Category: Columns

Having never raced anything longer than a marathon and been in the racing wilderness for ten years due to illness and injury, American legend, Alberto Salazar, appeared from nowhere to win the 1994 Comrades Marathon. And the devout Catholic and reborn Christian knew exactly who to thank for his amazing Lazarus act. – BY SEAN FALCONER

Halfway through the 1994 Comrades, Alberto Salazar hit the wall. Hard. The American with one Boston and three New York Marathon wins had been leading the race since 21km, at record pace, but with 48km done he was feeling bad. By 55km he was in really bad shape and his pace faltered, his thoughts dominated by the lure of bailing – but then his faith took charge to complete what his body was struggling to do.

“What happened was a miracle. I truly believe that,” says Salazar. “With 20 miles (32km) to go I was ready to drop out. There were no squeezies at the water points and I was running out of energy. I had Gu sachets taped to my water bottles every four miles, but that just wasn’t enough. I remember walking a few steps, but then I remembered that I was doing the race for God, so I started praying. What kept me going was that ongoing dialogue with God, and he led me to the finish.”

Alberto dug deep into his reserves and eventually won in 5:38:39, just over four minutes ahead of local hero Nick Bester, who put in a remarkable late surge to climb from fifth to second. But the day belonged to the American, who once again tasted victory after believing that his competitive running career was over. No surprise then that Alberto ranks his Comrades win as his greatest. “Comrades is in my top three along with my New York and Boston wins, but if I had to pick one race, I would put it first. Winning Comrades was more satisfying than anything I’ve done. And without a doubt the hardest thing – mentally, physically and emotionally. Nothing compared to it!”

FRONTRUNNER
Born in Cuba in 1958, a young Alberto immigrated to the USA with his family. At school and college he shone on the track and in cross-country, winning several state and national titles. He was known for his hard front-running and brash confidence – some called it arrogance – and he gave everything he had in both training and races. That won him many races, but also landed him in trouble in the 1978 Falmouth 10km race. He collapsed with a temperature of 42?C and his condition was so serious that a priest was called to administer the last rites, but thankfully he survived.

In 1980, Alberto ran and won his first marathon in New York, in what was then the fastest ever debut time, 2:09:41. A year later he retained his title in a world record 2:08:13, but the course was found to be 148 metres short and the record was not ratified. In 1982 he won the Boston Marathon, winning an epic sprint finish against Dick Beardsley before collapsing and being taken to hospital, where he was given six litres of water intravenously because he had not drunk during the race. Later that year he was second in the World Cross-Country Champs, and won a third consecutive New York.

In 1983 he twice broke the US 10km record, finished fourth in the World Cross-Country Champs and was national 10 000m champion, but he finished last in the World Champs 10 000m while suffering from bronchitis. Then he was beaten for the first time in a marathon, finishing fifth in Rotterdam, and the following year he finished a disappointing 15th in the Los Angeles Olympic Marathon. Battling recurring injuries and illness, his rapid decline continued, until eventually he was barely able to jog. By the end of 1984 his racing career was finished.

WASHED UP
Many thought that Alberto’s massive effort to win Boston had done so much damage to his body that he was never the same runner again. However, the root cause of his problems was his lungs. “Before the World Champs in ’83, I got a really bad cold that turned into severe bronchitis, which precipitated asthma. But I didn’t know I had asthma until the early 90s, when I was wheezing on easy runs. Basically, I’d lost 40% of my lung function. It just got a little worse every year – there was really nothing I could have done about it.”

But back in the 80s, not knowing why his running was going backwards so fast, Alberto desperately increased his mileage and intensity to try to regain his former racing levels, until his body just gave in. “I had a lot of injury problems and needed several surgeries on my knees and hamstrings. I just could not run well any more, and it was frustrating and depressing.” Then came the turning point in 1993, when a doctor suggested he try Prozac (an antidepressant) to lift his mood. It did more than that – it made him feel so good that he began enjoying his running again.

BACK FROM THE DEAD
Soon he felt ready to race again, but he knew he no longer had the speed to be competitive in marathons, so his thoughts turned to ultra marathons. “My friend Joel Laine, who is now the race director of the Paris Marathon, told me about the Comrades. It sounded like a good challenge, so I entered.” When the news broke in South Africa, most pundits immediately wrote off his chances of doing well, since he had never run an ultra before, and had not been heard of since the mid 80s. But when asked what his goal was for the race, he simply said, “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think I could win.”

Alberto says that Comrades was nothing like what he was used to back in the US. “What I remember most was that we started in the pitch dark. I was used to knowing who I was racing and seeing them at the start, but here I only knew a few of the runners, and I couldn’t see any of them! At the gun, the guys took off like it was a 10km race and I was panicking about being left behind. I had planned to run just behind the leaders, and then hopefully pull away in the final miles, but later the leaders started coming back to me and by 21km I had taken the lead. I’d done exactly what I didn’t want to do, but I decided to just keep going.”

He says the South African journalists on the media truck didn’t seem to take kindly to having a foreigner leading ‘their’ race. “They were yelling to me, ‘Bester is coming’, or ‘Fordyce is coming’, but at halfway, the press truck pulled up next to me and they heard me praying, and I think that swung their attitude. They cheered me home in the end.” Unfortunately, he didn’t get quite the same reaction from the US media. “Some of them called me a religious nut, and wrote that it was contradictory for me to talk about running for God and at the same time take Prozac to be able to run. I didn’t let that get to me, though, because I’m more concerned about what God thinks. Some people will always find fault with whatever you do, especially when it comes to faith.”

NEXT CHAPTER
Alberto planned to run more ultras, but a freak injury put paid to those plans. “Six months after Comrades, I was doing bounding drills on grass when I stepped in a hole, twisted my foot and tore my posterior tibial ankle tendon, although I didn’t know it at the time. So I kept running and wound up rupturing my rector femoris quad muscle, then had to have pins put in my foot, and had a heel bone replacement. I thought I had opened the door to a new ultra-marathoning career, but you know you’re done when you’re still limping two years after surgery!”

That saw him shift his focus to coaching and today he heads up the Nike Oregon Project, which aims to once again produce world-class US marathoners, since no US man has won Boston or New York since 1983. The success he has already achieved saw him named 2009 Coach of the Year by USA Track & Field. He lives with his wife, Molly, and three kids in Portland, Oregon, near the Nike headquarters and training facilities.

However, life continues to throw curve balls at him – but more miracles, too. In June 2007 he suffered a heart attack, aged just 48, and had no pulse for 14 minutes. “Your chance of surviving in good health if you go more than five minutes without a pulse is not good, and God could have saddled me with major physical or mental problems, but he didn’t. I can’t believe how blessed I am that this miracle took place. My health is pretty good now. I go for regular stress tests, my cholesterol levels are low and my arteries are wide open. I still jog about four miles a day, still with a noticeable limp, but I feel great. Clearly God still has plans for me.”

MEET THE ELITE

By Michelle Pieters

Dominique Scott 
3000m SA Schools Champ, 1500m/3000m SA Junior Champ

Club:  Adidas Athletic Club
Age:  17
Achievements:
• 2008 SA Schools Champs Rustenburg U17: 1500m (2nd), 3000m (3rd).
• Represented South Africa in the 2008 Southern Region Africa Champs:
1500m (2nd).
• 2009 SA Schools Champs Durban U17: 1500m (1st), 3000m (2nd).
• ASA South African Yellow Pages Youth and Junior Champs: 1500m (2nd).
• Represented South Africa in the 2009 Southern Region Youth African Champs for 3000m.
• Represented Boland at the ASA Cross-Country Champs in Pretoria, won the U17 4km event.
• 2009 Totalsports 10km (3rd), SA 10km Champs (2nd Junior).
• 2010 SA Schools Champs Sasolburg: 1500m (2nd), 3000m (1st).
• 2010 ASA Youth and Junior Champs Germiston: 1500m and 3000m (both gold in the junior age category).
PBs:  1500m – 4:28min, 3000m – 9:40min, 10km – 34:50min

Dominique Scott is destined for success; legendary track star Johan Fourie believes she will run amongst the world’s best at the 2016 Olympic Games. On top of that she comes from a family with sporting genes: her mom, Renee, has three gold Comrades medals to her name and sister, Natasha, is a Western Province hockey and water polo player. More importantly, Dominique is incredibly motivated, with a talent and a passion for running that goes far beyond her years.

FROM CHILD STAR TO TEENAGE CHAMPION
As a seven year old, Dominique would tag along with her teacher mom who coached cross-country. “My mom suggested I run because I was so bored waiting for her. I started jogging cross-country races in the U9 section and finished 55th in my first race as a six year old!”

Finishing amongst the back markers motivated Dominique to improve. “I started training and from 2003 to 2005 made the WP cross-country team.” Her talent is not limited to running; she was also awarded WP colours for hockey and water polo, and SA colours for biathlon and triathlon. Dominique won the All African Championships in her age group in 2006 in Zimbabwe and again in 2007 in Mauritius.

When Dominique, a prefect at Rhenish Girls’ High School in Stellenbosch, started excelling at local track events, her parents decided she needed a coach. Driving her from her hometown in Constantia to Stellenbosch for coaching sessions was time consuming and in 2007, Dominique changed schools. She used to attend Herschel Girls School where her mom is a teacher. “Initially it was a huge adjustment because I come from a very close family. I would never turn back though. I see it as a sacrifice one needs to make to get to the top.”

COACH JOHAN FOURIE
“Since training with Johan my athletics has taken off! I love the group I train with. Johan and his wife, Marinda, are almost like a second family to me. They want us to love athletics; to them excelling is just a bonus.”

Dominique runs 8km six mornings a week, alternating between jogging and drill sessions. She meets up with Johan and the rest of his training group Monday to Thursday evenings. They train on the track three times a week and do an additional 10km run in the Stellenbosch mountains. Weekends are reserved for longer runs of between 15 and 18km. When she’s not running, she concentrates on stabilising exercises in the gym. “I don’t want to race long distances. Track is my first love. When I run on the track it feels like I’m flying!”

TEENAGE DREAMS
Dominique admits to not leading a ‘normal teenage life,’ but loves her sport. “I really don’t have any spare time to miss teenage things!” Her motivation comes from reaping the rewards when she achieves at events. “When I train, I focus on my future dream: to go to the Olympics in 2016!”

After school she plans to study part time overseas while running competitively. “I would love to train full time and compete in the world athletic circuit in Europe.” Dominique’s advice to young athletes is to live each day to the fullest. “Each day of training and each competition, no matter how big or small is a stepping stone towards a bigger goal. Nothing can be achieved without hard work.”

I have a problem with burning soles (on the balls of my feet). This only happens after about 45km on the road. I have tried cotton socks, thick socks, thin socks and different inner soles. I ran the Two Oceans Ultra recently and after about 45km, my feet burned intensely. I didn’t get blisters, but my feet felt very sensitive. I run in ASICS (model GT2150) and don’t know what to do anymore. I have been trying to find the root of the problem since Comrades last year. I am 36 years old and weigh 52kg. – ANNELIE VAN DER MERWE (CENTURION)

ANSWER
As you have tried all the conventional ways of reducing the burning of the metatarsal area of the feet, I would suggest an ultrasound to investigate the possible presence of a digital neuroma. A neuroma is a swelling that occurs in the substance of the nerve.

The fact that the burning only starts after 45km, could indicate a small neuroma. Another possibility is that this nerve is being compressed by pressure from dropped metatarsal heads (when one or more of the joints on the ball of the foot becomes inflamed).

The burning of the feet is not a simple issue to resolve and further investigation is necessary to ascertain the actual cause of the problem. I would recommend that you consult a foot orthopaedic surgeon in this regard.

Modern Athlete Expert – Franklin Dubowitz
Medical Orthotist and Podiatrist at the Centre for Sports Medicine and Orthopaedics in Rosebank, Johannesburg, with 28 years experience in diagnosing and treating runners and other sportspeople, including many top cricketers.

They like to think they’re the most sociable running club in the country with the best clubhouse as well, and you’ll see why if you pay a visit to West Coast AC in Blouberg, Cape Town, on a Tuesday evening. – BY SEAN FALCONER

Read through West Coast AC’s welcome letter for new members and you’ll come across a paragraph marked in bold red letters: “Seeing that we have the reputation of being a drinking club with a running problem, we encourage you to uphold this reputation fiercely at every opportunity, locally and internationally!” And that’s exactly what the West Coasters do. The clubhouse bar often stays open till the early hours, and the club tent is a fixture at races. “We have a great rivalry with Fish Hoek to see who has the last tent standing,” says club chairman Terry Ireland, “and I’m proud to say we usually win.”

But don’t let this fool you into thinking that the West Coasters don’t take their running just as seriously. “Yes, we are a club that likes to socialise, but even when the guys have a late night in the bar, they’re still
out running the next day,” says club captain Brett King. “Each year we have a number of athletes earning provincial colours, and there’s a healthy rivalry between the seniors and the masters too.”

One of the club’s top performers is Tilda Krugmann, who earned national colours in 2001 when she was selected for the World 100km Champs after a great Comrades, in which she finished 15th in the women’s race. West Coast also has ten runners who have done 20 Two Oceans ultras, with Nick Miles and Sheila Colbeth the latest to join the double laurel club this year. But spare a thought for Craig Hartmann, says Brett. “He’s been stuck on 19 Comrades since 2006, trying to do his 20th, but always gets injured just before the race.”

DOWN BY THE BEACH
Based in Big Bay, Blouberg, as you drive north out of Cape Town, much of the West Coasters’ socialising is done at the clubhouse they share with the Big Bay Surf Lifesaving Club. The club was originally based at Theo Marais Park, where they shared facilities with the Milnerton rugby and hockey clubs, but in 1994 they moved a few kays up the road to their current beachfront position. “We reckon we’ve got the best clubhouse in the country. Okay, maybe somebody in Durban has a similar set-up, but we still think ours is best,” says Terry.

The club actually started as a satellite branch of Spartan Harriers in 1984. One of the founding members, Philip Marais, explains, “We were mostly ex-rugby and soccer players who wanted to keep fit. We wanted to start a running club, but not knowing where to go from there, we decided to affiliate to an existing club. The nearest available one was Spartans, because their club secretary was based in Maitland, so we became the ‘Table View Chapter’ of Spartans.”

Two years later they were ready for independence and the Milnerton West Coast Athletic Club was born, with the new red, blue and white club colours unveiled in October 1986 when Gary Thomson ran the Voet of Africa Marathon. The club steadily grew in size and today has about 300 members, but has dropped Milnerton from its name – the records don’t say why, but it was probably just to shorten a somewhat long-winded name, says Terry.

FIRST WE RUN…
While the club is known for its sociable bar, the members make a point of ‘earning’ their drinks. Official weekly club runs start from the clubhouse every Tuesday evening (6pm in summer, 5:30pm in winter), with marked 5km, 8km and 10km routes on offer. Showers are available at the clubhouse, with plenty of hot water, and then the bar is opened.

The club holds its monthly 5km time trial on the first Tuesday of each month. It starts in front of Doodles Restaurant in Beach Road and runs 2.5km along the beachfront to the Dolphin Beach Hotel and back. “It’s a nice flat course, with each kay marked, but it’s hell when the south-easter blows. Then you struggle all the way out and fly back!” says Brett.

West Coast currently presents two races, although one is only officially in an assisting capacity, at the Century City 10km and 2.5km in March. “We were asked to be involved because the presenting club, Century City, is very small and needed help. It started as an 8km fun run last year, but it was very successful, and had crazy prize money and loads of lucky draws,” says Terry. “This year it became an official 10km and now it’s part of a big sport festival at Century City.”

The club’s own race is the Realtors International West Coast Half Marathon in November, which has been on the calendar for many years and offers a fast and flat route. One section runs through the scenic Atlantic Beach Golf Estate and most of the route offers terrific views of the ocean.

…THEN WE PARTY!
True to the club’s reputation, West Coast has a full social calendar. The pub is open after every Tuesday run, but the first Tuesday of the month is official Club Night, which starts with the time trial, follow by the handing out of the monthly awards. There is also a lucky draw for a Sportsmans Warehouse voucher. Some Tuesday runs and socials are extra special: the nearest Tuesday to 17 March is the St Patrick’s Day Run, where everybody wears green and drinks Guinness, and there is a Midmas Run (Christmas in July) where everybody wears Christmas clothing or decorations.

The club’s annual dinner dance awards evening is held in April, while the Sunday after Two Oceans is reserved for the Aches and Pains Braai at the club, followed by the Two Oceans Club Night. The club is open all day for the Comrades, and then comes the big Comrades Club Night party. The AGM is held in August, followed by the Hat Party in November, the Charity Pub Run in the first week of December, the Family Day end-of-year braai, and the Christmas Day Run.

The West Coasters love welcoming visitors to their club, which is why three-time Comrades winner Vladimir Kotov is now considered an honorary member. “We have a great relationship with Vlad, because he upholds our drinking ethos with gusto!” says Terry. “For example, at the Aches and Pains Braai
he pitches up with a bottle of vodka and pours it down
everybody’s throats.”

Another highlight is the club’s water table at the Puffer 80km trail race from Cape Point to the V&A Waterfront. West Coast mans the last water table, on Signal Hill, and usually wins the Most Festive Water Table Award. “We have a red carpet and cheerleaders to welcome the runners, and running escorts to shout out orders so snacks are ready by the time they reach us. They love it,” says Terry. “It’s crazy to see how many West  Coasters come out for this. One year we went back up the hill at 22:30pm to make sure everything was cleared up, and the guys were still partying! You really couldn’t wish to belong to a better club.”

THE CHARITY PUB RUN
The highlight of the West Coast calendar is the annual Charity Pub Run in the first week of December.
A horde of runners in brightly coloured Pub Run T-shirts runs/walks a few kays up the road for a drink at five local pubs, then it’s back to the clubhouse for a huge party. And it’s all for a great cause, says Terry.
“It started as an informal pub run with about 15 of us. I decided to print t-shirts for the next one and suddenly 72 people signed up in advance. We ended up with over 100 people participating in that second one, and that made me think that it’s too big a vehicle to waste, so we should give it a charity angle.”

Brett adds, “We feel it is important to contribute to the community, and what we do that night brings in more money than most golf days. Last year we had 465 runners, the biggest field yet, and raised R35 000, which we gave to the Emmanuel Day Care Centre.”

Terry explains that part of the entry fee pays for the drinks and the t-shirts, while the rest goes to the designated charity. Runners can also carry shaking tins for donations from passersby, motorists or
other patrons of the bars. Each participating pub also contributes money to the fundraising drive.
“We choose five pubs who will donate the most to us and in return, we bring them 450 clients.
They probably won’t sell that much beer the whole night, so they’re happy to support us.”

The Famous Bum Run Photo
Pride of place in the West Coast clubhouse – sometimes – belongs to a framed photograph of
nine men running starkers down the Blouberg Beach. All they’re wearing are caps and running shoes,
and somebody wrote the name of the club on their backs, one letter per runner, with a marker pen.
Terry says they usually hang the photo in the bar, but it rarely stays there for long. “We leave it up until the lifesavers object, and then it gets moved into our trophy cabinet, but sooner or later it’s back in the
bar again!”

CLUB CONTACT DETAILS:
Phone: Terry Ireland 083 26 888 66
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: www.westcoastathleticclub.co.za
Clubhouse: 
Big Bay Lifesaving Club, Big Bay complex, Blouberg (off second circle in Sir David Baird Drive)

They are rapidly becoming the ‘In Thing’ in running, but there is still much confusion in the running community as to exactly what compression socks do – or how and when to use them. Modern Athlete delved into the sock drawer to find out more. – BY SEAN FALCONER

Go watch a road race these days and you’ll see a fair number of athletes wearing knee-length, tight-fitting socks. They admittedly look a bit strange amongst all the short socks that the majority of runners use, but wearing these compression socks can really benefit your running. That’s why women’s world marathon
record holder Paula Radcliffe wears them when she trains and competes, as does South Africa’s Olympic silver medal long-jumper Khotso Mokoena.

The first studies on compression gear were done as far back as 1987, but most of the early studies focused on performance enhancement. Since the compression gear was found to have a minimal effect on performance, if any, the use of the gear never really took off. However, research found that compression gear improves blood flow, reduces muscle fatigue and damage, and promotes quicker recovery.

This recovery angle is now the focus of the groundbreaking doctoral research being done at Stellenbosch University by sport scientist Karen Welman. She is the first researcher to investigate the effects of compression socks in distance running further than 10km, and this included outfitting a large test group of runners with socks in the recent Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon. “Nobody has done compression research in events before,” she says. “Also, most previous studies focused on sprinting and team sports, and the test subjects were often younger athletes that generally recover quicker. Since I’m focusing on recovery, I’m looking closely at results in the 40-plus age group.”

YOUR SECOND HEART
To fully understand how compression socks work, you need to understand that your calves are, in effect, your second heart, as they are the ‘engine’ of the body’s venus system. The heart pumps oxygenated blood that is rich in nutrients (including carbohydrates) to the muscles, which use the nutrients as an energy supply, in turn producing lactate, an acid that contributes to muscle fatigue. The venus system, which is automatically activated when the calf muscles work, then pumps the deoxygenated blood back to the heart to be reoxygenated and cleaned of the lactate, and it normally takes about an hour for all the lactate to be cleared from a muscle.

The faster the lactate can be cleared, the faster the muscles will recover, and that’s why compression socks work so well. They are graded in compression, with the tightest fit around the lower calf and ankle, and easing in tightness as the sock moves up the leg, to stimulate the blood flow back to the heart by squeezing the blood upwards. The added bonus of the socks is that they provide great support for the calves, thus greatly reducing the vibration that causes micro-tears that contribute to muscle soreness and fatigue.

Besides the immediate benefits of reduced muscle damage and faster recovery time, there are also long-term benefits: Years of running result in wear and tear on our muscles, so every bit of extra protection now, has the potential to reduce the overall accumulated wear and tear on muscles.

WHEN TO USE THEM
Karen says that her research project is trying to ascertain the best way to use the socks. “Just look at some of the elites that use them: Paula Radcliffe runs in them, but Lance Armstrong only wears them after his workouts.”

“We did a study on competitive elite runners and found that those who ran in and wore the socks for three days, only taking them off when sleeping, benefitted in terms of faster recovery time.”

Although she is still collating the Two Oceans study data, she says she can see the same pattern forming as in the controlled lab tests, despite the longer distances run and other factors such as heat and a harder running surface.
However, Karen warns that there are a few do’s and don’ts athletes should be aware of before using compression socks.
 
If you have any circulatory or vascular problems, speak to a physician before using them. “These socks are usually tested on healthy athletes, so first check how much compression you can handle.”
 
The length of the sock is important; it should end just below the knee. “Some runners fold the top of the sock over because it is too long, and this doubles the compression on the area under the fold, which is normally on the widest part of the calf. That can turn the top end of the sock into a tourniquet and restrict the blood flow to and from your calf.”
 
You shouldn’t sleep with anything higher than a CCL1 or 18mm compression (see Making the Grade, below). “When lying flat, there is no gravity working on the calves or the venus system, so blood flow can be restricted by the socks because the smaller blood vessels get squashed.”
 
You should not have a red line on your legs when you take them off. If you do, the socks are too tight.

MAKING THE GRADE
Compression socks are graded according to the level of compression they provide, from CCL1 to CCL5. “The compression is measured in millimetres of mercury (mmHg), with CCL1 usually in the 6-18mmHg range, and CCL2 from 20-30mmHg. Many of the compression products now available in sports stores fall into the lowest grading, and they are often labelled as either CCL1 or 18mmHg. CCL2 and higher gradings are more commonly found in medical prescription and emergency gear.”

COMING NEXT MONTH
Get the June edition of Modern Athlete for our exclusive review of compression socks available on the South African market, PLUS a handy guide to getting the right fit.

Between stressful jobs and trying to spend quality time with the family, exercise is often the first thing that falls to the bottom of our list. In a series of features on how to balance a busy career with running, Modern Athlete speaks to various high-powered professionals to find out how they manage to fit sport into their hectic schedules. This month we chat to Anton Kruger, Managing Director of the Rand Airports Management Company. – By MICHELLE PIETERS

What is your background and how did you get involved in your industry?
I was the Town Clerk of Bedfordview for ten years. I then became Chief Executive Officer of Greater Germiston, a position I held for nine years. In that time I assisted the operators at Rand Airport in purchasing Rand Airport from the Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality. Greater Germiston City Council purchased a 20% share in Rand Airport Holdings (Pty) Ltd, the company that purchased the airport. I became the director on the Board of Rand Airport Holdings (Pty) Ltd representing the Greater Germiston Council. In May 2003 I became the Managing Director of the Rand Airports Management Company.

What is the most exciting thing about your job?
It is a very interesting and exciting industry with many facets. The most exciting thing is watching aircrafts and jets flying, especially when they perform aerobatic flying manoeuvres.

Who are the most interesting people you have met?
In local government it was Willem Cruywagen, the former Administrator of Transvaal. In my current position I get to meet many passionate pilots. If I had to single out one it would be Captain Scully Levin, an ex-captain of the South African Airways.

How long have you been running?
21 years. I started at the age of 40.

What motivated you to start running?
When I was Town Clerk of Bedfordview, the Council approached me to sponsor them to run the Liberty Life Relay. I agreed and they asked me to run the last leg, which was about 2km. I only had two weeks to train, but today I am still running!

How many hours a week do you spend on the road?
Approximately 12-14 hours a week.

How do you fit running into your busy life?
I get up at 4:15 five mornings a week.

Who do you train with?
With runners from the Bedfordview Country Club.

Have you run any big races?
Yes. I have done two Comrades Marathons, one Two Oceans Ultra and many other marathons and ultras.

What do you see as the biggest obstacle to your running?
I started too late in life. I could have achieved much more if I’d started earlier.

Has running influenced your career and work ethic?
Yes. I believe it has made me more committed, disciplined and goal driven in my career.

What is the best advice you have been given with regards to running?
There is a direct relation between the time you spend training and the result you achieve.

And the worst advice?
To eat steak the night before a big race!

Proudest moment in running and in business?
In running it was when I completed my first Comrades. In business it was when I was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Greater Germiston Council, the then fifth-biggest city in South Africa.

Most embarrassing moment in running? And in business?
In running it happened one morning when I tripped on a paving brick and fell. I got up very quickly and carried on running. All the runners around me had something to say! I don’t recall embarrassing moments
in business, but it is embarrassing to phone a director of a company to ask him to pay his overdue accounts!

The thing I love most about running is…
You compete only with yourself and every time you achieve a goal you set for yourself, it leaves you with a great feeling of achievement.

After a run the first thing I like to do is…
Take a shower!

My greatest ambition is to complete…
Another Two Oceans Ultra before I retire from running races.

I don’t enjoy being beaten by …
People who I know are training less than me.

Who are your running role models?
Bruce Fordyce and Nick Bester.

What is your favourite place to run?
On the boardwalk on the beachfront at Ballito.

What do you think about when you run?
I think about all the issues in business that I need to address and resolve.

I could not go running without my…
Running watch.

What is your favourite meal after a big race?
A well-prepared fillet or rump steak with chips.

What would you say to someone who says that they don’t have the time to start running?
It is a bad excuse! Start organising your life and commit.

Favourite Quote
“If you believe in yourself, have dedication and pride and never quit, you’ll be a winner. The price of victory is high, but so are the rewards.” (Paul Bryant).

Life motto?
Always give your best and enjoy the rewards.

I’m running an average of about 30km a week and am trying to run a sub-90 minute half marathon. My current PB is 102 minutes. I only started running two months ago and am 17 years old. What should my ideal training consist of? – EITAN RAPPOPORT

ANSWER
Running a 102 min half marathon means you are no slouch – and that on only 30km per week! I have no information reference with regard to the type of training your 30km consists of, but looking at the 21.1km distance, I would recommend the following additions:
 
Start your week with no less than 8km runs per day and add at least two speed/muscle endurance sessions into your programme. These could be either fartlek (play with speed) or track work.

  Fartlek can consist of running four lamp poles fast and three slow for a duration of typically 20-30 minutes, ensuring you maintain the quality.

  Track work can consist of six 300m runs with about a 3min rest/recovery in between. Add in about four 600m
for muscle endurance. Recovery between these should be about 1:30.

Remember to always warm up before each session by doing a few run-throughs (this means running 100m slow, and speeding up until you are going flat out. Repeat approximately seven times).

Your weekly time trial should alternate between 4km and 8km. Ensure you have a recovery day between quality sessions, but not a rest day.

I recommend a long run of +/- 20-25 km on the weekend, slow and gentle but continuous. An additional longer session of about 16km can be added on Wednesdays.

When you are planning to race remember that every eight weeks the body conditions to what you are doing. It becomes the norm. So changes in programmes and/or races should occur sometime after eight weeks or close to the end of eight weeks. Schedule your races to fit in those times. It is not smart to race in the first two weeks of a new programme because your body is still adapting.
 
Tapering for races is very individual. Some people prefer longer tapers while others apply the 72 hour recovery principal. An option for an athlete of your calibre might be to approach a coach because programmes should be designed for your specific strengths and weaknesses. However in the beginning it is okay to flounder around a
little. Watch your motivation and drive. Keep competitive but ensure that you don’t lose the passion for the sport.

Modern Athlete Expert – John Hamlett
John is one of the country’s top running coaches and has been involved in running for more than 33 years. He has trained Andrew Kelehe, the 2001 Comrades winner and Fusi Ntlapo, the 2003 Comrades winner.

After a marathon or longer distance, I notice a lot of salt covering my forehead and arms. What is the cause of this and is there a remedy? Is it good or bad and why do
I get it? – YSWAN CARA

ANSWER
What you are seeing is indeed a build up of salt from sweating. During endurance exercise the sweat that you secrete evaporates and leaves behind the minerals secreted along with it. You should not worry about it because our modern day diets include more salt than our recommended daily intake. This may be a way of your body getting rid of excess salt.

Unfortunately there is no remedy but maybe you should monitor your salt intake. This should help, but it seems you are what some researchers have termed a ‘salty sweater’. You might be genetically predisposed to sweating out larger amounts of salt than other athletes.

If you are still able to participate and complete sporting activities without any medical complications then this is not a problem, but if you are suffering from any medical
problems because of it, then I suggest you seek help from a sports physician.
Modern Athlete Expert – Nicholas Tam
BSc (Med.) Hons Exercise Science (UCT), MSc (Med.) Student. adidas Technical Representative, adidas SA (pty) Ltd. UCT/MRC Research Unit for Exercise Science and Sports Medicine, Department of Human Biology
Sports Science Institute of South Africa, Newlands.

Medical Orthotist and Podiatrist at the Centre for Sports Medicine and Orthopaedics in Rosebank, Johannesburg, with 28 years experience in diagnosing and treating runners and other sportspeople, including many top cricketers.

When running hard, we breathe hard, but most of us concentrate only on the effect that hard running has on our legs. Few of us consider that our respiratory muscles also get tired and this often leads to poor performance. The good news is that your respiratory muscles can be trained independently of the rest of your body. And a strong respiratory system can lead to better running. Chantelle Wehmeyer, biokineticist, explains how.

Many runners are under the impression that their legs are the most important part of their running performance; if the legs fatigue, the body slows down. But what few runners understand is that their legs often let them down because of weak respiratory muscles. As these muscles fatigue, the nervous system redirects oxygen from the muscles of the limbs to those of the diaphragm. And often this is when you experience a feeling of tiredness and heaviness in your legs.

BREATHE IN, BREATHE OUT
The diaphragm is a dome-shaped muscle located just below the lungs and heart, which separates the thoracic and abdominal cavities. The intercostal muscles run between the ribs. The diaphragm and intercostal muscles are the so-called ‘respiratory muscles’. 

During exercise the body’s demand for oxygen increases and our breathing volume or ventilation must also rise. This requires the numerous muscles surrounding the lungs to contract in a highly-coordinated manner. As the intensity of exercise increases, these respiratory muscles need to contract more forcefully and more rapidly to keep pace with the body’s substantial increase in metabolism. Like any muscles in the body, these muscles can become tired, and this results in a decrease in breathing capacity; exercise will feel harder and performance may suffer.

CAN RESPIRATORY TRAINING BOOST PERFORMANCE?
Clinical studies are proving that the body’s ability to exercise, particularly at high intensities, is significantly limited by the performance of the respiratory system.

Some athletes are sceptical about respiratory muscle training. After all, doesn’t the respiratory system get a challenging workout every time we train strenuously? The answer is yes, to some extent, but current research indicates the importance of specific respiratory muscle training for improved performance.

This is because during high-intensity exercise, such as long distance running, the respiratory muscles demand a significant amount of cardiac output, that is, the blood delivered to the body by the heart. With only so much blood available, if the respiratory muscles take more, less is available for the skeletal muscles. 

However, if the respiratory muscles become stronger and more efficient as a result of respiratory muscle training, they will need less energy, oxygen and blood to support specific exercise intensities. This will, in effect, ‘free up’ blood and oxygen for the leg muscles, and could result in a remarkable increase in endurance (up to 27%), as well as reduced overall blood-lactate levels. 

THE BENEFITS
  
Exercise feels easier after inspiratory (breathing in) muscle training.
  
Exercise conditioning increases the amount of air that is regularly brought into the lungs each minute, and thus the amount of oxygen that can be extracted and delivered by the heart and vascular system to the exercising muscles. Along with the changes in the capillaries at the muscle cell level, this training effect allows you to run longer and stronger without becoming anaerobic (without oxygen) in your metabolism. 

HOW TO TRAIN
Specific training for the respiratory muscles is performed independently of normal whole body exercise (such as running or swimming) and is generally carried out in one of two ways: 
1 
Isocapnic hyperpnoea – This method requires the individual to breathe at an increased volume of ventilation for an extended period (20-30 minutes). This is similar to the breathing demands of endurance exercise and primarily helps develop respiratory muscle endurance. 
2 
Threshold loading – This method focuses on building respiratory muscle strength by breathing for short durations (5-10 minutes) against a resistance. This is a similar approach to traditional weight training.

The devices described below have been developed to allow both forms of training and are now commercially available:
1  Pflex? – The Pflex? is a highly effective inspiratory muscle trainer. It has been designed around the principle of resistance to intake of air into the lungs, which makes respiratory muscles work harder. It provides an easy, convenient and practical way to train respiratory muscles at home.
2  Threshold Inspiratory Muscle Trainer (IMT) –
This device provides consistent and specific pressure for inspiratory muscle strength and endurance training regardless of how quickly or slowly patients breathe. It helps to increase respiratory muscle strength, endurance and tolerance.

WHEN TO TRAIN
Specific respiratory muscle training immediately before whole body exercise may help to improve performance. In an interesting study, a short bout of low-resistance breathing exercises was added to the standard warm up for a group of well-trained athletes. The average power output increased, while measures of breathing discomfort decreased. It appears that, similar to the peripheral muscles, the respiratory muscles
may benefit from a warm-up specific to the requirements of athletic competition.

TAKE IT HOME
There are various methods you can use to increase your respiratory muscle strength, including these techniques, which you can use in the comfort of your own home. First, practice taking a deep breath. Typically during a normal breath we use only 10-15% of our lungs. During exercise, we only increase the rate, not the depth of our breathing. Although deep breathing is more work and uses a bit more energy, the payoff can be that 1-2% edge in a competitive situation. Here are some ways to make it happen:
  
Exhale more completely – If you exhale more completely, it is easier to take a deep breath. The usual rhythm is: exhale to a count of three, followed by inhaling to a count of two.
  
Take belly breaths – As you concentrate on deep breathing, push your diaphragm down and your abdominal muscles out. If you are doing it correctly, your abdominals will expand more than your chest. Remember to let your belly expand when you breathe in. Do not just raise your shoulders and chest. Do not pull your belly inward when breathing in; let it push outwards as air fills your lungs.
  
Synchronize your breathing – Try to synchronize your respiratory rhythm to that of your cadence. Remember the 3:2 ratio of exhale to inhale.

Always keep in mind that regardless of the proposed benefits of specific respiratory muscle training, it is generally agreed that the influence of such training on performance could be small. For this reason, it may not be wise to undertake specific respiratory muscle training at the expense of traditional methods of physical training. However, if your fitness levels are well-developed, specific respiratory muscle training may provide you with an extra performance edge.
Modern Athlete Expert –
CHANTELLE WEHMEYER
Registered biokineticist in Edenvale, Johannesburg. Member of Sunward Athletic Club with eight years running experience. Attempting her first Comrades Marathon this year.

Wearing a red ribbon in her hair, a slender Benoni school teacher astounded the running world when she broke the tape at the 1989 Comrades Marathon in a phenomenal time of 5:54. She not only won the women’s race, she finished 15th overall. On that historic day Frith Van der Merwe set a record for the down run which today, 21 years later, still stands. Even more remarkable is that this was achieved only a couple of weeks after she set another course record that is also still standing at the Two Oceans Ultra. Frith is the queen of Comrades and undoubtedly, the best female ultra athlete South Africa has ever produced. – BY MICHELLE PIETERS

A few weeks before the 1989 Comrades Marathon, club members at Benoni Northerns Athletic Club (BNAC) were given the task of predicting their Comrades finishing times. A fragile looking history teacher named Frith van der Merwe bravely predicted her time as 6:14. She had already won Comrades the previous year (1988), finishing in a time of 6:32 and had finished sixth the year before in a time of 7:22.

She was running well but no one expected Frith, or any other female, to break the magical six-hour barrier. “Three weeks before, I set an African record of 1:54 in a 32km race in Boksburg. Everyone said I was racing too much and that I ruined my Comrades.” So when Frith predicted an improvement of nearly 20 minutes, by most people’s standards, it was a nearly impossible task. How wrong they were…

A MAGICAL DAY
“The night before Comrades 1989 I did everything nutritionists will tell you not to do! I had four glasses of wine and two toasted cheese and tomato sandwiches. I slept like a log!” The next morning Frith grabbed three chocolate bars and chugged down a cup of coffee before making her way to the start. She knew
she had a good chance of winning, but little did she know that she would be making history.

She remembers the race in great detail. “I went through Hillcrest feeling great. Just after halfway I realised I was going to break the record. I was on a high.” She passed legendary athletes such as Johnny Halberstadt and Alan Robb.

Most of them encouraged Frith but there were a few bruised egos. “There was a certain male athlete who earlier commented that a woman would never beat him. The bunch of journalists on the press truck warned the guys that I was approaching. When he heard it, he turned around and ran back to his home in Hillcrest,” chuckles Frith (45).

Finishing the race felt like a dream. “As I finished they played Chariots of Fire. I felt tearful, ecstatic and emotional. My mom was waiting at the finish line. It was for sure the best moment of my life – a day that I will never ever forget. Something like that happens only once in a lifetime. On that day I knew I had done something special and that I was going to be more than just a school teacher from Benoni.”

STARTING OUT
As a young girl Frith played tennis and netball, and never really gave running much thought. Everyone in the school had to run a cross-country race. “I tried to get out of it. I saw myself as a tennis player and I tried to persuade the head master that the tennis team needed more practise. I was so convinced that I would get my way that I dressed in my tennis clothes. I was the only runner in a tennis skirt! I was so frustrated that
I ended up winning the race.”

In 1982 she started her studies at Wits and joined their running team. “I saw myself as a social runner and enjoyed the parties afterwards more than the running.”

After varsity Frith joined BNAC. “I always watched Comrades on TV and made it my aim to run in 1987. I was 23 years old. Compared to today’s standards it’s young, but that’s what we did in those days. I didn’t take it too seriously and at the start I lined up at the group that indicated an eight hour finish. To my surprise I finished sixth lady in a time of 7:22. Bruce Fordyce said I had the right build and mind to become a good runner. I decided to start training properly.”

Just before the 1989 Comrades Frith tackled the Two Oceans Ultra, breaking Monica Drogemoller’s course record of 3:44:29. “There was a car up for grabs for breaking the record and I desperately wanted to win it.”

Frith’s winning time of 3:30:36 came on a day when more than 2 000 runners failed to complete the race because of extreme heat. “I ran up Constantia feeling great. I got to the 50km mark in world record time!” 

After winning the 1989 Comrades Frith was determined to prove that she could also excel over the shorter distances. She beat legend Elana Meyer in a 15km race in Belville, finishing in 49:54. “I felt almost as proud as I felt about my Comrades win.”

DISAPPOINTMENTS
Shortly afterwards, she started battling with injuries. “My downfall was my competitive streak. At the Bergville Ultra in 1990 I was suppose to jog slowly with Bruce Fordyce, but when the gun went I ran hard.” Frith won the race, but picked up a stress fracture. “That taught me a lesson that one should not be arrogant in running.” In 1991 Frith returned to Comrades, winning it for a third time (6:08). The following year was once again filled with more injuries that prevented her from competing in most races.

In 1993 Frith won the Tiberius Marathon in Israel (2:38) and finished third at the Paris Marathon (2:32) in April 1993. At the World Marathon Champs in Stuttgart, Germany, later that year she finished fifth in a time of 2:32. The year ended sadly for Frith when her father, Daniel, passed away. Frith withdrew from the Tokyo Marathon. “I ran to help me get over his death. Then I picked up a hamstring injury which put me out of running for a very long time.”

A NEW START
Over this period Frith met her late husband, Mike Agliotti, while training in the gym. The couple got married in April 1995 and in December they moved to Port Shepstone. Sadly Mike was diagnosed with cancer. “A day before my birthday in May 1997, he died in my arms.”

Frith once again turned to running to help her through this emotional time. In 1999 she returned to Gauteng and joined Boksburg Athletic Club. She won Om die Dam (50km) in a record time of 3:21 and Loskop in 3:24. In 2000 she was hoping to make a comeback at Comrades. “I had a terrible run. I started too fast and finished in 7:07.“

Frith took up a teaching post at Jeppe Girls’ High but when one of her friends was raped in 2005 while out running, she decided to move to Port Elizabeth, and shortly afterwards to Grahamstown, where she currently teaches at St. Andrew’s College. “I am so happy. I am the house mistress and look after 76 teenage girls! I am also the athletics teacher in charge of cross-country.”

TRAINING
At the peak of her career, Frith ran from 150-170km a week. She always included an 8km time trial and a track session consisting of 1000m (six repeats) or 800m (eight repeats). Wednesdays were reserved for runs of about 25km and weekends for runs of 30-50km.

Frith, who has won 53 marathons in her career, trained mostly with a bunch of guys from BNAC. “We called ourselves ‘The A Team’. I did not need a coach. I knew my body and what session was right for me. I had a lot of friends like Bruce Fordyce whose brain I picked.” 

In the earlier years Helen Lucre was one of Frith’s greatest competitors, while the evergreen Sonja Laxton was her greatest competitor in later years. “I always thought this woman was so damn good and consistent! She was like a flea; I could never get rid of her.”

Her trademark was a red ribbon she tied in her ponytail. “One day I had a brilliant run while wearing a red ribbon. Since then I believed I had to wear the ribbon to run well. I always wore exactly the same one though so many people gave me new ribbons. Eventually I auctioned my ribbon.”

LIFE TODAY
Frith still runs a couple of races these days and tries to do well in her age group. “Now and again I win, but winning isn’t everything anymore.” She is a member of Run/Walk for Life and still manages a time of 16:30 at the weekly 4km time trial. These days she runs between 80km and 90km a week. “One of the nicest things is the breakfasts at Wimpy after the runs!”

She still watches Comrades and Two Oceans on TV and every year, she hopes her records are safe. “Nothing lasts forever and eventually it will be broken. My hope is that a South African breaks it.” She has seven Comrades medals in the bag. “I don’t think I will run Comrades again. The last time I did, I forgot how far it is and how many hills there were!”

The only regret she has is that politics kept her from competing more internationally. She is happy that races nowadays offer equal prize money for men and women. “In my time it was not always the case and I sometimes refused to run races where the prize money was not equal.”

Her advice to novice runners is to enjoy the sport and to be patient in the path to improvement. “Running teaches you to be humble. Don’t just find the first coach you can. There are a lot of good running books. Speak to experienced runners and try to find what is best for you. Every runner is unique.”

PERSONAL BESTS
  8km 26:42
  10km 33:18 Germany, 1993
  15km 49:54 Belville, 1989
  21.1km 71:11 Voet of Africa, 1990
  42.2km 2:27 SA Champs, 1990
  50km 3:08 City to City, 1989
  56km 3:30 Cape Town, 1989