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Taking on the Giants

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Over the next year, professional endurance athlete and Sabrina Love Foundation Ambassador Jamie Marais from Cape Town will be tackling four ‘giants’ as he takes on the Four Giants Challenge extreme endurance quest. And he’s doing it to inspire people to realise that “no giant is too big to face” as well as raise funds for the Sabrina Love Foundation, which cares for children with special needs.
 
24 summits of Table Mountain in 48 hours.
Jamie will run up Table Mountain 24 times, covering approximately 72 kilometres of vertical running and a staggering vertical ascent of over 18 000 meters – more than twice the height of Mount Everest! 
 
Attempt the greatest vertical height on a bicycle on the Du Toits Kloof Pass.
His second challenge will be an official Guinness World Record Attempt for the “Greatest vertical height on a bicycle in 12 hours,” which he will achieve by cycling up and down a mountain pass as many times as possible.
 
Paddling the 676km length of the longest lake in the world, Lake Tanganyika, on a stand up paddle board.
He will then head to Tanzania to become the first person ever to attempt to SUP paddle the storm-driven waters of Lake Tanganyika, filled with large colonies of hippos and some of the biggest recorded crocodiles in the world,
 
A speed ascent/descent of Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa at 5890m.
Finally, Jamie will travel to Kenya where he will attempt to get up and back down the highest mountain in Africa, Mt Kilimanjaro, which he hopes to do in under 10 hours!
 
So what makes Jamie want to take on these incredible and dangerous physical challenges? “All of us face giants, but no giant is too big to face,” says the man who has already overcome tremendous personal challenges in his own life, including his own battle against drugs as a teenager. Now 40, married and a father of three, he went looking for four of the biggest, extremely tough physical challenges he could find in South and Central Africa, most of which have never been attempted before. “I wanted to use my physical ability to inspire and help people with a physical disability, those people who could never do the sort of things that many of us do on a day to day basis without evening thinking.”
 
Of course, Jamie’s been hard at work preparing himself physically and mentally for the Four Giants Challenge. In June he made history by becoming the first person to ever run up and down Lions Head Mountain in Cape Town for 12 consecutive hours, summiting 12 times and thus achieving the greatest number of consecutive summits of Lions Head ever recorded. Running up and down the steep, loose, rocky climb, he covered more than 60 kilometres straight up and down, with almost 5000 metres vertical gain. “I was pretty tired afterwards, but very happy”, he says. “This was actually part of my training to test myself and see how my body responds to prolonged extreme physical effort.”
 
And in all of Jamie’s challenges, up to the minute information is of the essence, and that’s why Suunto’s sponsorship of his Four Giants Challenge is so important, providing him with the equipment he needs to be able to track time, mileage, ascent, heart rate and more.
 
For more information, visit Four Giants Challenge on Facebook or his official athlete page, Jamie Marais Extreme Athlete. To donate and show your support, visit www.sabrinalove.co.za and select the ‘Support a Star’ option.

Go Nuts!

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Tasty, convenient and nutritious, nuts and seeds are some of nature's perfect foods, so we’ve broken down the family, and how to bring them into your daily diet! – BY CHRISTINE PETERS, REGISTERED DIETICIANS
 
Nuts and seeds are plant-based proteins that contain fibre and a combination of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. They are also rich in plant sterols and heart-healthy mono- and polyunsaturated fats. Some of them contain omega-3 fatty acids and can help to improve the balance of cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease. However, nuts and seeds are also calorie-dense, so to get their health benefits without breaking the calorie bank, its best to substitute them for other foods in your diet, particularly those high in saturated fat. This can be achieved with one small handful a day.
 
HEALTHIEST NUTS
•   Almonds have as much calcium as milk, and contain magnesium, vitamin E, selenium and lots of fibre. They can lower cholesterol and help prevent cancer.
•   Walnuts are extremely good for your heart and brain, and contain ellagic acid, a cancer-fighting antioxidant. They are also a good source of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), the plant-based form of omega-3.
•   Pecans are rich in antioxidants and heart-healthy monounsaturated fats.
•   Brazil nuts not only contain poly- and monounsaturated fats, but also contain more than 100 percent of your daily recommended value for the antioxidant selenium.
•   Pine nuts have vitamins A, B, D and E, and contain 70% of your body’s daily required amino acids.
•   Cashews are rich in minerals like copper, magnesium, zinc, iron and biotin. They are actually a low-fat nut, and like olive oil, have a high concentration of oleic acid, which is good for your heart. (Note: Cashews are not recommended for cancer patients due to potential levels of fungus.)
 
HEALTHIEST SEEDS
•   Flaxseeds are the best source of omega-3s and the phytochemical Lignan, a super antioxidant that helps fight cancer. They also contain a lot of fibre and can reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes.
•   Sunflower seeds also help prevent heart disease and cancer with phytochemicals, folate, vitamin E, selenium and copper.
•   Chia seeds are incredibly healthy, rich in omega-3 oils, protein, antioxidants, calcium and fibre.
•   Pumpkin seeds are great for your immune system, with lots of antioxidants (carotenoids), omega-3 fatty acids and zinc.
•   Sesame seeds are a good source of calcium, magnesium, zinc, fibre, iron, vitamin B1 and phosphorus. They can lower blood pressure and protect against liver damage, and have also been linked to prevention of many diseases like arthritis, asthma, migraine headaches, menopause and osteoporosis.
 
GET YOUR DAILY FIX
To incorporate them in your daily diet, simply grab a handful of raw, unsalted nuts or seeds for an extremely satisfying and healthy snack, or make your own small bags of trail mix for a quick pick-me-up any time of the day. If you can’t eat nuts and seeds without salt, buy them raw, roast them and sprinkle on a pinch of sea salt. Other great ways to eat them include:
•   Add nuts or seeds, especially chopped almonds and ground flaxseeds, to your salads, cereals, yoghurt, smoothies or muffins. Remember that flaxseed has to be ground to receive its full benefits.
•   Grind nuts up super fine to take the place of flour or breadcrumbs in recipes, or incorporate with breadcrumbs.
•   Toast unsalted nuts like walnuts or pine nuts in a hot skillet and add to pasta, stir-fries, rice or vegetable dishes.
•   Nut and seed butters are always so delicious, but stick to no more than one teaspoon a day.
•   Try cooking with macadamia, peanut, sesame or grape seed oil, but it’s best not to cook with flaxseed, hemp or walnut oil, all of which are much better for salad dressings.
 
STORAGE TIP: The healthy fats in nuts and seeds can oxidise, destroying their nutritional value and their taste, so buy them in small quantities and store in a cool, dry place. You can also store any shelled nuts or seeds in an airtight container in your refrigerator or freezer.

Sun-Chasing in Chamonix

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The Asics Beat The Sun international relay event not only brings a select group of runners from all over the world to run in the magical French Alps, but is also followed by thousands upon thousands more runners around the world via social media. Modern Athlete Editor Sean Falconer was fortunate to be along for the run this year, and says he has left part of his heart in the Alps.
 
It’s a magical place to be in the French Alps on the 21st of June, specifically in the little town of Chamonix, nestling right under Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in Europe at 4810m, in a stunningly picturesque corner of France bordering on Switzerland and Italy. You see, this date marks the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year, when the sun rises before 6am and only sets around after 9pm, presenting a glorious day of nearly 16 hours to go playing in the mountains. So, no surprise then that somebody dreamt up the idea to try run 150-odd kilometres round the mountain between sunrise and sunset in an effort to beat the sun!
 
I can just image that brainstorming session over a couple of local brews one balmy summer’s evening in the Alps… “Wait, let’s make it a relay so more people can be part of it… we can call it ‘Nature’s Toughest Relay’… and invite international teams to bring runners from all around the world to Beat The Sun, like an inter-continental competition… and we can mix professional and amateur runners in each team, to spice things up, and run competitions to find the amateurs for each team… and we can dress them up in cool colour-coded gear from Asics, so each team has its own identity… and we can go crazy on social media around this whole thing… #beatthesun… and then we can really go have some fun in the mountains!”
 
Even if that isn’t exactly how it went down, in 2014 the first event was run with four teams taking part, growing to six teams in 2015, including an African team for the first time, which finished fourth. A year later, I found myself at the third Asics Beat The Sun event, courtesy of an all-expenses paid media invite from Asics South Africa, because Modern Athlete had been brought on board as a media partner and we had run a competition in the mag to help find a winner for the slot in the team reserved for an SA amateur runner. And in return, I got to spend a few days chasing Team Africa around the Alps. Tough job, but somebody has to do it!
 
Bit of Local Flavour
Team Africa was one of the eight teams this year, alongside three teams from Europe (North, Central and South), two from the Americas, as well as East Asia and Oceania Pacific. The African team actually had a distinctly South African feel to it, with the team captained by pro triathlete and adventure racer Carla van Huysteen, and also featuring amateurs Tumi Matlou of Johannesburg and Corli Leonard of Stellenbosch, both of whom won their spots on the team through the Modern Athlete competition. The rest of Team Africa consisted of talented pro runners, Givemore Mudzinganyama of Zimbabwe, who lives and races in SA, and Duncan Kiptanui, a French-based Kenyan runner with a 1:04 half marathon PB returning for a second stab at Beat The Sun. The final amateur slot went to Hadi Selmouni of Algeria.
 
Tumi is a PR specialist, speaks five languages and has an infectious extroverted personality, while Corli is an industrial engineer with a slightly more introverted but equally inviting personality, and the two had actually competed for the same spot on the team. They were two of the three finalists chosen from all the entries and then had to mobilise their friends to vote for them in an online campaign, but when plans fell through to include an amateur runner from north Africa, it made sense to send both the SA girls, as they had both embraced the competition wholeheartedly and gotten over 20,000 votes each in an enthralling online ‘race.’ Best of all, they became instant friends soon as they met, as well as both being hugely popular with the other international teams.
 
The Mountains are Calling
A trip like this presents an incredible opportunity to see a part of the world one might not otherwise get to, and I always make the most of the time available to explore, especially if that means heading out for a run. Fortunately, the good folk at Asics had laid on plenty of great new shoes and gear for us to try out, and some planned runs in the mountains, so logistics were taken care of. All I had to do was catch the bus in my running kit. While the relay runners were taken up the mountain in a blizzard the day before most of the media arrived, and shown how to use crampons and ice picks – just in case – the first media run was a much more sedate trundle in good weather around the snow field at 2000m above sea level at the top of the Planpraz Cableway overlooking Chamonix 1000m below. Absolutely stunning, and the view of Mont Blanc was mindblowing.
 
The following day was race day, and after watching the start at 5:44am, and seeing the teams off, the media contingent was bussed to the first handover point to watch the early action. Next we drove through the incredible Tunnel du Mont Blanc, emerging on the other side of the mountain in Italy and heading to the town of Courmayeur to continue supporting the runners – after taking a ride up the Courmayeur Skyway cableway to experience some more rarified mountain air.
 
We were also invited to go for a run on part of the eighth leg of the relay, so we could see what the runners were experiencing. As luck would have it, when we got to our starting point it was raining and the wind was icy – the weather in the mountains is always unpredictable – but our Asics gear conquered the conditions admirably, even if the same could not be said for my legs. Apparently my calves don’t function nearly as well at 1700m, while running up a glacier, as they do at sea level. Go figure!
 
Excitement Building
Meanwhile, Team Africa was holding its own in the main event. The three European teams were dominating – I suspect they could just handle the cold better than the other teams – but the Africans were always round about fourth or fifth position. Until the third-last leg, when most of the teams were told by the organisers that for safety, they would have to be short-cutted to the finish, so as to make sure no runners were still out in the mountains when it became dark.
 
And so, after watching Team Europe North come home first and beat the sun comfortably, followed a short while later by Europe Central, we then watched as Europe South came home just after official sunset at 9:25pm, even though it was still quite light in Chamonix. At the finish line, none of us knew about the drama out on the route, with the second-last leg runner of most of the other teams, including Corli, not being able to run due to the falling light, and thus the final leg runners were told to head for the finish. That saw Duncan the flying Kenyan come blitzing in the finish to claim an unofficial fourth place for Team Africa. Cue team pics at the finish, hugs all-round, and then the party started, with some of the athletes and media keeping the dance floor rocking till well after 3am. (Good news is that now my legs were functioning without complaint again, so the dancing went much better than the glacier running!)
 
Huge thanks to Asics South Africa, especially Team Africa’s ‘Team Dad’ Dawid Visser, for taking Modern Athlete along for the run in Chamonix. Rumour has it that the next Asics Beat The Sun event will be in Japan, and Sean says he is more than happy to start brushing up on his Japanese. Konnichiwa!
 

Celebratory Run in Mauritius

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When the winner of our awesome Modern Athlete competition to win a trip for two to Mauritius, Althea Purnell, jetted off for her sunny island getaway, she went not only to claim her prize and do some incredible running, but also to celebrate a very special anniversary!
 
W
hen we called Althea to tell her she had won an all-expenses paid trip for two to Mauritius, including entries for the LUX*Sports Mauritius Marathon, we were met with complete disbelief. In fact, she thought she had been pranked… until we called her back to ask her for her passport details. “I honestly thought I was being pranked, I couldn’t believe it was real,” says Althea.
 
Having finally gotten her to believe us, we asked who she would be taking with her on the trip, and she replied happily that she would of course be taking her husband, David. “We spent our honeymoon at the Royal Palm Hotel in Mauritius and now 30 years later we will celebrate our wedding anniversary where it all began.”
 
Modern Athlete was thrilled to be able to make this wonderful prize available such deserving winners, thanks to Air Mauritius, LUX* Resorts & Hotels, TomTom and GO SPORTS Travel – and being a running publication, we just had to make sure the trip included a running-related activity. And what better way to see the island than by taking part in the LUX* Sports Mauritius Marathon?
 
So Althea and David departed on their Air Mauritius flight for their second honeymoon, as excited as two children the night before Christmas, and they were warmly welcomed to Tamassa, Bel Ombre LUX* Resort & Hotel, where they were immediately whisked into a world of luxury as they got in some well-deserved rest and relaxation.
 
Reliving the early years of their relationship, Althea and David say they had a special start to their relationship. Having met through work, David quickly realised the way to her heart was to support her in what she loved to do, and with that in mind, “he bought me my first pair of running shoes, so I had to marry him,” laughs Althea. And 30 years later, taking this trip down memory lane must have really inspired Althea, because she finished on the podium in the the LUX*Sports Mauritius Marathon, coming home second in the women’s 60-plus age category!
 
All in all, an anniversary to remember, and the Modern Athlete team is glad that we could add a bit more magic to the lives of these two running lovebirds.

Top Races for the Coming Month!

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This week, we give you a sneak peek at upcoming events that you need to add to your racing calendar. Take a look at the events below and make your racing plans.

1. KPMG Durban Relay

The KPMG Durban Relay will be taking place on Saturday, 24 September 2016. This race is a fantastic initiative and is the perfect way to ignite team spirit and put teamwork into action whilst having fun. Running teams of four and walking teams of three will compete in male, female and mixed categories over a 5km flat course along the Umgeni River and the Durban Promenade. This is a great opportunity for corporates, universities, clubs, schools, family and friends to battle it out in order to claim bragging rights as the fastest team in Durban. Come and enjoy a festive atmosphere before, during and after the race with music, entertainment, food, beer and a supervised children's play area. All fitness levels and all ages welcome. Enter now.

 

3. Aucor Wanderers Road Race

This race is an absolute gem. Winding its way through the beautiful streets of Illovo and Killarney, the Aucor Wanderers Road Race has got something for everyone. Whether you are out to smash your 21km PB or just going for a good 10km or 5km jog, everyone is welcome. Bring the family along for a day of exercise as we cover the streets of Jozi in busy running bodies! Click below to find out more.

 

3. Dawn to Dusk 2016
Races like these are hard to find but when the Dawn to Dusk Circuit Race comes around, many people know about it. This race is a demanding and very challenging race for all who take part. With a 1km course that winds its way through the Akasia High School, runners must try and complete as many laps of the course as possible with 12 hours. Are you up for the challenge? The record distance for a team entry into this race is 152km. That means you’ll need to do 153 laps in order to break the race record. Will we see you there?

 

4. Randburg Harriers Street Mile
A street mile… What’s that? Well, bring yourself down to the Randburg Sports Complex as we introduce you to this exciting form of racing. The Randburg Harriers Street Mile challenges runners to run a 1.6km route as fast as they possibly can, however if this event does not appeal to you, you can always take part in the 10km challenge on the day. Click below to find out more about this exciting form of racing!

 

For more information, click on the button below and view the full Modern Athlete events calendar.

Maximise Your Training Hour

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SWIM
EXPERT: Erhard Wolfaardt, professional South African triathlete and former African triathlon champion and u/23 SA triathlon champion.

SESSION: This is a speed session designed to improve lactate threshold and increase strength. I normally use this set towards the end of a hard week. It is only 2.4km, but an effective way to boost your swimming.

WARM-UP:
• 100m backstroke, 200m freestyle, 100m backstroke
• Two sets of 4x50m with 30sec rest in between, and roughly 60sec rest between sets.

MAIN SET: Two rounds of the following:
• 100m at maximum effort, rest 90sec.
• 2x50m at maximum effort, rest 60sec.
• 4x25m at maximum effort, rest 30sec.
Do an easy 200m of mixed strokes before tackling the next round.
Finish with a kick set: 8x50m freestyle kick with 30sec rest. Alternate doing one easy and one hard.

COOL-DOWN: 100m backstroke, 200m freestyle, 100m backstroke

TIP: If you are a stronger swimmer, do three rounds of the main set.

CYCLE
EXPERTS: Malcolm Lange, South African cycling great with 409 major road race victories and Dr. Jeroen Swart, Team Bonitas Coach.

SESSION: Neuromuscular efficiency
One of the key components of top cyclists is the ability to utilise a large group of muscles throughout the pedalling action. This requires strengthening the small muscles such as the hip flexors and calf muscle and also improving the co-ordination of the contraction so that muscles that oppose each other don’t co-contract and waste energy.

WARM-UP: 10min at low intensity at a self selected cadence

MAIN SET:
• 4min at a low cadence (40-50rpm) in a heavy gear. Just enough resistance to need to pull the pedal up on the back of the pedal stroke and up and over into the power phase. You should just be getting breathless at the end of the 4min.
• Follow with 6min at very high cadence (100-120rpm), but against very low resistance. This stimulates the nervous system into developing the correct speed and co-ordination of the contraction.
• Repeat 4 times.

COOL-DOWN: 10min at low intensity and self selected cadence

RUN
EXPERT: Ray Orchison, Captain of the Bedfordview Performance Squad with a Comrades PB of 7:18.

SESSION: The key to getting faster is to develop leg strength and power. A great way to achieve this is to find a short, steep hill (approximately 100m) and do quick short bursts up the incline. This will build leg power and strength while giving you a speed session at the same time.

WARM-UP: Easy 15-20min jog

MAIN SET:
• 8-12 repeats up the hill (100m). Run hard and pump your arms in order to work up the hill, focus on correct running form (slight lean from the ankles into the hill, head up).
• Once at the top, walk or jog very slowly back to the bottom and repeat.

COOL-DOWN: Very easy 15-20min jog

DIY Diet Improvements

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If you’re looking for a set of easy ‘home remedy’ changes to make in your nutritional plan that will compliment your training as well as weight-management, look no further than these healthy tips. – BY CHRISTINE PETERS, REGISTERED DIETICIAN
 
There are bad habits when it comes to nutrition, and there are good habits. Unfortunately, the bad habits tend to be easier to develop, and the good habits tend to require us giving up something we love, or decreasing the amount of ‘prohibited substances’ or treats that we consume, or when we consume them. And finding the good habits that compliment our endurance sports activities best is another challenge… but there are some simple yet effective changes you can make to your diet that will get you where you want to be.
 
1 Eat regular meals: Never skip meals, because this slows down the metabolic rate and contributes to bad blood sugar control, both of which promote weight-gain. Regular meals also help to make sure your body does not miss out on key nutrients, especially breakfast, because a large portion of your daily fibre comes from that first meal.
 
2 Skip the bad fats: Don’t overindulge, especially in bad fat, i.e. Trans fat. Fat is much more energy-dense than protein or carbohydrate (9 calories per gram versus 4cal/g). Fat sources may be visible (oil, margarine) or invisible (fried foods, processed meats, baked goods like pies and pastries, gravies, dressings, etc).
 
3 Choose healthier fats: Look for oily fish, nuts, seeds, olive oil, pure nut butter, humus, avocado and Carotino oil. These fats are rich in essential fatty acids and/or mono-unsaturated fats, and are linked to important health benefits such as protection against heart disease, hyperactivity, depression, etc.
 
4 Legumes are great: Substitute protein foods with beans, split peas, lentils and chickpeas one to three times a week. Legumes are a good source of protein, vitamins and minerals, and are an excellent source of soluble fibre.
 
5 Get more fibre: Increase your intake of fibre, a type of carbohydrate, by including wholegrain breads, wholegrain cereals, fresh fruit, vegetables and legumes in your diet. Also, always give preference to unrefined foods, e.g. brown rice instead of white rice. Fibre regulates digestion, helps control blood sugar levels and promotes the feeling of fullness.
 
6 Less drinks: Remember that alcohol does contain calories (7cal/g) and promotes bad blood sugar control, and therefore should be used only in moderation.
 
7 Control your sweet tooth: Avoid too much sugar and sweetened foods, as these provide ‘empty calories’ devoid in essential vitamins and minerals. Remember, 5g of sugar equals one teaspoon of sugar. Limit daily intake to 6 teaspoons per day, if any! 
 
8 Drink more water: Drink six to eight glasses of water or pure herbal tea per day. Start with a glass of water on waking to help encourage thirst throughout day. Drink the majority of water before 4pm, in order to avoid over-drinking later in the day, because a large amount of fluid in the evening promotes urination during the night and sleep disturbance.
 
9 Grill, steam or bake food rather than frying: Judicious use of herbs and spices is encouraged, instead of using too much sugar or fat for flavour. Vegetables should be steamed or boiled, with no added sugar or margarine.
 
10 Fry healthily: Use non-stick frying pans with little oil or fat, or cook with a little wine, rather than large amounts of oil or fat. Avoid margarine, and avoid deep frying and re-frying oil!
 
11 Take note: Read food labels and compare the sugar and nutritional content of different products.
 
12 No big dinners: Avoid large meals at night by eating smaller portions, waiting 20 minutes and then going for more vegetables or salad if still hungry.
 
13 Most importantly, exercise regularly! New guidelines recommend 50 minutes of exercise, five times a week, including weekends, so plan your week’s training and map out time to fit it into your schedule and commitments.

Wrapping Up 2016

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Check out all the latest news and important info from the world’s biggest, oldest and most famous ultra, the Comrades Marathon. – BY DELAINE COOLS & THAMI VILAKAZI

2016 RESULTS DECLARED DRUG-FREE
The South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport (SAIDS) has confirmed that none of the Top 10 athletes in the 2016 Comrades Marathon Men’s and Women’s races have tested positive for any banned substances. SAIDS General Manager, Fahmy Galant, said, “We are pleased to be able to report that no athlete in these groups, that is the top ten men and top ten women, tested positive for any prohibited substances as per the World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List for 2016. Therefore, prize monies to the top ten men and women finishers can be paid.”
 
The 91st Comrades Marathon on Sunday 29 May saw South African runners claiming the winning positions once again, with TomTom Athletic Club’s David Gatebe breaking the ‘Down-run’ best time by two minutes and 22 seconds, and Nedbank Running Club’s Charne Bosman claiming the women’s top position.
 
CMA General Manager Chris Fisher said, “We are extremely pleased with the outcome of the drug tests. Our athletes have worked hard and made the country very proud of their epic achievements. We congratulate our winners in all categories and thank them for upholding the integrity of the sport. We also wish to extend our appreciation to ASA, KZNA and SAIDS for the urgency with which they handled this, and in ensuring that the testing and results were turned around in the quickest possible time.”

 

SEE YOU ON 4 JUNE 2017
The 92nd Comrades Marathon will be launched in Johannesburg in August, and the 47th Up-run in Comrades history will start outside the Durban City Hall on Sunday 4 June 2017. And if you want to start planning for 2018, the race will take place on Sunday 10 June, as the decision has been taken to permanently position the race on the second Sunday of June from 2018 onwards – that weekend is not available in 2017 due to clashing with other large events in the KZN area.
 
SPOT YOURSELF AT THE BONITAS START
Have you spotted yourself on the 2016 Comrades Start Line? Thanks to major sponsor Bonitas, Comrades runners can get a glimpse of themselves as they cross the start line of The Ultimate Human Race. Please go to www.bonitas.co.za/comrades and watch the videos, shot from various angles, and broken up into short time segments. Have some fun trying to spot yourself!
 
TEAM COMRADES MAKES IT HAPPEN
Team Comrades has been lauded for the immaculate staging of the Comrades Marathon this year, and CMA General Manager Chris Fisher has thanked the team members for their comradeship, commitment and dedication in putting together a memorable 2016 Comrades.
 
Fisher says, “From the epic start of the race, all the way through the 89km route, the scores of well-stocked refreshment stations and the finish at the Sahara-Kingsmead Cricket Stadium, the team came together and showcased the true spirit of Comrades. The team spirit of the 6000 volunteers who so freely give of their time and effort cannot go unnoticed. The success of The Ultimate Human Race is mostly thanks to this amazing band of Comrades do-gooders. We are very grateful to Team Comrades.”
 
GET YOUR 2017 TRAINING PROGRAMME
The official Comrades Marathon Coach, Lindsey Parry, has devised a comprehensive training programme to get you on the start line of the 2017 Ultimate Human Race and to achieve your coveted Comrades medal. Follow this link to access the much-needed information and training tips: www.comrades.com.
 
CSI NEWS UPDATE
GREEN DESKS – A WILDLANDS RECYCLING INITIATIVE
One of the six official Comrades charities, Wildlands, recently launched its Green Desk Initiative. As part of this, waste collected from the Comrades Marathon route on race day has been recycled to create innovative ‘green school desks’ to serve the educational needs of South African schoolchildren.
 
Up till now these multi-layered plastics have not been recyclable, and have been incinerated or ended up on landfill sites. Wildlands CEO Andrew Venter says, “There is a shortage of more than 300,000 school desks in South Africa, so incorporating these desks into our existing models will help us close the loop by both cleaning communities and supporting the education of children.”
 
The CMA has welcomed the innovation, with CMA General Manager Chris Fisher saying: ‘This ground-breaking initiative serves several interests in that not only is the waste recycled into something as beneficial as a school desk, but it goes on to reduce landfill waste and serves as a significant instrument in job creation. The true worth of this initiative is unlimited.”
 
MY COMRADES STORY:
Bad Luck Comes in Threes…
BY Reinette Pretorius
 
Friday morning 27th May, we left for Durban and I was very emotional. Don’t ask me why, but it just felt like something was going to happen that could stop me from running my 20th and last Comrades. On our way the one radio station had people phoning in about the Comrades, and Tilda Tearl’s mother phoned in to talk about her planned 30th and last run. I just wanted to cry. We arrived at the Durban Expo, registered and took photos, and then I went to see the physio to strap my ankle. I had twisted it at my son’s wedding on 24 April, so it was just a precaution. Then on Saturday we packed and I put my ChampionChip in my handbag before leaving for Pietermaritzburg, where we had booked to sleep.
 
Sunday morning I got up and dressed, and as I put my running shoes on, I realised that I did not bring my Chip. I had decided to leave my handbag at our friends’ home after all, and in tears, I phoned my friend Mary at ten past four and asked her to check in my handbag. She confirmed that the chip was there, and then her husband Pierre told her to stop talking, because they must leave now to drive through to bring me my chip. I went for breakfast and the two couples sitting at our table asked me if I was going to run. I said yes, and then they asked, but where is your chip? I just started crying again as I told them the story.
 
We left for the start and the cars were bumper to bumper. Mary phoned to say they were 22km away from Pietermaritzburg and I told her that the cars were jammed, and that athletes were getting out of the cars and busses to run to the start. I was getting very worried and kept asking my husband how far we still had to go. Eventually he dropped my friend Teressa and I, and we headed for the E block, but by the time we arrived, they had dropped the banners, so we managed to get into D block. Mary had said that she would get me on the left-hand side right where we go over the mat at the start, and I just prayed she would make it. Chariots of Fire played, the gun fired and then Teressa’s phone rang. It was Mary phoning to say she had to get out of the car and was running to the start. I didn’t think she would make it…
 
As we came to the starting banner, I heard Mary shout, “Reinette, hier is ek!” while waving my chip in the air. I cried again, could just barely say thank you, and she responded with “Good luck, see you at the end.” I bent down and waved my chip over the starting mat, then went to the side of the road to attach the chip to my shoe laces, and off we went. Mary then phoned Teressa again and said they would meet us at Camperdown, and when I saw them alongside the road, I got emotional again. Pierre just gave me a hug and said, “Look, I didn’t even have time to put shoes on!”
 
A while later we were walking next to one of the two wheelchair athletes, and the next moment, there goes my shoe – a guy running behind me had caught my heel, and he just kept saying, “I am very sorry, it was an accident.” I asked him to run and tell Teressa that I had to stop to put my shoe back on. Then going up Inchanga the runner in front of me decided to just stop dead. I only had time to turn my head and grab him around his waist, but he ripped my hands off and I fell on my knees. Another runner helped me up, but the runner that had stopped didn’t even turn around! That’s when Teressa said, “Reinette, this is the third thing today. Nothing else will go wrong now.”
 
Just before we went into the stadium, Mary and Pierre gave me my 20th banner, my husband was inside to take photos, and there I was on the big screen TV with my banner. Afterwards, Mary told us how they were speeding toward Pietermaritzburg when Pierre said he didn’t know his Toyota bakkie could go 150km, and that she must stop talking to him, because he must concentrate! Then she had to run 2km to the start, constantly being stopped by security guards, but she managed. I am really honoured to have friends like these.
 
SHARE YOUR COMRADES MARATHON STORY
Every person has a story to tell and Comrades Marathon runners in particular have the ultimate tales of courage, perseverance and endurance. We are calling on ardent Comrades runners to inspire the nation to take up the challenge of running the world’s most gruelling footrace, by sending us your Comrades Story in 300 words or less, and stand the chance to win a Comrades hamper. Please e-mail your story to [email protected].

The Travelling Talker

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Former sports journalist Dan Nicholl is host and executive producer of the The Dan Nicholl Show on SuperSport, and also works extensively around the world as an MC and presenter, as a columnist for a number of publications, and serves as an ambassador for the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. Unsurprisingly, he finds it challenging to fit in some exercise. – BY SEAN FALCONER
 
MA: Tell us about your background.
DN: I was born in Northern Ireland, grew up in Zimbabwe and came to South Africa, where my mother was born, to study an honours degree in English literature at the University of Cape Town. I worked as a barman, waiter and occasional bouncer while at university, but I was very skinny and not very strong, so wasn’t very successful as a bouncer! I also spent some time at the Zimbabwe Cricket Academy, but I didn’t quite make the cut, so now I watch and talk about sport for a living instead.
 
MA: Where did the idea of The Dan Nicholl Show come from?
DN: In 1995, I spent a year in Australia as a Rotary Exchange Student and saw a number of shows where sport was used as a platform for entertainment and lifestyle television. That started me thinking, and in 2002 I filmed the first pilot for the show that eventually became The Dan Nicholl Show 13 years later. I saw a gap in the television market, got some great partners involved – Frontiers Sport and Entertainment, BrightRock and SuperSport – and eventually turned a dream into reality. The focus is on lifestyle more than sport – what people do away from their chosen sport, and because one of our three guests each week is not a sportsperson, we end up with some unexpected combinations of people, and you’re never entirely sure what’s going to happen!
 
MA: What role does sport play in our society?
DN: As an ambassador for Laureus Sport for Good, I’ve seen projects around the world do remarkable work dealing with education, health and community building… When Madiba said that sport has the power to change the world, he was absolutely correct. We face a lot of challenges in South Africa and sport has a key role to play in addressing many of them.
 
MA: Does your commentary work entail a lot of travel?
DN: These days it feels like I am constantly on and off airplanes, in and out of hotels, and in the last few years I have done about 150 flights a year, all over the world! The travelling starts out glamorous and cool, but by the third flight in one day, it starts wearing a bit thin…
 
MA: All that travelling must make fitting in regular exercise hard?
DN: That’s the biggest challenge. When I am somewhere picturesque and the weather is not revolting, I will go for a run to explore. I also love walking through new places – I was recently in Berlin to host a Laureas Awards pre-event, and went walking with my wife. Suddenly we realised we had been walking for six hours! Actually, it was a really good workout. Depending on where I am, I also try to get down to the hotel gym, if time allows, and it if doesn’t, Lisa Raleigh gave me a hotel room workout regime, including stretching, that I like to do that after a flight.
 
MA: What about when you are home?
DN: When I am at home it is easier to fit in a run, and I also have a personal trainer that reduces me to tears on a regular basis! Even better, I have a couple of friends in Joburg that are good cyclists, and we try to get in an hour’s ride here and there. I also get in a good walk when playing golf – it’s not quite Ironman training, but not being very good at golf means there’s a lot more walking backwards and forwards looking for my ball! Besides that, I am often running after our two-year-old, plus we have a 70kg bull mastiff called Stavros. He’s a gentle soul, but I once did a full workout with javelin thrower Sunette Viljoen that was easier than taking Stavros for a walk!
 
MA: So do you think it is important to keep fit and active?
DN: My line of work is my biggest incentive to keep fit. We recently did a piece up at Vic Falls with swimmer Cameron van den Burg, swimming in the crocodile-infested river right up to within a metre of the edge of the Falls… I only realised the next day how close we were, but the scariest part was still standing bare-chested next to him in front of the cameras!

Are Running Goals Necessary?

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I think that setting running goals and using structured training programmes do work, but sometimes you can just run purely for the joy of running.
 
A clubmate recently told me she was scrapping her plans to run a big upcoming marathon because the intense training was getting to her. Not in terms of being too physically hard, but in the sense that she was no longer enjoying her running and thus no longer motivated to train for the event. I responded that sooner or later all runners have to reassess their goals. For example, perhaps you planned to run Comrades this year for the first time, but realised you’re not yet ready to step up to that distance and had to shelve the plan for another year.
 
That’s not failure, that’s just the way it is, I told her. Rather take a step back and reassess your goals, making them achievable and enjoyable, than push yourself beyond your physical and emotional boundaries, to the point that you end up exhausted, injured, and out of love with your running. And remember that we all go through this, so don’t feel alone.
 
Since talking to her, I have given it some more thought, particularly in the context of my own running. I lost interest in going for fast times early in my running career and took to the social side of the sport, seeing it as an extension of my job as a running journo as well as fun, and thus I have seldom run with a specific goal in mind. I just run because I enjoy it, without any specific time, pace, mileage or racing goals in mind. (OK, these days I do think about reducing my middle-age spread…)
 
Granted, I did still have some ‘big running years,’ like the year I decided to do my first marathon, when I upped my training, ran a 30km race, then a 36km, and then the full. I briefly played with the idea of using that fitness to step up to my first ultra, but that simply didn’t appeal to me at the time and so I went back to my favourite race distance, the half marathon, and did more than 30 of them that year.
 
Another big year saw me join a 1000km challenge and ‘pledge’ to go after 1000km in racing kays in a year. I didn’t quite make it due to a combination of injury, illness and work commitments, finishing with just over 800km, but I wasn’t disappointed, as I had really signed up for the challenge to get to know more people and freshen my running up. I made some really good running friends that year, many of whom I still regularly share the roads and trails with.
 
Listening to my clubmate talk about needing to set herself goals to train for, I realised yet again that I have never run like that. Granted, running is my job, per se, and I don’t feel the need for specific goals to motivate me to continue running, but even before I became a journo on a running mag, I never really set myself strict goals and embarked on training programmes to reach them. I just ran – because I enjoyed it. Now I’m trying to work out whether this a good thing or a bad thing, whether I’m lucky to fall into this category or whether it’s actually something that has held me back all these years. Would I have achieved better times and run longer races if I had set goals and if I had followed structured training programmes? Would I already have several Oceans and Comrades medals in my collection? Would I have permanent numbers?
 
I guess the answer is yes, I probably would have gone faster and further if I had done structured training, and perhaps I will still do so some day, but I have no regrets that my running has been so relaxed and socially motivated for much of the last 20 years. At the same time, respect to those who use structured training programmes to keep themselves going and motivated.
 
But make sure you still enjoy it. I believe that is the secret to good running, no matter how hard it may get. As long as you can still tell yourself that you enjoyed your run, then you should have no problems motivating yourself to go for the next one.