Category: Features

At the end of June, ultra trail runner Ryan Sandes added yet another prestigious win to his already impressive record when he won the Western States 100 Miler in California in the USA, but he had to overcome extreme racing conditions before he could finally claim the win he has been chasing since 2012. – BY SEAN FALCONER

Been there, won it… that’s pretty much how one can sum up 34-year-old Ryan Sandes’ ultra-distance trail running career. He burst onto the world stage in 2008 as he won both the Sahara and Gobi March events, two of the four races that make up the 4 Deserts Challenge. The following year he finished second in RacingThePlanet Namibia, then won the Jungle Ultra Marathon in Brazil, and then in 2010 he added the Atacama Desert and Antarctica events to not only join a very small group to have ever done all four of the big desert races, but become the only runner to have won all four of these gruelling 250km, six- to seven-day events.

More titles followed in the next few years. In 2011 he won the Leadville 100 Miler in the USA, in 2012 the North Face 100 Miler in Australia, and in 2014 he won the North Face TransGranCanaria on the Canary Islands, a race that forms part of the prestigious Ultra Trail World Series Tour, which he now competes on each year. But there was one win he still wanted, in a race that he had come to obsess about, the Western States 100 Miler in the USA. “It’s just an iconic event, the original 100-mile trail race, and has a lot of history,” explains Ryan. “The legends of the sport have run it and won it, including Scott Jurek, Kilian Jornet and others. But for me, what makes the race so cool is the community that gets behind the race. Well over 2000 volunteers work on a race that only takes around 350 entries each year!”

“I finished second there in my debut in 2012, with a super fast time that also broke the course record, but then in 2013 I injured my ankle six weeks before the race and couldn’t run. In 2014 I was fifth, but after too much racing that year I was overcooked. In 2015 I got sick the Thursday night before the race and woke up dizzy and nauseous. I still tried to register, but almost collapsed, so I stumbled back to the hotel and missed the race. Then in 2016 I didn’t go, so I wanted to go back in 2017 and finally put it to bed.”

BRUTAL RACING CONDITIONS
Well, that’s exactly what he did. Overcoming brutal running conditions, he maintained a steady pace throughout to eventually take the lead in the second half of the race, and went on to claim the win in 16 hours 19 minutes 39 seconds, but he admits it was one of the toughest years ever for this race. “After a really huge winter, there was loads of snow still on the mountains, and they even had a ‘plan B’ to avoid the snow, but they announced two days before the race that we would use the original route. The first 30km were all snow, which took up to 20% more energy than normal to get through and made it slow-going to start off, so we were already on the back foot by the time we got to the lower altitude – and then we were whacked by one of the hottest years ever. At times we hit hot pockets of air for about 2km that made you feel almost like you couldn’t breathe. A lot of the race came down to managing the heat and keeping cool.”

Pre-race, the American Jim Walmsley talked about going after the course record, saying he thought he could become the first runner to break 14 hours, and in spite of the snow, he went for it, but Ryan bided his time. “Jim went out really hard and gave it a full go, but speaking to him afterwards, it was cool that he didn’t make any excuses – he said he burnt all his matches and set himself alight. I was lying second most of the race, and at the back of my mind I thought Jim might come unstuck, so I tried to stay within reach. At Forest Hill, around 100km in, I think the gap was around 45 minutes, but I got feedback that he wasn’t looking good.”

“I passed him around the 120km mark, just before the Rucky-Chucky River crossing. He was walking and looked pretty broken, and I knew I had it if I just kept going. When I crossed that line, I was just elated. This win brought me huge satisfaction, because it had become my biggest ‘Bucket List’ event. I won’t lie, I don’t think I have ever been so shattered at a race finish, but at the same time so elated, because I had waited a long time for that win. It was a dream come true.”

FINALLY FEELING RIGHT AGAIN
What made the win still sweeter for Ryan was that he finally felt like he had gotten over two years of struggling with illness and loss of form, which he attributes to his exploits in 2014. “That was a really big year for me. I won the TransGranCanaria, the first race in the Ultra World Trail Tour, which encouraged me to over-race to maximise the points. I eventually finished second overall in the Tour and probably did way too much racing that year, having also done the Drakensberg Traverse record run. It caught up with me when I contracted glandular fever at the beginning of 2015, and that whole year was a write-off. I still did some races, but was always on the back foot.”

“Looking back now, that was my toughest year, not knowing if I could get over it, and at the end of 2015 I took two months off. Then I decided to go back to my core reason for running, to enjoy it. Some days I would head out, and if I was not enjoying the run after 10 minutes, I would just turn around and head home again. Luckily I worked through that, and in 2016 I had consistent results, but nothing big – fourth place at Grand Raid Reunion, third at Tarawera Ultra in New Zealand, fourth at Ultra Trail Australia. All were part of the World Ultra Trail Tour, and I ended up fourth overall in the Tour, so I was fairly happy with my season, but still disappointed, because I knew I could do better. This year, I haven’t raced as much, because I wanted to focus on Western States. It’s risky to focus on one race – if something goes wrong, all your eggs are in one basket – but I realised that you need to focus for races like this.”

BACK TO THE BUCKET LIST
Looking ahead, the big question now for Ryan is what to focus on next. “I have other races coming up on the World Tour, but Western States was that one race I really dreamed of winning; the other is Ultra Trail Mont Blanc in France. So part of me wants to go back to Western States next year to defend my title, but another part says I’ve ticked that off, so rather go to UTMB. In 2015 I dropped out at UTMB because of the effects of the glandular fever – my legs were nowhere after just 40km – and I went back in 2016 but had stomach issues and dropped out again. So I haven’t decided yet… still plenty of time.”

I believe that you should never let anybody tell you that “you will never do this again,” because if you really want it, you can do it. – BY SU-YEN THORNHILL

For the last 10 years I haven’t had an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). For those who don’t know what it is, it’s basically an essential bit of the knee that holds it in place, and most medical professionals will say that without reconstruction you are looking at a permanent disability, arthritis, pain and muscle deterioration. About 20 years ago I fell down some stairs and went over my knee. As you well know, that joint only bends one way, so you can imagine the agony when I flipped it. I had already ruptured the ACL in a lacrosse injury a few months prior and thereafter my knee would literally buckle and leave me in agony. I had the reconstruction and it was good for 10 years before I tore it again playing netball.

It was then that I moved to South Africa and was introduced to the multitude of outdoor sports available here, including trail running and triathlons. I set my sight on an Ironman and began my journey into the world of endurance training. I was 36 years old, and at first my knee was okay, but on my first 21km run, I overenthusiastically dashed towards the finish and sprinted on tired legs. There weren’t any obvious signs of distress to begin with, but the following day, while I was walking in the supermarket, my knee suddenly felt extremely stiff and within minutes it was swollen to five times its normal size.

LASTING EFFECT
I didn’t give it much thought, as over the years I’ve learned to live with it being a bit temperamental, but after three days of it remaining swollen, and with the Argus Cycle Tour looming in 10 days, I decided to seek advice. After an MRI at the Rosebank Sports Clinic, I was told the only way I could continue training was to undergo a second ACL reconstruction, with up to 18 months rehab, or I would never compete in anything again. I was given a dose of cortisone which reduced the swelling and was told to book in for surgery. I rode the Argus.

From there, I went on to complete my first Ironman, following a number of shorter distance races, got into trail running and to date have completed over 200 races, ranging from open water swims, trail, road, bike and triathlons. I might be pig-headed, but I refused to believe surgery was the only route to recovery. I worked with my personal trainer to strengthen all the muscles around the knee in order to keep it stable, and while there have been a few hiccups along the way, I haven’t allowed it to define me and keep me back. In the last couple of years, I also qualified as a yoga instructor and the improved core strength has also kept me racing.

SHOULD BE FASTER…
From time to time the knee still swells up, but rest, ice and respecting my body has kept me going, although recently, I’ve scaled back my racing as my business has taken off and I don’t have as much time to train. Having podiumed a few times and usually been near the top end of the finishers’ table, I thought I would find it difficult to take things easy. But I did… so easy, in fact, that I’m now often seen walking trail races!

It has been an incredible journey from racing snake to being just another person in the crowd. I had to contend with the ‘judgey’ voice in my own head that told me to push harder, to think about the expectation of those knowing you are in the race and were once a medal contender. Would I be teased from hero to zero? And do you know what? You get just as much of a cheer from the crowds coming last as you do first. You can admire the view and take in your surroundings. You make friends along the way and you are still out there enjoying yourself.

I still like to compete if I’m fit and strong, but I also want to be moving for the rest of my life, and if I have learned anything these past few years, it’s that life is movement… and never let anybody tell you otherwise. Whatever your age, you can still get out there and walk.

About the Author
Su-yen is a Johannesburg-based life coach, medical microbiologist and self-taught chef, as well as an ultra trail runner and Ironman triathlete. She teaches vinyasa yoga and brings to her practice all her life experiences to create an uplifting, soul-enhancing yoga experience. She will also take on any challenge, as she doesn’t understand the word ‘no.’

When you’re 34 years old, in peak shape and competing on the world stage as one of South Africa’s leading trail runners, the last thing you’d expect is to suffer a stroke. After all, normally it is much older people that suffer strokes. But as AJ Calitz found out in April, even a young, fit athlete is not immune. – BY SEAN FALCONER

This wasn’t supposed to happen to AJ Calitz… In February, the current SA Ultra Distance Trail Champion won the three-day Tankwa Trail event, and then in March he teamed up with fellow K-Way athlete Nicolette Griffioen to win the mixed category of the three-day Cell C AfricanX Trailrun, to go with three wins in the men’s category in previous years. Just after that he set the fastest lap time in the Platteklip Charity Challenge on Table Mountain, even though he was taking it relatively easy in the event where he set a World Record of 15 ascents totalling 10,250m in 12 hours a few years ago. Then on 8 April he lined up for the Impi Challenge obstacle race near Stellenbosch, determined to use his running fitness to full advantage on the demanding course that snakes around various wine farms.

He went on to cross the finish line first, thinking he had won the race, but it turned out that a navigational error had seen him miss one of the obstacles, and thus he was not given the win. Disappointed but still having enjoyed the challenge, AJ headed home to be with his family for his daughter Emilie’s birthday party that afternoon. “I felt tired after the Impi, which was not unusual, but that afternoon I climbed on the trampoline to jump with my daughter, and suddenly I blacked out,” says AJ. “When I came to, it felt like my one eye had gone sideways, but my wife said both my eyes had actually split apart. I told Paulette I was not feeling well and went to lie down, but when I woke up I was still not feeling right. She was getting worried and phoned friends for advice, and they all said go to hospital. I was booked into the neurology section, and they told Paulette I had just suffered a full stroke!”

The doctors came to the conclusion that during the Impi, when AJ was carrying various heavy objects on his shoulders, the strain on his neck caused a tear in an artery that feeds into the thalamus in the centre of the brain. The thalamus controls sensory input and motor skills, as well as the regulation of consciousness and sleep. When you tear a vein or artery, a blood clot forms, and jumping on the trampoline that afternoon dislodged the clot, which then got stuck in AJ’s thalamus, causing the stroke. “It turns out that carrying a brick on your head, a 50kg bag of sand, and then jumping on a trampoline is not good for you… who would have thought?”

BOUNCING BACK QUICKLY
AJ spent three days in ICU, and at first he was not allowed to walk much, as he still had crossed eyes. “My perception was my eyes were fine, but they were actually pointing outwards, and that affected my coordination badly. When I did start walking again, I had to do it with a pram for the first week, and soon I was going crazy. I was so fit, and building up to my overseas racing season, and as I told my coach and physio, Christoff Smit, I felt like a penned down race horse! He told me to try running slowly, making sure my heart rate did not exceed 100 or 110, but just putting on my shoes and standing up put me over the limit at first!” The neurologist also grudgingly gave AJ the all-clear to start running again slowly, but warned that the long-term loss of co-ordination, peripheral vision and short-term memory will stay with him, because 1.5cm of his thalamus is now dead.

Another reason AJ was raring to get back into action was that he had qualified for the international finals in Germany of the global Fisherman’s Friend Strongman Run obstacle race series. In September 2016 he had won the inaugural South African leg in Paarl, organised by well-known television personality Ferdinand Rabie, but the finals in Nuremburg were scheduled just six weeks after his stroke. “I felt OK after a few good training sessions, and the trip was already paid for, so even though the neurologist said he was not keen, he said OK, go and take part, but don’t race. They had already said it was safe for me to fly, as they had done three scans with iodine to check if the tear in the artery had healed, but it was mostly due to the amazing support of my wife, and sponsors really going out of their way to make sure I was OK, that I was able to go.”

AJ lined up intending to just enjoy the experience at the world’s biggest obstacle race event, but when he found himself in the lead group and with a relatively low heart rate, he decided to stick with the leaders and see what would happen on the two-lap course. “I didn’t actually know how to do some of the obstacles, so I stuck with the leaders for the first lap, but early in the second lap we hit a swimming obstacle, and being an ex-triathlete, I just jumped in and took the lead.”

“There were 15,000 entrants, so it was hard getting through the backmarkers on that second lap, and at one stage I was running with another leader, but somewhere I lost him in the crowd and when I crossed the finish line I did not know if I had won. In fact, the organisers and media were just as stumped – they weren’t even ready for me to come in, but my timing chip proved I had done the whole route, so I was asked to run the last 200m again for the cameras, and then I was swamped by the media. I’ve never had so much media attention!”

BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE…
Incredibly, just three weeks later, AJ took on the incredibly tough Fish River Canyon Ultra Trail Run, where he set the course record in 2016, clocking 6:39:52 for the 100km route. “I’ve always loved this race and the amazing vibe that goes with it, and since it has become one of my regular races, I know the route well – and it’s tough as nails! The previous two years I ran the race chasing the Fastest Known Time (FKT), but this year I just relaxed and enjoyed the scenery, and I still won by nearly two hours, but I think that’s because I know the course so well.”

Now, about four months after the stroke, AJ says he is still suffering side-effects, but he’s not letting that stop him doing the things that he loves. “I can see it in the way my body reacts to sensory inputs, like seeing a rock when running. I used to just run over it, but now I have to think harder about it, and often end up hitting the rock instead. It used to be second nature, now it is something I have to relearn, but my running days are not over and I’m slowly getting back to full strength. It’s just another obstacle to overcome, and the neurologist assures me I will get back to normal, so I’m not wallowing in sorrow.”

Looking ahead, AJ says he hasn’t mapped out the second half of the year yet, and is just focusing on spending time with Paulette and Emilie. “I tend not to plan too far ahead, and have always done it that way. If something interesting comes my way, I will go for it… but I won’t be doing any more obstacle races where you have to carry heavy objects. I love the Impi and other events like that, and I didn’t do any obstacles that day that I hadn’t done before, but I’m made for running across mountains, not for picking up heavy bags of sand.”

SECOND CHANCE
Unsurprisingly, AJ’s thoughts these days include his own mortality and limitations, but he says he tries to put this out of mind, especially when he is running. “To be honest, I don’t like talking about the stroke, because it normally happens to much older people and was not supposed to happen to me. After all, to be a top runner and conquer mountains, you need to convince yourself that you’re invincible… The doctors say I was lucky that I was young and fit, and that the stroke was exercise-induced, instead of being caused by something like cholesterol.”

“Sometimes I lie in bed wondering why this happened to me, but I’m not dwelling on that. You don’t often get a second chance in life, so when God gives it to you, you have to grab it. Luckily I am surrounded by family, friends and sponsors that care, and they’ve all said I must take as much time as I need. That makes it easier, and I see every day as a blessing. It’s a thrill now just to put my running shoes on and head off to the mountains, and I believe that if you don’t fall at least once in every run, you’re not trying hard enough. I’m obviously trying very hard these days!”

Each year when the school holidays start, the South African news services provide a daily update on the number of deaths on our roads. Most of these deaths are a result of tired or drunk drivers losing control of their vehicles, or speeding and reckless driving, as well as pedestrians run over by vehicles. The rest of the year, that daily counter does not feature in the news, and ‘only’ the particularly gruesome or unusual accidents make the headlines. Unfortunately, when a runner is killed by a car, it makes the news, and tragically, there have been too many such headlines of late. – BY SEAN FALCONER

In the past two months alone, three well-known runners were killed in hit-and-run incidents, once again shaking the running community to its core. On the 6th of June, 42-year-old Nezaam Isaacs of the Lion of Africa Itheko Running Club was killed in a hit-and-run in Claremont, Cape Town. He had weighed 110kg when he took up running a decade earlier to improve his health, and had inspired many with his incredible transformation into a veteran of 17 ultra-marathons. Due to the Muslim Fast of Ramadan, he had taken to training earlier than normal to allow himself time to have breakfast before sunrise. His GPS device showed that he had covered 2.2km in 14 minutes and 18 seconds when he was struck down.

Just four days later, blind runner Malose Richard Monisi (48) died in a hit-and-run accident in Johannesburg. He was walking to the shops, not out running, but his death at the hands of a driver nevertheless rocked the running world, given how famous he had become for his exploits at the Comrades Marathon and other big races, often completing races alone, using his white stick as guide, when running guides could not keep up with him. Just a week before his death, he had run a brilliant 8:38 in the 2017 Comrades, guided successfully by first time ‘pilot,’ Andrew Hall of Celtic Harriers in Cape Town. Richard was a veteran of 13 Comrades runs, and was a former recipient of the Spirit of Comrades Award for his incredible courage and attitude towards running the race.

As if that were not enough, on 4 July news broke that Midrand Striders Men’s Club Captain Leon Baker was struck by a taxi during his morning run in Johannesburg, in yet another hit-and-run incident. He was a talented runner, capable of regularly earning Comrades silver medals and posting sub-40-minute times for 10km, but was better known for the selfless way he would go out of his way to help fellow runners. He had also inspired many with the story of how he took up running in 2004 when his broker told him he would have to pay more for insurance due to being 30kg overweight.

Rising Death Toll
A quick online search for reports about runners killed on SA roads shows that these recent deaths were by no means isolated incidents. What remains one of the most shocking accidents occurred in October 2011 in Midrand, north of Johannesburg, when six runners training for the Soweto Marathon were mowed down by a drunk driver. Geo Tlale, Moroese Mokoatsi, Reneilwe Lesenyeho, Given Mills and Nomvula Dumako were all killed, while Khanyisa Stengile was seriously injured. The runners were members of the Vodacom Striders, Midrand Striders and Goldfields Athletics Clubs. The Midrand Striders still hold an annual memorial run to the site of the accident to commemorate their fallen comrades, which is also attended by Khanyisa, who only returned to running after a lengthy recovery period for both physical and emotional injuries.

In February 2013, 60-year-old Neil Robinson was literally cut in half by a speeding driver that lost control of his vehicle in Pietermaritzburg, and worse, it happened right in front of his partner, Lynn-Rae van den Berg, as they were out training for the upcoming Maritzburg Half Marathon. The driver had lost concentration and drifted into oncoming traffic, then over-corrected and ploughed into Neil on the shoulder of the road.

In another horrific accident in February 2016 in Wartburg, near to Pietermaritzburg, 27-year-old Sithabile Mkhasibe and her boyfriend Xolani Nxele were killed when they were struck by a drunk driver during a Friday evening jog. Both runners’ bodies were picked up and carried further by the car, but while Xolani’s lifeless body eventually slid off the bonnet, Sithabile’s body was pinned against the windscreen and the driver kept going, later dumping her body in a sugarcane field near Dalton. Tragically, she had recently given up a high-paying engineering job in the Eastern Cape to move closer to her family in KwaZulu-Natal. Even though the driver was identified and arrested, her body was only found four days after the accident, because he had been too drunk to remember where he left her!

Also in 2016, top Cape Town veteran Sheryl De Lange (47) of the FNB Multisport Club was killed on 9 September when hit by a car during an early morning training run in Durbanville. She was a top performer for more than 20 years, winning a number of Western Province titles in road running and cross country as well as representing the province at national championships on many occasions. She was actually due to run the South African Cross Country Champs in Middelburg the same week she was killed, having finished second in her age category at the SA 10km Champs earlier in the year.

Run Defensively!
What these tragic deaths show is that the roads in South Africa are not safe for runners, and it is imperative that athletes do their utmost to promote their own safety when out running. While nothing can guarantee your safety, there are some basic tips that may help keep you safer:
1. Always run facing oncoming traffic, so that you can see approaching vehicles.
2. Avoid running with music, or wear just one ear-piece and listen at low volume, so that you can hear approaching vehicles.
3. Wear bright colours, reflective gear or flashing lights when running in low-light conditions. In fact, wear all three!
4. Signal your intentions to change direction or cross a road, much like cyclists use hand signals to notify other road users of their intentions.
5. Try to avoid running on roads that do not have a pavement or shoulder area, which force you to run in the road.
6. When running around a blind corner or rise, assume that a car could be coming and rather be safe by taking the long way round. Better yet, avoid running on roads with these features.
7. Try to make eye contact with drivers, so you know they have seen you. If you don’t see eyes, assume the driver has not seen you.
8. When crossing a road, rather wait till you know it is safe, especially if you are coming up suddenly on cars whose drivers may not have seen you.
9. Watch for danger points, such as entrances to parking lots and entry or exit points to busy highways, where drivers often drive faster or take gaps.
10. Beware high-risk drivers who may be driving under the influence, or may be tired in the early hours of the morning or after a long work day.
11. Assume that every driver of every vehicle is a bad driver, has bad eyesight, is texting on their phone while driving, and has not seen you.
12. Lastly, be courteous on the roads – wave thank you to drivers who see you running and wait for you. That will make them more likely to be aware of other runners going forward.

My long journey to becoming a triathlete has been an awesome, life-changing experience that I can recommend to any person. You will never know until you try a triathlon! – BY MORNE HEYSTEK

My journey started in September 2013 when my family went on holiday to Port Edward with my friend Peter Clark and his family, and they asked me if I had a mountain bike to bring with. I replied that I did, but that it had been locked in my garage for three years and needed some cleaning from all the dust… meanwhile, I was thinking, “Who wants to exercise on holiday? They must be crazy.” That first 4km ride was brutal and I kept checking my pulse to make sure I was still alive, but two or three days later I went for a 10km ride and actually started enjoying this cycling thing. The bug had bitten, and when I came home I continued cycling. Rides became longer and easier as Peter introduced me to road cycling, and soon I was entering races.

TAKING THE PLUNGE
Both our kids were swimming open water events and Peter suggested that we join them. I thought, “You must be joking! Swimming? No thank you, not for me.” Then in August 2014 he did the Bela Bela 5150 on his birthday and I went along to support. I was immediately caught up in this thing called triathlon, and by the end of that day I said, “Next year this time I’m doing this.” So I entered a sprint distance event at Germiston and thought if I can cycle and run/walk, I can probably swim. Biggest mistake of my life! Fifty metres into that swim I was basically drowning, but I prayed, doggy-paddled, and kept myself going with the thought, “If I can get through this, I can cycle, and that’s what I love.” I duly walked the 5km run and finished my first triathlon.

Back to the drawing board: I had to learn how to swim and run, so it was swimming five days a week and running on the treadmill for 20 minutes three days a week. Then I entered numerous open water events and 5km and 10km running races, supported by Peter and our wives, and in August 2015 I was standing at Bela Bela, ready for my first 5150 event. I survived the swim, loved the bike and ran/walked the 10km. Nerves got the better of me that day and I battled the whole day with a tummy bug, but I finished – and I loved it.

So what next? Peter suggest the 70.3 Half Ironman distance. “No ways! I will never be able to run 21km. How do people even do that?” I answered… but after completing a number of sprint and 5150 events in 2015, I pushed up the training and entered my first 70.3 distance event in February 2016, as well as the 70.3 Ironman in Durban later in 2016. That’s when s**t got real! I did numerous 21km road races, and got a Watt Bike, and as both my running and swimming got stronger, so my biking was also getting stronger. Loads of early morning runs and bike rides as well as swimming became a daily thing, and I went on to complete both 70.3 events in 2016.

THE ULTIMATE CHALLENGE
And then the question became: “How is it even possible to do a full Ironman distance 3.8km swim, 180km bike and 42km run? No way I can do that!” But my training was on track – running had become bearable and I was hovering at a 6:30/km average, my swimming was good and my bike was strong – so in December 2016 I looked at the three big races on the 2017 calendar and entered the lot: 70.3 East London, Ironman Port Elizabeth, 70.3 Durban! I pushed my training up to 14 hours a week and eventually it was the ultimate challenge on 2 April. I finished in 14 hours 31 minutes, and the best feeling ever was running down the red carpet to cross the finish line and hearing “You are an Ironman!” I’ve got goose bumps just writing about it.

Of course, none of this would have been possible if I had to do it on my own. Firstly, I need to thank Peter for all the encouragement and pushing me beyond my boundaries, and secondly, people sometimes forget the huge role an ‘Ironman wife’ plays – there is no way I could have done all this if it was not for Jacqui putting up with me during the months of training. That said, becoming a triathlete has brought huge bonuses: I have lost 32kg and five pants sizes, and where three years ago my cholesterol level was 6.3, now it is 3.1. I feel great, and long gone are the days where I was out of breath pushing a trolley in Pick n Pay. I always tell people you either love tri or you hate it, but you will never know if you don’t tri, so get off that couch!

“What makes your heart sing?” That is a line I read in a book, and it made me ask myself many questions. Have you ever wanted to do something completely out of your comfort zone? Ever had the urge to try something new? Have you ever been motivated by someone else doing something spectacular? And have you then done any of those things? Over the last few years I answered yes to all of those questions. – BY CARLA FARINA

We grow up in an environment where we are constantly told who we should be and what we should do. We are very often placed into boxes and the second we deviate from those boxes, we are seen as breaking the rules. I am a tennis player. I am a tennis coach. I am fast, agile, light on my feet, and good at ball sports. Growing up I was told to stick to ball sports, not to do endurance anything. “You are not built for long distance,” they said. Meanwhile, I was in the first teams and got colours for all my respective ball sports, and to this day I’m a high-performance tennis player and coach competing at a relatively high level. These sports always came naturally to me. The training was easy and I enjoyed it.

I was 25 years old when I decided I was going to do my first Half Ironman. It was something that I’d had in the back of my head for years, but it took me another year before I bit the bullet and entered. I was signed up for the Durban 70.3, and suddenly the reality hit: I had no idea whatsoever about Ironman or the training involved. It was something so completely different to anything I had done before.

Suddenly I found myself waking up at 4:30am to be in the pool by 5am, and doing hours of riding in the Cradle, and learning to run long distances. Although it was an incredible challenge, I was really enjoying the process – I was completely out of my comfort zone and found myself challenged in ways I never thought possible, but it was a challenge. And oh how I do love challenges.

Plans Derailed
All of a sudden I was a week away from my first ever Half Ironman, and then disaster – I was put on crutches for a dislocated knee! The doctors said I was not going to be able to race. They even told me, yet again, to stop endurance sport… but I would have none of it. I went down to Durban anyway to support my best friend, who was also doing the race, and at registration I politely asked whether I could maybe just do the swim. (I am, as I have been told, completely bonkers, after all). I was told a firm no, and at race briefing I was even given a special mention: “Please note, the girl on crutches may not do the swim!”

With hindsight, I am quite glad I didn’t do that swim, because it looked horrifying. Instead, I had a wonderful holiday in Durban with friends, and the second entries opened for the following year’s Durban 70.3, I sent in my entry. Training commenced and this time around I focused far more on strengthening my legs and being injury-free. I was going to do the 70.3 come hell or high water! I also picked up a speed trainer to ensure my tennis didn’t go out the window…

A few months down the line I entered the 94.7 Cycle Tour as a training race, and again, disaster: 30km into the race I fell off my bike and broke my scaphoid in my wrist! What did I do? Obviously, I got back on my bike, carried on and finished the race, then did a 1km swim event, and only after that I was put into plaster for 12 weeks… which did neither my training nor my bonkers, adventurous personality any good. I just carried on with what I could, including some running in the Eastern Cape and loads of spinning classes. Then in June 2016 I did it, I completed my first Half Iron. I was so proud of what I had overcome, and what it had taken to get there… but now it was done… and I needed a new, exciting challenge.

In the Deep End
Trail running. I wanted to do trail running. So what did I do? No, I didn’t enter a little starter 10km, I entered the Three Cranes Challenge in February this year, a three-day stage trail run with the daily distances of 28km, 41km and 22km! And why did I enter that? Because I needed accommodation for a wedding in that area on the middle day of the race! Crazy, I know, but that was the weekend I got bitten by the trail running bug.

The weekend was amazing. On the Saturday I did 63,000 steps as I completed 41km, then went to a wedding, had two hours of sleep, and ran the next day. Added to that, the final day was cold, wet and miserable, and my knee was in excruciating pain, but was I going to quit? No! Was I going to bail on the last day? Absolutely not. I just walked day three. I was slow, I was sore, I was grumpy, and I looked as though I had run the entire way on my face, but I finished. And I recovered.

The point is that had I listened to everyone telling me what I couldn’t do, I would never had experienced these things. I would never have learnt what it’s like to cross the finish line of an Ironman, I would never have known how much I love trail running, and I would never have known what I was really capable of. The point is that if you want something in this world, it’s up to you to go and get it. No-one can stop you, just as no-one can do it for you. You have to make it happen, and while you’re doing it, you may as well “go big or go home.”

Life Lesson Learnt
I am still looking forward to many more exciting adventures out there, and making friends along the way. I often sit back and think of what I would have missed out on had I not followed my heart and done all of these exciting things. Sure, it comes with ups and downs, and the road is never smooth, but you have to trust that the highs will outweigh the lows.

I’ve had my fair share of highs and lows over the past two years: I was on crutches three times, I had a broken arm, I had fallings out with friends, I had family troubles, I faced huge obstacles at work and I had financial instability, but on the other hand I had adventure, I learnt new skills, I learnt about myself, I learnt to appreciate those who love and support me unconditionally, and I learnt that you can do anything if you put your whole heart into it.

So what makes my heart sing? Tennis is my first love, but I am so much more than that. I love adventure, challenges, being active and pushing my boundaries, and I will continue to do these things, whether people think I can or not, because at the end of the day we have to find the things we love and we have to do them. So who knows what else lies out there for me. Maybe I’ll see you all at the Dusi…

Get FREE BINS for Your Race with Modern Athlete’s #runclean campaign, brought to you by Garbie.

As part of the #runclean campaign to promote no littering, we are providing FREE fold-up cardboard bins and plastic bin liners to registered #runclean events, in conjunction with Garbie Bins from East Rand Plastics.

Any running or walking event held in South Africa can apply and the requirements for event organizers are quite simple:

1. Register your event online and tell us how many bins you will need for your event.
To register, look for the quick and simple sign-up form via the link on www.facebook.com/runclean, or go to https://modernathlete.co.za/bf.php?fid=287. We suggest you do this well in advance, so that your request can be processed in time and the bins delivered, and you will need lead time to follow through on step 2.

2. Put the #runclean and Garbie logos on your entry form, and race/club website.
Your event should be proud to be called a #runclean event, as you will be contributing to cleaning up both our sport and the environment, and Garbie should be listed as a sponsor of your event, given that the bins are sponsored and delivered FREE of charge to your event. As part of the sign-up process, we will require to send us an example of your entry form and the address of your website.

3. Commit to anti-litter measures at your event.
Actively promote a no littering attitude to your entrants across all platforms, during registration, at the start, on the route and at prize-giving. Get your race announcer to talk about running clean, put up anti-litter posters, incentivise athletes to bring their plastic back to the finish by offering a prize for the best anti-litter effort, or offer a prize for the best race day selfie posted online showing anti-litter efforts. Only by highlighting it will we begin to solve the littering problem.

Once your event is registered and has met steps one and two, Garbie will arrange the delivery of the bins, liners and bags, all free of charge, to the address you have specified in your registration form. Modern Athlete will then also promote your event through our various platforms – magazine, website, newsletters, social media, etc.

Please note that as from the 1st of August 2017, only events that display the Garbie logo on their entry forms and website will qualify for FREE bins.

THINK BEFORE YOU THROW – #runclean
Modern Athlete’s #runclean campaign calls on all runners to stop littering during races. This problem – runners dropping used water sachets or cups in the road – has become one of the most prominent talking points in South African running circles, and while many runners have already stopped littering, some continue to just toss their used sachets on the road, even when dustbins are provided along the route!

Here’s how all athletes can #runclean:
• Throw all water sachets or cups in a rubbish bin, or carry them until you find a bin.
• Wear running kit with a pocket for used sachets, or make a pocket with your licence number.
• Carry your own water in a hydration pack or belt, so you don’t need to use sachets.

Share your #runclean efforts or experiences at www.facebook.com/runclean or mail to [email protected].

When Mark Joubert was dared to run the 2017 Comrades Marathon by his closest mates, they didn’t think he would do it, but he proved them very wrong. Of course, it helped greatly that he stood to win R100,000 if he finished! – BY SEAN FALCONER

It all started during a somewhat drunken bachelor’s party late in 2016. Mark Joubert was one of the groomsmen at a mate’s wedding, and during the bachelor’s, talk somehow turned to the Comrades Marathon. (As happens at all good bachelor’s parties!) Boys will be boys, and the banter became a bit competitive as they dared each other to run the Ultimate Human Race, given that many of them were admittedly a bit overweight at the time, but when it came to Mark, the whole group were in unanimous consensus that he would never run it. In fact, they were so sure that they decided to bet him that he wouldn’t do it.

“A few of the guys had run the Comrades before, and I commented that anyone can do it if they put their minds to it, so they immediately dared me to run it – and next thing it’s six guys betting me that I’ll never do it, since I weighed 110 kilograms. They even gave me 10-to-1 odds, which meant that if I finished the race, I would get R100,000 from the six of them, so I took the bet!”

Built for Comfort…
That saw Mark start training in January, running just one kilometre a day at first – 500m of running and 500m of walking – which he then gradually increased to 2km, then 3km. He admits that running had never been his thing, but he still managed to enjoy the training… some of the time. “My sporting background is in rugby, cricket and squash. I was never a good 100-metre athlete because of my weight, and I never did long distance running either. In my high school rugby days, I played flank up to standard eight, and then became a prop!” says Mark.

“So this running thing was never going to be easy for me, but it turned out to be a lot of fun doing it with the guys. We were a few heavyweights starting this journey, so we got ourselves a sponsorship from KIA East Rand and started calling ourselves the Run Fatboy Run Club. There were three Comrades novices in the group that founded the club, but in the end the guys who had already run Comrades all joined the club because it was a ‘funner’ group to be part of. We didn’t have enough time to form an official running club, but at the end of the day it was a whole bunch of fat guys having fun. That said, I started at 110kg and now weigh 100kg, so I didn’t lose as much weight as I’d wanted to… probably because for every 42 kays I ran, I drank at least 42 kays worth of beer!”

Tough Love Support
On the day, he managed to run fairly consistently through the day, with his average pace staying between 7:30 and 8:30 per kay. He reached the halfway timing mark at Drummond (42.7km) in 5:34:07, and he eventually came home in 11:40:17, crossing the line looking a very tired man before brightening up for the finish line photographers as he realised he’d done it. “I have to admit, it was hard, a real hack for me,” he says. “It was lekker, a real jol, until the top of Inchanga, but then the heat and loneliness at Harrison flats just killed me. After that I just had to try keep going.”

Of course, it helped that Mark had wife Elaine on the route seconding him, and she says she had to use some strong words to keep him going. “At 60km at Camperdown he said, ‘Lovey, I can’t do this,’ and I said you know what, you started this and you will finish it. Here’s your protein shake and here’s your energiser, now run and I’ll see you at the end,” says Elaine. “As a supporter it’s quite hectic, because you’re looking at the app and trying to follow everyone, while trying to drive and navigate, find parking and see them on the road, but it was so much fun. And when he came in to the finish, I was there, screaming ‘Run, Fatboy, run!’ and crying like a baby. It was very emotional… but I’m still laughing about having to help him put his pants on the day after the race!”

“The whole Comrades journey was quite intense, but I’m so proud of him for actually doing it, as I never thought he would. When he came home and said the boys had bet him R100,000 that he wouldn’t run the Comrades, I laughed at him and said it was a stupid bet, but that if he could pull through, then I’d be there with him 100% of the way. I must be honest, I was hard on him all the way. I toughened him up by not actually comforting him when he was sore – I said ‘Butter up, Sunshine, you’re in this for the long run,’ even towards the end of training, when he was like an emotional wreck. He was worse than a chick! But he committed to it and he did it, and I am very, very proud of him.

Another Year, Another Bet
Unsurprisingly, the very day after Comrades 2017 saw Mark already talking about returning for a second run in 2018. “Would I do it again? No problem! I’m definitely doing the Down Run next year. I want my Back2Back medal, and I’m a very good downhill runner thanks to gravity… I might even do a silver!” he jokes. Even more unsurprisingly, the boys have already started joking about raising the odds in 2018 and making another bet with Mark that he can’t break 10 hours. “Ha, ha, the guys are getting tempted, hey. They seem quite confident about this one, but then again, they were confident when they made the first bet!” At this, Elaine just rolls her eyes and says, “Oh my gosh, to go through all of that again!”

Having been unable to complete the 2016 Comrades when aiming for her 30th (and final) medal, 1991 women’s winner Tilda Tearle returned in 2017 for another go at earning her Triple Green before hanging up her Comrades shoes for good. In her typically honest and irreverent way, here is her story.

In 2016 I failed to finish my 30th Comrades as I had been injured and couldn’t train properly. However, I “kept the faith” that I would do it in 2017, because I had made a promise to myself that after I completed 30, I would take Comrades ‘pension’… but then 2017 did not start well. I tore a calf muscle which reduced me to a swimmer and walker for six weeks. Life is not always a bed of roses!

After six weeks I was able to run again and decided to try compression socks. These helped, as I felt I was being “kept together,” but I had not qualified for Comrades during 2016 and had to get my act together. So I entered the Pietermaritzburg 42km on just a few weeks’ training and one 21km run. Phew, I qualified in 4:56 – hurdle number one had been overcome and my calf remained intact.

All in all my training went well. I decided that this year I would not run so many races, but would do a lot of back-to-back training runs, and I also decided to stay off the route and rather use the Chatsworth 52km as my long run. I stayed away from trail runs, and was extra careful while running in the dark, so no further injuries, and as Comrades got closer, I never lost faith in myself. I know I am now quite slow, but I perform like an old truck and can just keep going once I’m warmed up!

Friendly Support
Meanwhile, Stephan Bruwer (aka Fanie), who I have run with for many years, was not as fit as he should have been and was thinking about withdrawing from Comrades. I suggested he run with me and forced him into a few longer training runs. On Comrades morning we met outside the Hilton, and I gave his daughter some GU’s, Rennies and sparkling water, as she would be seeing us at various spots. Fanie and I then walked up to the start and fought our way into a spot amongst the E batch runners.

It was the normal pandemonium at the start… runners jumping the fence, some unmentionable smells, a bit of pushing and shoving. Eventually the Comrades cock crowed, the gun went, and it took us four minutes to cross the start line. We got going with a few leaps over discarded tops and bottles, and potholes in the road. During the early stages of our run we saw the lady being pushed in the adult pram, the lady doing her thing in a racing wheelchair, the “backwards man,” the blind man, and the barefoot man from Celtic Harriers. When we got to the bottom of Field’s Hill we met Fanie’s family and I collected a GU. This was unfortunately the last time I would see them.

Up Field’s Hill I felt like James Brown and started pulling ahead of Fanie and Robbie Richey (who by now had hunted me down, because he has used me as a pacer since 2013!). We still went through Kloof together, but by the start of Hillcrest I had dropped the boys. I only found out later that Fanie encountered problems at Botha’s and had to withdraw… His pulse rate shot up so high he thought he was having a heart attack!

My plan had been to get through halfway around 5:20, so I could walk a lot in the second half. I was a bit off, but still had lots of time for walking. I encountered lots of runners who wanted to chat and wish me well, and I saw everyone I had planned to see along the route, so my day was turning out happy. Meanwhile, Robbie had caught up again and made sure he stayed near me. At one stage I even held his hand to keep him going.

Digging Deep
During Comrades you have to learn not to panic. I had now lost my GU’s, as Fanie’s daughter was nowhere to be seen, but I knew that at Camperdown I had a GU at the Savages table. That thought kept me going, but it was good to see that table! Camperdown is normally the point where you have to start digging deep, and the race is often won or lost in this area. I was still fine, and lucky for me I was carrying my own Rennies, which I have learnt to take for nausea.

At about three in the afternoon fellow Durban runner Gina Hinchcliffe of Stella was suddenly running next to me. Her husband was struggling and told her to push on, and so we stuck together for the rest of the race. She gave me a helping hand down the hills, and we remained in a positive frame of mind as we walked the whole of small Pollies and then the whole of big Pollies. At the top of Pollies, I said to myself, “Goodbye Pollie, I have kissed your arse goodbye… finally!” We were then confronted with the nasty new finish – 7.2km of rollercoaster, but we kept moving. A friend riding a bike reported that Gina’s hubby had been spotted at Pollies. We hoped he would pull finger and finish in time. The same guy then told me it looked like I needed a good meal.

Gina informed me that she had a friend about 2km from the finish waiting with wine. “Yay,” I said, hoping she would share. When we got to the friend, Gina had her sip of white wine and I had 2 big glugs. Tasted so good! Revived and with a grin, off we went. Meanwhile, Body Guard Clive (my husband) and I had arranged that if he could get close enough, he would hand me a banner which I could run in with. I spotted him, collected my banner and Gina and I ran in carrying it for an 11:43:50 finish. My ‘triplets’ had finally been born, and I was such a happy girl. To add to the pleasure, Bruce Fordyce and Alan Robb handed me my Triple Green.

All done… kind of
After the race we went to see my mother, who lives in Pietermaritzburg. She had bought me a teddy bear wearing a hat, and she said this was because she took her hat off to me. She then told me to put my hand on her Bible and swear that I wouldn’t do Comrades again! I said 30 Comrades is really enough for me… but if I am in one piece, I would like to run in 2020 (as a 60-year-old) and in 2025 when it is the 100th running of Comrades. If I am still able to qualify in 2025, I will be at the start. After 32 Comrades’ starts and 30 finishes all I can say is that Comrades is not for sissies. It is ******* hard, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise, but is it absolutely worth it!

Nicky van der Westhuizen’s extraordinary journey to the 2017 Paris Marathon, via the Modern Athlete 9to5 Programme, is an inspiring story that defies medical and biomechanical logic. – BY JEANNIE JORDAAN, 9to5 COACH

I clearly remember the day that Nicky walked into the gym, on 23 May 2015, her birthday. One of her friends had dragged her to my 9to5 Challenge that morning, determined that the best thing to do on one’s birthday is go for a run with a new running group. Nicky confidently introduced herself and took me through a bit of her history with running, and I remember thinking, this girl is going to fly, never mind run. Needless to say, Nicky has proven me right time and time again. She doesn’t do anything in half measures, and doesn’t know the meaning of “stop.” Our running journey together (and our steadfast friendship) began that day, and I can say with both the pride of a coach and of a friend that I am grateful to be able to tell the inspiring story that got her to Paris.

THE JOURNEY STARTS
In November 2015 Nicky decided to compile a list of 40 things she’d like to do in the six months before she turned 40, hence the title of her blog, 40beforeforty. Then at Nicky’s 40th birthday party in May 2016 she received an entry for the 2017 Paris Marathon from her brother, Craig. There was another half marathon on the 40beforeforty list, not a full marathon… but what do you say when you get handed an opportunity to fulfil a dream and run a marathon in one of the most beautiful cities in the world? In Nicky’s words, you say “Wow, wow, wow! I couldn’t think of a more amazing gift.” And so began the training, and the blogging, and her journey to the start line on the Champs Elysees.

However, there is a significant bit of history that is relevant to this story. Nicky was unfortunately born with a club foot: Her left foot was turned inwards and upwards, with her toes virtually touching her shin! Her parents were worried she would not be able to walk, let alone run, and 40 years ago a club foot required fairly extensive surgery, often without much success. That meant her lower left leg was in a cast for much of the first year of her life, with the cast being redone every six weeks to try to straighten the bones as much as possible before three sets of surgeries commenced, the last when she was five years old.

Today Nicky has virtually no mobility in her left ankle and her “little foot,” as her family affectionately calls it, is three sizes smaller and overpronates substantially. This means she has to buy two pairs of shoes every time she needs a new pair, but more importantly, since ankle mobility is essential for the biomechanics of running, running is extremely difficult for her. As she explains, “I didn’t grow up running – in fact, I hated it. I was a tennis player through school and varsity, but after I was unceremoniously thrust into running a half marathon in Knysna in 2007, my road to running started, and thereafter I entered a few races, went to time trials and included a run or three in my week.”

Nicky completed a few more half marathons after that first one in 2007, and then in 2011 she decided to prove to herself that she could complete a marathon, in spite of her foot. She duly ran the Watervalboven 3-in1 Marathon, crossing the finish line in five and half hours, and through tears of joy, said to her watching parents, “I bet when I was born, you didn’t think I’d ever run a marathon!”

OVERCOMING CHALLENGES
Fast forward to May 2016 and we set out to get Nicky ready for Paris in April 2017. “It didn’t take too long for reality to hit, and while running the Paris Marathon sounded super glamorous, I soon realised it would involve months and months of training, hard work, commitment… all that stuff that sounds so noble, but is often hard to follow through with,” says Nicky. “I am not a fast runner, and so the six-hour cut-off time for the marathon was always going to be a challenge, but I was determined, and I would try contextualise my long training runs to see how they would translate into my ultimate marathon time. In other words, would I make it? My training under the guidance of Jeannie and Craig showed that I should (hopefully) make it in under six hours, but it was by no means a sure thing.”

Given her challenging biomechanics, Nicky often picks up injuries from long distance running, and that included a calf injury last September. Although not nearly ready to do a run over 21km after her injury, Nicky travelled to Nelspruit in November and surprised me on the start line of the Kaapsehoop Marathon. With a mixture of joy to see my friend and dread at the thought of what Nicky was about to put herself through, I knew there was nothing I could say to change her mind about running that morning. She assured me that she knew she was not fully fit yet, but still wanted to go as far as she could, which turned out to be 34km. My jaw dropped when I heard later what she had done.

Nicky just kept her sights on Paris and mentally pictured crossing the finish line on Avenue Foch. “That image kept me going many a time, especially on those early Saturday and Sunday mornings when I had to get up at 3:45am – or as my friend and training partner Amanda calls it, stupid o’clock – to be in time for a race at 6am in Pretoria or the South of Joburg,” says Nicky. And all too soon, she found herself in Paris with ‘bestie’ Amanda, lining up to register for the race at the Salon du Running Fair on the Friday before race day.

THE BIG DAY
As Sunday 9 April dawned, the girls made their way to the top of the Champs Elysees, and Nicky says she vividly remembers every step once the race started: “We began moving slowly forward en masse, with music playing, adrenaline pumping, and of course, some tears of emotion seeping out. But that was when my smiling started!” She took in the sights and soaked up the atmosphere, just as she had dreamed of doing so many times, and at 29km, when passing the Eiffel Tower, she thought, “Wow, who has that as a marker in their Sunday run?”

“The last 10km were really tough, but I just carried on… still smiling, still plodding, still making sure there was no walking when I could hear the various bands, and eventually, after 41.5km, I was on the Avenue Foch. The crowds were lining the road, banging on the advertising boards and cheering madly, ‘Allez, Allez,’ and I finished with tears of joy in my eyes, trying to take in as much as possible of the experience – which is why there is not one photo of me at the finish where I am looking in front of me! I did it, 42.195km in 5:49… and it was the most beautiful marathon I could ever have dreamt of, the culmination of a year of planning, training, saving, treating injuries, running races at stupid o’clock, crying, laughing… but knowing that Paris is ALWAYS a good idea!”