Category: Columns

Earlier this year, Media24 Newspapers rugby writer Adnaan Mohamed was in Pretoria to cover the Bulls-Stormers Super Rugby match. On the Saturday morning of the match, while all his fellow journalists were sleeping late, he drove out to the Hartbeespoort Dam and ran the Old Mutual Om Die Dam ultra. “When I got to the game and told the other journalists I had just run 50km, they all thought I was crazy, but I needed the mileage for my Two Oceans and Comrades training. I always check the calendar for races when I travel to another city, or overseas.”

Adnaan says he likes to get in a morning run, because if you leave it to the afternoon it often just doesn’t happen. That’s why he regularly runs to the sport venues where he will be covering an event. “I always fit running into my work schedule. I send dry clothing and my laptop and notes with other media guys, so I can run in, shower and then work. Like when I covered the National Swimming Champs in Durban and ran 17km from my hotel in Umhlanga to the pool each day. My colleagues sometimes worry that I won’t make it, but I always get there.”

CHANGE OF PACE
Adnaan (44) began his working career as an English and Afrikaans teacher, but always harboured a passion for writing and began freelancing as a journalist in his spare time. In 2005 he got his big break when Die Son went daily and asked him to cover rugby for the newspaper. “It was hard to leave teaching after 16 years, but I felt I wasn’t doing justice to the kids any more and realised it was time to go.” Within months he was on his first Springbok tour, to Argentina, and his running kit went with.

“I ran every day while I was there, because that’s the best way to see a place. I came back on the Wednesday, ran the Winelands Marathon on the Saturday, and the next day I left for London for the end of year tour, and soon I found myself running in the snow in Paris. Later, in 2008, I covered the Olympic games in Beijing for the Media24 group. It was one of the highlights of my career thus far, and I have never worked so hard in my life, but I still managed to run on the Great Wall of China. It was an amazing experience.”

JOINING IN
In 2009 Adnaan found himself in Perth, Australia, covering the Springbok Tri-Nations tour. Having been briefed by Sport24 to write an online tour diary, and being a fit ultra-marathoner and former rugby player himself – he has done 10 Comrades and 11 Two Oceans, as well as two Cape Odysseys (211km over five days), and played rugby from age eight to 38 – he approached Springbok coach Peter de Villiers with the idea of joining a training session and writing about what it felt like to train with the Boks. “No journalist had ever done this before, but Peter wanted to bring the players closer to the fans, so he said I could join the warm-up and stretches. Next thing I knew I was running through passing drills with the team and ‘scrumming’ against prop Tendai ‘Beast’ Mtawarira. Of course, I was wearing takkies, and I joked with Beast that he’d have been in trouble if I was wearing studs!”

A year later, in Edinburgh, Scotland, Adnaan was following the Boks’ UK tour, and on the first day in the city he caught a taxi from his hotel to the training ground. “I wanted to still get my daily run in, so from the second day I started running the 7km to the ground and back every day. That led to me joining their warm-up sessions, and again, what an incredible experience!”

NEXT STOP, NEW ZEALAND
Adnaan will be covering the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand in September/October, which he says will be a big challenge. “Two months away from my wife and kids will be hard. I interviewed Gary Kirsten the other day, about his time in India coaching their national cricket side, and he said that when he spends time with his kids, he makes sure there are no phones to interrupt them. I try to do the same by spending as much time with my kids as possible, and one of the things we do is gym together. It’s a hard line of work that requires a lot of sacrifice, but I’m living my dream to travel, to write and of course to run.”

Gwen van Lingen still looks as trim and fit as she did in her peak competitive years, despite having just arrived in her 40s and recently having a second baby. She’s also still as driven and focussed in her athletic career, which saw her travel all over the world and garner many accolades, including a gold medal and three silvers in the African Champs in 1992 and 1993, followed by her greatest medal performance, winning 1500m bronze at the 1994 Commonwealth Games. A year later she made the final of the World Champs 5000m, then went to the 1996 Olympics and made the final of the 1500m.

That same year she ran in the World Cross-country Champs, having won the 1995 national title the previous year. Then she moved to the road and claimed the SA Half Marathon title in 1998, followed by three consecutive SA Marathon titles from 1999 to 2001, to bring her total of national titles to nine, ranging from 1500m to the marathon. And then came second, fourth, first and second places respectively in the 1999 to 2002 Old Mutual Two Oceans ultras, with her win in 2001 the last by a South African woman.

CAREER WOMAN
Next she set her sights on the 2001 Comrades, but she never made it to the Big C start line. “I caught chicken pox just before the race, and then I was pregnant with my daughter, Faith, in 2002. I actually kept running till the day before she was born, and started running again just 10 days later, but maybe tried too hard after that and battled with injuries. I still ran a 2:56 marathon six months after her birth, but then I pulled a calf muscle and kept hurting it again. I had been working for Mr Price Sport from nine to three each day while running professionally, but after Faith arrived, I decided to go work full-time and concentrate on my career. It was actually an easy decision, because I felt I had done everything as an athlete.”

Today, Gwen (nee van Rensburg, then Griffiths from her first marriage) is the Head of Marketing for eyewear specialists Luxotica South Africa, based in Cape Town, where she looks after 19 different brands, including Oakley. She recently moved to the Mother City when Luxotica bought out her previous employer Oakley SA, and chiropractor husband Lawrence joined a local practice. Despite a hectic work schedule, Gwen says she still manages to fit running in. “I try to get in 40 to 60 minutes per day, and I can still comfortably run 30km at four minutes per kay, so I really believe I can run another sub-2:40 marathon and get top 10 at Oceans, although 2012 might be too soon, so maybe in 2013.”

SURROGATE MOM
The reason Gwen says she needs more time is because of her recent pregnancy. “Friends of ours couldn’t have a child, so I said I would be a surrogate mom for them. I was artificially inseminated and gave birth to Sebastian in November last year. He’s a beautiful child and it was really a privilege to carry a child for somebody else, although it was still very hard to give him up after I’d held him. Now I see him two to three times a year, and his mother sends me pics every two to three weeks.”

The only downside to the pregnancy, says Gwen, was that she put on a lot more weight than with Faith, because she had to have hormone treatment that started three months before the insemination procedure, and continued three months into the pregnancy. “There’s a lot of extra stuff when you carry somebody else’s child, and I gained 7kg, so now I’m slowly getting back to fitness.”

RUNNING PASSION
Born and raised in Durban, Gwen began running in primary school. Aged 13, she fell in love with the middle distances after winning an 800m race by more than 200 metres! A first half marathon followed when she was 16, in a blistering time of 1:15:30, which still stands as the SA Junior record. “I always loved the road, but then I ran 16:15 for 5000m on the track and secured a scholarship to go study in the USA, so I went back to the track while studying Physical Education and Health at Western Kentucky.”

A spell working in London followed, but then in 1991 she headed back to South Africa when the country was readmitted to international sport. “My coach said I should think about the Olympics after I made my first SA team in 1991. In 1992, I qualified for the Barcelona Olympics in the 3000m, but the selectors went for Zola Pieterse because she had qualified first. She then withdrew because of a liver disorder, so they called me up, but my paperwork had not been done properly and I couldn’t go. I was so disappointed, because I was the best 3000m runner in South Africa that year – I had followed Zola all over Europe to show the selectors I could beat her, which I did every time.”

FREAK ACCIDENT
Gwen was even more determined to go to the 1996 Atlanta Games and qualified in the 5000m, but a freak accident saw her miss her first heat and be eliminated. “It had been raining heavily, so they put boards on some of the wet areas in the warm-up area and I tripped on one while running. My arm got entangled in my accreditation tag, because you had to wear it everywhere you went, so I couldn’t break my fall and was knocked unconscious for 18 minutes. I came to in the hospital while my poor husband was sitting in the stadium wondering why I had not come out for my heat.”

She was determined not to miss out on her Olympic opportunity and immediately asked if she could run the 1500m instead, as the heats were still a few days away. Her doctor told her that she had suffered a serious concussion and was in no condition to run, but Gwen managed to convince him to let her run. “I had to agree to him personally checking me after each run, but I lined up for the 1500m heats – with the third-slowest qualifier in the field. I ran every heat like it was a final, and you’d think I had actually won the gold medal when I came over the line in the semi. I ran a 4:06 in the final to finish ninth, despite a fractured cheekbone and looking like I had been beaten up, but I didn’t care, because I was just so overwhelmed to have made an Olympic final. I’ve been upgraded to sixth since then, after all the doping disqualifications.”

LOOKING BACK
Today, Gwen looks back on her career mostly with satisfaction, but does regret one decision. “I should have run my first marathon earlier, just after the 1996 Olympics instead of waiting till 1999. I think I could have gone much faster in my prime than the 2:36 I managed. Still, I feel privileged to have lived the dream of being a full-time athlete, and I loved every minute of it.”

Gwen’s Personal Bests
800m  2:06.42
1500m 4:04.73
3000m 8:44.64
5000m 15:08.05
10km 32:38
15km 49:24
Half Marathon 1:11:42
Marathon 2:36:25

You have trained for months for your chosen event. You are fit, healthy and strong, but then on the day your anxiety and fear of what lies ahead, or who you are competing against, gets the better of you, and instead of running your personal best, as planned, you run the worst race of your life. Been there? Then try this.

SELF-VISUALISATION
Self-visualisation is a great way to reduce the fear and stress of an upcoming situation or event. For instance, you have to play in a championship game in front of a large group of people or you have to compete in a race on a track in front of a lot of people, or against a tough competitor. Before the big day comes, imagine yourself competing in your mind. By playing the game in your mind, you will be better prepared to perform for real when the time comes.

DEEP BREATHS
Sometimes we get stressed out when everything happens all at once. When this happens, take a deep breath and try to find something to do for a few minutes to get your mind off things. Read the newspaper, listen to some music or do an activity that will give you a fresh perspective on things. This is a great technique to use before your next event.

POSTIVE STATEMENTS
Keep a small notebook of positive statements that you can carry around with you. Whenever you come across an affirmation that makes you feel good, write it down, and whenever you feel stressed before your event, read those statements. This will help to manage your negative thinking. Remember that our fearful thoughts are exaggerated and can make the problem worse. Challenge your negative thinking with positive statements and realistic thinking.

FACING YOUR OPPONENT
If you are an elite athlete or planning to win a race, the first step is to learn as much as you can about your fellow competitors. Although this may seem obvious, some athletes may think they already know what they need to know. Remember there is always something to learn about your competition. Try to figure out an angle on how you can beat your competition. The more you know about your competition, the better your chances of winning. This will also help to reduce your worries in the future. Do not assume anything about your competition, whether they are stronger or weaker than you. Every athlete has his good and bad times, and just because you may be facing a stronger opponent does not mean that you will lose. Remember that you and your opponent both have an equal chance of winning. You are both starting from scratch. This should help give you confidence going into your next event.

STRIVE FOR PERFECTION
Focus on how you can best strive for perfection in your own event, instead of worrying too much about your opponent. Instead of focusing on how good your competition is, focus on your own performance. Concentrate on how you can best perform your event and how you can improve on your problem areas.

WINNING IS NOT EVERYTHING
Realise that you can’t win all the time, and that also applies to your competition. You may be the best athlete in the world, but you will still sometimes lose. No one can win all the time. When facing a tough competitor, use this fact to your advantage. Even the best athletes will make some mistakes.

LEARN WHAT WORKS
In every anxiety-related situation you experience, begin to learn what works, what doesn’t work, and what you need to improve on in managing your fears and anxieties. For instance, you have a lot of anxiety and you decide to take a small walk before your event, to help you feel better. The next time you feel anxious, you can remind yourself that you got through it the last time by taking a walk. This will give you the confidence to manage your anxiety the next time around.

ASK FOR HELP WHEN NECESSARY
Take advantage of the help that is available to you, especially if your fears get the best of you every time you need to perform. Talk to a professional who can help you manage these fears and anxieties. It never hurts to ask for help.

Remember that in sport, and in life, all you can do is to do your best each day, hope for the best, and when something does happen, take it in your stride. Also, remember that all the worrying in the world will not change anything. Most of what we worry about never comes true. Instead of worrying about something that probably won’t happen, concentrate on what you are able to do.

Stan Popovich is the author of A Layman’s Guide to Managing Fear Using Psychology, Christianity and Non Resistant Methods, an easy-reading book that presents a general overview of techniques that are effective in managing persistent fears and anxieties. For additional information go to www.managingfear.com.

I put on a lot of weight with my pregnancies. I have been walking for the last year and I would like to start running again. I weight 102kg and I was told that I would be putting too much strain on my ankles if I started running. Is this true? I used to run before I had kids. – KATE KLEINHANS, KOKSTAD

ANSWER
Although walking instead of running does not guarantee that you will never get injured, the risk of injury from walking is significantly less than running. Not only injury to your ankles, but also feet, knees, hips and back. I would therefore suggest that you lose some more weight before you start running again, because the impact on your joints when walking is 1 to 1.5 times your body weight, compared to 2 to 3.5 times your body weight when running.

You can also include other forms of cardiovascular exercises like swimming and cycling to help you lose weight. Theoretically, you burn the most body fat when training at 68% to 79% of your maximum heart rate (max. heart rate is roughly 220 minus your age). Interval training (alternating high and low intensity during a session) is also very effective because the total time of training can be longer before fatigue sets in. Also consider changing your eating habits if you’re not already eating healthily.

When you’re ready, start with short intervals of jogging during a walking session, for example 4 minutes walk, 1 minute jog, and slowly build up from there. Watch out for early warning signs of an injury, like joint pain, swelling, tenderness, decreased range of motion, specific weakness, numbness or tingling.

Well done for walking the last year, keep up the effort and there should be no reason why you shouldn’t be able to run again.

Modern Athlete Expert
PATRICIA GOUWS
Sports scientist and biokineticist in private practice in Bedfordview, Johannesburg, specialising in wellness, rehabilitation of injuries, injury-prevention and sport performance.

Fear of Open Water
I have been swimming for a while and have done all my swimming in a pool. In a couple of weeks I will be tackling my first triathlon, which means I will be swimming in open water. I am a bit nervous about this as I have heard that it is so different to pool swimming. What should I expect and what can I do to prepare myself better? – NICOLE, HOUT BAY

ANSWER
You are right, being in open water is very different from the pool! It’s colder, darker, there is no line at the bottom and there is no side wall. Just being aware of these differences will already help you. You should also know that getting into cold water induces a physiological response in that your respiratory rate will increase rapidly as you enter the water. This response, combined with lots of other swimmers around you and possibly choppy water, can quickly develop into you feeling a bit panicky.

Ideally, you should do the following in open water before race day with other people. However, if this is not possible then do it before the start of the race. Walk into the water slowly and begin by swimming a few strokes with your head above the water. After a few strokes, put your face in the water and focus on getting your breathing and swimming rhythm. Focus on a steady, strong stroke, and keep doing this over and over until you get around the course. Practise this ability to focus on your stroke, and not other external factors, in the pool.

As this is your first race, I would also suggest that you hang back a little after the start, just walk into the water and let the racing snakes get ahead and create some space for yourself – a few seconds won’t make a big difference. Good luck!

Modern Athlete Expert
GEORGIE THOMAS
Owner/Operator: Total Immersion Swimming SA

I have been battling infertility for many years and have tried everything. I needed to shift my focus and find a new challenge to distract myself, so in December last year I thought I would try running. I didn’t do sport at school, but thought it’s never too late to become an athlete! Well, all I can say is that I love everything about it (especially receiving my T-shirt at the end of a race, but my club tells me the novelty will wear off soon).

Despite the heartache and pain that infertility brings, I want to inspire and encourage other women in my situation that it’s important to keep having fun and enjoying every moment of your life, while waiting and remaining hopeful. Running is one way of doing this, and I know it will help me be a healthy, energetic mom in the future! – DEBBIE IVINS, PINETOWN

My Running Dream
I am a relatively new runner and amazed by the Comrades Marathon, which I ran for the first time this year. For most of my training I ran on my own, but I have met a lot of good people along the way. Several fellow runners gave me valuable tips on running Comrades and their advice has helped me a lot, as they are all long-time runners. In the process, these runners have also become my friends.

I was very excited and nervous at this year’s Comrades, especially seeing so many new people. But it was ‘Ayoba’ for me and from now on I will always run! I have realised running and staying in shape leads to fitness, and fitness leads to a healthy life. It is my dream to become one of South Africa’s best runners and I believe that dreams can come true. – LUDWICK KGOMO KOLOBE

Don’t Forget Cross-country!
I am surprised that what is regarded as the core sport or the central tenant of future champions remains sponsorless. Cross-country running has for a long time produced some of the top runners all over the world. Who can forget Paul Tergat, Haile Gebrselassie, Kenenisa Bekele and our very own Hendrick Ramaala? All these athletes share one thing in common: They were all good cross-country runners who progressed to world class times in their respective distances.

On 25 June I attended the CGA Cross-country meeting in Daveyton. It was well attended, but it was evident that most of the elite athletes were absent, the reason being there is no financial reward at the end of the road for these athletes. Something should be done about sponsorship of cross-country races. I think it is up to the corporate world to intervene and athletics officials to act decisively on the matter, in the interest of athletics development. We are preaching development for big and international events but forget to put a strong and uncompromising development policy and structures in place to achieve the maximum results at respective international events.

I would love to see more athletes follow in the footsteps of both Elana Meyer and Hendrick Ramaala, or even achieve more than they did. Cross-country is the core of running and should not be a forgotten discipline! – DONALD MATHIPA

Running Educator
I am a proud primary school educator and the year 2011 marked my 20th successful completion of the Comrades Marathon. Over the years I have learnt that there are many similarities between running and education.

In both you need to control your emotions daily, you need to keep on reminding yourself to stay positive and goal-orientated, and to never give up. In education, you encourage learners the same way runners encourage each other on the road, and sometimes in education we experience results that can be disappointing, as in running. I have to constantly adjust my teaching strategies as well as my training schedule to achieve the results I desire.

Runners and educators often face ‘up hills’, and sometimes it is those few seconds of hesitation and thinking of giving up, that can make the difference in finishing the Ultimate Human race or changing a learner’s life forever. Gratitude, love and being an inspiration are key elements of good educators and athletes. To all educators: Enjoy teaching, and to all runners: Keep on participating, as running has taught me to be humble. The completion of many marathons has empowered and motivated me for every challenge I have to face in life. – Maylah Pieterse

Running my Mouth Off…
I have always been an occasional runner, without much besides big talk in small circles justifying owning a pair of racing slicks! Since then, however, I have come to find just cause, or possibly rather the motivation needed, to spend more time dodging traffic and potholes whilst gaining a more intimate knowledge of the roads of South Africa.

It all came to pass one night while enjoying a few sedate single malts. It was then that my tongue, possibly urged on by the accumulating listeners, dug me the hole in which I as yet have to dig my way out of. This hole being the completion of Comrades 2012, without which I (and a few others foolish enough to stand behind me) shall have to donate a sum of money to a charity that we all happen to already support.

Now I know giving money to a charity is not a bad thing, but in my experience, placed in situations like these, it’s more about the manner in which the money is given and the inherent pride that is forfeited at the same time. I do happen to be fairly attached to both my mouth and my pride, unfortunately, which means that I have no choice really but to stand behind them.

This brings me now to the point in my story where I stumbled onto your magazine, having first got directions to a running shop. I can fully say that I am learning and I definitely find it easier to train with your magazine on a cold morning, as opposed to leg time! OK seriously, I am loving running. Hopefully one day I can earn my ‘I’m a hardcore runner’ badge, but possibly only in summer, though! And yes, Comrades will be beaten! – ZANE LIEBETRAU

GAUTENG WINTER TRAIL SERIES, 5 JUNE – 3 JULY

Four years ago, the Wildrunner team, organisers of the summer and winter trail series in Gauteng, Cape Town and KwaZulu-Natal, struggled to get 80 runners together at their first trail run in Gauteng. Four years on and how things have changed! At the first leg of this year’s Gauteng Winter Trail Series, the organisers were overwhelmed when more than 1 000 runners turned up to hit the trails. And though the sheer number of people caused a few registration glitches, they were sorted out quickly, and before long, the runners were on the trails, enjoying the fresh air, views and everything else that trail running offers.

LEG 1: GROENKLOOF NATURE RESERVE, 5 JUNE
This first race can be described as challenging and technical, but still quite manageable for the average athlete. It was clear that some runners were venturing off-road for the first time, while others were experienced mountain goats hopping along at the front of the field – but they all had to contend with the same terrain. As with most Wildrunner events, the route was challenging, but always rewarding.

The Groenkloof race started with a nasty uphill, separating the wheat from the chaff early on, but a few bottlenecks later in the course evened things out again. The technical sections caused the ‘mortals’ at the back of the pack to slow down, but the front runners seemed to have no fear as they actually increased their pace while dealing with steep descents, loose rocks and cliff edges without hesitation. Me? I walked down. I like my limbs attached to my body, thank you very much.

LEG 2: HENNOPS RIVER, 12 JUNE
The second race at Hennops River is widely regarded as the most difficult in the series. It started with two not-so-friendly hills and ended with two ‘baby’ hills, but the never-ending climb slap bang in the middle of the route made those ‘baby’ hills seem like two miniature Kilimanjaros, not your average Magaliesberg koppies! But as they say, what goes up must come down, and it was a pleasant run down to the river crossing before we could run the last few kays on a soft bed of leaves, meandering along the Hennops in the shade of huge blue gum trees. Gone were the cursing, crying and stumbling as I remembered why I was doing this.

That said, as most motor accidents happen 20 minutes from home, so too you have to keep concentrating right until you cross the finish line. Time and again I rolled an ankle or caught my foot on a blade of grass the moment I lost concentration, almost causing some serious damage to myself and the person in front of me. I learnt that you have to concentrate as hard when running trails as you do when running on roads in Gauteng, but for completely different reasons.

LEG 4: PELINDABA, 3 JULY
Being the winter series, the inevitable happened and I missed the third race at Segwati Game Ranch because of flu, but I was back for the last race, and my favourite, in the series. Starting on a gentle downhill, the field spread out and by the time I reached a gentle uphill, the muscles were nice and warm and it didn’t seem half as bad as I remembered the Hennops River hills. That was either because they weren’t half as bad as Hennops, or because my legs were aching to run again after the flu lay-off.

Just when I thought I was superwoman, however, there was a final farewell in the form of, you guessed it, something that looked like the Sani Pass! As everyone trudged up the hill, once again cursing under bated breath, I realised that trail running doesn’t get easier, no matter how many you do. But that’s what it’s all about, the challenge of scaling what seems like an endless hill, standing for a second at the top, taking a big gulp of fresh country air, savouring your victory and getting on with the race… it’s not supposed to be easy.

THE SUPER HUMANS
For most of us, trail running is about the experience, not the times we run, but a select few are not afraid to run as fast as they can, no matter how treacherous the route may seem for the rest of us. Like Thabang Madiba, who proved himself the fastest trail runner in Gauteng this winter, taking top honours in all four of the long races and walking away with the championship title for men. In the women’s championship, things were more even, with no one able to win more than one race, but Michelle Chong was eventually crowned the top woman based on her series performance. The top veterans were Trevor Toerien and Vanessa Bowman, while the top masters were Jose Rebordao and Angela Heyink.

The open categories in the short race challenge were won by Willem van der Merwe and Tarrin Dreyer, but it was the performances of the juniors (15-18 years) and minimees (11-14 years) that really impressed. Patrick Colborne was first in the junior category and would have taken the open category if he was allowed to compete as a senior. He finished first overall in two of the races and second overall in the other two, beating runners much older than him. In the minimee category, Simonay Weitsz seemed to get stronger as the series progressed and she took first place in her category ahead of boys and girls two years her senior. Her best result of the series was an overall fourth place in the third race at Segwati Game Ranch. KC Boshoff was the winner of the Peewee category (6-10 years).

The Gauteng Summer Trail Series kicks off on 16 October and promises to be as much fun as the Winter Series. Pack the cooler, load the kids in the car and get the whole family to experience trail running in Gauteng. Visitwww.trailseries.co.za for more info.

UMGENI RIVER RUN, 85KM, KWAZULU-NATAL, 18 JUNE

SO, WHO ARE THESE ‘CLOWNS’?
Well, the plain truth is; we are average heroes. We have no trust funds, no long-standing wealth or heritage, and certainly no large corporate expense accounts. What we do have in spade-loads, however, is a passion for the land in which we live, a passion for running on trails, and most importantly, a desire to make a difference wherever we can. We are a tight-knit ‘family’ of dirty-legged, trail-worn fathers, husbands and sons, that will climb any hill, cross any river and charge through any bushy scrub to put a smile on someone’s face.

You see, between the three of us, there are over 110 years of warm beds, solid education, clothes, meals, comfort and family. It’s these things that we can so easily take for granted. But now it’s our turn to give something back. Our model is simple: We run for those who can’t, and with the help of the generous folks around us, we aim to raise money for specific areas of need in the communities around us, be it disadvantaged schools, orphanages or places of safety.

What we rely on, however, is the support of like-minded members of the public and corporate organisations who are socially aware and determined to pass on some love to those less fortunate. The Trail Brothers won’t win any races, but we will certainly help a person, a family or a community in need, and that is the greatest prize of all.

Up to now we have formed a relationship with an organisation in Durban, called the Liv Village, which is a community-based project for disadvantaged youths in Cottonlands near Verulam. We are planning on running some events and staging one of our own, to raise funds for various projects within the village. The Umgeni River Run was the launch for this fundraising effort.

RACE DAY
It was 3:30 on race day and the three of us were left to contemplate just what we had gotten ourselves into. All the talk, all the training and all the bravado seemed to evaporate at the thought of the day that was fast approaching. Nerves were the only constant in our varying morning routines. We loaded up at 4:45 and started the journey down into the Inanda valley, and 35 minutes of hair-raising turns and steep descent later, we arrived at the start near the dam wall. Looking at each other with crazy eyes, we reassured each other that “We are warriors, men of adventure, kings of the mountains, aaarooooaarr!” At dawn, we found ourselves among a shivering tribe of equally nervous adventurers, under starter’s orders.

AND THEY’RE OFF!
At 6:15 we were off on our epic day-long journey. For the first 12km or so, we wound our way around the roads of Inanda Dam, ducking onto beautiful paths right next to the water. The sun was up and we were living the dream! Like early pioneers, we claimed the desolate inlets and beaches of Inanda dam as our own as we ran, by declaring “I hereby name this beach, Trail Brother Beach!” There were a few hills, but nothing too scary, and it was the perfect way to start the journey. We began to push the tempo a bit and had a cracker period through to the 30km mark, with no real problems.

WHEN PAIN SETS IN
Once we hit the 32km mark, however, everything changed. There before us stood a gargantuan mountain of a hill. A shy and forgotten Everest tucked away in the folds of the Inanda Valley. Do people actually live on this thing? Will there be enough oxygen up there? It was ridiculous! This saw us having to climb the equivalent of 600 vertical metres in 6km. Comrades only climbs 600m in 40km! Guy made up for the lack of running with swearing, Richard mumbled bad jokes, and Michael had no breath to speak at all.

Our legs took a hammering on the way up but got pulverised on the way down the other side. The entire descent to Nagle Dam was done on single track and weaves its way down through smallholdings and properties that are dotted all over the countryside. Once down on the valley floor, Nagle Dam awaited, and we had a beautiful jog around the shore on the soft sand, which helped the feet a bit, but annihilated the calves. The combination of the past 10km ascent, descent and soft sand took its toll on all of us and as we trotted to the 50km water table, it was evident that the first signs of real pain were setting in.

Straight after that we had a beast of hill to climb skirting around the upper fence-line of the Nagle Reserve, which seemed like it went on forever, and then just as we yawped with delight at cresting the hill, we were faced with another quad-mincing drop to the next valley floor and our first river crossing. A short jog on the other side and we had our second river crossing – much less painful and infinitely easier than the first, but longer and still severely testing the tired legs and the quality of the tread on our trail shoes.

END IN SIGHT
The final 10km or so were done on secluded single track through a stunning part of our awesome province. Our jokes had now ceased altogether (which was not a bad thing), but finally, with the end in sight, nothing else mattered and we crossed the finish line on Cumberland Reserve, three very tired but happy men. A top 50 spot was ours! Mike came in 20th in a time of 10:03:43; Rich and Guy came in tied 25th in a time of 10:38:37. All in agony, but all as happy as could be.

Special and huge thanks goes out to our trusty Sherpa PJ (The Trail Father) who plied us with food, drink and encouragement, and whose jokes were of a high quality all day.

DONOR DRIVE
As it stands today, we have raised enough funds to help 75 kids. Having said that, we are still pushing for last-minute donations. Thanks to everyone who contributed, your gift of giving will bring an immense amount of joy to those that really need it. If you would like to partner with us, please feel free to contact us so we can share our vision with you. For more info contact Richard on 071 2400 547 or on [email protected].

DUESOUTH XTERRA KNYSNA PRESENTED BY REHIDRAT? SPORT, PEZULA PRIVATE ESTATE, KNYSNA, 7 July 2011

All the big names in XTERRA and the sporting community were out to compete in this much-loved event, which is also the only XTERRA SA event that does not feature a water discipline, but instead follows a run/bike/run format. The XTERRA full consisted of a 3km trail run, 23km mountain bike and 7km trail run. Forming part of the Knysna Oyster Festival, participants could take part individually or in teams of two. Four-time XTERRA World Champion Conrad Stoltz took race honours while Hanlie Booyens walked off with her second consecutive XTERRA Knysna win in the individual women’s category, crossing the line in 2:03:51.

For Lieuwe, who finished third in a time of 1:42:45, this event was an extra special experience as it was his last professional XTERRA race on home soil. He plans on shifting his focus to mountain bike stage races such as the Contego Wines2Whales MTB Race. “I have been racing at this level since 1998, so it has been a solid 13 to 14 years at the top level. I recently started my own consulting business and it has been going very well. I would like to channel some of the energy I have used on the XTERRA trails into my business and make it as successful. I am also getting married in December and want to spend a bit more time at home with my future wife. At the moment, between working and training, I am not sure what my fianc? looks like in daylight!

HIGHLIGHTS
Looking back, there have been many highlights in his career, but titles are always very special. “My first SA Short Course triathlon title in 2000 was the biggest of these. I was not having a great season and had not won a short course race that year. I rocked up on the start line as a definite underdog with the likes of Raynard Tissink, Glen Gore, the Storm brothers, Claude Eksteen and the who’s who of triathlon at the time. I swam badly but started picking off the guys on the bike. I got onto the run course fourth, but soon found myself running with some pretty quick athletes and then pulling away from them. It was a sprint finish for the line, and I was crowned SA Champ. I don’t think there is anything like winning a race you did not expect to win, especially an SA title. I won two more SA Short Course titles, two SA Student Champs titles, and was crowned SA Olympic distance champ and SA XTERRA champ.”

XTERRA LOVE
Lieuwe says he absolutely loves XTERRA races because of the superb organisation, the courses, the supporters, the athletes and the fact that it is home-grown and proudly South African! Though he would have loved to win the Knysna XTERRA this year, he is still pretty pleased with his third place finish.

“Due to work commitments, I have not been able to spend the time on my racing chariot that is required to beat uber bikers such as Conrad Stoltz, Kevin Evans, Dan Hugo and the like. I thus had to go as hard as I could from the gun and run like the race was only 3km long. This worked like a charm, as I came off the first 3km run first, feeling like a world champion. I was even in front of the team runners! On the mountain bike this feeling quickly evaporated – as expected – as first Conrad and then Kevin powered past me. It was damage control and limiting the time gap from there onwards. I came off the bike with a four-minute deficit and ran myself to within 30 seconds of Kevin. I never saw the Caveman, but if only there was one more kay… second place would have been up for grabs!”

The hardest part of the race for Lieuwe was being overtaken by Conrad and Kevin and knowing he was losing time and could not do anything about it. And the best part was coming off the 3km run first, running hard, the crowd cheering and just loving being an athlete in the moment where life is good. “Those moments are awesome.”

LONGEVITY
Lieuwe made the shift from conventional road triathlon to the more extreme XTERRA triathlons a couple of years ago. “In 2000 I qualified for the Olympics in Sydney, but was not included in the team. I tried again for Athens in 2004, and again was not picked. I thus decided it was time for something new, where your fate was not in the hands of administrators. My only triathlon regret is that I did not start XTERRA in 2000 already.”

He has been one of the top XTERRA athletes since making the move in 2004 and says his secret to longevity in the sport is to love what you do. “If you do not love what you do, and that includes the pain, you won’t last long. XTERRA has been a lifestyle for me, and I loved every second.” He loves running, and specifically trail running, and describes himself as an ‘ok swimmer’ who can swim with the front guys, but cycling has always been his weakest link. “I just do not have the time it takes to spend in the saddle in order to win. I find myself always suffering on the bike, which makes it very unpleasant.”

ADVICE
Lieuwe’s advice to athletes wanting to get involved in XTERRA is simple: “Go buy that mountain bike…yesterday! It is difficult when you start. I can still remember my first year of mountain biking and it was not great. It takes time and you are going to fall. That is just the way it is. But when you get it right and you start taking those jumps, drop your friends on the single track and go ride your bike in places you normally only see in magazines, that’s when it is all worth it.”

He is inspired by people who do not give up, ever! He can’t imagine his life without sport and plans to go overseas for one last international XTERRA, before moving on to the Contego Wines2Whales MTB Race. “Then I am getting married and going on honeymoon…without my bike! I do not think I have ever travelled without a bike and I’m 35 years old!” He is also very grateful to his sponsors for their awesome support throughout the years. “Red Bull specifically has been with me from the start and gave me the wings to live my dream.”

Troisport is one of the few clubs in the country catering exclusively for triathletes, and whilst they are learning as they go along, their membership has risen gradually and they are now solidly established, with branches in both Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal. And it all started with three triathlon-obsessed friends who wanted to share the joy of participating in three sports on one day with their South African compatriots.

Whilst participating at the World Triathlon Championships in Hawaii in 2005, Marc Price, Werner Smit and Steve Pratt got talking and decided to launch the Joburg City Triathlon series when they arrived back on home soil. The first of these races was presented in 2006 and it was a huge success. But what the three friends never expected was that from this, the opening of a triathlon shop and a triathlon club would emerge.

The demand for triathlon equipment and advice was so high that they soon opened Johannesburg’s first Troisport shop in Sunninghill to answer this demand. Marc ran the shop on his own while Werner took charge of the race, but it soon became too big a job and they sold the race to independent organisers whilst staying on as official retail partners. Werner has since left Troisport to become race director of the new 5150 Triathlon series, but Marc and Steve are still involved as directors of the company.

The Troisport club was established soon after the shop opened, as the three friends shared all the knowledge they had acquired from competing and training overseas with new triathletes, helping them to train and prepare for their first triathlons. “We had lots of information to impart on people and wanted to encourage the development of triathlon in South Africa. In a short time, the club grew to 150 people,” Says Marc.

According to Marc, the sport of triathlon grows exponentially every year, and there are about 6 000 active participants in South Africa at the moment. He hopes this trend will continue and that more running clubs will start their own triathlon sections in order to encourage more people to take up the sport. He says there are only about six running clubs in Gauteng at the moment that offer their members this option.

WHY JOIN A TRI CLUB?
Marc explains that the governing of triathlons is a completely different ball game to running and cycling, because clubs for these two sports are incorporated into the governing bodies’ system, whereas triathlons aren’t. Where it makes sense to join a running club, get your licence and race for a year with that number, Triathlon SA (TSA) has no affiliation with triathlon clubs and financially it often makes more sense to simply compete with day licences instead of buying the more expensive annual licence.

Troisport membership gives athletes access to a running licence through the club’s affiliation with the Nedbank Running Club and to a cycling licence through Cycling SA. However, if they do not want to compete in running or cycling races, they do not have to spend money and buy these licences, they can simply join Troisport and learn from the other club members about triathlons.

As things have developed, he says the club has become less and less about training and more and more about information. “Triathletes join us purely on the basis of having access to running and cycling licenses and to have a place they can call their triathlon home. In a perfect world, we’d love people to come ride with us, but triathletes have to find time to train and often our times do not suit them. We are not a training club and not a social club. We can’t teach you how to do the sport, but by hanging around people who know a lot about the sport, you will learn more. We’re information heavy and will always share our knowledge.”

Though information is one of the best reasons to join the club, it is not the only one. Thanks to the close ties between the club and the shop, members get a discount of 5% to 7.5% on purchases at the shop as well as discounted rates at professional coach and club administrator, PJ Delmont. Because there is no rule from TSA that says members of a club have to compete in club colours, and because of the technical nature of triathlon gear, the club does not provide branded tri gear any more, but members do get a Troisport wind slip when they join as well as a bi-monthly newsletter. There are club runs twice a week, 15km on Tuesdays and 10km on Thursdays, and a club cycle on Saturdays, but Marc says because training for triathlons takes up so much time, these events are usually quite small because most club members have to train when it suits them and not necessarily when there is an organised club run.

A SENSE OF BELONGING
“I think the success of our club has a lot to do with the access to our shop. You feel like you belong to the shop and you have a place to hang out and call home. We also have a gazebo at most triathlons, where we have drinks, snacks and servicing for bikes, and the members like that. The fact of the matter is, there is no official reason why anyone should join a tri club if they want to do triathlons. However, people who are new to the sport and want to learn about the ins and outs of training, gear and how the sport works find that the club gives them a sense of belonging, along with loads of information, and that’s what has worked for us.”

Marc says Troisport has a base of about 70 “deathly loyal members,” but membership fluctuates during the year between 75 and 150 members because training is so time-intensive, and not everyone can make a full-time commitment to the sport.  “Most people start out with us and then realise if they want to really progress they should get a coach or join a coaching group, and then they move on, while others stay put. As the sport grows, so will the focus of what the club can offer, but at the moment people who join the club are looking to find other people who know how the sport works, and a sense of belonging. They get that here. This is surely one of the best options available for both established triathletes and anyone who wants to start the sport.”

Training and competing in the winter months in South Africa is perhaps not nearly as harsh as countries that lie further from the equator and thus have much colder winters, but it still gets very cold here, specially in the early mornings or evening when most of us do our training. Thus you need to dress warmly when you hit the road or trails – especially if you’re going to be moving fast. Whether you’re a runner or a rider, the wind chill factor can come into play, where exposed skin is cooled rapidly by the wind passing over it, causing the body to lose heat. The faster the wind, the more heat lost, and the more heat lost, the less efficiently your body works, since it will divert energy to the skin instead of your muscles, in an effort to warm you up again.

For that reason, dressing warmly and covering exposed surfaces is important when training in cold temperatures, at least initially, before you warm up properly, which is why arm warmers are such a great product. Aimed more at cyclists than runners, because a rider’s arms are more immobile and less likely to warm up, and also endure faster wind and a higher wind chill factor, these slip-on sleeves can easily be put on early in a ride and then removed and tucked into a pocket or a waistband once you are warmer. However, even runners can benefit from arm warmers, especially for early morning starts in races when we tend to wear sleeveless running club vests. Here are a few arm warmers we found for you to look out for in sotres and online, and we’ve also thrown in one or two sleeves to consider for the coming summer months, as they are designed to protect your arms from harmful UV rays.

Nalini Manicotti Ventimiglia & Manticotti Pippo Arm Warmers
Nalini has been manufacturing quality Italian cycling sportswear for over 30 years, and several professional cycling teams riding in the Tour de France wear their products. These high-quality thermal insulation warmers have a fleece inner and seamless design for superb warmth and comfort.
R290 – available through Tifosi Cycling Agency, call 011 326 6449 to find your nearest stockist.

CAPESTORM UV Arms
With a UV protection factor rating of 50, these arms will protect you from the harsh summer sun while the wicking fabric helps keep you cool on those long training rides. There are two designs available, plain white and a slightly more expensive but eye-catching white with blue or green print near the wrists.
R195 and R235 at CAPESTORM stores, or call 021 761 2021for more info.

First Ascent Thermal Arm Warmers
A snug-fitting thermal fleece spandex design with gripper elastic to prevent the warmer from shifting while riding or running. Also features a reflective logo as well as three strategically positioned reflective dots to improve your visibility in darker conditions. Available in a variety of sizes.
R199 at First Ascent stockists, or call 021 787 9380 for more info.

First Ascent Sun-Off Arm Protector
Tired of coming home with a typical ‘cyclist tan?’ Then preserve your skin – and social standing – with these arm protectors. Made from a densely knitted elastane fabric that provides a UV sun protection factor of 50-plus, this porous nylon/spandex combination still allows natural breathability and moisture management on hot days. Gripper elastic bands at each end then prevent slipping.
R199 at First Ascent stockists, or call 021 787 9380 for more info.

Primal Wear Thermal Arm Warmers
The American Primal Wear company makes these warmers from Gavia thermal micro-fibre, which provides not only warmth but also factor 50 UV protection, and Influx Gripper seams ensure a snug, comfortable, non-slip fit. The Team Eleven model has a more conservative style, whereas the Tattoo model’s distinctive look will really make you stand out from the crowd!
R349 at www.buycycle.co.za as well as selected cycling stores – see www.tura.co.za for a full listing, or call 083 230 8573.

Salomon XT II Sleeve
Lycra is designed to provide a snug, warming fit but still offer great flexibility and movement – up to 600% stretch – so these arm wamers will fit any arm. The actLITE properties of the material wick moister away from the skin to make sure you don’t get damp and cold on your winter ride or run, and the wamers also provide factor 50 UV protection.
R369 at Salomon Concept Stores, or call 031 313 1400 for more info.

Continental Team Cycling Arm Warmers
A Swiss-made arm-warmer imported by the online cycling retailer Buycycle for the South African market, these well made arm warmers feature silicone top grippers to keep them securely in place, and the stitched orange panels of the forearm provide superb visibility in all light conditions.
R215 at www.buycycle.co.za, or call them on 086 199 0001.

Note: Prices listed are only recommended retail prices supplied by the various manufacturers or importers, and thus may differ from one stockist to the next.