Category: Features

Just over a year ago, 40-year-old Johannesburg-based software developer Will Addison found himself in front of the mirror, and he didn’t like what he saw. That prompted him to take up running, and in just over a year he has lost 24 kilograms, run his first Comrades, and found a new lease on life. – BY SEAN FALCONER

The date 15 September sticks in Will’s memory. That was the day he saw the reflection of his round figure, then weighed himself and found he was 96kg, heavier than he had ever been. A father of two, Grace (18) and Dylan (15), Will attributes his weight-gain to a combination of factors. “I played a lot of soccer when I was younger and had done spinning at the gym to keep fit, but after coming out of a really bad divorce a few years ago, I got into terrible eating habits. I think life just got on top of me, with one thing after another, especially when Dylan left to go live with his mother in the UK.”

“When I looked in the mirror that day, I saw a man that had let himself go and realised I had to do something with my life, so I took a ‘before picture’ in the mirror and that same day I hit the gym for the first time in a very long time. I ran 2km on the treadmill that day and nearly passed out, but I persevered, and gradually upped my mileage till I was running 5km. In the meantime I cleaned up my diet – no more alcohol, and no more fast food. It was hard, but running made life better, and I came to love my daily run.”

Setting Goals
With his newfound love for running and having grown up watching the Comrades Marathon on TV, Will decided to make the big ultra his goal, but his fiancée Caryn Wilson, an experienced runner with two Comrades medals, told him he wouldn’t be able to run it just on treadmill training, and that he would need to hit the long road and increase his mileage substantially. “So about six weeks after starting running, I found a night run on a golf course and did my first ever 10km. I actually managed OK, so decided to go further. Then Caryn told me about the RAC Tough One 32km in November. I have never felt more sick and more pain in my life! I finished, but I had to lie down at the end, and I lay there wondering how people actually go further than this, let alone do the Comrades.”

Undaunted, Will continued training and went on to run his first marathon in January, at the Johnson Crane event, where he also qualified for Comrades. He followed that up with the Pick n Pay Marathon, Cape Gate Vaal Marathon, Old Mutual Om Die Dam 50km, and the RAC Long One 60km training run, and by then he had lost 22 kilograms in seven months. “I was really enjoying myself, and life just kept getting better!”

Mission Possible
And so June arrived and Will lined up for his first Comrades. “Honestly, it was the most daunting thing I had ever done, but I had my mentor Caryn running alongside me the whole way, just as she had been throughout my running journey. My aim was just to finish under 12 hours, but at 60km my body started shutting down, and from 70km it became really difficult. On Polly Shortts I saw runners collapsing and throwing up, and at the back of my mind I said I must just keep going. I felt that if I stopped, my legs would seize up and I would be done, so I just kept moving. We finished in 10:40, and I have to admit, I was in total disbelief that I had come so far in eight months. OK, I was completely dead afterwards, but I was so proud, because I had proven a lot of people who had doubted me wrong.”

With a hugely successful first year of running under his belt, Will is looking forward to 2018. “I’m entered again for the Comrades, and I also want to try other races, to see the scenery. I’m mixing running with strength training, because I want to chase my times – not so long ago running 55 minutes for 10km seemed an insurmountable challenge, but now I’m doing 53 minutes and feeling OK. I’m also quite happy with my current weight… I am now 72, so I have lost 24 kilograms in a year! You know, when this journey started, the first few weeks of training were incredibly difficult, but I never gave up, and I hope my story will motivate other people that anything is possible.”

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.”

 

Some 23 years ago, Youssef Kanouni followed his running dreams from Morocco’s northern mountainous region to the foot of Cape Town’s Table Mountain. The quiet man with an iron resolve not only fell in love with the Rainbow Nation and decided to stay, but also found true love here. – BY PJ MOSES

Elana Meyer’s silver medal in the 10,000m final at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics had the whole of South Africa cheering, but it also inspired a young man watching in Casablanca, Morocco. “I came to South Africa as a 21-year-old in 1994 to further my running, because Elana’s medal-winning run in Barcelona inspired me and made me look at South Africa with different eyes,” says Youssef.

He arrived in Cape Town with an impressive running CV, having been part of a golden generation of emerging young Moroccan runners that saw him training alongside Hicham El Guerrouj, who would go on to win two Olympic gold medals and still holds the 1500m World Record. “We trained at the same camp and were from an identical background with a similar upbringing. He showed us what was possible with hard work,” says Youssef. “I was a good school athlete and competed at the Moroccan National Champs. I ran middle distance on track and also ran cross country, winning many races.” Another close running friend was Khalid Khannouchi, who later broke the Marathon World Record twice.

Running Activist
Raised in a devout Muslim family by parents he adored, Youssef was taught to always do his best in life, and as much good as he can. This philosophy still affects everything he does today: A family man and activist, he splits his time between his training and working on various projects in the poorer communities. He’s a police reservist, an activist for low-cost housing, and a charity runner for the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF). He says he is a firm believer that sport can change the lives of young people and that they can be so much more than their circumstances allow them to be. “I want to teach them that if you can’t do it with a book, you can do it with your legs. The power of a nation comes from its youth, so if we look after the youth, we will have a stronger nation.”

On the road, Youssef boasts a marathon PB of 2:36, and he also took on the big ultras a few years after arriving in SA, with a best of 4:18:42 at the Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon in 1997 and a 7:56:03 at Comrades in 2001 amongst his early highlights. However, he lost the passion for the sport later in 2001 when his mother passed away, and it took him 10 years to rediscover that fire in his belly. That happened in 2011 when he saw some old friends training around Rondebosch Common, and all the old instincts kicked in again. “When I came back I was a little chubby, so I had to do a lot of training to get back to who I was.”

His comeback was greatly helped by finding love on the road with fellow runner Mushfiqah, and they were married six months after meeting at a race. Youssef says their shared active lifestyle has been a blessing for both of them. “She has been my rock, and I think I have been an inspiration to her. I helped to coach her to her first marathon finish, and it took her just two months to go from the half marathon to the full.”

On the Comeback
Having regained his fitness, Youssef posted a brilliant 4:01 in the 2012 Two Oceans, and 4:02 in 2013, just missing out on a coveted silver medal. In 2012, he also set a Comrades PB of 7:22:22, and more highlights were to follow. “One of my proudest moments came at the 2015 Western Province 100km Championships, where I finished in second place.” However, he does not just run for himself: Youssef recently joined the Western Province Pacesetters and loves helping others achieve their running goals. “I always speak to my passengers, because I want them to feel happy in my bus. They must know it is going to take hard work to achieve their goals, but that I will help them to do it – and I always let them cross the line in front of me, because it is not about me.”

Looking ahead, Youssef says his next big goal lies overseas. “I am going to run the Istanbul Marathon in November, but that is just a step toward my ultimate goal of winning the Palestine Marathon.” He also wants to get his Comrades permanent number, needing just two more finishes, but this has unfortunately been put on hold because the 2018 race date falls within the Muslim holy month of Ramadaan for the next few years. A plea by Muslim runners to move the race date has been unsuccessful, but he remains hopeful. “We hope that when the 2019 race comes along, the powers that be will have a heart and move the race to a date that will accommodate Muslim runners. For now, all I can do is train hard and be ready.”

While water can keep you hydrated on the long run, sports drinks give back the carbs, sodium and potassium lost in long-haul, high-intensity events. – BY CHRISTINE PETERS, REGISTERED DIETICIAN

When you exercise, you produce heat, which your body controls through sweating, but you can then steadily become dehydrated, especially if running in high heat or humidity. As little as 2% dehydration can affect your athletic performance, so athletes are told to drink regularly and top up on fluids. Now, if you are running for less than 60 minutes, water should be enough to stay hydrated and save kilojoules, but if running longer than 60 minutes, sports drinks are recommended.

Therefore, sports drinks are recommended for endurance athletes trying to reach peak performance, especially if sweating a lot, because they provide fluids to cool down your body and replace what you lost in sweat, carbohydrates for quick energy, and sodium and potassium, the chief minerals lost in sweat.

Of course, fluid needs vary from person to person, and according to the type of activity and the length of time that you are active, but as a general rule of thumb, runners should:
• Drink one to two cups of sport drink four hours or less before exercise.
• Keep fluids with you when you run and sip regularly to replace water lost through sweat, but let your thirst guide you.
• Post-run, eat your meals and snacks and drink as you feel you need to, but especially drink up to 1.5 cups (375 ml) of fluid if you have not produced any urine, or only a small amount of bright yellow urine.
• Water is always a good option post-run, but you can also drink milk or chocolate milk, 100% fruit juice or another sports drink.

What to Look For
1. Water: Make sure your sports drink is not carbonated, so it is easy to drink and doesn’t make you feel full.
2. Sodium: The white powder on your clothes or skin is the salt you lose in sweat, and this loss can lead to muscle cramps, so sports drinks should contain at least 300 to 700mg of sodium per litre. Athletes prone to cramping may require more.
3. Carbohydrate (sugar): Sugar keeps blood glucose from dropping and helps fuel active muscles and the brain, so 30 to 60 grams of carbohydrate per hour of activity can improve endurance, power output and delay fatigue. To prevent stomach problems, make sure your drink has no more than 80 grams of carbohydrate per litre, as that is generally the limit of what your body can easily absorb.
4. Flavour: Drinks with flavour are easier to swallow, especially when you’re tired.

Most importantly, experiment with a new sports drink in training first before using it in a race, as you don’t want to find out mid-race that something doesn’t work for you, or disagrees with your stomach!

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

Multi-stage trail running events continue to grow in popularity throughout South Africa, but understandably, they are usually substantially more expensive than single-day running events, as the entry fee often covers accommodation, meals and transport. This means there are some runners who simply cannot afford these races, but thanks to sponsors like RCS Group, a few trail newcomers got to enjoy the spectacular beauty of the recent RCS SOX three-day trail run in the Garden Route area of the Southern Cape. – BY SEAN FALCONER

With a CEO who is an avid runner and has completed the Old Mutual Two Oceans Ultra-marathon, and with many other runners amongst its staff, it comes as no surprise to see that financial services provider, the RCS Group, has thrown its support behind running in a big way. The group sponsors the three-day SOX event, and also sponsors the Gugulethu Athletics Club in Cape Town.

As CEO Regan Adams explains, “RCS has always had a strong connection with the running community, and we have a long-standing relationship with the Gugulethu Athletics Club, which encourages running in disadvantaged communities. We understand the importance of staying active and connecting with nature, and what better way to do this than with one of South Africa’s most beautiful trail runs? We were therefore pleased to invite some of our Gugs members to Knysna and expand their running experience. That’s what we’re about, making things possible for people.”

SIGNED UP TO RUN
That saw RCS sponsor the entries and race participation of Peter Tsawayo, Coceka Qomiyana, Nceba Mabulu and Imran Paya, all going in the team section, and Phumeza Bobotyane running as a solo entry. Imran and Peter were already experienced trail runners, with an impressive record of trail race wins or podium finishes. Imran (40) has been running for nine years and boasts best times of a 2:36 marathon and 6:36 for the Comrades. Meanwhile, Peter (36) has been running for 16 years, and has bests of 29 minutes for 10km and 1:07 for the half marathon. When asked what the RCS sponsorship meant for them, Imran says, “The sponsorship could have gone to someone else, but here I’m the one who was chosen to go. Words can’t justify how honoured and grateful I feel for that.”

On the other end of the experience spectrum, it was a first foray into trail running for Coceka (35) and Nceba (28). Coceka has been running for seven years and has done a 3:55 marathon, and she says running “gives me a special moment to talk to myself.” After two years of running, Nceba can look back on a marathon PB of 3:37 and openly admits to being addicted to running, “but it’s a healthy addiction that makes me feel strong. The thing I love best is that running has taught me that I can do things I never thought I could do!” They also expressed huge thanks for the RCS sponsorship: “I always wanted to participate in a big trail run, and RCS has made it possible for me,” says Nceba.

ENJOYING THE TRAILS
As regular contenders in both road and trail runs, it was no surprise to see Imran and Peter setting the pace on day one, and they led from start to finish in the 30km stage, completing it in two hours 45 minutes. With a healthy lead in the bag, they could take their foot off the pedal a bit on day two and conserve energy for the final day, so they took 2:50 for the next 30km – not that much slower, but running within themselves. They then led the entire 20km of stage three, coming home in 1:39 for an overall time of 7:14:15 for the 80km distance, and the 2017 SOX title.

“I was very happy with my second SOX stage race, because it was very well organised, from our travelling to our accommodation, and we did well, even though we got lost a bit along the way. We could have run faster, but since we were in the lead after the first day, we took it easy the other two days. We enjoyed the run so much because we had prepared and trained hard for the three days, and our sponsor, RCS, gave us everything so we could enjoy every moment,” says Peter.

A bit further back, Coceka and Nceba came home 14th team overall, and sixth in the mixed category, with a combined time of 10:21:38, having both thoroughly enjoyed their first trail experience, while Phumeza finished in 12:26:48. “I must say, it was a memorable experience,” says Nceba. “Running on three consecutive days of tough trails was not easy, and required good mental strength, but if given an opportunity, I’ll definitely run it again!” Echoing his thoughts, Coceka says, “Running SOX was an experience of a lifetime. I feel like a new person after going deep into those forests, crossing those rivers, and climbing those hills, and I am stronger than before. Thanks to RCS for giving me the opportunity to run this amazing event!”

We have so many athletes in South Africa hitting the roads and trails to raise money for or awareness of important, deserving causes, and we want to give them the publicity they deserve for their efforts.

Running for the Kids – By Zoe Papadakis

I am a KZN-based trail runner and when I tackled my first ultra-trail run in August, the 50km Umgeni River Run, I decided to run it to raise funds for Child Welfare Durban and District, so I put out a call for family, friends and members of the public to ‘sponsor a kilometre.’ It was such an incredible, liberating, amazing, tough and challenging adventure, and it was insanely exciting to place second in the race, but there were times that I wanted to just stop, cry and give-up… until I thought about the amazing support everyone had shown to my fundraising campaign, and that kept me going.

I want to share the reasons why I did this, in the hope that it might engage the public to support the initiative. I recently came on board with the organisation as a brand ambassador, and got to know more about what they do. The organisation manages over 4500 different cases involving children that have been at risk. They have several Child and Youth Care Centres that care for 260 children, and nine Community Family Homes, catering for 54 orphans (including siblings). These children have been through so much, and their stories are truly heartbreaking, yet they still manage to smile, to have hope, and to love.

These kids need love, and direction, and this is what Child Welfare is trying to provide. They rely on the public for funding, to provide so many different services to the community, and it is always a struggle to generate enough to do so, and to cloth, feed and care for these kids. This is why I thought it would be ideal to use my running as a fundraiser for them. I think of these children when I am tired, when I don’t want to go out and do a 35km training run, when my body hurts and I want to give up. Because they inspire me with their zest for life, with their strength… and in some way, I hope that my running will not only help with their funding needs, but will also inspire the kids not to give up on their dreams.

For more information, go to https://cwdd.org.za or contact them on [email protected] or 031 312 9313

A Bike for Every Child – By Craig Caldwell

I am a childhood cancer survivor of 30 years, having been diagnosed with osteosarcoma (bone cancer) at the age of 13 when growing up in Vanderbijlpark. That’s why I became involved with CHOC Childhood Cancer Foundation, and besides helping with Camp Quality, a camp for children with cancer, I take part in cancer walks, ran the Comrades Marathon, and ran from Joburg to Durban, all to raise funds for CHOC. I also created the comedy show Laughing Matters and roped in other comedians to back my cause.

Earlier this year my friend, radio presenter and fellow comedian Sean Stevens received a donation of 17 bicycles to give to a worthy cause, and we decided to look for a reliable place to donate them to. Through my fundraising work, I have had dealings with Louise Coxen, Director of Polokong Children’s Village in Sebokeng, which has five houses accommodating 50 kids permanently, and another 350 kids are fed daily through an outreach programme. So we set about asking on social media for more old bikes to be donated, as our intention was to give every permanent child a bicycle.

We knew it would be difficult, considering the current economic climate, but people like Christo and Michelle Viljoen of Bernies Joint in Koedoespoort, Pretoria took up the challenge. Christo and I have been mates from way back in the 80’s, and he said he would deliver 50 bikes. He and Michelle then hounded people for donations and bikes, and on 23 June, Christo, Michelle and the crew from Bernies as well as a group of car fanatics hit the road to Old Vaaltonians Sports Club for the handover.

In Total 76 bicycles were handed over, the majority being brand new – and we still had Sean’s 17 bikes to look forward to! (He was busy with work commitments at the time.) This meant we could give every child a bicycle, and allow them to keep their bike when they leave the home, and we are now in the position to give a new child that enters the home a bicycle as well! It was amazing to see how the crew and friends of Christo and Michelle opened their hearts and wallets and made many children’s dreams come true.

The Marathon Des Sables has been called “The Toughest Foot Race on Earth,” which is not surprising, given that it’s a 250km, six-stage race through the Sahara Desert in Morocco, with intense heat, grating sand, agonising blisters and incredible fatigue to contend with, and yet it was the number one bucket list item for Moerieda Mackay… even though she has never thought of herself a runner, let alone an ultra trail runner. – BY SEAN FALCONER

All it took was a photograph in a running magazine four years ago, of a man running in the Sahara Desert, to get Moerieda Mackay hooked on the idea of running the Marathon De Sables (MDS). She had never even been to a desert before, and says the hottest temperature she had experienced was 43 degrees in the Karoo, but somehow she became obsessed with running the event. “I was fascinated by his backpack and the intricacies of all his equipment, but it was the fact that he was carrying an anti-venom kit that really caught my attention! And yet the vision of me running the MDS stayed with me over the years. It was the craziest feeling, this burning desire to run 250km through the gruelling and inhospitable Sahara, carrying everything you would need to survive for seven days in the desert … but it’s like the desert was calling my name!”

Unsurprisingly, the journey just to get to the MDS in April this year proved a challenge for Moerieda, a mother of three from the Midrand area of Gauteng. She says that entering is hugely expensive and until 2016, South Africans had to go onto a three-year waiting list with the UK agent for the race to get an entry. “Luckily you can now enter directly, but once you’re entered, the challenging part lies in the training and preparation for the event, which includes sorting out your backpack, shoes, food and all your kit.”

“Once you arrive in the desert, funnily enough, the most challenging elements of the race are not the running or the heat, even though the highest recorded temperature was 54 degrees Celcius, but for me it was adjusting to life in the bivouac and sharing a tent with seven other mates! Luckily I was part of the Hope for Children group, running for the UK-based children’s charity, and we formed a great group. They say with a race like this your tent mates can either make it or break it for you. Mine were the best! The word self-sufficient took on a whole new meaning with the amount of sharing and caring shown by all of them.”

Another huge challenge for Moerieda was the logistics of the race. “If it was just running every day, the race would be fairly manageable, but with all the logistics it quickly becomes a lot trickier. It took me a good four days to get into my own rhythm, and I only really settled into the race on day three! But I guess the real big challenge of MDS is, of course, the sand! There is just no way of going faster than your fastest walk in the sand and blistering heat – unless of course you are a Moroccan or elite front runner – and as we hit sand dune after sand dune, I just kept saying to myself, Marathon of the Sands… this is your race!”

Latecomer to Running
By her own admission, Moerieda has no sporting background and zero athletic ability, so running is by far the most challenging thing she’s ever done, but she says it has put her on a path of physical, mental and spiritual transformation. “In 2010 I was trying to lose a few kilos and find that elusive work-life balance at the age of 40, because I’m a bit of a workaholic. And that first year I lost 22kg just training on the elliptical trainer and watching my diet. Meanwhile, my husband Adam had started running and he was having so much fun at the races on the weekends, so I started reading his running magazines and found interesting articles on how running has transformed people’s lives. Having lost so much weight, I was ready to push the boundaries, so I signed up for the 2011 Old Mutual Two Oceans Half Marathon in Cape Town, and that turned out to be a life-changing experience. I kept thinking, why did I not do this earlier. I was hooked!”

Today she says she has lost count of the races she has successfully tackled, including thee Comrades Marathons, which set her up well for the MDS challenge, but in October last year she fell and badly injured her ankle while training for the 100km Skyrun, and then she developed a mysterious blister problem. “I was even getting them on short runs and it frustrated the hell out of me. I now suspect it was the socks I was testing, but going into the race was a case of not ‘if I get blisters,’ but ‘when I get blisters,’ and I was ready for it! I even went to see a podiatrist and learnt to tape my feet, but as expected, I suffered blisters from day one at MDS!”

“Hell, it was painful, and every day there were more. Fortunately, the medical team at MDS are the best, and I think the dropout rate would be much higher at MDS if it wasn’t for Doc Trotters and his team. They took very good care of my feet. I remember on day two, after 39.1km in 50-plus degrees, my feet were so sore that my tears just started rolling in the medical tent. The doc looked at me with a smile and told me that I am a very strong woman. I cried even more after he said that, but felt strong when I walked out, ready to face day three! The blisters really affected me on the long day four stage, with its seven checkpoints. I had to stop at checkpoint four for over 30 minutes to attend to my feet, and again at checkpoint 5, as the blisters were killing me!”

Ultimate Runner’s High
While the blisters were one of the low points of Moerieda’s MDS experience, she says there were plenty of highlights as well. “My first surprise was race director Patrick Bauer and the whole MDS crew singing Happy Birthday to me at Quarzazate airport when I arrived. Another highlight was starting each stage to the tune of Highway to Hell, with helicopters flying low to film us. I always set off with my heart pounding, thinking this is it, I am actually running the MDS. Oh, and being surprised by the organisers with a can of ice cold Coke on day five! It’s the little things…”

“Surviving the decent of the last jebel on day two sticks in my memory. Legs deep in the sand making your way down the dune, it felt like skiing down a mountain slope in the Alps! All I could think of was, ‘What an adventure!’ And that after being in tears just two minutes before the decent, telling the organisers I didn’t think I could go down the jebel by myself! Another highlight was finishing day three feeling strong and very proud of myself, because day two was tough and had me at my lowest point, so finishing day three on a high was good for me from a mental and emotional perspective. I felt like I had ‘qualified’ for the 86.4km day four stage. In fact, for some weird reason, I felt like I had finally earned the right to be at the MDS!”

“I only have great memories of the MDS. I loved running in the desert. It is so beautiful out there, and I loved everything about the race, the organisation, the organisers, camp life, my tent mates, the routes… even the heat, and the six-hour bus ride from Quarzazate to the desert! The opportunity to be part of an event like the MDS, to run through the Sahara Desert, make new friends and to push your limits is priceless! The cut-offs at the MDS are very generous, so if you prepare well in the months before the event, you are almost guaranteed a successful MDS finish. And memories for a lifetime!”

Next on the Bucket List
After years of dreaming about MDS, Moerieda says she has struggled to get going again after coming back from the desert. “Some of my tent mates were doing 100km races within weeks of the MDS, but I feel I went into a kind of running depression, because I was thinking what next? Fortunately, I have found some answers to that question. I want to focus on building my new management consultancy business, but at the same time, running has brought me so much joy and opportunity, so I don’t want to let it go. And when it comes to running, the simple, easy races just don’t do it for me… so my next big thing will be the Tour de Geants, or Tour of Giants, in Italy in 2020.”

“It’s 330km with 24,000m of altitude gain, which is like climbing Everest three times, and you’re given 150 hours to finish, so I don’t know if I can do it, but I have to set myself a plan and then walk the motion, because I want to become a giant. That’s the goal for 2020, and along the way I want to run the 110km Lavaredo Ultra Trail in Italy in 2018, and I have put my name in the pot for the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc in France in 2019. I believe that you must run with dreams in your heart and visions of doing something great, and that keeps me motivated. Thanks to MDS, I feel like I have achieved something great, and I hope it will inspire others.”

Some people see running and being active as a chore, but Lisa Ogilvie is not one of them. She sees it as a way of showing gratitude for the second chance at life that she feels she has been given. – BY PJ MOSES

When Lisa headed to Nigeria in mid-2014 to visit her husband Dean, where he was working at the time, she had no idea the trip would turn her life upside down. While there she was bitten by a mosquito and contracted cerebral malaria, which in many cases leads to death. Soon after returning to South Africa, she began showing symptoms as the sickness took hold and her mother decided to take her to hospital. Fortunately the doctor in the emergency unit recognised the signs of malaria and asked Lisa if she had recently travelled, but by then the illness was well advanced. The doctors tried everything, but began losing hope that she would pull through.

“My Mom had to make the toughest call of her life by letting my husband know that he had to come home, because it didn’t look good,” recalls Lisa. When he arrived, the doctors told the family there was nothing more they could do for Lisa, and it seemed only a miracle could save her now. “I believe this is where God intervened and made me well again. Many people prayed for my recovery, even when all hope seemed lost, and God heard their prayers and spared me. The doctors gave up on me and thought I would not survive. But I am still here, I am still alive. That’s why I am a miracle. I was part of his plan and my time was not finished yet.”

Bouncing Back
Nevertheless, Lisa’s recovery still took almost a year and a half, and took a superhuman effort on her part. “I had to learn everything again… how to walk, to drive and even how to just live again. Fortunately my family was very supportive and patient with me.” She also changed many of her old habits on the road to recovery. She became a vegetarian and now prefers juice to solid foods, and says, “I don’t even drink wine anymore, and to be honest, I don’t miss it at all.”

Another change to her daily routine was doing more strenuous exercise as soon as she was physically able – a big change from her previous lifestyle, where she used to love socialising with friends and not even thinking of a healthy approach. “I had started walking with my Mom because I thought I was a little overweight,” says Lisa, adding that evolving from a walker to a runner was less of an effort than she thought it would be. “I always dreamt of being a long distance runner when I was a little girl and now I am finally able to live that dream. It is amazing and I don’t take it for granted. I am happy. I’m healthy and I can run. I have my husband, my family and God, that is all I need.”

Now she lives every day to the full and finds happiness in the little things life has to offer, like walking her dogs or going for a run. “Running helped me so much. It helped me to deal with what I went through and now I can’t stop running. I get tears in my eyes when I run, I’m so happy.”

Running for a Cause
However, Lisa was not content with just changing her own life, she was determined to do good for others by running for a cause. “While recovering my health, I was motivated to run the half marathon at the Old Mutual Two Oceans in 2016. I couldn’t get an entry, so thought I would try to get a charity entry. Something about my story and the Non-profit organisation Cape Kidney Association just clicked, and I knew I wanted to run for them.”

That saw Lisa make contact with Molly Fabe at Cape Kidney, who was both touched and inspired by Lisa’s story. “Molly asked me to speak at their end-of-year event, and she has been very supportive of my journey, while I have been blessed by her presence.” In turn, Lisa has been able to raise funds for Cape Kidney by using her running as a way for people to get involved and to also create much needed awareness. “I was able to raise R20,000 at Two Oceans 2016, which was my first major race since getting my health back again.”

Having gone on to run the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon later in 2016, Lisa decided to join the Bellville Athletic Club in 2017, and specifically the legendary Wietse van der Westhuizen’s training group, in order to become a better, stronger runner. “Being with them has been so great for me. The training is good and intense. I like that. And the support and motivation from the other runners has also helped me a lot. I believe even more in myself now.”

Going Bigger in 2018
In 2017, Lisa once again ran the Two Oceans Half and the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon, amongst other races, all while continuing to raise funds for Cape Kidney, and looking ahead, she has already set her sights on bigger things. Not only is she hoping to run the 56km Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon, but she has also secured an entry to the Paris Marathon next April. And she doesn’t seem too worried that Paris is only five days after Two Oceans. “I want to go to Paris and make a difference. I’ve got such a passion for my running and my charity, so I want people to join me on this amazing journey.”

She’s hoping her drive will help to raise R100,000 for Cape Kidney when she does Paris. “My motto is: Creating dreams by uplifting others. This has been my mantra as I go forward. I am smiling the whole time when out running because I feel so blessed to be here to do this.” She adds that it really helps having such great support. Besides Dean, her mom is her biggest supporter, going with to most of her races. “She comes to fetch me the morning of a race and then she stays there till I cross the finish line.”

Unsurprisingly, given the serious nature of her illness, Lisa has had to overcome a few health setbacks along the way that have prevented her from doing some of her other goal races, but she says she won’t be defeated that easily. “I’m a little fighter. I pick myself up and then I go again. I tell myself: ‘Sit jou voetjies in jou skoenkies en hardloop.’ (Put your feet in your shoes and go run. – Ed.) It helps me a lot to keep on moving forward, no matter what, because I believe that you must live your life to the full, because you can do anything that you want to. And please look after your kidneys!”

When 40-year-old Port Elizabeth triathlete Hanson Singaphi lines up for the Ironman World Champs in Hawaii on 14 October, it will be the culmination of an amazing 13-year journey in multisport that began with him learning to swim at age 27. – BY SEAN FALCONER

In October 2004, Hanson was working at the Virgin Active Gym in PE, taking care of the maintenance of the gym’s pool, when he saw Ironman South Africa race director Paul Wolff presenting swimming lessons and coaching triathletes at the gym. “I had always had a passion for sport, and had a strong background in running, so when Paul told me about the SA Triathlon Development team, I signed up to learn to swim,” says Hanson. “When I started I just wanted to challenge myself, because I like a challenge, so I took up triathlon, not knowing that one day I would land up in Hawaii! But I still get butterflies at the start of a race, even though I have now been doing this for years.”

It’s actually strange to hear this remarkable athlete speak of pre-race nerves, considering what he has already achieved. Born and raised in Walmer Township, one of the poorest areas of Port Elizabeth‚ Hanson began running in school, taking part in track athletics and cross country. After school he moved into road running and boasts impressive personal bests of 33:07 for 10km, 1:11 for the half marathon and a 2:56 marathon. However, swimming and cycling were complete unknowns until he began training with Paul, who also organised a job for him in sales at Triangle Sports, the retail arm of the Ironman operation.

Within a year of learning to swim Hanson was lining up for his first full Ironman at the African Champs in Port Elizabeth, ready to tackle a 3.8km open water ocean swim, which is normally the most daunting leg for athletes without a swimming background, as well as a 180km bike leg, followed by a full marathon. Even more surprising is that he says he actually found the sea swim easier than his training in the pool! “The distance was more challenging, but the swim was not as hard, because the salt water provides more flotation.”

IRONMAN PEDIGREE
Today, Hanson can look back on a remarkable Ironman record. He has started 11 Half Ironman events and completed nine, with a best finishing time of 5:20, and has completed eight out of eight full Ironman events, with a best of 12:06. He also earned Eastern Province colours, has competed at the SA Duathlon and SA Triathlon Champs a number of times, and was selected to represent his country in his age category at the 2007 World Duathlon Champs in Hungary.

That was the first time he travelled overseas, and now he is off to Hawaii for the biggest Ironman of them all, thanks to the support of Standard Bank, sponsors of the SA Ironman events. Naturally, Hanson is thrilled about the opportunity to race in Kona, as it is the number one bucket list event for most triathletes. “Paul told me after I finished the Ironman SA Champs this year that Standard Bank wanted to send me to Kona, covering all my expenses, including flights, accommodation, entry fee, even the visa fee. I am very excited. It’s a great feeling because it’s every athlete’s dream to do Kona, and I never thought that one day I would be going to the World Champs.”

In terms of his Kona race plans, Hanson says his focus will be more on the experience than the clock. “To me, Kona is about learning, meeting new people and learning different cultures, so the race is not about time, but more about finishing, because I’m going there as a novice. That’s the main thing, and to enjoy myself. It’s the World Champs, and I’m just so proud to be representing Walmer in Kona, because I am proud of the community that raised me. I wanted to do something different to inspire my community, and that’s why I am so proud that some of my friends in the community are now also doing triathlons.”

UP FOR THE CHALLENGE
Hanson says that triathlon has become more a lifestyle for him than just a sport. “I had always been a runner, but what inspired me to do triathlon is that it is a unique sport that challenges you every time you enter a competition. The most rewarding thing about triathlon is what it teaches you about yourself. You learn quickly about your strengths and weaknesses, and how self-discipline can benefit you as an athlete and as a person.”

Of course, given that he is inspiring so many others to also take up the sport, Hanson has some basic advice to pass on to any would-be triathletes. “My advice to people who are interested in the sport is that anything is possible – you just need to be dedicated. And you don’t need an expensive bike… If the wheels turn, that’s good enough.”