Category: Features

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.

Your body needs natural sugars to get up in the morning, let you work through the day, and help you in training. But beware, there are negatives with sugar intake! To explain this, let’s start with a quick nutritional lesson: Simple carbohydrates (sugars) refer to monosaccharides and disaccharides. The monosaccharides include glucose, fructose and galactose, with fructose mostly found in fruits and veggies, which won’t cause too much weight-gain. Common disaccharides include sucrose (glucose plus fructose), lactose (glucose plus galactose), and maltose (glucose plus glucose). Complex carbs refer to starch, which gives you the natural energy to be able to run.

 

A healthy, balanced diet contains naturally-occurring sugars, because monosaccharides such as fructose and disaccharides such as sucrose and lactose are integral components of fruit, vegetables, dairy products and many grains. The thing we all have to watch out for are extrinsic sugars and syrups added during processing.

 

THE HAZARDS OF SUGAR

Quite simply, watch your intake, especially of processed sugar. Today, we’re swamped with products on the shelves that spike our sugar intake, especially the consumption of soft drinks, fruit drinks, desserts and candies, jellies and ready-to-eat cereals. And this is how that excess sugar affects your health:

1. High blood pressure: Emerging evidence suggests that increased intake of added sugars may raise blood pressure.

2. Blood lipids: When used to replace dietary fats, carbohydrates and sugar can increase triglyceride levels, a known risk factor for coronary heart disease, and lower levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (the good type).

3. Inflammation: A higher consumption of high-sugar beverages and foods is associated with evidence of increased inflammation and oxidative stress.

4. Obesity: Today there’s a significant increase of energy intake with increased sugar-sweetened beverages. However, evidence is inconsistent regarding the association between sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and obesity, due to the fact that obesity is a complex metabolic disorder and is not likely due to one nutrient or factor. In feeding experiments, when increasing the size of sweetened drinks, intake of solid food increased significantly as well. Remember that it only takes an extra 50 calories a day to gain 2.5kg in one year!

5. Nutrient inadequacy: Reduced intake of calcium, vitamin A, iron and zinc have been observed with increasing intake of added sugars, particularly at intake levels that exceeded 25% of energy.

 

SO HOW MUCH IS OK?

The World Health Organisation recommends limiting added sugar to less than 10% of total energy intake, and use the concept of discretionary calorie allowance, which can be determined by estimating the calories needed to meet nutrient requirements and then subtracting this amount from the estimated energy requirement needed to maintain weight.

 

Added sugar, especially in the form of high-fructose corn syrup in sugar-sweetened soft drinks and refined snacks, is what people should be concerned about. Over the past 30 years total calories have increased by an average of 150 to 300 calories per day, and about half of these calories are coming from added sugar in the form of liquid calories. To maintain a healthy weight and avoid disease, and at the same time meet nutritional needs, people should consume an overall healthy diet with physical activity. Women should eat or drink no more that 100 calories (six teaspoons) a day from added sugar and men no more than 150 calories (nine teaspoons).

We thought you might be interested in this story from the Boskruin Running Group in Johannesburg, because it is nice to see that we can make a difference to someone in need. There are so many initiatives underway within this group, from collecting running shoes for underprivileged athletes to collecting race medals for the Organization for Paediatric Support in SA, but this story about helping our friend Jan Alwyn still stands out. – Submitted by Shawn Combrinck

On Monday 15 August, Mornay Durant sent an e-mail to the rest of our Boskruin Running Group members with the subject heading ‘Boskruin Running Group: Make a running buddy’s birthday special.’ In the mail he wrote:

Dear Boskruin Running Group

Jan Alwyn is someone many of us know, or you will probably recognise him when you see him, as he is a younger man without much hair, a huge pair of hands and a heart of gold. He may not be the most eloquent person, and he may come across as a little rough around the edges at times, but Jan is always there with a huge smile, a good word for others, and contagious cheerful attitude. Jan is also a man with a set of challenges that many of us cannot even begin to appreciate, given our fairly privileged positions. He is someone who can do with a little help every now and then, because he works hard, when he gets work, but is not fortunate enough to have a steady job.

Jan was mugged recently returning from a run. What little he had, and it really was not much, was taken from him. At this time he does not even have a pair of shoes to run in. It is Jan’s birthday on 27 August, and Jan thinks that the best birthday ever would be going to the Spur… because he knows someone who once went there! Jan is also an avid rugby fan, but needless to say, never gets to go.

So here’s my request….

I would like to get Jan a pair of shoes, take him to the Spur and take him to the Lions rugby game at Ellis Park on the Friday evening before his birthday. But I would like to extend the invitation to all the Boskruin runners: If you would like to contribute a few rand towards shoes, that would be great. If there is money left over, it will be put toward his meal at the Spur. Whatever we can raise will be used to help make Jan’s birthday very special for him, even though for the rest of us it may seem quite ordinary. For Jan it will be something to remember.

I have season tickets to Ellis Park and will take him to the Lions versus Boland game the Friday evening from 17:00. We will go to the Spur at Northgate after the game at around 8:00pm. If anyone would like to contribute financially, it would be wonderful. But if you would like to join us and help make Jan’s birthday meal at the Spur memorable, that would be amazing. If you can’t make it, I will pass your wishes on to him, and if you have any other thoughts or ideas on making this man’s birthday something memorable for him, please let me know. Thank you for your consideration.

Regards
Mornay Durant

That mail motivated a number of runners to make donations, and on the 31st of August, Mornay was able to report back on ‘Jan’s Totally Fabulous Birthday Bash:’

Dear Boskruin Running Group

I just wanted to drop you a final mail thanking you once again for your participation and contribution toward making Jan Alwyn’s birthday something special, and to share some of the moments with you.

We got to Ellis Park nice and early on Friday, and Jan had no idea what was happening when we took him into the Lions fan shop. He was wearing an orange shirt, as that was the closest to a red shirt he had. I invited Jan to see if he could find a shirt that he liked, and was met with an expression you would normally associate with Christmas time on the face of a small boy. He added a Lions beanie and after paying, the shopkeeper encouraged Jan to take his orange shirt off and to wear his new Lions kit right there and then, which he duly did.

We have some great seats and Jan was mesmerised by the stadium and anticipation of what was to come. It wasn’t long before we were tucking into our biltong and dry wors, with Jan starting out reservedly, but later getting comfortably into the snacks. The Coke and popcorn guys did well from us too! At halftime the girls set off and returned with a tray of mini-donuts. These did not last long at all, either. By now Jan was grinning ear to ear, with the reddest cheeks you can imagine on a grown man. The rugby result was favourable for our Lions and we left the stadium satisfied… and still hungry, would you believe!

We made our way to the Northgate Spur where Werner and Michelle were keeping the seats warm. A short while later we were joined by the effervescent Karl-Heinz and the party was on. We gave Jan some of his presents, and I don’t think he could believe his eyes or ears. Werner helped him set up his TomTom running watch right there and then, and our runners’ diets were forgotten as double milkshakes, Don Pedro’s and wine glasses were refilled, followed by the food orders, including the famously ‘low calorie’ chilli popper starters. Jan ordered a double rib burger and did not say a word as he worked his way through it until it was all done. What a pleasure to see someone enjoy a burger that much!

As is customary at the Spur, we informed our waiter that we were celebrating Jan’s birthday. It didn’t take them long to rustle up a crew and they arrived with a tall ice cream and sparkler for the birthday boy. Seeing Jan dispatch his ice cream had us all ordering Pecan Nut Sundae’s, and to our surprise, Jan raised his hand for one too, as well as a round of Jaegermeisters for the thirsty partiers. Some of us did not finish our Sundaes, and Jan volunteered to deal with the leftovers instead of having it go to waste in the kitchen.

Jan’s birthday bash did not end there. Thanks to your overwhelming generosity, there was still a sum of money left over, so I called Jan on Tuesday to find out if he was busy. He said he was getting ready to ride his bicycle to Randburg Harriers Clubhouse to do track training with Clint. Jan cycles two hours each way to come run with us, because he now lives in Witpoortjie, where he is house-sitting after his previous accommodation arrangement came to an end. This is why we don’t see him as much lately, as a 5am run means a 3am start for him!

I drove to pick him up and took him to Sportmans Warehouse, where Jan chose a couple of technical running shirts, as well as a couple pairs of shorts and super comfortable Falke socks. We then drove to training, and I took the opportunity to take some photos of Jan sporting his new kit. He also mentioned two races in particular that he would like to enter in the near future, the SABS Jakaranda Marathon as well as a half marathon in Vanderbijl, and thanks to you, there was enough money left over for us to pay for these entries on his behalf, too!

All in all, we managed to get all of this for Jan:
• 2 pairs of Asics shoes. (We gave him the first pair at the Spur, and the second pair is being kept at Randburg Runner for Jan for when he needs it. We’re hoping that he will be able to run Comrades 2017 in the second pair.)
• A TomTom running watch (a nearly new unit donated by one of our group angels.)
• A Lions rugby shirt and beanie
• 2 technical running shirts
• 2 pairs of running shorts
• 3 pairs of Falke running socks
• 2 race entries
• And an amazing night out at the Spur!

Driving back to Jan’s place to drop him off, I realised how blessed we are. Some of us have so many material possessions, while others have so little. It reminded me of a post I read: “When you are blessed with abundance, don’t build taller walls, build longer dinner tables.” It was my privilege to share Jan’s birthday with him and a few other Boskruin running friends, and I know that I am the wealthier for it, as are each of you with your well wishes, your words of support as well as your contributions. I am proud to be associated with you, while humbled by your kindness and love for your neighbour.

Regards
Mornay Durant

From elites to weekend warriors, many athletes do not know the rules of athletics that cover all the running disciplines, and this sometimes leads to a clash with authority, or fellow runners. This month we look at refreshment stations in road races. – BY SEAN FALCONER

Thanks in part to Modern Athlete’s #runclean Campaign, many people are currently debating the use of plastic sachets or cups for handing out water at refreshment points in road races, and the litter problem that results. Some have suggested that all runners should carry their own water in hydration packs or water bottle belts, while others have even said that runners don’t need water in races up to 10km, since they regularly go for 10km training runs without taking water along. Cutting out water tables in races would mean no more plastic litter, but it is actually written into the IAAF rules for road running that water must be supplied to all athletes… and nobody has found a reliable, cost-effective alternative to plastic sachets as yet.

IAAF RULE 240.8: Drinking / Sponging and Refreshment Stations
240.8 (b) For all events, water shall be available at suitable intervals of approximately 5km. For events longer than 10km, refreshments other than water may be made available at these points. Note (i): Where conditions warrant, taking into account the nature of the event, the weather conditions and the state of fitness of the majority of the competitors, water and/or refreshments may be placed at more regular intervals along the route.

This means that official ASA-sanctioned road races must provide water tables at regular intervals, since personal seconding is no longer allowed in road races in this country due to the traffic congestion it causes, and this is covered by Rule 20 of the ASA Rules and Technical Standards, with a few changes from the IAAF rules, notably the minimum distance between refreshment stations.

ASA RULE 20.2: Refreshment Stations and Seconding
20.2.4 Where race organisers impose a restriction on personal seconding, they must provide refreshment stations at least at 3km kilometre intervals throughout the race.

This means that an ASA-sanctioned 10km race must have three water tables, at 3km, 6km and 9km, whereas IAAF rules would actually make it possible to just have one at 5km. That means potentially three times as much litter left on the roads! Some good news is that at least one athletic province has decided to do something about this problem, as seen in the new Western Province Default Rules for Road Running Events:

WPA RULE 17
17 Any athlete accused of irresponsibly disposing of litter may be subject to disciplinary action.

Western Province is to date the only athletic province in South Africa to officially adopt and promote the #runclean Campaign, urging athletes and organisers alike to make a greater effort to stop the litter problem in road races, and many other clubs and events around the country are already actively supporting #runclean as well.

There are also rules that athletes and their supporters must abide by when it comes to the actual handing out of refreshments:

IAAF RULE 240.8
240.8 (e) The Organising Committee shall delineate, by barriers, tables or markings on the ground, the area from which refreshments can be received or collected. Refreshments shall be placed so that they are easily accessible to, or may be put by authorised persons into the hands of, the athletes. No official or authorised person shall, under any circumstances, move beside an athlete while he is taking refreshment or water.
240.8 (g) An athlete may, at any time, carry water or refreshment by hand or attached to his body provided it was carried from the start or collected or received at an official station.
240.8 (h) An athlete who receives or collects refreshment or water from a place other than the official stations, except where provided for medical reasons from or under the direction of race officials, or takes the refreshment of another athlete, should, for a first such offence, be warned by the Referee. For a second offence, the Referee shall disqualify the athlete.

ASA RULE 20.2
20.2.2 Where permitted in race rules, seconds or team officials may assist athletes only at designated refreshment stations by handing them refreshments and water. Seconding is not allowed outside the designated refreshment stations, and seconds/officials shall not, under any circumstances, run beside an athlete taking refreshment. The stand and hand rule shall apply.
20.2.3 Seconding may not be conducted directly from a vehicle (including two-wheeled) whether stationary or moving.

So, not only must races provide water to runners, but runners can only receive the water in specified places along the route, from a designated person, who is standing still. Now you know.

From walking my first marathon through the dusty streets of Soweto in 2011, I continued what for me was my ‘Long Walk to Freedom,’ and completed the Ultimate Human Race, the Comrades Marathon in 2014. That same year I achieved another big goal, the New York City Marathon! Here is my story – BY ASTRID THOLE

I stood alongside 2000 other runners on a blisteringly hot day in Soweto on the 6th of November 2011, ready to take on the big challenge of walking my first marathon. Just to put you in the picture, I wasn’t a runner, I was a social, casual walker who had walked a few 30km races for fun. On the start line I had no idea what the race would entail, all I knew was that I planned to walk very fast, because I wanted to finish before the cut-off time of 6h30.

As the gun went bang, I set off, hundreds of runners sprinted past me. I felt scared and excited at the same time, and I was a mixed bag of emotions. I had no idea how hard it would be to walk 42km, and as I went through the tough route I discovered how hard it actually is! To say I was naïve was an understatement, yet, at the time I believed I could complete the race within the cut-off time.

So I walked and walked and walked. I had no idea about pacing, gels, hydration, splits, and all the other lingo that runners spoke and understood so well. I stopped and drank water at every table and soaked up the amazing vibe that is so well known at the Soweto Marathon, the ‘People’s Race.’ The friendliness that the people of Soweto show to each and every participant is overwhelming, making the race a special one.

ELATION IN SOWETO
I completed the race in a time of 6:15:48! I was absolutely elated when I received my beautiful medal, I felt such pride and excitement, I had done it. I was reminded of a quote from Fred Lebow, the founder of the New York City Marathon, “It doesn’t matter whether you come in first, in the middle of the pack, or last. You can say, ‘I have finished.’ There is a lot of satisfaction in that.” The whole experience proved to me that the body achieves what the mind believes and that I was not too old to set another goal and dream another dream.

That afternoon, inspired by my achievement, I watched the live broadcast of the 2011 New York City Marathon. I was glued to my TV, fascinated by the number of people who were participating – over 50,000 people! During the broadcast I decided that I would be setting some personal goals and dreams into action: I would do my first Comrades and NYC marathon in 2014, the year I turned 50, a milestone birthday for me, and what better gift than two medals, from Comrades and NYC.

So with that my running journey began, I joined a running club and started doing the hard work. In the beginning the transition from social walker to runner was a hard one, especially since I had never run a kilometre before the age of 48. I soon realised that to qualify for Comrades I would have to run/walk faster. I was lucky to be supported by another Comrades Runner at my club, Mike, and he pushed me and guided me to my goal. I always remember what he said to me, “Astrid, never give up. Give every part of the training your all. You can do it. Comrades is not for the faint-hearted, it’s tough, but you can do it. You will get your first medal in 2014, but you have to work for it and want it.”

THE ULTIMATE RACE
A lot of blood, sweat, tears and sacrifices later, I made it to the start in Pietermaritzburg on 1 June 2014. I lined up in my seeding pen with 18,500 runners around me. The pressure was on, this was not just any marathon, it was The Ultimate Human Race, a long and gruelling 89.2km awaited me. I prayed fervently before the start to finish in under 12 hours, to have the strength, faith, guts and determination to keep going…

My incredible journey from Pietermaritzburg to Durban began, and while running, I just kept saying to myself, “You were strong enough to get this far. You are strong enough to keep going. It doesn’t matter how fast or slow you are. As long as you keep moving.” I ran, I walked, I never stopped, and I had a wonderful first Comrades. No nausea, blisters, vomiting, dehydration or over-hydration, I was on a high from the first to the last kilometre.

I had written many positive affirmations which I took with me and I read and repeated these to myself all 90km. I needed to believe that I could and would finish, and I had to dig deep many times. Comrades tests your mental toughness, but I kept running despite the fatigue, pain and discomfort, and all around me runners kept motivating me, and that got me to the finish. I received my first Vic Clapham medal in a time of 11:40:03. To this day I cannot describe the emotions that I felt on that day!

A BITE OF THE BIG APPLE
Five months later, on Sunday 2 November 2014, I stood on the start line of the iconic and famous New York City Marathon. It was bitterly cold, three degrees with a head wind, and I was nervous as I was not used to running in such cold conditions, but I didn’t let it dampen my spirits. It was an out of this world experience, lining up alongside 50,869 runners, some of whom were elite international marathon runners, was amazing and surreal, and to participate in one of the world’s five major marathons was a dream come true. I was about to sight-see and experience the famous ‘city that never sleeps’ on foot, what an amazing adventure.

Donned in warm winter running gear with a South African running vest displaying my name, I set off to the sound of Frank Sinatra’s New York, New York, and it was magical, just as I watched on TV all those years ago, only now I was one of the 50,000-plus runners streaming across the Verrazano Narrows Bridge. Running the NYC marathon was everything and more than I dreamt it would be. I was overcome with emotion as the crowds shouted out my name and told me to keep going – they love South African runners and kept saying, “Astrid, you come from Mandela’s beautiful country, you must be so proud!” I did indeed feel proud and humbled to be representing my country, and the support I got from the American crowd was extra special. Then finishing in 5:15:45 in the world famous Central Park was something that I will never forget. I was so proud when they handed me that medal.

The experiences I had were extraordinary and so memorable, and to this day the NYC Marathon remains one of my all-time favourite marathons. What started with walking the Soweto Marathon ended three years later with Comrades and NYC Marathon medals! It just goes to show that if you can dream it, you can achieve it! And I am still dreaming… I have a few more goals to reach, including the Berlin Marathon, and aiming for my green number at Comrades before I hit 60.

Now that winter has come to an end and summer is approaching, it’s not just our clothing layers we need to shed as the days get warmer, we also need to shed our excess winter weight. – By Esmé Maré, Registered Dietician at Christine Peters & Associates

We gain or lose weight when energy intake and expenditure are out of balance. For example, when we consume a small amount of food and expend a high amount of energy, such as with running, we will promote weight-loss. When we consume a large amount of food and expend a small amount of energy, such as when we stay warm indoors, not wanting to exercise, then we will promote weight-gain. If we consume a moderate amount of food and expend a moderate amount of energy, then we will maintain our current weight.

Achieving a healthy body weight should be the aim of any weight-loss goal. A healthy body weight is a weight that promotes good eating habits, allows you to participate in regular physical activity such as running, and a weight that is acceptable to you and for your age. Here then are some tips on how to lose the weight you gained during winter, including how to do it healthily and how to keep it off whilst benefiting your running.

1. Set realistic Goals: An important part of any weight-loss plan is to set realistic goals. It can be frustrating making gradual changes to the body, but slower changes are much more effective in maintaining weight-loss over a longer period of time. This will also preserve your lean muscle mass needed for running. Remember, it takes time to adopt new eating habits. Aim for a weight loss of 0.5 to 1kg per week.
2. Never go shopping hungry: Plan your meals a week in advance. It’s easier to stick to a plan when you only have healthy food and drinks in your house.
3. Don’t starve yourself: Eat small, frequent meals every 2-3 hours to avoid feelings of food deprivation and to keep your metabolism going, and this will also ensure sustained energy levels. Starving yourself will slow down your metabolism and you will find it difficult to run on low energy levels.
4. Have Breakfast: Eat a healthy breakfast within an hour of waking up to jumpstart your metabolism and to promote weight-loss.
5. Plan your meals: Eat your meals and snacks only at set times in one location. Do not eat while studying, working, driving or when watching television. Don’t eat out of packets or take food straight from the fridge, rather dish up food onto a plate and eat with utensils. This will help you to keep track of how much you are eating and when you are feeling full.
6. Use smaller dishes: Eat your meals out of smaller dishes so they appear larger and you will eat less. The same can be done for drinks. Use a slender glass for all drinks except water.
7. Chew your food slowly: Aim to take at least 20 minutes to complete a full meal and stop immediately when you start feeling full. Store leftovers for your next meal.
8. Go for colour: To ensure that a variety of nutrients needed for a healthy body are consumed, half of your plate should be colourful vegetables or salad.
9. Choose good quality carbohydrates: Brown basmati rice, sweet potato, baby potatoes, quinoa, whole-wheat pasta, etc, should fill a quarter of your plate.
10. Choose good quality lean protein: Lean pork, beef, ostrich, chicken, legumes or fish should fill another quarter of your plate.
11. Cook with as little fat as possible: Remove excess skin and fat off meat and chicken before cooking.
12. Drink six to eight glasses of water daily: If you struggle to make this a habit, try drinking a glass of water before each meal and snack.
13. Get enough sleep: Remember to sleep at least seven to eight hours per night.
14. Reward yourself: When you do well with your nutritional programme, get a massage or buy yourself new clothes.
15. Prepare meals: Avoid purchasing high-fat, high-sugar foods by preparing healthy meals and snacks in advance.
16. Participate in regular physical activity: This will decrease body fat and help maintain or increase lean body mass.

When he started riding at the age of 14, Louis Meintjes never knew his cycling would take him across the world, but today he is considered the Golden Boy of South African cycling, a mere six years after turning pro, having already competed in the world’s biggest cycling tours as well as representing South Africa in the recent Olympics Games. – BY RACHEL PIENAAR AND ROXANNE MARTIN

As a young boy, Louis looked up to his father and saw himself following in his footsteps to become an engineer, but that all changed when he got on the bike. “I started cycling when I was in high school and at first it was just to enjoy riding, but I started racing soon afterwards, and it got more and more serious,” he says, adding that while growing up in Rustenberg, his family was supportive, but they were not avid cyclists themselves. “My brother also cycled a bit, but my family weren’t very sport-orientated.”

Entering races in those early days gave Louis a mark he could measure himself against, and that marker became higher and higher with each passing year, until eventually in 2010 he placed first in the National Junior Time Trial Championships, then added the Under-23 SA Road Champs title. That made him realise the time had come to take his cycling to the next level, and he decided to go pro.

The Road to Success
The next three years saw Louis competing all over Africa, setting the base for his future career. He enjoyed success at the African Continental Championships in 2011, placing second in the team and individual Time Trial, but it was in 2013 that the world really started taking
notice as he placed second in the World Under-23 Road Championships. It marked
him as someone to watch, and so began his road to international success.

In 2014, riding for MTN Qhubeka, Louis took part in his first Grand Tour, the Vuelta a Espana. It was a steep learning experience for the youngster, seeing how he could do against the world’s best. “It was definitely an eye-opener. A Grand Tour is tougher than anything else. You really need to be mentally strong and save energy all the time, because three weeks on the road is a long time. So, getting a fifth place on one of the toughest, and I think highest points, of the race was very encouraging,” says Louis.

It seems the international experience was just what Louis needed, and in 2015 he started his season off by winning the 30th edition of the Settimana Internazionale di Coppi e Bartali. “It was my first stage race win, which felt great and showed my progression year on year was improving. There were some really good climbers in the race, and I just tried something and was a little surprised to get away, but it felt very good,” says Louis. He also competed in his first Tour de France the same year, but had to retire due to illness. However, he didn’t allow that setback to affect him and bounced back to finish 10th overall at the next Vuelta a Espana. It was during this Tour that he also announced that he would be moving to Team Lampre-Merida for the 2016 season.

Slow Start to a Great Year
At the beginning of this year Louis set to work to make it a big year, and he says being based in Lucca, Italy with Lampre-Merida suited his training and lifestyle. “There are plenty of mountains around if I want to do a training camp, and the beach isn’t too far away if I want a break,” he explains. However, his initial results were doffed by bad luck, and Louis says he would rather forget the first few months of 2016.

After crashing out of the Volta a Catalunya on the third stage, his bad luck continued into the Vuelta al Pais Vasco, where he again had to pull out of the race and was unable to finish, but he says he moved beyond the disappointment by motivating himself to stay positive and believe in himself. “The start of the season was a tough one. I was affected by illness and cold weather, but my training remained good and was still better year on year, so I just stayed positive and kept believing. It was a good move, even though the season didn’t start off the best for me, because the team kept believing in me,” says Louis.

That belief paid off, because at this year’s Tour de France Louis really showed what he is made of as he became the first South African to place in the top 10 in the general classification of the race. He also placed second in the White Jersey competition, for the best young rider classification, finishing just behind Adam Yates. What was truly remarkable about Louis’ performance during the Tour was that he managed to stay with the lead group of contenders, featuring the worlds best in cycling, during the mountain stages.

When asked how he feels about his performance at the Tour, Louis says he actually hasn’t had time to process it all yet. “It took a few days after the race to sink in, but my racing schedule with the Olympics and the Vuelta a Espana has been hectic, so it hasn’t fully set in yet. I think I will be able to reflect on it properly when I am back home in South Africa at the end of the season.”

Rio Takes Centre Stage
Less than two weeks after the Tour, Louis found himself at the Rio Olympic Games, ready to compete with the best in the world in the hope that he could win a medal for South Africa. The 237km Road Race course was brutal, including an 8.9km climb with treacherous descents and a cobblestone section. That put paid to the hopes of many of the pre-race favourites, including Vincenco Nibili and Richie Porte, but Louis once again displayed his growing strength and experience to stay clear and post another top 10 finish.

“The course suited me and I wanted to use the form I had coming out of the Tour. I wanted to go there and be part of the action, so I am happy,” says Louis. In fact, he says that he enjoyed the experience so much that he is hoping to be able to go to the next Olympics in 2020. “It was a great experience and it is really a big occasion, like everyone talks about. I’d love to experience another Olympic Games.”

No Time to Catch a Breath
Once again there was barely time to take in this achievement as Louis made his way straight from Rio to Spain to take part in the Vuelta a Espana Tour. While this tour didn’t see him take another high general classification spot, Louis still saw the race as good preparation for the coming year. “It has been a very long season, so I felt some fatigue, and the heat also played a role, but it’s good to get the mileage in the legs as a base for the next season. My job is to ride my bike and deliver, so it’s important to stay focused on doing that,” says Louis.

Unsurprisingly, many a South African cycling pundit is now talking about the possibility of Louis becoming the first South African to win the coveted Tour de France title, given his rapid rise to cycling stardom this past year and his top 10 finish in this year’s Tour. When asked if he thinks he can live up to that expectation, Louis is typically humble but still shows his determination to succeed. “That would be nice, but that’s a very difficult task. It is certainly something I will keep working towards.”

Louis says he is also aware of the impact his success on the world stage will have on cycling in South Africa, and the inspiration it will provide to those wanting to follow him into a pro career in cycling, but he warns aspiring young riders to be realistic about their dreams. “It’s not easy to get into Europe from South Africa, which is where you need to be if you want to turn professional, but you need to believe in yourself.” That has clearly worked for him, and all South African eyes will be on him in the coming years, hoping to see him claim a podium finish in the Tour as well as many other titles and accolades.