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The CHALLENGE of 42 Kays

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After missing out on the Old Mutual Two Oceans last year, followed by a long injury lay-off during the second half of the year, I was more than happy to be able to start the Oceans Half this year, as part of a wonderful week in Cape Town. – BY RENÉ KALMER
 
Last year I suffered real FOMO (fear of missing out) with the Two Oceans weekend, as my sister Christine and I were forced to be spectators, supporting the #KalmerKerels in their Two Oceans debuts. At the time Christine and I were about to head to Austria for the Vienna City Marathon the following weekend, where Christine made her marathon debut and clocked 2:39. It is amazing to think that it’s a year later and she currently has the leading marathon time (2:33:47) for SA women, with only one month left for qualifying for the Rio Olympic Games in the marathon!
 
My husband Andre and I arrived in the Mother City on the Wednesday morning before the race, making sure we were not missing out on any of the Oceans action. Thursday we made our way to the Expo for a fun Q&A with Ross Tucker and fellow adidas teammates like Caroline W?stman, Tanith Maxwell and Jenna Challenor. Then Caroline and I rushed to the adidas headquarters to hand over shirts and have lunch with the adidas staff also participating in the weekend's races, and I realised once again how blessed I am to be part of the ‘adi-family.’ Next we rushed over to the Vineyard Hotel for the book launch of Dewald Steyn's The History of SA cross country, distance running and walking from 1894-2014. It was a great honour to rub shoulders with SA legends like Elana Meyer, Fanie van Zijl and Ewald Bonzet.
 
The KPMG Modern Athlete Pasta Party on the Thursday evening was another highlight. Listening to a legend such as Colleen de Reuck sharing her words of wisdom was very inspirational to everyone who attended this amazing evening, and Caroline's From Couch to Champion talk had everyone listening with great interest. Seven years ago she had been a recreational runner trying to lose some weight after the birth of her daughter, and there she was standing as the reigning Two Oceans, Comrades and Om die Dam champion. Her video clip showing how she passed the Russian leader at Two Oceans 2015 had everyone crying with laughter… A great evening, apart from the shaky MC – some guy name Sean… 😉
 
Ready to Run
Race day arrived and I was very happy with how things turned out. After the long lay-off, I was both nervous and excited to be back racing. Although I finished fourth, the most important was that I ran without any discomfort or further injury. Really looking forward to the rest of the season and getting my fitness back to compete for podium finishes again. And I am happy to report that Andre and Aiden (Christine's boyfriend) managed to once again sneak in just before the final cut-off… 6:57. They call it “great pacing,” we call it “too close for comfort.”
 
The rest of the week was spent relaxing with friends, enjoying the Cape scenery, watching a summer concert at Kirstenbosh Gardens, amusing the penguins at Simons Town, shark-spotting at Muizenberg, fish & chips at Hout Bay… Not forgetting training runs along the legendary Promenade and a track workout at the beautiful new Green Point Stadium. I also drove the full Two Oceans Ultra Marathon route for the first time. They don’t call it the “World’s Most Beautiful Marathon” for nothing. Maybe one day…

From the HEART

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When I suffered sudden chest pains early in a race, I had no idea how serious the problem would turn out to be. – BY MOGAMAT PHALDIE CASSIEM

It was during the Grape Run Half Marathon in Constantia in October 2013 that my life as a runner for the past 21 years changed dramatically! After starting the race in good spirits, just 1km into the race I felt this pain in my chest and stomach! It felt like a burp that does not want to come out! The helpful marshal standing at the robots came over and said that I must rest against the pole and hopefully I will feel better in a few minutes, and when the last runner came past, I thought let me start running again. Immediately the pain started again and I knew something was seriously wrong.
 
I have always said to myself, should I ever have any unexplained pain or discomfort, I will not force myself to keep running, but rather bale and get medical advice, as there will always be more opportunities to run races. A million concerns went through my mind as I walked back to my car. I knew I should get to a doctor or hospital, but being a Sunday, and seeing that my chest discomfort did not seem to bother me when I walked or sat, I waited till the Monday to visit my GP, who said, “Take this medication and come see me again in a few days’ time if the symptoms persist.” Well, I went back feeling worse, but he said that he could not find anything seriously wrong, and maybe I need to see a psychologist…
 
You see, I had told him that my family history involved cardiac problems stemming from high cholesterol inherent to my Indian lineage on my mother’s side – both my mother and sister died from cardiac arrest at 53 and 51 years of age respectively, and I was 55. I sensed that the GP thought I was being paranoid, but I insisted to be referred to a physician. I ended up at the Sport Science Institute in Newlands to see Professor Derman and after the consultation, which involved a series of ECG, Echo tests, etc, I was told that that it was the luckiest day of my life – that because I pursued immediate medical advice, chances were good that after medical intervention to correct the problem, I would be able to be fit and healthy to run again.
 
Caught in time
The diagnosis was Cardio Vascular Disease, which means my arteries were narrowing, and if not treated, could lead to a heart attack! After the necessary procedures, three stents were inserted into the main artery leading to my heart – all it took was about 20 minutes in theatre – and if no unforeseen issues came up, I would be running again soon. Well, this never happened, because I was going through the worst period of my life, with side-effects such as cold sweats, numbness in the legs, loss of appetite, insomnia, etc.
 
I felt I was going to die, but my wife, a professional nurse, reassured me that I must stay positive, and she found out that the possible side-effects of some of my medication may be the cause of these symptoms. There it was… statins, beta-blockers, specific pain-killers that all could give rise to what I was experiencing, and not from the stent implants! However, two months later I was still not feeling completely recovered and decided to go for a second medical opinion as to why I was still feeling so uncomfortable, let alone not being able to run yet! I ended up having to go for another angiogram and another four stents were implanted.
 
On the road again
It was February 2014 when I did my first half marathon in the Strand and was I ecstatic! Tears of joy were running down my face in appreciation that I had been blessed in so many ways to be back on the road. My heart goes out to those fellow runners that over the years may not have been given such a second chance! I remember a few years ago during Comrades when two runners lost their lives. May God have mercy and protect and guide each of my fellow runners to share many more enjoyable races!
 
Speaking of Comrades, I completed my 10th run in 2015. In spite of the medical intervention, the medication I have to take every day for the rest of my life, and the reduced training time I had to prepare, I still finished in 11:37 with enough time to spare before the 12-hour cut-off! I will be doing my 11th run this year, God-willing, and the good news is that continuing running is possible even for those suffering from Cardio Vascular Disease… but first seek medical assurance!

Ready for Rio

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Having claimed a second South African 10km Champs title in February, Elroy Gelant is clearly in peak racing form as he heads into the all-important last few months of qualifying for the Rio Olympics in August, but the versatile 29-year-old from Potchefstroom is already thinking ahead to the next chapter in his running career. – BY SEAN FALCONER
 
Stephen Mokoka started the 2016 SA 10km Champs in Sasolburg on 6 February as odds-on favourite to win the road running title once again. After all, he had won it in 2015, and 2014, and 2013, and he also set a new SA record for 10,000m on the track last year at the SA Track and Field Champs in Stellenbosch. In fact, the last time he had been beaten in the national 10km Champs was in 2012, in Kimberley, when Elroy Gelant out-kicked him… so it was perhaps appropriate that the exact same thing happened in 2016 – because it needed something special to deny him a fourth straight 10km title.
 
Running for the Central North West Province, Elroy came home in 29:14, two seconds clear of the man in the colours of Gauteng North, as the two friendly rivals clocked the fastest times by South Africans thus far this year, and Elroy says it was a sweet victory. “It is always nice to race Stephen, and we have a great friendly rivalry. For the past four or so years I think I have still been an upcoming athlete, while he was the established star, so I have always looked up to him. At the 2014 World Half Marathon Champs in Copenhagen, he came back to me and helped me to relax, with words of encouragement and advice, which helped me to finish 12th with a new personal best of 1:01:09, so I see him as guy of calibre, somebody I really respect.”
 
Champion Pedigree
This was Elroy’s fifth SA title, having not only won the 2012 SA 10km title, but also having won an SA Cross Country Champs 4km short course title in 2012, then recording the unprecedented double by winning both the 12km long course and the 4km titles on the same day at the 2013 SA Cross Country Champs. He is also the SA Record holder for the 3000m indoors, having clocked 7:39.55 in Belgium in 2014, the same year he finished seventh in the 2014 World Indoor Champs in Poland, and he currently sits second on the all-time SA list for 3000m outdoors, and third on the 5000m list. In earlier years he also claimed a bronze medal in the 5000m in the 2009 World Universiade Student Games in Belgrade. To date he has represented South Africa twice at the Track and Field World Champs, three times at the World Indoor Champs, once each at the World Cross Country and World Half Marathon Champs, and twice at the African Champs.
 
When asked what he sees as the highlights of his running career thus far, Elroy says that the double Cross Country Champs win stands out for him, as does the SA indoor record, but he is equally proud of his performance at the World Cross Country Champs in Poland in 2013. “I finished 20th at the World Champs and it was very tough in snow and mud. The juniors went just before us and made it a bit slippery, so I was very pleased with that performance.” Now, however, he says the win against Stephen in Sasolburg has moved up to near the top of his highlights list.
 
“I have been racing Stephen for a few years now, and in 2013 I did the double over him at the USSA Student Champs, winning the 10,000m in 27:44, and then the 5000m the next morning in 13:15. However, I don’t have any national titles on the track yet, because Stephen always seems able to sneak past me if we run tactical races. I beat him at those USSA Champs because I went hard right from the start, so maybe that is the secret to success! And beating him in these latest 10km Champs felt just as good.”
 
Sporting Youth
Elroy grew up in Pacaltsdorp, near George, and was very active in his school days. “I was always the all-rounder. I played rugby and cricket in school, and started cross country in Grade 3, going on to represent the South Western Districts and winning a medal when I was only nine.” At North West University in Potchefstroom, he initially specialised in the 800m and 1500m, but his current coach, Jean Verster, and former SA middle distance great Hezekiel Sepeng, helped him move up to the 3000m and 5000m, and that remains his focus as he tries to book his ticket to Rio. “I still feel I have unfinished business in the 5000m, and I will be trying to qualify in SA in local meets, including the SA Champs in April. If I haven’t qualified yet after that, I will go to Europe to try again, but my main goal will be to qualify, not to race, so that I can conserve myself for Rio.”
 
Having also excelled on the road up to the half marathon distance, Elroy says he sees his long-term future in the marathon. “I knew I could show what I’m capable of in 10km and 21km after doing them for endurance training, and after Rio I plan to step up to marathons. I’m getting older, and I think I’ve done enough foundation work on the track, so my plan is to step it up next year. Still, I’m thinking of starting by just pacing a few international marathons up to the 30km mark, in order to get experience of the pace and racing in overseas marathons. In SA races are easier to pace, as overall standards are lower, but I will get the real experience overseas.
 
“I have no real idea of what I’m capable of in the marathon, but I think I will surprise myself. I ran a 27km race a few weeks ago and felt stronger towards the end, which is a good indication of my strength for the marathon. Still, there’s no number in my head, and it will depend on my training, which is why I think it will be great to go train with Stephen and his marathon group under coach Michael Seme. I’m currently training pretty much alone in Potch for long distance, as most of the guys here are focused on middle distance. I will talk to my coach Jean Verster about it and then decide.”
 
Going Pro
Having completed his honours degree from the North-West University in B.Com Human Resource Management as well as B.Com Honours in Labour Relation Management, Elroy actually held down a full-time position until the end of 2014 at the university, as a Human Resource Assistant in the Department of Human Capital and Client Services, while still managing an intense training programme. “It wasn’t easy! I would wake up at 4:30am every day to train and get home by 6am to shower before work, and then after hours I would train again, but since January 2015 I have been a pro athlete.”
 
“The last year was difficult as I struggled to adapt to the new environment, I think because running suddenly became my work, and I put more pressure on myself, but this year things are falling into place and I am seeing better results. I just needed time to adapt, so I kept reminding myself of my plans and telling myself not to worry about anyone else. God provided me with a talent to achieve great heights, and athletics is my soul. I can’t imagine life without it.”

Feeding for Ultras

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When you run for longer than 90 minutes, eating and drinking become imperative for optimum performance and sustained health, and there are many aspects to planning your race nutrition.

This time of year is all about qualifying marathons and running ultras in South Africa, and no matter what level you’re at in terms of running speed, you must meet your nutritional needs in order to achieve the results you want. And when it comes to fuelling for the ultras, practice is definitely the answer. Make sure that whatever snacks, fluids or gels you use, as well as meals before and after a race, are tried and tested – it’ll only heighten your performance and recovery. Also follow these general guidelines to munching for the long haul.

1. BRING ON THE CARBS

Endurance exercise puts a great demand on your glycogen stores and depletion can lead to fatigue and poor recovery. Therefore, if you’re running for more than 90 minutes, you should consume 40 to 60g of carbs for every hour of exercise. The carbohydrate consumed during training can be in the form of an energy drink, gels, energy bars, fruit, baby potatoes or sandwiches. Try to eat a well-balanced meal consisting of wholesome carbohydrates, lean protein, a small amount of unsaturated fat and fresh fruits and vegetables within 45 minutes after your run, to assure recovery quicker.

2. PACK IN THE PROTEIN

Protein is needed for muscle growth and repair, and your protein needs can be achieved without the use of supplements. Consuming a healthy, well-balanced diet that includes lean proteins will allow you to eat enough to meet your increased needs during your preparation for the ultras. Good sources of protein include lean meat, poultry, fish, eggs and fat-free dairy products that contain essential amino acids.

3. GET HEALTHY FAT

Endurance athletes should consume less than 30% of total calories from fat, and less than 10% from saturated fat. You should include a small amount of healthy fat in your diet – unsaturated fats are considered healthy and are necessary in a healthy balanced diet. As a concentrated source of energy, it can contribute to weight-gain when eaten in excess, so make sure you manage your intake!

4. HYDRATE EFFECTIVELY!

It is crucial to replace your daily fluid losses, because the effects of dehydration are felt quickly and can affect your performance during training and on race day. Make sure that you have a plan formulated to meet your fluid needs during training and on race day. In SA, we often have hot and humid conditions on the run, so make sure you drink regularly, and during runs lasting longer than two hours, include an electrolyte supplement to balance sodium and electrolyte losses.

5. INTRODUCING NEW STUFF

Always familiarise yourself with new foods or drinks during training. Many runners have experienced stomach distress when they have tried a new nutritional product in a race for the first time. If an event is going to have a certain food or drink on the course and you will not have your own available, use it in training to make sure it works for you. The golden rule is don’t try anything new in the race!

6. TIMING IS EVERYTHING

When possible, use downhills or times of decreased levels of exertion to eat and drink. Additionally, practise eating and drinking at different intensity levels during training, to see what works best for you. Set the timer on your watch to remind yourself when it is time to eat or drink, or use landmarks or course markings to remind you to fuel up.

Comrades Marathon Substitution Process Update!

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With only two weeks to go until the close of the official Comrades Marathon Substitution Process, have you got the entry you so desperately want? This is your only chance to get an entry if you missed out during the Comrades Marathon pre-entry period.

The Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) has announced that over 300 successful substitutions have already been completed! Do not wait, this is your only chance! There is no extension of this deadline and no posted applications will be accepted!

Completed application forms must be in the hands of the CMA by Thursday, 21 April 2016. If you still intend on submitting a Substitution Application Form, please visit the Comrades Marathon website for all the downloadable forms that are required as well as the list of Rules and Regulations that apply to the substitution process.

Substitutions can only be done on a like-for-like basis. This means that South African runners can only substitute for South African entrants, while Rest of Africa (ROA) runners can only substitute for ROA entrants. The same process applies to the International athletes.

It is advised that your application for this process is completed online.

For more information, click here.

Comrades Marathon Substitutions Open

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The Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) has announced that its official 2016 Comrades Marathon Substitution Process is open as of today, 1 April 2016, and will be open for the next three weeks, closing on 21 April.

This means that runners who were unable to enter the 2016 Comrades Marathon during the official entry period from 1 September to 30 November 2015 now have an opportunity to still be part of the world’s most famous ultra-marathon on Sunday 29 May 2016 via the Substitution process. The process allows for a runner who has not entered to substitute in for an entrant who has withdrawn, or intends to withdraw, from the 2016 edition of The Ultimate Human Race.

Substitutions can only take effect on a like for like basis, meaning SA runners can only substitute for SA entrants, Rest of Africa (ROA) for other ROA runners and International runners for International entrants.

The completed application forms as specified in the Substitution Rule must reach the CMA office by 21 April 2016. There will be no extension of this deadline and no postal applications will be accepted.

Athletes still intending to submit Substitution application forms are advised to visit the official Comrades Marathon website at www.comrades.com for the downloadable forms and the comprehensive list of rules and regulations which govern the Substitution process. Prospective substitutes are encouraged to do their application online.

Race Director Rowyn James says, “The Substitution Rule has been part of the Comrades Marathon entry rules for the past four years. It has been very well received by our runners and we look forward to seeing many more athletes taking to the start line on Sunday 29 May 2016.”

Ticket locked and ready!

Confessions of an Injured Runner

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I haven’t written much about running lately, and to be perfectly honest, I’ve sort of been avoiding all things running-related… because when you are no longer able to run, you sort of run out of things to write about. So, instead, I’ve put together a list of all the things I’ve been thinking for the past month and a half… but have been a little too ashamed to admit.

Coming to terms with a running injury is like handling any sort of grief. It’s normal to go through stages as you learn to cope:

 

1 Denial:I’m not injured! So what if it hurts to walk. I just tweaked something – a few days and I’ll be as good as new.

2 Anger:I hate my body. Why does it fail me all the time? What did I do to deserve this?

3 Bargaining:Look, body, I know that you’re hurting, but I promise that if you just let me run without pain, I will never mistreat you again. Please, just one run without pain. I promise I will love running every single day of my life. I will never ever complain again. No, really!

4 Depression:I will never be able run again for as long as I live. What’s the point of even hoping? My life is over!

5 Acceptance:Okay, so maybe I need to take a break for a little while. If I rehab and stay smart now, I should be back running soon. Rest now will make me stronger than ever.

 

However, what is probably not so normal is the fact that I’ve been cycling back to depression more often than I would like to admit. Every time I come to a place that seems like acceptance, then a few days go by and I’m still in pain, and I go right back to feeling as though I’ll never run again. Logically, I know I’m being ridiculous, that my injury isn’t really all that bad, and that there’s a chance I’m being just a tad overdramatic… but logic doesn’t always win. Plus, letting myself wallow in despair gives me an excuse to be lazy, which is much easier than sticking to an alternative cross-training regimen. And I have not been as good about rehabbing my knee as I’d maybe like you all to believe.I blame it on that whole despair thing.

Meanwhile, my training partners are running faster than ever. I don’t know why they chose the time that I’m sidelined to take running so seriously, but it’s driving me nuts. I don’t know whether to be proud or hate their guts! This is the fact that I’m probably the least proud of: Even though I am very happy for them, reading about their success further highlights my own failings.

At this point, I’ve tried everything.I got new running shoes. I had myself convinced that if I wore shoes with a low heel-toe offset, focused on my form, and shortened my stride, my knee problems would go away. And it worked… for a few kays, but the pain always comes back. While I do think there are some mechanical issues with my stride and form that contribute to the pain, clearly changing how I run isn’t going to make it suddenly go away (though hopefully might help prevent injury in the future).

 

Taking my own advice…

The only thing I haven’t tried for real is sustained time off. Yes, I took two weeks off in January, but since then I’ve tried running a couple of times a week. And where has that gotten me? Only a little bit better… and infinitely more frustrated. Because when it comes down to it, I am awful at taking my own advice. I can talk all day long about the benefits of rest, but have I actually been doing it? When I look back at the past couple of weeks, the truth is I have not. Running less is not the same as not running at all.

I think it’s about time I come to terms with the fact that the only thing that will help is time off. I’m trying hard to move into this whole acceptance phase and stay there. But more than my desire to run fast is this overwhelming urge to just run. To feel the wind in my hair, the blood pumping in my veins, the feeling of my heart about to beat out of my chest. To once again lose myself in a long run, to know that my legs can carry me, to feel strong, to move without pain. What I wouldn’t give for a run without pain.

My biggest confession as an injured runner? I am not handling things well. Not all the time, anyway. I know that life is good and that my injury is not all that serious. And that (hopefully) in a few months’ time, this will all be a distant memory. Sometimes it’s just hard to see the forest through the trees…

Win a Trip to Run in the French Alps

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We’re looking for an ‘Average Joe’ amateur athlete to win the trip of a lifetime to be part of the 2016 Asics Beat the Sun international relay to run around Mont Blanc in the Chamonix region of France on 21 June. You don’t have to be a superstar elite runner to be part of this incredible race against the sun, you just need to ENTER! Anybody may apply, no matter your running ability, age or gender.

They call it ‘Nature's Toughest Relay,’ but don’t let that put you off, because this is definitely something that YOU want to be part of. Each year in June, on the longest day of the year, teams representing all the continents take on the Beat the Sun challenge, to race 148km around Europe’s highest mountain, Mont Blanc. It’s a race against nature, because the starting gun fires at sunrise and teams must finish within 15 hour and 41 minutes in order to beat the sunset home.

The six continental teams will consists of six runners each, who will combine to run the 13 legs of the relay, and each team will consist of both elite professional athletes as well as amateur athletes who have won a place on their continental team. Thus Asics South Africa will be sending two athletes from South Africa to France to be part of Team Africa – one elite and one amateur – and that is why YOU now have this incredible opportunity to enter this once-in-a-lifetime competition in conjunction with Modern Athlete magazine!

You don’t even have to be an expert trail runner to enter, because some of the legs of the relay are mostly downhill and tarred, while others are really testing mountain climbs, and the amateurs in each team will be given the less challenging legs. Last year’s winner of the amateur slot in the African team, Leilani Scheffer of Rustenburg, ran legs 6 and 13, which were a 12.5km downhill road section and a 5km downhill trail section respectively. As you can see on the route profile below, she was not asked to go climb a mountain, so you too can take on this challenge. Just enter!

Oh yes, along with the experience of running with and learning from Africa's top athletes, the winner of the competition will be provided with the best ASICS trail running footwear and apparel to battle it out with the sun, and you’ll get to spend some time in one of the most stunning parts of the world.

So get your entry in TODAY! Go to http://beatthesun.asics.com to register for the Challenge and your name may come up for this incredible prize. You can also watch videos of last year’s inaugural Beat the Sun on the site – and once you watch that, we know you will want to enter this incredible competition to be part of Beat the Sun 2016!

 

Caroline Makes Two Oceans History Again

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With just under 3km to go in the 2016 Old Mutual Two oceans Marathon, Tanith Maxwell must have thought she had done enough to win the women’s title, having led for much of the race, then being overtaken by unheralded Ethiopian Amelework Fikadu Bosho on the Constantia Nek climb, but digging deep to reclaim the lead for much of the last 10km. However, she simply didn’t have an answer to the flying Caroline W?stmann, who once again left her charge late to power through and claim the win. She crossed the line in 3:44:44, 71 seconds ahead of Maxwell, wo had been third in 2015, with Bosho third

Last year W?stmann became the first South African female winner at Two Oceans in 14 years, then went on to win the Comrades Marathon as well, only the fourth athlete ever to record this ‘double’ in the two premier South African ultra-marathons. Then, just two weeks before this year’s Two Oceans, she won the Old Mutual Om Die Dam 50km ultra as well, becoming only the second athlete after Frith van der Merwe to win all three, and the first athlete ever to hold all three titles at the same time. Now, having won the Two Oceans again, she is on the brink of making history by winning all three in the same year, if she can repeat her Comrades win, and having run both Om Die Dam and Two Oceans fairly conservatively, she is looking odds on favourite to do so.

Before the race, W?stmann said that she would use the Two Oceans just as “a training run” in preparation for the Comrades in nine weeks, but once again she appeared to easily outrun the rest of the women without really having to exert herself. “I am very happy where I am in my training, although not quite in the same shape as I was last year, as I am planning to peak for the Comrades,” she said. “I think the absence of the Russians made the race slower than last year, and I was happy to let Tanith set the pace and to hang back in the main pack.” She said she then pushed hard for only the last 8km: “I asked myself, 'If I was running a time trial now, how do my legs feel?’ They didn't feel too bad.” W?stmann added that her aim is a another win and a sub-6 hour at Comrades, something that only Van der Merwe, American Ann Trason and Tatyana Zhirkova of Russia have done before. “I don't think this will mess up my Comrades,” she said.

In the men's race, the international contingent dominated as usual, but a strong wind buffeting the runners along Chapman's Peak Drive resulted in slower times overall. The win went to Zimbabwe’s Mike Fokoroni in 3:13:33, the slowest time since Phineas Makaba won in 3:15:06 as long ago as 1994. Three South Africans finished in the top ten, with former Comrades champion Modibe Ludwick Mamabolo taking sixth in 3:17:52.

Another highlight of the women’s race was the ultra-marathoning debut of SA all-time great Colleen De Reuck (51), who finished fifth in 3:53:07, demolishing the Master (50-59) age category course record and setting a new world age best at 50km of 3:27:38, shattering the previous time of 3:41:57 run by Brit Lavina Petrie in Canberra, Australia in 1994. Although now an American citizen, she received a rousing welcome everywhere she went pre-race, and the crowds loved her performance on race day as well. (Three other 50km records were also set: Fourth-placed woman Charne Bosman ran 3:24:46 for a South African record for veterans, as well as a WP open record, while the Pole Bogdan Barewski's 3:58:03 is a WP men’s open record for grandmasters.

Other notable finishes saw two runners, Tony Abrahamson and Louis Massyn, finish their 41st Two Oceans, in 5:08:44 and 6:08:24 respectively, to equal the all-time record held by the now retired Noel Stamper. These two grandmasters will pass that mark next year if they finish the 2017 Two Oceans.

The half marathon was missing a number of SA’s top runners, who were doing international duty at the World Half Marathon Champs in Cardiff, Wales on the same day, but the race still produced fast time. In the men's Half, Namakoe Nkhasi of Lesotho had to give everything in a sprint finish to beat SA track star Elroy Gelant by two seconds in a personal best of 1:03:38 – a mere three seconds slower than the course record held by three-time winner Stephen Mokoka, who was in Cardiff. The women’s race was dominated by Irvette van Zyle, who is the country’s fastest female half marathoner this year. She won easily in 1:13:14, just 31 seconds outside the course record, and more than four minutes clear of second-placed Onneile Dintwe of Botswana.

The Run/Walk Strategy

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Asking a runner to walk is like asking a shark to stop swimming… it’s never going to happen! But, what if it means running a PB at your next race? What if it means finishing your first marathon? What if it means guaranteeing your Comrades medal? That makes most runners think again! So here’s how to implement it in training and racing to best benefit your running. – BY RAY ORCHISON

 

In last year’s Comrades Marathon, Caroline W?stmann ran herself not only to a first place in the women’s race, but also into the hearts and minds of almost every South African. And she did so by leaving the commentary team and viewers across the nation scratching their heads with her run/walk approach on race day. One could almost sense the entire country holding its breath as Caroline suddenly slowed right down just after Botha’s Hill and started to, of all things, walk! Everyone watching the race was almost certain that she had gone out too hard and was now being forced to walk. Of course, she was in fact running the race with a planned run/walk strategy, which in the end saw her not only thrash the famous Nurgalieva Russian twins, who have dominated the Comrades in recent years, but also saw her cross the finish line with an average pace that would have almost certainly broken the Up-run record had it not been for the additional 800m added to the 2015 route as a result of road works.

Suddenly, runners all around the country were talking about this brilliant new run/walk strategy for racing, but it is by no means a new concept – well-known American coach and author Jeff Galloway has been using and promoting a run/walk strategy since 1974!

 

Why walk when you can run?

Now, going into an ultra like the Two Oceans or Comrades Marathon without a run/walk strategy in many cases ends up with lots and lots of walking, and a very long day out. You might be thinking to yourself, “So what’s the problem? I’ll run until I can’t run anymore, and then I’ll walk.” The problem with this thinking is that the walking at that point in the race becomes a defeated walk… You know your race is over and you end up walking with your head down, dreams smashed, and where it should have taken you perhaps 40 or 50 minutes to complete the last 8km, it now takes you 90 minutes.

A run/walk strategy however, is exactly that. It’s a strategy. It’s a plan, a well thought out approach to your race, and when you now deliberately walk during the race, it’s not a defeated walk at all, but rather part of the plan. And there are a number of reasons why a run/walk strategy works, and why you should be giving it a try:

·         There aren’t measured statistics, but in my experience, probably 90% of all runners will start a race too fast. And I get it… It’s a race, the nerves are on full alert and adrenaline is coursing through your veins. However, having a planned first walk just a few kays into the race gives you the opportunity to settle, bring the heart rate down and then to get going again at the correct pace.

·         It allows you to maintain a consistent running pace because you’re allowing short bouts of recovery between running efforts. In other words, it extends your energy stores.

·         Running is a repetitive motion whereby you use the same muscles in the same way for the entire duration of the race. This leads to muscle fatigue, especially over long races. For a race like Comrades, you cannot train for this fatigue by running the race distance a few times before race day. You’re going to need other ways of reducing this muscle fatigue. A run/walk allows just that, because throwing in a walk every few kays gives your muscles much needed, albeit short rest and recovery to keep you going.

·         You’ll actually gain time over distance! This one blows the mind, but it’s true. As fatigue builds and energy levels drop during a race, we begin to slow down. Just have a look at pretty much any race splits and you’ll notice that most of the field run positive splits. That is, most of the field run a slower second half. Because a run/walk strategy conserves energy and keeps fatigue under control, you will find that you are now in a position to run a faster second half and essentially speed up in the latter stages of the race.

 

Implementing the strategy

The most important part of a run/walk strategy is actually putting it into practice during training. Because walking fires up the muscles in a slightly different way, you’ll find it quite tough initially to get running again. This has a physiological element to it, but it also has a lot to do with simply teaching the head to come on board with what you’re doing. So, as they say in the classics, practice makes perfect!

When it comes to planning your strategy, here are a few guidelines:

·         The longer the race, the longer the walks should be, and the more frequent. For example, in a 10km race, you’d only have one walk of 30-45 seconds, whereas in a marathon, you might have five to six walks of 60-120 seconds each.

·         This is a strategy, so use it to your strengths and weaknesses. If you’re coming up to a planned walk but you know there’s a massive hill around the corner, and hills are your weakness, then delay the walk for a few minutes and use it on the hill.

·         Keep the running sections manageable in order to reduce fatigue. My recommendation for a run/walk ratio is 20’/60” (that is, a 60-second walk every 20 minutes), 25’/90”, 30’/120” and 35’/180”. In a marathon, for example, you might use a 30’/120” ratio, but in Comrades you might use a 20’/60” ratio. Try different ratios in training and find out what strategy works best for you.

 

Seeing is believing

I could write an entire book on this subject, but chances are that unless you actually see this in action, you’ll never believe it works. So, here’s a challenge for you. At your next race, be it 10km, a half marathon or an ultra, go into the race with a planned run/walk strategy. During your first walk, which might only be 30 seconds long, depending on the distance of the race, make a mental note of the runners who come flying past you. Then see how many of those runners finish before you. In most cases, it will be zero. That’s because a run/walk strategy can be the difference between your next race being great, or a complete disaster, so why not give it a try?