Category: Features

The Ironman World Champs race in Kona, Hawaii, is considered one of the toughest sporting events, and when blind triathlete Helen Webb crossed the Kona finish line this October, she added yet another chapter to an already impressive and inspiring story. – BY SEAN FALCONER

Born with just 10% vision caused by albinism, a congenital disorder characterised by the complete or partial absence of pigment in the skin, hair and eyes, Helen Webb has spent her whole life trying to change perceptions of people with disabilities. “I was bullied at school and told that I was a monster, and even though that stopped when I reached my 20s, I still felt I was not good enough,” she says. However, that all began to change when she set out to show what she could do, both academically (she has a Ph.D. in chemistry) and physically. “Prior to running and triathlon, I felt like I was not really achieving much in life – it was just about how I viewed myself – but triathlon has helped me see myself as an extraordinary visually impaired person, and I hope my story will inspire others to do the same.”

Helen (37) was born in London, spent 10 years in the USA and then moved to SA at age 11. Growing up in Johannesburg, she says she was not at all sporty. “I was actually not allowed to participate in sport, because I had a severe lack of eye-hand co-ordination, on top of albinism, which meant I couldn’t spend that much time in the sun. Then in my early 20s a friend took me for a 5km run, and to my surprise, I didn’t die, so I began running, up to half marathon distance. I found that my eyesight was not an issue, but I’m not particularly fast, because I’m only in control of about 1.5m in front of me. On the track I can bang out four minutes a kay easily, but on the road I’m lucky to do seven minutes a kay.”

Next Challenge, Please
At 31 Helen felt she needed a bigger challenge. “I decided to run the Comrades, because that’s what you do in SA… I did lots of marathons, but for two years I couldn’t get any faster to qualify. Then in 2012 I began doing speed training, and got my marathon down to 4:30. Starting my first Comrades was a big thing for me, but by 20km I felt exhausted and overwhelmed. I couldn’t overtake people because I have no depth perception, and then just before halfway I tripped on a cat’s eye and fell. I was covered in blood and my knee was really sore, but I carried on till Cato Ridge at 68km, where I eventually dropped out. It was only afterwards that I realised I had a broken bone in my hand and torn ligaments in my knee!”

“I went back in 2014 and finished the race, but again the start was difficult and I couldn’t cut across other runners to get water, so I did 30 to 40km without water. I ran it again 2016, but by then I had already decided I wanted to do Ironman, even though I was terrified of the water.” In fact, Helen says just trying to swim in the pool left her literally unable to breathe from anxiety, but she still went to the Ironman in PE to help as a volunteer and see what the race was like. “I heard people say look at the swimmers at the buoys. I couldn’t even see the water’s edge, let alone the buoys… and the people were doing 60 kays an hour or more on the bikes. I thought I could literally kill somebody if I did the wrong thing at that kind of speed!

Down, But Not Out
Feeling devastated, the PE trip made Helen realise she would need help if she wanted to achieve her Ironman goal. “From a young age I had been told I would never be independent, or live by myself, but I had gained a lot of independence through running. It was therefore a huge thing to accept that I would need a guide and a tandem bike to do Ironman. That’s when I contacted Derick Marcisz, as I had several friends who had been part of his Dare to Tri programme. He very kindly offered to fetch me in the mornings and guide me in pack runs, and helped me find a borrowed tandem to ride.”

“Now the challenge was to find a female guide, as per the ITU rules, and I needed somebody who could deal with my panic in the water, and also put up with my slow speed on the bike and run. In the end, we made a desperate plea on social media late in 2016 and found Desi Dickinson, an elite age grouper who said she wanted to give back to the sport. From the end of October 2016, she dedicated her training time to me for Ironman 70.3 East London, and then Ironman Port Elizabeth. I had never expected to find somebody of her calibre willing to give up everything for me!”

When Helen went to East London in January, she was still panicking about the swim, and to make matters worse, the sea was so rough in the days leading up to the race that she and Desi could only do one short sea swim. “I did that first swim in a panicked state, feeling like I was going to drown. I was actually incredibly lucky that Desi had lifesaving skills, because after just 300 metres I had physically given up and she had to pull me back in. Once back on the beach I collapsed from shock. That evening at supper I told Derick I didn’t think I could get back in there tomorrow, but he just said he wasn’t going to entertain my doubts, and that he knew I could do it… so I thought, why not.”

Fortunately, race day brought calm seas and Helen says the swim was actually amazing. Despite tough bike and run legs, she came home to claim her medal, ecstatic to have conquered her fear. She and Desi then went on to finish the Full Ironman in PE, but Helen says that really took it out of her. “After PE, I was broken psychologically, because in the middle of preparing for the race I had left my job under difficult circumstances, and had no income for four months, so I didn’t even know if I was going to make it to PE. The day before the race, Desi asked if I was scared, and I told her no, because it hurt much more getting there.”

Surprise Entry
Then in May Helen found out she had won a slot for Kona in the lottery, but given her state of mind, and finances, she thought she would have turn it down. “I didn’t think I could do another six months of this, and I would need to ask my guide to go at her own cost, and for no reward, since guides are not considered official entrants. But then I thought this is a once in a lifetime opportunity, so I phoned Desi, even though I knew she had her own commitments and goals. I was already amazed that she had given me two races and six months, so I wasn’t surprised when she said no, and I will remain forever grateful for all that she did for me.”

Fortunately, Helen soon found a replacement. “One name that kept coming up was Caroline Gaynor, from the USA. She had already guided some 20 athletes in about 40 races, including eight full Ironmans, making her probably the most experienced female guide in the world, so I asked her and she said yes. I continued training with various guides in SA, then went over to Kona five weeks before the race, and was incredibly lucky that the whole tri community got together to look after me. Caroline arrived the Monday before the race weekend, and when my tandem arrived on the Tuesday, we rode together for the first time. Thanks to all her experience, she knew exactly how to guide me right from the start.”

Come race day and Helen says the swim was actually easy, but the bike leg was much harder. “We did a lot of climbing into a headwind, but the worst was the heat radiating off the road and lava fields. With albinism, I am sensitive to heat and sun, and by the time we got to 120km, my head was sweating profusely, my jaw locked, and I felt like I was going to black out. I couldn’t talk, but Caroline quickly realised I was developing heat stroke, so she stopped at an aid station and told the volunteers to put ice in my tri suit. I wasn’t even ‘there’ at that stage, but once my core temperature dropped I was fine again, so we said let’s get this race done.”

Another problem hit them about 15km into the run, as night fell. “We had lights in our special needs bags, but they were only at 28km, and it was pitch black out on the highway, so now neither of us could see much. We had to walk a long section while trying not to collide with other runners, and when we eventually got to the finish in 16:27, Caroline was in tears, whereas I was fine. I think the emotional stress of the day got to her, whereas I had my nervous breakdown three days after the race, when I realised there was no more need for training, or finding a guide, or dealing with logistics. I just balled and balled and balled!”

True Bravery
After her remarkable journey to the finish at Kona, Helen has received many messages of congratulations, but she quickly downplays her achievement. “People say I am so brave to race Ironman, but race days are actually easy, as I have somebody to guide me, and do things for me. I think leaving my house and going to work every day is my true bravery, and some of my hardest moments are just going to the shop and trying to buy a tin of tuna, because I can’t see the shelves, or the people, or the till. I don’t want to take anything away from people who finish Comrades or Ironman, but my day-to-day struggles are much bigger than that, so I hope my story will inspire others, and hopefully one day we will see a hundred visually impaired athletes doing Ironman.”

Images: Finisherpix & courtesy Helen Webb

When event organisers send out their final instructions for ultra-events, especially for those happening in the mountains, take note and don’t fob off the compulsory kit items, because they may just save your life, or someone else’s life. – BY ALISON CHADWICK

With glorious weather to see us off, 61 enthusiastic trail runners set off at the start of the Mighty Mutter 65km or Mutter 37km trail run on 7 October. Run in the Southern Drakensberg, both events are self-navigating, and this was my third Mutter. The first 13km up to Thule Beacon at 2537m was tough going, and thanks to the great weather, we wished we’d worn our short Funky Pants rather than long leggings. However, once on top of the ridge, the temperature immediately dropped and we could see the rain approaching, and we soon pulled on an extra layer and rain jacket. Just 10 minutes later the rain started and it got very cold, and actually quite unpleasant.

We continued in these conditions for the next 10km, and I could see that one of the women in our group, Fiona Dawson, looked like she was struggling – not fitness-wise, but with the cold and rain. She did not have the correct gear, notably a waterproof jacket, nor did she have gloves. Another factor when it is raining is that no one wants to stop to eat or take a drink from the streams, and on this particular day everyone was too cold to stop, so we just kept going, and unless your food is easy to reach, you’re not going to stop to eat.

We reached our third and last checkpoint at “The Pig,” about 23km into the race, and at this point I knew I had to help Fiona, as she was shivering and shaking uncontrollably. I could see that the early signs of hypothermia were perhaps setting in, and luckily I had a dry long-sleeve thermal top, a windbreaker and a spare pair of gloves for her, and we used my poncho space blanket as her outer layer. I also insisted that she eat something, even though her hands were shaking too much. (She doesn’t eat ham, but she said she didn’t care at that stage!)

A FRIEND IN NEED
In situations like this, you just know you have to do something to help someone who is struggling, and both Fiona and her daughter Sarah said I saved her life. I think that is perhaps a bit overly dramatic, but I am grateful I had the extra kit… and to be honest, I was actually excited to finally use my space blanket, which I’ve carried with me for about seven years!

Conditions in the mountains can change in an instant. When the mist moves into the mountains, it becomes another ball-game altogether, and you have to rely solely on your tracking device to find your way. Even when I was packing the night before, I threw in a spare set of batteries and my partner said to me, “You’re not going to need those,” and I replied that maybe I won’t need them, but someone else may…

I need to point out that the women’s winner did the 37km course in 4 hours 44 minutes, but us slower runners took nine hours or more, so you can see that the compulsory kit it even more relevant for the backmarkers, as we spend a lot more time out there. At prize-giving, I found out that the event organiser, Malcolm Millar, had witnessed what had happened up on the mountain, and I was awarded the “Lighthouse in a Storm” award. More importantly, I think we all learnt from this experience. It was a tough lesson to learn, especially for Fiona our frozen runner, but also a lesson I’m sure she will never forget, and a few weeks after Mutter I received a lovely gift and card from her to say how much she appreciated my help, and that we’ll always share this special bond.

Images: Courtesy Alison Chadwick

From deciding to get back into shape, a journey of four years has seen friends Zoe Riley and Audrey Hattingh discover the joys of running, make new friends, get to see new places and challenge themselves, and along the way they have inspired many others to start running as well. – BY MANFRED SEIDLER

Running has a way of getting into the heart and soul, because not only is it healthy and good for you, but it’s also great fun. That’s what Zoe Riley and Audrey Hattingh, two long-time friends from Johannesburg, have found since they took up running in 2014, but while their own personal bests and race finishes have given them great satisfaction, their biggest achievement is undoubtedly having inspired many others to take up running as well. Zoe’s husband Rob and Audrey’s husband Gareth are now running, and their friend Jacqui Carr and her husband James are running, plus the various kids, and other friends and family, and work colleagues…

Not only that, but it also ties in with Zoe’s work. She is a financial broker specialising in medical aid schemes, and part of her portfolio is to encourage people to sign up for packages that reward them for being healthy. Having worked with Discovery for many years, she says the Vitality packages just made sense to her, to the extent that she wanted to buy into it herself. “I always felt that if I am going to sell the product, I need to be able to believe in it, so I decided to try out the Vitality programme myself. That led to the two of us starting to exercise together, then do our first parkrun, and eventually to start running races.”

ON THE RUN
It all started eight months after the birth of Zoe’s second child, when she felt she needed to get back into shape and started going to the gym, with Audrey agreeing to join her. “We just felt that it was time to do something again. Work, family, kids had all been the priorities, but once things had settled a bit, we felt it was time to do something for ourselves, so we headed off to gym. It was great because not only were we training, but we were also able to share quality time with each other.” However, soon gym workouts were no longer enough…

Parkruns have taken South Africa by storm since being introduced in November 2011. They offer a safe, free and fun way for the whole family to exercise and socialise, and today there are more than 120 parkruns taking place every weekend all over South Africa, with the total number of registered participants numbering nearly 450,000. Being based in the Bedfordview area of Johannesburg, the closest parkrun for the girls back then was at Modderfontein, about 15km up the highway, and that’s where the girls headed to start their New Year’s running resolution.

“Our first parkrun was on the fourth of January in 2014, and it was so much fun,” says Audrey. “We loved every minute of it,” echoes Zoe. “Our families came out, we had coffee afterwards, it was just a really pleasant way to spend the morning, and we got in our training!” That day proved a life-changing experience, and for the next year, every Saturday without fail, Zoe and Audrey would be on the Modderfontein start line. Later, however, merely showing up every weekend at the parkrun was not enough… They wanted to become more involved, so they put their names down to become part of the volunteer programme.

“After 20 runs, Event Director Wayde Morsink encourages participants to help out and marshal on run day, so we contacted him and put our names down, but then heard nothing for a long time,” says Zoe. “Then one Friday evening, at around 10pm, I received an SMS asking if we could help the following day. It just so happened that Audrey was with me at the time and we immediately agreed. The following day we helped with the marshalling, but afterwards I went to Wayde and had a chat with him. I told him that sending SMS’s out at 10pm the night before clearly meant that he needed some administrative help, so I ended up becoming the volunteer coordinator for the next two years. During that time we hit the biggest field ever assembled at a South African parkrun, with over 1800 people participating!”

STEPPING UP
As with all training, the girls eventually hit a plateau in their running, but help was at hand. The Modderfontein parkrun is close to the Bedfordview Running Club, and many club members regularly take part in the parkruns. With time spent together at the parkrun, it was natural that friendships were formed. “They were so helpful and had good advice on how to improve our running, so we ended up training more. Instead of only doing twice a week gym sessions and the weekly parkrun, we now did more runs in the week, too,” says Zoe.

“We started going to the Bedfordview Time Trial and ran the 4km loop every week. This led to our first 10km race, the Sarens 10km in March 2015,” says Audrey. “But we really wanted to do a half marathon,” adds Zoe, “and we wanted it to be a different kind of half, so we decided on Knynsa in July of 2015. We loved the fresh air, the run through the forest, the whole atmosphere, and we finished in 2:41. That’s when we decided to look for half marathons that were different to the ones that lie on our doorstep, especially after doing the Dis-Chem Half in January 2016. Dis-Chem was great fun, but it was literally on our doorstep, and we wanted something different out of our races, so we decided to do the Peninsula Half Marathon in Cape Town that March.”

The Peninsula Half includes the scenic coast road from Muizenburg to the finish at the Naval Grounds in Simonstown, but if the south-easterly wind is blowing, it can be a tough run into a strong headwind. “Running along that beachfront was simply amazing, but the wind was something to behold!” recalls Zoe. “That was tough, really tough, but we still enjoyed it. We were hoping to break our PB’s there, as the route is almost flat, but with that wind, it was not to be.”

GOOD TIMES
In sticking with their philosophy of running out of town half marathons, Zoe and Audrey gave the 2017 Kaapsehoop Half Marathon a go this past November, and there they did succeed in smashing those PBs, taking 12 minutes off their previous best. “The last 4km were tough and we had to ‘talk nicely’ to ourselves to get there,” says Audrey. “When we set out on this journey, all we wanted to do was break 2:30 for the half marathon, so when we ran in at 2:24, we were ecstatic! We have no ambitions to run anything beyond 21 kays, but would dearly love to run an international race, and Berlin looks to be the one we will look at first. And hopefully we will keep inspiring others to join us for a run.”

Images: Jetline Action Photo

Many of us drink alcohol to have fun, relax and be social, especially during the December holidays, but here’s how it affects your health and your waistline. – BY CHRISTINE PETERS, REGISTERED DIETICIAN

Under normal conditions, your body gets its energy from the calories in carbohydrates, fats and proteins, which are slowly digested and absorbed within the gastrointestinal system. However, this digestive process changes when you drink alcohol, because it is viewed by the body as a toxin and thus gets immediate attention.

On an empty stomach, the alcohol molecules diffuse through the stomach wall quickly and can reach the brain and liver in minutes. This process is slower when you have food in your stomach, but as soon as that food enters the small intestine, the alcohol grabs first priority and is absorbed quickly into the bloodstream. As the alcohol reaches the liver for processing, the liver places all of its attention on the alcohol. If you drink very slowly, all the alcohol is collected by the liver and processed immediately, avoiding all other body systems. However, if you drink quickly, the liver cannot keep up and the alcohol continues to circulate in the body until the liver is available to process it. That’s why drinking large amounts, or drinking quickly, affects the brain centres involved with speech, vision, reasoning and judgment.

But wait, there’s more…
Alcohol is also a diuretic, meaning that it causes water-loss and dehydration, causing the loss of important minerals such as magnesium, potassium, calcium and zinc. These minerals are vital to the maintenance of fluid balance, chemical reactions, and muscle contraction and relaxation. Added to that, when the body is focused on processing alcohol, it is not able to properly break down foods containing carbohydrates and fat. Therefore, these calories are converted into body fat. Meanwhile, alcohol contains seven calories per gram and offers no nutritional value. It only adds empty calories to your diet. Also, skipping a meal to save your calories for drinks later is a bad idea. If you come to the bar hungry, you are even more likely to munch on unhealthy snacks, which are often salty, making you thirsty and leading to more drinking. Rather eat a healthy meal first, and sip water between drinks – you’ll feel fuller, which will stop you from over-drinking.

Alcohol affects your body in other negative ways:
1 Drinking may help induce sleep, but the sleep you get isn’t very deep, which can trigger you to eat more calories the next day.
2 Alcohol can also increase the amount of acid that your stomach produces, causing your stomach lining to become inflamed.
3 Over time, excessive alcohol use can lead to serious health problems, including stomach ulcers, liver disease and heart trouble.
4 Alcohol lowers your inhibitions, which is detrimental to your diet plans. Research shows that if you drink before or during a meal, both your inhibitions and willpower are reduced, so you are more likely to overeat, especially greasy or fried foods, which can add to your waistline.
5 Alcohol actually stimulates your appetite.

Moderation is key
In any weight-loss plan, there are three main components: Diet, exercise and sleep. As stated, a moderate amount of alcohol can increase total calories, decrease your motivation for exercise and healthy eating, and negatively affect your sleep. Despite this, many people can enjoy a drink or two without throwing those three components completely out of whack. On the other hand, drinking heavily can significantly derail energy levels, has a larger influence on dehydration, negatively impacts hormonal levels, and can significantly disrupt your sleep. Therefore, limit your overall intake of alcohol and you will reap some of the enjoyment of alcohol consumption, while not derailing your overall progress. As with all things in life, moderation is the key.

Image: Fotolia

Finishing 13th at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games and only missing the final by one position established Rynardt van Rensburg as one of the world’s top 800m runners, so missing out on selection for SA’s 2017 World Champs team was a massive disappointment, but the man from the Free State is ready to try again. – BY REGGIE HUFKIE

The 2017 IAAF World Championships in London marked Team South Africa’s most successful champs, with six medals, but the lead-up to the meet left a bitter taste as many athletes had to deal with a controversial ASA selection policy that saw a number of athletes who had qualified according to IAAF standards left at home. One of those left out of the team was University of Free State student Rynardt van Rensburg, who had won the SA Champs title for the first time earlier this year and run a season’s best of 1:45.73, thus meeting the IAAF standard of 1:45.90, but not good enough to meet the ASA standard of 1:44.84.

“At the 2016 Olympic Games I finished 13th in the world, and my goal was to make the final at the 2017 London World Champs. My drive, my motivation, my planning, training and everything was towards London. Not being able to compete at the World Champs broke my heart. I ran 1:45.73, which was faster than my time heading into Rio!” says Rynardt. “The fact is that I train to peak at championship events, as I did in 2016. It’s a pity, but I have to accept it and move forward.”

Time for Plan B
In spite of the disappointment over London, Rynardt decided to focus on the Summer Universiade (World Student Games) in Taipei, also in August, but then another blow followed… “I picked up a hamstring tendon injury just three weeks before the World Student Games, and it was worse than what we initially thought.” He was advised to sit out the Games, but after the disappointment of London, he says he simply couldn’t turn down the opportunity to represent his country.

“I believe in chances, giving people a shot. We athletes work extremely hard in order to be amongst the best in the world, and we do not get paid well at all, and the day you take away the opportunities to compete, is the day you will see a lot of talent giving up. I am not ready to give up.” That spirit saw him go to Taipei, do enough to finish third in a tactical first round heat, clocking 1:55.00 and automatically qualifying for the semi-final round, where he won his heat in 1:48.97. However, his legs simply didn’t have enough power in the final, due to the injury, and he finished a disappointed eighth in 1:49.70.

“Things did not turn out the way I planned or the way I wanted them to, but I’m thankful for every opportunity and I will surely rise again. It was my first year as the South African Champion and I still managed a 1:45.73, which shows we did things right. It was also my third year ending as the fastest 800m athlete in South Africa, and I’m grateful for all the small victories, in spite of the big disappointments this season. 2018 will be another year, with new opportunities.”

Back to the Drawing Board
Currently on a strict rehabilitation programme, Rynardt believes he will bounce back in time for the start of the 2018 season. “Due to the injury, my training will only start at the end of November, but if I can get in shape early, I will attempt two or three indoor races in February in order to attempt to qualify for the World Indoor Champs. However, my main goal is to defend my SA title, and then I would like to have a chance at the Commonwealth Games. Once again my hopes will be on ASA and SASCOC to select me after December into the preliminary team for the Games.”

Meanwhile, the Kovsies student has decided to put his B.Sc. Psychology degree on hold and focus on his secondary studies. “I’ve been doing two or three modules of Marketing as well, and in order to focus as much as I can on my Athletics, I will first finish Marketing in 2018 and then I hope to finish my other degree after that.” In between that, he will still make time for other interests. “I do part-time work as a photographer for Spektor in Bloemfontein. I have a massive passion for photography and I love capturing sport photos, plus I also write training programmes and coach.”

Coaching youngsters also ties in with Rynardt’s passion for the sport: “I believe athletics can become as popular as rugby and football if we can get some powerful people to join the sport. And selecting as many athletes as possible to be seen competing on TV on the big stages like the World Champs and Olympics will also help grow the popularity of the sport.”

Images: Courtesy Rynardt van Rensburg

In January 2004, caffeine was taken off the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) list of banned substances used in competitive sports, but earlier this year it was placed back on the WADA monitoring list, and may be put back on the list in 2018, once studies have been done this year. – BY CHRISTINE PETERS, REGISTERED DIETICIAN

Caffeine is the best known member of a family of naturally occurring stimulants found in leaves, nuts and seeds in over 60 plants, and dietary sources include tea, coffee, chocolate, soft drinks and energy drinks. Typically, these provide 20 to 200mg of caffeine per serving. The main source of caffeine in sports drinks, gels and supplements is guarana.

It's well-known that caffeine makes us more alert and delays sleep, and it's also popular among athletes, since it can improve performance in some sports. Caffeine has a complex range of actions on the body which have been extensively researched. It has several effects on skeletal muscle, and through some of these actions, caffeine may stimulate fat metabolism during aerobic exercise, ‘sparing’ glycogen stores and thus delaying fatigue.

However, other studies have found this effect to be short-lived and confined to certain individuals only. Caffeine has also been found to have other effects on the body that may influence athletic performance: It may affect the central nervous system, such as reduced perception of effort and enhanced recruitment of motor units, which may give athletes a ‘buzz’ and mask fatigue.

Caffeine Dose
Caffeine is rapidly absorbed, reaching peak concentrations in the blood within an hour after ingestion, and studies point to smaller amounts taken in throughout exercise being beneficial for performance, rather than one larger dose one hour prior to a bout of exercise. It’s also thought that as an athlete fatigues during exercise, they become more sensitive to small doses of caffeine. Looking at various studies, it seems that beneficial effects from caffeine occur at very modest levels of intakes (1 to 3mg/kg body mass or 70 to 150mg caffeine), when taken prior to or during exercise. (One cup of coffee can contain anywhere between 25 and 214mg caffeine.)

It is important to remember, however, that caffeine-loading is not good for all athletes. Like any drug, caffeine affects everyone differently. Some athletes will respond and receive a pronounced performance boost, whereas some athletes are non-responders, or may even experience disadvantageous side-effects that are detrimental to performance, such as tremors, increased heart rate, headaches and impaired sleep. However, contrary to popular opinion, caffeinated drinks do not dehydrate us, especially if we are used to caffeine.

In terms of long-term health, people often ask whether caffeine is safe. Right now, it appears that a moderate caffeine intake does not increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis or cancer, but as with most things, the most important thing to remember is everything in moderation! For the average healthy adult, moderate caffeine intakes pose no health risk, especially if we eat a balanced diet and enjoy regular physical activity.

About the Author
Christine is a registered dietician based in the Johannesburg area.

He’s just 20 and currently focusing on his studies, but Nicholas Quenet is already considered a star of South African triathlon, and it appears to be just a matter of time before this young man starts making a real name for himself on the world tri stage. – BY TRACEY FALCONER, WITH SEAN FALCONER

Clanwilliam obviously agrees with Nick Quenet. The 20-year-old Maties student has driven the 230-odd kays from Stellenbosch to the small northern Cape Town to participate in the Freshpak Fitness Festival triathlon the last four years, and every time he has come back with a podium position. In 2014 he finished fourth overall and first junior, then came home second overall in 2015, while his older sister Alexandra won the women’s race that year. Last year he went one better and took the men’s title, which he successfully defended this year, coming out of the water first and maintaining his lead through the bike leg, then blitzing the run for a dominant win. However, he admits he didn’t expect to win, and really thought the chasing pack would catch him on the bike leg. “Winning again was a surprise, because with my studies getting busier, I don’t have a huge amount of saddle training time available,” he says.

Currently in his second year at Stellenbosch University, studying towards a Bachelor of Accounting degree, Nick has made the decision to focus on his studies. When asked if he would consider putting his studies on the backburner, or even on hold, if offered a pro racing contract or more opportunities to compete overseas, Nick says that will have to wait. “I have thought about that, but I’ll stick to my degree! I’m definitely a numbers man and I don’t think one can operate in this country without a degree, so my aims are to get my degree and then do an Honours here at Maties, and then try to take triathlon to the next level.”

In fact, he already turned down an offer last year to race in Europe, but having just started his studies, says he couldn’t go. “It was sad to turn the offer down, but while I’m studying, I’m biding my time and focusing on the individual aspects of triathlon, doing running and biking races, and swimming galas, so I’m stronger when I graduate. Then I hope to base myself in Europe in the hopes of getting a contract with one of the French teams and race the grand prix’s. I’ve put my mind to it to work for four years – after that I can do what I want, and hopefully by then the triathlon doors will be open.”

Great Sporting Genes
Nick grew up in Worcester, where his family owns a pharmacy. Both he and Alexandra showed huge sporting talent in primary school, so when Nick was in Grade 8, the family moved temporarily to Stellenbosch, so that the kids could benefit from the more established school sports structures on offer in the town. “We lived here with my mom while we were in school, and my dad commuted regularly, but they are now both back in Worcester, while my sister and I still live here while we’re studying,” says Nick.

While at school, Nick focused on competitive swimming, while Alexandra focused on running, but about three years ago they both changed to triathlon. That was no surprise, really, given that their father was an elite triathlete in his younger days, racing in France in the early 80s and only just missing out on the World Champs in 1986 after falling off his bike and breaking his collarbone. “He later took up running, doing the Two Oceans Marathon, and is still doing trail runs, but these days it’s more about ticking things off his bucket list,” says Nick. “He really wants to go run the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc in France.”

Of course, Nick’s swimming ability often gives him an upper hand in triathlon events. “I have the advantage of being able to lead from the start, and countless hours in the pool is now paying dividends, especially as there is so much technique involved in swimming. It’s an advantage not to have to learn how to swim, so I can just maintain my strongest discipline. I also did biathlon in school, so my running was already quite strong, but cycling was completely new to me. Still, I’ve achieved massive growth in a short space of time and am getting stronger, even though the training takes the longest, and I’ve also worked hard on my running this season. I did my first road running race at the Sanlam Cape Town 10km and clocked 31:40. I am pleased with my time, but still want to go faster, because if you look at the results on the world triathlon circuit, I believe it all comes down to the run, with the fastest racers all winning the foot race.”

Making His Name
While Nick is very understated about his success in triathlon, a quick look at his track record shows why he is already considered a star in the sport. In 2015 he won the Junior title at the SA Champs in Buffalo City, then added the African Champs junior title in Egypt a few months later. In 2016, he was second junior at the African Champs, then added a sixth place and an eighth place in ETU Junior European Cup events in Hungary and the Netherlands, but things didn’t go as well at the 2016 World Triathlon Grand Final in Mexico. “I got a bit of heat stroke due to the 100% humidity and did not finish the event, but getting to the World Champs is still one of the highlights of my tri career so far.”

Nick’s great results have also seen him pick up a few endorsement and product sponsorships, including one from Skechers shoes, and that, in turn, saw him get invited to Los Angeles earlier this year for the LA Marathon, which is sponsored by Skechers. “It was such an incredible experience! I actually started with the elite guys at the front, but stopped at the halfway mark, as planned, to avoid overdoing things at such a young age. But it was only once I stopped and saw 35,000 people coming past that I realised just how many people there were in the race! My dad ran the full marathon and we got to make a holiday out of the trip, including seeing the incredible Golden Gate Bridge. It was all just absolutely amazing.”

Future Goals
While his academics are his priority at the moment, Nick says he still makes time for some racing, with the Clanwilliam weekend being a must-do, as well as the Slanghoek Triathlon in November near his hometown, Worcester. “The races continue, so I do the academic work throughout the year to take the pressure of at the end of the year, and then it’s down to our holiday house in Hermanus to relax. It’s a brilliant place to keep training!” Then, looking ahead, he says he has a few goals for 2018 that he wants to chase down.

“If the SA Tri Champs are at sea level, I might have a crack at the Under-23 title, and then hopefully get to African Champs as well. Everyone says third year in my course gets harder, so I’ll have to see about Europe, if the opportunity comes up, and I’d also like to go after a 30-minute 10km, bring down my time for swimming 1.5km, and do a few cycling and track races.” Beyond that, he says his main aim will be the 2019 World Champs, and at the back of his mind are the 2022 Commonwealth Games. “I’ll see how those pan out and then plan the rest.”

The weight of expectation can sometimes weigh heavily, they say, especially when you put that expectation on yourself, as 400m hurdles star Wenda Nel has realised over the last year. – BY SEAN FALCONER

The 31-year-old Pretoria flyer finished a long 2017 track season in September feeling the same mixture of satisfaction and disappointment that she has had since the Olympics last year in Rio. That feeling was compounded by her World Champs experience this year, but she says she will get over it soon – and that bodes well for her chances at next year’s Commonwealth Games in Australia.

Upward Trajectory
In 2015 Wenda ran a PB 54.37 in Beijing in May, then returned to the Chinese city in August for the World Champs and made her first global final, finishing seventh in 54.94. As a result, big things were expected of her in 2016 in Rio, especially after she won the gold medal in the African Champs in Durban with a 54.86 and had a great international season in Europe, with a season best of 54.47. However, at the Olympics she only got as far as the semi-final round, being eliminated after clocking 55.83.

“I walked away from Rio a bit disappointed. I was so focused and performance-driven, and really wanted to make the final, coming out of making the 2015 World Champs final, but I learnt so much. I think it brought me back to earth a bit, and made me realise it doesn’t just happen, that your focus, training, nutrition and sleeping pattern must all be on par to perform at the top meets. Therefore, at the beginning of this season I set specific goals, one of which was to make the final of the World Champs in London.”

Heartbreakingly Close
Once again, after a solid European season, including a season best of 54.58, Wenda went to the World Champs aiming to make the final, but once again she faced semi-final elimination. Sadly, her 55.70 was the tenth-fastest time of the round and thus she only just missed out on the final as one of the fastest semi-final losers – and that brought all the disappointment back again, but also more introspection and growth.

“To be honest, I am a bit disappointed with my 2017 season, because I didn’t make the final in London, but the more I analyse things, the more I realise it wasn’t all bad. I was competitive in the Diamond League and had some great races, but I just wasn’t consistent enough and struggled to get my timing just right. I tend to run a season best or a PB just before the big meets, but then can’t reproduce that at the major events. That is something I will be working on for the 2018 season… but Rio and London were still amazing experiences, especially Rio! It’s every athlete’s dream just to compete at the Olympics – but my goal had changed to compete in the final, not just compete, hence I felt disappointed.”

Talking Technicalities
Running the hurdles is an incredibly technical discipline, and Wenda says she is experimenting with her stride pattern to find the perfect mix that will eke out a vital second over 400 metres. “I have a race plan that I normally stick to, 16 strides to the first six hurdles, then 17 strides to the end, but I do experiment and change up the patterns. In my season best this year, I ran a race pattern I had not done before, because sometimes things happen in a race and you have to adapt. Now I am trying something new in preparation for next season, hoping to make myself sharper at the hurdles and allow for fewer strides.”

“I am shorter than many of the other hurdlers, so it’s not as easy to take longer and less strides between hurdles, but 15 strides are so much faster than 16, and my 16, especially later in the season, put me a little too ‘up’ on the hurdles, which means I need to brake a bit, then play catch-up. That’s why I want to change to 15 strides until hurdle three, then 16 to six, and 17 to the finish. I did that in 2015 and 2016 and it worked for me, but this time I may try it in the first race of the season instead of the third or fourth. Basically, I need to go faster to keep up for the first 200 metres, but without wasting energy.”

Looking ahead, Wenda says she is really excited about the 2018 season, given that the Commonwealth Games will be in April. “Normally we have SA Champs in April and we are working to peak then, so preparing for Australia will actually feel normal to us South Africans. I will also give the European circuit a go and will try to do a few Diamond Leagues again, plus we have African Champs, where I will hopefully qualify for Team Africa for the Continental Cup in the Czech Republic in September. So it will be another long season, but I’m looking forward to it!”

Although he is still just 22 years old, Thabang Mosiako is quickly making a name for himself by taking on and beating the ‘big guns’ on the South African distance running scene, and he has some notable wins under his belt from the 2017 season, including an SA title. – BY REGGIE HUFKIE

This has been quite some year for North West Province-based Thabang. It started in January at the always hotly contested Dis-Chem Half Marathon in Johannesburg, where he cruised to a 1:05:53 victory, beating off the fierce competition of Desmond Mokgobu and Lucky Mohale to claim top spot on the podium. Then in April he lined up in the men’s 5000m final at the SA Senior Track and Field Championships in Potchefstroom, in a field containing two SA record holders, Elroy Gelant (5000m) and Stephen Mokoka (10,000m), and once again claimed line honours.

Unsurprisingly, that 5000m final enjoyed a blisteringly fast start, with Elroy leading the pack through 3000m in 8 minutes 15 seconds. Meanwhile, Thabang had worked his way through the field and found himself in third position as the bell sounded for the last lap, but the gap to Stephen and Elroy now seemed too big. However, summoning up every last ounce of speed, he somehow reeled in first Stephen, and had the spectators on their feet as he caught and passed Elroy with 30 metres to go to be crowned SA 5000m Champion.

Glory in Jozi
Thabang then added a third big title in September when he outran the SA 10km Record Holder Stephen to win the FNB Joburg 10K CityRun, and says it meant a lot to beat his role model: “Stephen is the man who makes me go train every time, because I want be strong like him.” In the race, David Manja set the early pace, passing the 3km mark in 8:32 with 20 runners hot on his heels. As they approached the big descent past Ellis Park hill at the 4km mark, Thabang surged to the front and broke the leading group up, with only Stephen and Lucky Mohale able to go with him.

The trio went through halfway in 14:49 before Stephen opened a 20m gap, but at 7km Thabang was back with him, and at the top of the Constitution Hill climb, with 2km to go, the youngster took control of the race. He went on the win in 29:51, with Stephen taking second 25 seconds later and Gladwin Mzazi coming through for third. Afterwards, he said, “This victory means a lot to me because this is not simply a win… I was working very hard to be in the top three, but I saw myself beating this strong man, Stephen, on the last hill before 8km. Jozi is a very difficult place to run in, and it has many hills, so for me to run 29:51 is a great achievement.”

Late Bloomer
What makes Thabang’s success at 22 all the more impressive is that he only discovered his running talent late in high school. “My coach, Spring Phakate, introduced me to athletics in 2011, and in 2012 in Rustenburg at the South African Schools Cross Country Championships, I got position two in the under-17 boys’ 6km,” says the Human Resource Development student, who clearly has his eyes fixed on still bigger achievements in running. “My long term goal is to bring home a medal for my country from the Olympic Games, and short term, well, I want to be fit and strong for any race, but I don’t just want to be strong, I want to be in the top three. On the track, I am focused on the 5000m, but my favourite race is the 10km on the road, and that is where I see myself dominating.”

In order to achieve that, the young man is hard at work in training with the rest of the Spring Training Group, as it is known, under coach Spring Phakate, and it helps that he is surrounded by serious racing pedigree to push him to new heights. The group includes FISU World Student Games Steeplechase champion Rantso Mokopane, Southern Region Half Marathon champion Joel Mmone, former South African junior 5000m champion Xaba Mavusa, and steeplechaser Dikotsi Lekopa, who was part of the SA team for the IAAF World Champs in 2015.

But striving towards success on and off the field, like his training partners, mans that Thabang enjoys a packed daily schedule. “There’s only hard work at training, and we do two sessions most days. In the morning I go for my early run and after that I am on my way to class. After class it’s training again, and if I do not have a session, I just watch athletics videos so that I can learn more.” Judging by his results this year, he’s clearly watching the right videos!

If there is one runner likely to agree with the old saying that “life begins at 40,” it is Ulrica Stander, especially given the amazingly successful year the 43-year-old Capetonian has enjoyed on the road after moving up to the marathon distance and beyond. – BY SEAN FALCONER

After seeing her running take a major dip in 2015 due to long working hours on top of raising two kids, 2016 saw Ulrica return to the type of form that had given her personal bests of 35:25 for 10km and 1:17:34 in the half marathon. She won the Peninsula Half Marathon and claimed the series title in the veteran category of the Spar Women’s Grand Prix, and along the way she was recruited by the KPMG Running Club, and signed up with a new coach in Lindsey Parry. That saw her decide to make her marathon and ultra debut in 2017, and the podium positions have come thick and fast since.

It started with a third position in the NutriBullet Bay to Bay 30km in January, where she was also first veteran over the line in 2:02:35 as she went beyond 21km for the first time. After running the Red Hill 36km as a training run, she then won the Peninsula Marathon in February, posting 2:58:45 on debut to take both the overall and veteran titles. Two months later she stepped things up at the Old Mutual Two Oceans 56km, clocking 4:02:45 and claiming an incredible sixth place (and second veteran) in her ultra debut.

“I was actually very grateful for my performance at Two Oceans, because my training was a bit up and down, and I felt I hadn’t been able to focus properly. I went out with the four-hour bus, then at 23km pushed on a bit with my clubmate Renier Grobler and a guy from Boksburg, but I went through the marathon mark feeling a bit tired. They say Oceans only really starts there at the bottom of Constantia Nek, so I had to dig deep to stay positive when the sub-four bus went past me. What kept me going was the incredible energy of the crowds lining the route, and I remember smiling all the way down the home straight as I came in. It really was a privilege to run such a wonderful race.”

Then in September Ulrica lined up for her second standard marathon at the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon, and in spite of severe stomach issues, improved her PB to 2:54:09 as she finished 14th and once again claimed top spot in the veteran category, added the Western Province Champs title for good measure, and posted the fastest marathon time by an SA veteran woman in 2017. “I was aiming for 2:50, but I think the gel I took at 25km reacted with my stomach and I struggled for the rest of the race. I was still ecstatic with my time and position, but I know I can go faster.”

Natural High-Flyer
Ulrica was born in Pretoria, the youngest of three kids in a close family, and showed a passion for health and fitness from an early age. She started running competitively in high school, focusing on middle distances on the track as well as doing cross country, and soon earned provincial colours in both disciplines. She then attended university in Stellenbosch, choosing to go there because her brother was already studying there, and did a B.Sc. with Human Movement Science, majoring in physiology. While at Maties, she took up triathlon and soon made a name for herself, making the SA training squad for the 1996 Olympics, but unfortunately missed out on the final team selection. She did still represent SA, at the Triathlon World Champs in the USA, and still lists triathlon as one of her favourite sports.

After varsity, Ulrica began working in the pharmaceutical industry, first as a rep and later in a marketing role, doing so well over the years that her current position as Product Specialist in Marketing for Pathcare’s Histology and Cytology departments was specially created for her. Along the way she got married and had two kids, Liam (now 13) and Mila (10), and Ulrica is obviously proud of her two achievers, who both recently won their inter-house cross-triathlon events at school.

“Liam has Western Province colours in rugby and biathlon, captains the swimming and athletics teams, and is head boy at Kenridge, while Mila won the Vicrix Ludorum at the school athletics meet after winning the long jump, both sprints and the 1200m, and she also has provincial colours in biathlon and biathle. We actually all went to the SA Biathlon Champs together and it was lekker to compete alongside my kiddies. Mila finished fourth in the biathle and was chosen to go to Spain for the World Champs, but we decided she was still a bit too young for such a trip. So, we’ve told her she can go in two years’ time.”

Following Her Dreams
On top of family, work and running commitments, Ulrica still finds the time and energy to do even more, including co-chairing her own charity, the Radiance Foundation! A few years back, her long-time friend Madeleine Pretorius entered her in the Mrs South Africa competition and Ulrica made the initial group selection. Part of the criteria for final selection was charity work, but with her marriage of 12 years coming to an end, she decided to withdraw. “The organiser offered me more time, and invited me to enter again the following year, but I felt I had to turn her down. Still, that led to a new dream of a charity to help people, and when Maddie’s friend, ophthalmologist Dr Junet van der Merwe, told us there is a huge need for cataract operations, we decided to do something about it. We started fund-raising two years ago and we’ve already funded 180 operations here in the Western Cape.

Another thing Ulrica would like to pursue more of is TV presenting. In 2012 and 2013 she was sponsored by USN and became one of their health and fitness ambassadors, which led to her appearing on the Espresso Show. “I want to inspire everyone to be the best they can possibly be, and to do it on such a platform, alongside those brilliant presenters, was amazing. The most fun was doing ‘home invasions’ and going through people’s cupboards to suggest healthier nutritional options, and it was so obvious when some people were hiding the bad stuff!”

Getting back to running, she says her list of upcoming races includes the BlueBoost Winelands Half Marathon this November, followed by the same Bay to Bay, Red Hill, Peninsula and Two Oceans programme as in 2017, and after that, perhaps Comrades, too. “Lindsey said at the beginning of this year, perhaps I can run Comrades in 2018 as a training run, then race it 2019, but my focus is on Oceans and I’m hoping for a podium finish. Because of my age, the longer the distance, the more I feel I can compete with the elites, and work-wise and family-wise, I’m now set-up to be able to focus on my running, so my goal is to give it 100% and see where it takes me.”