Category: Features

There has been much conjecture around the Low Carb High Fat Diet that Professor Tim Noakes speaks about. There are many questions though that are left unanswered when it comes to running and the LCHF way of eating.

This week on Run Talk SA we spoke to Prof Tim Noakes to shed some light on fueling during a long run when you are following the Low Carb High fat diet. Run Talk SA is in the process of creating training specifically for running in the LCHF diet, if you would like to find out more, click here.

 

Check out all the latest news and important info from the world’s biggest, oldest and most famous ultra, the Comrades Marathon. – BY DELAINE COOLS & NONKULULEKO MDLALOSE
 

2017 COMRADES ENTRIES IN FULL SWING
The CMA has confirmed that more than 6000 entries were received in the first week after the entry process opened on 1 September! That number included nearly 600 international athletes from more than 30 countries. The 92nd Comrades Marathon will take place on Sunday 4 June 2017.

The three-month entry window will close on 30 November 2016, or as soon as the entry cap of 20,000 has been reached, and prospective entrants are encouraged to get their entries in early to avoid disappointment. After that, the 2017 Substitution Process will offer a last chance to obtain an entry, and this window has been extended by two weeks to run from 14 March until 14 April 2017.

Entry fees for the 2017 Comrades Marathon are as follows:
• Local Entries R460 (months of Oct & Nov for SA athletes only)
• Rest of Africa R770
• International R2650

For details on how to enter, please visit the Comrades Marathon website: www.comrades.com

RUNNERS FIRST
The CMA recognises that running clubs are pivotal to the sport of road running, so to foster greater involvement of the clubs and prioritise the runners, the CMA has introduced the Runners First initiative. Running clubs will be granted access to the entrant database to verify their runners’ details, which will ensure data accuracy and integrity and also have a direct positive impact on the race registration process.

NEW FINISH VENUE & OTHER DEVELOPMENTS
For the first time in 16 years, the 2017 Comrades Marathon will once again finish at the Scottsville Racecourse. The CMA has announced that the 130-year old landmark location will serve as the finish venue for the 92nd edition of The Ultimate Human Race, having served as the finish venue of both the 1998 and 2000 editions of the race.

In other developments, the CMA will no longer offer Hot Spot prizes. Instead, 2017 will see the introduction of an Elite Team Prize with R32,000 awarded to both the Men’s and Women’s winning teams. The Gunga Din Trophy will revert to being awarded to amateur/recreational clubs.

COMRADES PERCEPTION SURVEY
The CMA would like to thank the 3358 runners who responded to the 2016 Comrades Marathon Survey. The results can be viewed here:
www.surveymonkey.net/results/SM-DLR8R5BT/data-trends/

10th GREATER EDENDALE RACE – COME RUN WITH US!
The CMA has called on runners to join in the 10th running of the popular annual Greater Edendale Race, which takes place on Sunday 13 November. The CMA will once again host the race at the FNB Wadley Stadium in Georgetown, Edendale as part of its social responsibility programme. This race has been attracting nearly 2000 participants on an annual basis and is a major attraction for local schools, with grand prizes for those schools with the most number of finishers.

Prize money totalling more than R21,000 is up for grabs with a generous first prize of R3,000 for the first man and first woman over the finish line respectively. The first three men’s and women’s walkers will also be rewarded. Every finisher will take home a medal in addition to all 10km runners receiving an Edendale 10km race T-shirt. The entry fee for the 10km race is R40 and participants must be at least 14 years old to run it. Anyone over nine years may enter the 5km Fun Run, which forms part of the world renowned AIMS Children’s Series Race, at an entry fee of R20 (but free for school children). Pre-entries will be taken at Comrades Marathon House (weekdays 8am to 4:30pm), and late entries will still be taken up till race day.

GET YOUR 2017 TRAINING PROGRAMME
The official Comrades Marathon Coach, Lindsey Parry, has devised a comprehensive training programme to get you to the start line of the 2017 Ultimate Human Race and help you achieve your coveted Comrades medal. You can find the programmes and training tips at www.comrades.com.

TEAM COMRADES PLANTS TREES WITH WILDLANDS
The CMA recently assisted one of its official charities, The Wildlands Conservation Trust, in its tree-planting initiative. Wildlands set itself an ambitious goal of planting 100,000 trees during National Arbour Week, which is observed at the beginning of September every year. The saplings planted were all of indigenous varieties and were grown and nurtured by ‘tree-preneurs’ who barter with Wildlands for livelihood support items such as building materials, water tanks, bicycles, food hampers or groceries.

Several local businesses and organisations came out in support of this greening initiative by availing their staff to join in the tree-planting and contributing to a greener and more sustainable future for the citizens of Pietermaritzburg. As CMA General Manager Chris Fisher says, “We value the incredible work done by Wildlands. As an official Comrades Charity and as an organisation at the forefront of conservation efforts and with a deep commitment to bettering the social and environmental landscape with significant projects, we could not help but get involved. Our mission and goals are well aligned to serve the communities in which we operate and give back to society in meaningful ways.”

GREEN AWARDS FOR COMMUNITY MARSHALS
The CMA hosted its 2016 Community Marshals’ Green Name Awards Function at Comrades House in Pietermaritzburg in the last week of August. The event was held in recognition of the community marshals who have been of service to the Comrades Marathon for more than a decade.

Consisting of a 200-strong team, the Comrades Marathon Community Marshals Programme was implemented by the CMA in 2004 in response to a need for greater runner safety along the route. Since then, this special band of people has ensured the safe passage of Comrades Marathon runners from Cato Ridge to Inchanga, year in and year out, performing their duties with pride and a deep sense of responsibility for the safety and protection of the runners. The CMA has in turn provided training and support for the marshaling team on an annual basis in the run-up to the race, and thanks to such training and skills transfer, many of these volunteers have gone on to secure meaningful jobs for themselves.

Each of the 54 Green Name recipients was honoured with a Green Name Certificate by CMA Chairperson, Macdonald Chitja, and he says, “From its inception, this project was viewed as a community initiative. Our engagement started with Nkosi Mlaba and his Induna, and has continued to grow. Though individuals were awarded the Green Name Certificates, the function is a celebration of the involvement of the entire community. This is a special moment to celebrate more than a decade-long contribution of such dedicated volunteers to the Comrades Marathon. We are very grateful to each of the Green Name recipients.”

CMA ASSISTS AT CAPITAL CLIMB
Team Comrades had fun at the recent SHF Capital Climb 15km race, hosting the Worlds View Refreshment Station. The team has been supporting this fellow Pietermaritzburg race for several years, and CMA General Manager Chris Fisher, says, “The Comrades Marathon Association supports local races and hosting the refreshment station is in line with our commitment to giving back to our running community.”

WALL OF HONOUR GIFT IDEA
Why not give a gift of love to the Comrades runner in your family this Christmas? This treasured Comrades memento has become a sought-after gift for Christmas and birthdays, and you can beat the Christmas rush by ordering a Comrades Wall of Honour plaque today. Please contact [email protected] for more info.

COMRADES MUSEUM REOPENS
The newly revamped Comrades Marathon Museum is now open to the public, having undergone a major refurbishment, and the collection of unique, antique and collectable Comrades memorabilia is sure to capture your imagination. Comrades Museum Curator Roxanne Thomas says, “We have been greatly looking forward to opening up our grand museum to our stakeholders and members of the public once again. The impressive Comrades collection of historical and modern keepsakes is well worth seeing.”

SHARE YOUR COMRADES STORY
Every person has a story to tell and Comrades Marathon runners in particular have the ultimate tales of courage, perseverance and endurance. We are calling on ardent Comrades runners to inspire the nation to take up the challenge of running the world’s most gruelling footrace, by sending us your Comrades Story in 300 words or less, and stand the chance to win a Comrades hamper. Please e-mail your story to [email protected]

RUN FOR A CAUSE AT COMRADES
The Comrades Marathon makes a positive difference to the lives of the less fortunate by supporting six official Comrades Charities, and runners are invited to support these charities through the Amabeadibeadi and Race4Charity initiatives. To find out more about how you can make a difference, go to www.comrades.com/charities/amabeadibeadi or www.comrades.com/charities/race-4-charity.

COMRADES MARATHON ONLINE
www.comrades.com
www.twitter.com/@ComradesRace
www.facebook.com/ComradesMarathon

The Modern Athlete DARE TO TRI Programme was thrilled to see our visually impaired athlete, Helen Webb, complete her first ever triathlon at the 5150 Bela Bela, and she says it was a fabulous experience!

I guess I had a pretty typical first triathlon in a lot of ways. I surprised myself by not drowning, I didn’t drink on the bike, I took way too long in transition, I bonked on the run… But I did these things in a slightly different way from the average novice triathlete. I completed my first triathlon tethered and ‘tandemed’ to my guide, Anine Kukard, and I could not have asked for a better race. The weather was perfect, the crowd and athlete support for us was amazing, and the beer at the Spur afterwards was cold. What more could a girl ask for?

The swim was my favourite part, because I have struggled to swim for 15 years, but swimming tethered to a guide has given me the opportunity to overcome my terror and just relax in the water. Swimming is very disorienting to people with low vision because we are so reliant on our hearing, which we cannot use under water. Then, I have a lot of work to do in transition. My brain recognises objects in a different way to a fully-sighted person, and I really struggled to lay out my things in a way that was easy for me to find things. I also need to get used to drinking from a hydration pack, which I was using for only the second time, because I cannot get bottles back into the cage on the bike easily.

The run was extremely frustrating, because I couldn’t get a mental picture of the route in my head – it felt like running around in circles for an hour. Despite these challenges, it was an absolutely fantastic experience, and I cannot wait for the races to come leading up to IRONMAN PE. Thank you to the many people who made this race possible for me!

Helen is attempting to become the first South African visually impaired female triathlete to attempt IRONMAN South Africa in April 2017. We still need to find a suitable guide, equipment like a Tandem bicycle, and sponsors to assist with costs. Please follow Helen at www.facebook.com/HelenWVIAthlete and any assistance would be appreciated.

COACH’S CORNER
BY DTT COACH DERICK MARCISZ
Dare to Tri once again participated in the popular 5150 Triathlon in Bela Bela, with 19 finishers out of 19 starters, including six novices, for yet another 100% DTT success rate. Our squad was led home by Jaryd Otto in a fast 2:35, which was a five-minute improvement on his Germiston time, and our visually impaired athlete, Helen Webb, completed her first ever triathlon. Congratulations, Helen, you are an inspiration to all of us that sometimes take lining up in tri events for granted. We also had a few athletes taking part in the inaugural MiWay Cape Ultra in the Cape Winelands in September

Meanwhile, most of the other 52 DTT athletes on the programme are training for the upcoming events on our DTT target list, to which we have added the newly announced MiWay Durban Ultra to be held in March 2017:

1. Global 11 SUN CITY – Olympic & Sprint distances, 15/16 October 2016
2. Trinity Sports Series – Olympic & Sprint distances, 6 November 2016
3. MiWay Midlands Ultra – Half Iron 1.9km/90km/21km & Sprint distance, 27 March 2017
4. Trinity Sports Series – Olympic & Sprint distances, 15 January 2017
5. 70.3 East London – 1.9km/90km/21km, 29 January 2017
6. MiWay Durban Ultra – Half Iron and Sprint distances, 6 March 2017
7. IRONMAN South Africa – 3.8km/180km/42km, 2 April 2017

Modern Athlete Dare to Tri IRONMAN Workshop
Sunday 30 October, 9:30am, Jeppe Quondam Club, Bedfordview, Johannesburg
It’s five months to go to the Ironman African Champs in Port Elizabeth on 2 April, so join us for a talk on the proven Dare to Tri IRONMAN programme. DTT Coach Derick Marcisz will outline the training required for the next five months and you will also hear from DTT athletes that have comfortably finished IRONMAN using the DTT programme. Entrance is free, everybody is welcome, and refreshments will be provided.

Sign up today!
Join the Modern Athlete Dare to Tri Academy for the 2016/2017 Season for just R1265 once-off payment. You will receive expert coaching and group training from when you sign up till IRONMAN PE in April 2017. DTT has a proven track record with a 98% finish rate at all triathlon events, and you cannot get this level of coaching, including coached weekend group training sessions, for this period of time at this cost anywhere else.
Go to https://daretotri.canbook.me/e/view/10091 and follow the prompts to register.

At the Rio Olympics in August, Wayde van Niekerk set a new World Record in the 400m as he added the Olympic title to the World Champs title he won last year, giving South Africa it’s first official World Record in Track and Field in just over 40 years, but building on a rich history of our athletes setting world marks. – BY SEAN FALCONER & RIËL HAUMANN

When Wayde van Niekerk crossed the line in the 400m final in Rio in a time of 43.03, he finally beat the 17-year-old World Record of 43.18 set by American Michael Johnson in the 1999 World Champs in Seville, Spain. And he did it in some style, too! The way he pulled clear of the rest of the field in the home straight absolutely took the breath away – so much so that even the great Usain Bolt made a point of heading straight up into the stands after his 100m final win to congratulate Wayde.

The new World Record makes Wayde the 13th South African (if you count relay teams as one) to set a World Record in track and field, and his is the 20th World Record by a South African or South African team. This list only counts the standard distances recognised by the IAAF, or that were recognised in the past, so some seldom-run events do not appear on this list, like the 200m hurdles, where SA’s LJ van Zyl is currently the co-holder of the record.

Track Star through the Ages
South Africa has a proud history of producing World Record performances, but Wayde’s World Record in Rio is the first for SA in track and field since John van Reenen set the world mark for Discus in 1975. The ensuing years of sporting isolation due to the country’s Apartheid policies meant that many potential world-beaters did not get to compete on the world stage, and it also meant that one World Record run in SA was never ratified by the IAAF. That non-record belonged to Zola Budd.

In January 1984, aged just 17 and running barefoot, the waif-like Zola made world headlines as she shattered the women’s 5000m World Record, clocking 15:01.83 to take nearly seven seconds off American Mary Decker’s 1982 mark of 15:08.25. Unfortunately, the IAAF did not recognise the time, and it remains left out of official lists, or added as a footnote. Norway’s Ingrid Kristiansen broke that mark in June 1984 with her 14:58.87, but Zola took the record back in August 1985 with a 14:48.07 – but that record also did not come to South Africa, as she was then (temporarily) running for Great Britain.

Road and Ultra Records
On the road, South Africans have also set a number of World Records over the years, with our star performer being Elana Meyer, who began her remarkable run of six World Records with the first of four women’s half marathon world marks. Interestingly, some World Records recognised by the IAAF are intermediate distances recorded within a longer race, like Thompson Magawana and Frith van der Merwe’s times for 30 miles and 50km recorded during the 56km Two Oceans ultra-marathon.

However, a number of other world best times set by South Africans cannot be included in the list of World Records due to the fact that they were run on point-to-point courses, which are not recognised by the IAAF for record purposes. As a result, a number of times set by Wally Hayward, Jackie Mekler and others are not included, nor is the record for 50 miles set by Bruce Fordyce in the London to Brighton race. These performances are classified as World Bests instead of World Records. On the other hand, Wally and Jackie both appear in the list of World Records for ultra distances run on the track. These two legends – both five-time Comrades Marathon winners – set a number of world marks over distances such as 50 miles, 100km and 100 miles, and further added to the rich history of SA’s athletic World Records.

SOUTH AFRICA'S WORLD RECORD SETTERS
Here, in chronological order, is the full list of SA’s athletic World Records. The total is 49, by 24 athletes or teams (or 27 athletes, if you count all relay team members). Only three track athletes set more than two World Records – Gert Potgieter, Barbara Burke and Marjorie Clark, with three each – whereas counting all records, Elana set six records, Wally five and Jackie four.

TRACK & FIELD
Men
120y H 15.0* Vincent Duncker (Pietermaritzburg, 17 April 1909)
110m H 14.8* George Weightman-Smith (Amsterdam, 31 July 1928)
110m H 14.6 George Weightman-Smith (Amsterdam, 31 July 1928)
100y 9.4 Danie Joubert (Grahamstown, 16 May 1931)
440y H 50.7 Gert Potgieter (Queenstown, 20 April 1957)
440y H 49.7 Gert Potgieter (Cardiff, 22 July 1958)
440y H 49.3 Gert Potgieter (Bloemfontein, 16 April 1960)
100m 10.0 Paul Nash (Krugersdorp, 2 April 1968)
1000m 2:16.0 Danie Malan (Munich, 24 June 1973)
Discus 68.48m John van Reenen (Stellenbosch, 14 March 1975)
400m 43.03 Wayde van Niekerk (Rio de Janeiro, 14 August 2016)

Women
80m H 12.2* Marjorie Clark (Pietermaritzburg, 24 May 1930)
80m H 12.0 Marjorie Clark (Pietermaritzburg, 2 April 1931)
80m H 11.8 Marjorie Clark (Pietermaritzburg, 2 April 1931)
100y 11.0 Barbara Burke (Pretoria, 20 April 1935)
220y 24.8 Barbara Burke (Pretoria, 22 April 1935)
80m H 11.6 Barbara Burke (Berlin, 1 August 1937)
High Jump 1.66m Esther van Heerden (Stellenbosch, 29 March 1941)
4 x 110y 47.3 SA team** (Kimberley, 10 April 1950)
4 x 110y 46.9 SA team** (Pretoria, 26 March 1951)
* World Record equalled.
** The members of both teams were the same: Florence Willis, Sally Black, Edna Maskell and Daphne Robb-Hasenjager.

ROAD: STANDARD DISTANCES
Men
10km 27:59 Matthews Motshwarateu (Purchase, 4 October 1980)

Women
21.1km 67:59 Elana Meyer (East London, 18 May 1991)
15km 46:57 Elana Meyer (Cape Town, 2 November 1991)
5km 15:10 Elana Meyer (Providence, 16 October 1994)
21.1km 67:36 Elana Meyer (Kyoto, 9 March 1997)
21.1km 67:29 Elana Meyer (Kyoto, 8 March 1998)
21.1km 66:44 Elana Meyer (Tokyo, 15 January 1999)

ROAD: ULTRA DISTANCES
Men
30 miles 2:37:31 Thompson Magawana (Cape Town, 12 April 1988)
50km 2:43:38 Thompson Magawana (Cape Town, 12 April 1988)
100km 6:25:07 Bruce Fordyce (Stellenbosch, 4 February 1989)
Women
30 miles 3:01:16 Frith van der Merwe (Cape Town, 25 March 1989)
50km 3:08:39 Frith van der Merwe (Cape Town, 25 March 1989)

TRACK: ULTRA DISTANCES
Men
100km 7:41:36 Wally Hayward (Motspur Park, 20 November 1953)
150km 11:50:09 Wally Hayward (Motspur Park, 20 November 1953)
100 miles 12:46:34 Wally Hayward (Motspur Park, 20 November 1953)
200km 17:33:25 Wally Hayward (Motspur Park, 20-21 November 1953)
24 hours 256.400km Wally Hayward (Motspur Park, 20-21 November 1953)
50km 3:25:29 Jackie Mekler (Deville, 5 September 1954)
40 miles 4:18:14 Jackie Mekler (Deville, 5 September 1954)
50 miles 5:24:27.4 Jackie Mekler (Deville, 5 September 1954)
30 miles 2:57:48 Jackie Mekler (Germiston, 15 January 1955)
40 miles 4:04:34 Gerald Walsh (Walton, 19 October 1957)
50 miles 5:16:07 Gerald Walsh (Walton, 19 October 1957)
100 miles 12:40:49 Dave Box (Durban, 11/12 October 1968)
100km 7:29:05 Dave Box (Walton, 26 October 1969)
150km 11:07:23 Derek Kay (Durban, 6-7 October 1972)
100 miles 11:56:56 Derek Kay (Durban, 6-7 October 1972)

Women
24 hours 171.263km Mavis Hutchinson (Johannesburg, 27-28 August 1971)
100km 10:47:43 Marie-Jean Duyvejonck (Pretoria, 2 November 1979)

With Summer well on its way and many runners already stepping up their mileage to prepare for the peak running months in the lead-up to Two Oceans or Comrades, it is also an ideal time for these runners to discover the benefits of swimming as active recovery after long or hard runs. Swimming is an easy option that runners can turn to for overall recovery and activating different muscles they wouldn’t use on the road. – BY GEORGIE THOMAS

Swimming to cool down after a hard run in hot conditions is always a treat, but swimming offers so much more. For starters, it is particularly useful for recovery, as the water has a cooling effect on muscles, which enhances recovery. Still better, swimming is non-weight-bearing, so when used as part of your fitness routine, it promotes recovery of muscles, joints and bones. There is an increase in activity of the circulatory system due to increased bloodflow through muscle activity, and swimming also activates the core muscles, which can lead to faster and improved running form.

Furthermore, something that runners might not know about is the beneficial effect swimming has on the brain: Learning and practising new motor-neuron skills has a significant positive impact on the aging process on our brain and body functions. The caveat to all these benefits, however, is that with poor swimming technique, other problems can arise, so it’s not just a case of jumping in. For example, back pain and an unconditioned shoulder can result from hyperextension of the spine from a poor body position in the water. Poor technique can also result in swimming too hard and taxing yourself in what is meant to be a recovery session.

SWIM MINDFULLY
Even runners who swam at school and think they are fairly competent should be careful: That was a long time ago, and the type of swimming you did then was fast and not mindful at all. Runners are also challenged to adapt mentally to swimming in a pool, because with just a black line to look at and little opportunity to chat to mates in your usual running group, boredom could set in, so it’s important for you to up your focus.

Before starting, it’s best to get some advice on technique, to avoid injury and stay motivated. Find a coach who is focused on technique, because just joining a swim squad is not the answer, as these can turn into mini races – especially for the competitive runner. Frustration could also set in as you discover that you are not as good at swimming as you are at running. Squad swimming can result in poor swimmers, but swimming more mindfully will decrease chances of injury and take away the boredom factor. You will have too much to think about as you practise executing a good stroke, and swimming will become a form of meditation and rest from running (and life).

FIND YOUR PACE
Since you are not looking for a major gain in your fitness, it is best to practise swimming in the very lowest range of perceived effort. This might be a challenge, though, if you have poor technique, especially relating to breathing. Seek advice, don’t just try and plough through! Avoid training sessions that you find on the internet, as these don’t speak to technique and will often recommend training aids which may not benefit you. For example, kicking with a kick-board may seem like a good idea, as it will certainly give you a workout, but you are also putting your back into a hyper-extended position, which might cause you pain. The same goes for hand paddles – they add resistance and build muscle, but put strain on unconditioned shoulders and could lead to injury.

You might say that since you only want to swim for recovery, it doesn’t matter how you swim. Well, it does matter. First avoid injury and in time you may discover another joy, aside from running. And it could turn out to be a bonus if you find yourself laid off from a running injury. You never know, you might become addicted to swimming and find yourself lining up for a triathlon or swimming race in the future!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Georgie Thomas is the Head Coach of Total Immersion Swimming South Africa. She hails from a distance running background, having run multiple marathons and ultras as well as representing Western Province as the SA Cross Country Championships, before taking on the challenge of open water swimming and triathlon. Having learnt to swim better through Total Immersion, she went on to complete multiple full Ironman events, competed at the Half Ironman World Champs, and medalled at the SA Masters Long Course Open Water Swimming Champs. Go to www.totalimmersionsa.co.za to find out about workshops all around SA, or mail [email protected].

We are constantly bombarded by articles with contradicting advice regarding the consumption of different foods, especially red meat. Some experts say stay clear while others promote the regular consumption of meat, even the night before a big sporting event, and in some cases, even on race day. So who’s right and who’s wrong? – BY CHRISTINE PETERS, REGISTERED DIETICIAN

Think back to the days of the legendary Wally Hayward, the five-time winner of the Comrades Marathon in the 1930s to 1950s, who used to stop next to the road during races to polish off a juicy piece of red meat. Things have changed a bit since then, with runners unlikely to find a juicy steak served up by the refreshment stations in today’s races, but overall, South Africans are known for their meat consumption, and there is much controversy about whether it’s healthy or not, especially when it comes to sport.

ATHLETES AND MEAT
Let’s start by looking at what red meat is, and how it benefits you as an athlete:
• PROTEIN: Red meat provides high-quality, highly digestible protein, with all the essential amino acids that are used by the body to build structures, including bone, muscle, skin, nails and hair, and perform functions.
• HAEM IRON: Iron is needed for red blood cells and oxygen transport, and haem iron is more absorbable than the non-haem variety found in vegetables. Red meat contributes more than 50% of the body’s iron needs.
• ZINC: The zinc in meat is better absorbed than from plant foods. It is necessary for strong immune function, brain function, fertility and healing.
• B GROUP VITAMINS, INCLUDING B12: These vitamins are necessary for energy and brain function, and are only found in animal products.
• CARNITINE: Its main role is to help the conversion of fat into energy in the body’s cells.
• CHOLESTEROL: Red meat contains cholesterol, which in high levels is associated with increased risk of heart disease, but more recent studies have shown this only to be true for people up to the age of 50.
• SATURATED FAT: Red meat contains saturated fat, the kind that when eaten in excess, has been thought to raise blood cholesterol and the risk of heart disease. However, lean red meat, with visible fat removed and little marbling, is lower in saturated fat.

Red meat is therefore useful to athletes because it’s a high-quality source of protein, calories, B vitamins, zinc, and most importantly, iron. One of the major functions of iron is to carry oxygen to and carbon dioxide away from all the cells in your body. The brain also relies on oxygen transport, so without enough iron, you will find it hard to concentrate and feel tired and irritable. Iron is also needed to maintain a healthy immune system.

Athletes that consume red meat the night before a race are usually people who eat meat regularly and are used to high-fat diets and digesting meat. The reason many do this before an endurance race with a lower intensity, is that they can then rely on fat being a good source of energy for a longer period, without needing large amounts of carbohydrate to remain fuelled.

SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS
In late 2007, the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) reported a link between red meat and colon cancer, which caused worldwide concern. It recommended eating less than 500g of red meat per week and avoiding processed meat. However, this advice was disputed by other experts, who believe it was based on inconsistent research results. Health authorities now recommend that we eat lean red meat three to four times a week, where a serving is equal to 65-100g of cooked meat, e.g. a small steak, half a cup of mince, or a couple of slices of roast meat. Any less and other iron-rich foods will need to be eaten.

These days much of the reservations about red meat come not from the food itself, but rather the methods used to rear the animals, and to the processing done after the animals are slaughtered. Therefore, choose cuts from animals that are as naturally reared as possible, and in an unprocessed form.

The Achilles tendon is the one physical attribute that allows humans to walk upright and to run long distances, unlike our ‘near relatives’ among the great apes. That makes it one of the most important parts of the body we athletes need to look after. – BY SEAN FALCONER

According to ancient Greek mythology, the great warrior Achilles was dipped in the sacred river Styx by his mother Thetis so that he would be immortal, but she held him by his heel and it was not touched by the water, so his heel remained mortal. During the Trojan War, Achilles was seemingly invincible, killing many Trojan warriors, including Hector, Prince of Troy, but Prince Paris of Troy shot an arrow into Achilles’ heel and he died of the wound. As a result of this legend, the tendon connecting the heel to the calf became known as the Achilles tendon, and the expression ‘Achilles Heel’ came to mean a point of weakness.

Ironically, the Achilles is actually the thickest, strongest tendon in our bodies, which it has to be in order to handle the strain of connecting the heel to the powerful calf muscle. With each step we take, or hop or jump, the calf contracts and pulls on the Achilles, which in turn provides the elastic energy to push the foot downwards and allows us to move forwards or upwards. Thus the Achilles carries our entire weight with each step, and several times our weight when running, sprinting, or jumping.

Tender Tendons
In spite of the strength of the Achilles, it’s not surprising that Achilles injuries are fairly common in athletes, with the most common cause being overuse due to a sudden, large increase in mileage, or a sudden force being exerted on the tendon that results in a tear or rupture. Misalignment is another common cause of injury, with tight or weak leg muscles and misalignment of the knee, hip or back placing undue long-term strain on the Achilles, as can low arches and uneven leg lengths, while women who wear high heels for long periods can end up with shortened Achilles.

There are two common Achilles injuries:
• Achilles tendinosis (formerly called Achilles tendonitis) is a soreness that comes on gradually and continues to worsen until treated. It often starts with stiffness when first getting out of bed, and lightly pinching the Achilles with the forefinger and thumb will be sore. This is a common injury among middle and long distance runners.
• Achilles tendon rupture is a partial or complete tear of the Achilles that comes on suddenly, sometimes with a popping sound. Partial and full ruptures are most likely to occur in sports requiring sudden eccentric stretching, such as sprinting, but can also occur in middle and long distance runners.

Achilles Fix
Treatment for Achilles tendinosis includes rest, icing and physio, followed by strengthening exercises. Treatment for an Achilles rupture includes complete immobilisation, or surgery in the most severe cases. Avoid anti-inflammatory and painkilling drugs, because Achilles tendinosis is a degenerative injury rather than an inflammation and the drugs will mask the problem, which will then likely get worse as you continue putting force on the tendon.

To prevent an Achilles injury, warm up properly with dynamic stretching before working the tendon too hard, such as gentle calf raises, jogging, jumps, hops or skipping. Do daily strengthening with calf raises, starting slowly with just your body weight and doing three sets of 10 to 15. When this can be done without pain, gradually increase the number of repetitions and sets, and then add weight. Concentrate on a slow, measured lowering, and be sure to go all the way down for a full stretch of the Achilles.

Until recently Chris Britz held many of the SA Records at the various race walking distances on both track and road, with those records dating back to the late 80s and early 90s. His records have finally been beaten, but he continues to give back to the sport as a coach and administrator. – BY SEAN FALCONER

It was time for the 1981 inter-house athletics meet at Hoërskool Linden in Johannesburg, and Chris Britz and a few of his Matric mates were in the mood for some fun, so they dared each other to enter the 3000m race walk event. “I used to run cross country and middle distance, and had never done race walking before, but I actually found it quite easy. At that stage both the Transvaal junior champ and silver medallist were at our school, and I finished third, not too far behind them, so I did a few more walking races, but then went back to running.” Little did Chris know that this inauspicious start to his walking career would see him one day break multiple SA records and come agonisingly close to representing his country at the Olympics.

REPORTING FOR DUTY
Race walking once again came to the fore when Chris went to the Army for his National Service, being posted to the School of Armour in Bloemfontein, where the second in command was a keen race walker. “When it came to the unit athletics day, I signed up for the 1500m, 3000m and steeplechase, but nobody signed up for the race walking, so they asked who had done race walking before. Next thing I knew I had been ordered to enter, and I ended up lapping the second in command, won the race easily, and was sent to the Army Champs!”

After his two-year stint in the army, Chris went back to Joburg to study civil engineering at RAU (now the University of Johannesburg), and joined the athletics club, where he found himself training and competing with other leading walkers such as Stanley Valentine and Willie Vermeulen. He was still running at that stage, but found himself focusing more on race walking. “I was actually part of different generations of SA race walkers, as I competed in 20 SA Champs meets over 21 years – the only one I missed was due to the Race Walking World Cup being on the same weekend in 1995. Through the years we had some really strong competitors, like Stanley, Willie, Michael Brits, Riecus Blignaut and Johan Moerdyk, and we all pushed each other hard in some really tight races.”

The friendly rivalry in the race walking community led to faster times, and that saw Chris start to set SA records at most official distances. “It was always terrific to break an SA record, but probably the most exciting was the 10,000m in Roodepoort, at altitude” says Chris. Johan had broken the 10km road record a couple of months earlier, so I knew it would be a good showdown. We pushed each other all the way to 7000m, averaging 4:03/km, and I knew I had to get away, otherwise I would be in trouble, so I did three consecutive sub-4:00s!”

INTERNATIONAL DEBUT
Another highlight for Chris was finishing first in the 1992 African Champs 20km in Mauritius, in the first international competition that South Africans were allowed to compete in as the Apartheid-era sporting isolation came to an end. “I lost touch with the leaders when I dropped a water bottle going through the refreshment station. I shouldn’t have stopped to pick it up, because I battled for the next three kilometres to catch them again, but eventually I won the race, with Ricus and Johan taking second and third.”

Chris won the silver medal at the 1993 African Champs in Durban, then another continental gold at the All Africa Games in Harare in 1995, in spite of walking the last 7km with one shoelace untied. He also competed regularly in Europe, and says the international race walking circuit was like a big family. “On the track we were competitive, but off the track we often trained together and helped each other getting into races. South Africa is great for off-season altitude training for European athletes, so we helped the Germans and Poles to come out here, and they helped us over there. That’s how I became friends with Polands’s four-time Olympic gold medallist Robert Korzeniowski, and he pulled me to a new SA 5000m record in Polokwane one year while training here.”

DISAPPOINTMENT…
Unfortunately, the big one eluded Chris as he tried unsuccessfully to qualify for the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, in spite of breaking the SA 20km record in Green Point in early 1996. “Unfortunately, it was only a B Standard Qualifier, but ASA still selected me for the preliminary squad. However, when the team was presented to SASCOC, I was excluded due to not having an A Qualifier. The qualification window was still open, so I went to Germany and broke the record again, this time going a minute under the A mark, but I was still left out of the team.”

“That was probably my best performance, and it was very disappointing not to be selected, but I realise that I was still lucky enough to compete on the international stage. I had been in Springbok teams with guys like Johan Fourie and Deon Brummer, who really deserved international competition, but they missed out due to the sporting isolation. I was younger and still had five or six years of international competition, including four World Cups, the African Champs and the Commonwealth Games. I had wonderful opportunities, made great friends, and raced icons of the sport, so I can’t complain.”

MENTORSHIP ROLE
Having missed out on the Olympics and being in his mid-30s, Chris turned his focus to his career in the transport industry, but as the oldest member of his training group, he found himself in a coaching role when the venerable Oom David van der Merwe passed away. “He coached me when I was still in school and after the army, and when he passed away the younger guys turned to me for advice, so I said let’s give it a go.”

Chris went on to coach several walkers that won SA titles or qualified for World Cups and the Olympics, including Thami Hlatswayo, Marc Mundell, Wayne Snyman and Corli Swart, but it is his current protégé, Lebogang Shange, that has been making the headlines – notably for breaking all of his coach’s long-standing SA records! “Of course it is not happy news to hear your record has been broken,” laughs Chris, “but they are there to be broken. But they can’t take titles away from you, so I tell my athletes, if you want to collect accolades, go after titles. The fact that my records stood so long means that the sport had stagnated, and now it shows the sport is improving.”

Besides coaching, Chris is still involved with ASA, helping to steer race walking in the right direction, and he still competes at the SA Race Walking Champs for fun. “When I retired, I picked up a lot of weight, so I decided to keep walking. I have no major objectives, because I’ve done my bit after more than 20 years competing at senior level, and now I just do it for fun and my health.

The new KPMG running vest is the latest edition to the successful Modern Athlete #RunClean campaign.

The KPMG Running Club is the first road running club in SA to include an innovative, anti-litter pocket on its club vests in support of the #runclean campaign. The vests have been produced by in2sports, Modern Athlete’s sister company. The pocket is placed on the side of the vest and designed to hold empty water sachets or energy gel packs after they have been consumed by athletes during a run or walk.

This forms part of the ongoing awareness campaign to get South African athletes to pledge to #runclean at all running events, and the tag that comes with these vests explains how an athlete can pledge to #runclean:
• Think twice about tossing a water sachet on the ground during or after an event.
• Carry your water sachet in the anti-litter pocket until you can properly dispose of it.
• Promote a no littering rule at all times.
• Volunteer to help clean up at water tables at events.

Clubs! Corporates! Design and order your custom-made #runclean vests from in2sports! Contact [email protected] or call us today on 082 99 77 888.

SIGN YOUR RACE UP TODAY!
To register your race as a #runclean event and request FREE Garbie bins and bags to be delivered to your event, look for the sign-up link on the Modern Athlete runclean page on Facebook, or go to www.modernathlete.co.za/runclean.htm. Garbie will then arrange for the delivery of rubbish bins, liners and rubbish bags to your event, all free of charge, and Modern Athlete will publicise your event as a #runclean event.

We would love to hear about your efforts to #runclean, so send your letters, photographs or ideas to [email protected]

Think before you throw – #runclean

The new KPMG running vest is the latest edition to the successful Modern Athlete #RunClean campaign.

The KPMG Running Club is the first road running club in SA to include an innovative, anti-litter pocket on its club vests in support of the #runclean campaign. The vests have been produced by in2sports, Modern Athlete’s sister company. The pocket is placed on the side of the vest and designed to hold empty water sachets or energy gel packs after they have been consumed by athletes during a run or walk.

This forms part of the ongoing awareness campaign to get South African athletes to pledge to #runclean at all running events, and the tag that comes with these vests explains how an athlete can pledge to #runclean:
• Think twice about tossing a water sachet on the ground during or after an event.
• Carry your water sachet in the anti-litter pocket until you can properly dispose of it.
• Promote a no littering rule at all times.
• Volunteer to help clean up at water tables at events.

Clubs! Corporates! Design and order your custom-made #runclean vests from in2sports! Contact [email protected] or call us today on 082 99 77 888.

SIGN YOUR RACE UP TODAY!
To register your race as a #runclean event and request FREE Garbie bins and bags to be delivered to your event, look for the sign-up link on the Modern Athlete runclean page on Facebook, or go to www.modernathlete.co.za/runclean.htm. Garbie will then arrange for the delivery of rubbish bins, liners and rubbish bags to your event, all free of charge, and Modern Athlete will publicise your event as a #runclean event.