Category: Columns

Thank you to Catharina Robbertze for writing an interesting and informative article about walkers (Step it up, March 2011). As a keen walking member of Run/Walk for Life’s Constantia branch (better make that Fun Walk for Life, because despite enthusiastic encouragement from our branch manager, Deon Lerm, I don’t compete in races), I enjoy your magazine but do feel that walkers are very much overlooked. Remember, walkers are athletes too – please don’t forget about us!

I also loved Catharina’s well-balanced article Listen to your Body. It has an important take-home message for all female athletes who are only too happy to lose weight while they train too hard, and turn a blind eye to what their bodies are trying to tell them. Osteoporosis is a painful and debilitating disease, and prevention is far better than cure. – LINDA CURLING, CAPE TOWN

Never Give Up!
In my spare time I raise funds for disabled and underprivileged athletes, including amputees Ntsikilela Mdladla and Wilhelm Du Plessis, who have been running races with crutches. I am pleased to tell you that Medi-Clinic has agreed to sponsor Ntsi with a prosthetic and a blade. This came as a huge surprise, as in late February I was going to tell my two amputees that I could not assist them any more. For two years, the time and effort that I had put in trying to raise funds for them was just not enough. I was going to tell them that they needed to find someone else, as I was just not good enough for them.

However, after running at the Nelson Mandela 10km race near Paarl on 12 February, Die Beeld did an article on us and it was published the same day that we ran the Gino’s 10km race in Stellenbosch on 23 February. I ran the whole way with Ntsi, and there was a chap running with us most of the way (for which I will be eternally grateful), and little did I know that this chap was the CEO of Medi-Clinic. The next day I got a call to say that they were interested in helping me with Ntsi. I was left speechless and still am as I am writing to you. In fact, I still have to pinch myself to believe it, because within a day of our first meeting, Ntsi was fitted with a temporary prosthesis.

Just when I was ready to give up, there were miracles happening in the background. In short, never give up, because you don’t know what is just around the corner! So Ntsi has a sponsor, and Dr Anton Crous, a prosthetist from the Strand, will be sponsoring Wilhelm, but we still need to raise funds towards Wilhelm’s prosthesis as well as to support other disabled athletes. Readers can support this great cause by visiting http://guts2glory.co.za. (All funds are handled by the University of Stellenbosch.)

PS: Love this magazine. The most awesome articles, the most awesome tips, and most of all, it is all about athletes who have the same interests and goals. Well done guys. You are doing a superb job! – Lee Mc Queen, Stellenbosch

It all started in January 2008 when Farouk Meyer, a well known Cape runner and event organiser attended a braai. As a health-conscious person who also serves as chairperson of the Heart Foundation of South Africa, he didn’t like what he saw, because there was just so much food laid out. He said to one his non-running friends, Waleed Isaacs, that he was worried that people in their community were eating themselves to death, but that he could do something about it.

“I told Waleed I could teach him to run, get fit and lose weight, so the following week he joined me at the Rondebosch Common for a 1km walk-run-walk. Another friend, Ebrahim Mohedeen, actually drove past to see if Waleed was going through with it, and that Thursday he also joined us. Then early in February, the three of us ran a 10km race together and they both finished within the cut-off, with their families watching. The following week all those family members – more than 50 of them – also pitched up at the Common to start training!”

CLUBBING TOGETHER
Nine months down the line the regular training sessions at the Common had grown to more than 100 people, and some of the original beginners were now leading training groups themselves. With many ‘members’ now participating regularly in road runs and walks, they decided it was time to form a running club, so they applied to Western Province Athletics and in March 2009 were formally accepted as the Itheko Sport Athletic Club. (Itheko means ‘the big occasion’ in Xhosa.) Shortly after that, Lion of Africa Insurance came on board as the club sponsor.

Hardworking club secretary Shiehaam Darries, who was one of the earliest members, says, “I remember that we had 80 registered runners and walkers by the end of 2009. By the end of 2010 we were 280 registered athletes, and currently we’re at 350, with another 200 beginners training with us who will probably do their first 10km soon. Most will register with the province then, which will make us probably the biggest club in the province.”

YOU TOO CAN DO IT
Shiehaam believes that it is the way the club caters for people that were never active and never dreamed of running that sets Itheko apart from other clubs. “We simply tell them that they can do it, despite the typical response being ‘Who, me? Run? You must be crazy!’ Give them a week or two and they’re usually hooked.” Like Aunty Miedie, who says she started showing up at the Common to see what the fuss was all about after continually hearing about running training and ‘Coach’ Farouk at various family gatherings.

“It didn’t feel good that something was abuzz, which sounded like a lot of fun, but I was missing out. So there I stood watching these ‘runners’ going round the Common, still not feeling that I could do it, but the friendliness of the group and the chit-chats before training kept me coming back, and finally I gave it a go. I was all for walking, but then Coach said, ‘Now from the corner we gonna start a slow run.’ I turned around to see who he was talking to, as I was sure he didn’t say that to me. I was so wrong! I am now a registered athlete and so proud of being a member of a club which has so many friendly and wonderful people.”

TRAINING TIME
The Itheko training sessions take place on week nights between 6pm and 8pm, and on Sunday mornings they meet for a long slow run. On Tuesdays and Thursday the members meet at the Common, where they split into their various groups, each led by a group leader, who is assisted by group assistants to keep the large groups together and make sure everybody is okay. There are six groups, ranging from beginners under four weeks and beginners over four weeks, to advanced beginners, intermediate, fast and elite groups. The top four groups meet for the LSD runs on Sundays, and on Wednesday nights the top three also meet at Vygieskraal Stadium to do speedwork on the track.

Besides getting so many people running, another success story at Itheko is the group leaders, nearly all of whom were beginners themselves not too long ago, and most of whom now serve on the club committee with Farouk, like acting chairman Fuad Adams, club secretary Shiehaam and club captain Ebrahim. It is their commitment and ability to inspire that keeps the Itheko members coming back, according to club member Faldie Ryklief. “These key role players have an unselfish attitude towards helping their communities begin a new, healthy, uplifting and happier life. They have the amazing ability to motivate people, young or old, and manage any lack of confidence or worries about ability that newcomers often have. The sacrifice made by all the exec members and group leaders, the time and effort they put in, and the interest they show in our members, is unprecedented. That is why we come back, and why we love this club so much.”

WORD OF MOUTH
The club’s terrific growth in numbers is largely due to word of mouth, and through being visible. Farouk loves telling the story how Tevin Reddy ‘found’ the club. “Tevin wanted to get fit and healthy, so he looked online for a running club in his area. He went to join one club’s weekly run, but within 500 metres he had been totally left behind, so he turned around and jogged back to his car. Then while driving home, he saw our massive beginner group stopped for a water break at an Engen garage, so he stopped to ask who they were. The next week he joined our training group and is still with the club.”

Shiehaam says they now regularly have over 400 people at their training sessions. “The other night there were 138 people in the beginners under four weeks group, including 30 newcomers who had joined that week alone. And that was after we’d split the group and sent another 60 off with another group leader! As a result the club exec met recently to discuss bringing in more group assistants, and we’re very proud that the men are now being joined by more women in this role, with Fatiema van de Rheede and Faadiela Jardine joining Nazlie Mohedeen as assistants. They were all beginners not so long ago.”

Farouk is naturally proud of what the club has achieved thus far. “I think we’ve done more than any other club in the province to bring new people to running. Almost every one of our members had never done any sport before, let alone distance running, and if every other club did even 10% of what we’ve achieved with beginners, then Western Province would be the biggest running province in South Africa.”

NEW DEVELOPMENTS
The club is currently setting up a new 2.5km time trial course, and busy with final planning for the inaugural running of its Slave Route Challenge Half Marathon, 10km & 5km in June, which will also feature a separate 10km walk event. Meanwhile, the club is sponsoring 10 road athletes and 10 track athletes in its elite development squad, including newly crowned Western Province Half Marathon champion Ellroy Gallant, who recently moved to Cape Town from George. He was closely followed by several clubmates in the provincial champs race, helping Itheko to also claim the team prize.

“Ellroy is our only so-called ‘pro’, with our other top runners all young development athletes we’ve brought through, so we were incredibly proud to see them do so well,” says Farouk. “They’re given free membership and club kit, including running shoes, plus we have linked up with the University of Stellenbosch Body in Motion programme, where our top runners get free physio and body analysis when they need it. We’re also seeing success on the track, with two of our juniors recently selected for the Western Province team for the SA Junior Champs.”

However, Farouk is quick to point out that the focus remains on the beginners in the club. “We try to make everybody feel welcome, and always make a fuss over people running their first 10km race, or taking time off their personal best.” Shiehaam adds that “Many runners finish a race and immediately hop in their cars and go home, but we all stay until the last Itheko member has finished, so that everybody gets support. We also make sure that nobody doing their first 10, 15 or 21 runs alone.”

EATING OUT, ITHEKO STYLE
Another reason the Itheko members stay so long after finishing races is for the club’s legendary post-race spreads, hence their ‘in-club’ joke about being an ‘eating club with a running problem.’ Ebrahim even stood up at the club’s recent awards evening in February and joked that “Itheko is the club for fat people who like to eat!” However, that was said with his tongue firmly in his cheek, as evidenced by the massive pile of certificates handed out to members that same evening for their first 10km, 15km or half marathon. That is what makes Itheko one of the most inspirational clubs in South Africa today.

Muscle cramps are involuntary and forceful muscle contractions which can be very painful and have a serious effect on your running performance. Keep in mind there are many different types of muscle cramps; the type that athletes often experience can be classified as ‘true’ or ‘exertional’ cramps, and are usually associated with vigorous activity and muscle fatigue.

WHY DO WE CRAMP?
The exact cause of cramping is still being debated and it is not clear why some athletes are more prone to cramping than others. For years we have believed that dehydration and electrolyte (potassium, sodium and magnesium) depletion is to be blamed for muscle cramps during and after strenuous exercise. Yes, sufficient hydration is important to maintain blood volume and to prevent increase in body temperature, and electrolyte levels need to be maintained in order to carry the electrical impulses that make our muscles (including the heart) contract. So dehydration and electrolyte depletion will definitely affect performance, and can even be life-threatening in extreme circumstances, but it has never been proven to be the direct cause of muscle cramps.

Another theory is that the depletion of glycogen (energy stored in the muscle) can lead to muscle cramps. A muscle needs energy to contract as well as to relax. After 60 to 90 minutes of exercise, glycogen stores will be depleted and the muscle will lose its ability to relax, which may contribute to cramping. Although carbohydrate intake during exercise will not prevent cramping, it is important for performance.

So why do muscles cramp? The main cause of muscle cramps seems to be altered neuromuscular control. The body has its own little ‘tension meters’ built into the tendons (that connect muscle to bone) called the Golgi-tendon organs (GTO). When a muscle contracts, the tension in the tendon increases and is registered by the GTO. When the tension increases too much, the GTO sends a message to the brain for the muscle to relax. This reflex protects the tendon from injury and the muscle from cramping.

Muscle fatigue caused by too high intensity, too high volume, or doing activities that your body is not used to, can cause the Golgi-tendon reflex to fail and the muscle will cramp. Continuous activity with the muscle in a shortened position will also lead to failure of the reflex.

HOW DO I PREVENT CRAMPING?
Since there is no single cause of cramping, there is no single prevention or cure. Different athletes may also cramp because of different reasons, so your best chance of preventing cramps will be to address every possible cause.
• Drink sufficient fluid before, during and after a training session or race.
• Make sure that your drinks/snacks contain enough electrolytes. Include salty snacks during your run.
• Maintain glycogen stores by consuming enough carbohydrates before, during and after a training session or race.
• Follow a good stretching routine. Include PNF (proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation) stretches, to stretch the tendon and facilitate the Golgi-tendon reflex. A biokineticist can design the correct stretching programme and teach you the correct technique.
• Make sure that you are prepared for your event. Your training programme should prepare you for the intensity and length of the race.
• Faulty posture and biomechanics (the way you move and run) may lead to muscles being in a shortened position for a prolonged period of time, which may lead to cramping. A biokineticist can identify this and prescribe exercises to correct posture and biomechanics.

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU CRAMP
To stop a cramp, you have to decrease intensity so that the Golgi-tendon reflex can function efficiently. Once the cramp has relieved, you can slowly increase intensity again.

Gentle stretching, including proprioneuromuscular (PNF) techniques of the cramping muscle might help to release it. Take note that fast and vigorous stretching can lead to injury. HEre’s how to do PNF stretches:
• Gently stretch the muscle for about 10 seconds. Now contract that same muscle for 8 seconds, followed by another 10 seconds of stretch. Repeat three times.
• As an example, stretch your hamstring by placing your foot up on a bench, keep your knee straight and stretch forward. Contract the hamstring by pushing down on the bench.

A STITICH IS A CRAMP TOO!
A stitch is a cramp of the diaphragm, the muscle under your lungs responsible for breathing. To relieve the cramp, the muscle needs to be stretched. Breathing all the air out of your lungs will stretch the diaphragm and the stitch will go away.

If all else fails, remember some athletes believe that biting your upper lip will make the cramp go away. I’m not so sure if there is any scientific evidence to back this theory up, but you are welcome to try it!

Modern Athlete Expert
Patricia Gouws is a sports scientist and biokineticist in private practice in Bedfordview, Johannesburg. She focuses on wellness, rehabilitation of injuries, injury prevention and sport performance. Patricia is a competitive runner, cyclist and triathlete.

What is your background and how did you get involved in the cell phone industry?
I’m an accountant by trade and started out working as an accountant for Cell C when they launched in 2001. I later became financial director of Cell C before my career shifted a little bit and I became Chief Customer Operational Officer. In 1998 I got an opportunity to work for Virgin Mobile, which at that stage was partly owned by Cell C. Since November 2008 I’ve been working as the CEO of Virgin Mobile in Fourways.

Why are you so passionate about your career?
If you are going to get up and go to work you might as well be passionate about what you are doing. Wherever I’ve worked in the past, I have applied that passion, but I have come to love working in the cell phone industry. It’s a high profile industry and things changes often. When you get to work in the morning, you don’t always know what you are going to find, which makes it an exciting career. At the same time it is also stressful – it’s not so much long working hours that are stressful, but rather the intensity and complexity of the environment.

What has been the highlight of your career?
I am proud of what we have been able to achieve since I have been here. We have grown the business quickly and doubled our size each year in the last two years.

What does a day in your life look like?
I’m not a morning person! I’m an Englishman who has lived in SA for some time. I’m lucky that I live close to work, so I don’t have a long commute. I get up at about 7am and have breakfast with my youngest daughter. My wife takes our two older girls to school. I start my workday with a cup of coffee, then follows a day of meetings, catching up on what’s happening in business, working out what our strategy should be, deciding where we need to move business going forward, and how we should operate business as it stands. Sometimes you need to make decisions quickly, without all the information you might want. There is a lot of competition in the industry and you need to keep fresh, concentrate and put the work in. Normally I leave work at about 6pm, get home and go for a run.

How did you get into running?
In April last year, I decided I am getting older (42) and need to start looking after myself better. I wanted to get fit and needed to lose weight. I wanted to find something that was pretty easy to do, so running was perfect. My first run was 800m long and I had to walk often. I thought I was going to lose a lung, and I could not walk for two day afterwards. It was terrible, but I was amazed how quickly I adapted. The second time around I ran twice around the block (1.6km) and then I was off to 3 and 4km! I managed to shed 12kg and realised running was a good stress release. Virgin sponsors the London Marathon and the opportunity came up to enter the race. At Virgin Mobile we are always trying to give back to the community, so part of entering the marathon was committing to fundraising. I have raised R150 000 up till now and that money will go to the SOS Children’s Villages around South Africa. Having the marathon as a goal has obviously helped me train better, otherwise I think I would have probably just kept on jogging 5-10km. After the marathon, I want to join a local running club, get a decent training schedule and run a couple of half marathons.

How do you fit running into your life?
Because I am not a morning person, I run at night. By the time I get back home the kids are usually ready to go to bed, so it is quite a sacrifice from that point of view. The long runs over weekends can be time-consuming, which means it takes away from family time.

What is the biggest obstacle to your running?
Definitely time! Sometimes I have meetings or dinners after work, which means I have to sacrifice a run. I know if I had more time, I would definitely run more often.

Where is your favourite place to run?
I love running on the promenade next to the beach in Umhlanga. The view is great and one feels so strong because you are running at sea level.

How has running influenced your work ethic?
Running has offered me an outlet through which I can relax and think about something else besides work. It takes away some work stress, so from that perspective it makes what I do at work more sustainable. I find I am less likely to become irritable or stressed.

Why do you enjoy running?
I enjoy the freedom of it and because it is so easy to do. You get those days where in the middle of a run you find yourself running without any effort, feeling wonderful, fit and healthy. I suppose that’s what they call a runner’s high!

What advice have you been given with regards to running?
The best advice is to constantly drink water to keep hydrated. One of the mistakes I have made in training is to only train long and slow. I am only now realising one needs to do quicker and shorter runs to improve.

What is the first thing you like to do after a run?
Drink ice cold water and then have a rest!

What is your greatest ambition in running?
I don’t have an ambition to run the Comrades; that would be too far for me. I feel I’m starting with the pinnacle – the Virgin London Marathon! I have never even contemplated running a marathon; now my first marathon is going to be in London, what a fantastic opportunity!

What piece of running equipment could you not do without?
My Iphone. While I run I listen to music, or overseas radio stations, and I often take work calls and read my e-mails. Also, it has a GPS which records my route, time, pace and calories burned, amongst other things.

Does your family play an important role in your sporting life?
I know my wife would like me to spend more time at home, but she is very supportive of my running because she knows how good it is for me.

What would you say to someone who says they don’t have time to exercise?
You might find if you don’t exercise, you will have less time in your life eventually!

From time to time I get painful calf muscles, especially in the left leg. When I pinpoint the spot and massage it, it’s incredibly painful. My physio has diagnosed them as trigger points. I’ve done some reading up on them and tried a compression approach on the trigger points myself. It helps, but the next day the pain and tightness are back in the muscle. My most recent trigger point episode lasted for about two weeks, and then just as quickly disappeared! I did not go for physio then, I treated it with massage, compression and an anti-inflammatory gel. I am wondering why I am so prone to trigger points in my calves. Does it perhaps also have something to do with some sort of nutritional deficiency, like magnesium or potassium?

I am mainly a runner, but my mileage hasn’t been that high. I trained for Half Ironman and it was the day after the race that the latest trigger point incident occurred. The bike leg was particularly tough this year with the wind and rain, and I didn’t make the bike cut-off, so the running could not have caused it! – NINA BODISCH

ANSWER
There are several things to consider when dealing with recurrent calf problems. Firstly, inflexibility of the calf muscles needs to be addressed by regular stretching of both calf muscles. Secondly, there may be a deficiency in the calf muscle strength and it would be worthwhile to adhere to a calf strengthening programme over at least six weeks. This could be achieved by simple calf raises off a step, starting with one set of 20 repetitions daily, with a straight knee, and repeated with a bent knee. These should be gradually increased to three sets of 20 of both exercises.

These are the more common causes of calf injuries and if these measures don’t eliminate the problem, I would then recommend that you have your back assessed by a physiotherapist for possible spinal or dural problems. This would possibly explain why you had a problem at 70.3 after getting off the bike, as your posture on the bike could have aggravated either a back or a dural problem, resulting in calf pain and trigger points. Finally, it has also been suggested that a vitamin B deficiency could play some part in the occurrence of trigger points.

xxx Modern Athlete Expert
TONI HESP
Physiotherapist in Edenvale, Johannesburg. Has finished 21 Comrades, four Ironmans and two New York Marathons, plus various cycling and canoeing events.


BOX 2
(Heading) Oceans ‘Padkos’
I will be driving to Cape Town on 21 April to run the Two Oceans Ultra-marathon on 23 April. Can you help with some suggestions as to what I should pack for ‘padkos’? – CINDI POLZI, HILLCREST

ANSWER
There are a number of things to keep in mind when travelling to a big race. Firstly keep your glycogen stores topped up in your muscles and liver, and keep your fluid levels topped up, especially on a hot day. Then, to avoid any gastrointestinal upset while travelling and to avoid picking up any infections prior to the big day, I suggest you always carry bottled water and avoid drinking tap water from stops along the way. Also, pre-pack meals and snacks to avoid relying on take-aways and long gaps with nothing to eat or drink.

Suitable snacks include:
•    Fresh fruit, 30g dried fruit packs, 30g nut packs
•    Home-made popcorn made with minimal oil
•    Low-fat muesli and cereal bars, breakfast bars and low-fat energy bars
•    Cereal sachets
•    Low-fat cheese sticks
•    Low-fat yoghurt, low-fat drinking yoghurt and smoothies
•    Sandwiches, mini rolls, mini stuffed pita’s, fruit bread, low-fat muffins, low-GI rusks
•    Frozen fruit juice
•    Sports drinks
•    Boiled eggs
•    Tuna sachets
•    Baby carrots, tomatoes, etc

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

This is my first season racing as a full-time professional athlete. It definitely has its bonuses, such as the amount of training I can put in along with the time I can take to travel to an event such as the XTERRA. However, the one drawback is that there is a lot more pressure when it is your job and no longer a part-time hobby!

After finishing fourth at Buffelspoort, I realised that my bike and run training were really taking effect and I was beginning to feel confident to race the other top guys. Although I was lacking on the swimming side of things, I come from a lifesaving and school swimming background and I’ve always relied on my natural ability in the water, but when racing with the best in the world, I still have a lot of work to do.

PREPPING FOR THE BIG ONE
For XTERRA Grabouw, I decided to head down to the Cape a week early. It’s always difficult to travel so far to a race because good-tasting ‘padkos’, like chips, biscuits and other goodies are never good for the body, so I packed a cooler with broccoli and spinach – but I ended up buying loads of junk along the way to help stay awake through all the road works on the N2!

My week of race prep was great on a physical level, as I followed exactly what my coach, Lucie Zelenkova, instructed me to do. However, I did struggle with my diet a little, as I ended up eating out a bit with friends and family and not putting in all the good things I should have.

RACE DAY
Despite my dietary lapse, I was firing on all cylinders on race day, and I would need to, as the competition was to be the best I’d ever seen in South Africa, with Conrad Stoltz, Dan Hugo, Kent Horner, Lieuwe Boonstra and Nico Pfitzenmaier (Germany) just a few of the big names that I was up against. I arrived in Grabouw with perfect timing and after setting up my bike, I was off for a quick warm-up jog and stretch. Then I grabbed my suit and ran off to the water’s edge.

Fifteen minutes before the start I asked to be zipped up to go loosen the muscles with a swim and found my zip had popped, so I whipped the suit off and desperately tried to fix it. Carla van Huyssteen kindly offered to help, but with five minutes to go I couldn’t see us winning, so I ran off to the XTERRA Wetsuit stand and managed to lend a suit. I arrived back at the start with thirty seconds to spare, and with hands shaking and heart through the roof. The gun went and the first 1000m it seemed like I was just fighting the water. By the time I settled into my stroke, I had already lost precious time on the lead pack.

MOUNTAIN BIKING BLISS
I went onto the bike lying around twelfth, but I was really looking forward to it, as I’d ridden the course during the week and absolutely loved it. It’s not what us KZN boys are used to, as most of our riding is hard-pack stuff where tyres grip to the surface. This course was soft and sandy, with plenty of rock thrown in. It made it really tough, but at the same time super fun. I enjoyed every moment of the bike – from the forest single-track to the hair-raising rocky descents, it was pure mountain biking bliss!

By halfway I had worked my way into sixth spot and on the big climb could see all the way to third. I managed to catch up to Lieuwe, but just couldn’t close the gap and went onto the run around one minute down, with Tyrone White and Nico a further two or three minutes ahead.

GRUELLING RUN COURSE
The run course was gruelling, as it goes straight up and down the mountain and traverses loose gravelly terrain. Also, the temperature was into the 30’s by then. I set out with the mission of catching Lieuwe, who initially started to pull away but then tired. As we neared the summit of the climb, I turned up the gas and make my legs feel the hurt a little, then I gave it all I could on the treacherous downhill, covered in loose rock. As I neared the bottom, however, I saw I had hardly dented his lead.

We hit the beach section, which in previous years had been my worst part of the race, but this year I was determined. I started the sprint with around 300m to go. I buried myself hoping to catch him, but as I closed in with 10 metres between us, the crowd came alive and he managed to muster a sprint to the line, just enough to hold me off. Great fun to have a finish like that and know you’ve given it your best.

It was an amazing event and well worth the trip from KZN. The organisation was second to none, with the REHIDRAT? SPORT Recovery Zone the best in its class. DUESOUTH and Stillwater Sport can really be proud of the way things went and the professional way things were handled.

NEW CHALLENGES
I will now refocus and prepare for a couple of mountain bike events, such as the SA Marathon Champs and hopefully Joberg or Sani2C. I’m also going to try something a little different this year and maybe give the ProNutro AfricanX Trailrun a go. It looks like an amazing event and after having a good race in the Otter last year, I realised how much I enjoy running on the amazing trails in these races.

Results
Full Men
1 Dan Hugo 2:15:30
2 Kent Horner 2:19:22
3 Nico Pfitzenmaier 2:22:13
4 Lieuwe Boonstra 2:26:31
5 Justin Porteous 2:26:34

Full Woman
Carina Wasle 2:41:47
Michelle Lombardi 2:44:59
Carla Van Huyssteen 2:46:55
Susan Sloan 2:50:57
Tanya Rabie 3:05:53

In 1994 Johan Landsman was at the height of his athletic powers. The year before he had set a South African national record of 3:33.56 for 1500m in Zurich, Switzerland, won the SA title for the third year running, won silver at the African Champs for the second year running, and earned a world ranking of sixth for the 1500m. But then he lost his motivation to run competitively, and while he remained on the circuit for another two years, his heart was no longer in it, because he says he knew too much…

“One of my biggest disappointments came after 1993. I was getting invites to race against the best in the world at the big Grand Prix meets in Europe, I got a sponsorship from Reebok, and I fancied my chances of making the top four in the world rankings, but when I went back to Europe, I discovered how big drug abuse was in the sport. I was perhaps a bit ignorant – I thought everybody was using Berocca to recover, like me.”

“I realised it would not be possible for me to become number one or two in the world without drugs, but I took a moral decision not to go that route, so halfway through the 1994 season I just wanted to go home, and I would have if not for my contractual obligations with Reebok. I saw out the season, but my motivation was gone. By 1996 I had a problem with my Achilles – the typical middle-distance injury – and that was the end of my competitive career. I was 31 by then anyway, so my best days had passed.”

BALANCING ACT
Born in 1964, Johan was initially raised in Cape Town, but the family moved to Ashton in the Boland when he was in standard four, when his father became one of the first coloured owners of a farm. Johan came back to Kraaifontein for high school, then enrolled at the University of the Western Cape in 1984 to study law. He experienced some difficulties with his studies, missing most of the 1985 academic year due to student boycotts, which forced him to repeat his second year in 1986. When he completed his studies in 1987, he went to work for a law firm in Cape Town, but that was short-lived thanks to running.

It was only during his first year at UWC that Johan began running, and it happened purely by chance. “I never ran at school. My passion was tennis, and I dreamt of being ranked on the ATP list and playing on Wimbledon’s Centre Court. But then one day, during a break in classes, I went to watch an athletics meeting on campus and saw an under-17 3000m race. There was this one guy in the race who was overweight and had one knee strapped, running at the back of the pack, but as the race went on he got closer to the frontrunners. I said to myself, if this guy wins, then tomorrow I start running, because if he can run well, then with my build I simply must start. He kicked at 150m, won the race, and I became a runner.”

“So I focused more on athletics and less on tennis for the next three years, and began to dream of being the best in country and competing internationally as an athlete. However, at that stage I couldn’t break four minutes for the 1500m, while the SA record was Johan Fourie’s 3:34, so I must have sounded like an idiot telling people I wanted to be the best!”

TOUGH CHOICE
After just one year at the law firm, Johan then had to make a hard decision, because he was finding it impossible to balance his training with a full-time job. “My dad had funded my studies through a bank loan, so after my studies, I had to pay him back, and since my younger brother was now studying, I simply paid for his studies. So I had to talk to my dad about quitting, which meant I couldn’t pay back the loan, but I had to be honest with him that I wanted to pursue a full-time athletic career.”

For the next two years Johan put everything into his running while working part-time to makes ends meet, and there must have been some sign of great things to come, because to his great surprise he was approached by the University of Stellenbosch and offered a full bursary to study and run for Maties, alongside Elana Meyer. “At the time, I was 25 and my PB for 800m was 1:52, while my 1500m was 3:57, so it didn’t make sense for them to approach me and pay for my studies. Elana and I had the best bursary deals in Stellenbosch – they paid for our studies, accommodation, travel, even a car. I just had to study and run.”

Johan grabbed the opportunity, enrolling for a course in political science at the beginning of 1990, and now his running really took off. He ‘doubled’ at the SA University Champs that year, winning gold in both the 800m and 1500m, and setting a SA Universities record in the 1500m that was only broken a few years ago by Johan Cronje. Later that year he fulfilled one of his greatest ambitions: “I had always dreamt of becoming a Springbok athlete, so it was one of the highlights of my career when I qualified for my colours, at Coetzenberg, running a 3:33.8 against top runners like Johan Fourie, Deon Brummer and Jean Verster.”

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITOR
Johan won his first SA title early in 1991, then found himself thrust onto the international stage that October as South Africa was finally readmitted to international sport in the African Unity Games in Dakar, where he claimed silver in the 1500m. Suddenly, Johan had the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games to aim for, so he quit his studies and accepted an invite from close friends Elana and Michael Meyer to live and train with them in Teddington, England. “I stayed free of charge, without the Meyers asking me for a cent, and I will always be grateful to them for that. It was terrific, because we had top Kenyan athletes like Moses Kiptanui and Daniel Komen living just three houses up the road, and often trained with them.”

He took gold at the SA Champs in 1992, then silver in the African Champs in Mauritius in, but narrowly missed out on qualifying for Barcelona, by mere hundredths of a second. Putting that disappointment behind him, Johan went on to win another SA title in 1993, then another silver in the African Champs (this time hosted by South Africa), and then he set his SA record in Zurich, just two weeks before the World Champs in Stuttgart, Germany. “That 3:33.56 I ran was faster than the Kenyan national record, so suddenly I was getting invites to all the top meets.”

Unfortunately, the World Champs would prove to be a huge disappointment for Johan. “I was tripped in the qualifying round and injured my ankle ligaments when another athlete accidentally stood on my foot. The South African runners were perhaps a bit na?ve then – top runners like myself and Elana had little competition at home, so we had no experience of running in a bunch at pace.”

Another setback occurred at the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, Canada, where Johan went into the 1500m as one of the favourites, but in the heats he once again found himself lying injured on the track. “With 150m to go there were still six or seven guys bunched together. I tried to get out of the bunch, was knocked down, and one of the guys stood on my back with his spikes. I ended up spending the night in hospital and missed out on the chance to claim a medal.”

POST-RUNNING CAREER
Having retired from international competition in 1996, Johan turned his attention to the business world, starting up a successful long-distance transport company, then adding a sport company called Johannet International Sport. Today it presents training courses for athletes and coaches, built around a sports diary that includes great training info and advice, and the venture has met with great support from local government and corporate sponsors.

Johan also started Johannet International Commodities, a marketing and trading company that specialises in brokering deals between gold producers in Africa and gold buyers in Europe and the USA, as well as negotiating deals between large international corporations and governments, and local land-owners or mining companies, for other industrial commodities such as oil, gas, coal and iron ore.

STILL RUNNING
While his various business ventures keep him busy, Johan remains involved in running, as a coach. Still living in Stellenbosch, he meets up with his training group in the evenings at the Coetzenberg track and often trains with them. The group is mostly female, and includes top junior middle-distance runner Dominique Scott.

Johan also did a bit of road running in his day, mostly as off-season preparation for the track, and has a 10km PB of 29:06. However, he also has unhappy memories of the road. In December 2000, he was badly injured when hit by a car while sprinting for the line in a 10km race in Bellville. “The driver ignored the officials and just went through a stop point. I was knocked unconscious and suffered a bad back injury, and one of the doctors on the scene later told my brother that the impact was so huge, he didn’t think I would make it. I was actually in training to run a sub-four minute mile at the age of 40, which no-one had managed outdoors, only on the indoor track, and my training times showed that I was really close, but the accident prevented me from going for it.”

Johan missed running, though, and in 2003 he decided to make a comeback. In 2005 he finished as second male veteran at the SA 10km Champs, and in 2007 won the Western Province 4km Cross-country Champs. Now he says he just runs to keep fit and enjoys training with his athletes. “Most of them are girls, so it’s easy to keep up with them,” he chuckles.

RECORD UP FOR GRABS
The record books show that Johan’s 3:33.56 SA record has now stood for nearly 18 years. He has mixed feelings about the longevity of his record. “Bruce Fordyce once said a smart thing: ‘Records you borrow, titles you keep.’ My SA Champs wins in 1991 to 1993 are mine for keeps, but my record will go sooner or later. Actually, it’s more than a decade overdue to go. I think both Johan Cronje and Juan van Deventer are capable of running 3:31, and both could still break the record before the London 2012 Olympics.”

However, Johan adds that if it weren’t for the isolation years, the record would already be much lower. “I believe that if Johan Fourie been able to race internationally in his peak years, the record would be 3:29 now, because he had the ability and mental make-up to win global champs. He also ran a 3:33, and although I went faster, I still consider him the all-time greatest SA middle-distance runner. His name established my name, because if he had not been so well known and respected, my name would not have become as well known.”

JOHAN’S PB’S:
800m 1:45.63
1500m  3:33:56
Mile 3:56:61
3000m  7:48:75
5000m  13:32:09
10km  29:07

I’m in training for the Two Oceans Half Marathon, which will be my first 21km. The training is on track, been running every day, very proud of myself. I’m doing hills every bloody day, no other choice since I live in a hilly area! But the other day, as I forced myself panting and sweating up a hill near my house, a dude in his 60s calmly ran past me on the other side of the road as if he was strolling through a garden picking daisies. I looked up at him underneath my cap, sweat blinding my vision and my breath coming in ragged gasps, and tried to foster a smile. He smiled back easily and then – oh, the horror – started TALKING to me in mid-stride! I managed to gasp out two sentences before grimacing and shakily waving a goodbye. I rounded the corner and sang praises to heaven as I saw my shiny black entrance gate up ahead. Man, jogging is tough!!! – Lean? Du Plessis, Centurion

SPECIAL SPOUSE

Yes, everyone thinks their spouse is someone special, but in this case I am sure you will agree with me – which is why I have to share this with you. This is a picture of Penny Visser, finishing the Dischem Half Marathon in Bedfordview, and it says it all. At the age of 64, following 30 years of competitive road running, she is a wonderful example of the great benefits of exercising through road running.

She has 24 Comrades marathons behind her name, half of them under nine hours, and has never run over 10 hours. On top of that, she was twice SA grandmaster female marathon champion, has an amazing running CV, and I believe she is an inspiration to everyone who knows her. You cannot blame me for wanting to show her off! – Scott Visser

NERVOUS NEWBY NO MORE!

Well, that was fun doing my first ever run of 10km. Loads to say, but a quick summary: Get there early to avoid queue and confusion. Bring along two blondes in tights. Find a bar close to start, do multiple rounds of Jaeger Bombs. Remember to start the run. Try find a rhythm, do not get mesmerised by loads of women in tights. Beware park benches. Make sure the goddess you’re following is part of the run and not carrying mace. Enjoy the scenery – geez, Cape Town is stunning. Even after mace…

Don’t get confused by the lines of people at the end. Take your number and keep moving, don’t try get the real hot girl’s phone number just because she smiled at you. Can Klippies please help out at the Coke stand? Take your medal, they’re all the same, and no, you don’t get a gold one for running the last 8km with swollen mace eyes.

One of my best ever 54 minutes. OK, there was this one time when I met the Dutch u23 women’s hockey team, but another time for that story. Have already signed the blondes into doing a 3km relay, but they have changed the rules a little. Everyone downs a Jaeger then passes the baton. Sounds good! Took a look at the XTERRA for July in Knysna. Thank goodness no swim leg. The running bug has bitten! – Matthew Zoutendyk, Durbanville

The sun emits ultraviolet (UV) light, a form of electromagnetic radiation, in the UVA (long wave), UVB (medium wave), and UVC (short wave) bands. The Earth’s ozone layer blocks some 97% of this radiation from penetrating our atmosphere, and most of the UVC radiation is absorbed by the Ozone, where it helps to regenerate the ozone, but dangerous levels of UVA and UVB still reach the earth’s surface. Although UV light is invisible to the human eye, most of us have been sunburnt before and know its effects, but the UV spectrum actually has both beneficial and damaging effects on our health.

For example, a safe amount of exposure to UVB light induces the production of vitamin D in our skin, which in turn has a positive effect on our nervous system, immune system, blood pressure, and bone growth and density. However, both UVA and UVB break down the vitamin A in our skin, and too much exposure to UV light can damage the collagen fibres in the skin and accelerate the aging of the skin, and cause sunburn and even skin cancer.

THE EYES SUFFER TOO
Similarly, the longer our eyes are exposed to UV light, the greater the risk of damage and chances of developing problems such as cataracts, a clouding of the lenses. That’s why opticians and scientists recommend that we all wear sunglasses every time we go outdoors. For adequate protection, the experts recommend sunglasses that reflect or filter out 100% of UVA and UVB light up to a wavelength of 400nm. Sunglasses which meet this requirement are often labelled as offering “UV400 protection.”

Added to that, those of us who run on tarred roads or near water should especially wear sunglasses, because not only are our eyes exposed to direct glare and UV radiation, but also to reflected light and radiation off the road or water. For this reason, polycarbonate polarised lenses are recommended, because they’re designed to block this reflected light. With all this in mind, we found a few great pairs of sunglasses to showcase here.

Cebe Cinetik
As with most sports models, the Cinetik is a half-wrap design, with no frame going round the bottom edge of the lenses, to increase ventilation and thus prevent fogging. Each pair comes with three interchangeable sets of polycarbonate lenses for different light conditions, and these all feature ventilation slits on the outer upper edge to further promote ventilation. Lastly the anti-slip nosepiece is adjustable to ensure a snug fit.
R499 at leading eyewear retailers. More info: Bushnell Performance Optics 011 792 5408.

Ocean SJ1
Available in seven colour options, The SJ is UV400 rated and also available with a polarised lens option. The nosepiece and arms are adjustable to ensure a snugger fit, and there is a click-hole on the inner nose bridge to attach a light plastic optical insert for your prescription lenses – so anybody can wear these specs. A key ‘running feature’ is the brow line gap, courtesy of the prominent nosepiece, which allows for better ventilation.
R360 at Totalsports, Sportmans Warehouse, Duesouth and Outdoor Warehouse. More info: Tri Ocean Trading 021 461 6053

Oakley Fast Jacket
Oakley’s SwitchLock™ Technology allows you to quickly and easily change lenses, with minimal handling, thanks to a stainless steel quick-release mechanism that securely holds lenses when mounted. Each pair comes with two interchangeable sets of lenses, with a hydrophobic coating that makes water bead up and roll off the lenses instead of leaving a blurry sheen, and two nosepieces, so the fit can be adjusted.
R3075 from leading sports retailers and optometrists. More info: 0861 486 100.

Rudy Project Swift
ImpactX Photochromic lenses automatically adapt to changing light conditions, so no need to take the sunglasses off when you enter a tunnel! Bonus: The lenses come with a lifetime guarantee never to break and are highly scratch-resistant. The frame has an open design for better ventilation as well as adjustable nose piece and temples that are coated with soft rubber for more comfort.
R1290 (limited special offer) at leading optometrists and bicycling stores. More info: ASG SPORT 012 751 4131

Rudy Project Rydon (Comrades Edition)
Rudy Project is the official eyewear of the Comrades Marathon, so no surprise that it has brought out a Comrades edition of one of its most popular designs. As with the Swift, the ImpactX Photochromic lenses are perfect for all light conditions, providing clear vision for the early morning and late afternoon runs as well as complete protection in even the brightest conditions. The frame is extremely light, flexible, durable, and adjustable.
R2300 at leading optometrists and bicycling stores. More info: ASG SPORT 012 751 4131

In 1979 Nelspruit was a small, sleepy town developed mainly around the surrounding agricultural activities. It was during this year that a few of the locals’ rugby careers came to an end and they discovered running. On 6 March, Piet Smit and five friends took the plunge and established the town’s first running club, the Nelspruit Marathon Club. Piet was subsequently chosen as their first chairperson.

Since then, things have gone from strength to strength as the club grew together with the fast-developing town. Nelspruit was transformed from a sleepy Lowveld hide-away to the political capital of Mpumalanga, and its population sky-rocketed. With this, the inevitable happened as a new shopping centre appeared every year: In 2002, the site of the club’s old clubhouse was bought as land for a new shopping development and the club had to look for new pastures. Luckily, it didn’t have to look far, as the old Jukskei clubhouse was vacant. Today, it is still located on these premises, just behind the Crossings Shopping Centre and the Virgin Active, and it rents out the building frequently for private functions.

PROUD LOWVELDERS
Over the years a few big names have come from the Nelspruit Marathon Club, but the biggest one is undoubtedly Josiah Thugwane, South Africa’s Olympic marathon gold medallist and its first black gold medallist. Another big achievement for the club was when Chris Reyneke finished in third position at the Comrades Marathon in 1984.

A legend in his own right is Arthur Meneke, who has been involved with the club for almost 30 years. During this time he was chairman of the club for 27 years while juggling this with his duties first as chairman of the Eastern Transvaal Road Running Association, and later as chairman of the Mpumalanga Road Running Association. The founding member, Piet Smit, is also still involved, and has been awarded honorary membership for life for his contribution to the club.

Samuel Makamu has been the club’s top runner for about six years on the trot, and together with Norma Crampton, qualifies for the SA Championships every year. Rueben Malatjie, Jafter Sithole, Tewie Maree, Madelein Whitehair and Allison Hay are others that perform well on a regular basis.

Last year 58 Nelspruit runners completed the Comrades, with Johan Visagie proudly running his 25th, Christo Human his 21st and Forrester Schoeman his 20th. Though this year’s entries are not finalised yet, you can be sure the blue and gold will once again arrive in their droves to take on South Africa’s premier ultra-marathon.

SOCIAL TIMES
The clubhouse is also the site of the weekly time trials. On Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5:45pm, members can choose between the 4km and 8km time trial that takes them around the Crossings shopping complex and back to the clubhouse. When there is no local race, weekend club runs take off on Saturdays from the Virgin Active. However, according to club chairperson Mari?t Erasmus, the highlight for most members is the frequent braai’s that happen after the running. “Most of the club’s members are always ready for a braai – it only takes one person to say the word ‘wors’ or ‘braai’ after the time trial and the deal is done. Club members’ birthdays also turn into an event most of the time, and before you can say ‘free snacks’ the party is well and truly underway.”

On top of these spontaneous socials, the club also has a regular braai on the last Thursday of every month, where local running retailer, The Running Shop, sponsors a R500 spot prize and the club members’ families join them for a relaxing evening under the Lowveld stars.

A regular highlight on the club’s calendar is definitely the Loskop Ultra-marathon, as most of the club’s members pack their tents and sleeping bags and head through Schoemanskloof for their annual club camping weekend at the Loskopdam. During this weekend, a lot of socialising takes place as they throw a lamb on the spit and just have a goo,d time. The party is usually extended to the Sunday morning, when everyone puts on their specially made Loskopdam T-shirts and walks down to the dam to share a glass of sherry. Though this event is called the Sunday Sherry Run, not much running takes place, as everyone from toddlers to geriatrics takes part; it is simply a fun event before they head back to the daily work grind.

WORKING HARD
As with all clubs there are a few loyal members who are always willing to help at every race and time trial. The ‘drinke-broers’, as they are known, are Marius Kruger, Anton Kruger, Marius Botha, Marius du Plessis, Lian van Kradenburg, and Guy and Anita McGary. According to former chairman, Aurthur Meneke, these are the people who are at every event and get everyone else up and running when it is most needed. He jokes that Nelspruit is like a tractor that struggles to start, but once it is started, it works hard and things get done without fail.

This was evident at the recent hosting of the PWC 3-in-1 event, a very successful marathon attended by runners from as far as Gauteng thanks to it being mostly downhill, and therefore a very useful Comrades seeding race. Next year it promises to be even better as it is set to finish at the beautiful Mbombela World Cup stadium. The club also hosts the popular Rudamans Kaapsehoop 3-in-1 in November and a couple of smaller races like the Wake-up & Shake-up 10km and Powerade 10km Nite Race.

But the ‘drinke-broers’ are not the only club members who work hard and Mari?t explains that the club has been divided into worker-teams so everyone has a turn to keep time at time trials and work on race days. This, together with the division of the club into different leagues with their own captains, helps them to get the work done on race day and to keep everyone informed of new developments.

The ‘old faithful ladies’ are also always ready to give a helping hand if there is a crisis, and between Thea Pretorius, Heleen Jacobs, Amelia (die BOM) Mar?, Liana Visagie, Altie Human, Suzette Meyer, Daleen Taljaardt, Elmarie Kruger and Cecilia Botha, things are sorted out before you know it. Usually, the rest of the club isn’t even aware that there was a problem! Mari?t is excited about the club’s future and says the new generation is slowly but surely coming into their own and following the older members’ lead to show they can also get the work done.

TOUGH TIMES
Nelspruit’s members are known for sticking together. When three women in the club were diagnosed with cancer within three months of each other, the club decided to get involved with their local CANSA office. Most club members shaved their hair in support of their clubmates and also to encourage them to still join in at the club, something that brought the club members a lot closer to one another. Sadly, they lost Cathy Sales to cancer during this time. Today, the club still supports CANSA initiatives. Another worthy cause it supports is Childline: Club members take part in a sock run where runners donate their socks to be used for hand puppets to entertain children. All proceeds of Powerade sales at the Powerade 10km Nite race are also donated to Childline, and Mari?t says they hope to really make a difference to those who need it.

SOMETHING SPECIAL
According to Arthur, what makes this such a fun club to be a part of is the fact that everyone is important and everyone gets treated equally. “Even though we are competitive, we are also social, and the members enjoy having a beer together and just enjoy each other’s company. We have quite a few new members and there is always a nice atmosphere at the club.”

And, says Mari?t, there is one other thing that makes them stand out from the crowd: “Our running gear! You won’t miss our blue vests and gold shorts easily!”