Category: Columns

Peter Schoeman is one of those really active people. Apart from being the director of the Sales and Marketing Division of the City Lodge Hotel Group, he is also a scuba diver and a photographer… and in between he runs half marathons. – BY RAYMOND TRAVERS

Like many successful people, Peter’s demanding line of work pushed his other activities down the priority list, including keeping fit. “I used to run in the army,” says the 50-year-old, “but then your career gets so important, and you get so important, and you need to have that next job, the next title.” Then about 10 years ago, Peter had an epiphany. “I realised I was not feeling good. I wasn’t healthy, and my weight went up to 117 kilograms. I had to go to Big and Tall to get clothes, because I couldn’t go to Woolworths anymore… nothing fitted.” So he started walking – every day, for a year – and he got his weight down to about 100 kilograms. Then he started jogging.

“I then actually overdid it. I’d try and do 20, 40 or 60 kilometres per week, and quite a few half marathons over the weekends, so I got stress fractures left, right and centre.” A motorbike accident and subsequent “semi-knee” replacement compounded the problem, but Peter has since then gotten back on the road. “I try and run at least six kilometres per day, but it varies. I don’t do more than 10 kilometres, because I know my body can’t handle it. When I continuously do 10 kilometres per day, the stress fractures come back, so I just try and vary the short runs – sometimes I do a fast five, then a slow seven.” And he is back running events too, including a 2:30-odd half marathon in Knysna.

Globetrotter
Peter’s job takes him all over the world to attend trade shows and connect with possible clients, and this gives him amazing opportunities for both running and his other passions, photography and diving. His typical day starts at 6am, when he’ll go for a run. On his return, and if there is good light, he’ll go and take some photographs, and then he’ll head to the exhibition or show. “I try and go for a run in these amazing places, and obviously I want to get all my friends to be jealous, so I track it on RunKeeper, so they can see that I’ve just had a run through Central Park in New York, for example,” he quips.

Back home, Peter gets out of bed even earlier and can often be found at the gym as early as 4:30am. “In the winter months I run on a treadmill, because I’m too much of a sissie to run outside,” he smiles. In summer he has routes near home that take him through Melrose Arch, and in the evenings after work he’ll take his camera along when he walks the dogs, looking for that perfect shot. “My life can be quite intense, so I need these outlets, and you’ve got to try and balance it.”

Indulging Passions
Scuba diving has also helped bring that necessary balance into Peter’s life. “I dive a lot and most of my holidays are dive holidays, and that is when I’m the most relaxed. I like spending time underwater, because during work hours I talk to people all day long, and when I’m under the water, nobody talks to me. It’s like paradise, and just unbelievably beautiful.” He has literally dived all over the world, but lists the Seychelles, Maldives, Indonesia and South Africa’s own Sodwana Bay as his favourite dive locations, and he will also dive during overseas work trips, if there is time – and he always takes a camera underwater.

Peter’s love for photography started when he was in school. “I worked for a wedding photographer and I had to develop all those rolls of films, and then make the prints for the wedding couple, so I’d be in the darkroom, developing, mixing chemicals… all the stuff we had to do in those days.” These days, when Peter has some good shots, he puts them on the internet and gets his friends and contacts to give him feedback, and after that ‘stamp of approval,’ he will then send them to photographic stock websites. “I sell them online and earn a bit of extra money. It’s not huge yet, but I think that one day that will become my full-time thing. I’ll become a stock photographer.” (Who also dives and runs.)

It was a night for honouring the truly deserved among us as the Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) hosted its annual awards gala in Pietermaritzburg on Friday, 23 October 2015.

The Old Mutual Spirit of Comrades awards gala celebrates three awesome individuals annually for their very human attributes of selflessness, dedication, perseverance and Ubuntu; combined with their love for The Ultimate Human Race.

The prestigious awards gala has been a defining feature of the CMA since 1991. The three Spirit of Comrades recipients are presented with a one-ounce, 24 carat gold medallion, courtesy of major co-sponsor, Old Mutual, as well as due recognition of their remarkable qualities.

The awardees are nominated by CMA members, Comrades Marathon runners and the general public; and are subject to the discretion of the CMA Board. The awards criteria place special emphasis on Comrades Marathon winners, legends, volunteers and otherwise ordinary heroes and heroines; who through individual acts of service, sacrifice, courage or perseverance, either in a single race or over a period of time, exhibit the noble qualities associated with The Ultimate Human Race.

FIRST RECIPIENT: KABELO NTSIME

The first awardee was Kabelo Ntsime (38). Kabelo is living proof that no matter how tough a start in life one has, with discipline and perseverance anything can be overcome. He survived five brutal years living on the streets of Johannesburg as a street child until he got help from a missionary school and a kind family who helped him to complete his schooling. He says, ‘I believe that all children deserve that opportunity in life to go to school and be a great citizen in the community.’

Kabelo is now married with three children and lives in Midrand. Kabelo believes that it is now his time to give back to the community and the future generations by doing what he can to empower the little ones. For four years, he taught Latin and ballroom dancing to physically challenged children. He says this was a deeply fulfilling activity that meant as much to him as it did to the kids.

Josiah Thugwana was the inspiration behind Kabelo taking up running. He has since done four consecutive Comrades Marathons, with his best time achieved at this year’s race. He also went a step further by signing up for Race for Charity and raised R13 000 for the Starfish Greathearts Foundation. His vision is for underprivileged people to dream big and achieve their goals. Kabelo tells us that his dream is to start a running club for children. He sees that our young South Africans have immense athletic talent. In his words, we need to forget about ourselves and focus on our younger generation.

SECOND RECIPIENT: HEIDI JOUBERT

The second recipient of the coveted Spirit of Comrades award was Heidi Joubert. Heidi was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at six weeks old with a life expectancy of 10 years. She is now 32, mostly thanks to running. As a child, she spent months in hospital but with running, she only needs intravenous antibiotic treatment four times a year. She takes 17 medications daily.

The love for Comrades has been a very real part of Heidi’s family. Her mom, Susan came second in the 1978 Comrades Women’s Race. Both her mom and dad have run the race and are her biggest supporters. Heidi received her Comrades back-to-back medal this year. She says Comrades has been one of her life’s most amazing experiences, especially when her family was there to support her during her first race and to celebrate her finish with her.

Heidi loves horses and works in the equestrian field in Kyalami, exercising horses and enjoying the time spent with these gentle creatures. The trend for lung function in cystic fibrosis patients is to decrease by 3% annually. However, fortunately for Heidi, her lung function has improved with running and she managed to maintain it at 70% for five years.

Heidi says she has her good and bad days. When all is good, she runs every day and loves it. On bad days, her lungs hurt and it feels like she is breathing through a straw. She is grateful to her husband, Kenneth for his never-ending care and love. Her doctor, who has treated her for the past 12 years never stops motivating her and keeping her mentally strong.

THIRD RECIPIENT: RICHARD MALOSE MONISI

Last but not least of the recipients was Richard Malose Monisi. This amazing individual has shown each one of us that you need not let a disability come between you and your dreams. Richard was born blind with cataracts. At the age of 10, he underwent an eye operation which resulted in 5% sight in his left eye. Richard went on to school at the Philadelphia School for the Blind and then got a job as a switchboard operator at Success College.

Richard first came into contact with the running fraternity through a Rocky Road Runners Club member named Gerald Fox who was training other blind runners at the time and offered to train him as well. Through his active participation and enjoyment of running, Richard has gone on to meet new people and travel which has boosted his morale.

Richard displayed true tenacity at the 2014 Ultimate Human Race when his pilot, Florence, bailed 16km out of Durban. He then hauled out his white stick and ran the remainder of the route on his own, completing the Comrades in under 10 hours.

This proud Green Number Club member has gone on to complete his 11th Comrades Marathon this year. Although he was once again abandoned by his pilot at Drummond, he completed the race on his own in a time of 8:50, earning him a well-deserved Bill Rowan medal.

Richard has been described as an extremely positive person who takes running without a pilot in his stride. He lives a simple life on his disability grant. The Comrades Marathon forms a huge part of Richard’s life. Together with his concern for others, comes the pride and joy of being part of the running community and a much loved and popular figure in the greater running fraternity.

Richard’s passion is to teach young disabled people that it is possible to exercise and join in mainstream events.

JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR: WESLEY BOTTON

This year’s Comrades Journalist of the Year was a reporter at The Citizen Newspaper, has completed the Comrades Marathon four times; and has written the most articles on The Ultimate Human Race this year. He is Wesley Botton. This popular sports reporter tells us that Comrades Marathon is more than a race. In his words: “It's an overwhelming adventure, and no matter how tough it may be to complete the gruelling event, something about it keeps drawing me back.”

TOP CHARITY DONOR OF THE YEAR: CAREL NOLTE

The CMA is exceedingly proud and passionate about the Comrades Charity Drive which benefits 6 officially recognised charities. To this end, the CMA presents its Comrades Marathon Top Donor Award to the person who has raised the most funds for the Comrades Charities. The winner of the prized accolade was Carel Nolte who raised 153-thousand rand for the Comrades Charities this year.
Carel tells us that he loves everything about the Comrades. “My first Comrades was perfect. The camaraderie of runners; the people along the road who sing and cheer and give you support and sustenance; helping others after you have been helped; getting through the pain – because you can; and arriving at the stadium upon completing the race – it is all beyond exhilarating.”

2015 WINNERS BLAZER: GIFT KELEHE AND CAROLINE WOSTMANN

The glitzy evening also saw the awarding of the Comrades Marathon Winners Blazers to the proudly South African 2015 winners Gift Kelehe and Caroline Wostmann. It was a proud moment for Gift, who has been dubbed ‘the gift of the nation’. Unfortunately, Caroline was out of the country and not able to attend the event.

CMA CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION: FORMSCAFF, BIDDULPHS AND ADCOCK-INGRAM

The CMA is always mindful of the effort given off by individuals and organizations who have contributed in a significant way to the Comrades Marathon Association over the years. Due recognition and appreciation is accorded to these do-gooders for their outstanding service or for going beyond the call of duty in adding value to the Comrades Marathon via the CMA’s Certificate of Appreciation. These were presented to Formscaff and Biddulphs for 30 years of service to the CMA while Adcock-Ingram received due recognition for their 20 years of service to the CMA.

CMA LIFE MEMBERSHIP AWARD: ALEN HATTINGH AND SIFISO NZUZA

The CMA Life Membership Award is conferred upon members who have rendered outstanding meritorious service to the race. Alen Hattingh has served the CMA in various capacities for 28 years, starting out by volunteering at the Expo and Finish. Alen had served on the CMA Board for 4 years (2005-2006 and 2014-2015); and also headed up the Refreshment Station portfolio from 2007-2010.

Sifiso Nzuza has been in service of the race for over 10 years, being an active member of the CMA Board of Trustees and later the CMA Board since 2007. He has also been passionately involved in the Underprivileged Runners’ Project for many years.
 

This Friday, three individuals who have pushed beyond boundaries for The Ultimate Human Race will be honoured at the Old Mutual Spirit of Comrades awards gala dinner in Pietermartizburg.

The Old Mutual Spirit of Comrades Awards celebrates three awesome individuals annually for their very human attributes of selflessness, dedication, perseverance and Ubuntu; combined with their love for The Ultimate Human Race. The nominees are chosen based on their participation in the Comrades Marathon whether as athletes, legends, dedicated volunteers or extraordinary supporters.

This year the nominees included Barry Varty, Bruce Hargreaves, Carla du Toit, Douw Prinsloo, Haroom Ebrahim Abramjee, Heidi Joubert, Jackie Campher, Kabelo Ntsime, Richard Malose Monisi, Martin Millar, Megan Davey, Michael Daniel Lawrence, Rabbi Shlomo Wainer, Robert le Brun, Robert Marvel, Robert McInroy, Trevor Hildebrand, Wietsche van der Westhuizen and Wilma van der Westhuizen.

The awards gala dinner has been a defining feature of the Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) for two decades now. CMA Chairperson Macdonald Chitja says, “This is our flagship awards gala where we will be honouring our 2015 winners as well as three significant and deserving individuals who show the world what the true spirit of the Comrades Marathon is all about. Through this special awards ceremony, we call on every Comrades Marathon runner and South African to share in the enduring and timeless values associated with The Ultimate Human Race.”

This is the first year that Old Mutual is co-sponsoring the race. ‘We are very proud to be supporting the legendary Comrades Marathon,’ says Old Mutual’s Chief Marketing Officer Mokaedi Dilotsotlhe.

‘Endurance sporting activities are the backbone of our portfolio of sponsorships, because we understand the planning, commitment and perseverance you need when you’re in something for the long haul. Old Mutual also views these sponsorships as a great platform from which to make a positive difference to communities.’

The three recipients of the Old Mutual Spirit of Comrades Awards will be presented with a one-ounce, 24 carat gold medallion, as well as due recognition of their outstanding qualities.

The Old Mutual Spirit of Comrades awards dinner will be held on Friday, October 23 at Tsogo Sun, Golden Horse Casino in Pietermaritzburg.

Whether she is called a ‘running mom’ or a ‘mom on the run’, Irvette van Zyl, hopes to get her Olympic dreams back on track when she competes in the Spar 10km Women’s Race in Johannesburg on Sunday.

It will be the Olympic marathoner’s first race since the birth of her son, Louis, in September.

“I am not sure if running a 10km on Sunday will be a wise thing to do at this stage, but I really need to start racing again. I think the longer I wait, the more difficult it will become. Anyway, I am not planning to race seriously. I just want to be there to experience the joy of running again and to watch everybody else running and enjoying themselves. I really miss it.

“Luckily Sunday’s race is nothing serious for me. It will only be 10 kilometres and I don’t have any aspirations. It will be great just to finish,” said the Tuks/HPC athlete who went out for her first run on Monday (5 October).

During the past few weeks she kept fit by doing some swimming and cycling.

If everything goes according to plan Van Zyl’s first serious race will be in November when she plans to race the Soweto 10km.

“It is still about four weeks away and hopefully I will be fit enough by then to be able to race properly. I am hoping to finish in the top-five in Soweto but we will have to wait and see if that is possible.”

Van Zyl desperately wants to represent South Africa at next year’s Olympic Games in Rio, especially because it will probably be the last opportunity for her and her husband, LJ (400-hurdler), to do so together.

“I don’t want to be only a spectator in Rio to watch LJ run. That is the reason why I have decided to try to qualify in the marathon as well as the 10 000 metres for the Olympics.

“The problem with trying to qualify only in the marathon is that you only get one chance to do so. By trying to qualify in the 10 000 metres as well, I will give myself at least another two or three chances. Hopefully the fact that I will be training seriously on the track will help me to become faster in the marathon as well.

The Tuks/HPC athlete has not yet decided which marathon she will run in April to qualify for the Olympics.

“If it were up to me I would have loved to run the London Marathon because it is the only race where good weather can more or less be guaranteed. Unfortunately, because it has been quite a while since I have competed in an international marathon, I have to race where my agent tells me to.”

Van Zyl made her marathon debut at the 2012 London Marathon. She finished 18th in a time of 2:33:41 to qualify for the London Games in 2012. She placed 10th at the 2013 London Marathon, completing the distance in a time of 2:31:26 hours.

According to Van Zyl, being a mom is an experience which she will not trade for anything in the world.

“I am surprised at how fast he is growing. Just spending time with Louis every day is an amazing experience. One of the best things that happened to me since becoming a mom is that I have become much calmer than I used to be. I don’t get freaked out by small things any longer. I think this will definitely be a plus factor that will stand me in good stead when I try to go to Rio as an athlete rather than only as a spectator.”

You’ll find Marianne Nelson happily bounding along in trail running events, defying not only her age, but also the gloomy original prognosis of her doctors, who said in 1999 that she should walk to combat her osteoporosis, but under no circumstances should she run… but nothing was going to hold this galloping granny back. – BY SEAN FALCONER

At the age of 71, many people are no longer thinking about running on the roads, let alone tackling gnarly, uneven trails, but just about every weekend you will find Marianne Nelson of Durbanville doing a trail running event somewhere in the greater Cape Town area. Furthermore, this mother of three and grandmother of six will be chatting up a storm with the runners around her, stopping to take photos and WhatsApping them to husband Alan, always waiting for her at the finish, or her running friends and family, and then merrily carrying on up the trail. It’s a truly inspiring sight.

These days Marianne averages around 40 trail races a year, and also still does a bit of road running – she recently competed in the Western Province Half Marathon Champs race – but says she now struggles to run on tar, and far prefers the trails. Interestingly though, she only began running very late in life, thanks to a medical scare. At the age of 55, she was diagnosed with severe osteoporosis in her back and feet, and underwent surgery, where the doctors took a piece of her hip bone to fuse three vertebrae in her spine and also reconstructed the big toe on her left foot. Then the doctors advised her to participate in some form of sport or exercise activity, in order to build up her bone density, as it was registering at just 57%.

Walking for Health
So Marianne joined Run/Walk For Life in 2000 and started walking, but by her own admission she was in poor shape. “I could not even get around the rugby field once without stopping to rest. I had never done any sport – even at school I was in the Drummies, not playing sport – and after school I was raising kids and looking after Alan while he was studying and moving around the country while working for the South African Air Force, but at 55 I started walking, because the doctors said I would go only one way if I didn’t,” says Marianne. “I have a cousin, two years younger than me, who suffers from the same disease, and she is in frail care now, so I consider myself lucky. I should have started running much earlier than 55, but still, it has turned out well for me.”

At Run/Walk For Life she met Cathy Taylor, a year older and also getting into walking to combat her osteoarthritis, and the two became inseparable friends and passionate co-walkers, quickly progressing from social walking to competitive race walking, and then to running. They became known as the ‘Twins,’ since they always competed in the same club kit and even the same shoes, and together they took on some mighty athletic feats. They moved up to 10km and 20km race walking, added 5000m and 10,000m race walking on the track, and by 2009 both had been awarded national colours for their exploits on the track.

In between that they also took up running, going on to run the Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon a few times, and Marianne also added two Comrades Marathons to her resume, running it in 2004 and 2005 and earning two Vic Clapham medals. “I never knew I would be able to do something like that, but thankfully they had extended the cut-off to 12 hours, otherwise I would never even have gone to Comrades. I ran that whole first Comrades with my son, Lafras, pacing me, and at 80km I told him I’m really tired, but he said, ‘You’ve done 80km, so you’re nearly home, just keep going.’”

In Loving Memory
Tragically, Lafras was killed in a car accident in 2010, fours after Cathy also lost a son in an accident, and this spurred them on to one of their greatest athletic feats. In 2011, at the ages of 66 and 67 and despite never having done any trail running before, they entered themselves as ‘Team Grannies’ in the gruelling three-day AfricanX Trail Run in Kleinmond, running it in memory of their late sons, and captured the hearts of everybody at the event, thanks to their unwavering smiles and positive attitude, no matter how tough the going got or how long they were out on the trails. Come the end of the event and they were awarded the Sanet Wentzel Trophy, which is given to the runner or team that embodies the best spirit in the event each year, and they received a standing ovation from all their fellow runners.

“Naturally, that AfricanX remains one of the highlights of my running career, and it triggered me to really get into trail running. After my son’s death, I wanted to get away from the competitiveness of road running, and I realised out in nature there is much less competition and a more relaxed atmosphere,” says Marianne. “Added to that, the Western Cape really lends itself to trail running, and I have run some stunning trails, like Olyfberg, Meiringspoort and Featherbed, but to be honest, every trail run is a highlight for me. I love them.”

Marianne says other highlights of her running include the first time she was selected for Western Province and competed at the SA Cross Country Champs, the first time she competed at the SA Masters Track and Field Champs, and the first time she put on her Springbok colours, but most importantly, she says it is about the friends she has made through the sport. “I have a lovely group of ladies that I regularly run with, and nowadays they think they’re all photographers. Alan jokes that we could all finish a good 20 to 30 minutes earlier at races if we didn’t stop to take so many pictures!”

Still on the Bucket List
Looking ahead, Marianne says she is thinking about running the AfricanX again next year, and has a potential partner lined up, since Cathy’s health does not allow her to run as much any more and she is struggling on the trails, but Marianne still has to decide if she can manage the three days of trail and still go after her 10th Two Oceans Half Marathon just after that. Other races on her bucket list include the Houtkapper Trail in Knysna and the Dodo Trail in Mauritius, and at the time of writing she was about to leave for Croatia with Cathy to go run two half marathons.

“As you can see, I have a great bucket list, but in the meantime I’m just happy doing nice trail runs each weekend – and trying to catch up with Phil Rabinowitz’s record of still running at 100! I’ve run over 20,000 kilometres and never had a blister or a pain, my bone density is now up around 80%, and I want to show people that age is a state of mind, that if you put your mind to something, you can do anything!”

Even though I could not compete due to injury, I thoroughly enjoyed watching the recent World Champs in China, especially the terrific performances by our South African athletes. – BY RENÉ KALMER

I'm sure most of us suffered from post-champs depression after we witnessed some spectacular athletic performances in the Birds Nest Stadium at the recent IAAF World Championships in Beijing, China. I even suffered from ‘jetlag’ after getting up at 3am to watch the 50km walk in the early hours of the morning…

All track and field fanatics breathed a sigh of relief when Jamaica's Usain Bolt defended both his 100m and 200m World titles against the controversial Justin Gatlin from the USA. But our eyes were on Team South Africa’s sprinters, and just like Bolt, they did not disappoint, even though Akani Simbine just missed out on qualifying for the 100m final and Carina Horn came so close to finally beating Evette de Klerk's 25-year-old 11.06 SA record when she clocked 11.08 in her 100m heat. Unfortunately, our 4x100m men's relay team failed to complete their heat, when they dropped the baton at the first change over.

Medals and Records
Day five was definitely the highlight for the people of South Africa! Not only did we get to witness the greatest 400m men's race ever, where all three medallists dipped under 44 seconds, but our golden boy Wayde van Niekerk topped the podium with a new personal best time of 43.48 seconds. He not only smashed the African and South African records, but also became the fourth-fastest one-lapper ever. I just felt so sorry that Wayde was too exhausted to celebrate his golden performance with a victory lap, as he was carried off the track on a stretcher. He sure left it all out on the track!

A day later Anaso Jobodwana kept Mzansi's celebrations going when he claimed the bronze medal in the men's 200m final, behind Usain Bolt and Justin Gatlin. Anaso also clocked 19.87 to claim back his SA record from Wayde, who had broken it earlier the year in Luzern, Switzerland, when he became the first South African to run a sub-20 200m. Then on the last day of the Championships, Sunette Viljoen did us proud when she collected her second bronze medal in the javelin with a very impressive throw of 66.13m. She also won bronze at the 2011 World Championships in Deagu, South Korea.

Highs and Lows
My personal highlight of the Champs was the 5000m for women. After a relatively slow first 2000m of 6:06, Almaz Ayana from Ethiopia took over the pacing duties and just never looked back… She destroyed the women's field by clocking the last 3000m in 8:20 and winning the race in 14:26. It was a huge, huge upset, and to be honest, the pre-race favourite, 1500m World Champion and World Record holder for 5000m, Genzebe Dibaba, looked like she was looking for parking!

A heartbreaking moment for me was when Molly Huddle from the USA made a rookie mistake in the 10,000m for women by celebrating “her bronze medal” a split second too soon. Fellow American Emily Infeld nipped her on the line to claim the third place, and it is definitely a moment that neither will ever forget…

To everyone's great surprise, Kenya topped the final medal table for the first time since the World Championships started in 1983, with seven gold, six silver and three bronze medals. Kenya also bagged two rare individual wins outside of the middle distance events with Julius Yego winning the men's javelin with a world-leading throw of 92.72 metres, while Nicholas Bett was also a surprise winner in the 400m hurdles, in a fast time of 47.79.

Now for Rio!
But returning to our local heroes, Team South Africa really did us proud! Not only did we bag three medals, but most of the team members performed at or very close to their best, and three new SA records were set – along with Wayde and Anaso, Lebogang Shange set a new 20km Walk record of 1:21:42. Let’s hope that after these amazing performances by our athletes, that ASA and other sponsors will come to the party to support and back our athletes as much as possible. After all, it is less than 10 months to go to the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro… Let the countdown begin!

Today is the final day for South African runners to take advantage of the Comrades Early Bird entries for next year’s race.

The early bird entry fee of R380 is valid until midnight tonight (30 September 2015).

Entries for the 2016 Comrades ‘down-run’ currently stands at over 9 100. The entry cap is 20 000.

CMA Race Director, Rowyn James has urged South African athletes to take advantage of the reduced entry fee before the month long early bird entry period comes to an end tonight.

James says, ‘We plan to make the 91st Comrades Marathon a truly memorable experience for our runners and all other stakeholders. We encourage our South African runners to take advantage of the Early Bird entry fee.’

As of tomorrow (1 October), the South African entry fee will increase to R420. Please visit www.comrades.com to view the rising entry barometer.

The three month-long entry process will close on 30 November 2015 or as soon as the entry cap of 20 000 has been reached. Next year’s down-run will be the 91st edition of the world’s greatest ultra-marathon on Sunday, 29 May 2016.

You have until the end of the day tomorrow (Wednesday 30 September) to get your Early Bird entries for next year’s Comrades Marathon in.

Entries for the 2016 Comrades ‘down-run’ currently stand at over 8300. The entry cap is 20 000.

The early bird entry fee of R380, applicable to South Africans, is valid until 30 September 2015. CMA Race Director, Rowyn James has urged South African athletes to take advantage of the reduced entry fee before the month long early bird entry period comes to an end.

James says, ‘Our runners are already looking forward to the 45th ‘Comrades down-run’. We plan to make it a truly memorable experience for our runners and all other stakeholders.’

As of 1 October, the South African entry fee will increase to R420. Please visit www.comrades.com to view the rising entry barometer.

The three month-long entry process will close on 30 November 2015 or as soon as the entry cap of 20 000 has been reached.

Next year’s down-run will be the 91st edition of the world’s greatest ultra-marathon on Sunday, 29 May 2016.

To stretch or not to stretch… that is the question. And the simple answer is yes, but only after your workout. Here’s why. – BY SEAN FALCONER

In spite of regular articles on the topic, which say that stretching before a workout is not good for you, go to any race, track, gym or local meeting point for runners and chances are very, very good that you’ll see at least one athlete leaning into a prolonged static stretch, usually in the belief that stretching as part of a warm-up process will help the muscles become fully active and decrease the risk of injury, prevent muscle soreness and improve performance. But the science behind it says differently.

A 2012 study done in Croatia found that static stretching actually reduces muscle strength by an average of 5.5%, while a more recent study in Australia concluded that pre-exercise stretching did not prevent soreness, nor did it prevent overuse injuries. Then there is the study that found that it takes muscles about 10 minutes to recover the strength lost due to five minutes of static stretching, and another that found that runners who did not stretch before a race actually ran faster than those who did stretch.

When to stretch?
So does this mean you should never stretch? The answer to that one is no, but you need to know when to stretch. Before exercise, you need to warm up your muscles so that they are ready for the hard work about to come. Now think logically: Will holding a static stretch for a few seconds prepare your legs for hard running? No, of course not, whereas dynamic movements such as leg swings, light jogging and bounding will get them ready for the coming run – and that is what helps prevent injury when you start running.

Keep in mind that the latest research confirms that stretching is still good for you: It increases your range of motion in the muscles and joints, while also improving joint function and balance. But it’s all in the timing. Stretching before a workout will just leave your muscles a wee bit tired before you even start working them, thus actually increasing the risk of injury, whereas stretching after a workout will do your muscles good, and help them return to a position of rest.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re a pro athlete or a social runner, it is equally frustrating to be injured. Especially when it means missing out on a big event you had your heart set on. – BY RENÉ KALMER

A frustrating injury is the reason why I had to withdraw from the World Championships taking place in Beijing, China this August. In 2008 a dream came true when I qualified for the Olympic Games in the 1500m and I would have loved to go back to Beijing to relive the special Olympic memories, and to create some new ones. I have represented South Africa 28 times and it is still a great honour and privilege every time I get to wear the green and gold on the international stage.

I'm sure all of us, from professional runner to weekend warrior, experience the same disappointment, frustration and emotions when injuries haunt us. For most of us, running is like a best friend with whom we share the good, the bad and the ugly that life throws at us. Then suddenly we can't rely on this friend called ‘running’ for a while to get our endorphin fix. Then our poor family, friends and loved ones also have to deal with our withdrawal symptoms, like depression, irritability or lethargy, which injury triggers in us.

Hard Lessons
Having learnt the hard way when it comes to a niggle or an injury, denial is not an option! It’s best to sort out a stiff calf muscle before it turns into shin splints, and with more denial, into a stress fracture. Been there, done that! It is best not to ignore the problem, but to act immediately by seeking advice from a physiotherapist or doctor, or at least taking a day or two off to recover. I'm also guilty of not listening to my body and running through pain, and in the long run it is almost inevitable that this could sideline you for months.

Dealing with the physical pain of an injury is normally not as difficult as coping with the frustration of putting running goals on hold, but as Albert Einstein said, “In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity.” When we have to take time off to recover from injury it is the perfect time to work on our weaknesses that we often neglect when running is going smoothly. Working on strengthening your core can benefit you in becoming a stronger and better runner post-injury. It is also a great time to refocus your energy and to spend more time with family and friends and doing activities, like camping, that you normally missed out on because of running commitments.

Seeing the Up Side
The positive side is that an injury does not have to mean that you have to turn into a couch potato. Best is to consult with your doctor about some low impact cross-training activities like spinning, swimming, aqua-jogging or cycling that can help you maintain some fitness and sanity. Even though we don't feel like facing our running friends, it is best not to abandon running altogether. It is a great time to give back to the sport we all adore by offering to volunteer, marshalling or just cheering fellow runners in a race.

Lying dead still for an hour while the radiologist took an MRI scan of my injury recently was also a good time for me to reflect on my running career and to count all my blessings, like my health and loved ones. My greatest advice is to stay positive, as an optimistic attitude can speed up recovery!