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Double Trouble

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After years as a formidable duo in South African athletics, clinching results on track, cross-country and road, Lebo and Lebogang Phalula are posting even better performances in 2014. Modern Athlete chats to the twins about their mission to go down in SA history as the fastest around.
 
MA: How does running affect your relationship?
 
Lebo: Well, I wouldn't be running without my sister. I was into soccer and drama at school in Soweto, so when she qualified for the Commonwealth Youth Games in Poland, I wanted to try myself. She was my first running role model.
 
Lebogang: Looking at last year, when I was struggling with performances coming off maternity leave, Lebo was always helping me and she knew that I'd be back. With Lebo in Pretoria and me in Soweto, we don't see each other as often, but we constantly talk. I'll say 'Lebo, I did my 1000m in this time, so you better watch out, because I'm running at your peak!'
 
MA: Lebogang, you've had to juggle being a new mom recently while getting back into training?
 
Lebogang: It's a huge step knowing you need to train and find a nanny. So Lebo, my mother, my brothers, my husband all help. I've made a schedule – when I have to feed him, when to run. Lebo is always there for me and I'm her support. Some people were happy because we weren't racing together, but now double trouble is back!
 
Lebo: My sister is my Dr Phil. We share so much, so it was different when she wasn't competing.
 
MA: It seems like your comeback is going well!
 
Lebogang: I surprised everyone in the Spar Port Elizabeth race. Lebo told me to relax but there was going to be none of that! She jumped when she saw me finish sixth and made me feel like I won it. Throughout my pregnancy and today, Lebo is there. She is like my second husband and constant support. That's why I've come back so strong now. It's not my baby – it's our baby.
 
Lebo: Our boy loves running, too. He goes, 'On your marks, set, go!' and runs all over the house. But we're set on him being our Chad le Clos! When Lebo finished sixth, I knew she was on track and coming back strong! That and her win at the Totalsports Ladies Race in Jo'burg. I'm so happy for her.
 
MA: Will you ever consider the longer races?
 
Lebo: For now, we're looking at the 1500m and 5000m. I will only move to the marathon once I do what I want to with my current distances, and we are already planning for Rio 2016.
 
Lebogang: I have the belief of competing at a top level in the 800m against the likes of Caster Semenya to break a South African record. Some people are pushing us to run the marathon, but it's not our time yet. I want to be in the top five in the world at cross-country and on the track… my 10km races are just for fun.
 
MA: Lebo, you’ve won some of this year's Spar Ladies races, so it seems the 10km races aren't just fun…
 
Lebo: I'm into road for this year and the Spar Ladies races have been a great way to show my hard work. I decided to switch to another coach who helped me with endurance and speed and to run a PB, but my 32:27 in Port Elizabeth didn't come easily. My training now is not for sissies – it's geared to international standards so I can compete on the highest level.
 
MA: What would you tell young athletes who want to reach the level you're at?
 
Lebo: It's about never losing hope, because you never know what could happen – and be drug-free, because they can destroy your career.
 
Lebogang: They almost destroyed mine. Back in 2011, a manager that I trusted gave me pills when I was sick before a race, and I then finished third and was so happy. There were anti-doping tests at the finish and I didn't think anything of it, because I believed that I was clean, but days later I received a call telling me that they found methylhexaneamine, and I had to go to a hearing. Richard Meyer, who is like a father to us and has helped us throughout our careers, helped me at the hearing.
 
Eventually, Lebo remembered the pills the manager gave me. I still had some and they tested positive for that exact substance. That manager did not pitch for the hearing and was eventually suspended for seven years. Fortunately I was only suspended for three months. God was there and knew that I was innocent. If I'm crossing that finish line, I'm crossing it clean. So know what you're taking!
 
MA: You two have also travelled the world as runners. Any highlights that stand out?
 
Lebo: It was in Poland back in 2009, when my sister and I competed for SA in cross-country and were in the form of our lives. I was in the top-20 and my sister was top-15. We challenged those Kenyans and Ethiopians!
 
MA: If you could have any characteristic that your sister has, what would it be?
 
Lebo: I would love to have her heart, because she doesn't give up easily. She has a heart of a lion.
 
Lebogang: No, I wish I had her heart, because whatever you ask, she gives. I'll say that Lebo has a heart of a giraffe, because she's so tall!
 
Lebo: No, it would be better if you said a cheetah!

The Mountain Rocket

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Although hailing from a road running background, making the transition to trail running has turned out to be a genius move by Lucky Miya, who is proving to be one of the country’s top guns on the trail circuit, including posting a best finish by a South African man at the recent World Long Distance Trail Champs in the USA.
 
At last year’s Otter African Trail Run, the so-called Grail of Trail in SA, Lucky Miya’s name was right up there with the likes of AJ Calitz, Kane Reilly and Ricky Lightfoot throughout the race, and his prowess for the long off-road game showed as he came home fifth in 4:29. More success has followed in 2014, with Lucky’s win in the Ingeli Skymarathon in KZN in April, an impressive 3:37, earning him a ticket to the Skyrunning World Champs in France.
 
Unfortunately, Lucky’s French expedition didn’t go according to plan after he suffered a groin injury mid-race and pulled out of the event just 13km before the finish. “I remember feeling uncomfortable and at the 35km checkpoint I decided not to continue, because my groin was burning with pain,” he explains. “I was disappointed because it was my first international event and I was coping with the unfriendly rain, but I knew I can get to that point again where I compete at a high level with a strong international field.”
 
BOUNCING BACK
 
Fortunately the man from QwaQwa in the Free State bounced back quickly to successfully defend his title in the Num-Num Trail Challenge in August, winning in 3:52 and improving his 2013 time by 10 minutes, and that saw him head to the World Long Distance Trail Champs in the USA in peak form. There, running 21km straight up a mountain in the Pikes Peak Challenge in Colorado, Lucky came home 19th overall in 2:26:44, the highest position for a South African male in Trail World Champs, and he also grabbed fourth place in the 30-34 age category.
 
The Pikes Peak course starts at 1900 metres above sea level and climbs to 4300 metres at an average gradient of 11%, with the first few and last few kilometres even steeper at a 14% gradient, so the SA runners had to contend with both extreme steepness and altitude. “I started slow, which is what the experienced runners advised when we asked them how we should approach the race,” says Lucky. “As the altitude went up, I battled and dropped a few positions, but I kept on fighting. The altitude was really hard on me and for the last mile it was really a mission to run – I walked almost the whole of it – so I'm very happy with my result, especially as I have never run that high before.”
 
MAKING THE SWITCH
 
Lucky says his running results stem from his never-worry-just-run approach to racing, something he hopes will carry him to new heights in the future. “I have my own approach. I don’t start too fast, I’m passionate about the sport and I’m mentally tough, but I prefer not to check out route profiles beforehand. It’s better not to overthink – I just go!”
 
However, he wasn’t always so successful in sport. “As a boy growing up in the township, I adored soccer and I trained hard, but I always made the bench when it was game time,” he explains. “Then someone told me to give running a try when I was 16, and I have never stopped. My first race was a half marathon, which I finished in 1:20, and my first marathon was in that same year, where I crossed the line in 2:53. But I got into it far too quickly, so I slowed it down and built up with cross-country, track, 10km events and so on.”
 
Despite his natural talent and hard training, Lucky says he couldn’t improve his road times any further, so he decided to hit the trails in 2009. And then things just clicked. “I won races quickly and I gave it my all in training. Already the elites saw me as a threat,” he says. “When I started, trail was still new. Now there are always events and the competition is getting better all the time.” Next he upped the ante and moved to stage races, where more success soon followed, and last year he picked up a win at the four-day Namaqua Quest 120km Stage Trail Race as well as the three-day Fairview Dryland Traverse 73km Adventure Trail.
 
Adding a fourth place in the Lesotho Ultra 55km, Lucky was making waves, and the result was a deserved approach by K-Way at the beginning of 2014 to become a brand ambassador and be part of their elite team for an initial 12-month contract. “Having the sponsors and support systems behind you is important because then you don't have to worry about anything but racing. Everything else is taken care of and you can focus on what you do best,” says Lucky.
 
BALANCING ACT
 
Having recently started Gallopers Athletic Club to continue with his training on the road, Lucky still makes an appearance on the road racing scene from time to time. Earlier this year he ran a very fast silver medal at the Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon, coming home in 3:24:13, to go with the silver he ran in the Two Oceans Half the year before, finishing in 1:08:32. (In 2012 he also won the Two Oceans 22 Trail Run title.)
 
He dedicates two hours before work to training, with longer runs on weekends when he has more time to hit Gauteng’s trails, especially Klipriviersberg Nature Reserve in the South of Johannesburg. “Running gives me that energised feeling before I start my day, and my three boys also join me on some of training runs and they already have that passion running,” says Lucky, who balances his running with a full-time job in sales at The Fastener Network, a supplier of nuts and bolts, as well as being a husband and father. “There is a lot on my plate, but I manage it all because I love it, and with all the support from South Africa and especially my sponsor K-Way, the best is still to come!”
 
Follow Lucky on Twitter: @lucky216miya
 
SA Results at the World Long Distance Trail Running Champs:
 
Men
19th Lucky Miya 2:26:44 (4th in 30-34 age category)
117th Duncan O'Regan 3:06:41
306th Thabang Madiba 3:37:53
 
Women
15th Su Don-Wauchope 2:58:21 (3rd in 35-39 age category)
28th Danette Smith 3:13:54 (4th in 20-24 age category)
 

Diana-Lebo still holds Spar Grand Prix Lead

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With two races to go in the SPAR Grand Prix Series, Diana-Lebo Phalula still appears to have the title in her grasp, with a commanding 27 point lead over her nearest rival.

Phalula finished fourth in the Durban SPAR Women’s 10km Challenge on Sunday, but her dominant performance in the first two races of the year, in Cape Town and Port Elizabeth, where she achieved maximum Grand Prix points by winning both in record times, mean that she has collected a total of 77 points.

Phalula’s twin sister, Lebogang, won the Durban race after she and Diana-Lebo had led for most of the way. With about two kilometres to go, Diana-Lebo, who had a hamstring strain, told her sister to go without her and Lebogang raced away to win her first Challenge title since 2008. She broke down in tears as she crossed the line, sobbing that she had won the race for her sister.

While Diana-Lebo Phalula appears to have at least one hand on the key to the Nissan Micra that will be presented to the Grand Prix winner, the race for second place is hotting up. Three times Grand Prix winner, Rene Kalmer, who came third in Durban, is currently in second place, with 50 points, just one point ahead of last year’s Grand Prix winner, Mapaseka Makhanya, who finished sixth in Durban.

Lebogang Phalula’s win on Sunday has moved her from sixth to fourth position on the log, with 39 points, nine ahead of Nolene Conrad and Christine Kalmer, who have 30 points each.
Saturday’s Challenge race in Pretoria appears likely to be as much of a thriller as the Durban race. The top runners will all be in action, and with just one race after that, they will be going all out to accumulate as many points as possible. Irvette van Zyl, two-times Grand Prix winner, had a disappointing run in Durban, finishing in fifth place after a scintillating run in Stellenbosch earlier in August, where she won the Totalsports women’s 10km in 32.20 minutes. She has won the Pretoria race on several occasions, and she has let it be known that she intends to win this one. The Phalula twins are also both determined to win, and Rene Kalmer can never be ruled out, while last year’s winner, Makhanya, has a point to prove.

In the club competition, Boxer are well in the lead with 165 points, followed by Maxed Elite, with 78. Nedbank and Transnet are in joint third position, with 77 points each.

Nike Soweto Marathon En Route to Success

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With preparation for the People’s Race in full swing, Soweto and South Africa’s athletics community at large eagerly await race day set for November 2nd. Following the official announcement on 29th July, the Nike Soweto Marathon steering community is confident that the actions and procedures put into place will ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience for all those attending.

This year’s introduction of international sports brand, Nike means the Soweto Marathon and its planning committee now have the support and access to the brands wealth of experience as they take the helm of title sponsor.

The Gauteng Provincial Government will also play an important role given their expertise in hosting large scale sporting events, showcasing Gauteng as a world class sporting hub of the country.

“We support the Gauteng Provincial Governments strategy to become a race destination of choice for local and international events. With the right partners on-board we are well on our way to making the Nike Soweto Marathon a highlight on the Gauteng race calendar for years to come,” says. Central Gauteng Athletics (CGA) General Manager, Mandla Radebe.

All measures have been put in place to ensure runners have an enjoyable experience, from start to finish as partners have placed high priority on the logistical components of the race. Stringent safety and security processes along with a truly inspiring route will take the event experience to new heights and restore the Soweto Marathon to its flagship status. Race day will see trained Marshalls along the route to keep runners safe as well as rapid response vehicles with a skilled supporting first aid teams on hand to help athletes along the route.

“Runners should register early to avoid disappointment as there are only 7000 spots per category, with spots anticipated to fill up quickly for the 10km, 21km and 42km marathon as registration is not available on race day. Race updates will be shared with all runners via our website, but also via Twitter @sowetomarathon,” Explains Banele Sindani, Chief Executive of the Soweto Marathon Trust.

Routes selected for the three race categories will showcase Soweto in all its beauty and rich heritage, with the start and finish based at the Nasrec Expo Centre for ease of access for participants and supporters. There will be ample parking for all runners with a dedicated team assisting to point runners to the start line on arrival and hydration stations situated every 3kms of each of the three routes.

With registration currently open for the race, running clubs registered with Athletics South Africa (ASA) are able to register for the race by simply visiting the official race website: www.sowetomarathon.com.

Athletes can also register at Nike Stores at The Zone @ Rosebank and Sandton City Mall as well as the Orlando Community Centre in Soweto, Run-aWay Store in Pretoria and The Sweat Shops in both Johannesburg and Pretoria.

Lebogang wins Durban!

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Transnet runner Lebogang Phalula registered her first SPAR Women’s 10km victory since 2008 when she beat a very strong field to win the 25th Durban Challenge in 33.06 minutes on Sunday.
Rutendo Nyahora (Nedbank) was second in 33.41, followed closely by Rene Kalmer (Modern Athlete) in 33.49.

The race started at a very fast pace, with Irvette van Zyl, who recently ran the third fastest time by a South African woman, taking the early lead. She was in a pack that included Phalula, her twin sister, Diana-Lebo, and the defending champion, Mapaseka Makhanya.

They ran in a group for the first three kilometres, when the Phalula sisters broke away. By five kilometres, they were well ahead of the pack, with Lebogang taking the lead over Diana-Lebo, who is the front-runner in the SPAR Grand Prix series.

“I could see my sister was struggling. She has a bit of a hamstring injury and eventually she told me to go and win the race for her,” said Lebogang, who broke down in tears after crossing the finish line. “I needed to win this race to prove myself,” she said. “I’ve had problems after I tested positive for a banned stimulant in Pretoria, but I’m now running clean and proud.”

Nyahora and Kalmer started slower than the leading pack, but gradually began to reel them in. Van Zyl dropped back, as did Makhanya. “I had a good race,” said Nyahora. “Rene (Kalmer) and I ran together from about three kilometres. She was pushing me, and I felt stronger as the race went on. The others started too fast for me, but Rene and I worked well together. We caught Irvette (Van Zyl) first, then Mapaseka (Makhanya) and then we passed Lebo.

“I passed Rene with about 800 metres to go.” Kalmer said she was very happy with her podium finish. “It was a very strong field, and I knew it was going to be a very fast start. I just stuck to my own game plan, and it worked. “I knew there would be a lot of pressure on Irvette because of her very fast time two weeks ago, and the Phalula sisters were also under pressure. But there was no pressure on me.”

Diana-Lebo finished fourth, Van Zyl fifth and Makhanya sixth. The top runners will all be in action again in a week’s time, when they run the Pretoria leg of the SPAR Challenge series, which will be run at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Saturday afternoon. More than 14 000 women took part in the 10km Challenge and the 5km Fun Run.

Watch Out, Phalula! Van Zyl is Back!

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After a break of nearly four months, the SPAR Women’s Grand Prix gets under way again over the next two weekends, with the Durban and Pretoria Challenge races in quick succession, and the race to the Grand Prix title is hotting up with the return to form of two-time Grand Prix winner, Irvette van Zyl.

The Durban race will be run from Kingsmead on Sunday August 24 and the Pretoria Challenge takes place on Saturday August 30 at Supersport Park in Centurion.

Maxed Elite runner Diana-Lebo Phalula has a headstart after winning the Cape Town and Port Elizabeth races. With bonus points for beating the previous years’ time in both races, she now has a massive 60 points on the leaderboard – 26 ahead of her nearest rival, Mapaseka Makhanya.
Boxer’s Makhanya, who was last year’s Grand Prix winner, finished fifth in Cape Town and third in Port Elizabeth and has a total of 34 points. She is just two points ahead of three times Grand Prix winner, Rene Kalmer of Modern Athlete. Kalmer finished eighth in Cape Town and second in Port Elizabeth. Two points behind her, with 30 points, is Nolene Conrad (Boxer), who finished third in Cape Town and ninth in Port Elizabeth.

While Phalula may feel she has one hand on the key to the Nissan Micra which will be presented to the overall Grand Prix winner, she may be casting a nervous eye over her shoulder at Van Zyl, who has come storming back into contention after struggling with injuries for nearly two years.
Nedbank’s Van Zyl gave notice on August 9 that she was once again a force to be reckoned with when she won the Totalsports Women’s race in 32.20 minutes – the third fastest 10km by a South African woman. Van Zyl’s time equaled that set up by 17-year old Zola Budd in Bloemfontein in 1983.
Van Zyl recently changed coaches and says the training programme devised by Lindsey Parry has brought her back to where she was before she was injured.

“For the first time in 15 months, I’m running pain free. Lindsey had me swimming and cycling during my rehab period, and this kept me fit. Now I’m faster than I was before my injury.
“I am feeling very good, and I am over the moon about my time in Stellenbosch. It came as a bit of a surprise – I’ve been preparing for the Cape Town Marathon in September and didn’t think I had the speed for a time like that.”

Phalula won the Port Elizabeth Challenge in 32.27, so there could be a great tussle for line honours in Durban between Phalula and Van Zyl, while Makhanya and Kalmer can be expected to give them a good run for their money in both races. “I think it’s going to be a very fast race,” said Van Zyl.
“Lebo, Mapaseka, Rene and I will all be giving it our all.”

Launch of the 90th Comrades Marathon

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The Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) launched its campaign for the 90th Comrades Marathon today (Thursday, 14 August 2014). Members of the media along with South Africa’s top runners, sporting personalities and stakeholders converged on Johannesburg to be part of the celebratory launch of the world’s biggest and oldest ultra-marathon.


The 2015 campaign is centered on the CMA’s vision of an all-inclusive Comrades Marathon, with the slogan: ‘Be Part of It – Bamba Iqhaza’. CMA General Manager, Chris Bruwer who unveiled the campaign says, ‘We invite every Comrades runner, stakeholder, volunteer and supporter to be a part of this iconic race in one way or another.’


Bruwer adds, ‘There are numerous ways to get involved and participate in the camaraderie while uniting the nation through this iconic event. Please visit our website www.comrades.com to see how you can be a part of it.’


The 90th edition of the race will be run on Sunday, 31 May 2015. The ‘up-run’ will start at the Durban City Hall at 05h30 and end 12 hours later at the Oval Cricket Stadium in Pietermaritzburg, covering a distance of 87km.


1 September 2014 is the opening date for entries into the 2015 Comrades Marathon. The entry period will close on 30 November 2014 or as soon as the special entry cap of 23,000 has been reached. Prospective entrants are encouraged to get their entries in early so as to avoid disappointment.

Entry fees for the 2015 Comrades Marathon are as follows:

• Local Entries : R 380.00
• Rest of Africa : R 600.00
• International : R2000.00

South African runners will be eligible for the ‘early bird’ entry fee of R350 if their entry is received before 30 September 2014. The regular South African entry fee of R380 will kick in on 1 October 2014 until the entry process is closed.

Runners can enter as follows:


• online via the Comrades Marathon website: www.comrades.com;
• by posting their completed entry form with proof of payment to the CMA Office in Pietermaritzburg:
P.O. Box 100621, Scottsville, 3209;
• by handing in their completed entry form together with payment at the CMA office in Pietermaritzburg.

Entry forms will be available at local running clubs, provincial sporting federations and the CMA; as well as selected qualifying races which the Comrades Team will be attending from September to November.

Qualifying for the 2015 Comrades Marathon will be applicable from 1 August 2014 till 4 May 2015. Runners are advised that the 2014 Comrades Marathon will not be an automatic qualifier for next year’s race.

Race Director Rowyn James says, ‘The reason for this is two-fold. We want to encourage runners to be fit and healthy for Race Day. Further, we want to support all other road-running races in the country, especially the Comrades Marathon qualifying races by driving Comrades runners to participate in those running events.’

The Substitution window period will be from 1 – 21 April 2015.

In a first for South African road-running, R1.5-million is up for grabs to the First Man and Woman respectively who break the current male and female up-run records thereby making the Comrades Marathon by far the most lucrative race on the local athletics scene. Leonid Shvetsov holds the male up-run record of 5:24:47 for his 2008 win while Elena Nurgalieva’s 2006 victory in a time of 6:09:24 stands as the female up-run record.

The first man and woman to cross the finish line will receive R375,000 each. The total prize money for the 2015 Comrades Marathon is R2.600,000; in addition to the respective R1.5-million incentives for the man and woman should they break the record.

CMA Chairman, Macdonald Chitja says: ‘We are pleased to unveil our 2015 Comrades Marathon campaign and invite the nation to be a part of it. The 90th edition of this world-famous ultra-marathon promises to be the best one yet.’

Oak Cottage KwikSpar Mountain Drive Half-Marathon

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Going up the Mountain

LAST Saturday was National Women’s Day, and members of the fairer sex played a significant role in the organisation of, and participation in, the Oak Cottage KwikSpar Mountain Drive half-marathon held in Grahamstown – even the sponsors’ Jill White was an ever present figure at the start and finish venue.
Of the 320 runners and 24 walkers who conquered the mountain in what many described as a challenging 21,1-kilometre race, no less than 133 were women.
The highly-successful event was organised by Grahamstown Run/Walk for Life Athletics Club, having taken over that duty from Albany Road Runners who had organised it for more than ten years.
Also undergoing changes were the start and finish venues, as well as portions of the route. This year’s event started and finished at Rhodes University’s Prospect sports fields, moving across town from the Albany Sports Club.
Most of the entries received were from Port Elizabeth, Uitenhage and Despatch club members, mainly because it was a participation league event held under the auspices of Eastern Province Athletics, and league points were at stake.
There were also runners from Queenstown, Somerset East, Port Alfred and East London, while a good number of Rhodes students also entered and enjoyed the tour of the city and its surrounds.
Each finisher received a very smart medal and ribbon which drew very favourable comments from participants. The medals were sponsored by the Eastern Cape Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture.
Generous cash prizes went the way of the leading finishers in the overall finishing positions as well as the various categories, while a host of spot prizes were handed out liberally.
A member of Port Elizabeth-based club Nedbank said she loved her medal, “and it was all worth it”, while a Charlo runner commented: “It’s a very nice medal – I’m proud to display it.”
Overall winner on the day was 35-year-old Lungile Gongqa with no club affiliation – he finished in 1 hour 09 minutes 01 second to set a new course record, while Mthandazo Qhna of Nedbank was runner-up in 1:10:52. In third place was Melikhaya Frans, also of Nedbank, in 1:12:11.
Basie Bonaparte of Albany Road Runners showed a clean pair of heels to many runners half his age – the 48-year-old was the first member of a Grahamstown club to finish. He finished in 1:19:29.
First woman over the finish line on what is normally a soccer ground was Ntombesintu Mfunzi of Nedbank in 1:26:50, with clubmate Babalwa Ngcoko next in 1:38:48, and Siphokazi Nojoko of Motherwell placed third in 1:39:24.
First Grahamstown woman to finish was Christine Coppinger – the former Rhodian was 74th overall in 1:43:51. Next local woman was Mandy Jackson, 87th in 1:48:41, while the third-placed was Jade de Sousa, 107th in 1:53:19.
The King and Queen of the Mountain titles went to Port Elizabeth runners – Lungile Gongqa and Ntombesintu Mfunzi respectively.
Held in conjunction with the run was a race over the same course for walkers. Overall winner was Richard Alexander of Albany in 2 hrs 22 mins 25 secs, with Andre Pienaar of Bluewater Bay runner-up eleven minutes later. Karen Davies of Grahamstown was third overall, and first woman, finishing in 2:47:49.
Organising club, Run/Walk for Life Athletics Club, extended its sincere thanks to all the sponsors of the race, and those who assisted in one form or another – Oak Cottage KwikSpar (title sponsor and sponsor of the bottles of Spar spring water handed to finishers); Tops Bottle Store; CM Heunis Building Contractors; Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture; Health & Sport Inc (offered free massages to tired and sore muscles at the finish); Rhodes University Sports Administration for the facilities; Coca-Cola; 6SAI Battalion for providing marshals and sweep vehicle; Cameron Smailes for providing the sound system and music; Thackers Photography; plus VGHS, Round Table, Rotary, CrossFit, 6SAI Battalion and Rhodes Athletics Club for manning refreshment stations.
A group of Port Elizabeth athletes, who compete in races in that city almost every weekend, said they enjoyed the race, though they found the last four kilometres a bit tough after “climbing the mountain”. They said the refreshment stations were excellently run, the marshals did a fine job, and the medals were outstanding.

Runners overcome treacherous conditions at Powertraveller 4 Peaks Mountain Challenge presented by Salomon

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Gale force overnight winds gave way to rain and single-figure temperatures as 280 brave runners lined-up at Moolmanshoek for the Powertraveller 4 Peaks Mountain Challenge presented by Salomon, on Saturday 9 August 2014.

FAST RACING DESPITE TOUGH CONDITIONS
A staggered start (to prevent bottlenecks on the tight mountain trails) of four seeded batches, saw the A bunch depart before sunrise at 06:15am. This batch contained some heavy hitters including the likes of Ryno Griesel and Jock Green.

Eight runners from this group reached checkpoint one on top of the ‘first pyramid’ – a five-kilometre climb with 700 metres of ascent that tops out at 2167m (above msl) – in just under 30 minutes, a relatively slow time because of an intense tactical battle on the climb.

“It was a game of cat-and-mouse that first hour,” commented Griesel, who’s well experienced in navigating the unmarked route. “The locals didn’t want to go ahead because they knew they would be followed and I also didn’t want to run in front, for the same reason. At one stage we were all walking…” He said, adding how a very special part of this race is the strategic tussle.

Defending champion Sampie Makoakoe, a farm labourer at Moolmanshoek and compatriot Chabedi Nyedimane made their move on the descent from the first pyramid and down the back of Jacobsberg. The weather had taken a turn for the worse by the time Makoakoe and Nyedimane reached checkpoint two with driving ice rain and strong winds dropping the temperature to well below zero and making navigation exceptionally tough due to the low visibility.

The severe conditions however, suited the local runners who regularly train on the route. Nyedimane and Makoakoe ran together all the way to the base of Sekonyela’s Hat (the final ‘peak’ of the 4Peaks), chased by a group of around six runners, some three minutes back. Makoakoe charged up the steep Sekonyela’s climb, running in places where Nyedimane had to scramble and walk.

He built up a ten-minute lead this way and would hold on to it all the way to finish, completing his successful title defence in a time of 02:45:31. His time is was some three minutes shy of the record set by Ryan Sandes.

The women’s race was absolutely dominated by Jeannie Dreyer. Dreyer nearly missed the start and had to make up a deficit on the A-batch, but still managed to come home in a time of 03:36:54, nearly an hour ahead of second-placed Natasja Kask, and good enough for a top 20 overall placing.

LIVING UP ITS NAME
The true ‘mountain challenge’ was going on behind the front runners though, with nearly 50 percent of the 280 starters being first timers. One of Pure Adventures’ goals is to welcome newcomers to the world of mountain running and this philosophy translates into the event.

“I think the generous cut-off of nine hours is a big attraction,” commented race logistical manager, Michael de Haast from Pure Adventures. “Along with the general vibe of the weekend and of course the spectacular route,” De Haast said.

The route is a 24-kilometre hill-and-dale affair taking in the four iconic mountain peaks along the mountain bowl that cradles Moolmanshoek Nature Reserve. The route is unmarked and race unsupported and compulsory gear includes a space blanket, whistle, waterproof jacket and at least two-litres of water.

“These were by far the worst weather conditions, we ever experienced for the race however,” De Haast added. Despite the conditions there was a very low attrition rate with 268 of the 280 starters successfully crossing the finish line. For many a life-changing experience.

“It was a true mountain experience,” Griesel said, summing up what everyone – from the racing snakes to those in the sweeper bunch – experienced out there. “Just great for everybody, you got to experience in a safe environment how quickly the mountain changes.”

“It was super beautiful up there,” he said. “With the mist and the rain… but it was bitterly cold with the wind chill. The importance of compulsory gear, even if it’s a local mountain and the weather looks good, can never be underestimated.”

‘Underestimated’ was the theme of many a war story during Saturday’s night’s post race festivities, which included the traditional spit-braaied lamb. But perhaps not nearly as much as ‘camaraderie’ and ‘prevailing’.

RUNTASTIC PYRAMID CHALLENGE
Many were right back into their (by now dry) running gear for Sunday morning, which saw the running of the Runtastic Pyramid Challenge, a time-trial style event to the peak of the first pyramid and back down. Athletes started in reverse order, seeded from their finishing time from the 4 Peaks, the previous day.

Chabedi Nyedimane took the win in a time of 21-minutes for the up-and-down route, using his knowledge and technical skills to overcome the blustery conditions on the way up and then descend at pace. The performance earned him the top Challenge Medal (a special medal all runners who completed both races received) and big chunk of the R10 000 total purse on offer for the secondary event.

RESULTS:
Open men
1. Sampie Makoakoe (02:45:31)
2. Chabedi Nyedimane
3. Matt Kretzmann

Open women
1. Jeannie Dreyer (03:36:54)
2. Angela Kavallierato
3. Elani van Zyl

Masters men
1. Peter White (03:50:54)
2. Fernando Santos
3. Chris Lee

Masters women
1. Tanya Worner (05:23:17)
2. Cindy Brentley
3. Jonette Lee

Vets men
1. Jock Green (02:58:38)
2. Mark Phipson
3. Geoffrey Lee

Vets women
1. Hester Greeff (04:02:23)
2. Natasja Kask
3. Riana van der Merwe

Full results are available at http://4peaks.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Race-timing-Prog-Thule-4-Peaks-2014.pdf

Images : Kolesky/Nikon/Lexar

Schneider Electric connects Nike Soweto Marathon to Paris

Modern AthleteNewsLeave a Comment on Schneider Electric connects Nike Soweto Marathon to Paris
The already heavy winning purse of prize money for this year’s Nike Soweto Marathon has been further amplified by Schneider Electric, one of the key sponsors of the race, with an all-expenses paid trip to an international race.
 
In addition to the R100,000 cash prize rewarded to the winning male and female in the 42.2 kilometer open category, the global specialist company in energy management will be flying the winners off to compete in the Schneider Electric Paris Marathon in April 2015.
 
MORE AT STAKE
 
This amazing prize will further elevate the status of the Nike Soweto Marathon while connecting the winners to an international event which boasts some 50,000 participants and unprecedented international media exposure.
 
Ntombi Mhangwani, Marketing and Communications Director for Schneider Electric says, “This is a great prize which demonstrates how we as an international company can leverage our partnerships through global experiences.  Schneider Electric wants to make the Soweto Marathon a unique experience for the runners as well as its customers and employees who will cover the icon race in Soweto together, in a spirit of solidarity and friendship.”
 
Schneider Electric has this year joined a number of organisations to revive the Nike Soweto Marathon which will be hosted on November 2 in Johannesburg, featuring a 10 kilometer, 21.1 kilometer and 42.2 kilometer race, and organized by Central Gauteng Athletics and the Soweto Marathon Trust.
 
“There is a very strong link between our values as a company and the spirit of the Soweto Marathon, which are to care, connect, challenge and commit, and as with running you need to embrace the same values.”
 
ENTER NOW
 
The company also looks forward to the near future where they can make the Nike Soweto Marathon the first energy positive race in South Africa.
 
Registration for the Nike Soweto Marathon is open online at www.sowetomarathon.com or in store at Nike Stores at The Zone @ Rosebank and Sandton City Mall, the Orlando Community Centre in Soweto, Run AWay Store in Pretoria, and The Sweat Shops in Johannesburg and Pretoria.
 
There are 7,000 spots available for each race, and prize money totaling R700,000.
 
Each registered runner will receive a race pack including their race number and a free commemorative t-shirt. For further information on the race visit www.sowetomarathon.com .