Category: Columns

I am 42 and have type II diabetes. I joined a gym, as I know exercise is important to control blood glucose levels, and in the process I started to enjoy running on the treadmill, eventually venturing out on the road. I need advice on what, when, how much and how often I should eat before/during/after a run. At this stage I do not run more than 5km, but would eventually love to run a half marathon. – HANS HAVENGA, BENONIEXPERT

ANSWER
Running can be a very effective tool to help manage your sugar levels. For me to give you the best advice, I need more specific details such as the times of your runs, current sugar control, medication used, weight, daily activity levels, etc. In general though, if your blood sugar levels are well-controlled, you would apply the same principles a non-diabetic athlete would. (If you are on glucophage, you have even less worry that your sugar levels will fall too low.)

For example, if you are only running for 30 minutes, you generally would not need to worry too much about eating before or during a run. A nutritious low-GI snack or meal (depending on the time of day) would be a good idea afterwards, as you will need to replenish glycogen stores for your run the next day. If you are running for about 90 minutes, you may want to think about eating something before you start. The ideal snack or meal has a low to intermediate GI, to supply a slow but constant release of energy throughout the run. Again, you probably need a small snack immediately after the run to help maximise muscle recovery and to refuel your glycogen stores. For longer runs such as 21km, you should introduce small amounts of high-GI carbs (which supply a quick source of energy) in intervals throughout your run.

For detailed information, I recommend that you consult a dietician.

Modern Athlete Expert – CHRISTINE PETERS
Dietician at Sunninghill Medical Centre, Johannesburg. Member of Morningside Country Club with eight years running experience, including two finishes in the Two Oceans Marathon.

When I’m racing, I always get a sharp pain just under my breast. I try to avoid any liquids before the race and for the first few kilometres. The pain slows me down as I have to reduce my pace. I sometimes take deep breaths in and out to ease the pain, which helps for a while. What should I do? – NDANGANENI MUDAU, NEDBANK RUNNING CLUB, JOHANNESBURG

EXPERT ANSWER
A stitch is an intense stabbing pain under the lower edge of the ribcage that occurs while exercising. It is due to a cramp in the diaphragm, the large muscle that separates the abdominal and chest cavities. The inner organs of the abdominal cavity hang from several flimsy ligaments that are fixed to the diaphragm. These inner organs, the liver, spleen, stomach, small intestines and colon, weigh several kilograms and the impact of every step causes them to pull on the diaphragm. This continuous up and down movement and the stress on the diaphragm may cause a cramp (stitch).

About 65-75% of stitches occur on the right side of the body, because the liver, by far the heaviest of the abdominal organs, is located on the right. As one breathes out, the diaphragm moves up to force air out of the lungs. Therefore, exhaling as the right foot hits the ground exerts greater force on the liver – and the diaphragm.

The most commonly recommended treatments are related to changing your breathing pattern: if the pain is on the right side, make sure you exhale as the left foot hits the ground and inhale when the right foot hits. Or reduce the frequency of breathing by inhaling for four steps and exhaling for three. Another common treatment is to increase the strength of the diaphragm and improve oxygenation by learning how to belly breathe while running. Belly breathing involves breathing in deeply while simultaneously pushing your stomach out like a balloon. As you breathe out, your stomach should sink in.

Other treatment suggestions include:
•    Stopping and lying down with elevated legs
•    Pressing your fingers into the painful spot and blowing out through pursed lips
•    Cutting out fatty, high protein foods prior to exercise
•    Slowing down your pace, as fast running increases the ground reaction forces
•    Stretching by raising one arm and leaning to the opposite side
•    Relaxing your body, as stitches may occur more frequently in a tense athlete

Modern Athlete Expert – TONY HESP
Physiotherapist in Edenvale, Johannesburg. Has finished 20 Comrades, three Ironmans and two New York Marathons, plus various cycling and canoeing events. Member of Jeppe Quondam.

We tend to focus on our legs and feet as the most important body parts for our running. The lower back and core stomach muscles get a bit of attention now and then, and sometimes the upper body and arms also feature… But how often do we think about our eyes? Not often enough, because they are vitally important to our running.

While running the other day in bright sunshine, a clubmate and I were discussing sunglasses, since I was wearing a pair and he wasn’t. He mentioned that he really should get a pair of running sunglasses, as he was squinting quite badly in the glare. I replied that he needed sunglasses not only for the glare, but also to protect his eyes from all the UV radiation emitted by the sun, and that he should actually wear sunglasses every time he goes outside, not just when running.

I was told this by Dr Sherylle Calder of the Sports Science Institute of South Africa in Cape Town, when I interviewed her about vision and running. Sherylle is a world-renowned vision specialist who has worked with many top sportspeople and teams, including the 2007 Rugby World Cup-winning Springboks, to improve their reaction speed, hand-eye co-ordination and balance through visual training and exercises. Her focus is on how visual training can benefit one’s sports performance, but we also spoke about eye protection, specifically about wearing sunglasses.

ALWAYS COVER UP
Sherylle told me that, “Unfortunately, many sports participants still think that safety precautions are only necessary in extreme or contact sports, but in running, one of the most important aspects to consider is the protection of the eyes, because runners’ eyes are often exposed to bright light and UV radiation.”

She explained that there are three types of UV radiation produced by the sun – A, B and C. The ozone layer absorbs UV C radiation, so it poses no threat to us – so long as there is still an ozone layer, of course – but the A and B types penetrate the ozone and pose a threat to us when we are outdoors. “The longer your eyes are exposed to UV radiation, the greater the risk of you developing problems such as glaucoma, a condition caused by increased pressure of the fluid within the eyeball. You could also develop cataracts, which is clouding of the lenses.”

According to the experts, we should all wear sunglasses every time we go outside, which means when we run as well. The problem is that some runners don’t like running with sunglasses, because the glasses bounce, slip or worse, fog up. Most sunglasses manufacturers are aware of these problems nowadays and thus have introduced design technology and features to overcome these problems.

“The top ranges offer sunglasses with improved fit and performance, making them far more suitable for running. The frames are more durable, and many have venting systems to eliminate fogging. They also have thermogrip nose-pads, ear-pieces and temples to ensure a snugger, non-slip fit,” explains Sherylle. “Also, polycarbonate lenses are better for running. They are shatterproof, scratch-resistant and fog up less easily than glass or plastic lenses. And specialist running pairs often offer interchangeable lens options for different light conditions.”

BOTTOM LINE
My clubmate then asked the proverbial million dollar question: “So do I need to go buy expensive sunglasses that cost more than my running shoes or can I get away with a cheaper pair?” The answer, according to Sherylle, is that, “Some of the cheapest sunglasses offer adequate protection and undistorted vision. The big difference is that many of these cheaper sunglasses are not designed for running.”

So, when buying sunglasses to run with, make sure they meet all of these requirements:
1    Block out all UV A and B radiation.
2    Screen out between 75% and 90% of visible light – lenses that ‘wrap’ your face are best.
3    Fit your face comfortably and snugly, but not too closely.
4    Don’t bounce or move when you run or jump.
5    Don’t fog up when you sweat – look for anti-fogging vents or ‘flying lenses’ that are mounted with       gaps between lens and frame.
6    Don’t slip when you sweat – look for ‘sticky rubber’ on the nose-piece and ear-pieces.

And of course, they need to look good on you, too. But don’t compromise on performance and protection just to look more fashionable out on the road! You need to protect those peepers.

Blanche Moila made history in 1984 when she became the first black female athlete to be awarded Springbok Colours. Over the years she has become a sporting icon who has won more than 50 KZN road running, cross-country and track races. She has held national titles and records over various distances and has received many awards for her achievements as an athlete. These days Blanche devotes her time to the development and training of young female athletes, and her petite figure and distinct turban are still seen at many races.

It was 1981 when a shy student nurse, who was more interested in academics than sport, laced up a pair of running shoes for the first time and participated in a hospital sports day. A doctor with an eye for good runners noticed the slight figure with the economical pace and invited the young Blanche Moila to run with him. Dr Shorty Moolla was preparing for Comrades and needed a training partner.

“Those first runs were painful! After my second day on the road I was so stiff and thought, ‘Is this what running is about?’ My body was so sore I couldn’t tie my shoes or wash my back. Dr Shorty encouraged me and said it will get better. Thank goodness it did!” says Blanche, who was born in Limpopo but stayed in a boarding school in Cape Town during her high school years. These days she works as a nurse, unit manager and night staff supervisor in the Psychiatric Unit at King George V Hospital in Sydenham, Durban.

THE START OF A LIFELONG LOVE AFFAIR
Within her first year of running Blanche ran her first half marathon race in Pietermaritzburg. She surprised spectators – and herself – when she finished in third position amongst the ladies. “After the race, people said I cheated. It was because I came from nowhere and no one had ever heard of me.” These rumours were soon dispelled when Blanche stormed ahead and placed third in her second race, the Femina 10km. That day the big names in KwaZulu-Natal were racing: Colleen de Reuck and Sue van Onselen. “I finished in about 39 minutes and that was the first time people started realising I might have some talent.”

She joined Savages Athletic Club in KZN and is still a member today. Over the years she has been approached many times by commercial clubs, but her loyalty will always be with Savages, asserts Blanche.

Her third race was a 10km in Cape Town and this time Blanche had to compete against even bigger names in athletics, such as Zola Budd and Dianne Massyn. “Zola was first, Dianne second and I placed third! I beat Colleen for the first time. I ran about 35 minutes and took a huge chunk off my PB. The newspapers had my name in their headlines and I started getting noticed.”

ACHIEVEMENTS
Blanche’s list of achievements at various distances is endless; South African 10km, 15km and 21.1km champ, third at the SA Marathon Champs, SA Cross-Country champion and KZN provincial champion in most of these distances. She was also a consistent top three finisher over 15km and the marathon distance nationally until the mid-90s. She represented South Africa abroad at the International Women’s Road Relay events in Japan and South Korea, and in 1993 she represented South Africa at the World Marathon Champs in Spain.

Blanche’s favourite discipline by far is cross-country, but that did not keep her from tackling ultra distances. She has completed seven Comrades and even won a silver medal in 2005, but says she never raced it. “To me Comrades is very social. It is such an amazing race and more about the vibe. You have to run it to understand the attraction; only then will you know why anyone wants to run 89km!” explains Blanche, who will be running her eighth Comrades this year. For the past few years she has been running the race to support the Starfish Foundation, a charity that looks after children who have been orphaned or made vulnerable by AIDS.

AWARDS AND HIGHLIGHTS
One of the highlights of her career was when she was awarded the Shoprite Checkers Woman of the Year Award for Sport in 2002. “To me that was such a huge honour and very humbling,” says 53-year-old Blanche. She has received many other awards: the State President’s Award for Lifetime Achievement, the Sonja Laxton Sportmanship Award, and she was the Face of Comrades in 2004.

A huge career highlight came in 1984 when Blanche was awarded original Springbok Colours. “I do not refer to myself as the first black female athlete. I refer to myself as the first melanin-enriched female athlete to win Springbok Colours. It changed who I was. I was such an introvert when I was younger. I had my nose in the books all the time and only had two friends! Sport liberated me; it made me come alive. When I was awarded Springbok Colours, I realised I had to motivate others.”

In her beginning years of running she adorned her head with a turban, and today this is still Blanche Moila’s trademark. “A turban is a sign of respect. I adopted it years ago and found it very comfortable. It became my persona.”

GREATEST COMPETITORS
Blanche’s success came during a competitive era amongst female athletes in road running. Zola Budd, Colleen de Reuck, Helen Lucre, Tanya Peckam and later Sonja Laxton and Grace de Oliveira have been her greatest competitors over the years, says Blanche. She has built lasting friendships with many of them and today she still stays in close contact with Colleen, who lives in the USA. “I cherish these friendships. We came from an era where it was unheard of to form such close friendships over the colour barrier.”

TRAINING
At the height of her career Blanche averaged about 120km per week, concentrating on many quality sessions. A typical week looked like this:

                         AM    PM
Monday            8km    6 x 1km repeats at 3:30min/km
Tuesday            8km    
Wednesday       8km    10 x hill repeats of 150-200m long
Thursday           8km    10 x 400m repeats
Friday               Easy short run    
Saturday           Hard cross-country race    
Sunday              Race or long run of about 35km  

Nowadays she runs every morning in Sydenham where she lives. She still tries to include speed and hill work in her training programme, but at a much more relaxed pace. “I run about 90 to 100km per week, and always alone. I am a nurse and need to plan my runs around my shifts. It’s a mind thing to make it work. Some mornings I start running at 4:30. One has to make time for running.” She still participates in cross-country and tries to run a few road races per year.

“A while ago we visited a place in northern Natal where there was a lot of running talent amongst the young girls. We selected some for training camps and obviously, they first had to ask their parents. Some parents said they first had to consult their ancestors. This type of thing happens a lot in rural communities. There is so much talent out there, but unfortunately some of our traditions and norms distract from that talent,” says Blanche. She regularly appeals, especially to male black athletes, to spread the word amongst youngsters that it is acceptable and healthy to run.

MYSTERIOUS MYTHS
There are still many myths when it comes to black female athletes, especially amongst the rural black community, and it is these perceptions that she is trying to change, says Blanche. Some of these myths include:
•    If you run, you will not be able to conceive.
•    Running is not feminine and you will become very masculine.
•    The ligaments in your breasts will snap and make them droop.
•    Running slows the development of female reproductive organs.

GIVING BACK
These days Blanche is very much involved in motivational speaking at various schools and she also heads an anti-drug campaign. “I try to remind young people there is no quick fix. If you want a high, you must run. You must go out there and get a natural high!” She has received tremendous support from the community: Beshet High School in Sydenham, where Blanche regularly speaks, named one of their school houses after Blanche, while another school has named a floating trophy after her. “This motivates me because I would love to see youngsters achieve so much more than me.”

Blanche also enjoys being involved in the administrative side of running, currently serving on the Interim Board of Athletics South Africa and often acting as team manager and accompanying athletic teams abroad. From time to time she is also a commentator on Radio 2000. “I want to give back on different levels because I got so much from sport.”

Stop the Litter
I must say that I share Elise’s view on campaigning to keep litter to a minimum at races (Have Your Say, January 2010 – Don’t mess with us!). Much of it is making novices aware and also reminding the rest. But I must admit that it can be quite challenging getting the empty sachet in the bin when racing against the clock for that elusive PB. One practical tip that I was taught at Celtics was to sew my front licence number onto my vest in a U – thus creating a pocket to place empty sachets. Works a treat! Make sure you leave only your footprints behind! – ELLIE COURTS, CAPE TOWN

Ed’s Reply: Great idea – and something all runners should start doing. Carrying that empty sachet to the finish, or at least to the next water table, is not that difficult, and won’t slow you down!

Come Visit Us
First of all I must congratulate you on what I think is fast becoming the leading source of information on athletics in South Africa. Secondly, we at Akasia Athletic Club have seen your reviews on various clubs and would like to invite you to perhaps do a similar review on our club, depending of course on your selection criteria. – FANUS VAN DER MERWE, CLUB CAPTAIN, AKASIA ATHLETICS CLUB

Ed’s Reply: We’re always looking for clubs to review, so rest assured we’ll keep you in mind for a future Club Focus article. Speaking of which, all clubs are welcome to send us info and contact details – go to the Club Focus section on www.modernathlete.co.za and click on the Become a Contributor link.

Superior Rating
I picked up a copy of the November edition of Modern Athlete at the Tough One. Congratulations on a great magazine. This is so much superior to the other mags available.” – PETER KOEDYK, JOHANNESBURG

Ed’s Reply: Glad you like it.

Dry Runs
Please can you assist? We encounter race after race with no water at the watering points, no Coke, nothing. Just a shrug of the shoulders and sorry, next water point the same. This happened on the 10km road races on 31 December 2009, 1 January and 2 January 2010 in Pretoria. First race, no water at 3km and nothing at 6km. No Coke at 3km, 6km or 9km. Second race, no Coke at any water point. Third race, no Coke at any water point. Tokai 16km, 26 December 2009, lots of water and Coke at the water points… Only one cup of Coke per person at the finish! Strange with entry fees at R30…

We need to sort this out as I feel the runners at the middle or back of the fi eld pay the same as the
frontrunners. The 2010 Comrades is going to be big… some 22 000 people now enter road races every weekend in preparation for Comrades, so why don’t the clubs organising the races increase the water accordingly? Please, please, please! Maybe it is time to stop entering the races and run on your own, or even better, run with a friend and never have to worry about no water or poor watering points? – PETER BADENHORST, VIA E-MAIL

Ed’s Reply: Some organisers have been caught short by the sudden increase in numbers, running out of water and Coke as well as medals, but now that the trend for bigger fi elds has been shown to be consistent, we’re hearing about more and more organisers ordering more water and other race provisions. Hopefully you won’t have any more dry runs.

No More Itchy Feet
For all those who shower after races and are worried about fungal diseases in the change rooms, here is the most effective solution for the treatment or prevention of athlete’s foot. It is better than any over-the-counter tablets or creams and acts extremely fast. Soak your feet for 20 minutes, once or twice a week, depending on the severity of your infection, in apple cider vinegar. You will be amazed at the results. – SIMON, VIA E-MAIL

Ed’s Reply: I think we all feel safer now!

We Want More
A special thanks from all the members at Run/Walk for Life at Rondebosch and Milnerton in Cape Town. This is truly a fantastic and useful magazine, with all the important features for our walkers and
runners. We look forward to the coming editions of 2010. – NAOMI WILLIAMS, VIA E-MAIL

Ed’s Reply: We’ll keep on writing if you keep on reading!

Question Time
I love your new mag, especially all the stories about local runners that I can relate to and possibly even meet out on the road, but I have two questions to pose to the Modern Athlete team:

1. When are we going to have to start paying for it? I mean, you guys are producing such a great read, but it must cost a lot of money to produce it, print it and distribute it around the country.
2. When are you going to downsize it to a standard A4 size, like other mags? Part of me likes the bigger size, but part of me would prefer a smaller magazine. – JAKES, SOMERSET WEST

Ed’s Reply: Thanks for the positive feedback. Now to answer your questions, it’s quite simple: You’re not, and we’re not. In other words, the magazine will remain free, and the size will also stay the same. We like standing out from the crowd!

Generation Inspiration
Brilliant magazine! We, the runners, want a local publication concerning our running achievements, our heroes present and past, as very little is known of them because no publication documented much on our athletes’ lives, achievements, etc.

I loved the article on the Moloney generation runners (Moloney’s Memories, January 2010). How tough athletes were in those days. I have Wally Hayward’s biography, Just Call Me Wally, and loved every word written by the author. Please keep these past and often forgotten heroes in your publication, like Hardy Ballington, Jackie Meckler, Hosea Tjale, etc. I truly look up to these gritty characters of  yesteryear and their stories.

Ordinary runners and their stories are great. I am 34 years old and love the stories and harsh struggles runners of yesteryear had to endure to complete training runs, etc. True storytelling like the Moloney article; I had tears welling when I read about his bicycle travels to work and taking his kid to school. Wow! Would we do that today? What true role models. – DONOVAN GOULD, EDGEMEAD

Ed’s Reply: We were just as inspired by the Moloney article, which is why we gave it three pages in the mag! If you missed the November edition and want to read the article, go to www.modernathlete.co.za and look for the article under the My Story section.

Inspiring Stuff
Very well done on the tremendous growth of Modern Athlete. Many friends and fellow runners have said very positive things about the magazine, and as you know, us runners never tire of reading good  articles about our sport. Loved the January edition’s Adrian Gore article and his stair-climbing antics at home, when waiting for his wife to fi nish things, and when travelling. Loved his positivity – if we all had that, life would be so great! And the Anthony and Thozama article – stunning, humbling and inspiring. – KATHY, CAPE TOWN

Ed’s Reply: Our goal with this magazine is to provide our readers with inspiring stories about local heroes, and letters like this tell us that we’re hitting the right note with you.

Just over 100 years ago, in August 1906, a group of young runners in Cape Town met to discuss forming a new athletic club. As many of them had Irish roots, the name Celtic Harriers and club colours of white and green hoops were proposed and accepted. Today the Celtic colours rank amongst the best-known club colours in the country, and the club boasts a rich history of running achievement.

In the early days the club’s focus was very much on track and fi eld, with cross-country second on the list and road running trailing in a distant third, says living Celtics legend, Harold Berman – best known as the voice of road running in the Western Cape thanks to his work as a race announcer. He says he’s seen many changes in the sport since he joined Celtics in 1961 as a 16-year-old sprinter with a best of 10.5 seconds for 100 yards.

“I loved athletics at school, but we had limited opportunity for participation as there wasn’t much in terms of interschools back then, so I felt it was time to join a club,” says Harold. “The focus then was on the track, but that changed in the mid-1970s when running exploded during the Running Boom. But there was no one to run things or to announce things – our Club President Charlie Savage would just shout the line-up and then we would start the race. Later I got hold of a loudhailer, and that’s how my announcing started.”

“We started with 26 entrants in the Two Oceans in 1970 and I remember when we touched 1 000 entrants in 1980. It was massive!” says Harold. “Now we have over 10 000 in the ultramarathon and another 11 000 in the half marathon, so I’ve really seen the growth of running!”

Today the club has some 450 members, but in former years had up to 1 200 members and was the largest club in the Cape. The club caters for all runners, from beginners to the elite, and recently established a trail running group, a walking group as well as a multisport section to cater for triathletes and duathletes.

IN THE HOT SEAT
Current Celtics Chairman Roger McCallum has been a member of the club for six years. He joined Celtics because he lived just down the road from the clubhouse and heard about the good spirit in the club. “I ran six Comrades for six different clubs, but I fi nally decided it was time to settle down, so I joined Celtics. I did my fi rst Comrades while I was still at varsity, but I gave up running for 17 years, took up smoking and got as big as a house, so I decided to get back in shape, joined Celtics, and this year I’ll be running my tenth Comrades.”

This is Roger’s first year on the Celtics committee and he says that he was thrown in at the deep end when elected, but is quick to add that he has had plenty of support. “There are a lot of experienced runners and administrators in this club who you can call on to help or offer advice. I must say, though, it has been a real eye-opener seeing how many different tasks there are to running a club and organising races, and how many people are needed to help.”

Vice-Chairman Ivan Fynn has a similar story, having been with the club five years and now serving on
the committee for the first time. “I used to run as teenager, then didn’t run for some 25 years, but due to the stress of my work in the media world, I decided to get some exercise. A friend and I tried to walk around the Rondebosch Common and we saw all these Celtics guys running around the Common, so decided to join their time trial. Later we decided to join the club for the structured training and advice the
experienced runners could give us.”

“Then, like Roger, I heard the call for new faces on the committee. The beauty of this club is that the new committee has been consistently helped by former committee members and administrators, so the ‘institutional memory’ lives on while we’re also bringing in fresh ideas.”

RUNNING HOME
The club did not have an offi cial home prior to the 70s. In the early years the runners would meet at the Long Street Swimming Baths, where they could take a refreshing dip after a hard training session. Later the meeting place moved to St Joseph’s in Mowbray. Then in 1970, led by Stuart Banner, Celtics amalgamated with Villagers Rugby Club, which was based at Brookside in Landsdowne Road.

Believe it or not, the rationale behind this was that Villagers could not qualify for a liquor licence, given that their membership was limited to one half of the year, during the rugby season. Therefore, by inviting Celtics to share their club facilities, they ensured a year-round membership and thus qualifi ed for a liquor licence for their bar!

The bonus for both clubs went far beyond bar facilities, though. Celtics finally had their own clubhouse and picked up a number of new members from the rugby club who were looking for extra fitness training ahead of the rugby season. As it turned out, some soon found they had far more talent for running than rugger, including Marcello Fiasconaro, who went on to set a world record over 800m.

CLUB RUNS
Celtics presents a number of weekly training runs. Club runs take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays, starting at 5:45pm or 6pm (depending on the season) from the clubhouse. The runs are between 8km and 15km long, with up to nine different slow, medium and fast groups led by experienced pacers that call the route for the day. The club recently added a walking group with two pace groups of either 8min/km or 10min/km, which cover between 7km and 9km per session.

The Celtics time trial is run on Wednesday evenings, either at 5:45pm or 6pm. It circles the Rondebosch Common for a distance of 2.5km, so two laps gives you a standard 5km route. The start point is at the Big Rock on the corner of Park and Sawkins Roads. As an extra incentive to run the time trial, Celtics’
club sponsor PUMA provides prizes for a monthly shoe draw.

The club also has a trail running group, which meets every Thursday at 6pm somewhere on the slopes of Table Mountain and its accompanying peaks. Slow, medium and fast pace groups are provided, led by experienced trail runners who know the mountain well, and the groups always stay together so that nobody gets lost on the mountain. Another monthly draw for a pair of PUMA shoes adds extra incentive to join this group.

CELTICS RACES
Officially, Celtics has three races on the annual calendar, but in reality only organises two of them, since its flagship race, the Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon (56km) & Half Marathon, along with the
accompanying Marafun fun runs, is now run as a separate Section 21 company, although still with much input from the Celtics members.

“The event was organised by the club for many years, but this changed when more and more  international runners began to enter and Athletics South Africa and Western Province Athletics said the race should be organised under the auspices of the national body,” says Harold.

The Two Oceans was founded in 1970 as a long training run for Cape Town runners preparing for the Comrades. While that first race had just 26 starters, the ultra has grown into one of South Africa’s favourite races, now run on Easter Weekend, along a route that passes both sides of the Cape Peninsula and thus offers wonderful sea views on both sides, hence the race name. Oceans will take place on 3 April this year, and the popularity of the event has forced the organisers to cap entries at 10 000 and 11 000 for the ultra and half respectively.

Preceding Oceans each year is the BDO Peninsula Marathon and Half Marathon, which will take place on 21 February this year. It was fi rst run in 1964 and traditionally run from Green Point to Simon’s Town, offering a fl at course that promised good times – if the south-easter didn’t provide a stiff  headwind. The half started in Bergvliet, near the halfway mark of the marathon route. Due to construction and planning for the Soccer World Cup, the start cannot take place in Green Point at the moment, so the route has temporarily moved down to the Simon’s Town-Fish Hoek-Kommetjie area, but is set to return to its traditional route in the near future.

The Don Lock 8km Memorial Race is the oldest of the Celtics races, first run in 1960 as a five-mile race in memory of Celtics member Don Lock, who was killed in an accident. Run between the Rondebosch Common and the clubhouse at Brookside, the race now attracts many young runners through the Move For Your Health initiative run by the Sports Science Institute of South Africa in conjunction with the World Health Organisation, along with the My School initiative run in conjunction with Woolworths
and the City of Cape Town.

SOCIAL SCENE
Like all good clubs, Celtics has a vibrant social scene. The yearend function with awards ceremony, plus welcoming of new members, takes place around January/February to kick off the year. That is followed by the annual Two Oceans and Comrades functions, to send the club’s ultra-marathoners off in style. Later in the year come the Hat Party, Quiz Evening and AGM, with other events sprinkled in as well.
The club also takes its tent to the bigger races, including all Western Province or Club Challenge league races, and the full series of cross-country league events. Drinks and snacks are provided for members at these races.

She has won the Dis-Chem Half Marathon four times before, but at this year’s race she did not think she stood a chance of winning, as Ren? Kalmer, one of her biggest rivals, was amongst the elite women lining up. “I did not have a race plan and from the start just ran. At the 12km mark Ren? pulled out because of an injury. I ran alone all the way, but constantly thought the other girls were going to catch me any minute. Only when I crossed the finish line I realised how far ahead I was,” says Irvette.

She finished in 1:18:46 despite running the race with blisters, which she started becoming aware of from the 9km mark. “I think my racing shoes were too light for a half marathon. I am just happy I won and managed to run a sub-80min half marathon.”

Irvette is no stranger to winning races and competing at a high level. As a junior she represented South Africa at the World Cross-Country Champs. In 2003, at the age of 15, she finished in 18th position and the following year, she crossed the line in 16th position. At the end of her grade 11 year she was involved in a scooter accident and could barely walk for two months. But three months after the accident, Irvette was back at the World Champs, finishing in 26th position.

She has excelled at track events, winning the 2009 SA Track Champs over 10 000m. But her passion lies with road running. “I prefer running 10km and half marathon road races. Track can become very boring. The routes in road running are always different and challenging.”

She has never raced further than 32km, but is hoping to tackle the marathon distance soon. “Marathons are challenging and if I work hard I can excel at it. I am hoping to run my fi rst marathon at the SA Marathon Champs later this year.”

She admits to suffering from countless injuries but luckily, the last couple of months have been good to her and she feels fit and healthy.

Irvette is part of a group of elite athletes who train under the watchful eye of Gerrie Coetzee. He coaches athletes such as Juan van Deventer, Ren? Kalmer and Maxine Heine-Wacker. “We are a competitive group of girls!” says Irvette, who works at her mom’s nursery and runs an average of 150km a week.

Running is in the family; her godmother is well-known competitive athlete and former Comrades winner Francis van Blerk. “Sometimes we run together. Luckily I am still beating her!”

Irvette’s biggest dream is to compete in the 2012 Olympic marathon. “I enjoy pushing myself to the limit. Running is so much part of my life. I don’t think I would ever be able to stop. It’s like an addiction.”

I would like run a sub-1:40 half marathon. I am 59 years old, have been running for 31 years, retired from Comrades after 20 finishes, and have a half marathon PB of 1:14:35. My best time in the last five years was 1:49. My current training is three days a week, doing one 10km fartlek session, one 13km and one 20km. Is age a major cause of slowing down? Also, how can I overcome an injury i.e. spinal bilharzia, which I contracted while paddling five Duzis five years ago. It took two years to start running again and I have battled to get my speed and strength back. How can I change my training to improve speed without breaking down? – LES BRUYNS, PIETERMARITZBURG

ANSWER
They say that old age is not for sissies and I really relate, as I’m now 57. There is no doubt that advancing years rob us of our speed and getting it back is quite a challenge. Your 21km PB is really impressive, so rest easy that you have the genes, but now we need to turn back the clock.

Your current programme is, I believe, lacking in strength and speed work. As you will know from the past, if you want to race fast, you have to train fast, but should also balance the strength and speed work with easy days. At our age more rest and greater recovery time are as important as quality sessions. Err on the conservative side and take a day off if you are feeling tired. The benefit of rest outweighs the benefit of sessions you miss.

My medical knowledge is limited so I would not be able to comment on the effects of spinal bilharzia. Suffice it to say that I know it leaves you with no energy, so I’m sure it has
been a long way to get back up.

Head for your sub-1:40 with some caution, understanding that after 31 years on the road, your body will be tired. You have the class – no one can ever take that away. Your speed will come back and you will be able to convert it into decent racing times – but only if you are fresh and not over-trained. For us old timers, less is often more.

Barry Holland Coach
	Running coach with 33 years’ experience. Member of Jeppe Quondam, has run 37 consecutive Comrades Marathons. His PBs include 1:17:21 (21km), 2:39:30 (42km) and 6:29:22 (Comrades).

Some diets and eating programmes recommend an eating ‘day off’ in which you can literally eat what you want. Why is this and is it benefi cial? – ELIZABETH

ANSWER
This is done more for psychological reasons than for physiological ones. Many people fi nd strict diets overwhelming and off-putting, especially when they think they have to keep it up for weeks, months or even a lifetime. With very stringent diets, people often give up before even trying or, if they do go slightly wrong, they are very quick to ’throw in the towel’. Going off and on diets can often be more detrimental to your weight and health.

Mentally knowing you only have to keep something up for six days and then looking forward to one day of relaxing, helps you maintain a diet. Dieting this way is often more successful because people are able to manage the diet, say for about 90% of the time as opposed to about 40% of the time when they keep going off and on it. A diet with one ‘cheat day’ a week may take a little longer to show results than one that is strictly adhered to seven days a week, but the long-term maintenance is more successful.

My opinion is that this type of diet can be beneficial, however the ’day off‘ should only comprise of one unhealthy meal/snack, and should not encompass the entire day! I personally try and teach people to eat healthily on a meal plan, taking the emphasis away from a ’diet‘. By doing this, people learn they can eat unhealthy foods whenever they feel like it, but always within reason and in balance. That way we avoid the ’all-or-nothing‘ attitude often associated with diets and binging.

Christine Peters Dietician
	Dietician at Sunninghill Medical Centre, Johannesburg. Member of Morningside Country Club with eight years running experience, including two finishes in the Two Oceans Marathon.

I have been seeing a physiotherapist for muscle spasms in my right shoulder. It seems to be much better after each visit, though the spasms persist. My physiotherapist keeps on telling me to come back for more sessions. I have already been for six treatments. It is quite an expensive exercise and sometimes it feels as if I’m paying money but not seeing the results. After how many physiotherapy sessions should one feel better? And how does one know where to draw the line and when to seek a second opinion? – KIM BRADFORD, HILLCREST

ANSWER
A muscle spasm is the body’s way of protecting itself against further injury. Spasms in the shoulder usually occur due to overuse or weakness of the muscle. Also, if you overstretch or have poor posture in the offi ce, muscle spasms can occur. Repetitive contractions of the muscle during stress or improper training methods can also lead to spasms.

Usually if it is not a complex problem, the muscle spasm should be relieved after the first three physiotherapy sessions. It all depends on the severity of the spasm. It is important that the underlying causes of the problem are treated because if they are not, the spasms will return very quickly, leading to more visits to your physiotherapist.

I usually give lots of advice with regards to ergonomics in the workplace and home, sleeping positions, pillow height and positioning, sporting technique and training methods. These could all be causes of your shoulder spasms.

A proper home stretching and strengthening programme is paramount in relieving the symptoms and sorting out the problem faster. I recommend six treatments to my patients and if there is absolutely no change in their symptoms, I reassess and then refer them to a specialist for further tests. I must  emphasise that you and your physiotherapist need to work together to solve the problem, thus it is vital for you to follow the advice and exercises given in order to get optimum results.

David van Wyk Physio
	Sport physiotherapist with private sport and orthopaedic practices in Elarduspark and Faerie Glen, Pretoria. Member of AS Eagles Running Club, sub-45min 10km runner.