat (determined by the balance of these amino acids) and the quantities of proteins you eat are important.
Generally, it is recommended that protein make up 15% of our total energy intake, but we are often not given enough guidance to the quality of protein. For example, the average baby only receives about 1% of its total energy intake as protein and manages to double its birth weight in six months. This is because the quality of protein is good and easily absorbed. Assuming that you actually take in 15% protein daily, 10% should be good quality (about 35g). This is an optimal intake for most adults, unless pregnant, breastfeeding, recovering from surgery or undertaking large amounts of exercise or heavy manual work. For us runners, the amount and quality of our protein intake is vital in ensuring we stay fit, healthy and strong.
PROTEIN REQUIREMENTS AND ENDURANCE EXERCISE
The amount of protein you need increases or decreases when exercising, according to the amount needed to fuel muscles, and the amount needed to account for any extra muscle that is laid down. As an athlete generally consumes more calories, this extra protein needed during endurance sports is generally covered, so there is no need for athletes to supplement with powders and supplements.
Most athletes’ total protein needs are met with 1g protein per kilogram of body-weight e.g. 60g for a 60kg athlete. However, if an athlete’s daily training sessions are lengthy and intense (burning up a significant amount of their protein fuel), they will require an increased protein intake. The protein requirements of different athletes are summed up in this table:
| General sports activity | 1g of protein per kg body weight |
| Endurance training athletes (aim for high end of range for very strenuous and prolonged activity) | 1.2g to 1.6g of protein for every kg you weigh |
| Adolescents and growing athletes | 2g of protein for every kg you weigh |
| Pregnant athletes | Extra 10g of protein per day in trimesters two and three |
| Breastfeeding athletes | Extra 20g of protein per day |
Most South African diets cover these recommendations (12% to 15% total energy intake as protein) however, low-energy consumers may find that 15% to 20% of their total energy budget is needed as protein. For example, people who are watching their weight and are only eating limited amounts, may need to consume a slightly bigger percentage of their total intake as protein.
PROTEIN MYTHS
In the sporting world, many people tend to think that consuming large amounts of protein will lead to bigger muscles and enhanced muscle function. However, any excess protein that is not used is broken down and its waste products are excreted via the kidneys in urine. This means that a high protein diet will put strain on the kidneys and can even leech calcium off your bones, increasing the risk of osteoporosis. In fact, there isn’t enough evidence to prove that massive amounts of protein in any form are advantageous to athletes. Also, concentrated amounts of amino acid solutions found in protein can cause cramping and diarrhoea due to the large amounts of water that are drawn into the intestines.
GOOD PROTEIN, BAD PROTEIN
Protein choices should always be made with other nutritional goals in mind. Animal proteins supply the body with essential amino acids which are easily absorbed, as well as other nutrients such as calcium (dairy products) and iron (meat and shellfish). But, many animal proteins are also naturally high in saturated fat and cholesterol. The best choice is to choose proteins with a low fat content, such as low fat or fat free milk, chicken without skin, lean beef or boiled eggs. Vegetable proteins, on the other end of the scale, tend to be high in carbohydrates, such as is found in soya products like soya sausages, cutlets, burgers.
Complete Versus Incomplete Proteins
Some foods provide a good balance of essential amino acids and are generally regarded as superior sources of protein. Generally, animal proteins are seen as more ‘complete’ in terms of their amino acids, than vegetable proteins. But, people who don’t eat many animal proteins can obtain essential amino acids from a variety of plant foods such as vegetables, fruit and grains. Grains, nuts and legumes are great sources of plant protein but they all lack a different essential amino acid. When these complementary proteins are eaten together, all the essential amino acids can be obtained from them. Not sure how to combine these? Try rice and beans, rice and peas, peanuts or peanut butter and bread, or samp and beans.
YOU DON’T EAT MEAT?
There are a lot of concerns surrounding vegetarians and vegans. Vegans have to make a concerted effort to eat sufficient amounts of high quality protein and are at risk of having insufficient amounts of calcium, iron and vitamin B12. It is recommended that true vegetarians consult a dietician to ensure they get a good balance of essential nutrients. Lacto-vegetarians (dairy consuming vegetarians) and ovolacto-vegetarians (egg and dairy consuming vegetarians) can easily meet the recommended intakes of these ‘lacking’ nutrients.
PROTEIN, PROTEIN EVERYWHERE
This table can be used a guideline to help you assess which proteins will help you meet your daily nutritional requirements.
Protein-Rich Foods
The following foods have approximately 10g protein:
Low-fat animal proteins
- Grilled fish (50g cooked weight)
- Tuna, salmon or pilchards (50g)
- Lean beef or lamb (35g cooked weight)
- Turkey or chicken (40g cooked weight)
- Game biltong (15g)
- Lean beef biltong (25g)
- Eggs (2 small)
- Cottage cheese (70g)
- Reduced fat cheese (30g)
- Low fat yoghurt (200g carton)
- Low fat milk (300ml)
- Liquid meal supplements (150ml)
Vegetable proteins
- Wholewheat bread (4 slices)
- All bran flakes (2 cups)
- Cooked pasta (1 ? cups)
- Cooked brown rice (3 cups)
- Cooked lentils (2/3 cup)
- Baked beans (4/5 cup)
- Cooked soya beans (? cup)
- Nuts (50g)
- Raw tofu (120g)
- Peanut butter (3 tablespoons)
Source: Langenhoven M, Kruger M, Grouws E, Faber M. MRC Food composition Tables, 3rd Edition. Parow: Medical Research Council. 1991.
References:
Health – The Trevor Toerien Way
Most sportspeople are willing to try anything new, be it different training sessions, learning how to meditate or starting a whole new eating programme as long as they improve and achieve the results they crave. Trevor Toerien, a runner from Boksburg, has done exactly that. Through revolutionising his diet, Trevor believes he has transformed his sporting career, and achieved running times he would never have done otherwise. An added bonus: his arthritis has since disappeared. Modern Athlete chatted to Trevor on his conscious health choices in order to live a longer, healthier life and run stronger.
YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT
The first thing that catches your eye when you walk into the pretty kitchen of a house in Germiston on the East Rand, is the luscious green wheatgrass in trays on the counter. Very close to those lie more trays, showcasing sprouts bursting with goodness. You immediately feel guilty about the scone you had for breakfast. And when you open one of the kitchen cupboards, you find rows and rows of imported and local vitamins, minerals and other supplements. With an experienced hand, Trevor cuts the wheatgrass, pops it into the blender and within minutes he whips up a wheatgrass shot, which is equivalent to about 1kg of fresh garden vegetables in nutritional value, something he has twice a day. While many of us wake up to toast and coffee or good old fashioned cereal, Trevor grinds a mixture of seeds into a powder which he has with water. He washes it down with a teaspoon of Apple Cider Vinegar, which is known to alkalize the body. And that is breakfast done for Trevor Toerien.
“I will eat anything as long as it is nutritious. I don’t care what it tastes like. Wheatgrass is an acquired taste. It does taste a bit like cut grass, but I enjoy it. If I know something is good for me, I will have it,” says Trevor, who has just won the gruelling 52km Rhodes Ultra Marathon in a time of 4:30:50. Trevor’s winning margin of 20:26 was the fourth biggest in the 21 year history of the race. He also finished fifth overall (and first Veteran) in the recent Donkey’s Pass 24km Mountain Challenge just outside Newcastle. And to top it all off, he blitzed to second place in the Veteran’s Category of the Central Gauteng Athletics Cross Country Championships held in August in an unofficial time of 26:31.
For this 43-year-old runner, living and eating healthily has become a way of life. “Initially, my friends thought I was obsessive, but once they got to know what I eat and why, they realised there is nothing weird about it.” Amongst his friends and fellow Boksburg runners, Trevor has become known for his somewhat different way of doing things, such as the time earlier this year when he took 18 bags to a Comrades training camp. He made sure he had everything from the wheatgrass to a blender to an ozone therapy machine. He uses this machine from time to time as he feels it improves circulation, relaxes blood vessels and helps to release more oxygen at tissue level. He also packed two kettlebells, a functional movement training tool, weighing 24kg each. “I must admit, it takes me very long to pack. My wife had to transport my bags with a bakkie to the bus we were travelling in. My club mates know me by now. They just laugh and say if I can run a 6:20 Comrades, they don’t care how many bags I take with. Trevor has conquered nine Comrades Marathons and ran a personal best of 6:20:34 this year, earning him his fifth silver medal.
A CHANGE OF LIFE
Trevor has suffered from arthritis since the age of eight. His aunt died from health complications as a result of arthritis and as a teenager Trevor realised that if he wasn’t careful, the same could happen to him. At the age of 21, he became a vegetarian. “It helped me to manage the pain a bit, but it didn’t take the arthritis away.” Trevor started running for Germiston Callies Harriers when he was 31 and within a year, he signed up for his first Comrades (2000). He finished in a time of 9:19. “I thought I was only going to do one. But then everyone said you have to do one up and one down run. And once that happens you just want to do more.” And that’s exactly what he did. He trained hard and longed for a silver medal in his third Comrades in 2002. “Unfortunately, I was overconfident and I went out there just expecting it to happen. I did not respect the race. I landed up running 8:03. I was so disappointed. Something like that really brings you back to earth and gets you off your high horse. It made me respect Comrades, but I was so bitterly disappointed that I took a year off running. I did not do anything and thought I would never run again.” A year later, while watching the Comrades on TV, things changed and the running bug bit again.
“While watching, I realised I should be running there. I got inspired again and slowly started training.” Trevor claimed his silver medal the next year (2004) finishing in 7:25. In 2005, he missed a second silver, finishing in 7:33. That was when he started suspecting something was missing in either his training or diet. “I thought, why am I struggling so much with my running? I realised my training was spot on and I started looking at my diet.” After doing a lot of research on health matters and soya products specifically, he decided to revert back to eating meat as a lot of soya products are genetically modified. He gradually became increasingly interested in all aspects of health and started importing a range of colloidal minerals from the USA. “These minerals contain everything your body needs and because they are in a liquid form, they get absorbed into your bloodstream quickly. I believe it has helped me a lot in terms of energy and endurance.”
Trevor started growing his own wheatgrass and sprouts in his kitchen as well as vegetables in his garden. He finds wheatgrass especially beneficial as it is known for its alkalizing qualities. It also contains a great deal of enzymes that serve as antioxidants. For lunch, Trevor digs into a bowl of sprouts and salad. Dinner time, it’s more sprouts with either grilled fish or chicken. He also eats a South American grain called quinoa, which is tasty and high in protein. He doesn’t eat any potatoes, bread or rice. “Some people walk into my kitchen and comment that it looks like a farm, but I believe living this way basically guarantees you a disease-free life. I know for sure it has helped my running tremendously. I don’t think I am a talented runner. I think my improved ability has a lot to do with my changed diet.” In a restaurant, he usually orders grilled fish. “I don’t like any sauces on my food. Just give me the food the way it was supposed to be, with no additives,” says Trevor.
LIVING LIFE
Yes, he has a life and he does have junk food once in a while! “After the Donkey’s Pass race, we had dinner with friends and I had two glasses of red wine and game. I enjoyed it, but while driving back the next day, I could already feel the effect it had on my body. At home, I went on a bit of a detox and I was fine.” For Trevor, eating healthily has become a lifestyle which he has adapted to and enjoys, especially the benefits he reaps from it. For the last couple of years, he has not suffered from the pain that goes with arthritis. “Of course I get sick, but to me it is not necessarily a bad thing. It’s your body’s way of getting rid of toxins. I just try and dose myself with natural supplements. I have not been to a doctor in thirty years or taken any medication. I don’t want to give away my powers to doctors. I respect them and they serve a valuable purpose, but I feel I can heal my body better the way I know how. I do visit a homeopath from time to time. You can take control of your own health; it’s just a matter of believing it.”
Trevor’s wife, Gaynor, and two sons, Evan (13) and Jody (8), don’t eat the same meals as him. They do have some sprouts and salads, but Gaynor prepares a different meal for her and the boys. “I’m very fortunate that my wife helps me to prepare my food. I have my family’s support and without my wife helping me it would be very difficult to stick to my eating plan. I give my boys some supplements, but it’s up to them to change their eating habits if they want to. Change must come from them and they should not be forced into it,” says Trevor.
TRAINING AND RACES
Trevor mixes up his training with speed work, hills, cross country runs and long distance. In the months building up to Comrades, he runs about 12km some mornings. These runs include two so-called ‘hot spots’, where he runs flat out for 1km and then eases off. Track training on Tuesdays consists of about ten 400m sessions and once a week he does a time trial. Thursdays are reserved for long hilly runs followed by a long club run or race on the weekends. “I do anything between 100km and 120km a week, but in peak training weeks just before Comrades, I run over 200km a week. I usually join my club on a Comrades training camp where we train on the Comrades route. Then I run 40km a day for four days. I love it. It is so inspiring and a great confidence booster.” Trevor includes strength training in his exercise regime and trains mornings and nights with two kettlebells, which he feels have strengthened his legs, upper body and core area.
He finds the Two Oceans Ultra Marathon to be a tough race as it usually forms part of his build up to Comrades and he is not very fit at that time. He remembers one particular Two Oceans where he sat at the side of the road feeling as if he was going to die. “I didn’t train well that year and thought I could run on memory. I didn’t bail, which was good. I did bail once in my life and that was at the RAC Tough One.” Trevor ran this Randburg race shortly after his one year lay off from running. “I wasn’t used to the distance and gave up at about 28km. I got into a car and was later devastated that I bailed.” His favourite race is the Rhodes Ultra Marathon, which he has run four times and won twice. “It is a beautiful race. I’m not the sort of guy who will win any road races, but to win a trail run like that was special.”
He has a competitive spirit and loves to give his all. “I always measure myself and say, ‘Well, if you did that, what else could you do?’ In every race and training session I like to run on the edge and push myself.”
GOALS AND DREAMS
Trevor would love to run even faster, but for that to happen, he feels he will have to follow an even stricter diet and train harder. “My dream is to run a sub six hour Comrades, but I’m not getting any younger. It gets harder the older you get. I’m going to run one more Comrades next year. Then I will have done ten. After that I would like to concentrate on Two Oceans.” He believes wholeheartedly in his healthy way of living, but is very cautious of telling other runners what to do. “I would rather live by example and if others see it works for me and they want advice, I am willing to share my story.”
Trevor has one ultimate dream, “To run Comrades at the age of 100. I want to be the oldest finisher of Comrades.”
FAST FACTS
Not being able to run makes me feel… As if something is missing. It’s almost like a drug.
I run because… It helps me in everyday life and in my business. It’s like a form of meditation. While you run you can think about things and let go of a lot of other things.
I like long distance running because… It builds character.
Hardest run ever: Cross country Championships – Witbank
Words to live by: Never give up.
Words of advice: If you work hard, you will achieve. It’s not about wishing for it, it’s about going after it.
Running mentor: Frank Da Ascencao.
Run Lite – How I Lost 50kg
The tall, muscular figure running into Durban’s Sahara Kingsmead Stadium almost gets lost amongst all the other shapes and sizes, but there is something about the look on this man’s face and the way he beats his chest that makes you look twice. Sibusiso Buthelezi, a runner from Johannesburg Harriers Athletic Club, is not only finishing his very first Comrades Marathon, he is also proving that determination can make you realise your dreams. Who would have guessed that merely two years ago, this man was 50kg heavier, weighing in at an astounding 143kg? This is the story of one man’s transformation from ‘fat boy’ to Bill Rowan medallist.
NEW BEGINNINGS
It is 3:30 in the morning. Sibu, as he is known to his friends, is suddenly wide awake and lies silently in the dark. That’s when he decides he has had enough of his big body. Today is the day to start running. He gets up and fumbles in the dark to find his shoes. He can’t even remember when last he had them on. Sibu then reaches for his size 48 tracksuit pants and shirt. A couple of minutes later, he breathes the cool morning air, silently welcoming the darkness, knowing that at this hour no one can see his 143kg frame trying to exercise. He knows a 4km route close to his house in the south of Johannesburg and approaches it with a walking/running attitude.
That was 7 August 2007, a day Sibu will never forget because it changed his life forever. “That day, I ran from one lamppost to the next and then I walked from the following lamppost to another. It took me 50 minutes to finish 4km. By the time I got home, I was exhausted and sore, but within me there was a lot of excitement. It was me against the world. I did not want to share my plans with anyone because I have disappointed them too many times before,” says Sibu.
Up until then, he had lived a life of too many cigarettes, beers shared with friends while watching sport on television, eating oversized portions and sometimes even eating two meals for lunch in the canteen at work. Though he was not chubby at school, he was also not the fittest boy in class either. While studying for his BCom Accounting degree, his weight fluctuated constantly and when he started working as Head of Operational Risk at African Bank in 2004, his weight problems reached an all time high.
“I am very outgoing and love spending time with my friends, many of whom I have known since school days. I am always surrounded by people and to me a good time means sitting and chatting with friends. Unfortunately, that is also how it all went wrong. We used to drink a few beers and while drinking you end up eating more and more,” says Sibu.
WEIGHTY MATTERS
Sibu has a big frame and boxed at school and university because his father was a professional boxer. He also tried a bit of weight training, but time and again, he would fall off the wagon and go back to his old ways of no exercise. “I had moments where I was trying to be fit and health conscious. But sometimes I trained so much that when I lost interest, I did so completely. I didn’t even want to drive past a gym because it made me feel guilty. It wasn’t a happy life. My weight was forever fluctuating,” says Sibu.
He started gaining so much weight that he had to buy size 48 pants. “Every time I bought clothes, I had to buy one size bigger. It was horrible. I don’t have to wear a suit to work, but I still like to dress nicely. Unfortunately, my size kept me from doing so. I bought clothes that would fit instead of clothes that I liked. The belt of my pants just made the last hole.” His usual cheerful attitude towards life started changing. “I became nasty and spiteful because I thought the world was unfair towards me.”
Every time he saw his friends, they would comment on his increasing size. Sibu tried to down play it and often joked along. “A lot of my friends said I looked more like a taxi driver than a man who worked in an office. Inside, I felt bad but I tried not to show how much it bothered me. The funny thing was it didn’t make me eat less. The only other time I felt guilty was when I bought clothes.” At work, he struggled to climb two flights of stairs and by the time he reached the top, he was drenched in sweat. But Sibu kept on eating and drinking, anything from pizza to beer. Eating became a habit, it became synonymous with socialising. But after his first run on 7 August 2007, Sibusiso’s life started changing.
CHANGE AND DETERMINATION
He started running every day and also changed his eating habits. “I started taking a lunchbox to work, filled with a sandwich, fruit and salad.” Initially, he did not make any drastic changes as he was scared he would be put off by bland diet food and not stick to his new programme. He slowly introduced dietary changes such as no longer buying snacks at the vending machine, but rather nibbling on fruit and dried fruit. He no longer ate at the work canteen and changed to eating low fat products. “I just made small changes, for instance I still had a bit of mayonnaise on my sandwich, but it was the low fat version.” He cut out red meat and only had chicken once a week. He mainly ate fish and vegetables or stir fry for supper. “By then my wife (Lizzy) realised it was not just another one of my whims and she supported me. She got my running clothes ready in the morning and prepared all my food,” says Sibu, who also added a weight training routine in the evening to his exercise programme.
By September 2007, he was running 8km, though he still started at 3:30 for fear of people seeing him and making fun of him. “I remember the security guards laughing at me when I ran. At work, a lot of people doubted me and said I would never last. In my mind, I created an imaginary book called my humble pie book. Every time someone laughed at me, I would write his name in my humble pie book. The names in that book increased every day,” says Sibu.
Initially, he didn’t weigh himself. “I was so scared because I wasn’t even sure I could maintain it, but I could feel I was losing weight. My belt was now in the third hole.” Only six weeks into his new programme, he worked up enough guts to get on the scale. He still weighed a hefty 136kg, but was 7kg lighter than before.
Sibu kept on running, alternating between 8km and 10km runs. He eventually confided in a friend, Meetash Patel, about his desire to tackle a running race. In November 2007, Sibu, weighing 107kg, and Meetash ran the Soweto 10km in an hour. “It was my first race ever. I enjoyed it so much and just wanted to do more,” says Sibu, who was still not running in proper running shoes. He describes his shoes as a pair of takkies he bought over the counter a couple of years earlier. They were so old, he kept the front parts together with tape.
REAL RUNNER
In February last year, Sibu ran his first 21.1km at the Deloitte Pretoria Half Marathon. “My time was 2:07 and for the first time I was not embarrassed to run. I was a man on a mission.” He completed a couple more half marathons before a friend at gym, Zola Mafeje, convinced him to join Johannesburg Harriers Athletic Club. Sibu’s goal was to run the Soweto Marathon and by the time he ran it in November last year, he had already slimmed down to 97kg. His first marathon was no walk in the park and the words ‘hitting the wall’ soon became a reality. “Things went well up to the 36km mark, but then my body suddenly just came to a stop. I had to walk and even that was too much of an effort. My feet hurt and I had blisters. I eventually finished the race in 4:18. That’s when I realised I also needed proper running shoes.”
By then Sibu’s humble pie book was nearly empty. “People congratulated me on my weight loss. It inspired me because I had the weight of an audience on my shoulders. I did not want to disappoint them.” In February this year, he ran the Dischem Half Marathon in Bedfordview in a time of 1:43. A couple of days later while running in Meyersdal, a suburb south of Johannesburg, he met up with a group of runners who meet every morning at 5:00 at the Virgin Active gym. “They saw me running and said I should join them. The next morning I was there. It was so nice. For the first time, I ran with people who knew different routes. Some of the runners were faster than me, all were more experienced and they talked about running all the time. It changed my life and my running improved so much. Everyone just accepted me. At first we just spoke about running, but later we shared other things too,” says Sibu.
He never really gave Comrades much thought but after a couple of weeks running with his newfound friends, it slowly started becoming a dream. “Every time I ran with my new group, every second sentence had to do with Comrades. That’s when I decided to tackle it.” By then Sibu weighed 92kg, ideal for his frame and height.
He qualified for Comrades in a time of 3:39 at his second 42.2km ever, the Cape Gate Vaal Marathon. Shortly afterwards, he ran his first ultra marathon, Om die Dam, which he describes as a learning curve. The race made him realise he is an impatient runner who starts fast but fades in the latter part of the race. “After Om die Dam, I ran the Two Oceans Ultra Marathon and also had to negotiate the last few kilometres. I thought that was the way it was going to be at Comrades; run faster in the first half and negotiate the second half. I had a finishing time in my mind but never said it out loud. My goal was to finish in the single digits. 9:59:59 would have been perfect!”
A LIFE CHANGING DAY
He felt prepared, but also very nervous on Comrades day. “People always say you feel emotional after Comrades, but for me it was the other way around. I was very emotional at the start. There were so many people around me, but I felt so lonely. I looked left and right and it seemed as if everyone around me knew exactly what they were doing, except me. I was scared I would not finish and disappoint myself as well as my family and friends who were there to support me,” says Sibu.
He saw the sub-nine hour bus at the start and decided he just needed to stay ahead of it. At the 30km mark he joined a smaller group of runners and did everything they did. “I had no idea what I was doing so I thought I might as well join them. I was like a student. When they walked, I walked and when they ran I ran.” Just after the halfway mark, the sub-nine hour bus passed them and Sibu decided to take a chance and join them. “There are so many things about Comrades that I don’t even remember because I was too emotionally involved in that race.”
At about the 70km mark, Sibu’s energy was low and he started thinking of falling back, but at that moment he heard someone screaming his name. It was his wife and two boys, Njabulo (6) and Vukani (3), joined by friends cheering him on. “No one will ever know how much energy that gave me. I didn’t pull back and hung on to the bus.”
Shortly afterwards, he ran past a feeding station with speakers announcing the tenth lady, Kashmira Parbhoo, had just made her way into the stadium. Kashmira is one of Sibu’s running friends, with whom he trains in the mornings. “When I heard Kashmira’s name, I thought, it looks like this is our day! And as we started getting closer to the stadium, I realised that a sub-nine hour was on the cards for me. It was the most amazing feeling. When I ran into the stadium, I saw my family and I beat my chest for my boys. That day was so emotional not only because I finished the race, but because I realised I had come a long way. For the first time, I saw myself as a runner.”
OVERCOMING HARD TIMES
When one speaks to Sibu’s friends you quickly realise how much he is loved and respected, not only for his sheer determination to lose so much weight, but also because of the many hardships he has endured in life.
At the age of 4, he was kidnapped in Soweto where he grew up, but as his kidnappers fled with him in their car, they were involved in a car accident and Sibu was rescued. In later life, he was involved in a serious car accident and landed in hospital with a blood clot in his brain. He could not read, write and had no feeling in his arm and one part of his face. “Doctors thought it could also be a brain tumour that I had before the accident. They wanted to operate, but I refused and started seeing a homeopath. A couple of months later it was gone,” says Sibu.
LOOKING AHEAD
He believes running has brought him closer to his family. “In the past, I would get home late and not see my kids before they went to bed. Now I can account for my time and I make sure I spend quality time with them. My family also comes with me to races. Races have become a family outing for us. We wake the kids and they dress up. On the way to the race, my wife plays my favourite music by Tracy Chapman. My family is proud of me and my eldest boy has also started running a little bit now.”
Sibu could never go back to his old ways. He looks forward to his morning runs and enjoys his healthy way of living. He is inspired by people from his running group, especially Cindy Beeming and her husband, Arthur, with whom he has a special bond. “They are just such inspiring people with an amazing ability to make everyone around them happy and feel good about themselves,” says Sibu.
He loves running because it is an undiscriminating sport. “All shapes and sizes run. There is no such a thing as this one has a R10 000 bike and that one has a R3 000 bike. Runners are all equal in those long kilometres on the road. It’s just you, your running shoes and your fellow runners around you.”
Sibu would like to run many more Comrades and one day maybe even compete in an Iron Man. “God has given me a lot of chances in life. I have learnt how to live my life in the right way. This is one chance I am not going to mess up.”
Johnny – The Great All-Rounder
He was known as one of the greatest all round distance runners South Africa has ever produced. Not only did he win most of the high profile road races in South Africa’s race calendar in the 70s and 80s, but he was also the holder of national titles in the marathon, half marathon and cross country events. Johnny Halberstadt was known for more than just his phenomenal running ability. He will always be remembered as the man who refused sport’s highest accolade, Springbok colours, because he felt so strongly about the plight of black athletes. Modern Athlete spoke to Johnny and got to know more about his life in Boulder, Colorado, one of the most beautiful running cities in the world.
LIFE IN BOULDER
Johnny Halberstadt is clearly a content man. Though he was on the phone to us, thousands of miles away, he described exactly, the spot he was standing, high up on a huge balcony overlooking open land with the majestic Rocky Mountains in the background. “You should see it here! It is beautiful,” says Johnny, who admits he is, after all these years, still in awe of the beauty of his adopted home. Johnny could not have chosen a better place to live. Around the world, Boulder is known as a running city and a haven for athletes focused on living a healthy, outdoor lifestyle. It is a place that has been Johnny’s home for the last 15 years.
The Halberstadt family immigrated to the States in 1994 where Johnny and long-time friend and former world marathon champion, Mark Plaatjes, started a successful business, the Boulder Running Company. Today, the two men are known as leading innovators in footwear technology and an integral part of the Boulder community.
A SUCCESS STORY OF TWO BEST FRIENDS
The Boulder Running Company is a small chain of running stores in Colorado and prides itself on creating an atmosphere where walkers and runners of all shapes and sizes can buy athletic gear while being treated like elite athletes. If you walk into their store in Boulder on any Saturday, you will find the two buddies working in exactly the same way as their employees, even if it involves taking out the trash.
And this is probably one of the reasons why they are so successful; last year their company was awarded the Esprit Entrepreneur of the Year Award presented by the Boulder Chamber of Commerce, an award won because of the excellent level of service they deliver to customers and the community. And in 2006, they were named top running store in the USA (out of 740 stores) by the Running Network and Running Intelligence organisations. Today, the Boulder Running Company is an institution synonymous with the city. Boulder Running Company also sponsors several local road races and money raised goes to organisations such as the Orphans of Aids Trust Foundations in South Africa.
Johnny and Mark are not only business partners, but also best friends. “Mark is a wonderful guy and stays about 8km from me. He is in great shape and still runs 60km per week. We don’t run much together but he has a training group he coaches,” says Johnny. Mark, who has a Master’s degree in physical therapy from the University of Witwatersrand and a pre-med degree from the University of Georgia, also works as a physical therapist in his own private practice, situated above the store.
Mark, who could not compete in the 1984 and 1988 Olympic Games due to the international boycott of South Africa, finished sixth in the Boston Marathon in 1993. Just three weeks after gaining USA citizenship, he won the 1993 World Championship Marathon. “He is such a humble, incredible man and one of the most respected physical therapists in the country,” says Johnny.
The community of Boulder loves sport, but they differ from South Africans in their approach to sporting activities. “Most people here are not so obsessed with running good times. They participate with friends and family and often do it to raise money for causes like breast cancer awareness. The health benefit of sport is the foremost priority,” says Johnny. Most people in Boulder run because of the beautiful surroundings and many world class athletes train there. “It’s an awesome place; in the nearby mountains there are even bears and American mountain lions that you have to be careful of,” says Johnny. Other attractions include the year round sporting activities in Boulder. “All we need is the ocean and then we would have everything.”
STUDENT YEARS
In 1971, Johnny obtained a track scholarship to Oklahoma State University after some excellent performances on the track, road and in cross country events in South Africa. In this time, he earned a MBA and undergraduate degree in business and quickly made a name as an athlete. He was the 1972 NCAA (inter universities) 10 000m champion, setting a South African record of 28:50.4. Three weeks later in Oregon, he broke the South African 5 000m record, finishing in a time of 13:44. Johnny went ahead to place third in the Boston Marathon in a time of 2:22:23 and was a six time Big 8 Conference champion in track and cross country. He graduated in 1975 and returned to South Africa. Upon his return, he combined his running career with footwear innovation and product development, founding Heart and Sole specialist running stores.
COMPETING IN SOUTH AFRICA
Johnny is best remembered for hitting the wall during the 1979 Comrades. He was far in the lead when he dropped back, but then recovered enough to fight his way back into second place. Johnny will also be remembered for the 1979 marathon he ran in Durban, clocking the fastest marathon (2:12:19) at the time on the continent of Africa. He ran and won many of the standard distance big races in South Africa before moving to ultra distances in 1979. He won the Two Oceans Ultra Marathon in a time of 3:05:37, after an exciting battle with Vincent Rakabaele. Even with all the steep gradients, he went through the 50km mark in world record time. The Comrades Marathon is one race that has eluded Johnny; he placed second twice. In his first Comrades in 1979, he was second in a time of 5:50:30. In 1981, he followed it up by placing second again in a time of 5:46. “I would have loved to win that race, but I could just never master it. I could never get the formula right. Over that distance, guys like Bruce Fordyce and Alan Robb were just too good.”
Name a big local race and chances are Johnny has won it. In 1981, he clocked 3:11 at the Korkie Ultra Marathon (the winning time was usually around 3:20). He won the City-to-City race twice, the Jackie Gibson Marathon, the Johannesburg City Marathon and countless other races. He was just as good at shorter distances as marathons, running a sub-four minute mile. “I believe I did the best I could when I was running competitively. I often compare running with conducting. One needs to conduct the body’s muscles to work together in harmony. That is when you really perform. I still believe that we use too little of God’s talent given to us. It is important to make the most of what we are given,” says Johnny, who has seven Comrades medals and seven Two Oceans medals to his name.
In the 80s, Johnny made a crucial decision; to compete in a series of marathons and other road races in the USA, and it paid off. Johnny finished fourth in a time of 2:13:02 at the Nike OTC Marathon in Oregon while finishing third in 1982 in the Chicago Marathon, clocking 2:11:46, the fastest time of his career. But these races did not only bring glory to this runner, known by some as the little marathon man, because of his slight build. By competing in these races and accepting money, he lost the right to be a South African amateur and was subsequently banned from running in South Africa. It took three years of negotiating with authorities before the matter was settled and Johnny was reinstated as an amateur.
TAKING A STAND
Johnny’s biggest ‘crime’ was taking the side of black athletes. After an impressive victory at the South African cross country championships in George in 1979, Johnny was awarded Springbok colours. He declined. His reason for declining was the bad treatment of Matthews (Loop en Val) Motshwarateu. Matthews was denied a South African passport after he was offered a scholarship to a university in the USA. The South African government had refused him a passport on the grounds that he was a citizen of Bophuthatswana, but a year earlier had awarded him Springbok colours for track and cross country. Johnny pointed out that if Matthews was good enough to be awarded Springbok colours (which only citizens can earn), then he was surely good enough to get a passport. Matthews was eventually given a travel document, but it inhibited his movement so much that he could never compete for his university outside of the USA. Suddenly, the unfair treatment of mixed athletes found a face, that of Johnny Halberstadt, who said he could never live with his conscience if he accepted a Springbok blazer. This move made him the black sheep of the South African Amateur Athletics Union.
REGRETS
“Sometimes I wish I didn’t say certain things or said some things differently. But things happen for a reason. It tests us and makes us stronger,” says Johnny. However, he does not regret standing up for what he believes in. “If you don’t stand for something, you will fall for anything. Those were my personal convictions and no matter how tough and controversial they were, I knew my decision was right. I had to live with myself afterwards. When I look back today, things are very clear and what I did seems the obvious thing to have done. But at the time, it was not so obvious,” says Johnny.
He realises a lot of people thought he disrespected the sport by refusing Springbok colours and that he had a personal grudge against the South African Amateur Athletics Union. “My actions were not aimed directly at the union. It was more my way of saying if we really want to make it back into the international sporting arena we have to stand together as a nation. We are all humans.”
GREATEST COMPETITORS
“There were so many!” Johnny names a few: Bernard Rose, Willie Farrell, Matthews Motshwarateu, Kevin Shaw, Vincent Rakabaele, Andrew Greyling and Alan Robb.
RUNNING LESSONS
Johnny attributes his running success to his meticulous preparation, determination and willingness to always try and find possible problems in his running and training. “I learnt valuable lessons as a student in America. My experience taught me the importance of a post race get together where you sort out what went wrong in a race. From there you try and solve it to make sure it does not happen again.”
He feels he never really excelled at races over 60km. “Once you get over 60km, you are in a totally different world; anything can happen. You have to specialise in these types of distances if you really want to achieve at it. I don’t really think I ever got that right,” says Johnny. To him mental preparation is by far the most important thing in sport. “Enthusiasm, determination, excellence and trying to do the best you can are crucial. People often say, just do it. But I say; don’t just do it, do it right and in the best way you can the first time. Plan and execute, don’t just slap things together.”
He doesn’t run much these days; but occasionally jogs, something he refers to as his ‘meditation on the move.’ He will always love running because it is a way of expressing himself. “While I run, I think about what goes on in life and I try to get my life in order.” He doesn’t really miss much about competing at a high level as he knows he had his time of glory. “These days, I get a kick out of seeing great performances on all levels, be it in athletics or music. When someone does something well, it is beautiful to see.”
THE PATH TO A NEW COUNTRY
Johnny immigrated to the USA, seeing the opportunity to develop and market footwear patents. “In order to develop my business career further, the natural move was to immigrate. To me, the American experience has been about expanding my mind. When you are surrounded by people who are really good and motivated, it rubs off on you. When I trained with world class athletes, it gave me great self confidence.”
FAMILY LIFE
Johnny met his wife, Shona, in a steakhouse where she was a part-time waitress. He was dining with fellow athlete, Bernard Rose, when his eye fell on the beautiful Shona, an avid tennis player. The two were married in 1980 and have two kids, Jason (26) and Caitlin (24), both runners. “We are very close to nature here, but we miss our friends in SA.” They have a huge circle of friends in Boulder, especially in the church they attend. They don’t visit South Africa often as their closest family is in Swaziland.
WORDS OF WISDOM
All new runners should take things step by step and work on their strength. “We all have weaknesses and too many of us focus on this. Rather concentrate on your strengths. If you learn the most basic physiology of training, you will get the most out of what you do. One thing about running is that you get out what you put in. It’s like baking a cake; you have to follow the recipe in order to bake the best cake,” says Johnny.
He believes too many runners just go out each day and run endless amounts of kilometres without following any structure. “Think of it this way: if you want to become a great dancer, it doesn’t help just going out there every day and aimlessly moving around for hours. You have to work on efficiency and form. The same can be said about running. Be all that you can be. If you do something, do it to the best of your ability. And most of all, make sure you love what you are doing.”
| Then | Now | |
| Age | 32-35 (Peak of career) | 59 (He turns 60 in October) |
| Weight | 54kg | 55kg |
| Weekly Mileage | Close to 200km | Very little at present |
| Residence | Bedfordview | Colorado, USA |
PERSONAL BESTS
| Mile | 3:59.9 |
| 8km | Sub 23:00 (in a downhill race) |
| 10km | 28:50.4 |
| 21.1km | 1:03.35 |
| Marathon | 2:11.46 |
| Ultra Marathon (56km) | 3:05:37 |
| 100km | 6:47 |
The Desert Runner
He has become known as the desert runner, a man who has done nearly all of his running in the most dry, hot and windy places on Earth; over sand dunes, up mountains and on dangerous trails. Now he is ready to tackle the mother of all adventures – a 200km race through the Amazon Jungle, running amongst rodents the size of dogs and where leg guards are a necessity because of the huge snakes. And as the organisers of this race warn, the two most important things you should bring into the Jungle with you are your eyes. Modern Athlete spoke to Hout Bay runner, Ryan Sandes, about his upcoming race through the Amazon Jungle.
THE CHALLENGE OF A LIFETIME
Imagine running 200km through extreme terrain – sound tough enough? Now try doing it while keeping an eye out for snakes, over-sized rats and wild pigs. And if this is not enough, don’t think you are just going to run from point A to B. Swimming across creeks, negotiating rope crossings and making their way through mud, swamps and up hills all becomes part of a day’s run for competitors in the upcoming Jungle Marathon from 8 to 17 October. Not a race for the faint-hearted, especially when previous entrants say that if you run the Jungle Marathon once, you never return.
For Ryan Sandes, the Jungle Marathon is an ultimate challenge and in a couple of weeks he will be flying off to Brazil, mosquito net, hammock and all. After all, he knows how to look after himself in extreme races. He won the Gobi Desert Race in China and the Sahara Desert Race in Egypt, both 250km self-supported races over seven days and both part of the extreme Four Deserts Challenge.
Ryan, who has only been running for three years, stunned the sporting community last year when, as an unknown runner, he came from nowhere to win the Gobi and shortly afterwards the Sahara, making him not only the first South African to win these gruelling races, but also the first entrant ever to win each and every stage of both the Gobi and the Sahara. Time Magazine even named the Four Deserts Challenge as number two on its list of Top Ten Endurance Competitions in the world (the list includes such events as the Tour de France and the Dakar Rally).
27-year-old Ryan found out about the Jungle Marathon through fellow competitors. It is said to be one of the hardest marathons, not because of the distance, but rather because of the extreme conditions. Ryan has never been one to back off from extremes. “I like to try harder races than what I have done before. I try to push myself further. I have also never been to South America and to run there in such conditions will allow me to truly experience the environment. Hey, you only live once,” says Ryan, who has a BSc Degree in Construction Studies and an Honours Degree in Quantity Surveying from the University of Cape Town.
JUNGLE LIFE
The race, which will be held in Floresta Nacional do Tapaj?s, in Par?, Brazil, attracts competitors from all over the world. Entrants have the choice of two distances, 200km or 100km. The race is open to men and women, individuals and teams. There will be either four stages over four days (for 100km runners) or six stages over seven days (for 200km runners), varying in distance from approximately 16km to 87km. Each stage will have a maximum time for completion and any runner failing to arrive within the allocated stage time may be eliminated. The decision is taken by the race director and depends on the reasons for not finishing in time, the stage and the physical and psychological condition of the athlete.
The Jungle course is designed in a series of loops to minimize the spread of runners and facilitate emergency evacuations if required. Each stage is clearly marked with biodegradable tape. At each checkpoint, located every 5km to 10km, runners can replenish their water supply, rest and, if necessary, seek medical advice. Each checkpoint is also manned with military personnel, firemen to handle possible evacuations, a doctor or paramedic as well as two local guides from the particular area of the jungle to assist with the quickest route out of the jungle should someone be evacuated. The military firemen sweep each stage of the race one day in advance to double check for potential dangers. Although great navigational skills are not a prerequisite to compete in this race, common sense is. The route winds along pre-existing paths, on trails and tracks through primary jungle and around and through natural obstacles such as streams and rivers.
KISS YOUR COMFORTS GOODBYE
The Jungle is an unforgiving place where the weather can change from sizzling heat to pouring rain within minutes. Competitors have to carry all their own equipment and food and are only provided with water. “The humidity in the Jungle is about 97% and the temperatures range between 30?C and 40?C. You also have to be extremely careful of the terrain, as it is easy to hurt yourself by stepping into a hole covered by vegetation or leaves,” says Ryan.
On arrival in Santar?m, a city in the state of Par?, competitors are transferred by boat to the village of Alter do Ch?o. They then depart for an overnight trip on a boat to the Jungle base camp at Itapuama. “The journey on the boat is about eight hours and I hear it is quite crammed because everyone has to pitch their hammocks and sleep on the boat,” says Ryan.
TRAINING AND GEAR
The local jungle guides who help with trail preparation, as well as the military and fire service support teams, cover their arms, legs and heads when they are in the jungle because of the plants that can cut skin. If you don’t cover your skin, you are also more likely to get ticks as you cross swamps. But the scariest thought of all is that you have less protection against snake bites if there are no layers between the Jungle and your skin. Some even recommend snake guards that protect the legs from just below the knee to the top of the feet. Though snakes are not predators, they will attack when stepped on. “I decided against the snake guards. It looks too uncomfortable. I normally wear compression tights, but for this race I will wear full length tights to protect myself against scrapes and cuts,” says Ryan. He is also looking at ways to protect his feet from getting wet and while training, he deliberately runs through wet puddles to get his feet used to possible wetness.
Ryan’s backpack weighs about 9kg. Competitors need to be totally self-sufficient and take their own hammocks and some type of covering to keep warm at night when they sleep at campsites along the shores of the river. Like all other competitors, Ryan had to undergo a full medical examination as part of the entry process. He is planning to leave a week before the start of the race in order to acclimatise.
Ryan normally trains in a three to four week cycle, starting off with an easy week which builds up to a difficult week. His average weekly programme for big races includes:
| Monday: | Gym in the evening and sauna afterwards. |
| Tuesday: | Run for 15km to 25km including running in an environmental chamber at the Sports Science Institute of South Africa (one hour on the road and 40 to 60 minutes in the chamber). |
| Wednesday: | Run two to three hours on trails/mountains (with backpack). |
| Thursday: | Run for 15km to 25km including running in environmental chamber (one hour on road and 40 to 60 minutes in the chamber). |
| Friday: | Gym. |
| Saturday: | Three to nine hour run on trails/mountains (with backpack). |
| Sunday: | Three to five hour run on trails/mountains (with backpack) followed by gym and sauna. |
Ryan trains on trails around Hout Bay, Table Mountain, Cape Point and on the beach. He usually runs alone, but sometimes he has a buddy who joins him for two hours of his long run. “I get bored running on the road, but on trails it seems as if things get a lot clearer. Halfway through a six hour run, a lot of things clear up in my head. The only bad thing about running so much is that my social life has gone downhill!”
In the months leading up to the Jungle Marathon, Ryan has added a lot of gym work to his routine in order to strengthen his body. Training in the environmental chamber has also helped him. He runs on a treadmill in the chamber where one can control the heat and humidity. He sometimes pushes the heat up to 43?C and the humidity to 40%.
“I would love to win the Jungle Marathon. That’s the best case scenario, but I would be na?ve to think I can just go out there and win it on my first try. My goal is to try and finish it as quickly as possible, but anything can happen. You could be bitten by a snake and apparently there are giant rats and wild pigs to negotiate. If I see them, I will probably climb up a tree,” says Ryan, who admits he is terrified of snakes. He has woken up a few times in the last couple of weeks leading up to the race with nightmares about snakes. “I am nervous and scared in some ways, but also really excited about this race.”
KEEP GOING
After the Jungle Marathon, Ryan would like to complete the Four Deserts Challenge. He still has to do the Atacama Crossing in Chile and The Last Desert in Antarctica. His goal is to become the first person to win each of the 250km Four Desert Challenges. “And after that I would like to do some 100 miler races.” Ryan has found his passion in extreme races. “I really enjoy it, both the physical and mental side. You have to be strong mentally. It is a question of mind over matter. When I go through a bad patch, I always try and tell myself I am achieving a lot just by being there. I also try to break the race into segments.” It doesn’t seem as if Ryan has a lot of bad patches. He recently won the Hansa Hout Bay Trail Challenge in July in a record time of 4:17.
Ryan is one of several celebrities taking up a celebrity challenge in 2010. This challenge is part of Comrades 2010 and will see celebrities like Ryan, Ferdinand Rabie (Big Brother SA) and Garth Wright (former Springbok scrumhalf`) competing against each other.
Not bad for a man who entered his first marathon by chance in 2006. He has always been active, but never ran until his last year at varsity. He entered the Knysna Forest Marathon with friends; and only because entries for the half marathon were full. Ryan landed up finishing the marathon in 3:17 and shortly afterwards discovered his passion for trail running. “The feeling of competition and achieving goals got me hooked and I wanted to do more races.” He eventually came across the Four Deserts Challenge while surfing the internet. For Ryan, it was not only the perfect way of living his newfound passion, but also a good way of seeing the world. And he has been doing so ever since. As he says, “Live every day as if it is your last. Make the most of it and remember, what you put in is what you get out.”
CHECKLIST OF THINGS TO TAKE WITH YOU TO THE JUNGLE
- Mosquito net
- Rainfly sheet
- Food supplies to last for four to seven days of racing
- Insect repellent
- Compass
- Knife
- Compulsory medical kit
- Torch and spare batteries
- Waterproof matches or lighter
- Emergency whistle
- Water purifying tablets
STAGES OF THE JUNGLE MARATHON
The stage distances are approximately as follows, but are subject to change
- Stage 1: Departs 07:00 -16.3km – cut-off 17:30
- Stage 2: Departs 06:00 – 24.5km – cut-off 17:30
- Stage 3: Departs 06:00 – 31.1km – cut-off 17:30
- Stage 4: Departs 07:30 – 18.4km – cut-off 17:30 (End of 100km race)
- Stage 5: Departs 05:30 – 87km (This is a non-stop overnight stage) – cut off at 19:00 on second day of stage
- Stage 6: Departs 08:00 – 24.8km – cut-off 17:00 (End of 200km race)
ADVICE FROM ORGANISERS TO COMPETITORS IN THE JUNGLE MARATHON
Boksburg Athletic Club
Boksburg Athletic Club (BAC) is not just a running club. It is an institution steeped in rich history and this year, on the 29th of October, the club marks its 34th birthday. Since its inception, the club has faced many challenges but has always come out on top, because its members are filled with passion, enthusiasm and commitment to a single goal: fostering the spirit of athletics in all spheres of life. Boksburg Athletic Club is comprised of many different facets and a wide variety of people from all parts of the population.
The inaugural meeting of BAC took place at the ERPM Rugby Club on 29 October 1975. This meeting, attended by 81 people, was chaired by Mr I Kramer and it was here that the club’s constitution was compiled and the office bearers of the first committee were elected. Tommy Malone, the elected chairman of the club, memorably said, “There are going to be problems in the future, but success lies in the team spirit of the club. The club will last, as talent in Boksburg
is unlimited.”
By a show of hands, the members agreed that the membership fees for the club would be R6 for adults and R2 for juniors.
Today, the fees have increased to R400 for adults and R225 for juniors. The club has also introduced a social membership fee
of R334. The increase in cost, of course, is directly proportionate to the improvement of the facilities, scope of people who have registered as members and inflation. For everything this club has to offer, the membership fees are well worth it.
Not long after establishing themselves as a functioning athletics club, BAC sought the permission of the Transvaal Provincial Administration to hold the ‘Bloodhill Blitz’, a Wednesday evening race, now considered to be the oldest time trial in South Africa. The Transvaal Provincial Administration granted them permission, but based on certain conditions. They would need to stop running half an hour after sunset, meaning that the Blitz would have to start at 17:30 and not at 18:00. Also, due to time limits, the runners would only able to run the 5km distance and not the 8km. Not fazed by the conditions, BAC launched their Bloodhill Blitz and it has been a firm favourite of club members ever since.
Some of our readers may remember that it was during this early era of amateur sport that most sporting codes did not allow female participation. For this reason, Boksburg decided that, although their female counterparts could not participate in the actual events, the club would endeavour to include them as much as possible. Thankfully, those days are gone and women are now fully entitled to participate in all forms of sport.
Once the sporting barriers were removed, women no longer stood on the side of the road but actively took part in the different events. The club saw some great female athletes emerge during the next few decades, such as Shelley van der Spuy, Carolyn Wridgway, Lucinda Newby, Frith van der Merwe, Yolande Maclean and Lesley Train.
But for many in the club, the concern about bans against female athletes was a mere drop of water in what later became a huge reservoir of concern. The early 80s would prove to be the most historic and troubled era for the club in its short history. It is often said that the true character of someone emerges not in times of success, but in times of struggle. This sentiment was echoed in Tommy Malone’s first speech as club president, a speech in which he claimed that there would be problems in the future but the success of the club would lie in the team spirit within the club.
MAKING HISTORY
In February 1980, Boksburg Athletic Club made a historic move and relocated their headquarters. Their move was inspired not by a desire for a new location, but because they could no longer stay in an area in which the Conservative Party had banned non-whites from using municipal facilities for either competitions or training. The club had become the first victim of Boksburg Town Council’s controversial sports policy. In response to intense pressure from the local community, BAC issued a press release that read: “One of the aims and objectives of Boksburg Athletic Club, as stated in its constitution, is to ensure that there shall be no hindrance to individual members on racial, political or any other grounds. As such, the club is the first in the Transvaal to encourage club membership and participation in athletics by athletes of all races. The club has decided to move its base away from Prince George Park as a result of the actions taken by the Boksburg Town Council in denying our black athletes the use of the training facilities.”
Despite BAC’s best efforts to keep the club together, there was a palpable uneasiness within the ranks. The decision to hold all training sessions, races and meetings at venues free of town interference and to take a stand against Apartheid was met with applause by some and with discontent by others. The club was breaking apart at the seams. The name of the club also came into question. While some members felt strongly that BAC should change its name, others felt that the best way to fight Apartheid was to keep the club’s name and stand firm on the established constitution.
BAC left Prince George Park and found Parkdene Primary, which, for the next few years, became the new home of the Wednesday night Blitz. Although these measures cost the club financially and were inconvenient, the club was determined to stay in Boksburg and abide by its constitution to foster athletics amongst people of all races. They would continue to oppose any moves from any quarter to deny this right.
But the point that politics and sport should never be separated was driven home at a later stage when a breakaway faction, comprised of the club’s leading black runners, formed the East Rand Athletics Club. The black runners were under severe pressure in the townships because they insisted on competing in their BAC colours, so they decided to form a club with their own identity. The athletes were quoted as saying, “We left because of politics… nothing more.”
BUSINESS AS USUAL
The next three years at BAC were ‘business as usual’ as the club held their usual three annual road races in Benoni. The races were successful, dispelling any notions that the club was faltering and these events further established them as a great success. The Colgate Race alone attracted over 3 500 participants and is renowned as one of the great Gauteng road races. This race is the club’s flagship race and continues to be one of the most popular events on the CGA calendar, often being used by most Gauteng runners as their last ‘long run’ before the Comrades Marathon.
The 80s ended on a very high note with one of BAC’s members, John Sebata, being awarded Springbok colours for the marathon. John was included in the Springbok team for the SA marathon championships in 1989. This high continued in all aspects of the club and in March 1993, the club moved to the Boksburg City Stadium. The move signified the end of an uneasy past and a very promising and exciting future. The setting up and establishment of BAC at the stadium was, for many, a dream come true, and even more so for the founding members who had envisaged this development from the moment they conceived the club. The John Hattle Memorial and Colgate races, as well as all training runs would take place from the stadium. Tuesday nights would become synonymous with Steve de Bod’s track sessions, held on the tartan track and the Wednesday night Blitz had found a new home. The family atmosphere and general camaradrie of many years of friendship and hard work was there for all to see. The club was back on top.
Currently, BAC continues to grow from strength to strength with new members joining every month. With road running, track and cross country being catered for what more can one ask for from a club?
TRAINING GROUPS
Boksburg has four different training groups which cater for all forms of road running. These groups go by various nicknames, which have been formed over the years.
The Parkrand Plodders, the most historic of the groups, was the founding running group in the club and most of the members who served on the committees in the early years ran in this group. It is within this group that a number of the current club traditions emerged, such as Perky’s Punisher, a 64km training run that takes place six weeks before Comrades. The late Jimmy Perkins measured an 8km loop that would be run eight times, hence the name, Perky’s Punisher. Another tradition to emerge from this group has been the Christmas Day Duck Run. This sees runners racing to the lake, feeding the ducks and then running home again.
The Falcon Crest Flyers meet at the Falcon Crest Garage on Trichardt Road and run the same type of pace as the Plodders but have different ‘quality’ sessions built in to their morning training routes. It is for this reason that they are perceived as slightly more serious than the plodders. They do, however, apply a standard ‘go back and fetch’ rule.
Mention running in the company of Anne Kouvarellis, and you will soon find yourself running in her group. Anne is one of the few women in the country who has completed 23 Comrades Marathons. Anne is the ultimate running ‘mother’ as many great runners start their careers in this group. Anne nurtures and looks after her runners until they ‘grow wings’, then she lets go and watches with great pride as they fly high. Lesley Train began her running days in this group, under the careful watch of many senior group members.
Brian’s Break, run by Brian McCrindle, is an evening session for those who wish to train on hills, more specifically, on the only hill in Boksburg. This session is run up and down Rondebult Road and provides hard and fast Comrades runners with a much needed hill training session and quality work.
Last but not least is Fast and Frank, the group with the name that says it all. The group trains with silvers in mind. Whether it’s silver at Two Oceans, silver at Comrades or silver in any other race, the group primarily focuses on long distance speed. They run their marathons averaging under three hours and can often be seen in a big ‘bus’ guiding each other through. They are coached and mentored by Frank Da Ascencao, a man with no less than 20 Comrades silvers to his name. The average pace is below five minutes per km, and they are firm believers in the motto: rest when it rains.
The club’s speed comes from track sessions, held every Tuesday at the City Stadium from 18:00. These sessions have been coached and run by Steve de Bod since the inception of the club 34 years ago. Steve has a wealth of information and knowledge and guarantees runners a personal best in an upcoming race, if they are willing to stick with his track sessions for more than a month.
BAC is also known for its Mine Dumps Run, which takes place every Saturday from Farrar Park Caf? off Rondebult Road.
For those who have never run on or experienced the true beauty of the South African mine dumps, this is training run is strongly recommended, and one which runners will need to do quickly, before this mine dump, like the rest, disappears into
the landscape.
The vision that Tommy Malone and the other founding members originally wished for has definitely come to pass in a club that boasts three very strong disciplines, road running, track and cross country. The current strength of the junior track athletes is phenomenal with many of these young athletes going on to represent Gauteng at SA Club Championships as well as at school level.
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
At present, Boksburg has a group of athletes who are performing well above expectations. Robert Hill and Andrew Roodt took third place in the 800m at SA Championships. Megan Williams and Shannon Freeman took gold in the high jump. These youngsters are but a few of the upcoming talents in the junior (u/19) categories. Cameron Alexander, O’Bakeng Molopyane and
Andre Smit are performing exceptionally well in the youth (u/16-u/17) categories. In the sub-youth (u/9-u/15), Carmel Perumal was selected for the SA Youth Championship 2009 and was voted the second best male athlete in Central Gauteng Primary schools in 2008. Kayla Koch, Dean Koch, Jone Badenhorst, Tatiana Devenish and Tiaan Steenkamp were all selected for the Central Gauteng Inter Provincial Team in November 2008.
Some of the more memorable coaches who train track athletes are Pikkie van Zyl, Sonette Sanders, Charel Blignaut and Monique Gibbs. All the coaches are affiliated to Central Gauteng Athletics.
The cross country section of the club has been extremely well represented over the past few years by Trevor Toerien, and for the past 20 years by Willie Maisela. This section also boasts talented runners like Ian Morshead, who has won the Rhodes Trail a number of times. It is a strong arm of the club and many believe that cross country running is the true backbone to a great Comrades Marathon.
Over the years, BAC have formed many wonderful traditions, including the Bingo Evening, Chairman’s Breakfast, Aches and Pains and dinner dances, which have become the backbone of their social calendar. Every Wednesday night, after the Blitz, the club hosts the Finish Line Pub. Families and friends meet to laugh and enjoy a relaxed evening together. Estelle Burmeister, Diane Snyders and Sheree Rogers ensure there is always good food on offer and each week members look forward to a new menu. Wednesday night bar duties are shared amongst committee members.
The atmosphere of BAC is one in which runners get lost friendly banter, hearty laughter and a sense of overall happiness that is as rare as this wonderful club. The people who frequent the pub on a Wednesday night, are the same people who fought for many years to see the club stay true to its constitution and who never gave up on the dream to foster sport in all spheres. If you haven’t yet experienced the Wednesday night Blitz, pack your tog bag and make your way to Boksburg.
CLUB CONTACT: Linda Vogel
DETAILS: 011 917 3721
Try TRI
TRI Training For Age Group Athletes
This is the second in our triathlon training and racing series. Not sure if this applies to you? Well, this article is directed at the average competitive age group athlete, not at the elite or age group athlete who will finish closer to the front of the field.
I am an average age group athlete myself and know that this group is comprised of the guys and girls who have full time careers, family and social commitments, as well as other interests/hobbies. However, we enjoy doing triathlon and like to be reasonably competitive. This means balancing training with your other commitments and maximising the training that
you do.
The training programme discussed below is mainly geared towards the standard distance, but can also be used for half
Iron Man events with some small adjustments.
BASIC TRAINING PRINCIPLES
1. Number of training sessions: You need to train a minimum of two of each triathlon discipline per week, aiming at three. That means six to nine training sessions each week, which can add up to training twice on some days.
2 Weekly di.stance: Aim at four times the race distance in training each week, that is, swim 6km, run 40km and cycle 160km. This should take around 12 hours each week.
3. Rest and recovery: As with any form of training, rest is very important, however the nature of triathlon training allows one to do a different sport like swimming when the legs are tired from a long run or long cycle. The important thing to understand is that everybody reacts to training differently. So, when you are tired, take a day off and rest. Do not try to catch up any sessions. Simply slot back into the programme after your day off.
4. Specific training: With limited time and three disciplines to train for, each and every session should have a specific goal in terms of what the training session is aimed at, as well as the event that you are preparing for. As an example, a long endurance ride must be just that and not become a speed session. Conversely, a speed session should focus on speed and not how many kilometres you are logging. If your upcoming event has a hilly cycle, you need to train specifically for that. Know what you want to achieve with each session you do and note that this is very different to a recommendation that first time triathletes will receive.
THE TRAINING SESSIONS
Let’s split the training into the three disciplines that occur in the same order as the event, namely, swim, cycle, run. Your ideal target is to get three sessions of each discipline in each week.
Swim Sessions
Session 1
should focus on endurance, doing some longer intervals at a steady pace (400m to 1 000m) with a short rest in between each interval. You need to do a total of 2km during the session.
Session 2
should focus on your race pace over shorter intervals (50m to 300m). Do 50m to 100m at a slow pace between each interval. Try do 2km per session.
Session 3
should be a 1.5km to 2km ‘open water‘ swim in a dam. This session is to develop the skill of swimming in open water.
Always do this with other swimmers, using a wetsuit and in the summer months only.
Cycle Sessions
Once again, your ideal target should be three rides per week.
Ride 1
should be 40/50km of steady spinning.
Ride 2
should focus on speed work or race pace riding (total ride of about 40/50km with 20km at race pace).
Ride 3
should be a long one, twice your proposed race distance (80km to 90km of steady cycling, but including some hills).
Run Sessions
Run 1
should be a steady easy run of around 10km to 12km.
Run 2
should be a run of 8km to 10km including some tempo or fartlek, or even a 5km time trial.
Run 3
should be a long run, twice the race distance (20km steady including some hills).
HOW TO PUT IT ALL TOGETHER
The foundation for any endurance sport is the longer sessions to build a good base. Thus, the most important sessions are the long cycle and long run. Saturday and Sunday mornings are usually the best time to train, so use them to do the longer cycles and longer runs. Use Saturday afternoons for the open water swim (in summer time only).
A typical programme could be structured like this:
Monday Swim
Tuesday Run
Wednesday Morning cycle, lunchtime or evening swim
Thursday Run
Friday Morning cycle, lunchtime or evening swim
Saturday Run – long
Sunday Cycle – long
I prefer to alternate running and cycling and add the swim sessions where possible, such as in the evenings or after a run/cycle. You WILL miss some days, either to rest or because of work, family or social commitments. Do not try to catch up any lost training, but make sure you try to do the faster running and cycling sessions.
Does this programme work?
Yes, this programme definitely works. I have used it very successfully for the last few seasons, with some very good results. As an example, for the three months before this year’s
SA Triathlon Champs, I did 88 sessions in 90 days: seven per week. My weekly averages were: swim 5.5km, run 41km, cycle 120km per week for 13 weeks. This is as close to the magic formula as it gets! With this training, I managed a 2:20:00 standard triathlon and finished second in my age group at
SA Champs.
Runner’s Knee
A rehabilitation programme for patello-femoral syndrome (runner’s knee).
How does runner’s knee happen?
Your upper leg (femur) and lower leg (tibia) form a joint with your kneecap (patella). The patella moves up and down in a groove in front of these two bones when you walk and run. Pain starts when the kneecap runs out of this groove and literally grinds against the bone. This causes a sharp pain and/or swelling if you sit for long periods, squat, walk or run.
Causes of this condition include:
> Imbalances between the inner and outer muscles of the front of your thigh (quadriceps)
> Walking/Running more on the big toe area of your foot (over-pronation)
> A biomechanical problem, e.g. knock-knees, bow-legs or leg length differences
> Incorrect running shoes
> Not stretching often enough
> Incorrect training methods (too fast, too quick)
> Incorrect training surfaces (too hard/soft/uneven)
> Running on only one side of the road
> A leg length discrepancy due to muscle imbalance
How do I get past runner’s knee?
Do the following exercises for three to five days or until pain subsides –
- Rest: Take a break from training and check your shoes
- Ice and compression: Ice the injured area for ten minutes every two hours
- Go to your physiotherapist for treatment
- Ask your physio to analyse your walking/running pattern
- Ask your podiatrist/orthotist if you need to have a special innersole designed
- Ask your physio to strap your kneecap to decrease pain
David van Wyk – Modern Athlete Expert
Qulifications:
BPyst (UP), MPhil (Sports Physiotherapy) (UCT)