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Leading From the Front

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When Mignon du Preez smashed 258 runs in an under-13 provincial match, hitting 16 sixes and 25 fours with a strike rate of well over 200, a bright future was already on the cards for her in women’s cricket. Four years later she donned the green and gold against Pakistan, scoring her first ODI half century on debut, and today she captains the national team. We caught up with the Proteas skipper to discuss her training and where she'd like to see women's cricket going to. 

Mignon (25) will be the first to admit that her playing cricket came about by accident. “My dad was a mini-cricket coach and my brother played, so I went along to support. One day, one of the boys couldn't make it, so my dad asked me to help. I was about four years old and I scored the most runs, and that's where it all began.” She would go on to play with boys throughout primary school, and then finally a girls team at Hoërskool Zwartkop in Pretoria. She had already earned Northern Gauteng colours when she was 12, and in 2007, in her matric year, the national selectors came calling.

She was initially left out of the Proteas side that year, but when another player had to withdraw due to injury, Mignon was given her chance and knew she had to impress quickly to cement her place in an established squad. “It's difficult to break into the team, and even harder to stay there, but the pressure didn't get to me and my 50 runs against Pakistan at home was a perfect way to introduce myself,” she says, adding that fitting in national team duty was a challenge the next few years. “At varsity, I balanced my B.Com and Honours in Marketing with my training. At that time there wasn't a lot of touring, but I had to fit in it all in while taking textbooks to games.”

Mignon’s prowess with the bat and agile fielding capabilities made her an easy pick for the selectors, and then on tour in England in 2011, she got her first taste of captaincy with the then captain out injured. “I didn't think I had that knowledge, but my team believed in me,” she says. “I eventually found confidence in the role and I've continued to bounce ideas off and consult others. It's a work in progress, but I'm getting there!”

Lifting the Standards

Most recently, the women's side has been part of the national academy set-up, which has also boosted pre-season preparations. For the last 12 weeks, the squad has balanced two hours of training per morning in the nets, to sharpen skills, with meetings to discuss game scenarios, and three times a week the squad work on strength in the gym, with two sessions of pilates as well. “It's productive and it's essentially a 9-to-5 day,” says Mignon. “We often go on 5km runs to keep fitness up, and we do a lot of rowing, but shorter runs give us that short, explosive power when we're batting or fielding. It's all about turning on speed.”

In the next few years, Mignon is focused on getting the team to challenge the likes of England and Australia, and the more focused approach has the Proteas side feeling very positive about their tour to England this month. Mignon adds that she and her players are actually encouraged by being labelled the underdogs. “We haven't beaten them yet, so it's an exciting prospect to show them what we've got. We're a side that surprises – we beat New Zealand earlier this year in the T20 World Cup – and we can do it again. With sponsors now behind us, we're in the spotlight, so it's important for us to pave that future for women’s cricket in SA.”

Mignon is powered by Champions Uncovered (www.championsuncovered.com) and you can follow her on Twitter: @MdpMinx22

Nike Soweto Marathon Route Celebrates Soweto Heritage

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#PeoplesRace tells the story of 20 years of freedom

Runners have no excuse not to register for the Nike Soweto Marathon taking place on 2nd November. Not only will they have the option of three distances, 10 kilometer, 21.1 kilometer or 42.2 kilometer, but the routes unveiled today showcase Soweto’s best landmarks. Organisers have also confirmed that spots for each category are filling up quickly and that runners must register before the 1st October to secure their spot in this world class race.

Celebrating the rich heritage of Soweto, six significant sites have been selected and will be dotted along the 42.2 kilometer marathon route and these include: Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, Walter Sisulu Square, Regina Mundi Catholic Church, Morris Isaacson High School, Vilakazi Street and Hector Pieterson Memorial.

Banele Sindani, Chief Executive of the Soweto Marathon Trust and 2014 Race Director commented, “The Nike Soweto Marathon is much more than just a race, as it is about bringing people together and reminding them how far we have come as a nation. Runners really do get the best of both worlds – a memorable experience and a personal challenge. We are proud to have these and other iconic landmarks integrated on our two key routes.”

Starting and ending at Nasrec Expo Centre, runners will see snippets of Soweto as they take on the challenge of one of three routes during the Nike Soweto Marathon. Hydration spots have been strategically placed every three kilometers along the routes, with marshals taking care of runner’s health and safety during the day.

Sindani continued by stating that the routes were selected in order for runners to be physically challenged but also to provide the race organisers full control of access points. He pointed out that the half marathon and the full marathon routes would be the Soweto Marathon’s most challenging to date. “This is one of the reasons why the 42.2 kilometer category in this year’s Nike Soweto Marathon has been selected again as a qualifier for the ultras including Comrades and Two Oceans.”

With 21,000 runners expected and hundreds of spectators and support staff on duty participants are advised to arrive early at Nasrec Expo Centre on 2nd November as the first event kicks off at 06h00. Traffic alerts will be shared during the course of the day to make arrival and departure as smooth as possible, but with ample parking available and access into the area made easy via the N1 highway organisers are confident that there will be no issues on the day.

Keeping with the theme of celebrating the country’s rich heritage the Nike Soweto Marathon has selected Constitutional Hill as the race collection venue. Runners will receive a race pack including their race number and a commemorative t-shirt which can be collected between 30th October and 1st November.

Runners are also advised to follow all the updates on Twitter via @SowetoMarathon and to be part of the conversation by using #werunsoweto or #PeoplesRace.

Don’t forget about the 1st October registration cut-off. Registration for one of the three categories can be done on www.sowetomarathon.com or in store at Nike Stores at The Zone @ Rosebank and Sandton City. Runners can also register at Orlando Community Centre in Soweto, Run-aWay Store in Pretoria and The Sweat Shops in Johannesburg and Pretoria.

The Nike Soweto Marathon 10 kilometer race fee is pegged at R100.00 for the open category, and R75.00 for students and grand masters. The half marathon, 21.1 kilometer race fee is pegged at R130.00 for the open category, and R90.00 for students and grand masters. Marathon athletes can register for R170.00 for the open category or R125.00 if they are a student or grand master.

http://www.sowetomarathon.com/

Sweaty Sweethearts

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Do you and your partner fall in sync with each other or do you clash on a run? Feedback says a couple who runs together, stays together. 

My mom and dad got back from a run a few weeks ago, huffing and puffing whilst telling me about a new trail they found near our home in Pretoria. “Beautiful,” my mom exclaimed, “and dad stayed with me the whole way!” It was a rather surprising occurrence, because he usually runs ahead of her. While she is trudging up steep hills and keeping a rather conservative pace, he’ll often run ahead, then turn back to run with her again, and sometimes even shuffles backwards up hills while promising to stay with her. That’s common practice for when they go out running together, and despite some of the frustrations this brings for both of them, there’s a lot that comes out of spending time together and sharing a common love of running.

Road for Two

If your partner likes to hit an early morning race and you like to do the same, there’s definitely a plus side here. He or she will understand what makes you get up rather than lie in on a weekend morning. And ‘getting it’ is a rare find. Planning a race together is a winner – whether you’re faster or slower, the journey there will be a shared experience that you both will remember. It’s also reassuring having someone with you at the finish line. Without sounding completely corny, working out together can help build that cooperative spirit.

But when it comes to running together, there are victories and downfalls by the dozen. There are a few things you’ll have to decipher – who’ll be running quicker, and can you manage to slow down for your partner? Is it a social outing or is it competitive training? Decide from the get-go whether you will be sticking together or not. If you have a little more fuel in your tank, tell your partner that you’ll be shooting ahead. Otherwise, you’ll just be left frustrated by the end of your session. The plus side of being together is having that constant support system by your side, pushing you to new levels and PBs.

RUNNING COUPLES
We asked Modern Athlete readers if love and running can mix successfully.

Jennifer Ann Yeo: “Love running with my fiancé. My tempo runs might be his easy relaxed run, but it pushes me to run harder and he always runs back from the finish to meet me, which makes for a good finish.”

Stuart Wainwright: “We met on a half marathon seven years ago, ran three Comrades together, and countless other races. Now we are on day 115 of our consecutive running challenge and it is our little way to make sure that we get time together.”

Melanie de Bruyn: “My husband and I met at a race, we also got engaged at a race! We train together and run 10km races together – anything further than that, he ‘goes’ and I ‘follow,’ although he did run my first Comrades with me.”

James Allan Davis: “Me and my wife train together and I run at her pace. I also do my own training runs. We have run a few 21s together, the Spur Trail Series and the AfricanX. Great being able to share the journey with her!”

Top three athletes to finish the Oak Cottage KwikSpar Mountain Drive Half-Marathon in Grahamstown on 9 August are

Master Sportsman

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 In 1974, when Lood Rabie ran 2:19:22 in his debut marathon at the Peninsula Marathon in Cape Town, he became only the fourth South African to break the 2:20 barrier. Ironically, he had only taken up marathoning because of illness, having contracted glandular fever the previous year and seen his times on the track suffer as a long-term result of all the weight he lost, but now the road became his focus, and launched him on an endurance sport career that continues to this day. 

Running in South Africa was a lot more competitive back in the seventies, says 61-year-old Stellenbosch-based medical doctor Lood Rabie with a glint in his eyes. “I can remember one morning I ran up the old Helshoogte Pass just outside Stellenbosch with Danie Malan, and that same evening he broke four minutes for the mile at the Green Point Stadium in Cape Town. We weren’t that focused when it came to training, we just ran, doing 110 to 120 miles a week.” (That’s 180 to 200km a week, for track athletes! – Ed.) “But I believe our results were more luck than science, because we often competed tired due to the hard training we did. Just the other day I was chatting to Ewald Bonzet, and he said if he was competing today, he would train less.”

FAMILY MAN

Born in Grahamstown, Lood’s family moved to Stellenbosch when he was in primary school and he has remained here for much of his life, except for two years in the Air Force, four years working as a GP in the Eastern Cape after his medical studies, and a short stint in Canada. He came back to become an ear, nose and throat specialist and opened his practice in Stellenbosch, where he and his family have made the most of the sporting environment. He is married to Riana, who he has known since childhood, and they have three children, all of whom have done well in sport on top of being academic achievers: Oldest daughter Anel was a top cyclist, second daughter Mari has represented SA in Olympic triathlon, and Lood Junior is currently part of the SA waterpolo team.

Having represented SA in cross-country and been one of the country’s leading marathoners throughout the 70s, Lood was later sidelined by a calf problem – but that opened a new sporting door for him. “A friend recommended that I take up cycling, and the next step was duathlon, which in turn was followed by triathlon. So there I was, learning to swim competitively at the age of 39!” No surprise, though, that Lood went on to represent SA at various age category Tri World Champs around the world, often finishing in the top five in his category, and also finishing third in the 55-59 age group at the XTERRA World Champs in Hawaii in 2012.

GOOD AT EVERYTHING!

He also took up competitive mountain biking, most often teaming up with younger brother Chris, and to date has completed the Cape Epic five times, the Sani2c six times, and the Wines2Whales five times, plus the Trans-Alps and the Trans-Andes overseas. Another goal was to do his first Ironman when he was 60, and he also took up canoeing and surfski racing just before his 60th. He has now has done the Breede River and Fish River races twice each, regularly takes part in the Surfski Series, and is busy training for the arduous 250km Port Elizabeth to East London surfki race – and he still finds time to sail yachts competitively as well!

“When it comes to time management, I believe that the morning training session is the key. I’ll do an afternoon session if work allows, but living close to work means my travel time each day is usually only about five minutes, or 15 minutes on a bad day, and that gives me an extra hour per day for training. I just want to stay healthy, so I will keep running, cycling, swimming and paddling as long as my legs and heart allow.”

The start of the Oak Cottage KwikSpar Mountain Drive Half-Marathon which took place in Grahamstown on 9 August. Photo: Stephen Penney

Diana-Lebo Phalula eyes Spar Grand Prix Title

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Barefoot runner Diana-Lebo Phalula is getting very excited at the thought of collecting the keys to a brand-new Nissan Micra, as winner of the 2014 SPAR Grand Prix.

With just one race left to run in the five-race SPAR Women’s 10km Challenge series, Phalula has an almost unbeatable lead. She won the first two races, in Cape Town and Port Elizabeth, in record time, and top four finishes in the Durban and Pretoria races, she has a total of 94 points, 28 ahead of her nearest rival, three-times Grand Prix winner Rene Kalmer, who has 66 points.

“I’m really looking forward to winning that car, because I’m tired of being a pedestrian,” said Phalula.
“I don’t have just one hand on the key – I’ve got it in my back pocket,” she laughed.
Phalula ran the Durban and Pretoria races with a strained hamstring, but she hopes to have recovered by the Johannesburg Challenge at the Wanderers Club on October 12.

While her position is virtually insurmountable, there is close competition for the second prize of R30 000. Kalmer, who finished eighth in Cape Town, second in Port Elizabeth, third in Durban and fifth in Pretoria, is just two points ahead of last year’s Grand Prix winner, Mapaseka Makhanya, who has 64 points. Phalula’s twin sister, Lebogang, who won the Durban race and finished third in Pretoria, and Irvette van Zyl, who won in Pretoria in a course record time, are in joint fourth position, with 57 points.

Two times Grand Prix winner Van Zyl, who missed the Cape Town race because of a long-term injury, had a golden weekend, winning the Pretoria Challenge on Saturday afternoon and then going on to win the Mandela Marathon in Kwa-Zulu Natal on Sunday, with record times in both events, and she has sent a strong signal to Kalmer, Makhanya and Lebogang Phalula that she is the one to beat if they hope to claim that second prize.

In the club competition, Boxer heads the table with 214 points, ahead of Nedbank, with 161 and Transnet with 108.

A group of athletes seen during the Oak Cottage KwikSpar Mountain Drive Half-Marathon in Grahamstown on 9 August. Photo: Sean Thackeray

Legends Marathon: Run for a Cause. R1million prize purse

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The second annual Legends Marathon, which will take place on Sunday, 5 October 2014, promises to be yet another fantastic event and is poised to draw thousands of competitive male and female runners, who will run for a cause and stand a chance to share the ultimate athletic prize of a whopping R1m.

The Legends Marathon features three races, and these include a 68km which starts at Bhisho stadium at 6h00 and finishes at the Jan Smuts Stadium in East London, followed by the 21,1km starting at Turnbull Park at 7h00 and finishing at Jan Smuts Stadium, and the 5km Fun Run/walk which will start and finishes at the Jan Smuts Stadium.

“We were overwhelmed with the participant numbers of our inaugural Legends Marathon event in 2013 who were running for worthy causes, ranging from cancer to responsible gambling. The inaugural Legends Marathon, injected a jolt of energy into South Africa’s running scene when we invited people to become socially conscious and run for a cause” said MEC of Sports, Recreation, Arts & Culture, Pemmy Majodina.

“The Legends Marathon is about creating memorable experiences that ignite passion in athletes and connect communities through the transformative power of sport. There is little doubt in my mind that through the Legends Marathon, we will be able to profile the Eastern Cape not only as a Home of the Legends, but a caring place and a prosperous home for all”

In order to encourage locals to participate en masse and bolster local athletes, the organisers have decided that over and above the R1m prize money, R30 000 will be awarded exclusively to the top five male and female registered runners from the province in the Legends Ultra Marathon.

The event will be staged under the banner of the Real Gijimas Athletics Club, which has been at the forefront of development and competitive athletics in the province since 1982. The Legends Marathon is proudly sponsored by the Eastern Cape Gambling and Betting Board, the Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture (DSRAC), Tru FM (Broadcast Partner), Daily Dispatch (media partners), Buffalo City Metro Municipality, Meyers Motors, Modern Athlete, Coca Cola Fortune.

Mr Mabutho Zwane, CEO of the Eastern Cape Gambling & Betting Board, is elated to be associated with the Legends Marathon because it “gives us an opportunity to entrench the message of responsible and problem gambling. Undeniably, this is an unrivalled platform to reach out to throngs of people – athletes and the community at large. We are happy to be associated with the event.”

Mr Luthando Bara, founder and chairperson of the Legends Marathon mentioned that “The Legends Marathon brings about a myriad of economic opportunities to Buffalo City and benefits both the formal and informal economy. Our signature event presents an opportunity for social cohesion, bolster sports tourism, and the theme is linked to the core founding principle of the marathon – which is to support a cause that athletes will personally select through their entries.”

“The fundamental idea behind the economic impact of sporting events is that it injects a significant increase in the demand of goods and services into the economy. This effect is not simply the direct effect of consumer spending but also the indirect effects caused by the stimulus to the economic activities induced by the direct effects. All these developments augur well for our city and province” concluded Bara.

This year’s race will be timed by well-known timing and results company, ChampionChip, who will also provide online registrations and full results after the race. Hostel accommodation and transport to the start is available.

ENTRIES FOR THE ULTRA MARATHON CLOSE ON 24 SEPTEMBER 2014 AND FOR THE HALF MARATHON ON 29 SEPTEMBER 2014. Go to www.legendsmarathon.co.za for more info. 

Oak Cottage KwikSpar Mountain Drive Half-Marathon

THOUGHTS TURN TO SPRING AND THE JOBURG SPAR WOMEN’S CHALLENGE

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Just when everyone thought it was safe to put away their heaters, winter came back with a big bang and people throughout the City of Gold found themselves shivering once again. 

But that cold front has moved away, and thoughts have turned to spring and spring in Johannesburg means preparing for the SPAR Women’s 10km Challenge and 5km Fun Run at the Wanderers Club in Illovo on October 12.

The course was designed by the evergreen Sonja Laxton, one of South Africa’s most successful runners of all time.

The 10km route takes the runners along Corlett Drive and Oxford Road as far as Riviera Road in Killarney, before zig-zagging back through some of Johannesburg’s leafiest suburbs.

The 5km route meanders through the plush suburbs of Illovo, Melrose, Birdhaven and Atholl-Oaklands, giving runners a chance of peeking at some of the most beautiful gardens in Johannesburg.

Thousands of women of all shapes and sizes are expected to take part in the Challenge or the Fun Run. The first 15 000 to register will receive a free race t-shirt and the first 15 000 to finish will receive a medal and a goodie bag. 

The race is well known for the congenial atmosphere, with many entrants making friends for life with someone they met on the road.  There is plenty of entertainment at the finish, with acclaimed pianist and singer Bongi Mthombeni ready to have everyone clicking their fingers and tapping their toes. 

There is also a Kiddies Area, where youngsters will be cared for and entertained while their mothers take part in the race.

As always, there are wonderful prizes on offer, including a lucky draw for a Nissan Micra, the Bring-a-Buddy competition, where an entrant and her friend can win New Balance shoes, and the schools competition, where the school with the most entrants can win prizes from electronics giant Mustek.

The Johannesburg Challenge coincides with Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and proceeds from the race will go to Reach for Recovery, a support group for women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer.  The Reach for Recovery volunteers have all had their own encounters with the disease, and so they are in a perfect position to talk to and counsel women who have just heard those ominous words “you have breast cancer.”

While the race is really about the thousands of women who will take to the streets on October 12, there is fierce competition for line honours among South Africa’s elite road runners.    Diana-Lebo Phalula is virtually assured of winning the Grand Prix, and receiving the keys to her own Nissan Micra, but  a number of runners could finish second on the ladder and win a cheque for R50 000. Among those jostling for second place are three times Grand Prix winner, Rene Kalmer, Phalula’s twin sister Lebogang, who finished third in the Pretoria race on Saturday, after winning the Durban  race a week before,  and  last year’s Grand Prix winner Mapaseka Makhanya. Irvette van Zyl, who has won the Grand Prix twice, has made a late surge, winning the Pretoria race in record time, and on current form, she could pose a real threat to the front-runners.

Entries for the race opened on September 1, and close on September 27, although late entries will be accepted between October 9 and October 12.  Entry forms are available from all SPAR, Superspar and Kwikspar stores, or online at to www.spar.co.za orwww.sparwomensrace.co.za.

Former Two Oceans Ultra Marathon winner George Ntshiliza seen during the Oak Cottage KwikSpar Mountain Drive Half-Marathon in Grahamstown on 9 August. Photo: Sean Thackeray

Van Zyl wins Pretoria race in record time

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Irvette van Zyl was all smiles as she crossed the finishing line at the Pretoria SPAR Women’s 10km Challenge in a course record time of 33.32 minutes on Saturday. It was her first Challenge win since 2012.

Her Nedbank teammate, Rutendo Nyahora, was second, in 33.50, and the winner of last week’s Durban Challenge, Lebogang Phalula (Transnet) was third in 34.05. Phalula’s twin sister, Diana-Lebo was fourth in 34.17 and Rene Kalmer (Modern Athlete) was fifth, in 34.40.

The top runners started in a bunch, with Van Zyl and Kalmer taking the early lead, but after two kilometres, the leading group started spreading out. The lead changed hands between Van Zyl and the Phalula sisters, until six kilometres, when Van Zyl surged to the front. Running easily, she was in complete command and never looked like losing. “This means a lot to me,” said Van Zyl.
“I was determined to make top three, and I feel blessed to have won. I was more relaxed than I was in Durban last week, and I didn’t start as fast as I did there. I wasn’t under any pressure, and that helped.”

She said she had a couple of bad patches between three and five kilometres, but once she went into the lead after six, she just concentrated on her running style, and this paid off.
“I knew the last two kilometres were downhill, and that helped.”

She said the Pretoria race had always been her favourite Challenge race. “My first win was in Pretoria, as a junior. It is always a tough race, because it is in the afternoon, but I like tough races. There were a lot of hills, which I don’t like as much as I did when I was younger, but it was a tough course, and that suits me.”

Van Zyl said she would try to win the Johannesburg race as well, but her first priority was the Cape Town marathon on September 21. “Marathons are the real test of your ability as an athlete, but I will always enjoy the shorter distances,” said Van Zyl.

Nyahora said she had struggled to keep up with the lead bunch at the start, but found herself getting stronger as the race went on. “I wanted a top three finish, and I could see the Phalulas were struggling a bit, so I was happy when I passed both of them.” Lebogang Phalula, who won in Durban last week, said she had started too fast. “I battled on the hills,” she said.
“But I had something to prove, because I tested positive for a banned substance in Pretoria a few years ago. I wanted to show that I was back.”

Diana-Lebo Phalula, who won the Cape Town and Port Elizabeth races in record times, still holds the lead on the SPAR Grand Prix ladder, and seems likely to win the Nissan Micra awarded to the top runner after the Johannesburg race in October.

More than 26 000 runners entered the 10km Challenge and the 5km Fun Run, and Supersport Park was a sea of blue t-shirts as the runners streamed onto the cricket field.

Oak Cottage KwikSpar Mountain Drive Half-Marathon winner Lungile Gongqa. The race took place in Grahamstown on 9 August. Photo: Sean Thackeray

Cheers to the Finish!

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Let’s face it, beer is part of our South African culture, especially after a strenuous event or training session. Instead of completely ruling it out as detrimental to our performance, let’s see how we can make it part of a healthy balanced lifestyle

A cold one after your finish – something that you feel like you’ve earned after your hard run. Afterwards, you might feel like you’ve taken a couple of steps backwards as an athlete but there is no reason to feel guilty having a pint or two. Let’s explore the positives, negatives and facts we need to consider when drinking beer. The answer? Be beer sensible!

The Facts

One small (330ml) bottle of 5% alcohol beer is equivalent to 1.6 unit of alcohol
A 300ml bottle of beer contains 142 calories which is equivalent to 2 slices of bread or ½ burger.
It would take the average 68kg man around 14 minutes of fast running to burn this off.
One pint is equivalent to 3.9 units and 324 calories.
One pint is equal to 4 slices of bread or 1.1 burgers and would take around half an hour of fast running to burn this off for the average man.

Beer Badies

With 7 calories per gram, alcohol has almost the same calorie content as fat.
Alcohol has no nutritional value, and despite the calorie content, may make you feel hungry as it lowers your blood sugar.

Some people think beer is a good source of nutrients for recovery post exercise but if you compare it to a glass of orange juice, unfortunately beer does not come close. A glass of OJ supplies four times the amount of potassium and almost three times the amount of carbs. It would take 11 beers to obtain the B-vitamins needed on a daily basis.

It’s about timing, too. Training or competing after drinking would never be recommended. Dehydration can lead to reduced athletic performance and while alcohol is a diuretic, meaning it makes your kidneys produce more urine, exercising straight after drinking can make dehydration worse because you sweat as your body temperature rises. You need to stay hydrated when you exercise to maintain a flow of blood through your body, which is essential for circulating oxygen and nutrients to your muscles.

Alcohol can also make you more prone to injury. This happens in a variety of ways such as altering your sleep cycles, which reduces your body’s ability to store glycogen. Alcohol also increases the level of the stress hormone cortisol, which slows down healing.

Drinking has an enormous impact on muscle protein synthesis, the process where muscles generate new proteins, which are necessary for skeletal muscles to benefit from training by recovery, growing and adapting. Alcohol can reduce muscle protein synthesis by a third leaving you unable to ever improve and build strength.

Beer Benefits

It’s not all bad news though! Moderate beer drinking (and I stress moderate) in context of a healthy lifestyle, may be linked to lower risk of cardiovascular disease, lower risk of kidney stones, lower risk of type 2 diabetes, lower risk of high blood pressure as well as boosting your immune system and helping fight infection.

When it comes to the benefits and risks of drinking alcohol or beer, it really comes down to the amount consumed. The health risks are mostly linked to high alcohol consumption, whereas low to moderate consumption may actually be beneficial.

Moderate intake is loosely defined as no more than 3 standard drinks per day for a man and 2 for a woman. The take-home message is that if you’re generally eating healthily and exercising, don’t worry about throwing back one or two beers. Just keep your consumption moderate and look at your beer drinking as a training tool.

Being Beer Sensible

Pre-event: Avoid alcohol beyond low-amount social drinking for 48 hours
Post event: Rehydrate first and consume food to retard any alcohol absorption.

My Pace or Yours?

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Line up for a race in the Cape and chances are you will see colourful flags sticking up out of the massed field of runners, with target times written on them such as sub-60 or sub-2:00. That means the New Balance Western Province Pacesetters are in action again, helping others to run their target times.

It takes a special type of runner to give up their own race to help others, but most weeks a group of ‘Average Joe’ regular runners from various clubs in the Cape voluntarily carry their pacing flags in races from 10km right up to ultras, to create pacing buses and help other runners achieve a goal time, a qualifier or a new PB. One of the founders of the New Balance-sponsored group that paces in up to 40 races per year is Paul Murphy, and he says, “We have a core group of around 10 regular pacesetters and then there are extra people that will help out at some of the bigger events. The pacesetters are all experienced runners that want to give something back to the running community, and they get rewarded by helping other runners reach their time goals.”

A FINE ART

The pacesetters run with the goal of finishing about 30 to 60 seconds inside the goal time on their flags, so that people running just behind the bus can still get the goal time as well, and they aim to run at an even effort throughout, taking into account the ups and downs of the course, which is not easy, says Paul. “Doing even-effort pacing requires knowledge of the route, which may involve practice runs on the route, because being either too far ahead of or too far behind goal pace are both bad.”

Besides being able to judge and calculate pace, a pacesetter must also be able to interact with the runners in the bus to let them know strategy and give them updates on splits, and Paul says the pacesetters regularly get asked whether the bus is still on time. “But the best moment is pacing someone to a PB over the last kilometre of a race, when you can hear the effort they are putting in through their breathing and you honestly don’t know if they are going to be able to hang on or not.”

HELPING HANDS


Another regular pacer is Paul Conradie, who says the sport has given him so much over the years, so pacing is just a tiny bit that he can give back. “I remember one year they asked for a fast bus at the Gun Run Half Marathon and I volunteered to take the 1:30 bus. It wasn’t easy but we made it, and one lady just made it with a PB that day. What a proud moment that was! My most enjoyable moment is post-race, when hugs, handshakes and thank you’s are coming my way, and often PB’s are also in the mix.”

However, sometimes it doesn’t quite go to plan, as Wilby Steenkamp, another founder member of the group, can attest. “My worst nightmare happened in 2007 when I paced the Two Oceans sub-7:00 bus along with Clem Simpson and Elizka Hendrikse. I was 100% on time at the marathon mark and told the other two that I would sweep up Constantia Neck. At the summit I started to cramp and knew I was dehydrated, so with only 3km to go I told the group of 11 runners with me that they must just stick to their guns and they will be OK. I walked the last 3km and finished in 7:06, but waiting for me at the Coke stand was the group – all of them finished between 6:57 and 6:58. I know I made the difference to those novice athletes that day.”

Finding the Pacesetters


To volunteer to become a Western Province Pacesetter, or find out which races they will be running, visit their Facebook page at Western Province Pace Setters, or contact Paul Murphy on 082 878 1987 or [email protected].