Category: Columns

“We are the oldest ‘non-white’ running club in the Gauteng area and are rich in history,” says Jaguars Club
Secretary Esme Moodien, who explains that back in the 80s the club was
classified as a black club in the old South Africa. “While we were
reaching 100 or more members back then, a lot of members broke away through the
years to form other clubs in the Jo’burg region, one of those being the Pegasus
Athletic Club.”

 

Esme, a three-time Comrades Marathon finisher herself, has
close ties to the Jaguars, as her father, Palmer Lawrence, was one of the
founding members. “It was very simple: People saw my father running and they
were inspired, and the club came to be,” says Esme. “My father had 19 Comrades
Marathons under his belt and now the club is full of members who have run
between 10 and 20 Comrades!”

 

The club celebrated its 30^th anniversary this
year, including the hosting of its first Jaguars Palmer Lawrence Memorial Half
Marathon in April to serve to commemorate Esme’s father’s contribution, and to
get the community involved. “We’ve had a lot of club runs that have attracted
new members over the last few months,” says Esme, “and we definitely have quite
a mixed bag of members, too! Our newest member is in her late fifties and is
looking at her first Comrades next year, while we also have a family with
teenagers who have joined.”

 

FOR
THE COMMUNITY

Running in their trademark red and white colours, the
Jaguars are looking to grow their presence in the area. With numerous 5km and
8km fun runs each year, there has been a huge interest from youngsters getting
into the sport, and the club is targeting more fundraising and social events to
bring in still more new faces. They’ve already scooped up Zimbabwean-born Kevin
Murira, who came 11^th at the recent Slow-Mag 50km.

 

For the Jaguars, the sport is one for family, friends and
getting kids involved. “My own brother, sister and daughter get involved with
the club, so it’s a close community,” says Esme. “What we want to do is get
kids running, and promote a healthy lifestyle so they can stay away from
mischief.” For Ennerdale and Jozi, the Jaguars are not only a road running club,
but encourage cross-country and walking, too. “We cater to everyone,” says
Esme, “whether shorter distances or those looking to do lots of races with us
for mileage for bigger ultras.”

 

Jaguars meet for time trials every Thursday at 6:30pm in the
summer months and 6pm in the winter months, and they hold monthly meetings for
new members to join.

 

More info: Esme Moodien on 011
282 1845 or [email protected].

Many of us have been to the physio
and had electrodes strapped on to the injured area that ‘zap’ us with a mild
electric current. This treatment is known as Electrical Muscle Stimulation
(EMS), which contributes to the rehabilitation process of injuries to bones,
joints, muscles, ligaments and tendons. Very similar to this is Transcutaneous
Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS), where an electric current is used for pain
relief by targeting the nerve endings near the skin.

 

Frankly, I find it hard to
differentiate between the two, but either way, I believe that tingling
sensation can be good for you, which is why I was intrigued by the EliKing Mini
iPro Massager III that I discovered at the recent Old Mutual Two Oceans
Marathon Expo. It was being demonstrated by Dave and Caroline King from Richards
Bay, the South African agents for the device, and they sure got my attention
when they strapped the mini electrodes to my upper back and next thing I knew,
my shoulders were up around my ears!

 

SHOCKINGLY
EFFECTIVE

Caroline explains that the massage
unit works on the TENS principle to release the tightness in your muscles and
promote faster recovery, and thus is great for use by athletes, especially
after a hard workout. The electrodes can be applied to any part of the body,
such as shoulders, stomach, back, arms or legs, and you can use it anywhere,
any time, thanks to it being small, portable and easy to use.

 

The iPro Massager comes in a neat
box set that contains a small control unit that looks like an MP3 player, three
sets of wires to connect to the electrodes, two sets of small self-sticking massage
pads, a bigger massage pad with Velcro strap, and massage shoes, plus a charger
cable that can be plugged into either an electrical outlet or your computer.
The control unit has a large LCD display that makes using it easy, and you can
choose between six different frequency modes as well as 20 intensity level
settings – I found levels two to three to be plenty, to begin with!

 

As a runner, I found massaging my
leg muscles particularly effective, but the massage shoes did take some getting
used to. (Admittedly, I do have very soft, ticklish feet.) And boy oh boy can
this little unit give your stomach muscles a workout! Bottom line is that for sore,
tired muscles, this is a really great product.

 

The complete package retails for
R1500. To order the unit or get more info, contact Caroline King on 083 630
1992 or [email protected], or look out for the iSmart stand at the Comrades
Expo.

As
part of Dr Genevieve Symonds’ study for a PhD in Psychology at the University
of Pretoria, she conducted in-depth interviews with 15 runners who were injured
or had recently recovered from injury. The participants were typical South
African runners: All except one had run a standard marathon, 10 had run the
Comrades Marathon (between them they had run the race 87 times), and one of the
participants was even a previous Comrades winner. These were committed, dedicated
runners, and one participant’s enthusiasm was exemplified when she said,
“Running is my life.”

 

When
injured they experienced a sense of loss because they feared losing their
levels of fitness, not being able to follow their training programmes and run
various races. One participant said, “It’s really heart-sore for me to skip
this Comrades.” The majority of the participants believed they were only
injured when they were unable to run or could not run with ease; they did not
regard niggles as injuries, but referred to them as just a runner’s thing. One
participant expressed the view that runners know if their injuries are really
serious, but are often faced with the dilemma of whether to run with their
injuries or not. The participants found it difficult to admit they were injured
and seemed to be in denial. One admitted that when in pain, he blocked it out
and continued running. Most of them had run with injury.

 

ADDICTED TO RUNNING

All
the participants deliberated on the psychological benefits they perceived that running
afforded them.

?        
They experienced stress-relief, were able to deal with
frustration and anger, and solve their problems. One participant shared, “Just
running helps me through all my problems. It’s like I don’t have to see a
shrink.” Another stated that when frustrated, “I put on my running shoes and I
go and kill the road.”

?        
They also associated running with positive psychological
benefits such as improved self-esteem, a sense of freedom, fulfilment and
identity, enhanced creativity and mental strength.

?        
One reflected, “Everything in running is like freedom,”
and another described running as “something that filled something.”

 

When
injured, the participants described their sense of loss of these psychological
benefits. One said, “Something that used to make you happy is gone.” Another
compared not being able to do what she loved to the death of a person.

 

JUST WANT TO RUN!

The
participants experienced disappointment, frustration and anger because they
perceived their recovery to be slow. One exclaimed, “It doesn’t want to go away,”
and another, “I’m supposed to be able to run now.” A third wanted to buy a
punching bag he could lash out at. They also conveyed a sense of urgency,
uncertainty and apprehension in their endeavours to recover. One questioned if
he could “cheat something so massive” as the Comrades by not training
sufficiently for the race.

 

Despite
conveying these emotions, some of the participants gave the impression that
they eventually did accept their injuries. Also, most were happy with the
treatment they received from medical practitioners, but a few said they did not
trust the medical profession. One stated, “They’re not runners and they can’t
help you.”

Next
month we bring you part two of this article, which will feature more revealing
facets of this interesting study.

Kevin is the first to admit that he struggles with time management. “I
have a really busy schedule and our business is so diverse, so it’s very much
about multi-tasking at Top Events. My advice to others who struggle to find the
time to exercise is therefore simple: Get up early in the morning. I’m an early
bird and far prefer exercising in the morning – it prepares you for the rest of
the day, and then you can eat as much as you want!”

 

GOING TO THE RACES

Born and
schooled in Port Elizabeth, Kevin (59) is married to Beverly and they have
three children, Julia, Brad and Phillipa. (Bev and Brad are also keen runners.)
He spent much of his working career in the oil and coal industries, climbing
the corporate ladder to become a main board member and division group MD of SA’s
biggest coal distributing company. “When the company was bought out, I decided
to move on, because I had achieved quite a lot for a relatively young guy, but
I had been in corporate such a long time, I wasn’t quite sure what to do. Then
I was invited to run the 1997 London Marathon on behalf of the 2004 Cape Town Olympic
Bid Committee, and we all carried the SA flag for a mile at a time. It was such
a fantastic event, and I came back thinking that we should have more events
like it here, so I got involved in the Cape Town Marathon, alongside Andrew
Bell, and we helped build it up to an event with 12 000 participants.”

 

That led to
Kevin and Andy starting Top Events 14 years ago, and their list of events has
grown markedly over the years. “Andy and I are very different, but compliment
each other, and we’ve built a very successful business. I enjoy coming to work,
and it remains hugely satisfying to see youngsters finishing their first event,
especially their first marathon.” Here Kevin speaks from experience: He ran five
Two Oceans ultras and one Comrades during the 90s before easing down to shorter
distances. “I prefer the half marathon now, but running is still my drug of
choice. It motivates me, gives me clearer perspective, and clears my nasal
passages!”

It was in 1971, while studying Civil Engineering at the University of
Cape Town, that Tony joined the UCT cross-country club and heard about the
legendary Comrades Marathon, which he decided to run that year. “That year Two
Oceans took place five weeks before the Comrades. Never having heard of the
race before, I ran it merely as a training run. In a field of 30 runners I
finished in 29^th place in a time of 5:56. This was followed by
Comrades in position 896 in a time of 10:56,” says Tony. “Based on my
excruciating experience that year, resulting from gross non-preparation, I
resolved never to run Comrades again, or in fact any long distance race.
Runners were considered somewhat weird in those days, and so I retreated back
into a life of excess and slothfulness.”

 

However, something drew him back, and in 1973 Tony ran both the Two
Oceans and the Comrades again, this time much better prepared and clocking 4:15
and 7:47 respectively. He has not missed the Two Oceans since 1980, a run of 34
consecutive medals, and in 1995 he also ran his 10th Comrades, but says that training
for a good time in both races was demanding too much of his time, and so he decided
to focus on Oceans.

 

MEMORABLE
VOYAGES

Tony cites his second voyage in 1973 as his most memorable, due to the
massive improvement on his first, “whereas my near-miss for silver in 1981,
clocking 4:00:48, would be one I would rather forget. However, 1982 was a
standout year when I achieved my first silver on my seventh voyage.” In 1985 he
ran his 10^th Oceans and received his blue number as well as another
silver medal, and 10 years later he did it again. “I shall remember the silver
medal in 3:59:43 in 1995 as my greatest personal achievement in the Two Oceans,
10 years after the previous silver, at the age of 45, and it being my 20^th
voyage.”

 

Another great memory, and unique aspect, of Tony’s Oceans career is that
his foxhound Roo finished five Oceans ultra’s alongside her master. “Roo joined
me in a close companionship, forged out of a joint love of running. She ran
five Two Oceans Marathons with me, including two where we achieved silver medal
times together.”

 

WISE WORDS

The best single running advice Tony has for anyone starting out is to
practise restraint and not take on too much to soon, as he did in his first
year. “On the one hand I regret that my demanding professional and family life
prevented me from achieving my full potential in running. But these days I see
that as being my saving grace, as it prevented the sort of destruction to the
body that has put paid to the longevity of many athletes who trained to excess
in their day.”

 

Tony says he has been fortunate to have wonderful friends around him
with whom he has shared running for many decades, and believes he has another
10 years of Oceans left in him. “There has never been a year that I have
questioned the decision to run again next year, but I am mindful that the time
will come one day.”

The crowd in Durban couldn’t believe their eyes, nor could
the millions watching on TV. Charl Mattheus had just won the Comrades in
5:28:37 and the top 20 men were in, now everybody was waiting for the leading
woman, Ann Trason of America, who was about two minutes away from her second
win, when suddenly a man in a colourful full-length lycra costume, complete
with head-dress and facial make-up, came flying in to finish. Now running a
sub-6:00 Comrades is considered such an achievement that the Comrades Marathon
Association even gives runners a special medal nowadays – and here was Percy
Dunn doing it in a fancy dress costume!

 

“That 1997 run was flawless. When I finished, I felt I
could start again!” says Percy. “The previous year had been a real slog, even
though I ran 6:19, but 1997 was a breeze, despite the fact that I was still
doing interviews the night before, even lying in a puddle of water for a
photograph! Then right before the start, I realised I had no pacing chart, so I
just started my watch and never looked at it again. My support crew was
supposed to meet me at intervals along the route, to look after me and touch up
my make-up, but I ran so fast that I kept missing them by five to 10 minutes. I
was just running so comfortably and the people along the route loved the suit. I
believe it was divine intervention, because none of my other times ever beat
that 5:56.”

 

ON THE RUN

Percy (52) grew up in rural KwaZulu-Natal and worked
in construction after school, then for local government in Durban until he was
head-hunted by the Foreign Ministry in 1991. From 1996 to 2010 he served as a
diplomat in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan, and now works as a
Johannesburg-based consultant in the petro-chemical industry. At school, he was
a top sprinter, then turned to middle distances, and won nearly every race.
However, he was also a talented soccer player, representing KZN at schoolboy
level, then played competitive amateur soccer for 11 years after school, and it
was while playing for Stella FC in Durban that Percy got back into running.

 

“Two of my team mates, Noel Parsonage and Craig
Banfield, ran the Comrades on just their soccer fitness and a little extra
running, finishing in about 10 hours and nine hours respectively, and neither missed
any soccer training or matches, so I took on the challenge. I was clueless,
though, so I approached Arthur Fredericks, then a six-time finisher, for help,
and we trained together daily. I owe that man a tremendous debt of gratitude,
as he guided me through my first two Comrades in 1989 and 1990. The guys at the
club were shocked by my 6:38 and 6:31 times, but they didn’t know about my
training with Arthur – I was even doing long runs on Saturday mornings, then
playing a full game in the afternoon!”

 

After 1990, Arthur sent Percy to train with coach
Bobby McGee’s training group, with top young athletes like Darren De Reuck and
Colleen Lindeque, and Percy soon began showing real improvement. For the next
five years he focused on shorter distances, going on to run a 31-minute 10km
and a 2:21 marathon, and he says that laid the foundation for his 1997 Comrades
heroics.

 

FOR THE KIDS

“In early 1997, I was approached by the head of HR at Beacon
Sweets, Rod Le Roux, to run the Comrades for them to raise awareness for the
Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund. It was only after I said yes that they told me
about the suit. In fact, Rod got his PA to break the news to me!” laughs Percy.
“I thought these people are clueless – you don’t run Comrades in a suit! Turns
out they tried to get Bruce Fordyce to run in it the year before and he turned
them down, although he still ran next to Darrel De Wet who wore the suit, but I
got them to send the suit to me in Cairo and after I made some modifications, I
decided to give it a go.”

 

“Strangely, it never crossed my mind to stroll the
thing in 11 hours, but with hindsight, the charity got far more exposure thanks
to my fast time. It’s fantastic that people still remember the suit and my
time, but I want them to also remember that it was done to raise awareness for the
Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund, so I am really glad it can get some more
publicity now, as we celebrate the life of the great man himself.”

In October Alae Brand (28) returned to South Africa
for a short holiday after her first six-month contract working in the
Caribbean, and while here she finished seventh in the OUTsurance KFM 94.7 Gun
Run Half Marathon in 1:29:08, then clocked 1:28:09 to claim third in the Voet
van Afrika Half Marathon (a race she has won twice). Not quite up there around
her PB of 1:19:50, but not bad at all after just about no proper training for
six months on a ship that offers only a gym with treadmills, a short 200m circular
running track and splash pools… but Alae still manages to fit in keeping fit.

 

“I’ve always had the opinion that where there’s a
will, there’s a way. Even during medical studies, when I had little time for
myself, I still trained in the early mornings before class. While I never
thought I would ever be able to run more than 5km on a treadmill, I’m doing it
on the ship… but I go crazy running around in circles on the ships’ mini track,
so on my days off, I try to go running on land. I also do Pilates, and I swim
in the sea when we’re docked in ports.”

 

LIFE ON THE OCEAN

Alae studied medicine at Stellenbosch University, then
went to PE to do her Community Service year, where she met a fellow doctor who
had worked on the ships. “I have always wanted to travel, so I asked her to put
me in contact with the people who recruit doctors for the ships, and I was signed
up by the Carnival, the biggest cruise line with 24 ships. Normally you go into
a bigger ship with two doctors on your first cruise, and start as junior doctor
to learn the ropes, but fortunately Carnival had enough confidence in my
clinical knowledge and skill to start me on a one-doctor ship.”

 

She says the medical team have to know how to deal with
medical emergencies, medical outbreaks and disaster situations, such as bomb
explosions, natural disasters or collisions, and they have monthly drills for both
medical and general emergencies. “Ship’s medicine is totally different to
medicine on land, because we have a limited amount of drugs and we just have
the basic things like X-ray, portable ventilator, cardiac monitors, and we can do basic blood tests,
but we cannot do CT or MRI scans, ultrasound or other blood tests. The company has put ultra-sound in some ships, so we can check for
appendicitis, etc, but most ships still rely on clinical diagnosis. That said,
we can contact the medical ops manager any time, plus we can get a helivac, or
the ship can turn around or speed up in case of emergency.”

 

“It can be hard to do everything on your own, and if
things go south, it’s just me and three nurses. I’m literally on call 24/7, and
always have a phone and a radio on me for emergency calls. And with the typical
passenger, everything is an emergency! Luckily the nurses are well qualified
and can handle much of the first aid, but for prescription of medication, procedures
like suturing, and for guest accidents like falls next to the pools, the doctor
needs to see the patient, including crew members.”

 

STAR ATHLETE

At school Alae did gymnastics, earning provincial
colours and ending sixth at the SA Champs, but at 16 she changed her focus to
athletics. In her matric year she finished seventh at the Schools’ Cross
Country Champs, then at varsity she earned Western Province colours on road and
in cross country. In 2008 she took up cycling to help with an ongoing hip
injury, which led to duathlon, and she duly won the under-23 age group at the
SA Champs and represented SA in the World Champs in Italy. In 2011 she was
second at the SA Duathlon Champs and once again went to the World Champs (in
Spain), then in 2012 she won the Eastern Province Road Cycling Champs, the
Eastern Province Duathlon Champs as well as the Big 5 Challenge in Knysna.

 

Looking ahead, Alae say she wants to move into more
trail running and multisport events, and also wants to get into paddling, but
in the next 18 months she has signed up for various cruises in the Caribbean as
well to Australia, Alaska and Hawaii. “After that, it will depend on how long I
can keep up this lifestyle. I think I will miss training and competitive sport
too much to do this too long!”

At school, my hockey coach’s immediate method to cure
a stitch while on a training run was to raise one’s arms and breathe in deeply
and slowly, but I never knew what caused it – I put it down to me not putting
in the hard yards. Simply put, during a run, the body bounces up and down
creating friction of the abdominal wall and organs (particularly the liver).
It’s a natural movement but when you’re out of form and fitness, it can cause
extra pulling on your diaphragm.

 

“The side stitch is simply an irritation of the parietal
peritoneum, which is a membrane forming the lining of the
abdominal cavity,” says Dr Joao Da Silva. “This membrane supports those
abdominal organs. So when you’re running, the localised pain you experience is
the rubbing together of the lining and organs. The only way to curb this
contraction is to slow down and rest.”

 

Like any other pain on a run, it should be treated as
a warning sign. “When people are unfit and not used to distance, then these stitches
can be more frequent,” explains Dr Da Silva. “You can strengthen your diaphragm
with abdominal and oblique exercises in the gym, and instant cooling of your
sides after a run can also alleviate the pain, but if the pain is still there
when you’ve stopped, it could be something else, so you should see your doctor.
Don’t run through the pain!”

 

SELF-REMEDY FOR THE STITCH

?        
Breathe easy: Make sure your breathing is regular on a
high-intensity run. If you’re pushing yourself too
hard, your breathing will automatically become shallow, which puts extra pressure on the diaphragm, shutting off bloodflow and
creating that ‘pinch’ under your ribcage. If you get a side stitch often, practise
belly-breathing on the run, which will lower and relax your diaphragm.

?        
Stretch it out: extend your right
arm upwards and hold for a few seconds. As with any other cramp, massaging the
pain will also increase bloodflow, alleviating the contraction.

?        
Stopping your run: Runners are stubborn
enough to “run through it,” but it’s important to take any pain as a warning.
If the pain subsides, then you can carry on at a slower pace. If not, it’s best
to pack it up before you injure yourself.

?        
Work on your speed and strength: Concentrating on abdominal and lower back exercises can also help you
out with stitches. The tighter the muscles are in your core, the less movement
of the organs and lining. And training to go fast will allow you to go fast in
races without getting a stitch.

?        
Food and drink: Stay hydrated
throughout your run, because less water means there’s less oxygen and less
bloodflow to your muscles. Avoid heavy meals three hours before your run, as a full
stomach will place added pressure on your diaphragm.

 

It’s all about preparing yourself for the mileage
you’ve trained for. Don’t set out to do a time that you haven’t trained for,
and make sure your intensity relates to your fitness. If you still get a
stitch, slow down, breathe easy, and it’ll pass!

FUTURELIFE ZERO

With
January comes a resolution to get healthy and stay healthy, but some of us need
a bit of help to do that, and I turned to FUTURELIFE’s new ZERO, SA’s first and
only smart food formulated with no added cane sugar. Being low GI means that
you stay fuller for longer and energy will be released to your muscles more
slowly throughout your day. It’s also high in protein, contains only 1.5g of
fat per serving, and contain 25 vitamins and minerals and 19 amino acids. Apart
from grabbing a bowl each morning, FUTURELIFE ZERO is mainly formulated as a
drink with which you can make great shakes or smoothies – I visited www.futurelife.co.za
for some cool smoothie recipes that I’m trying out, although I am rather stuck
on my favourite, the apple, honey and hazelnut combo! – Lauren Van Der Vyver

GET IT: R39.99 at
Woolworths, Pick n Pay, Dis-Chem, Clicks, Checkers and Spar.

 

 

Tom-Tom Multi-Sport GPS Watch

Finally,
a GPS watch that you can wear to the pub afterwards! I recently tested the
TomTom watch whilst down
in PE, and the first thing that struck me was the sleek design and lightweight
feel. After getting used to the innovative one-touch buttons cleverly placed
away from the screen, it was G for Go. The watch performed well, giving all the
data you would expect. Like any new product, navigating the screens takes a
little getting used to, but I found the display easy to read. The watch comes
standard with cycling and swimming capabilities as well as indoor functionality
for pools and treadmills. What really appealed to me was being able to wear the
watch after training and not having to plug it in and leave it there until the
next workout. Look out for the app coming soon that will enable pairing of the
watch directly to your smart phone. – Craig
Van Der Westhuizen

GET IT: R2899 at http://sports.tomtom.com/en_za

 

 

Just Popcorn

It can be hard to find a guilt-free
enjoyable snack, especially when January has you looking for healthier eating
options to go with those New Year’s running resolutions, but Just
Popcorn is a great option. Endorsed by the GI Foundation and Diabetes South
Africa as a lower fat, Low-GI product, this tasty treat assists in managing
irregular blood sugar spikes and sustains energy levels throughout your day. In
other words, it’s a healthy, energy-boosting snack, and offers great flavour –
I love the sour cream and chives, but also enjoyed the butter or salt and vinegar.
There are also cheese, fruit chutney, mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese and
Mexican chilli flavours, and a new range of sweet flavours will be launched in
2014. – Sean Falconer

GET IT: R7 for 100g
and R6 for 65g at Food Lover’s Market, Spar & 7/11 in Western Cape,
Southern Cape, KZN and Gauteng

 

 

Wintergreen Muscle Soak Granules

A hot bath can do wonders
after a hard run, but add Wintergreen Muscle Soak Granules and you get the
added benefit a muscle-relaxing mix that will help stave off cramping muscles
when you hit the big mileage in January! With a combination of magnesium
sulphate (Epsom salt), mustard powder, oil of camphor and eucalyptus oil, the
granules target your central nervous system, dialling down tension in your
neuro-muscular system. I found that using the granules the night before a run
meant I soaked in cramp-blocking sulphates that calmed my nerves and also ensured
a good night’s sleep, and then afterwards I could unwind a bit with another
soak. – Lauren Van Der Vyver

GET IT: R54.99 at
selected Alpha Pharmacies, Cycle Labs & sports stores. More info: www.wintergreen.co.za or
[email protected].

 

By ‘word of
mouth’ in recent months, Newlands AC has become a much more noticeable and
proactive club in the KwaZulu-Natal
region, even though they’re a relatively small group of 82 members. “The club,
two decades old now, was formed by members of the Newlands community, and we
have a band of hardworking members who give their time and energy,” says Club
Chairman Raj Rabbikisson. He says the club’s mission this year is to make a
meaningful difference in the community and get more people active and healthy. “What
we want to do is grow membership – especially with youngsters who have the
desire to get fit – and form partnerships with other sporting clubs.”

 

Raj adds
that while the club’s philosophy now is focused on promoting exercise so kids
can fight obesity, they also have other community-based goals in mind. “We also
want to engage with the wider community by assisting in social upliftment
programmes, for example, assisting orphanages and schools.”

 

COMRADES PLANS

As a KwaZulu-Natal club, the
Comrades Marathon is always an event the club puts on a proverbial pedestal,
with 29 participants in 2012, of which 24 crossed the finish line. The club
traditionally organises a pre-Comrades pasta party to share some pre-race running
tips from the experts and ‘psyche up’ those participating! The pasta party is not
only a means to carbo-load, but also gives the Comrades novices an outlet to
ask questions. Then after Comrades, the club hosts a family fun day to
celebrate a conquered Comrades. “It reinforces general camaraderie,” says Raj,
“and we also thank those who aren’t running, but are out there marshalling our
water stations.”

 

CLUB ‘BUCKET LIST’

At the end
of each year, the club awards function celebrates those members who achieved
their personal bests and the challenge races the club marks out each year. “To
promote interest and participation, we draw up a list of 25 races,” says Raj, “and
members are challenged to participate in a minimum of 10 races from the list. Those
who achieve this are rewarded, and this has proved to be a real stimulus for
club members to support races – even walkers can participate!” To ensure the
success of the awards evening, members rally around donating trophies, printing
and selling tickets, taking photographs and doing the evening’s slideshow.

 

In the past,
the club hosted a 42km and 15km and would like to get these races going again
to boost the club’s profile and grow membership. Joining Newlands is an easy
decision – it’s an affordable fee of R220 per year, says Raj. “For new members,
the club can offer a lot! We have many experienced runners and walkers to guide
new members, no matter what their goal.”