Category: Features

As most people know, we need to consume a balanced diet consisting of carbohydrate, protein and good fats in order to fuel our bodies and remain healthy, and this becomes even more important when we are athletes, as our muscles burn more energy, both when we are active and when resting. Therefore, many athletes focus on carbohydrate intake, or carbo-loading, as it provides the fuel that your muscles run on, but protein is just as important, because it is essential in both the muscle-building process and the recovery process.

 

During your run or training in the gym, more muscle protein is being broken down than added to the muscle. Therefore, taking in protein immediately after exercise is essential to help reverse the impact of exercise on your muscles. Now, while many athletes turn to meat – we all know how much South Africans love their meat done on a braai – as well as dairy products and eggs for their protein needs, one of the best protein sources available is soy protein, to be found in many products from soups, breads and breakfast cereals to dairy and meat alternatives. Some people still look down on these soy alternatives, saying they prefer the real thing, but there are big benefits to be found in soy products:

 

?         Low in cholesterol and saturated fat, which reduces risk of heart disease.

?         Low GI – Sustains energy levels and keeps you fuller for longer, which is ideal if you want to watch your weight.

?         Contains essential amino acids, minerals and vitamins – great for kids.

?         Preserves lean muscle mass.

?         Helps stimulate superior recovery time and makes athletes less injury-prone.

 

BRING ON THE SOY

Another big bonus of soy protein is that when combined with casein and whey (two protein types commonly found in dairy products), you get a triple blend of protein types that are digested by your body at different rates, thus creating a timed release that prolongs your ‘anabolic window,’ the amount of time after exercise it takes to build muscle. Whey is a ‘fast protein’ because it is absorbed very quickly, while soy protein is absorbed at an intermediate rate. Casein is a ‘slow protein’ and takes several hours to be digested. This means the blend can carry your repair and growth process, and the soy bridges the gap between other protein types.

 

“Within the first hour after your exercise, 20 to 25 grams of high quality protein should be consumed. This will drive rates of muscle protein synthesis above muscle breakdown,” explains Dr Greg Paul, Global Director for Sports Nutrition at Solae, one of the world’s leading soy-producing companies. He adds that the triple blend is a much better option for athletes: “Single proteins are fine for normal growth and development, but for athletes looking to pack on muscle or runners logging 10 to 20km a day and hoping to set a new PB in a marathon, the blend is essential. They get an edge.”

 

The blend then extends the release of essential amino acids to the muscles, and because of the natural antioxidants found in soy protein, you can also reduce the oxidative stress of exercise on the body. In other words, you can recover quicker after a long run. “It takes at least 24 to 48 hours for your muscles to recover,” explains Greg, “and the blend provides amino acids for up to five hours. So if you have a shake with these proteins in it for example, it will last you until your next meal.”

Andrew Hagen spends a lot of time in the mountains and on trails, because when he’s not running, he is often ‘on the line’ with his fellow volunteer fire-fighters as more and more wild fires rampage through the Cape region. – BY RACHEL PIENAAR

In the last few years news reports in the summer months have been dominated by runaway wild fires in the Cape, with the combination of hot, dry and windy conditions turning the Western Cape into a tinderbox. This has seen fire-fighting services stretched to breaking point, including the Volunteer Wildfire Service (VWS) fire-fighters. These unpaid men and women put their lives on hold when a fire breaks out, don their protective gear and head up mountains and ravines to fight the fires, and amongst them is Andrew Hagen, a 33-year-old Stellenbosch-based photographer and technician. He’s also an elite-level trail runner when not working or fighting fires, and thrives on tough mountainous courses.

Amongst Andrew’s running accolades are four wins in the Three Peaks Challenge in Cape Town, which summits Devils Peak, Table Mountain and Lions Head. He first won it in 2007, then again in 2009, and set a new course record as he claimed a third win in 2010. His record has since fallen, but in 2016 he posted an unprecedented fourth win. In between that he also won the 2013 Lesotho Ultra Trail Run, and placed second in the 2014 Ultra Trail Cape Town, which in turn saw him selected for the SA team for the 2015 Ultra Trail World Champs in France. “I’ve always run. At school I was never good at the shorter distances, but I took part in quite a few cross country events,” says Andrew. “It was the numerous hikes up Table Mountain that took me down the path of trail running, and I feel at home amongst the mountains.”

HEAT OF THE MOMENT
It was a close encounter with a forest fire seven years ago that led to Andrew volunteering his services as a fire-fighter. “The 2009 Jonkershoek fires burnt right to the walls of the place where we lived, and did tremendous damage while burning across the mountains for a month. My wife to be at the time, Hayley, founded the Jonkershoek Station of VWS and I was one of the first to sign up. We not only fight to protect lives, homes, trees and pretty flowers, but we’re fighting against the degradation of our mountain water catchments by repeated burning of unnatural causes.”

As a VWS crew leader, Andrew and his team are often exposed to extreme heat, steep and rugged terrain, smoke inhalation, and back-breaking work, but he says trail running has primed him for the challenge. “The mountain environment with its steep gradients and uneven terrain is already a comfort zone, my cardio fitness is better than average, and being self-sufficient is already a habit. It’s just the act of having to beat flames, dig out coals or cut a fire break all day that can sometimes wear your upper body out,” he says.

FIRE SEASON
During the winter months the VWS recruits are put through a thorough training programme, learning the tools for fire-fighting as well as a good working knowledge of the warning signs of trouble and the behaviour of wild fires. When ‘Fire Season’ starts, the volunteers go on high alert. “There is a large fire-fighting community which includes municipal fire departments, conservation professionals, contract fire-fighting crews, Working on Fire crews and pilots, and other smaller volunteer groups, all putting in long hours to see the fires brought under control.”

As volunteers, the VWS fire-fighters take turns to be on standby on the weekends, and this past January they were once again called into emergency action as fires swept through the Grabouw and Helderberg areas. “We had to dispatch 18 crews of volunteers in less than two weeks!” says Andrew, who adds that fortunately there are more and more volunteers signing up each year. “The other great thing is the public support that VWS receives. In the time I’ve been involved, I don’t remember ever having as much public support as we do now, and it makes a big difference.”

Even when not on the line, Andrew and Hayley continue to work to promote and grow the VWS Boland branch. “We both want to make a meaningful difference in the preservation of our environment, which directly affects our water supply. We hope to create greater awareness of fire risks, and ultimately, we’d really like to see fewer fires,” says Andrew. Meanwhile, he still has running goals in mind as well: “I’d like to do some of the iconic 100 mile races overseas, such as the UTMB or Hardrock, but the major goal is to just to keep enjoying it as a healthy part of my life for years to come.”

For more info on the VWS, go to www.vws.org.za.

Sugar has always been a controversial issue with most health-conscious athletes. We are constantly bombarded with info about how sugar can cause holes in our teeth, affect our mood and energy levels, make us fat and cause illnesses such as diabetes and cancer. But let’s face it, sugar is a key nutrient in sport and without it our diets would be very bland. Nutritionists agree that sugar has a place in a healthy diet, as long as it is balanced in amount, type and timing. – BY CHRISTINE PETERS

SUGAR: A CARBOHYDRATE
There are three so-called macronutrients in our diets: proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Carbohydrates and fats supply the body with the energy vital for existence. Sugars, along with starches and dietary fibres, fall into the carbohydrate group. Plant foods, such as cereals and grains (maize, wheat, rice) and fruits and vegetables, are the primary sources of carbohydrates in the diet. Plant carbohydrates vary widely in sweetness, texture, rate of digestion, and degree to which they are absorbed in the body.
 
Carbohydrates can be categorised as:
• Monosaccharides (glucose, fructose and galactose)
• Disaccharides and oligosaccharides (sucrose such as table sugar, lactose or milk sugar, and maltose)
• Polysaccharides (starch and fibres)
 The prefix ‘mono’ refers to one sugar, ‘di’ indicates that two sugars are combined, and ‘poly’ indicates the combination of many sugars.

All carbohydrates are eventually broken down into the simple sugars (mono and disaccharides) and absorbed into the bloodstream. Because glucose, fructose and galactose are absorbed at different rates and have different metabolic pathways, the type of carbohydrate influences the effect it has on the blood sugar levels. Simple carbs can occur naturally within a food e.g. fructose in fruit, or they can be added to a food (added sugars).

Because processed foods containing added sugars are replacing other foods in the South African diet, simple carbs have increased significantly as compared to more complex starches or fibres. It is these added sugars that are to blame for the increase in obesity.

HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH?
When eaten, sugar is rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream, causing a surge in the hormone insulin. Insulin clears sugar and fat from the bloodstream, and enables them to be stored in tissue for future use. Go overboard with added sugar and eventually your body’s insulin system will stop working, leaving you with high blood sugar and eventually, diabetes and other illnesses. The World  Health Organization recommends limiting your sugar intake to 10% of your total daily calories. So if you eat 2 500 calories, 250 of them can be from added sugar. One of the biggest mistakes we make is overloading our bodies with sugar during an event. This leads to a slower digestive system and your blunted insulin levels during exercise, which means that we can process only so much food and pull only so much glucose into our cells.

During exercise the body can process 30-60 grams of carbs per hour. Consume too much energy and you’ll not only take in too many calories, you are also likely to suffer from gastrointestinal disturbances. Use the following guidelines to ensure you take in the correct amount of sugar:
• For activities less than 60min a day, you can get away with avoiding simple carbs (bars, gels, sports drinks) and focusing more on adding complex carbs to your normal diet.
• If you train more than 90min a day, you will need to replenish your muscles during and after an event. The general rule is 30-60g of carbs per 45-60min or 8-10km, whichever comes first.

HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR SUGAR
Sugars in energy products come in different forms: glucose, fructose, sucrose and maltodextrin. For the best performance benefits, use products with a blend of sugars. Various studies have found that when trained athletes consume drinks with mixed sugars, they are able to process, digest and absorb considerably more carbs per minute than when they drink single-sugar energy drinks.

It comes down to what you like and what your body can tolerate while you run. Genetically, we all have different abilities to digest and absorb various carbohydrates. Digestion becomes slower the faster you go. Play around with different products and figure out what works for you. Don’t overdo it on the sugar. All the carbs in the world will do you no good if you can’t get them out of your gut and into your legs.

The following table details exactly how much sugar is in the typical foods we eat, and which healthy alternatives we can substitute them with.

Example of high sugar food Healthier alternative
Milk chocolate bar 22g sugar; Cereal bar  14g sugar; 9g sugar Cooked oats (3/4 cup);  0.4g sugar Commercial large muffin; 36g sugar Oat bran muffin (homestyle); 14g sugar Coke (one cup); 27g sugar Low fat milk (one cup); 14g sugar Low fat fruit yoghurt (one cup); 46g sugar Low fat plain yoghurt (one cup).

Note: 15g of sugar or carbohydrate is equivalent to one slice of bread in terms of portion size.

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT SUGAR
• ‘Low sugar’ is supposed to mean less than 5g of sugar per 100g of food.
• Often fat free products have more added sugar to make up for taste and to act as a filler.
• Honey is very similar in terms of calories/energy to table sugar, but does have other health benefits if not used in excess.
• Xylitol is a great alternative to sugar for those trying to lose weight, have diabetes or are prone to dental problems.

Most of know that we should be eating two to three fruit portions per day, but there remains confusion of how to tally up portions, and what exactly counts as a fruit. – BY CHRISTINE PETERS, REGISTERED DIETICIAN

The Department of Health bases its recommendation about fruit and vegetable consumption on a 1990 report from the World Health Organisation (WHO), looking at the amount of fruit and vegetables eaten in regions like Italy and Greece, where high intakes of fruit and vegetables are linked to low rates of chronic disease and some cancers. The WHO thus recommends that 400g of fruit and vegetables should be consumed per day, and to make it easier, health experts have divided that 400g into five 80g portions, two to three of them coming from fruit.

There are several reasons that fruits are so important:
• They’re rich in fibre, important in healthy digestion, and help prevent certain conditions such as constipation and bowel cancer.
• They’re packed with antioxidants that stop free-radicals attacking and damaging our cells, helping prevent health problems like heart disease, strokes and cancer.
• They contain vital vitamins and minerals, like vitamin C, potassium, folate and beta-carotene.
• They’re low in fat and calories, yet fill us up, so they help with appetite and weight control.

WHAT COUNTS AS A PORTION?
Each different fruit contains various combinations of fibre, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, so to get the best benefit, eat a variety of fruit daily, especially differently coloured fruits. Most fruit-containing foods can count towards your three fruit servings per day, but there is a limit to how many portions they provide, regardless of the amount. For example:
• Fresh fruit: 80g of fresh fruit equals one fruit portion, e.g. 1 medium apple, 3 apricots, 4 heaped tablespoons of blueberries.
• Dried fruit: 30g dried fruit equals one fruit portion, e.g. 2 figs or 1 heaped tablespoon of raisins.
• Tinned fruit: 80g tinned fruit equals one fruit portion, e.g. 2 pear halves or 2 pineapple rings
• Fruit juice: A small glass (150ml) of pure fruit juice counts as one fruit serving, but you can only count one serving of fruit juice towards your three fruit servings per day. This is because unlike fresh fruit, the juicing process squeezes out natural sugar that is normally found between the cells of fruit, which is harmful to your teeth.

WEIGHT-GAIN WORRIES?
Many people make the mistake of thinking fruit is sugar and will cause you to gain weight. The truth is, fruit is made up of various types of sugars, but the main type is fructose, which has a different metabolic pathway and a lower glycaemic (blood sugar) response compared to glucose, which is found in candy and sweet, refined carbs. Fruit also contains fibre, which lowers the glycaemic response even further. Thus if you eat a lot of fruit at one time, the sugar load in the blood can rise unfavourably, but not if you eat one to two portions at a time. The key is to have a variety of fruits and spread them out throughout the day.

Having dominated the Collegiate track and cross country circuits while studying in the USA and qualified for her first Olympics, Dominique Scott-Efurd is now looking forward to life as a professional athlete, and aiming for more outings in the Green and Gold of South Africa. – BY SEAN FALCONER

When Dominique won a full athletics scholarship in 2011 to go study marketing at the University of Arkansas in the USA, she left Cape Town as a young athlete with three junior SA titles on the track, a lot of raw potential, and a big dream of one day running for her country at the Olympics. However, she is the first to admit that she wasn’t sure if she would reach that level, but decided to give it everything and see how far she could go. “I knew I couldn’t turn down the opportunity, even though I went there knowing I wasn’t the best athlete on the team – not even the best Freshman, for that matter. But somehow Coach Lance Harter and I found what I initially lacked in strength and speed, and we were able to get the best out of me over five years,” says Dominique.

That’s putting it mildly… Dom ended up winning five national NCAA collegiate titles and helped the Arkansas Razorbacks win their first ever indoor and outdoor national team titles, was awarded prestigious All American honours seven times, set multiple records along the way, and enjoyed superstar status on campus. That in turn was all a build-up to her making the final selection for Team SA for the Rio Olympics, where she ran a PB 31:51:47 in the women’s 10,000m to become the second-fastest South African woman of all time at that distance.

She says the Olympic race was insanely fast, nothing like what she had expected. “My coach and my strength trainer, who ran at the Olympics himself, said it was likely going to be tactical, as the big races nearly always are at championships. So they said just be brave and hang in there till halfway, and then see what happens, but it was the total opposite. It was the fastest women’s 10,000m in history – within the first 200m we were already running single file, and I was on my PB pace right from the gun – and even though I got lapped a couple of times, it was still amazing to be part of it.”

In the past year, Dom also got married to college ‘sweetheart’ Cameron Efurd at the end of 2015, and as soon as she graduated from College in mid-2016, she signed a long-term sponsorship deal with adidas, so now the 24-year-old is focused on making her mark as a professional athlete. “It really has just been like a dream come true. A lot of blood, sweat and tears went into those five years, but it was definitely worth it!” she says. “Now I feel so blessed, because I know that only a few people get to become professional athletes, and I am also blessed to be with a company that takes care of me so well. I’m truly living my dream.”

Showing Fine Form
In late December, Dom and Cam visited SA for three weeks to visit her family in Cape Town, and in between family get-togethers, sightseeing and tanning – it was snowing back ‘home’ in Arkansas when they left – Dom made the most of the glorious summer weather to put in some serious training ahead of her indoor track season starting in January. She also put her fitness and speed to the test and managed to break the women’s course record at the Constantia parkrun, then shattered the women’s 15km course record at the NutriBullet Bay to Bay race, clocking 53:59 to take just under five minutes off the previous record!

She was often asked for autographs and pictures when she ventured out to running events, and for much of her time in SA she had journalists and photographers hovering nearby – a far cry from two years ago when she actively went looking for coverage in the South African press in order to remind ASA that she was still in the mix for selection for Rio. Of course, having been selected for Rio and worn the Green and Gold at senior level for the first time, but now being married to an American and living there, the question often comes up where she now considers home, and what her plans for the future are.

“That’s a hard question, because I was born in SA and it will always be my home, but I have bought a house in the States with my husband and feel settled there. Also, when I graduated, I was no longer allowed to stay in the USA on a student visa, but when Cameron and I got married last December I was automatically allowed to get my Green Card, which allows me to live in the States and earn money – and pay taxes – but I am still a South African national, and I want to keep representing SA. But both countries are now home,” says Dom.

“Even if I wanted to run for America I can’t, because you have to have a US passport and be a permanent citizen… but it‘s not what I want to do anyway, I want to keep running for South Africa. I moved overseas to study and happened to find a husband there, so now I live and train over there, but I do not want to turn my back on SA. I worked hard to get into the South African team and had a great experience in Rio, and now I want more of that. Cam and I have discussed our plans, including when to start a family, and he understands that my focus will be on my running at least until the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and possibly even up to the 2024 Games. I’m only 24 now, so we still have plenty of time for kids down the line.”

Things Working Out Nicely
Another reason Dom is so happy with life in Arkansas is that her successful partnership with Coach Harter is set to continue, even though she has now finished college and is no longer running for the Razorbacks. “He is still my coach, and they are allowing me to train with the squad and use the facilities. They’ve even given me a faculty parking pass, and still allow me to eat in the student athlete cafeteria. They say it improves the level of their athletes by allowing top athletic alumni to continue training there, and that also means I get to give back to the programme as well, so everybody is happy.”

Looking ahead, Dom says she reckons the 10,000m is her best event right now, but she still wants to race the shorter middle distance events on the track. “I only just missed out on the Rio qualifier for the 5000 by 1.1 seconds – and that was in my first race of the outdoor season, before I peaked – so this year I am hoping to qualify for both the 5000 and 10,000 at the World Champs in London. I believe I can run the ‘Double,’ because they’re a week apart on the programme, so there’s enough time to recuperate. Also, I’ve run good mile and 3000 times on the indoor track recently, so I think I do have the speed to run the 5000.”

Her competitive plans for 2017 will start with the indoor track season from January to March, followed by the outdoor season from April through till about September, and in between she says she may fit in a few road races as well. “I love running on the road, because I grew up at the road races in Cape Town that my mom ran. There’s not much cross country in the professional athletics world and I want to stay on the track for at least a couple more years before I make the step to the road, but I will still do some road events.”

Sounding a Bit Dodgy
Of course, the one less than fortunate side-effect of Dom’s journey is the way five years in America has affected her accent, which now has an unmistakable American tone. “I get teased about it here in SA, but then we go back to the States and Cam gets asked where he’s from, because he picks up some of the things I say. Sometimes it switches on and off, so we’re both now multi-cultural, but we just laugh off the teasing, because we’re just enjoying life.”

Caffeine is the best known member of a family of naturally occurring stimulants found in leaves, nuts and seeds in over 60 plants. Dietary sources include tea, coffee, chocolate, soft drinks and energy drinks – typically these provide 20 to 200mg of caffeine per serving. Coffee and tea are the main sources of caffeine for adults, while soft drinks are the main sources for children. Caffeine is also found in your sports drink: guarana added to sports gels/drinks/ supplements is the main source for athletes.

It's well-known that caffeine makes us more alert and delays sleep. It's also popular among athletes, since it can improve performance in some sports. However, people often wonder whether caffeine is safe. Right now, it appears that a moderate caffeine intake does not increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis or cancer. And contrary to popular opinion, caffeinated drinks do not dehydrate us, especially if we are used to caffeine.

HOW MUCH CAFFEINE IS SAFE?
Many different foods, beverages and medicines contain varying amounts of caffeine.
• It is recommended that adults limit their caffeine intake to no more than 400 to 450mg per day. This is about the amount found in three 250ml cups of regular coffee.
• Pregnant and breastfeeding women should limit their intake to no more than 300mg/day (two cups of coffee or six cups of tea). Caffeine can be passed to an infant in breast milk, which may result in irritability and sleeplessness.
• Recommended limits for children are even lower (45mg/day for children four to six years, 62.5mg/day for seven to nine, and 85mg/day for children 10-12 years). It doesn’t take much for children to reach these limits; a can of cola contains about 45mg of caffeine, an energy drink has about 80mg and a solid milk chocolate bar contains about 10mg.

CAN IT IMPROVE MY PERFORMANCE?
Caffeine has a complex range of actions on the body which have been extensively researched. It has several effects on skeletal muscle, and through some of these actions, caffeine may stimulate fat metabolism during aerobic exercise, ‘sparing’ glycogen stores and thus delaying fatigue. However, other studies have found this theory to be short-lived and confined to certain individuals only.

Caffeine has also been found to have other effects on the body that may influence athletic performance. It may affect the central nervous system, such as reduced perception of effort and enhanced recruitment of motor units, which may give athletes a ‘buzz’ and mask fatigue.

It is important to remember that caffeine-loading is not good for all athletes. Like any drug, caffeine affects everyone differently. Some athletes will respond and receive a pronounced performance boost, whereas some athletes are non-responders or may even experience disadvantageous side-effects.

CAFFEINE DOSE
Obviously it’s in an athlete’s interest to find the dose of caffeine that elicits the greatest benefit to their performance, but with the least level of increased risk or side-effect. Unfortunately, it’s been very difficult to conclude studies done on the effect of varying caffeine doses on performance, because of different body sizes of subjects and the use of absolute doses verses relative doses of caffeine. However, it does seem that beneficial effects from caffeine occur at very modest levels of intakes (1 to 3mg/kg body mass or 70 to 150mg caffeine), when it is taken prior to or during exercise.

It’s important to note that it seems that increased doses do not appear to improve performance further and may in fact be detrimental (tremors, increased heart rate, headaches and impaired sleep).

THE RIGHT TIMING
Caffeine is rapidly absorbed, reaching peak concentrations in the blood within an hour after ingestion. New studies are showing that divided doses of caffeine (smaller amounts taken in throughout exercise) are beneficial for performance, rather than one larger dose one hour prior to a bout of exercise.

More studies need to be done, but it’s thought that as an athlete fatigues during exercise, they become more sensitive to small doses of caffeine.

SOURCE OF CAFFEINE
Unfortunately, coffee as a source of caffeine for an athlete is not the ideal source because of the variability of caffeine content (one cup of coffee can contain anywhere between 25 and 214mg caffeine) and the possible presence of chemicals in coffee that impair exercise performance.

Furthermore, there is a lack of investigations of the effects of available caffeine sources, such as cola drinks and caffeinated sports drinks, compared to those of pure caffeine used in studies. Therefore, the athlete may find it difficult to apply the beneficial effects of caffeine to their ‘real-world’ scenarios.

The most important thing to remember is everything in moderation! For the average healthy adult, moderate caffeine intakes pose no health risk, especially if we eat a balanced diet and enjoy regular physical activity.

While attending the 2016 Comrades Marathon, Old Mutual’s Head of Brand of Emerging Markets, Karen Thomas, was invited on a journey that would test her and humble her, and just like the 90km journey from Maritzburg to Durban, it would change her. Here’s her story of conquering Mount Kilimanjaro. – BY ROXANNE MARTIN

Karen has a busy life. She works from early morning to late evening and travels at least once a week for business, some of which is centred on Old Mutual’s title sponsorship of several of the biggest events on the SA running calendar, while balancing the task of being a loving wife to husband Glen and mother to daughter Andrea. So when she was challenged to climb Mount Kilimanjaro towards the end of 2016, just four months later, many would have forgiven her for saying her schedule was just too full, but Karen’s commitment to a managed lifestyle, of balancing it all, allowed her to find the time to train and get herself ready to climb the highest peak in Africa.

Boot Camp Diaries
Following a strict routine of attending Adventure Boot Camp for Women three days a week, Karen‘s training encompassed an all-body regime that builds core, legs, cardio and overall strength, as well as some running, as she knew she had to up the ante to get ready for the climb on a tight four-month timeline. “I believe that the Adventure Boot Camp built all the strength I needed to do the climb,” says Karen, adding that she spent every available opportunity to climb Table Mountain. “What was so awesome was discovering parts of Table Mountain that I didn’t know. That was absolutely brilliant. Also, you meet incredible people up there, and I am a bit of a chatterbox, so I would chat to people and get to know them.”

Karen says the biggest lesson she learnt on her various climbs on the mountain was simple: “What goes up, must come down!” That’s why in all her climbs, Karen never took the easy way down with the cable car, instead going down as she had gone up, on her own two feet. “What people don’t realise is the coming down is harder, so you need to make sure you build the strength to get down, too, if you want to take on the high mountains.”

The Importance of Altitude
In the final stages of her preparation, Karen spent a weekend in the Drakensberg while attending the Wild Series Mont-Aux-Sources Challenge, another event sponsored by Old Mutual, where she spent three days climbing. “It gave me some altitude training, which I needed with only three weeks to go,” says Karen. At that point she says she felt ready for the challenge ahead, not just physically, but also mentally: “One of the biggest lessons was preparation and training, because you need to make sure you are physically strong and fit, which means then you only have the ‘kop stuff’ to worry about,” explains Karen.

This ‘kop stuff’ she speaks of was the mental strength to push beyond her perceived boundaries and get the job done. “There was no ways that I wasn’t going to make it,” says Karen determinedly, but she is quick to add that she also made sure she gave herself the best opportunity to successfully crest the mountain. “I can’t stress enough the importance of having the right equipment and using it in your training before you attempt the main climb. You need to have good, waterproof boots!”

Things Get Real
During the climb the team found themselves faced with a day of constant rain and below zero temperatures. “It rained so hard that day, then it starting sleeting because it was so cold,” says Karen. Incredibly thankful for her waterproof boots and dry feet, it was still a tough, taxing day, pushing the whole party further than they thought the journey would. It was here that Karen says the support she had received all through her journey to the climb really madea difference. “I just drew on the strength of all the supporters that were backing me to finish this journey. In the toughest moments, it was simply the thought of those back home who were cheering me on that kept me going.”

The effects of altitude also proved a problem for many in the climbing party, with some of Karen’s fellow climbers needing oxygen as they bean hallucinating, but Karen seemed to take everything in her stride. “I think I have the constitution for altitude. I did the Inca Trail about six years ago, and was fine then – I didn’t have headaches or any symptoms,” says Karen. Her tent mate was not so lucky, getting sick after the party had summitted and being placed on a drip. Luckily she had Karen to help her pack her stuff and make sure she had everything she needed.

Know Your Limits
The experience of watching her fellow climbers succumb to the many challenges that the mountain puts in front of you, gave Karen an insight into what her family feared most, that she would push past the point where she should stop. “You have to know when you can’t do it, when you must stop,” says Karen, explaining again how important it is to listen to those around you to know when you need to stop. But overcoming the altitude was actually not Karen’s biggest problem during the climb… “I am quite tall, and your gear is heavy, so I would need someone to help me get out of the tent everyday!” jokes Karen.

Also, the ablutions facilities on route were a serious challenge, but luckily for the girls they had a portable mini-loo with them. Washing and staying fresh was also a challenge, says Karen. “We took plenty of wet-wipes, and it didn’t matter how cold it was, I used them. I also took a little bottle of lavender oil that I could spray on, and people remarked how nice I smelt, which made me feel better,” she laughs.

Summiting
“The Summit was the toughest,” says Karen. “We began the final climb to the top at night, which I believe they do so you can’t see how tough it is! The last 200m to Stella point was really hard, and I think if people could have seen how hectic it was, they wouldn’t do it. I remember looking up and asking someone if that was a star or a head lamp, because you go so high,” says Karen. Getting up to the summit and back down to their final campsight took them a full 16 hours, but Karen says it was all made worthwhile when you got to the top with the sun rising and saw the whole world in front of you. “it was just amazing,” she says.

Asked if she would do it again, Karen’s answer is an emphatic no. “There are other challenges out there that are left for me to take on and experience.” She adds that climbing Kili has given her a new perspective on the bigger picture, and shown her that there is more to life than just what you do every day, that amazing experiences and amazing friendships are what takes one forward… to the next big challenge.

The aging process is accompanied by many physiological changes, especially in sedentary (inactive) individuals. Substantial loss of lean body mass (muscle and bone), reduced immunity, gastric atrophy, decreased sensitivity to taste and smell, and a reduced thirst occur with ageing. Below is a summary of the major physiological changes that occur that may influence nutrient requirements of the aging athlete:

Decreased muscle mass Decreased energy requirements
Decreased aerobic activity Decreased energy requirements
Decreased muscle glycogen stores Decreased energy requirements
Decreased bone density Increased need for calcium and vitamin D
Decreased immune function Increased need for vitamin B6, E and zinc
Decreased gastric acid Increased need for vitamin B12, folic acid, calcium, iron and zinc
Decreased thirst perception Increased fluid needs
Decreased kidney function Increased fluid needs

Nutritional recommendations for the aging athlete are based on:
• Physiological changes associated with aging and its impact on nutritional requirements.
• Additional nutritional requirements imposed by physical training.
• The presence of any medical conditions that require specific dietary intervention.

Specific nutrient requirements are difficult to determine because of large differences in the rate of aging between individuals and the many different types of sports undertaken (from playing bowls to taking on Ironman or Comrades). In the absence of definitive values, population nutrient values are used as a benchmark for assessing and planning diets. However these do not necessarily apply to people on medication, which can be up to 25% of older athletes. The Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) is considered the best estimate of nutrient requirement and accommodates for most metabolic and physiological changes that occur during aging.

NUTRIENT AND ENERGY RECOMMENDATIONS
Nutrient recommendations for the aging athlete are very similar to that of the younger athlete, bar a few exceptions.

Energy
Energy requirements decrease with age due to decreased energy expenditure required for physical activity and resting metabolic rate; as well as decreased fat-free mass.
Recommendation: Although energy requirements in older athletes are less than in younger athletes, aging athletes undertaking regular physical activity are shown to reduce the loss of metabolically active muscle mass and thus have higher daily energy needs than sedentary people.

Carbohydrates
In aging endurance runners, glycogen storage in the muscle is lower than in similarly trained younger athletes, while glycogen utilisation is higher during exercise. However, following regular endurance training, older athletes are able to increase muscle glycogen storage and recover muscle glycogen stores at similar rates as younger athletes.
Recommendation: Similar to that of younger athletes, with emphasis on low to moderate carb-rich foods.

Fat
Aging people reduce the ability to digest, absorb and utilise fat. However many older athletes report consuming high-fat diets. Relatively low-fat diets are still important, especially in the aging endurance athlete, in order to get more energy derived for carbohydrate and protein. Very low-fat diets are not recommended as they compromise the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K and may increase hunger between meals.
Recommendation: Similar to that of younger adults, focussing on mono-and polyunsaturated fats.

Protein
In general, athletes need more protein than the average population. However, older athletes have slightly lower protein requirements than younger athletes because of a decline in muscle mass, decrease in protein synthesis and possible reduction in absorption capacity.
Recommendation: Protein needs are easily met when older athletes consume adequate energy intakes and a variety of high biological value protein, e.g. meat, fish, egg whites and milk.

MICRONUTRIENTS IN OLDER ATHLETES
Irrespective of age, athletes have slightly increased requirements and losses of several vitamins and minerals compared to non-athletes, especially endurance athletes. Older athletes are particularly more at risk because of decreased nutrient absorption, medication interference with nutrient absorption and utilisation, and the presence of chronic disease states. Although dietary surveys show that elderly athletes’ intake of calcium, iron, zinc, magnesium and Vitamin D and E are below RDA levels, they are generally still adequate to avoid deficiency. Usually when energy intakes are met, micronutrient intakes are satisfactory.

Vitamin A
In healthy ageing athletes, vitamin A clearance decreases by about 50% compared to younger athletes, suggesting that the RDA cut-offs for vitamin A for people aged 50 to 70 are in excess of requirements. Athletes often supplement with vitamin A because of its potential role in decreasing oxidative stress, but one must be aware that misuse can lead to vitamin A toxicity.
Recommendation: Increasing vitamin A-rich foods from dietary sources is more appropriate than supplements and avoids any potential unwanted pro-oxidative effects associated with supplementation that can damage cells and tissues. Good sources of vitamin A include egg yolk, animal fats, liver, kidney, yellow/orange/red fruits and green vegetables.

Vitamin B6
As the need for protein increases, so does the need for Vitamin B6, as it is used for amino acid metabolism, and older people need more than younger people. It’s reported that many older people don’t meet adequate amount in their diet.
Recommendation: Because athletes of any age have a higher turnover of vitamin B6, regardless of age, and because older athletes’ serum concentrations of vitamin B6 is often decreased, it is necessary that older athletes consume adequate amounts of vitamin B6 in their diet. Good sources include beans, eggs, liver, whole-grains, oranges, peanuts, wheat germ and fish.

Vitamin B12
Requirements for vitamin B12 increase with age because of the decrease in gastric and intrinsic factor secretion in the stomach needed for vitamin B12 absorption. A vitamin B12 deficiency in athletes can lead to anaemia and reduced performance.
Recommendation: Although most dietary surveys show that consuming a mixed diet meets vitamin B12 requirements, vegetarians, vegans and older athletes who rarely consume animal products (where vitamin B12 is found) are more at risk of developing a vitamin B12 deficiency.

Vitamin C
There is no evidence to show that vitamin C absorption or utilisation is impaired with aging.
Recommendation: Ageing athletes generally meet or exceed recommended intakes. Although slightly higher intakes are needed in smokers, people living in heavily populated areas or people undertaking physical activity, supplementation is not necessary. For prolonged, strenuous exercise, it’s recommended to take 10 to 1000mg per day, which may require supplementation, but note that taking more than 1000mg has been associated with runner’s diarrhoea, gout and kidney stones.

Vitamin D
Adequate amounts are crucial for older athletes, given its importance in maintaining bone integrity and potential decrease in growth seen in aging. Aging reduces the capacity of the skin to synthesise vitamin D precursors and reduces renal production of activated D3.
Recommendation: Older people have high recommendations for vitamin D. Apart from a small amount obtained in fortified cereals, margarines and eggs, most is manufactured in the liver and kidneys by sunlight on the skin. Supplements are only warranted in athletes who have little exposure to sunlight.

Vitamin E
This is another anti-oxidant, like vitamins A and C, that has a potential protective role against free radicals produced by prolonged exercise. However, studies on younger athletes have not supported the view that vitamin E supplements reduce exercise-induced muscle damage.
Recommendation: More studies are needed in the aging athlete, but for now high-dose supplementation of vitamin E is inappropriate. Good dietary sources include wheat germ, soya bean, peanut oils, raw seeds and nuts, margarine, eggs, sweet potato, liver and some green vegetables.

Riboflavin
Older athletes’ riboflavin requirements are the same as younger people, but slightly higher in people over 70 years.
Recommendation: Athletes following low-energy diets or who have a sudden increase in training volume or intensity, or who avoid dairy products, may have higher riboflavin requirements. Good dietary sources include liver, milk, eggs, cheese, fish, yeast extracts and green vegetables.

Folate
Gastric atrophy commonly found in elderly people is associated with decreased stomach acid production, which may lead to decreased folate absorption.
Recommendation: Healthy aging athletes are likely to meet recommended needs, unless gastric atrophy occurs. Major sources of folic acid include milk, green leafy vegetables, fortified cereals, mushrooms, peas, asparagus and beetroot.

Calcium
Aging athletes who already have low bone density, and possibly longstanding suboptimal calcium intakes and oestrogen insufficiency, are likely to be at high risk of stress fractures when undertaking repetitive impact activities. Calcium (and vitamin D) absorption decreases with aging, and aging athletes often don’t consume enough calcium to meet their RDA requirements.
Recommendation: The recommended requirements for women over 50 and men over 70 is higher than younger adults (1300mg/d vs. 100mg/d). This increased need compensates for the degenerative bone-loss and reduced absorptive capacity caused by age. Lactose-intolerant people, those who dislike dairy products or are allergic to milk, and athletes with disrupted eating patterns and amenorrhea, may need calcium supplements. 1000-1500mg/d of elemental calcium and 400-800IU/d of vitamin D is recommended as a supplement.

Iron
This is an integral component of oxygen-carrying capacity of both haemoglobin and myoglobin in muscle. Iron deficiency can therefore reduce performance capacity and maximal aerobic power. Runners are at risk of reducing iron stores because iron losses occur in excessive sweating. Gastric atrophy in ageing athletes can also reduce iron absorption. Also, inhibitors such as tea reduces absorption of iron.
Recommendation: Recommendations are 1.3-1.7 times higher in athletes than non-athletes, no matter one’s age. Vegetarian recommendations are 1.8 times higher. Good dietary sources include meat, liver, peas, parsley, eggs, whole-grains, green leafy vegetables, almonds, apricots, figs and fortified breakfast cereals.

Zinc
Zinc is involved in tissue repair and immune function, which are important to aging athletes who are susceptible to tissue damage.
Recommendation: The aging athlete may be at risk of zinc depletion as they have high sweat-loss, consume high carbohydrate diets with high phytate contents, or routinely take calcium and iron supplements with meals, which inhibit zinc absorption. Good sources include liver, red meat, egg yolk, oysters, dairy produce, vegetables and cereals.

Water
Aging athletes are more susceptible to hypohydration and heat stress due to many reasons, including decreased total body water, reduced thirst sensation and decreased sweat production.
Recommendation: Guidelines for fluid intake are the same for younger athletes before, during and after exercise, but should perhaps be applied more aggressively in aging athletes. Beverages containing 6-8% carbohydrate (sports drinks) are the best choice for exercise longer than one hour.

NOTE ON SUPPLEMENTS
Ageing athletes who are considering a micronutrient supplement should look for a daily multivitamin/mineral supplement that supplies no more than 100% of the RDA. Single nutrient supplementation is not encouraged and should be limited to calcium and vitamins B6, B12, D and E, depending on individual risk for disease and food patterns.

Whether you like running or if the only form of running you do is running your mouth, these life lessons I picked up during my various cross country races may help you too. – BY LIZETTE DU PLESSIS

You may be asking yourself what makes me, an average runner from Rustenburg, qualified to offer life lessons based on my shortish cross country running career. I mean, to be frank, when people look at me, they would never think, “Oh, I bet she is a cross country runner!” I played sports throughout high school, so I was athletic, but I do not fit the average cross country body type. On the contrary, I have ‘home run-swinging’ hips, and my thighs… well, one thigh alone was bigger than most of my teammates’ torsos. Basically, I felt like the Incredible Hulk running next to a bunch of Barbie dolls, but instead of a green complexion like the Hulk, I was normally red in the face.

Nevertheless, I perservered, and today I can look back on some great running memories and achievements, as well as some very important life lessons learned along the way. I would never have imagined that running cross country would have had such an impact on my life, and my life has greatly benefited from the lessons I learned. Maybe a few of my thoughts will help you as well.

1. Don’t let anyone (including yourself) put limits on your abilities.
Since I don’t look like a cross country runner, I never thought that I would be good at it. I like running and I actively ran in order to be in better shape, but never felt like I was particularly good at it. When I decided to run cross country, I did it to stay busy during the winter. So when I began running competitively and was pretty decent at it, I was shocked. Who knew the Hulk could outrun a few Barbies, right?

What shocked me even more was when I found out that women were telling my husband how proud they were of me. Lesson? Try something new, even if think you might fail. Who knows, you might end up being good at it, and better, loving it. Live a little. Test your limits. You will be amazed by your unexpected abilities.

2. Everyone needs a running buddy.
Some days you are just not feeling it. Some days, even running just four kays simply doesn’t seem like fun. These are the days when you need your running buddy to encourage and push you. Sometimes, even in the middle of a run, your motivation can plummet, and you need a good running buddy to drag you along in order for you to not give up entirely.

Life is like that too. Some days you’re just not up to it, and good people surrounding you will motivate you to keep going, even when you want to give up. Life can be hard, but it gets easier if you have a ‘running buddy.’ So be that kind of buddy for someone else, and when you need it they will be there for you as well.

3. Mental toughness is important.
Everyone knows that in sports, mental toughness is important in order to be successful, and in cross country it is no different. Surprisingly enough, in cross country it’s not always the fastest person that crosses the finish line first, but the one who can endure the most pain for the longest amount of time. Sometimes in life you might have to do a similar thing in order to succeed. You have to keep pushing even when it gets hard and you want to give up. Learning to be mentally tough, not just in sports but in your everyday life, will completely change you. You will be able to accomplish so much more and your ability to handle setbacks and disappointments without giving up will increase dramatically.

4. Don’t let the fear of pain stop you.
Life and running are going to hurt. Sometimes, they are going to hurt a lot! Now no-one likes to be in pain, but it is necessary to live through it. If we shrink away from the pain, we may miss out on some of the richest experiences in our lives. Pain is momentary, but the experiences that we will miss if we shy away from pain will impact our lives. Don’t miss out on life because you fear the pain associated with it.

5. You need to dig deep and be strong for others, even when you feel weak.
In cross country, you may not be the one that crosses the finish line first, but you can still earn points for your team. When another teammate falls behind, it is your job to push yourself and make up the difference. You are not always going to feel strong in the run of life, but even at your weakest point it may be important that you remain strong for those around you.

6. Kindness is important, even during competition.
Cross country is an interesting sport because while it is still a competition, everyone is pushing through the pain together, and thus they have sympathy for each other. In my first race, when I wanted to give up, I was completely taken off guard when a runner from another team started to encourage me. After marvelling about this quite a bit, I came to the conclusion, “Why not?”

The people around us in the run of life need encouragement too. It doesn’t make you any less competitive. If they do better from your encouragement, it just pushes you to be better as well. What would happen if we encouraged and showed genuine kindness, even to those who may seem to be competing with us? I am sure we would all win.

7. It is important to show strength and heart on the uphill.
It’s obvious that running uphill is hard. It takes strength, endurance, mental toughness and heart. Running cross country, I was once given a bit of advice about taking on a rival: “Beat her on the uphill.” Running, as mentioned earlier, is a mental sport. If you pass someone while you are running up a hill, you defeat them mentally. In their minds they think, “If she can pass me on the uphill, I have no chance of catching her.”

Some of your hardest battles will be like going uphill, but if you can overcome those challenges, you will feel unstoppable. Everything else in life will seem easier, so dig deep and stick it out during those uphill battles.

8. You’ve done it before, you can do it again.
Sometimes during a cross country race you feel like you can’t do it, despite the fact that every day you run that same distance, or more. Don’t let your mind defeat you. Remember how many hard times and steep hills you’ve run so far, and keep going. You are stronger than you know.

To sum it all up, my advice to you is just run. In the beginning it may be hard to understand that the whole idea is not only to beat the other runners, but eventually you learn that the competition is more against the little voice inside you that wants to quit. Go out there and silence that voice.

I’m conviunners do not need carbs and pasta parties, nor expensive ‘high-heeled’ running shoes with all those all support structures, and here’s the proof. – BY FRANKIE HUNT

I am a 65 year old runner who has been actively involved in running for some 30 years and have in the process, among other things, earned a Comrades Green Number. I currently run a Run Walk For Life branch in Gauteng, and when I was asked by 60-year-old Carol Downing to help her to achieve her dream of successfully completing the Comrades Marathon, I saw this as the ideal opportunity to test some of the things which have worked for me, to see if they would work for Carol as well.

Carol had attempted the Comrades unsuccessfully on two previous occasions, in 2013 and 2014, in spite of following the training plan of a very well known coach. Not only did she follow his programme, but also got to know him personally and received personal advice from him. The best she had done was to get to the 60km mark, so I thought for me to help her was a bit of a long shot, to say the least. That said, she was a very willing and dedicated athlete and gave our venture her all.

Making Changes
She had in the past continually suffered from irritating injuries, which hampered her efforts, so the first thing I did was to change the way she ran by putting her into Nike Free minimalist shoes. Although runners are advised to take it slowly when crossing over to minimalist shoes, like me, she took to these shoes like a duck to water, and the injuries became something of the past. For a long time I have been of the opinion that all the fuss over running shoes with all the support structures is unnecessary, and it came as no surprise to me when I learned that 2016 Comrades winner and new Down Run record holder David Gatebe, ran the race in shoes from Mr Price Sports which cost under R500!

The next thing was to change the way she ate. To this end, I put her on to the Banting diet, which meant avoiding carbs as much as she could and taking in more fat. This was something which has saved my running life, but that is a story all of its own.

Hitting the Trails
As far as the actual training was concerned, we spent the best part of January to March running on trails, completing a five-day stage run in January, and in March we did the three-day AfricanX trail run down in the Western Cape. The reason for the trails was that I am convinced that it strengthens the body more than road running does. After AfricanX, we switched to the road, and she completed a total of just under 1,500km in the five months leading up to Comrades. In those five months Carol only completed two full marathons, and no ultras. The shorter runs of between 10km and 15km in the week were done at six and a half minutes per kilometre, and the longer weekend runs at seven minutes per kilometre. We figured that if she could comfortably do the longer runs at that pace, it would make it easier to be comfortable at running Comrades at our projected pace of just under eight minutes per kilometre.

Throughout our training, Carol stayed on the Banting diet and we experimented with food on the run, trying things such as bacon biltong, beef biltong, dried sausage, cheddar cheese and water. Although the bacon worked best for me, in Carol’s case she went with dried beef sausage, cheese and water, which is also what she ran Comrades on.

Racing Strategy
Our aim was for her to complete the run with about 10 minutes to spare, and she ended up coming in with just over half an hour to spare, in 11:28:12, but the important thing is that I saw her at three different points on the course and not once did she even go through a bad patch. She came into the stadium in Durban with a smile on her face, saying she could have done another five or 10 kilometres if she had to! What’s more, her feet were just fine in her Nike Frees, and I can tell you that the next day she hobbled around much less than many half her age on Umhlanga beachfront!

Ed's Note:  We decided to publish this article because it makes one think. Does one strategy, or diet, or type of shoe, fit all runners’ needs? I think not, and what works for Frankie and Carol may not work for others… but that is what makes it so interesting, because it’s worth experimenting in your training to see if you too can find the right mix that will ensure your running success.