Author: Modern Athlete

It was a real shock to his family and friends when Sihle Mlaba passed away on 3 June, due to stomach complications, five days after finishing his sixth Comrades marathon in 10:10:04 and seemingly good health. He was a passionate runner who loved the Comrades, and he will be sorely missed by his Midrand Striders clubmates.

There are two dates that both involve tragedy for Sihle Mlaba and the Midrand Striders club: 22 October 2011 and 3 June 2016. The first date was when five runners from the club were killed by a drunk driver while out on a training run in Midrand. It was so nearly seven runners killed… Sihle and his close friend Vusumuzi Madonsela survived because they were late that morning for the regular group run, and having nearly caught up to their friends just before the accident, they were the first people on the scene. As Vusumuzi says, “We could have also died there, but I guess God still wanted us to spend more time together.”

According to Duane Newman, who was Chairman of Midrand Striders at the time, “It was a really traumatic time for Sihle, but he showed his strength of character, and even though he was hurting, he gave of his time to ensure his friends would be remembered. The driver was eventually convicted and sentenced to 12 years in jail – some closure for a tragic event – but Midrand Striders promised Sihle that we would continue to remember and honour his friends. We now have an annual memorial run on that day from Vodaworld to the place of the accident, and at this sad time of Sihle’s death, we also need to remember Moroese, Reneilwe, Given, Isaac and Nomvula.”

Recovery Time
Given his horrific experience, Sihle could easily have packed up his running shoes, and though he shared with Duane that at times it was tough to cope, he showed resilience to actually come back even stronger. That saw him run his best Comrades in 2012, clocking 9:56:24. “He was a man of strength,” says Duane. “Looking at all the races he ran, it is clear that he picked the tough races: The Tough One, Sunrise Monster, Om die Dam, Soweto, Slowmag, City to City, Jackie Gibson… and of course, the Comrades Marathon.”

“I think Sihle suffered from a common runners’ ailment called ‘ranmesia’ – a runner’s ability to forget, often just seconds after crossing the finish line, all the pain, blisters, aches, muscle cramps, chaffing, lost toenails, blood, sweat and tears,” jokes Duane. “Personally, I will remember Sihle as soft-spoken, polite, and always with a smile. As a fellow runner, I will mourn his loss, but celebrate his achievements.”

Big C Exponent
Sihle was known as a ‘Comrades evangelist,’ because he talked about the race all the time. It was even jokingly suggested that he should have been paid by the Comrades Marathon Association! As close friend and fellow Midrander Monde Matyesha says, “Sihle would take us through the Comrades route during our morning runs, giving us every detail along the route. These narrations were what novices in our morning runs used to enjoy, and it would equip them with a clear visual picture of what they will encounter. This Sihle did without struggle, because to him Comrades was the culmination of all that we would put together in our training sessions.”

Monde continues, “Before this year’s Down run I shared my race strategy with him and when he saw me flying past him, he reminded me, ‘Mfundisi, remember what you said,’ and I immediately pulled back – and after three attempts, I finally landed my first Bill Rowan. It was thanks to him… and it is a bitter pill to swallow that I can’t celebrate it because he is gone. One thing that soothes the pain of the loss, though, is knowing that we had a few days after the race to celebrate our achievements together.”

Another training partner, Collin Mothlabi, says, “Sihle taught me so much about running. I’m struggling to understand or accept his departure and that I will never see him again. I feel robbed…” These words are echoed by Tim Walwyn current chairman of Midrand Striders: “We at Midrand Striders will miss Sihle, as he made a huge difference to our running community.”

Last Word…
As one of Sihle’s best friends, it is fitting to allow Vusumuzi the last word: “I thank God for having afforded me a once in a lifetime opportunity of having a brother like Sihle. He was always there when I shared my struggles about my calling, and not once did he turn his back on me. As his friends, we surely can never take his place, but we would like to let his family know that we are also their sons and daughters – we truly thank them for having changed our lives for the better through Sihle, and we will always be there for them. Sihle, you will forever be part of me, my friend, brother, running partner and confidante.”

Many of you know that I have been battling with a hip injury for the last 18 months and was not able to perform anywhere close to my full potential. Thankfully, I hope to be back running pain-free soon. – BY RENÉ KALMER

Then at the Spar Ladies race in Durban in June, I realised that I just couldn’t continue like this. Running used to be my passion, but it had turned into a Pokemon stealing my joy and my love for something precious to me. Another visit to the specialist followed, and some new tests at last revealed the real problem: A tear in my Labrum. I was overwhelmed with emotion when the doctor told me that I didn’t have any other option but to have a hip arthroscopy to repair the tear. On the one hand, I was relieved that we had finally found what had caused me so much misery, and grateful for a possible solution, but I was frustrated that it took so long to solve my mystery hip injury. first wrote it off as an ITB niggle, but then the pain started to move around, from the groin to the glutes to the SI joint, and visa versa. I hobbled from doctor to doctor, from physiotherapist to biokineticist. New diagnosis… New treatment…. New hope! And in between, I filled my days with rehabilitation to sort out all my imbalances and try to be ready for my Olympic qualifying marathon in London. However, most of my races ended in tears of pain and frustration, and the worst part was trying to be brave and just “smile and wave.”

Making the Call

Dr Cakic is an amazing doctor! He even apologised for not making the call to operate a year earlier, but he really went out of his way to try everything possible to avoid surgery and thereby still give me a chance of qualifying for the Olympics. A professional cyclist had been sitting in the same chair in front of Dr Cakic and the doc made the call not to operate on him… and a few months later he won his first stage at the Tour de France! But not operating didn’t fix my problem, although, to be honest, I don’t think I was mentally ready for an operation at the time, so we made the right decision not to operate till now!

The month before the op was probably one of the longest I have experienced, as I literally counted down the days. I made a mental shift to stay positive and do all the stuff I normally miss out on because of my training regime. We went away every weekend and I didn’t feel at all guilty for missing training. I’m still battling with the sleeping in part, but my husband Andre enjoys the fact that I don’t have to get up at 5am for my morning runs. I also surrounded myself with positive people, and one of them whose friendship I really treasure is Caroline W?stmann. She just would not allow me to feel sorry for myself. Instead of focussing on running, we had weekly swim dates, much to the amusement of coach Lindsey Parry and his triathletes. Probably because our favourite swimming drill was using the kickboards as we chatted away, planning our next running adventure… Watch this space!

Smooth Operator

The operation went well. Straight after coming out of the theatre, the hospital porter Silas ensured me that I was in good hands, as Dr Cakic had also sorted out his hip injury. Silas is a fellow runner from Diepsloot and obtained a silver medal at this year’s Comrades Marathon. I was clearly still under the influence of anaesthesia when I told him that I will run Comrades with him in two years time… The next morning Silas was the first visitor to come check up on me, and I’m looking forward to joining him at the Diepsloot time trial when I’m up and running again. The time in hospital also made me realise once again how thankful one should be for heath, mobility, doctors and nurses, hospitals, support structures, family and friends.

Typing this column four days after the operation, I am sitting on the couch watching television, with a Game Ready ice machine attached to my hip to speed up the recovery process. I will be using crutches for the next six weeks, and in the meantime I am doing rehab exercises three times a day, and sleeping a lot. I realise it is going to be a long road to recovery, but the idea of getting back to running pain-free makes it all worth it. I am motivated to come back faster and stronger in a few months time, and want to say thank you for all the phone calls, prayers and messages of support. They are truly appreciated and really keep me going.

Unbeaten on SA soil this year… Now that’s not a phrase you often hear in running circles, but it has become a common theme in one post-race media release after another as Irvette van Zyl continues to enjoy a stellar running year. This August will see her in action in the Olympic Marathon in Rio, and then she intends returning to SA to hopefully continue her winning streak. – BY SEAN FALCONER

She was selected as one of three members of the SA women’s marathon team, having posted the fastest qualifying time by a South African when she crossed the line in 2:32:20 at the London Marathon in April. She will be joined by Lebo Phalula and Christine Kalmer in the Olympic Marathon. Unsurprisingly, Irvette says she has greatly enjoyed her winning streak, but her main focus this year has definitely remained on Rio. “I’ve heard about this ‘unbeaten on SA soil’ thing, but there are still a lot of races to come after the Olympics, and that can change very quickly.” So far this has been quite some year for Irvette. She has posted wins in three Spar Women’s Challenge races in PE, Cape Town and Durban (and she leads the Spar Grand Prix points table), as well as the Totalsports Ladies Race in Durban, the Old Mutual Two Oceans Half Marathon and several other events. She also won the 5000m title at the SA Track and Field Champs in Stellenbosch, and the year is set to get even better this August as Irvette heads to Rio for the Olympic Games.

“The Rio marathon has always been my main goal for the year, but when I get back it will be back to the 10km Spar races in Joburg and Pretoria. If I manage to win both, then I will become the first athlete to win all five in the series in a single year. Rene Kalmer won four out of five in 2012 but then missed the last one due to injury, which I won. I’m almost at her mark now, but for now I’m not even thinking about those races, because Rio is the focus. I’ve just been getting the mileage in, because marathon training is a big increase, but the training has been going really well.”

Unfinished Business

When asked what her hopes are for Rio, Irvette gets a steely look in her eyes and says her first priority is going to be to finish the race, after she was forced to drop out of the 2012 Olympic Marathon in London due to an Achilles injury. “I took so much criticism after bailing in London, but I had aggravated my Achilles training on the gravel roads of the parks in London, and by the time I got to 17km the pain had become so bad that I just couldn’t carry on. It felt terrible to bail, but I learnt valuable lessons as well, which is why this year I asked if I can only travel to Rio five days before my race. In London we went too early, first for a training camp, then the Olympic Village, with new physios, different training surfaces, different food, and more. This time I want to keep things ‘normal’ for as long as possible before going across.”

In terms of strategy in Rio, Irvette says she will set out at 3 minutes 30 per kay to begin with and try to stay with the main race pace, then maybe after 10km drop to 3:35 and see if she can find a strong pack to run with and take it from there. “I would love to run a 2:30, because my ultimate goal is still to go under 2:30, but that is unlikely in Rio. I don’t think times will be the issue, it will be down to the heat and humidity. Rio is much hotter than Pretoria, so I have been training at midday and trying my best to get ready for the conditions, but I won’t know how well I can cope with it until I get there. That’s why I say a realistic target is to try finish in the top 20 – and anything better I will definitely take!

She adds that the three South African marathoners may each run their own race instead of trying to work as a team. “It’s probably our biggest problem on the world stage that we don’t work together like the Kenyans or other countries, but we don’t train together, so it would be a bit much to expect us to suddenly race together. Sure, we will discuss tactics, but I think we’re on different levels and run differently, so I think it unlikely we can race together. Obviously, we’ll also see how the race goes, and maybe during the race we can adapt our tactics, especially if we are running together.

Family Ties

Running has always been part of Irvette’s life. As a little girl she tried never to miss a race when her aunt and godmother, 1992 Comrades winner Francis van Blerk, was running, and Francis would often hang her new medals around little Irvette’s neck. That must have planted the seed, because when Irvette grew up all she wanted to be was a runner. At the age of nine she started running cross country, running 4km each day (2km morning and 2km evening) for training, all under the watchful eye of her mother, following in the car. She would even get her mom to drop her a few kays from home when driving home from extra maths lessons, so she would not miss a run!

At 13 she started training with a coach and at 14 she won her first SA Cross Country junior title, going on to represent SA at the World Cross Country Champs. Later, when she won the Joburg leg of the Spar series still as a junior, she confirmed her star potential, but a serious scooter accident in Grade 11 nearly ended her running career. “The doctors initially said I would probably never run again, and it took me a long time to recover, but I did come back.” she says proudly. However, then she found that varsity life was getting in the way of her running, until two years down the line she decided to stop her studies and focus on running. She was also now in a steady relationship with 400m hurdler LJ van Zyl, whom she married in 2012, after they both returned from the London Olympics, and they now have an 11-month old baby, Louis.

LJ and Irvette will both be going to Rio in August, which will make them only the third married couple ever to represent South Africa at the same Olympic Games, after Craig and Natalie Fulton (hockey, 2004) and Mike and Elvira Wood (fencing, 2008). “It’ll be the first time it happens in athletics and is very exciting,” says Irvette, “but we both learnt a lot in 2012. London was actually a bit of a disaster for us both, so this time we’re better prepared. It was my first Olympics and LJ’s second, so I overindulged in everything, from talking to everybody I could meet, to eating too much of the great food. I basically did everything wrong! And LJ felt like he needed to protect and guide me, even though I can look after myself. This time we’re going with a different outlook and will give each other more space, because running is an individual sport, and you need to focus on the job. We’re both so much more at ease for this year’s Olympics, because we’ve looked after our bodies, prepared well, and everything feels like it is coming right.

Another reason Irvette says they are both more relaxed is thanks to the birth of ‘Little Louis,’ as she says he keeps them both grounded and free of stress, but then she gets a longing look in her eyes as she says she is really going to miss him while she is in Rio. “Louis will stay with my sister in Naboomspruit and it will be tough, because it will be the first time I have been away from him for more than a week. LJ has away for longer periods while competing overseas, and now he’s telling me it is going to be tough. I’m the mother… I know! Worst is, we may even miss his first steps while we’re in Rio, so I’ve given my sister a speech about not missing getting it all on film!”

And after Rio…

Looking ahead, Irvette says that she will focus on the remainder of the Spar series when she returns from Rio, and then next year she wants to get back on to the track. “Seeing Dom Scott doing so well on track, clocking a sub-32 for 10,000m, has motivated me to try the track again. When I won the SA 5000m title earlier this year, I saw that I still have some speed in my legs, but my PBs on the track are not that good, so I want to get them down. And then I will have another crack at a fast marathon later in the year, and hopefully that will set me up for eventually qualifying for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Who knows, I may even make it to a fourth Olympics in 2024!

•   Born 5 July 1987 – now aged 29.

•   First major win came at the Zevenheuvelenloop 15km in the Netherlands in 2002, aged 15, during an overseas holiday.

•   Has won SA senior titles at 5000m and 10,000m on the track, as well as 10km and the half marathon on the road.

•   Also won junior national titles on track and in cross country.

•   Has a marathon PB of 2:31:26, run in the 2013 London Marathon.

•   Has represented SA at the World Cross Country Champs, the World Half Marathon Champs and the Olympic Games

Most runners have experienced a side stitch somewhere along the way, but not all of them know how to simply and easily cure the problem. Instead you’ll see athletes trying to push their hands under their rib cage to alleviate the pain while still running at full speed! Here’s what you need to know so you can keep going next time you get stitched up. – BY SEAN FALCONER

The stitch is just one those things that most runners experience sooner or later, an aching or sharp pain just below your ribs, usually just on one side, and sometimes accompanied by pain in the shoulder. There are various theories as to the causes of the stitch, one of which is thought to be irritation of the ligaments and the membranes that hold and connect the various muscles, bones and organs of the lower abdomen.

Basically, the impact of running pulls the organs downwards, tugging on the ligaments in the upper abdomen and creating irritation. This would explain why consuming a big meal soon before running can bring on a stitch. However, swimmers also often complain about side stitches, so vertical tugging due to impact can’t fully explain the stitch.

Another theory is that a stitch is cramping of the diaphragm, the muscle that expands your lungs and allows you to breathe, which becomes over-exerted by heavy breathing and cramps during high-intensity activity like running.

Furthermore, another theory holds that this cramping can be made worse by consuming certain foods or fluids, notably concentrated sugary drinks, which causes more bloodflow to the stomach to help with digestion, thus decreasing bloodflow to the diaphragm and speeding up the cramping. However, horse-riders are another group who often complain of side stitches, and while they are subjected to high impact, their activity is usually low-intensity in terms of breathing.

Still another theory is that stitches are causes by irritation of the spinal column, thanks to studies that showed that the pain from a side stitch could be reproduced by applying manual pressure to the vertebrae along the upper spine.

The researchers believe that this may also explain why some stitches are accompanied by pain at the tip of the shoulder, as nerves running to both the diaphragm and the shoulder are connected to the same vertebrae. That, in turn, may explain why runners and horse riders (high impact on spine) and swimmers (repeated rotation of the spine) all experience high rates of stitches, but cyclists do not.

SELF-REMEDY FOR THE STITCH

As you can see, there are several possible factors causing your side stitch, and similarly, there are several things you can try to alleviate or prevent the pain:

•   Breathe easy: Make sure your breathing is regular on a high-intensity run. If you’re pushing yourself too hard, your breathing will automatically become shallow, which puts extra pressure on the diaphragm, shutting off bloodflow and creating that ‘pinch’ under your ribcage. If you get a side stitch often, practise belly-breathing on the run, which will lower and relax your diaphragm.

•   Stretch it out: Extend your right arm upwards and hold for a few seconds. As with any other cramp, gently stretching the muscle and massaging the pain will increase bloodflow, alleviating the contraction.

•   Stop your run: Runners are stubborn and try to “run through it,” but it’s important to take any pain as a warning. If the pain subsides, then you can carry on at a slower pace before hopefully speeding up again.

•   Work on your speed and strength: Concentrating on abdominal and lower back strengthening exercises can also help you out with stitches. The tighter the muscles are in your core, the less movement of the organs and lining, or pressure on your spine. And training to go fast will allow you to go fast in races without getting a stitch.

•   Eat and drink carefully: Stay hydrated throughout your run, because less water means less oxygen and less bloodflow to your muscles, but avoid heavy meals three hours before your run, as a full stomach will place added pressure on your diaphragm.

The good news is that most times a stitch quickly goes away as soon as you slow down or stop running, so it is a relatively easy pain to cure.