Category: Features

Sprinting in South African athletics has never looked better after an incredible 2016 season, and adding to the buzz are Clarence Munyai, Gift Leotlela and Ntando Mahlangu, a new crop of young sprinters coming to the fore in a big way. – BY KYLE DEELEY

This past year has been immensely exciting for SA sprinting, with Wayde van Niekerk winning an Olympic gold medal and setting a World Record in the 400m, while Akani Simbine and Henricho Bruintjies racked up the sub-10s in the 100m and Akani took the SA Record down to 9.89, but there was another highlight when two 18-year-old high school sprinters qualified for the 200m at the Rio Olympics. Last year Clarence Munyai and Gift Leotlela were both enrolled at the TuksSport High School in Pretoria, and they used their close, friendly rivalry to push each other to greater heights.

Youthful Success
In 2016 Clarence won the SA Senior and Junior 200m titles, and finished fourth in the 200m final at the IAAF Under-20 Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland. His win at the senior SA Champs makes him the second-youngest ever national champion, and one of only three 18-year-olds to win an SA title. Ironically, up till a few years ago he didn’t even think he was that good a runner. “I used to run at school and the teachers kept telling me how good I was, and that I should focus on my running talent. I didn’t believe them at first, but I am not scared of hard work and I am hungry, and that is why I am where I am today,” he says.

Meanwhile, Gift claimed the SA Junior 100m title and the CAA Southern Region Under-20 Champs 200m title, and in Bydgoszcz he came through to win the silver medal in the 200m final, having also claimed the 100m silver medal at the 2015 Youth Commonwealth Games in Samoa with an SA Youth Record that was just 0.01 seconds slower than the winning time and new Youth World Record set by Japan’s Yoshihide Kiryu. He was understandably elated when he heard he was going to Rio. “Words cannot properly describe what I felt the moment I saw my name appear on the television screen, confirming that I would be going to Rio. I was so overwhelmed that I had to fight back my tears.”

In Rio, neither of the youngsters was able to progress beyond the first round heats, but at just 18, they have age on their side, and now have the bonus of experience on the highest stage of world athletics. “Although I didn’t do as well as I would have hoped in Rio, I still can’t believe it that I was actually there. I am living a dream that I hope to never wake up from,” says Clarence. Similarly, Gift looks back on Rio with fond memories: “My Olympic experience was great and although I failed to qualify from the first round alongside Clarence and Anaso Jobodwana, it was an amazing and life-changing opportunity.”

Paralympic Star
The third young sprinter to make the headlines was 14-year-old Para-athlete Ntando Mahlangu, who brought home a silver medal from the Rio Paralympics in the men’s 200m in the T42 class for double amputees above the knee. Born with Hemimelia, a condition that left his lower legs underformed, Ntando spent most of his younger years in a wheelchair. In 2012 his lower legs were both amputated at the knee, and later that year he was given his first set of blades.

“When I took my first step I actually vomited, and when the doctor asked me why, I simply told him I was just so happy. I learnt to walk very quickly — it only took me about a week — but I never ever thought that four year’s down the line I would be representing my country on the world’s biggest stage,” says Ntando. Within two years of getting his blades he was a national para-champion in the 100m, and the following year he set three African Records at the 2015 SA Champs, and set a Senior World Record in the 400m at the 2015 IWAS Junior World Games.

Then in 2016, he set a 400m World Record to add to new African Records in the 100m, 200m and 800m at the SA Champs. Next he won gold in the 100m, 200m, 400m and 800m at the IWAS Under-23 World Games, with World Records in the 400m and 800m, then won his 200m silver in the Paralympics and also finished fifth in the 100m. In spite of this success, the youngster definitely has an ‘old head’ on young shoulders: “I still see myself as ‘just another kid.’ School is my priority, and after that comes training, but sport is not work for me, just something that I like doing.”

Being born two days before his dad was scheduled to run the 1985 Comrades Marathon was a fitting start for Cuan Walker, who has gone on to make a name for himself in South African running as an athlete, manager and TV commentator. – BY RACHEL PIENAAR

If ever a man was destined to end up on TV as a running commentator, it was Cuan Walker. It started with him growing up in a running household and developing a passion for all things running from a young age, which saw him run his first race when he was in grade three. “I ran the RAC 5km in Johannesburg, and then around the age of 12 I ran my first 10km, which was the 1997 Merewent 10km in Durban. I ran it in a time of 52:10 and winning a gold medal that day made me feel like I had won the Olympics!”

That same year, he took the first step in what was to become a successful commentary career. Former Comrades Marathon Association Chairman Barry Varty knew of the youngster’s immense interest in the Comrades, so he introduced Cuan to former Comrades women’s winner Cheryl Winn, who at the time was media manager for the race. She offered Cuan a seat on the press truck during the race, and he amazed the journalists with his incredible knowledge of the runners – not only could he recognise all the top runners, but he even knew their running records, all from memory! “I think it was then that people started calling me a walking encyclopaedia,” jokes Cuan. “I just found myself in the right place at the right time, and people saw what input I could add.”

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS
One of those people was the late Zithulele Sinqe, former SA marathon record holder and TV commentator. He helped Cuan get a foot in the door at the SABC, starting with a short 10-minute stint on air for the 2007 Soweto Marathon. Then in February 2008 the SABC asked Cuan to do commentary for the SA Marathon Championships. “I literally spoke the entire broadcast and they were amazed at my knowledge, so they offered me a regular position, which to this day I am still grateful to have. One my best memories on the job happened during the 2011 Comrades Marathon. It was run on my birthday, and during the second half of the race, the other commentators sang Happy Birthday on air and I had a little muffin with a candle in as a birthday cake. That was a really special moment!”

In between regular TV appearances, Cuan still does some running himself, and he cites the 2007 Comrades as one of his best running moments. “I was actually running injured, but my dad was going to watch me run, so I attempted it anyway. It wasn’t my fastest time, and I landed up in ICU two days after the race, but my Dad got to see me finish a Comrades Marathon, and the cherry on top was finishing in 8:57 and hanging on for a Bill Rowan medal.”

Unfortunately, when his dad passed away in November 2008, Cuan lost much of his will to run. Then getting married in 2012 saw his running take even more of a backseat, and it was only late in 2016 that Cuan found himself drawn back into it. “I have only recently gotten back into running properly and still see myself on the comeback! I recently ran the Sani Stagger mountain race off six weeks’ training and managed a 13th overall, so I’m using that to motivate myself to keep on going. Even though I may not get back to my old times, it feels good to be back running.”

EXPANDING HORIZONS
Of course, Cuan needs a day job to pay the bills, and there he has also carved himself a niche in running, working for Mr Price as team manager of the company’s Maxed Elite Running Club’s pro athletes. He says he has to thank former Olympian Gwen Van Lingen for the job. “She literally took me in like a mother and when I was not at school or training, I was in the Mr Price Head Office, assisting her with the team. When she left for the USA, I took over.”

Cuan is optimistic about the sport in SA, saying he foresees more growth in the coming years. “We are in a much better place now than we were three or four years ago. More races are paying bigger money, more events are being televised and running is slowly but surely getting the coverage it deserves.” However, he says his focus remains on telling the stories of the runners and hopefully inspiring others to also take up the running challenge. “That’s the best part of my job. Each person, from the Comrades winner to the sub-12 finisher, has a story to tell and inspiration to draw from, and just seeing their successes and the seasons of life the athletes go through inspires me to try inspire other people.”

When the extended Doyle family of Somerset West get together for a running event, you’re sure to hear plenty of jokes and laughter, but they’re serious about their running, especially when it comes to parkruns… although they have been known to attempt a marathon here and there. – BY SEAN FALCONER

When the Root44 parkrun was established in Stellenbosch in 2014, the organisers used to joke that if the Doyle family of Somerset West were ever to miss a Saturday morning run, the Root44 field would be half the size. That’s because the Doyles had made such an impression on everybody thanks to their regular participation. Bothers Colin (a nuclear technician, now 57) and Trevor (a financial advisor for Discovery, 46) would be there, along with Colin’s wife Lynn and kids Barry (22) and Mark (19), plus Trevor’s wife Lynn and kids Mia (16) and Nathan (14) – and when Root44 celebrated its first birthday, the Doyles were even given a special award for dedicated attendance!

The Doyle brothers are not your typical runners, and they are the first to say so. They openly joke about their build, and the fact that they are really good at letting gravity help them maintain speed on the downhills, and it is this irrepressible sense of fun that they bring to every run they do… which includes a lot of parkruns. You see, they are both members of the exclusive parkrun SA Tourist club, a group of runners who have run 20 or more different parkruns around the country, and the kids are part of the club, too (or nearly there).

At the time of writing, Colin had done 138 parkruns on 35 different routes, while Trevor was on 158 and 38 respectively. Mia, who has earned junior provincial colours as a runner and is a regular on the podium at trail events, was on 105 runs on 22 routes, with Mark, who is studying applied mathematics at Stellenbosch University, on 75 at 22. Young Nathan, in spite of actually being more of a swimmer, was on 79 runs at 17 routes, while Barry, now working as a software developer after studying B.Sc Computing through UNISA, had done 50 runs at 15 routes. “Barry would have had more, but he has a bad habit of forgetting his parkrun barcode at home,” says Colin.

Novices to Marathoners
Colin says he did a bit of cross country at school, but his debut half marathon about 30 years ago left him determined not to run another step. “One day my friend Beau Schoeman said let’s go do a 21km, and even though he let me beat him, it was very tough, which put me off running for life. Until parkrun. Lynn had started walking the Root44 parkrun and I joined her after about seven weeks, as did the two boys, who were both athletes at school and who ran the 2014 Gun Run 10km together after a few parkruns. Then we were on holiday in George and Barry asked me to sign him up for the Sanlam Cape Town Trail 20km, so I just signed up as well.”

Having used the Spur Winter Trail Series for training, Colin duly lined up for the 20km, but shortly before the start he realised his two mandatory race wristbands were still in his car, parked a few kays down the road, so he had to sprint to go fetch them. Trevor, who was due to run the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon the next day, had come to support him, and says they gave an exhausted Colin a lift back to his car after the race. “The kids were hanging out the windows, because I think his sweatband was decomposing, and then we had to dangle a Coke in front of him to get him up the stairs at the Waterfront.”

Before he took up parkrunning, the furthest Trevor had run was 400m back at school. “Running was boring, and I found team sports more entertaining. Then Mia took up running in grade 4, because she had a nice teacher who was also the cross country coach, and in 2014 I just kind of fell into running parkruns as well, because I was taking her to run each Saturday. Without parkrun, I would not have run a step. The last time I had run was playing hockey in my 20s, and I couldn’t even run a few seconds on a treadmill. I actually started doing parkrun to rehab an old Achilles injury, and in that first parkrun I think I cramped four times! Then, after 25 parkruns, I madly decided to enter my first marathon – I hadn’t even run a 10km yet! But my strategy was simple: Run 500m, walk the next 2.5km to a water table and drink some Coke, then repeat. I finished the marathon, did the Gun Run 21km the following weekend, and then finally allowed the doctors to do the knee surgery I needed.”

Trevor finished his marathon in 6:42, and the following year Colin decided to also make his marathon debut in Cape Town, coming home in 6:05. Trevor was also running that 2015 race, but bailed at 36km. “I waited for Colin and walked the last few kays with him, and while he ran into the finish I went to the medical tent. When they asked me where it hurts, I told them they could just start anywhere. Still, running that far was a massive jump from when I first started running parkruns. In those days I would eventually pry myself off the ground after 30 minutes, shout at the kids to go get me food, and eventually 45 minutes later drag myself to the car. Then I would be bedridden for three days! Now I can make it to breakfast and even walk around the mall afterwards.”

Extended Family
Of course, running races here and there means the Doyles have to miss a parkrun, and Colin jokes that he is still in therapy after missing a parkrun for the first time in 2015 to go run the Two Oceans Half Marathon. The brothers say that it is the incredible vibe and family atmosphere of parkruns that keeps them coming back. “Root44 is now like the bar in Cheers for us… a place where everybody knows your name,” says Trevor, and Colin adds that “It has become a sort of hobby for us, and it’s really nice to go to the smaller, more obscure places, like Ladybrand, for the different parkruns. When a new one launches, all the Tourists get together and we always have a great chat. We’ve all become close friends thanks to parkrun.”

Looking ahead, the brothers say one of their running goals is to keep ‘collecting’ new parkruns, and they would both like to reach 250 parkruns to qualify for their green shirts – runners get a red 50 shirt and black 100 shirt when they reach those parkrun milestones. “I’d also like to redo some of the great runs I’ve done on my parkrun travels,” says Colin. Meanwhile, Trevor adds that one of his original goals was to run the Comrades in 2020, with Mia, when she turns 20. “Luckily that is no longer her goal, I think, so instead I just want to get to a stage where I can do the Two Oceans 21 comfortably. I ran the Peninsula Half in 3:08, so I wanted to do the same time at Oceans. I made it home in 3:10, just before the cut-off, and then I went into the Old Mutual VIP area and lay down under a table to recover while the rest of the family tucked into the food! I did manage to emerge in tie to watch Caroline Wöstmann win the ultra, though!”

Eating fruit not only provides you with nutrients needed for health, the repairing of your body and a reduced risk of some chronic diseases, but fruits can also benefit your running. – By Esmé Maré (Registered Dietitian) at Christine Peters & Associates

Athletes have higher rates of energy metabolism and higher muscular and skeletal stresses than non-athletes, and therefore have a higher need for vitamins and minerals. And one of the best sources is fruits. These vitamins and minerals are essential for metabolising energy substrates, assisting in tissue building, for maintaining the fluid balance in the intercellular and extracellular environments, for carrying oxygen and other elements needed for metabolic work, and for removal of metabolic by-products from working tissues. The vitamins and minerals found in fruits also play a role in reducing the exercise-induced oxidative stress experienced by athletes.

Best Fruit Forward
Although all fruits are healthy, there are particular fruits which may provide exceptional benefits to athletes:

1 Bananas: A great source of carbohydrates, which makes them a powerhouse of fuel for your body and muscles. Choose ripe bananas, which naturally have a higher sugar content. Bananas are also great sources of potassium and manganese, which help to replenish electrolytes lost during physical exertion, help to prevent muscle cramps, help wound healing, increase bone strength and endurance, and may help to maintain a healthy blood pressure by maintaining the water balance in your body. Bananas are also an excellent source of vitamin B6, which provides anti-inflammatory benefits and may help to prevent cardiovascular disease.

2 Cherries: One of the most antioxidant-rich fruits and provides athletes with plenty of health, performance and recovery benefits. Cherries may help to calm your nervous system, which is great if you have pre-race jitters, while the natural anti-inflammatory properties offer post-exercise relief to sore muscles, may lower the risk of heart disease, and may ease the pain of arthritis and gout.

3 Blueberries: Rich in antioxidants and omega 3 fatty acids, which provide your body with several ant-inflammatory benefits and protect your heart. Blueberries are a great source of fibre, vitamin K and vitamin C, and can boost cognitive function.

4 Tomatoes: High in vitamin C, potassium, fibre and the best source of lycopene, a potent anti-oxidant that may reduce cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of macular degeneration and certain cancers. An excellent source of vitamins and minerals for maintaining overall health, specifically a healthy heart, and can be enjoyed as a healthy post-workout snack. Also high in vitamin E, reducing free-radicals, and may improve stamina during exercise.

5 Citrus: Great sources of fibre, calcium, potassium, folate and vitamin B, oranges also contain a big, healthy dose of vitamin C. It helps to maintain great skin and vision and to keep the body’s immune system functioning by supporting white blood cell production. Oranges also contain hesperidin, a phytochemical that may lower triglyceride and blood cholesterol levels.

6 Kiwi: Contains vitamin C, magnesium, potassium, fibre and antioxidants, which help to relieve muscle soreness and increase bone mass. Magnesium and potassium are important for energy production, muscle contraction and relaxation, muscle strength and healthy nerve function.

7 Apples: May help your body to develop resistance against infections, which could be beneficial when you are training hard, or in extreme conditions, and are more prone to infections.

Fruity Tips
• Keep a bowl of fruit visible on a table or counter as a reminder.
• Cut up fruit and refrigerate at eye-level for easy reach.
• Buy fruits in season when they are at their best flavour (and cheaper).
• Buy fruits that are dried, frozen and canned (in 100% natural juice) as well as fresh, so that you always have a supply on hand.
• Add fruits to green salads, for example grapes or orange segments.
• Incorporate fruits in desserts, such as a fruit salad or baked apples.
• Add fruit to meat dishes, e.g. apricots and roast chicken, raisins and mince meat, or pineapple on meat kebabs.
• Add fruit to your breakfast, such as a topping on cereal or pancakes, or with plain low-fat yoghurt.

Aim for two to three portions of fruit per day, such as:
• 1 medium fruit: Apple, banana, orange or pear
• 2 small fruits: Apricots, kiwi’s or plums
• 1 cup diced or canned fruit
• ½ cup fruit juice
• 30g dried fruit

Once a goal has been set, the training and preparation needs to be holistic and realistic, because an athlete who is correctly prepared will often outperform a more talented athlete.

It is my belief that in every sport there are five areas of preparation: Physical, Skills/technique, Nutritional, Logistics and Psychological. The tendency is to place most, if not all of the emphasis on the physical, but truth be told, the importance of this diminishes with the distance of the race.

For example, Eleanor Adams, a British teammate of mine from the 1990s and a world-class six-day, 48-hour and 24-hour runner, often said she ‘de-trained’ for the longer events, rather than go in at her peak. This is totally logical: Trying to start a 1000km race at peak fitness often leads to overtraining and injury! However, Eleanor never started a race without logistic, nutritional or psychological preparation.

The Key Factors
Leaving aside the physical training, what are some of the key aspects to be considered? Firstly, nutrition is not generally about race day but rather about a lifestyle. The objective of training is to inflict minor damage to soft tissue and then to get the best recovery, which will improve future performance. Only in events longer than two hours is race nutrition really a consideration, but of course breakfast and post-race meals are important to speed of recovery, etc.

Skill and technique are more important than initially considered: The assumption that everyone knows how to run is flawed, and not assisted by the incorrect choice of shoes that impact on running style. The loss of basic PE classes at school has further impacted on technique. Learning to run with good posture, ‘natural’ landing on the ball of the foot and driving backwards, will continually improve running efficiency and performance, and this is probably the most overlooked aspect of preparation for road runners.

Logistics are critical and often these are handled or influenced by others, particularly at provincial, national or international level. An excellent example was last month’s World 100km Championships, where the South African team faced 22 hours of travel to Spain and arrived just 30 hours before the start. With minimal additional investment, they could have been given an extra three nights’ recovery in basic accommodation, but the potential benefit to the performance can make the difference when it comes to medals, records and good times. (For the 1984 Olympics, Britain’s Sebastian Coe took six weeks to travel from the UK to Los Angeles, in order to minimise the blood gas level changes, because the Gold medal in the 800m and 1500m races could be won by 0.1seconds. Everything counts.)

On the topic of logistics, simple things such as entries still require attention: The SA 100km team were entered for the main event, but not initially entered for the concurrent World Masters Championships, and without those entries Gift Kelehe and David Getebe would not have earned their age group Gold and Bronze medals. Food, seconding, pacing, medical support, time of rise and arrival at start, as well as preparation for weather and training on courses as close to race day conditions, are a sample of the myriad of logistics that prepare an athlete, give peace of mind, and improve performance levels.

Finally Psychological considerations: It is vital that the athlete enters the race with a confident, positive and determined mindset. Ironically, the more attention given to the other four preparation aspects, the greater the chance of entering the race with a positive psychological approach, because all other concerns will have been addressed. That said, the mindset for running laps differs from a point to point race. Also, athletes have the option of standing nervously or excited at the start line: The body reacts in the same heart-pumping, sweaty fashion, but one is dreading the gun, the other is excitedly awaiting the gun…

Getting the Mix Right
As in theatre, the performance is on the stage, but that performance is only as good as the co-ordination of lighting, make up, scenery, music and stage management, none of which is up-front and most remains unseen and unsung. The same is true of great athletes such as Carl Lewis – and the same applies to Usain Bolt – whose coach remained in the background and was not one of the ‘me-me’ coaches that Lewis has said are destroying the sport by taking front stage. Certainly, the coach frequently drives and stage manages the preparation of the team, and the athlete is the vehicle that turns preparation into reality, but what many do not understand is that it’s not the coach and not the athlete that is the star, but it’s the performance that determines the success of preparation.

About the Author
Norrie represented Scotland and Great Britain in numerous ultra-distance events, then emigrated and represented South Africa in triathlon. He is an IAAF-accredited coach and course measurer and is the official Old Mutual Virtual Coach. He has authored two books (Everyman’s Guide to Distance Running and Every Beginner’s Guide to Walking & Running), and counts 21 Comrades medals amongst his more than 150 ultra-marathon medals. More info at www.coachnorrie.co.za.

She may have only taken up running late in life, but Deidre Larkin has certainly made her mark on the SA running scene, setting several world records or bests, regularly finishing on the podium at races, and inspiring many a younger runner with her attitude – and at 85 she shows no sign of slowing down any time soon. – BY RACHEL PIENAAR & SEAN FALCONER

Deirdre Larkin remembers the first time she ever ventured out for a run in late 2009. It was early morning as the 78-year-old put on her brand new running shoes and hit the road, employing an interesting regime of run three steps, walk three steps, because that was all she could manage. She had been diagnosed with osteoporosis in 2001, and the doctors had put her on medication to combat the deterioration in strength of her bones, but the medication made her ill. “I was going to doctors to be cured of what other doctors gave me,” she says, adding that a dietician also advised her to cut all sugar, salt, white flour and caffeine from her diet, while a biokineticist designed a strengthening programme that included yoga, Pilates and fitness classes. “But then one day I saw my youngest son running and I thought, now that is something I should try! I was looking for an exercise to do because of my osteoporosis, so I decided to try running.”

After just over one month of training, Deirdre was ready for her first race, the Randburg Harriers Valentine’s 10km, and she finished it in one hour 25 minutes. The racing bug had bitten, and that year she went on to complete 36 races. The following year, having set her sights on collecting as many medals as she could, she completed 58 races! By 2012 she was winning the great grandmaster age category regularly, and in 2013 she was selected to run for Central Gauteng in the SA 10km Championships in Durban. There she clocked 54:17 to break the SA 10km Record for women over 70 years of age, and smashed the World Record for women over 80, taking two and a half minutes off the previous mark. She also won the great grandmaster category in the Spar Womens’ Challenge Grand Prix that year.

In 2015 she once again claimed the SA 10km title in her age category, and towards the end of that year she posted a 1:01:31 finishing time in the Kolonade 10km in Pretoria to set a new world single-age record for an 84-year-old woman, to go with the records she already holds for 81 and 82 years of age. Now 85, Deirdre is still a regular at the races in Gauteng, averaging 60 races a year and running an event most weekends, sometimes even two, mostly over 10km but with at least one half marathon included per month. Just recently she won the 80+ age category at the Old Mutual Soweto Half Marathon, and within two weeks she was back in action at the notoriously tough Tom Jenkins race in Pretoria. There’s no holding this grand dame of road running back!

Musical Talent
Born in England, Deirdre came out to South Africa in 1970 with her late husband, John, and their four children, settling in Randburg. John, who compiled crosswords for The Star newspaper for 20 years, passed away several years ago, but the children and grandchildren all live in close proximity. Deirdre started playing the piano at age five and went on to become a concert pianist and teacher. “I played for the Rosebank Choir for 12 years before teaching piano at Kingsmead College in Rosebank for 19 years.” Today she still teaches the piano, and when asked how she manages to balance teaching with her training, she simply says, “I don’t, it is just chaos! But music and running have so much in common… both require discipline and perseverance, and both provide enormous self-satisfaction.”

Ironically, Deirdre says the word exercise did not even feature in her vocabulary for most of her life. “That was mainly due to the fact that I was born with a missing vertebrae and believed that I had to keep as still as possible. At the age of 38, after having my four children, I underwent a back operation, following which I battled even to lift a teacup while recovering. I eventually got stronger, but always stayed careful of my back.” Then in her seventies she heard she had osteoporosis and everything changed. Now exercise is part of her daily routine, in spite of her busy schedule.

Keeping it Regular
For many years Deirdre has risen early to get her run in, and she says her usual routine is 7km a day at 5:30am, four days a week, with some fitness classes thrown in for cross-training, and a rest day the day before a race, as well as one the day after. “Considering my age, I think two days’ rest is best. I enjoy my rest days, but on other days I don’t just want to lie in bed. There are things to be done!”

Deirdre firmly believes the older you get the more exercise you need, and not the other way around! “I played music at old age homes and retirement villages and some of the people there just went to sleep while we were playing. The only thing that sometimes kept them awake was the cake! People think when they hit 60 they just have to sit and that they are too old to start exercising. I think they should all start with gentle walking and then even some running, but if running is too much they can stick to walking. As long as they do something!”

In terms of running and racing, Deirdre says she really enjoys the camaraderie of the running community. “I once read a letter of a woman saying she is so lonely over weekends. Then I thought of how exciting weekends are for me. I get to go to races and meet so many different people. I am in a happy atmosphere on weekends. People are so encouraging, and when they see me run, they always tell me to keep going.”

Healthy Outlook
Deirdre is a strong believer in healthy eating habits and makes sure her diet is balanced. Breakfast includes ground nuts, seeds and mixed berries with soya milk, while lunch is always a peanut butter or cheese sandwich, and she makes sure dinner includes two vegetables. Her one indulgence is decaffeinated cappuccinos. “I mark my races in a logbook with an A for good and a B for not so good, and those races where decaf cappuccinos are sold immediately get an A, no matter how difficult the route was!”

She reckons her running ability is partly down to good genes and partly her diet and exercise regime, and it is all paying dividend for her health, helping to counter her osteoporosis. Unsurprisingly, she says she would like to keep running for as long as she can, because “I don’t feel my age and I would like to inspire other older people to run. Every morning I get up and feel my legs, say ‘Well, I still have them,’ and then I go run.”

In spite of the fact that runners are generally very health-conscious, many have a few bad nutritional habits, so check out these tips and make your own list of resolutions to kick-start 2017 on the right nutritional note. – BY CHRISTINE PETERS, REGISTERED DIETICIAN

Before I get into the actual resolutions, let’s consider who makes the nutritional decisions in most households. The main caregiver in a family, usually the mother, needs to be energetic and organised to make healthy eating happen consistently within the family. Therefore, the impact of a mother’s health on the household diet cannot be overstated, according to research. When the main caregiver is sick, tired or unmotivated, the household diet tends to slide.

Secondly, older people who sleep for less than five hours each night are more likely to gain 5kg or more over a two-year period, according to a study done in Spain. The researchers analysed the sleeping patterns and body measurements of over 3500 people aged 60 and older, and found the optimal sleep duration for weight maintenance in this group appeared to be seven hours. So don’t compromise on your sleep! Right, now let’s get to a few basic nutritional tips that you can turn into resolutions:

RESOLUTION 1: DROP THE JUICE FOR MILK
Research has found if you replace your morning juice with a glass of fat-free milk, you will manage your weight better. The study found that a glass of skim milk with your toast or breakfast cereal reduces mid-morning munchies more than a glass of juice. In fact, milk-drinkers ate 10% less food four hours after breakfast than those who drank juice for breakfast.

RESOLUTION 2: AVOID THE TAKE-AWAY TRAP
If you tend to be a convenience connoisseur, try keeping these three easy tips in mind:
• Sauces are dangerous: A single squirt from a tartar sauce bottle contains about 500kJ. You would need to run at full pace for about 15 minutes to burn this off. On top of this, a take-away burger and chips will often have two or more sauces. You do the maths!
• Portion size: One large portion of chips is too much food for any one person. Half this amount is much more reasonable and half the fat and calories.
• Preparation is important: Sweet and sour pork is prepared by coating high-fat pork in batter, then deep frying it in oil and finally boiling it in sugar (the ‘sweet’ bit). That’s why it’s so energy-dense. Always ask how your food is cooked so you know where the hidden energy is.

RESOLUTION 3: BEWARE THE LOW-FAT TEMPTATION
If a food product is ‘low-fat,’ you probably eat more. Various studies have shown that when people see a food labelled ‘low-fat’, they tend to dish up around 25% to 30% more, usually because they often assume the energy (kilojoules) content of a food is much less in foods labelled ‘low-fat. So be careful of making that mistake this year!

It’s that time of year… January, and New Year’s Resolutions are the hot topic as streams of people hit the gyms, hoping to fulfil the exact same health and fitness resolutions that they probably set themselves the year before. And that’s why you should consider signing up for the #9to5Challenge instead. – BY 9TO5 COACH JEANNIE JORDAAN

When it comes to New Year’s Resolutions for health and fitness, most people go for the same options year after year:
1 I will lose those kilo’s and reach my goal weight.
2 I will ride my bike every weekend.
3 I will go running every day.
4 I will drop my body fat percentage.
5 I will eat healthy, cut out alcohol and drink more water…

Blah, blah, blah, blah… We’ve all been on this roundabout, possibly even for umpteen years of re-hashing the same old resolutions. The irony is that most of us never actually stick to these resolutions… because “it’s hard!” I hear that phrase used year after year, especially after the January rush, when the magnitude of the goal sets in by February or March. In fact, I’m convinced the phrase “But it’s hard” should have its own ‘emoji’ – something that resembles a defeated heap of brain matter – because one thing I have learnt from years of training myself and others is that the body can usually keep up.

It’s the mind that plays tricks on us and tells us we can’t, because it’s too hard, when in actual fact we can… we just need a plan! And that’s where the #9to5Challenge steps in, to take the thinking out of the equation and turn it into an easy to follow, easy to fit into your lifestyle programme to get you moving in 2017 and finally succeed at sticking to those annually-repeated resolutions.

While this past, first year of the #9to5Challenge has been exceptionally rewarding and has seen hundreds of challengers reach their goals, the #9to5Challenge team is planning bigger and better challenges for 2017. From spreading our wings over more parts of Gauteng, and catering not only for 5km challengers, but also 10km and 21km challengers, to also offering a fully inclusive nutrition package through our resident dietician, Sarah Wildy. And there are amazing prizes up for grabs for “Best Overall Achiever” and “Most Improved” challenger. This challenge is the whole package, with support and guidance in abundance.

LESSONS LEARNT…
At the same time, I can’t help but look back on what I learnt in 2016. What stands out the most for me is the WHY that challengers arrive at their first session with, and this goes hand in hand with our theme “Old Resolutions… Renewed.” I have seen that the more meaningful your WHY is to you, the more likely you are to succeed in attaining your goal. There are those that run because they “want to” versus those that run because they “have to,” and the motivation behind either one of these reasons to run (your WHY) can determine vastly different outcomes when targeting your goal.

Those that are motivated solely by being forced to run by parents, peer groups, partners, etc, or are targeting an external goal to make others happy (running to lose weight because it is perceived to be more socially acceptable, or for a partner) are less likely to enjoy the journey, or achieve their running or weight-loss goals, and tend to find it hard. Conversely, those that are trying to make lasting lifestyle and health changes to feel better physically and emotionally, and who, while on the journey of learning how to run, start to love the feeling of pushing themselves to new and higher levels, who enjoy both the solitude of running alone and the social time with new friends, will be more likely to adopt running as a lifestyle and tick that ‘Old Resolution… Renewed’ off the list.

SEIZE THE MOMENT
As far as hopes and wishes for the #9to5Challenge go for 2017, we want to help you tick your tired resolution off your list and bring you into a new way of thinking, feeling and experiencing health and fitness. Then we will achieve OUR goal. So what are you waiting for? Sign up now. Go on, I challenge you!

Sign Up Today!
The #9to5Challenge takes non-runners to their first 5km race, and upwards, after just nine weeks! To register or get more information, go to www.modernathlete.co.za/ page/9-to-5-challenge, or mail [email protected]. Also, more info at www.facebook.com/9to5Challenge.

Having won an Olympic bronze medal in Rio, Henri Schoeman has the triathlon world at his feet, and he says he is hungry for more success in the sport he has made his focus since he was 16 years old. – BY KYLE DEELEY

The 2014 Commonwealth Games triathlon event in Glasgow, Scotland, left Durban-based SA pro triathlete Henri Schoeman with mixed feelings… It was his first major Games, having turned pro the year before, and he was in good form, which saw him up with the leaders on the bike leg in the individual race. “I think it might have been a little too early for a great performance. However, I set myself up for possible medal contention by being in a breakaway with the Brownlee brothers of England and another Scottish athlete, but then I crashed very early in the bike leg and fell back to the large chase group, and I finished in a disappointing 16th place,” says Henri.

Having watched his SA teammate Richard Murray finish third to claim the bronze medal, Henri was back in action a few days later in the mixed team event alongside Richard, Gillian Sanders and Katie Roberts, and this time things went exactly to plan. “The team race was extremely exciting! It was a great opportunity to be part of a team and on the day the South African team executed the perfect race. We had the best team spirit out there and that contributed a lot to our silver medal finish. Winning that Commonwealth medal is something I will always remember and cherish.”

BIGGER AND BETTER
Fast forward two years and Henri went to the Rio Olympics on the back of a solid couple of years on the ITU world circuit, including a prestigious win in the World Triathlon Series Grand Finale in Cozumel, Mexico, shortly before the Olympics. “Being the first South African and only the fourth man to ever win a WTS Grand Final is something I am extremely proud of,” says Henri. However, he arrived in Rio with a suspected respiratory illness: “I had a fever the whole week before the race, and the doctor only gave me the all-clear to be on the start line a few days before the race.” Fortunately, race day saw the young South African enjoy an incredible race, and despite a tough bike leg, he was able to push harder than ever on the run to come home third and claim the Olympic bronze medal (with Richard using his running strength to recover from a slow start to finish fourth). It was SA’s first ever medal in Olympic triathlon.

Unsurprisingly, Henri says his Rio medal-winning performance really put him on the map and triggered big changes in terms of his profile, invites, and endorsements. “The bronze medal in Rio is the highlight of my career thus far, a dream come true. It felt great but was also a very humbling experience standing on the podium, proud of my achievement and realising that all the sacrifice and hard work had finally paid off. Since then life has become extremely busy, with many requests for interviews, appearances and talks. I have become more recognised in South Africa as well as on the triathlon circuit, and so far sponsorships and endorsements have increased quite a bit coming into 2017, which is always a good thing!”

He adds that Rio has proven to be a life-changing experience, much more so than Glasgow. “It’s two completely different cultures, although similar from a Games layout and protocol perspective. The Olympic experience is very special and unique, and to be there and represent my country was a very proud achievement. Also, the atmosphere of staying with Team South Africa was cool and the medical team went above and beyond to make sure everyone was attended to and fit and healthy to perform at their best.”

DESTINED FOR STARDOM
Born in Vereeniging in 1991 but having lived in Durban since high school age, Henri participated in various sports at school, including cross-country, surf-lifesaving, swimming, karate, duathlon and triathlon, but swimming was his main focus. “My dad was always a sports person, so I grew up in a sporting environment and had love for sport from an early age,” explains Henri. He excelled in swimming, as did his brother Riaan (who won a bronze medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India), but at age 16 he decided to spread his wings in the world of triathlon, and success came early as he won the SA Under-19 title in consecutive years. “During 2007 I began doing really well in triathlon events. It was then that I felt this was the path that would take me further than swimming and enable me to reach my dream of becoming an Olympian,” says Henri.

However, in 2009 he suffered stress fractures in his shins, followed by a motorbike accident in 2011, which kept him out of competition for much of those years. Fortunately he used those years to build his leg strength, and by 2013 he was ready to take the world on. He turned pro when he got his first start in an ITU World Series event, but again it wasn’t smooth sailing. “I had a disappointing result in my first race in San Diego and it was a tough pill to swallow,” says Henri. Also, his parents had taken out a loan to get him there, so he felt added pressure to do well. His next event was in Yokohama, Japan, and this time he had a much better result. “Japan went a lot better than San Diego and I crossed the line in sixth place. That’s when I knew I had what it takes to succeed, and I followed that up with a fourth-place finish in Austria.

Since then Henri has collected numerous podium and top positions on the circuit, and he loves being a pro triathlete, but he adds that it is not an easy life. “It may seem glamorous and exciting, but with success also comes struggle. Travelling the world and visiting exciting locations is one of the great things of this job, but travelling is often not a smooth experience, and along with travelling comes stress and fatigue. Also, being in a different country eight or nine times a year isn’t easy, especially when travel expenses are coming out of your own pocket! When I was the new guy on the circuit, my financial sponsors were few and far between, and I relied solely on prize money to get me to the next race. But the most important thing was that I was doing what I love, and that is still the case today.”

MAGICAL MEMORIES
When asked to look back on the highlights of his career thus far, Henri starts all the way back with that second race in Yokohama in 2013. “That race had the potential to make or break me as a triathlete on the World Circuit. Then, the 2013 Kitzbuehel WTS is another one I will never forget. I loved the unique toughness of climbing up the Kitzbueler Horn during the bike leg and then running further up the mountain to the finish. I like challenging courses and that is still known as the hardest triathlon in the world,” he says. “The 2014 race in Tongyeong was my first World Cup win, after a very tough year filled with injuries and disappointment, and it gave me great confidence in myself and my abilities. And the Hamburg WTS race is one of my favourites. The race draws thousands of spectators and the vibe and atmosphere make the race really fast and exciting.

Outside of triathlon, Henri says he still wants to finish his marketing studies, which he put on hold while working towards getting to Rio. “I postponed finishing my studies to focus on training, but I do plan on finishing my studies this year. I am also very passionate about wildlife and I want to help create a movement in wildlife conservation to end the poaching in South Africa. I want to create awareness around our invaluable wildlife.” But for now his focus will remain on triathlon, and he says he wants to achieve more success. “I’m still hungry for more! I want to continue with the World Series and perform well there, and I would like to improve my running to be able to compete with the best in the world. I have my sights set on the Commonwealth Games in 2018 and the Olympics in 2020,” says Henri. As they say, watch this space…

New Year’s resolutions are a common thought this time of year. Whatever your goals may be, whether it is starting a running programme, learning to eat more wholesome foods, losing a few kilos or breaking that PB, all these aspirations require continued effort and modifi cation in training and lifestyle. One aspect that should never be overlooked is nutrition, so here are few handy tips to keep in mind this year.

1. BALANCE CALORIE INTAKE AND EXPENDITURE
The amount of calories (energy) you take in should equal the amount you expend, but runners often train in an energydeficient state. Two reasons for this are: running is commonly used for weight control, so we try to limit certain vital nutrients, such as carbohydrates; and runners just don’t eat enough during the day to replace the energy expended during a run.

Unless weight-loss is deemed as appropriate to your health and performance, a constant energy deficit (and thus often a nutrient defi cit) can lead to detrimental effects on energy levels, health and performance. Your goal should be to take in sufficient calories, and if weight-loss is your goal, you should focus on changing the types of calories you take in from unhealthy ones to more energising ones.

2. KEEP HYDRATED
Fluids play an important role in maintaining health and performance during exercise. As athletes exert themselves, the body produces sweat. Air passing over the fluid cools down the skin and underlying blood, which in turn cools down the core of the body, thus regulating body temperature. As the air temperature rises, more sweat needs to be produced, depriving the body of more fl uid, which must be replaced in order to assist in regulating body temperature. Furthermore, sweat consists not only of water but also of vital electrolytes, which need to be replaced when sweat rates are high.

Fluid-loss and electrolyte imbalances can be detrimental to your performance, so here’s a handy guide to how much fluid you should drink to avoid dehydration:

At rest: You need around 20-30ml per kilogram of body weight. If you weigh 55kg, you will need between 1 100ml (four glasses) and 1 650ml (six glasses) per day, whereas a 95kg male will need between 1 900ml (eight glasses) and 2 850ml (11 glasses). Pale-coloured urine is a good sign that you are hydrated, whereas dark yellow urine means you need to drink more water.

During a race: The best way to determine how much to drink is to perform a sweat test to see how much fluid you lose during your runs. Take off all of your clothes (even underwear) and weigh yourself on a scale, then get dressed and go for a run. Immediately after the run, get naked and weigh yourself again. The difference in your weight pre- and post-run will be the amount of fl uid lost during the run. You should not lose more than 0.5kg in body weight after an event or training session. The bottom line is that all runners lose fluids and electrolytes through sweating and must replace them to keep from becoming dehydrated and overheated. It is important that you understand how much fluid you need to replace, to ensure you are getting enough – but not too much – of what you need to stay healthy.

3. GEAR UP ON ANTIOXIDANTS AND PHYTOCHEMICALS
Are you eating enough fruit and vegetables every day? Do you fi nd yourself making excuses like ‘there isn’t enough time’ or ‘they’re too expensive’? This is the year to stop making those excuses. There is no reason that valuable nutrition provided by antioxidants and other phytochemicals should be lacking from
your diet any longer.

As a runner you may need up to three times more antioxidants than the average person to ward off exercise-induced oxidative stress. This is because exercise produces high levels of free radicals, which are unstable oxygen molecules that damage the body and cause fatigue. The best source of these antioxidants, which scavenge free radicals, is fruit and vegetables, so this year, focus on eating three to five servings of fruit and three to five servings of different coloured vegetables per day.

4. USE ALCOHOL SENSIBLY
Alcohol consumed in moderation does not appear to affect performance, provided you consume the right amount of carbs, proteins and fats, as well as adequate fluids, on a daily basis.

However, the immediate side effects of alcohol include dilation of the blood vessels (vasodilation) and depression of the central nervous system. This will cause you to feel fl ushed and leave your senses dulled. Your judgment, co-ordination and vision can be impaired, depending on the quantity you drink and your personal tolerance level. Alcohol is also bad for fl uid replacement, as it
acts as a diuretic, thus hampering your rehydration.

Contrary to what people may believe, alcohol is not good for ‘carbo-loading’ or fuelling up muscle glycogen stores. The kilojoules you get from alcoholic drinks come from the alcohol, not the carbohydrates (which are high in kilojoules), and new research show that alcohol may interfere with glycogen synthesis, meaning that your muscles don’t operate as effi ciently.

The bottom line is that alcohol should not be consumed prior to or during an event, and a post-event celebratory drink should not be used for your important post-event rehydration or refuelling needs. Once you’re rehydrated, a couple of drinks is no problem. Just keep in mind that when it comes to recovery, because of the vasodilatory effect, alcohol can compound tissue damage, potentially causing extra swelling, bleeding and delayed recovery – so drinking alcohol after a hard run or picking up an injury is
the exact opposite of what we are taught to do with ice and elevation of soft tissue injuries.