Category: Advertorial

Earlier this year we announced that the Diacore Gaborone Marathon was offering a 1 million pula (US$100,000) incentive to the first runner to complete the 42.2km race in under 2 hours and 8 minutes. Considering the course record is currently 2:17, the runners are going to have to push hard to try and break 2:08:00! We have browsed through the start list and have identified the following runners who we believe will be the top contenders on the day!

Namibian Runners

Paulus Iiyambo (36)

Club: NDF

The Defending Champion in the Diacore Gaborone Marathon, Paulus set his PB of 2:18 at last year’s race. This year he will be out to defend his title and better his own fastest time, and having raced and won on this course before, he will know what it is going to take to break the 2h08 marathon!

Simon Shipingana (40)

Club: NDF

Simon’s driving force will not only be to beat his PB of 2:19, but also to ensure that he doesn’t finish behind fellow countryman, Paulus! Given the incentive that awaits the runners at the finish line, he has a lot of motivation to up the ante and shed those 11 minutes that hold him back. Running alongside Paulus will surely provide him comfort and familiarity, but in the final kays it will be every man for himself!

Pinehas Embashu (41)

Club: NDF

While Pinehas is one of the older contenders, his experience may help him beat the rest of the field. His 2017 marathon time for the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon was 2:27, placing him in the top 20. Faced with another flat course at the Diacore Gaborone Marathon, he might find that he is able to push still harder to break that elusive 2:08 mark.

Kenya Runners

Japhet Koech (33)

Club: Kenya Elite Runners

Japhet ran a remarkable 2:16 in the Edinburgh Marathon, despite missing flights, sleeping on airport floors and travelling right up until the day before the race! If he is able to run a PB after enduring four days of stress and discomfort, we can’t wait to see what he will do when well-rested and focused!

Zimbabwean Runners

Jari Munyaradzi (28)

Club: n/a

Jari is one of the top contenders with a PB of 2:16, but as it is with every race, it all comes down to race day! He will no doubt push to place himself in front and wait until the last few kilometres to make his final move and extend the remarkable record of Zimbabwean runners in southern African races.

South African Runners

Peter Medupe (43)

Club: n/a

Peter’s PB is 2:30, which he achieved at the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon, and his talent and ability to race puts him amongst the contenders on our list. He ran a 2:35 in Gaborone last year, so has a challenge ahead of him, but with the right motivation anything is possible!

Botswana Runners

Phenyo Gabafiwe (37)

Club: Moroka Athletics Club

With a marathon PB of 2:17, Phenyo could be a real contender if he is able to tap into his home ground advantage and the crowds of local supporters cheering him on. That could see him take the top spot in the 2018 race.

Dikgakgamatso Modisagape (25)

Club: n/a

Dikgakgamatso won the Gaborone Mayor’s Marathon in a time of 2:30, so while breaking 2:08 might seem like a big task, he does have home ground advantage. He often places in the top three in local races and clearly knows what it takes to race the best on home soil, and the incentive will no doubt be the dangling carrot that drives him forward on race day.

Lesotho Runners

Lucas Raseruthe (37)

Club: n/a

Lucas is another runner who could dig deep to win in Gaborone. He has been hovering at the 2:20 mark, with a PB of 2:23 set at the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon, and a most recent 2:26 performance at the NMB 1 City Marathon in Port Elizabeth. If he is able to stay with the front runners, he will be in with a chance.

Augostines Bokaako (33)

Club: n/a

Augostines has recently received a sponsorship from MGM Training, which has seen him reduce his 1km time from 3m05sec to a scintillating 2m45. His current PB for the marathon is 2:33, but with the training he has been receiving, he might be able to push his boundaries and chase down that one million pula prize.

Training for Comrades or any endurance-based sport pushes your capabilities as an athlete to the limit, and when training at this level, supplements are not a luxury, they are a necessity. However, as athletes we want to know exactly what we are putting into our bodies, instead of blindly taking a pill.

The good news is that THRESHHold® has done the research and is here to tell you why you should be taking this supplement every day! A treatment for chronic joint pain, it has been on the market for over 10 years, but not until recently have runners discovered its benefits in not only assisting recovery, but in improving performance as well.

What is THRESHHold®
THRESHHold® is made up of pure MSM – methylsulphonylmethane, an organically bonded sulphur – which is a naturally-occurring compound essential for the structure of every living cell. In fact, sulphur is one of the most abundant substances in the body, and crucial to maintaining healthy joints, ligaments, tendons, cartilage and connective tissue. The problem is that sulphur can’t be made by the body, it must be obtained through diet. Fortunately, you’ll find it in many fruits, vegetables (generally the smelly kind, such as cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, etc.) and grains.

Well, in an ideal world you would. The trouble is that with today's long farm-to-table times, cold storage and cooking methods, much of food’s sulphur content is potentially lost before we even eat it, and because of this we can become sulphur-deficient. This not only impacts our day-to-day health, but may significantly affect our athletic performance, a fact many runners are unaware of.

So how does THRESHHold® help me?
MSM is a clinically proven natural anti-inflammatory. It helps reduce pro-inflammatory markers and increases anti-inflammatory markers to inhibit excessive inflammation caused by physical exertion. It also provides relief from pain and inflammation following exercise. MSM is also a vital building block for the regeneration of damaged connective tissue and protects muscles and joints from exercise-induced damage and pain, thus providing faster post-exercise recovery.

It also maintains levels of glutathione, which aids strength and endurance and helps reduce injury recovery time. Increased antioxidant enzyme levels is another benefit, meaning it helps protect against muscle damage during exercise, once again improving performance and shortening recovery time.

Expert Opinion
Dr David Naude, a homeopath running his 10th Comrades Marathon this year, explains why MSM is gaining prominence amongst runners: “There have been two parallel trends gaining momentum the past five years. The first is the global trend toward natural products for day-to-day general health management. Where in the past natural products were a last resort, today they are often a person’s first choice, even when visiting their doctor. The second trend is the unceasing demand from athletes for products that improve performance and recovery, but in line with the first trend, are also effective, of high quality, natural and chemical-free. Athletes are doing more of their own research and becoming more savvy about what they put in their bodies, and so MSM’s benefits are coming to the fore.”

We all know natural is best, and with THRESHHold® you know you are getting what your body needs, not only to recover better, but also to improve your performance on the day!

*Each THRESHHold® tablet contains 1000mg of pure, four-times distilled OptiMSM. For maintenance, 2-3 tablets can be taken daily, while dosage can be increased to 6 tablets daily during periods of intensive exercise.

Runners who train correctly understand that rest and recovery are as important as those long runs and interval sessions and should be included in your programme! There is a lot that runners can do to aid their rest and recovery including taking supplements, and THRESHHold® is a great way to support the recovery process.

Perhaps the most important scientific training principle that leads to improved fitness and performance is the principle of overload and adaptation: In order for training adaptation to take place, the intensity of the physical activity must exceed that to which the individual is already conditioned. The body must receive a progressive and systematic overloading. In other words, if we are to become stronger and faster runners, we must stress our bodies beyond our current capacity. However, when we do this, we effectively damage the muscles, by creating little micro-tears in them, and if we do not allow these micro-tears to heal, we do further damage the next time we train or compete, which results in decreased performance and injury.

Therefore, the key to the principle of overload is rest and recovery, which allows the body time to repair these small micro-tears, which in turn makes the muscles stronger and equates to faster and improved performances. Determining exactly how much rest you need is a little trickier, as our bodies are unique. As a rule, regardless of your level of fitness or ability, every runner should take at least one day’s full rest a week. For some runners, however, two days’ rest is required, and if you are just starting out, rather include two rest days in your week. Also, if you’re getting on in years, accept the fact that your body is not going to heal itself as quickly as that of a 20-year-old, so allow even more time to recover.

A Helping Hand
The use of THRESHHold® is scientifically proven to improve recovery from exercise by dampening the inflammatory response and reducing oxidative stress caused by exercise, in doing so there is less post-exercise muscle and joint soreness and returning to regular training occurs sooner. A vital building block for the regeneration of damaged connective tissue, MSM has the ability to boost and maintain glutathione levels post exercise, which may help to reduce recovery time from injuries. Using THRESHHold® over time helps your body to maintain healthy joints, cartilage and muscles which are essential elements for improving your running performance!

The key is to listen to your body, then you’ll know when it’s time for extra rest – and you will not lose any fitness or forfeit any progress by taking a rest day. You only stand to gain from rest! The second part of rest is active recovery, when you continue to exercise, but in such a way that you allow the body to continue its healing process. This might entail a swim, bike, gym or aqua-jogging session, where you can continue building endurance or strength, but without using the same muscles over and over. Include one or two of these sessions in your weekly training.

Lastly, be careful not to overstress your body. Running hard every day is a sure way to end up injured, or sick, because your body is not given time to repair itself, so alternate hard sessions with rest, active rest or easy sessions. For example, a hard track session on Tuesday would be followed by an easy 5km run on Wednesday, and a hard hill session on Thursday can be followed by a core workout session in the gym on Friday, or a long, slow run on Sunday followed by a full rest day on Monday. THRESHHold® will assist your body with the recovery process; good recovery means stronger body for the days you have to push hard to reach your goals!

*Each THRESHHold® tablet contains 1000mg of pure, four-times distilled OptiMSM. For maintenance, 2-3 tablets can be taken daily, while dosage can be increased to 6 tablets daily during periods of intensive exercise.

Continuing in PUMA’s tradition of developing game-changing innovations, the global sports brand recently introduced NETFIT – a unique customisable lacing system that offers infinite performance and style options in one shoe. The brand now releases its latest performance trainer featuring this innovation, the IGNITE NETFIT.

NETFIT technology enhances fit and support by combining a high-grade engineered net with form-fitting base materials. The IGNITE NETFIT user will now have complete control and versatility over how they lace up. No matter the style, needs or shape, anyone can customise their shoe the way they see fit. The options are limitless, bringing customisation to another level and giving everyone the chance to be as creative as they possibly can.

The IGNITE NETFIT also features PUMA’s evoKNIT form-fitting knit for added comfort and a fresh look. The heel is reinforced by PUMA’s TPU heel clip, locking the heel into the platform of the shoe for ultimate stabilisation.

The IGNITE NETFIT boasts PUMA’s proprietary PU foam with a brand-new chevron design giving users superior energy return and comfort. Combine this with the Molded EVA sockliner and the result is ultimate comfort on every run. The outsole provides a perfect platform for users to take every stride with confidence, while PUMA’s EverTrack outsole rubber gives durability and traction from heel to toe, with flex grooves allowing for full flexibility at toe-off. To add to this, a redesigned transition line runs from the heel to the toe of the shoe and mimics the natural gait of the user to create the smoothest ride possible.

IGNITE NETFIT offers full form-fitting comfort, allowing users to totally customise their fit and style. The innovation and performance teams at PUMA have developed five different lacing options to help provide guidance, but the possibilities to lace are endless. These five lacing systems include Standard lacing, for runners who need minimal support; Stability lacing, for runners who need additional medial support; Wide Foot lacing, for runners with wider feet that need extra room; Narrow Foot lacing, for runners with narrow feet; and Heel Support lacing, for runners who prefer a tighter fit around the heel.

The fastest man in the world, Usain Bolt, is training with IGNITE NETFIT for the World Championships in London 2017. “I do a lot of training – sometimes a bit too much – and it’s always different. Sometimes I’m doing power work, and then sometimes it’s speed and agility work, so it’s important to have a shoe that’s flexible enough to do the right exercise,” says Bolt. “The best thing about the NETFIT Technology is that it is customisable and I can lace them any way I want, not only to get the best fit, but it gives me the opportunity to be creative with it. Sometimes you wish you could just design shoes purely tailored to your own feet and now you can. Plus, they look great, and that’s always the most important thing, right?”

Adam Petrick, Global Marketing Director, said: “Our goal at PUMA is to constantly push the design of sports products forward in unique and innovative ways. NETFIT certainly does that: It’s a performance innovation that allows for athletes at every level and across a range of sports to create their own, perfectly customised fit. But maybe even more exciting are the opportunities for creativity – anyone can use laces of different colors, widths, lengths and styles to create a personal expression for each individual taste. With NETFIT, we’re bringing fashion and style to the world of sports in a way that is uniquely PUMA.”

PUMA IGNITE NETFIT will be available in PUMA stores from 15 July 2017, retailing at R2799 for men and R2599 for women.

#LacedUp

The business of sports in South Africa continues to thrive, with growing numbers of ‘weekend warriors’ and professional athletes investing time and money into disciplines such as running, road cycling and mountain biking. Insurer MiWayLife estimates that South Africa has around 200,000 cyclists, 750,000 runners and 15,000 triathletes, and thus it has developed a bespoke solution catering to needs of these healthy clients.

A division of Sanlam, MiWayLife has introduced a unique policy called MiFitLife especially for high-performing athletes aged 20-60, with up to R5-million in cover. “We wanted to revolutionise the space and offer athletes something that was designed for athletes by fellow athletes, as opposed to being done via the traditional product factory,” says Craig Baker, CEO of MiWayLife.

“When you get people spending upwards of R35,000 to compete in a multi-day stage race like the Absa Cape Epic, it makes sense to insure yourself against injury that could see you falling out at the last minute and losing your entrance fee. MiFitLife recognises the hard work, long hours and sacrifices athletes make to get onto the start line.”

Growing numbers of companies – from fast food chains to banks and investment firms – are investing in sports sponsorships, with the view to gaining more emotional engagement with fans and staff. “What this means for professional athletes is increased pressure to remain healthy so they can perform at a high level. Some are even contracted to deliver podium positions, and an accident can put their livelihood at risk,” says Baker.

Matt's Road to Recovery
MiFitLife covers most of the South African Long Distance Triathlon team, including top triathlete Matt Trautman, whose cover kicked in after a vehicle hit him while out training in the Cape Winelands. As a result he needed a complex spinal fusion, followed by and lengthy recovery. Having become a professional triathlete in 2014 and posted several high profile wins around the world, his plans to defend his title at the Ironman 70.3 in East London in January were thus put on hold.

“Despite the rewards this lifestyle offers, you have to factor in the very real risks of our sport. Running and riding on the open road and pushing your body to new limits in training can have consequences that I know all too well,” says Trautman.

He has now been hit by vehicles on three separate occasions while cycling – and still, in spite of suffering a fractured spine, broken clavicle and a fractured ankle, he has been more fortunate than some. In April, veteran Italian cyclist Michele Scarponi, the 2011 Giro d’Italia champion, was killed in a road accident after being hit by a van while training close to his home.

“For most of my triathlon career I struggled to find a company that offered what I needed, until MiFitLife was introduced by MiWayLife. Having this cover during 2017, when my most serious injury happened, has been instrumental in a long recovery process,” says Trautman, adding that the relief of the financial burden as a result of missing most of his racing year allowed him to focus on rehabilitation and recovery. “I would highly recommend all athletes, from age group category to professional, take out this cover.”

Consider Yourself Covered
The qualifying sports for MiFitLife include running, cycling, surfski paddling, swimming, canoeing and multisport (triathlon and duathlon).

Baker says the South African-developed product is unique in the world. “The ability to obtain cover of this nature and extent without any medical underwriting or testing is an innovation in itself.”

The product is designed around the key risks facing athletes and addresses accident and illness cover with lump sum payouts, discounted insurance cover on sporting equipment, race fee refunds in the case of injury or illness preventing you from competing, and specialised training programmes from MiWayLife coaches. SMS “fit” to 44738 for an obligation-free quote.

Terms and conditions apply. Eligibility, cover and benefits are determined on individual risk profile. MiWayLife is an authorised FSP (No. 45741) and its product offering is underwritten by Sanlam Life Insurance Limited, a registered long-term insurer. MiWayLife is a division of Sanlam Life Insurance Limited – Reg No. 1998/021121/06.