Category: Columns

Liberty Health Baviaanskloof Trail Run 2011

We entered on the morning entries opened, hopeful to get two of the 100 entries available for this mysterious race. It is not one of those races that your friends at the club can advise you about, because 2011 was only the third running, so very few runners really know how tough it is. The fact that we have both completed a good number of Comrades really didn’t help, because we are total novices on the trail running scene.

Luckily, we both got an entry and the pressure was on: Three months for two unfit 40-year-old runners to get ready. While my partner was training regularly, I started with too much, too soon. From a slow 8km time trial, I soon ran a 23km trail run. The next week, after a heavy training session, I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my left calf. A torn calf muscle was the verdict and over the next few weeks I went through more physio than I thought I could bear. Every time I ran, the injury showed up at 19 minutes exactly. But I was not going to give up…

HERE WE GO!
Fast forward four weeks with no running for me and we were in Port Elizabeth, on our way to the Baviaanskloof. The area is spectacularly beautiful, but the mountains looked really high. With one day to the race, the fear started to get hold of me, as I simply did not know how tough this challenge was going to be, how my fitness levels and injury would hold up, and what it would be like to run a self-sufficiency race, carrying three litres of water and seven hours’ worth of energy supplies on my back. Then the (brilliant) organisers warned us that it could either snow or be 40 degrees Celsius on the day, but fortunately we had beautiful weather.

All too soon we were off and had to do two water crossings in the first 2km. That was soon forgotten, though, as the BIG MOUNTAIN got in our way around 5km in. True to form, my calf injury showed up at 19 minutes exactly, but not as sharp as before, although I still made difficult progress up the mountain. My partner kept waiting for me, so after consulting my heart rate monitor and my legs, I pleaded with him to run at his pace and let me struggle on my own. On advice from my local adventure store, I had bought a hiking pole to help with the more serious gradients. I was really grateful for this tool!

DELIBERATE FORWARD MOTION
The scenery as we moved up the mountain was breathtaking – not that there was much breath left in me. It was unbelievable to run in an area with only nature around you, no roads and no electricity cables. However, I was getting seriously worried about finishing 40km in seven hours. The uphill was relentless, almost on-all-fours-steep at some stages. I had never given up in a race before and was beginning to wonder whether this was going to be the one to beat me, but it was at this stage that I remembered a saying from my running partner’s dad, who came along to support us: Deliberate Forward Motion. That mantra kept me going.

At last I could see the Liberty Health tent, the only assistance point on the route. I had made halfway and gratefully ate some solids, then set off again, running from orange ribbon to orange flag along the well marked route. I slowly started to think that I will be able to finish, but had no clue as to the speed I was moving at or the distance still to go. After a (long) while, the path started to become very steep again, which was when I realised I had left my hiking pole at the halfway mark…

We were told at the race briefing that there would be a river crossing 1km from the end, so when I spotted the river I thought I would finish the race in time. Unfortunately, this was not the river crossing yet. The distance and degree of difficulty continued to take their toll, and just when I again began wondering about finishing, we turned towards the river. It was really weird wading in armpit-deep water, but I knew this was just 1km from the end. With a fellow competitor I crossed the line comfortably 55th out of 99 finishers, but this result certainly doesn’t reflect the journey I went through to get there!

• The route is in a section of the Baviaanskloof Nature Reserve closed to the general public. The area is inhabited by rhino, buffalo, leopard and plenty other game… including a lot of scorpions!
• Besides receiving a shirt, cap, ‘eco-green’ hold-all bag and dated medal plus lots of goodies, each finisher receives a potted indigenous spekboom to take home, a tree that is incredibly effective at fighting carbon emissions.

Kempton Road Runners was established early in the 1990’s when several members of the Kempton Park Athletics Club became more interested in long distance road running and didn’t want to compete on the track any more. They started off with about 50 members and today their membership stands at approximately 250, with an average of 100 Kempton Road Runners that travel to the Comrades Marathon each year.

According to club chairperson, Elize van Staden, they concentrate mainly on road running with a strong focus on ultra-distances at the moment, but this is definitely not all. “We have a growing number of race walkers, trail runners and cross-country runners, and there are also a number of cyclists and triathletes in our club, though they cannot compete in their triathlons and cycle races as members of our club.”

CLUB LEGENDS
In its 20-year existence, the club has produced some top runners and a Comrades legend or two. Combine this with the sense of camaraderie one gets when you run for Kempton, and it’s no wonder the stripy, white vests from the east of Johannesburg have become a well-known sight at South African road races, and are sure to remain so in the years to come.

Some of Kempton’s best-known and most-loved athletes include Willie van Heerden, who was the club’s fastest athlete for many years, usually going home with most of the club’s trophies at the end of each year. George Bester was the club’s founder and administrator for many years, and helped build the club to what it is today, running 17 Comrades along the way. Michelle Joy held the national half marathon record for women for nine years after running the Cartoria Half Marathon in Pretoria in 1990 in a time of 1:13:24, and Esti Wittstock (member of the 4x400m relay team that currently hold the national record) and Lindsay van Aswegen (Comrades gold medallist) also wore the Kempton colours in earlier years.

At the moment, the club’s most successful Comrades athlete is Johan van Staden, with 21 silver medals, a bronze and a Bill Rowan, while 75-year-old Calie Beneke collected his 35th Comrades medal earlier this year. Though Calie has now retired from the Big C, Elize says he remains one of their strongest athletes, even at his ripe old age. His Comrades medals include 20 silvers (the last of which he achieved in 2003 at the age of 66), a best placing of 11th overall and a PB of 6:04. “He’s officially our man of steel!” says Elize. At the moment, the two strongest athletes in the club are Joby Taylor and Vanessa Bowman.

THE BUSINESS OF RUNNING
One of the club’s biggest events of the year is the Arwyp Medical 15km night race that takes place on the last Wednesday of January at their Barnard Stadium home ground in Kempton Park. “It is the perfect time for a 15km because everyone is back training again after the Christmas holidays, so it’s a good challenge at that time of the year. The race has previously been appointed as the best 15km of the year and even though it has rained just before or during the event for the past four years, it has always been very well attended and we’re extremely proud of the success we’ve achieved with it,” says Elize. “Saying that, if the country is ever crippled by drought, we’ll just host a race and it is sure to rain!”

They have a 4km and 8km time trial every Tuesday at the Barnard Stadium, with Saturday training runs that also set off from the clubhouse. Several different training groups are formed every year according to athletes’ pace and goals, and the beginner group that begins training every year after the Comrades has produced many a successful Comrades finisher. The club has also recently decided to support the local CASA CARITAS Home for the Mentally and Physically Handicapped and regularly collects food for the SPCA at club runs.

TIME TO PARTY
The Kempton Road Runners’ clubhouse is located at the Kempton Park Sport Complex at Barnard Stadium. They rent it from the local municipality and have made several amendments and improvements over the years, making it a wonderful place for socialising and all-round enjoyment time for all club members. “We’re a family club and while the parents run, their children can play in the long jump sand pits until they’re old enough to run the time trial themselves. We enjoy socialising together and often go camping in the countryside when we run races a bit further a field. We’ve been to Sabie, Nelspruit, Parys and Rhodes, to name a few, and these outings are great highlights. Our regular functions such as the pre-Comrades pasta evening and post-Comrades Aches and Pains party are always well attended and lots of fun, and we make sure all our best athletes get recognition, but also those regular Joes for their determination, service and participation,” says Elize.

But she adds that it’s all of these things that work together to create a club that people want to be a part of. “The club management consists of volunteers and we share all the work between the members. It has become like our second home, and the members are our friends. We have competitive participation in our club, but with more respect for each other’s accomplishments than just trying to beat each other.”

I have seen numerous training programmes that include track training, e.g. 7×1 000m or 4x400m. Now I have tried that, but just want to know when and how this type of training will help me in a marathon, or even ultras. Personally, I don’t think it’s helping me a lot, or is it? – ALLISTAIR MEYER, CAPE TOWN

ANSWER
There is no doubt that track training is beneficial when trying to achieve fast times over a marathon or ultra-marathon, even Comrades. It is, however, very important that these sessions are built into a balanced training programme. Track work is intense and extremely hard. You would therefore not do it week in and week out, but rather as a part of a block of weeks that involve an emphasis on speed work.

There is an old training maxim that states “to race fast, you need to train fast.” Obviously not all the time, but you do need to train yourself to run fast. Track training yields both mental and physical benefits. The mental side is interesting. Once you’ve bashed out a number of 80-second 400’s (3:20min/km pace) on the track and you ask your legs to run at 3:45min/km in a fartlek session, it doesn’t seem so hard. Likewise, when you are looking to run under 4:00min/km at a time trial, the faster work on the track means these times become more doable.

Track is the greatest intensity and the greatest pain, but used correctly the benefits are substantial. When I went for my marathon, ultra and Comrades PB’s, track was part of every one of these training programmes.

Modern Athlete Expert
BARRY HOLLAND
Running coach with 34 years’ experience, and has run 39 consecutive Comrades Marathons. His PBs include 1:17 (21.1km), 2:39:30 (42.2km) and 6:29:22 (Comrades).

Can I indulge?

Fried fish and chips, is that bad for a runner? Can those lovely full Sunday lunches with curries, stews, chicken, veggies, etc. cause harm on a Monday when training starts again? And is a glass of wine with dinner healthy or should it be avoided? – ALLISTAIR MEYER, CAPE TOWN

ANSWER
Fried fish and chips are tempting for any human because the combination of salt, fat and sugar (from the potato chips) makes a fantastic combination for our taste buds. But it’s not necessarily good for any of us. Fried fish and chips are very high in salt, unhealthy saturated and trans fats, and of course calories! All of which can contribute to chronic diseases of lifestyle such high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes.

The Sunday lunch options could be a much better option if you choose carefully, like grilled chicken (without the fatty skin), vegetables and wholegrain starches like sweet potato, brown rice, etc.

When it comes to red wine, moderate consumption (not more than two 150ml glasses for a male, and one 150ml glass for a female) is shown to be cardio protective, as they contain beneficial compounds called polyphenols, antioxidants and flavonoids. So that glass of wine with dinner, in conjunction with a healthy meal plan and enough fluids, can easily be enjoyed.

Modern Athlete Expert
CHRISTINE PETERS
Registered Dietician at Sunninghill Medical Centre, Johannesburg. Member of Morningside Country Club with eight years’ running experience, including one Comrades finish and three ultra and two half marathon finishes at the Two Oceans Marathon.

Whilst sport creates general health, fitness and wellbeing, it vastly increases the demands and stresses on the body. The more intense the exercise, the more important it is to protect especially your bust line by supporting it firmly and comfortably in its correct shape and position. Remember, when you run, your breasts move in a repetitive figure of eight pattern. This continuous up and down and side-to-side movement can cause rubbing and chafing.

“Breasts should never be allowed to bounce, because this stretches the skin and tissue, causing irreparable damage. Correct bra size, high-tech design and superior fabrications are imperative in order to avoid premature sagging and the risk of damage during workouts, whilst still allowing comfort and freedom of movement,” says Belinda Reid, Merchandise Director at Triumph International.

KNOW YOUR ACTIVITY LEVEL
Most good sport bras these days provide a guide on the bra’s labelling to help you select the right sport bra for your chosen activity. Remember, the bra you use for running will most likely not be the same bra you use for your yoga workout. When selecting a sport bra, firstly know your activity level:
• Low Impact: This includes activities such as yoga, walking and Pilates.
• Medium Impact: This could be activities such as cycling, spinning and light jogging.
• High Impact: This includes sport such as aerobics, hockey, netball and tennis.
• Extreme Impact: This includes running, triathlons and horse riding.

KNOW YOUR SHAPE
So, you are in the shops and some sport bras look like crop tops and other like normal bras. Which is best? Consider the following:
• Compression bras usually look like crop tops and work well for small to medium busted women. They minimise movement by pressing the bust against the rib cage.
• Encapsulated bras work best for fuller busted women. They resemble regular bras and offer even more support. Some have under-wire for added bust shaping.
• Adjustable encapsulation bras provide maximum support for the fuller busted runner. These bra types incorporate encapsulation, a wide adjustable under-band and wider adjustable straps to create a custom fit and total support.

PUTTING THEM TO THE TEST
A sport bra is a very individual piece of gear and it is ultimately only YOU that can make the right decision in terms of comfort, fit and your chosen activity. We tested each bra by running with it, then we rated it in terms of comfort, fit, looks and most importantly, of course, the ‘bounce’ rate.

Style: Ergonomic Madison Sports Bra
Key features:
• Short crop top with double-breast area.
• Mesh structures and firm back X-cut to provide medium support during exercise.
• 95% Polyamide, 5% Elastane
This bra’s best feature is its’ superb comfort! It feels so soft and comfortable against your skin that I am tempted to wear it everyday under my work clothes. This is a medium support bra as FALKE only offers medium support running bra’s in their range, which means it is definitely not for bigger busted athletes, but would be perfect for small busted women. I found that even small busted women might still experience a certain degree of ‘bounce’ rate, especially when running hard. It can definitely be worn by athletes of all sizes when doing light activities such as yoga, Pilates and spinning. A great looking bra that is ideal for ‘lighter’ activities and ideal in doubling up as an everyday bra. (REVIEWED BY MICHELLE PIETERS)
Retails for R359.95 exclusively at select Sportsmans Warehouse stores.

TRIUMP TRIACTION
Style 1: Seamless Crop Top
Key Features:
• The black label on this garment identifies it as a perfect piece of gear for high impact sport such as netball, hockey and tennis.
• Moisture-absorbent fabric draws moisture away from the skin.
• Widened straps prevent chafing.
• Firm under-band elastic to prevent riding up.
• Racer back styling for freedom of movement.
• Double layered for extra support.
Triaction by Triumph has developed the ‘actiometer’ that provides a guide in selecting the most suitable sports bra for a specific activity and the range comprehensively covers all impact zones. The labels are colour-coded to clearly identify the level of support required.

I found this bra comfortable and strong. With separate support for each breast, this bra allows minimal bouncing when you’re running hard. Your breasts are not bunched together so tightly that it feels like you’ve wrapped yourself in strapping, but there is more than enough support to give you a comfortable and smooth run. Chances of chafing are greatly reduced because there aren’t any seams to cause irritation, and the straps across the back provide further support. Beware not to buy it too small as the straps can start eating into your neck and shoulders if you do. You can also adjust the bra size with a clasp at the back, always handy when you have a big ribcage. Highly recommended for anyone doing any kind of high impact sports, but its also comfortable enough to wear when you’re on the spinning bike or the yoga mat. (REVIEWED BY CATHARINA ROBBERTZE)
Retails for R279.95 at Totalsports, Sportsmans Warehouse and selected Edgars stores.

Style 2: Triaction No Bounce
Key Features:
• The black label on this garment identifies it as a perfect piece of gear for maximum support, so it’s ideal for running.
• Moisture-management properties.
• Comfortable shoulder straps to prevent garment cutting into the shoulders.
• Firm under-band elastic to prevent riding up.
• Advanced shaping and specialised design.
Triaction’s Summer 2011 campaign sees a shift away from the lifestyle sportswoman to appeal to the more serious consumer. The Triaction’s No Bounce bra is an absolutely superb bra, both in terms of fit and comfort as well ‘bounce’ rate. When I first put it on, it felt extremely comfortable, with very firm support but without squashing my breasts against my ribcage. It has separate support for each breast. One of the great features is its wide, soft shoulder straps, which means no riding up or straps eating into your shoulders, nor chafing. Whilst running there was virtually no bounce and even when sprinting it felt exactly the same. One of the great features is that this is the type of bra that you can wear on and off the sports field. It will definitely look great under T-shirts. Great value for money combined with comfort and no bounce makes this one the Modern Athlete Choice Award of the month! (REVIEWED BY MICHELLE PIETERS)
Retails for R179.95 at Totalsports, Sportsmans Warehouse and selected Edgars stores.

ADIDAS
Style 1: Supernova miCoach
Key Features:
• Smooth, seamless, supportive.
• Features CLIMALITE technology for excellent moisture transport which will keep you comfortable at all times.
• Compatible with the miCoach heart rate monitor.
If you’re not too well-endowed but still looking for extreme support, you don’t have to look much further than this one. The adidas Supernova miCoach adopts the strategy of a compression bra and holds everything together very tightly. When running, there is absolutely no bouncing around, but the fact that everything is so tight could lead to some chafing on long runs. The thick straps are comfy and provide even more support and it’s pretty enough that you won’t get any strange looks if you use it as a crop top. If you’re big-boned or well-endowed, move along, but if you’re quite petite, the adidas is an ideal option. (REVIEWED BY CATHARINA ROBBERTZE)
Retails for R449 at Sportsmans Warehouse, Sweatshop, adidas Retail and Rashid Cassim Sports.

Style 2: Supernova Racer Bra
Key Features:
• High impact support.
• Climalite fabric and Climacool provides heat- and moisture-management through ventilation that considers women’s specific sweat zones.
• Lightweight printed stripes for freedom of movement.

At first sight, this bra looked too pretty to be functional and I had my doubts that it would stop the dreaded bounce. How wrong was I! This is a great running bra that not only provides superb comfort, but also holds everything firmly in place without pushing your breasts flat against your chest. The bra is encapsulated, which means not only does it look great, but it also provides superb support for each breast. I found the racer back style and straps soft and comfortable without eating into my shoulders or chafing. In terms of looks it scores sky high and you can comfortably change your wet running T-shirt after a race without it looking like a bra. (REVIEWED BY MICHELLE PIETERS)
Retails at R399 at Totalsports and Sportsmans Warehouse

SHOCK ABSORBER
Style: The RUN Bra
Key Features:
• Absolute support.
• Friction-free comfort.
• Quick-dry moisture-wicked chest band minimises sweat collection and key hot spots.
• Seamless, soft inner reduces rubbing, chafing and repetitive friction injury.
• Wide, seamless, non-slip, fully-adjustable, padded straps with advanced technology.
• Fully back-opening for easy on and off.
• High performance fabrics and breathable mesh zones keep the body cool.
• Cushioned hook and eye for comfort.
• Reflective tape across cups gives high visibility when running outdoors
• During industrial testing, a reduction of up to 78% bounce was calculated, giving you a more focused running bra for a more focused performance.
This sports bra is unlike any other I have every worn. Usually I can still feel my breasts bouncing in my sports bra, but with the RUN Bra I’m not even aware of them being there, never mind moving. Although the bra gives brilliant support, it isn’t constricting or uncomfortable; on the contrary, the wide, seamless, non-slip, fully-adjustable, padded straps are so comfortable, I was really able to concentrate more on my running performance than on any discomfort my body usually experiences. It looks good, too, so you can wear it on its own. (REVIEWED BY LORI BOOTH)
Retails for R549.95 at Sportsmans Warehouse.

Aquatic Bodywork Hydrotherapy uses the mechanical and thermal effects of warm water together with passive bodywork techniques to massage, loosen, stretch and release muscles so that they recover faster. It is also said that Aquatic Bodywork can help improve athletic performance.

Since water transmits its temperature to the body 25 times faster than air, the tissues ‘warm up’ in a few seconds and are primed for stretching and bodywork. Deeper stretches can be achieved because of weightlessness and because fewer muscle groups are engaged that can restrict the stretch. The water provides the three-dimensional freedom that we don’t have on land in order to achieve this. The deeper the stretch, the more elastic the muscles and the better they perform. The warmth and weightlessness also lowers the risk of injury while stretching.

HOW IT WORKS
Aquatic Bodywork uses special floats designed to achieve neutral buoyancy in the water. Endurance athletes are usually sinkers, so hydrotherapists use floats under the legs, under the head, and sometimes under the chest to ensure that no muscle groups are engaged, the athlete’s body is aligned, and the deepest state of relaxation is achieved. This is further enhanced by the 34-degree temperature of the water, which calms sensory nerve endings, and the absence of other sensory stimuli – the eyes are closed, the ears are submerged and athletes can only hear the beat of their own heart and a few swirls.

Hydrotherapists encourage athletes to breathe deeper, especially during stretches. And usually people just let go. All these factors effectively calm the nervous system, and the parasympathetic mode kicks in much faster than usual. This is why half an hour is enough to achieve the results.

WHERE IT STARTED
In 2003 the physiotherapist of the Polish Olympic team, Tomasz Zagorski, began using Aquatic Bodywork Hydrotherapy on his athletes. They rested better, so they performed better – and won some gold medals at the 2004 Games. Later, after being invited to present his findings at the South African Sports Medicine Association’s conference in October this year, Zagorski asked Maria Gerondoudis to conduct a two-week study on endurance athletes so that he could include South African interviews in his presentation.

The athletes in the study received daily 30-minute sessions at the end of the day after their training. They filled in before and after questionnaires to gather information on their health, training habits, fatigue, anxiety, flexibility, rest, sleep, endurance and performance. Their blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) were taken daily and tabulated. “BP measures the pressure of blood on the arteries of the body. Athletes who maintain arterial pressures at the low end of the BP range have much better long-term cardiovascular health. They should therefore perform better for longer,” explains Maria. “We measured HR (rate of pumping) to see how hard the heart is working. The HR varies as the body’s need to absorb oxygen and excrete carbon dioxide changes. Generally speaking, the fitter the athlete, the lower the HR at rest.”

HRV is the interval of time between heart beats. Performance coach Partrick Ward says: “HRV is one method being used to evaluate the stress of the athlete and determine if they are in a more sympathetic or parasympathetic state, which would then guide the training programme for that day. Having a high HRV corresponds with a high Vo2max, while having a low HRV can be an indicator of increased mortality and possible cardiac events. In a nutshell, when HRV is high, this can be taken as an indicator of a parasympathetic state and being well rested. Athletes with high HRV scores are in better condition and are often able to recover at a faster rate following intense bouts of training and competition. When HRV is low it suggests sympathetic dominance, high stress and a potentially over-trained state.”

THE FINDINGS
The study showed that athletes felt less fatigue, less anxiety related to their performance, had greater flexibility, improved rest and sleep, fewer aches and pains as a consequence of training, improved endurance and better performance as a direct result of the intervention.
• After the first week, cyclist and long distance runner Anthi reported: “I felt like a machine on the bike today, I was the first in my group to get to the top of the hills and eventually I joined a faster group at the end. I did my personal best on this route today! So impressed.”
• Comrades runner and triathlete Lester Cary said his aches and pains as a result of training improved subsequent to hydrotherapy. “I suffer from plantar fasciitis and usually get up in the morning expecting pain in my foot as soon as I stand on it. I couldn’t believe it wasn’t there anymore. I feel great in my training.”
• Triathlete Eric Meyers, who will be participating in the Cape Town Ironman in a few weeks, reported longer endurance, better performance, improved flexibility and a marked difference in his rest and sleep: “This therapy helped me to let go and relax, both while in the water and also thereafter.”

“This research has key implications for both recovery from training or competition and rehabilitation from injury. It is ‘water-breaking’ stuff for South Africa,” says Maria. “It could very well become our secret weapon in international competitions. After all, if Polish Olympic athletes can win gold because of it, so can we.”

For more info visit www.aquaticbodywork.co.za or email Maria at [email protected].

Most South African race commentators in running, cycling and multisport only pick up the mic as a sideline on top of a ‘real job,’ but Altus Schreuder has managed to turn it into a professional career while still leaving himself time to do all the things he likes to do, including watching every sport on television, coaching athletics, playing touch rugby, going for training runs when most people are stuck at work, and spending real quality time with his son.

You see, in 2007, with a highly successful career as a scientist, Altus decided that he didn’t like the road he was on. “I sat down with my wife, An-Ria, and said I didn’t want to be a scientist and businessman any more, because it really isn’t me. She was trying to get her law career started while also looking after our son, Hugo, so I suggested we swap roles and she becomes a career woman while I become a house-husband and concentrate on commentary work.”

IT’S A DEAL
An-Ria agreed and four years down the line she has finished her Masters degree, qualified as an advocate, and is now Head of the Legal Department for Mass Retail at Old Mutual. She drives from Stellenbosch to Cape Town and back each day, but at least she gets to sleep in a bit, thanks to Altus. “I do the morning drill. I wake up Hugo, make the breakfast and get him to school. I take care of nearly everything in the house and garden, and in the afternoon I help with homework and do the cooking during the week.”

Altus then ‘puts in his hours’ on the weekend doing commentary – he is booked for 90% of weekends in the year and sometimes has up to four different events in one weekend, including run, bike, multisport and track events. Ironically, he got into commentary by accident in 1991, when coaching his athletes at a local track meet. The announcer had not arrived, so he was asked to take over, and did such a good job that he was asked again. By 1994 he was the stadium announcer for the national Engen Series, and also worked in TV commentary for the SABC. Since 2000 he has been the national field announcer for all ASA track meets.

STUDY, RUN, WORK
While studying at the University of Stellenbosch, Altus played rugby and also participated in modern dancing, but then decided to give athletics a try. “In my fourth year in 1984, I started with the 400m and ran a PB of 49.9 seconds, then moved up to the 800m and in 1986 I ran my PB of 1:52.9.” Having completed his M.Sc in Biochemistry, Altus moved to Pretoria in 1989 to work as a forensic scientist for the South African Police. He took up jogging to keep fit, and then a friend suggested he try a half marathon. Despite thinking he wouldn’t make the distance, he ran 1:15:34, which is still his PB.

After two years in Pretoria, he decided he wanted to come home again. “I resigned without a job to go to, just to come back to the Cape, but fortunately soon found a job as an analytical chemist at the Department of Agriculture in Stellenbosch, which regulates the wine industry. By 1996 I was Head of the National Wine and Spirits Laboratory, worked for a private lab from 1999 to 2003, then started my own wine lab. But in 2007 I wanted a change again, and that’s when An-Ria and I decided to change things around – and I could finally fit running in again.”

RUNNING GOALS
Being the analytically-minded person that he is, Altus has a detailed programme up to the year 2016, listing all the events he plans to do. His target for 2011 is a sub-3:00 marathon in November (his PB is 2:56:20), then a silver medal at the 2012 Comrades Marathon and Ironman in 2014, as well many trail races around the world, including the Marathon de Sables in the Sahara. Then in 2016 he wants to be back on the track for the World Masters Athletic Champs.

Of course, An-Ria and Hugo will go along whenever possible, because Altus says they have another deal: “Anria and I share a love for travelling, but I love sport while she loves shopping, so the deal is that she and Hugo will stay in ‘civilisation’ while I run. As with everything else, it works brilliantly for us both!”

The 1992 Comrades Marathon will unfortunately always be remembered for race winner Charl Mattheus being disqualified after testing positive for the use of a banned substance, a charge he has always denied. That saw second-placed Jetman Msutu promoted to first, thus becoming only the second black runner to win the race after Sam Tshabalala’s win in 1989. However, the 1992 race stands out for another reason: It was the last time that the men’s and women’s winners in South Africa’s premier race were both South African, with Frances van Blerk taking the women’s title in 6:51:05.

In her sixth Comrades, her win capped a steady climb up the placings from her first run in 1987, when she finished 171st in the women’s race, crossing the line in 10:04:39. The following year she was 14th in 7:53:21, then 17th and 13th in the next two runs with times of 7:46:13 and 7:37:27, and in 1991 she broke into the top five with a time of 7:04:49. Later that year she won the SA 100km Champs title, so it shouldn’t have come as a surprise when she won the Comrades in 1992, but at the post-race media conference one of the journalists actually asked if she had run the race before! That was because she had been running under her married name in previous years, Wentzel, but recently divorced, the name Van Blerk was new to the media. There was no forgetting it after her big win, though.

PERFECT RACE
Frances described winning the Comrades as the greatest moment in her life. “I can’t describe how absolutely wonderful it was, especially with my whole family there to see me win – my father, brother, my niece Irvette. I had told them to come watch because I was confident I would finish on the podium, so I wanted them there for prize-giving, but I didn’t expect to win. It was just one of those perfect races. I had expected to run with 1991 runner-up Tilda Tearle most of the race and planned to break away from her at the bottom of Polly’s, but one kilometre from halfway I was in the lead already. At first I felt a bit rattled to be in front, but going through halfway, I realised I was still running at my planned pace, so I settled down.”

“The second half was really tough because I had no seconds to give me info about the chasing women. I asked the guys on motorbikes, but they couldn’t tell me much, so I just put my head down and ran. As we entered Pietermaritzburg, a guy on a bike told me Tilda was three behind me. I thought that meant three minutes, when he actually meant three kilometres. I just kept running as hard as I could and was very surprised to find out later how big the gap was.”

NATURAL TALENT
Frances was born in Kamanjab in 1955, in what was then the old South West Africa. After school, she moved to South Africa to study teaching in Pretoria, where she still lives and works today. Having grown up on a farm, she says she loves the outdoors and always did sport at school, but did no sport for eight years after she started working. Then in 1987, aged 31 – and the same year her niece, goddaughter and future running star Irvette was born – she took up running. “I had lost touch with my College roommate, Sarien, after she moved to Carletonville and I went to Alberton. She called me up one day to catch up, and told me she was planning to run the Comrades. I told her I also wanted to run it after watching it on TV, so we agreed to run together. Unfortunately, I ate something that upset my stomach the day before the race and had to leave the road a few times.”

“The next year we lined up near the back of the field again, where we thought we belonged, but after 15km I told Sarien I felt like a horse being reined in, so she told me to go. Everybody was surprised by my time, and said I should get a coach and try to go even faster. In 1990 I moved to Pretoria and began training with Koos Sutherland, and I don’t think I would have achieved what I did without him.”

LIFE-CHANGING RUN
Frances says that winning the Comrades opened many doors for her, including the opportunity to compete overseas. “I won just as the international sports ban was lifted, so just over a month after Comrades, I was invited to run my first international race at the 67km Swiss Alpine Marathon. It was also my first mountain race, and my legs were still sore from the Comrades, so I took strain in the last kilometres, but I finished 11th woman. I had just got back from Switzerland when I was invited to run the 52km Fish River Marathon in Namibia, which I won.”

At the end of that year, Frances walked off with the SA Ultra Runner of Year and Northern Transvaal Sportswoman of the Year awards, and more honours were soon to follow – in 1993 she was selected for the South African team for the World 100km Championships in Belgium. “It was a dream come true to be awarded national colours and to represent my country, but I went to Belgium overtrained and my legs were sore before we even started. But I had to finish, because I was running in my country’s colours, and I came home 17th in 8:26.”

A year later Frances was awarded national colours for cross-country, then once again found herself running for her country in the World 100km Champs, this time in Japan, and came home with another top 20 finish. Unfortunately, being selected for the World Champs squads meant she wasn’t allowed to run the Comrades, and thus never got to defend her title. “It was a very hard decision not to run the Comrades, but I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to run in Springbok colours. I still went to the 1993 Comrades as a VIP guest, and I had a little cry at the start because I was so sad not to be running. In 1994 I was there again to watch and then in 1995 I was invited to run the Jackson 50-miler in Texas, so I missed the Comrades again, but I won in the USA, so that made up for it.”

BACK FOR MORE
Frances finally lined up for the Comrades again in 1996, but says she didn’t feel any pressure. “I knew I was a veteran now, and even though it felt strange not running at the front any more, I was happy to finish 16th and first veteran in 7:21, and earn another silver medal.” She missed the 1997 race with an Achilles injury, then lined up again in 1998 with a new outlook: “I decided that my competitive days were over and just wanted to go for my Green Number.” That saw Frances run her 10th Comrades in 2000, and she proudly earned her Double Green earlier this year, having run every year since 1998 except for 2006.

In fact, 2011 has been quite a momentous year for her, because she also ran her 20th Loskop Marathon 50km, and went to the USA for the World Masters Athletics Championships in July, where she competed in the women’s 55-59 age category in the 1500m (8th), 5000m (6th), 8km cross-country (5th) and the Marathon (6th)! Back home, she won her age category in the Gauteng North Cross-country Champs, then went on to retain her national title at the SA Champs in Bloemfontein. (She also won the SA Half Marathon Champs title in the 50-59 age category in 2005.)

TRACK MOTIVATION
These days, Frances says it’s the track that really motivates her. “In 2007 I joined the Masters Athletics Association, even though I had never done track before. At first I didn’t feel comfortable on the track, but I got used to it, and I like that the races are short and hard, so you recover quickly. In 2008 I went to the World Masters Champs for the first time, in Italy, as well as the Indoor Champs in France, where I won silver in the cross-country race, then Finland in 2009 and the USA in 2011.”

“I need goals to keep me motivated to run, so next year I will run my 21st Comrades, but I’m not going to go for 30, because I’m looking to get faster over shorter distances and go to the World Masters Champs in Brazil in 2014. It’s amazing to see people in their 80s and 90s still competing, still so positive and looking young and healthy. I want to run like them; I never want to stop running.”

Runners are not Elephants
Even though the odd runner may strain the springs on a scale or sound like a charging elephant down a hill, and even though some of the shorts they wear may make them resemble the back end of an elephant, runners are definitely not elephants! Why? Because runners don’t have good memories.

How do you explain that races like Comrades and Two Oceans attract thousands of runners back year after year? Just ask a runner the day after Comrades, “How was it?”, and prepare yourself for a 10-minute war story with a 13-year age restriction for violence and bad language. But if you ask the same question six weeks later, you will get the all ages, animated version, with beautiful scenery and singing birds. No wonder they go back for more!

Let’s be honest, these are tough and physically gruelling events, so what other logical explanation could there be, other than that runners have deficient memories? They may be running fit, but they are surely recall-challenged!

Isn’t it interesting how a race’s reputation as ‘good’ or ‘bad’ can depend on its last few kilometres? You can have some of the worst heartbreaking hills in the first half of an event, but if the runners finish on a nice flat section, or even a bit of gloriously gentle downhill, they will finish with a broad grin on their faces, and the race is labelled as a “great” run. The opposite is also true: If you start easy and flat, or even downhill, but then turn and make the runners finish on a hill (and the hills with names are the worst), all the easy stuff in the beginning is forgotten and the race is labeled as “tough.”

I think that the sheer bliss of completing and overcoming these great challenges is so amazing that it simply overshadows these other memories. As a matter of fact, I think it is good for us to keep these difficult and unpleasant times in our minds, as a reminder of the price we paid for our achievement, and thus not belittle it.

So with running, as in life, we need to embrace and accept the good and the bad, the difficult and the easy, knowing that it is all part of the experience we call running. – DARREN DUKES

My Inspiration
A few years ago my cousin was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. The doctors said that she would only have about six months to live and this was a devastating blow to our family. But throughout her ordeal and treatment, she remained positive and upbeat, and never once asked why it happened to her. She had such amazing strength and faith! To cut a long story short, it is about 10 years later, my cousin is in remission, happily married, and living life to the fullest.

My message to everyone out there is that you can do anything you set your mind to. I have never been fit and I am sick more often than not, but I ran my first 10km race on 31 July and it felt wonderful. I believe I can achieve my goals and I would like to thank my cousin for being my inspiration. – GENEVIEVE DE HAAFF, PINETOWN

The Big Occasion
I was introduced to ‘jogging’ about three years ago. Running was never something I considered, as I was never the athletic type. Today, 15kg lighter, having completed more than 30 half marathons, showcasing about 80 medals and training for my first marathon, I’ve never looked back!

Our club was established shortly after I joined and today we are the fastest-growing running club in the Western Province, with about 500 members. A club that caters for all shapes, sizes and ages, including people like me, who never dreamed that they too would become a part of this great sport called running! Every training run and race is made a Big Occasion. I am truly grateful to everyone who has supported me on this wonderful journey. To anyone who thinks “It’s not for me,” think again, it will change your life! – SHIEHAAM DARRIES, LION OF AFRICA ITHEKO SPORT AC

Take a drive around the V&A Waterfront area of Cape Town some days and you may be amazed to see a group of swimmers winding their way through the Waterfront canal system – despite there being large ‘no swimming’ warning signs posted up all over the place. So are these swimmers breaking the law, and will there be stern-faced officials waiting on the banks to arrest them? No, says ATC Multisport chairman Steve Attwell, because they have special permission to be there. “Our club members are officially the only people allowed to swim in the Waterfront Canals, although we must adhere to strict rules from the harbourmaster. All our swimmers must sign in when they enter the canals and sign out when they exit after a swim, they can only swim in strict club training times, and all must wear a bright orange cap. Anybody swimming outside of our training times, or not wearing an orange cap, will be arrested.”

Despite this strict regulation, Steve says that more and more athletes are joining ATC just for the great swimming training it offers. “The canals offer us an uninterrupted 1600m swim in clean, clear sea water with great visibility, and no fear of sharks! Although there was a sunfish in the canal the other day, which gave some of us a big fright when we suddenly saw this huge fin. But there is no truth to the rumours about dirty water filled with trash and litter, and no dead bodies, either!

BIGGER AND BETTER
ATC Multisport is one of the largest multisport clubs in South Africa. Established in 2006 as the Atlantic Triathlon Club, it evolved into ATC Multisport in 2009, incorporating the original Atlantic Triathlon Club covering triathlon, duathlon and Xterra, and adding ATC Running, ATC Cycling and ATC Swimming. The club is based in Mouille Point on the Atlantic Seaboard in Cape Town, using the Oceana Power Boat Club as its clubhouse.

Steve says he started the club with his friend and fellow triathlete, Guy Veysey, because he was disappointed in the low numbers of people participating in the sport when he returned from the UK in 2006. “I helped start a tri club in London and it quickly grew into a major player in the massive tri scene over there, but when I came back to South Africa I found that nobody here really knew about triathlon. For example, The Western Province Champs only had 60 participants in total, whereas I had done the UK Champs race and there were 180 athletes just in one starting wave!”

By the end of that first year the club had grown to 60 members, and passed the 100 mark the following year. Today it has well over 500 members across the various sporting sub-sections. “We have a few elite members, but our bread and butter is the 200-odd average Joe beginner triathletes. It’s a young club with a lot of young athletes, but we’ve also got quite a range of ages. We just tell people to come down and get involved, and once they meet other members, they soon get invites to training runs, rides and swims.”

“We had a fine artist do our branding, with our Neptune’s Trident fork logo being symbolic not only of the sea, but also the three disciplines that make up triathlon, and one of our members is a fashion designer, so she designed our kit. We reckon we have not only the best looking kit out there, but the best fitting as well! We also have New Balance on board as a sponsor, so we have great club clothing which is available to members at good prices, as are New Balance products, including running shoes.”

TRAINING TIMES
The club has a number of weekly training sessions, including a Tuesday evening track session, coached by former elite triathlete Grant Fillmore, which includes warm-up, plyometrics, core work, and then running. It is held on the field at La Med in Camps Bay, which makes for a stunning setting, especially at sunset. In summer, there are Tuesday and Thursday morning rides, a Friday morning canal swim, and if the weather is good, a Thursday evening sea swim at Camps Bay. Friday mornings also see a club trail run in Claremont, while the weekends are usually reserved for the longer cycling rides.

The club’s time trial is run once per month within the recently built Green Point Sport Park, and offers a safe, flat 3km loop that doesn’t cross any roads. Athletes can run one or two laps, results are posted on the club’s website, and Steve says they get an average turn-out of 60 to 70 athletes. ATC uses this same route for its Sunset Team Time Trial (SSTTT) 4x3km team relay, held twice a year in February and October. “It’s open to all clubs, with a floating trophy for the winning club, and we’d like to build this into a national inter-club competition, while we’re also looking at a corporate angle as well,” says Steve. The next one will take place on 12 October.

On the development front, the club has also established an ATC Development arm, with development coach Barry Goliath doing phenomenal work with a group of talented kids in Kraaifontein. “Barry already had a programme set up to work with these kids, so we got him into our club so that we could offer him our support,” says Steve. “We currently have six athletes signed up to the programme, really fast youngsters who can run 32 minutes for 10km, and we help with transport to events, kit for training and competition, and entry fees. New Balance is helping with clothing and shoes, and one of our members works for the Kelfords motor dealership and helps with a vehicle to get the youngsters, and sometimes their parents as well, to events. We were really proud when one of our kids recently qualified for the Western Province cross-country team for the national champs.”

CONTACT DETAILS
Chairperson: Steve Attwell
Tel. 082 739 9010
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: www.atlantictriclub.co.za
Clubhouse: Oceania Power Boat Club, Granger Bay, Cape Town

ANSWER
There are so many variables that need to be taken into account here: What type of pain is it? Does the pain go away as soon as you stop, or does it stay for a period of time afterwards? Do you always run on the same camber of the road? Have you had any previous injuries involving your left side?

Just by telling me what type of pain it is will guide me in a much better direction. If it’s a sharp shooting or burning pain, sciatic nerve compression is most likely. In this case, the pain normally starts from your bum area down towards your calves and not vice versa as you described. For pain relief here, gluteal and hamstring stretching is the best thing to do.

If it’s a dull ache, it’s more likely a muscular problem, especially the piriformis muscle being too tight and too weak, and not providing enough stability to the pelvis, while a deep gnawing pain tells me it’s osteogenic, meaning bone-related. This could be due to a leg length discrepancy and cause pain due to overcompensation of the one side of the body.

Stinging pain suggests muscular imbalances, such as your calves, hamstrings and quadriceps not being strong enough and not providing your joints with enough stability during running. You mentioned the pain gets worse during hill running. This is a great indicator of the muscles being too weak. Strengthening of the posterior muscles is very important for runners, especially the calves and hamstrings. One thing you can try during a run is to walk up the hills; this will strengthen your calves, whereas trying to run it will work your quadriceps more and put more strain on your weaker calves.

My suggestion is to see a professional, especially because you’ve been struggling with the problem for two years now. A chiropractor would be able to assist with all areas discussed here. A biokineticist would do a full biomechanical analysis, to pinpoint the problem area and fix it once and for all. Remember, all problems are fixable, as long as you seek the professional help you need. Your body is your temple, treat it as such.

Modern Athlete Expert
ANDRIES LODDER
Biokineticist at the Technogym Wellness Centre in Fourways, Johannesburg, lecturer in exercise science and Ironman finisher. Andries specialises in sport and orthopaedic rehabilitation and sport-specific testing and conditioning. (www.topbio.co.za)

How do I Run Faster?

I have started training for Comrades 2012, but am running too slowly to complete a 21km race within the three-hour cut-off. How can I increase my speed from my current 9min/km to the acceptable minimum of 6min/km? – DAVID SELBY, JOHANNESBURG

ANSWER
First of all, well done for being on the road. No matter how slow you are, you have made a start. Now to get you running a little quicker.

At first you will need to take a short distance within your training run and go faster than your average speeds. For example, if you are doing an 8 or 10km training run, choose a flat, short section of say 2km and try to run at between 6 and 7min/km over this section. Do this at least twice in your first week. Over the next few weeks try to increase the length of your fast section to between 3 and 4km. As you get used to this faster running, keep the distance of the fast section the same, but try to run faster, say between 5:30 and 6min/km.

Slowly you will teach your body and your mind to run faster, and I believe that you will start to drop your overall speed in your training runs. Becoming fit enough to run the Comrades is a long, slow process, so take it one step at a time. Also, look in this edition for an article on my 40th Comrades Bus in 2012. Maybe you will be on it?

Modern Athlete Expert
BARRY HOLLAND
Running coach with 34 years’ experience, and has run 39 consecutive Comrades Marathons. His PBs include 1:17 (21.1km), 2:39:30 (42.2km) and 6:29:22 (Comrades).