Category: Features

When Team SA heads over to Canada in October for the Obstacle Course Racing (OCR) World Champs, the most excited member of the team may well be Carina Marx, since it will not only be the first time she is representing her country, but also the first time she travels abroad! – BY SEAN FALCONER

Unsurprisingly, Carina Marx can’t wait to get on the plane that will take the South African OCR World Champs team to the Blue Mountain Ski Resort in Ontario, Canada, as she has never left South African shores before. The 33-year-old will be part of a strong team featuring a host of athletes who medalled at last year’s World Champs in Cincinnati in the USA, and she says she is really looking forward to seeing what she can do on the world stage. “I actually qualified for last year’s World Champs in Cincinnati, but decided not to go as I didn’t feel ready to compete against the best in the world, having only started with OCR in 2014. But this year I feel ready to give it a go, and I have chosen to compete in the elite race so that I can go up against the best in the world. That’s because I’m an all or nothing type of person,” says Carina.

The SA team will attend a training camp at Afriski in the Drakensberg in September, to train at altitude in cold conditions to better prepare for the cold conditions of Canada, especially after last year’s brutally freezing conditions in Cincinnati that had many a competitor reaching for warmer clothing and hot drinks. “Hopefully the training up there will prepare us for World Champs, and my aim for my first World Champs is to finish in the top five,” says Carina.

“I’ll be the only South African woman doing the elite race, because the other girls will be competing in their age categories, while Hanneke Dannhauser was going to race elites with me, but can only do the sprint and team events on the Sunday due to being a Seventh Day Adventist and not being able to compete on Saturdays. I’m just going to give it everything, because it will be my first time representing my country and I’ve never felt as good about something as I do with OCR. It will also be my birthday while we are at World Champs, so I am hoping for a great trip!”

Sporty and Active
Born in Vryheid in KwaZulu-Natal, Carina has worked as a personal trainer since finishing school, currently working out of the Melrose Arch Virgin Active in Johannesburg. She was known for her swimming while at school, going to SA Champs a number of times, and says she also played tennis, did athletics and rowing, and pretty much everything else. “I never went to the upper level of any sport after school, but I did try adventure racing, mountain biking and later trail running, and now my focus is on OCR.’

Carina is engaged to former SA under-21 and Western Province rugby player Jeremy Reingold, who also broke the swimming world record for the 200m individual medley in 1980, and they plan to tie the knot next January. “He is super proud of me, to the extent that I sometimes get a bit embarrassed, but if not for him I would not have believed I could do this. He has played a major role in my success, and also manages our Jeep OCR team as well as my PR, so he is a man of many talents.”

Jeremy has two kids from a previous marriage, Sienna (10) and Max (5), and he says “they look up to Carina in so many ways and I can only say that she is treasured by them and I, with an uncanny ability to care for all of us regardless of her work and training schedule. They also love OCR and do the kiddies races at all the events Carina and I go to. I suppose it’s evident that I am a huge supporter of Carina, but its hard for me not to value the balance she has in humility, family, work and achievement. I suppose as manager of the OCR team I live vicariously through Carina and the athletes’ achievements, and I love the sport for its inclusiveness and the hard work it belies.”

Overcoming Obstacles
Carina stepped into the OCR elite sphere in October 2014 when she took on the Black Ops level at a Warrior event for the first time, and finished a highly creditable fifth. The Black Ops level is so tough that many competitors, men and women, often cannot finish officially, having failed at a certain obstacle, accepted a penalty of burpees and then proceeding with the race, although no longer in the overall classification. “I wanted to qualify for the Warrior finals that year, so I really pushed myself in that first race, and I was really happy just to finish,” says Carina.

“Then in 2015 I did all eight of the Warrior races, as well as all four of the Impi races, plus the Beast and a few others, and I am very proud of the fact that I am now up there challenging the best girls in the sport.” Typically humble, she has to be prodded to add that she won the Beast last year, and had three third place podium finishes in Warrior, followed by two second places so far this year. And one of the keys to her success has been the improvement in her running. “In OCR, my strength is my upper body strength, while running is my weakness, so to say, but I have improved a lot in the last 18 months. I have never been a super runner, but I have worked hard at it and now I can compete with the top trail runners in OCR, like Trish Bahlman and Dominique De Oliveira, who are phenomenal athletes. Two years ago I would not have even thought of competing with girls with so much running experience.”

Challenges and Camaraderie
Naturally, regular podium finishes, an increasing number of sponsors coming on board and an upcoming overseas trip for World Champs means that Carina is really enjoying OCR, but she adds that there is more to it than just success. “I love the fact that you can’t get bored with OCR, because it challenges you and makes you grow as an athlete after every race. It always has a surprise or five to challenge you, not only your physical ability, but also your mind. It’s a versatile sport that always encourages you to become the best athlete you can be. There is also a lovely spirit in the sport – we’re all friends that get along very well. We’re competitive, but do it in good fun, and even help each other in races if we see a rival going wrong, because I think we all want to develop the sport and lift the standards to be up there with the best in the world. So let’s see how we go at World Champs!”

Oats date back over two thousand years, cultivated in regions all over the world. Before humans used it as part of a nutritious breakfast, oats were used for medicinal purposes, a use for which they are still honoured today. High in phosphorus, selenium and manganese, oats are also the go-to for soluble dietary fibre, iron, magnesium and vitamin B.

Oats gain part of their distinctive flavour from the roasting process after being harvested and cleaned. Although oats are then hulled, this process does not strip away their bran and their germ, allowing them to retain a concentrated source of their fibre and nutrients. Different processes are used to produce various forms of oat products, which are generally used to make breakfast cereals, baked goods, soups and stews:

?         Oat Groats: A groat is another name for a grain kernel. Oat groats are the result of simply harvesting oats, cleaning them, and removing their inedible hulls. They take the longest to cook.

?         Steel-cut oats: Featuring a dense and chewy texture, they are produced by running oat groats through steel blades that thinly slices them into smaller pieces.

?         Old-fashioned (rolled) oats: Have a flatter shape that is the result of their being steamed and then rolled into flakes.

?         Quick-cooking oats: Processed like old-fashioned oats, except they are cut finely before rolling.

?         Instant oatmeal: Produced by partially cooking the grains and then rolling them very thin to decrease the cooking time. They are lower in fibre than rolled oats. Oftentimes, sugar, salt and other ingredients are added to make the finished product. Try to avoid flavoured instant oatmeal!

?         Oat bran: The outer layer of the grain that resides under the hull. While oat bran is found in rolled oats and steel-cut oats, it may also be purchased as a separate product that can be added to recipes or cooked to make a hot cereal. This is your best option, as it is very high in fibre.

?         Oat flour: Finer than oatmeal, this is made by grinding and sieving oats. It can be used in baking, or for thickening soups and stews.

HEALTH BENEFITS

Here are three great reasons to add oats to your daily eating plan:

1. Improved lipid profile

Eating oatmeal can lower your cholesterol, especially your low-density lipoproteins (LDL) or ‘bad’ cholesterol. If you've been diagnosed with high cholesterol, consider adding oatmeal to your daily menu. Oatmeal is full of soluble fibre, which we know lowers LDL levels. When you digest fibre, it becomes goo-like. Researchers have determined that when it's in your intestines, it ‘sticks’ to cholesterol, stopping it from being absorbed. So instead of getting that cholesterol into your system – and your arteries – you simply get rid of it as waste.

2. Assists with weight-loss

Due to oatmeal being a wonderful source of fibre, it means that when you eat oats for breakfast, you're going to feel full for a long time. Breakfast foods high in sugar and fat can make you feel full for only a brief period. A bowl of steamy oats or a breakfast smoothie, consisting of blended oats, fresh fruit and ice, can satisfy your hunger for longer.

3. Controls blood sugar

Even though oats are a carbohydrate, they are considered a complex carbohydrate. In other words, oats digests very slowly and won't raise your blood sugar as much or as quickly as other commercial breakfast cereals or porridges. It is best to always opt for the non-flavoured versions to avoid any added sugar or flavourings, which may raise your blood sugar levels.

DIETICIAN’S TIPS

?         All adults should consume 25 to 35g of fibre a day. The average South African barely gets to 15g. One cup of cooked oats will supply you with approximately 4g of fibre.

?         Adding some fresh fruit with high fibre content (apple, pear, raspberries and blueberries) could increase the fibre count even more!

?         Combining ? a cup of fresh fruit or a small handful of nuts with your oats, while they're cooking adds more flavour and nutrients. Spices like cinnamon and nutmeg give great flavour to your oats. Limit any additional sugar and let the natural flavour of the fruits and spices take over.

Having seen three of his athletes win the Comrades Marathon, and a fourth that he took nearly all the way to the race also claim the title, John Hamlett is undoubtedly one of the most successful Comrades coaches of all time. – BY SEAN FALCONER

In 2001 Andrew Kelehe powered his way to the Comrades title in a time of 5:25:52, earning his fifth gold medal and beating the supposedly invincible Russians who had dominated the race for a number of years. Two years later it was Fusi Nhlapo who flew down Fields Hill, contrary to traditional wisdom warning about shattered quads and jelly legs, and held on to win in 5:28:52. Fast forward to 2015 and Gift Kelehe powered his way up to Pietermaritzburg to also claim the Comrades title, clocking 5:38:36 and making history as two siblings both became Comrades winners for the first time, and then David Gatebe blitzed the field in the 2016 Comrades to not only win the race, but shatter the Down record with his 5:18:19.

Besides winning the Comrades, the one thing that all these athletes had in common was their coach, John Hamlett. (OK, Fusi left John’s camp six weeks before his winning run, but he still benefited greatly from the foundation work John did with him ahead of that race.) And yet, despite his incredible record of coaching success, which includes his athletes, male and female, winning a basketful of gold medals at Comrades and Two Oceans, as well as an SA Marathon title, John prefers to stay in the shadows and let his athletes enjoy the fame and glory of their achievements.

Teenaged Marathoner
Born in Joburg but raised in Natal, John (56) went on to rise to the rank of Colonel while working for National Intelligence. After leaving the service he went into private industry, embracing his success as a coach and branching out into the field of sports nutrition. He was quite some runner himself, with a love for long distance running that began in his teens. “I did all kinds of sport and my dad bought me the soccer boots, tennis shoes and everything else, but then at 15 I told him I wanted to run a marathon, and he said he wasn’t going to let me, because he said I didn’t realise how far it was. I nagged him until he eventually said yes, but he got so much flak over that race, because people thought he was pushing me to run so far. I think I did a 3:03, and from there I realised I was hooked,” says John.

“Later that year, still aged 15, I actually ran the Comrades, along with a guy called Klaus Durr. I broke away from him at 60km, but when I reached the finish they wouldn’t let me into the stadium, because I wasn’t an official entrant. Naturally we weren’t allowed to enter at that age, but we had a way to get around that. If you carried a bucket, you looked like you were seconding an athlete, so we put a little sponge in a little bucket and off we went. If anybody ever stopped us, we just said we were trying to catch up to the athlete we were seconding. After that I did a few more with the bucket where I only ran about 50 to 60 kays, because I knew I wasn’t supposed to be running… but those were the days!”

John went on to run the Comrades officially eight times, including posting a 6:56:51 best when he was 22, and today he still runs three times a week, pointing out that he has been fortunate never to have had any serious injury problems other than small niggles now and again. “I can remember older people saying running long distances at such a young age will lead to me breaking my legs and picking up problems later in life, but it was rubbish, and I think I’m stronger now than I ever was.”

Coaching Priority
While he was still in the service, John began coaching other athletes in between his own running, and it was when he was posted to Mafikeng that he met Andrew, which was to lead to him giving up his own competitive running. “I had just run a 2:18 marathon when Andrew came to me and said I must either coach them or train with them, but I couldn’t do both. And he was right. The Kelehe brothers are very logical and straight-thinking, no nonsense. I also realised that I was actually a better coach than a runner myself, so I decided to focus on coaching, because Andrew had the real talent. It was a hard decision, but I’ve never regretted it.”

So what is John’s secret to Comrades success, and how has he managed to help four different athletes achieve Comrades glory? He says it is a combination of talent, dedication and fire in the belly. “I don’t have a box that I wind up and out jumps a champion. It’s not like that. In simplistic terms, I can’t put in what God has left out – I can only evolve what is there – and that’s why we worked out a progressive programme for each athlete, looked at their nutrition, strengths and weaknesses, training needs and more, and it was a long process with each of them.”

“Andrew took 10 years to win Comrades. We built him up progressively, he ran many Two Oceans and won gold medals there as well as in Comrades, and finally we got him to win Comrades. But people don’t see that long walk to get there, they think it is an instant thing. Gift’s win was eight years in the making. After his brother won Comrades, he said to me he also wants to win it, so I said let’s get you building up to it. And same thing with David. When I met him in 2005 he was a petrol pump attendant in Rustenburg. I got him to do a couple of races, built him up nicely, and when he won the Rustenburg Mountain Race I knew he had it in him. Then he won the SA Marathon title in 2008, but the trouble was we were dancing with the mines, trying to keep him in a job so he could pay his bills but still be able to train. I had to sit in the background and let some things go, but we got there in the end.”

Making a Difference
Naturally, John says it is a tremendous feeling to see one of his athletes come home first, or win gold medals, set PBs and get the fame and glory that their hard work deserves. “At the end of the day, I want to be able to look back on what I did and know that it counted, that it made a difference. You know when you did the right thing at the right time for good people, and it’s nice to see a good, honest, noble man get what he deserves. Like somebody who was living in a shack now having a nice home, or somebody that everybody wrote off suddenly gets what he wants after you’ve worked with him for 10 or 15 years. Then you get what you want, too. There’s a lovely moment when they cross the line and it’s like your brother or your son winning it. Getting the Comrades wins has been a lifelong goal for us all, and we worked up progressively to learn what worked and what didn’t, then evolved it into something that makes them champions. And we’ve gotten the results.”

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, so take heed of the rules we’ll be passing on here each month. Let’s start with the highly contentious rule about listening to music during a race. – BY SEAN FALCONER

These days it is a common sight to see runners in road and trail races wearing earphones or earplugs and listening to music being played either on an MP3 player or cell phone. For many, it is about running to a beat that keeps them going, or listening to upbeat songs that motivate them. However, this is actually breaking an international rule of the sport, as listed under the General Competition section of the IAAF rule book.

IAAF RULE 144: Assistance to Athletes
144.2. Any athlete giving or receiving assistance from within the competition area during an event shall be warned by the Referee and advised that, if there is any repetition, he will be disqualified from that event.
144.3. For the purpose of this Rule, the following examples shall be considered assistance, and are therefore not allowed:
(b) Possession or use of video recorders, radios, CD, radio transmitters, mobile phone or similar devices in the competition area.
144.4. For the purpose of this Rule, the following shall not be considered assistance, and are therefore allowed:
(d) Heart rate or speed distance monitors or stride sensors or similar devices carried or worn personally by athletes during an event, provided that such device cannot be used to communicate with any other person.

The basis of this rule is that athletes may not be illegally coached during a competition, or be given information that will provide an unfair advantage over other athletes. Therefore, any kind of device that can transmit information, or be used for communication, is against the rules. That explains why cell phones are banned, but MP3 players are included to make sure nobody uses a modified player that can transmit messages, or a transmitter disguised as a player. Granted, this rule was originally written more for the track and field discipline of athletics, hence the words “in the competition area” are used, but the rule has been made even clearer in Athletics South Africa’s rules, to make it specifically applicable to long distance running:

ASA Rule 20.4 Safety
20.4.6. For the safety of the athletes and to ensure proper communication between officials and athletes, the use of video or cassette recorders, CD players, radio transmitters, I-pods, mobile phones or similar devices are not allowed during a road race.

Unsurprisingly, this rule has consistently met with an outcry from middle to back of pack runners with music, which has prompted some provincial athletic bodies to adapt the rule further. For example, here’s what Western Province Athletics says:

WPA Default Rules of Road Running
15. For safety reasons the use of personal music players with headphones is not allowed. Any person using such device in contravention of IAAF rule 144.3b or ASA 20.4.6 shall not be eligible for individual or team prizes and may be disqualified for a repeat offense after an official warning.

Similarly, the Comrades Marathon rules say the following:

Seconding / Physical Assistance
In compliance with IAAF Rule 144.2(b) athletes are not allowed to be in possession or use cassette recorders, radios, CD, radio transmitter, mobile phone or similar devices.

However, both WPA and the CMA have adopted a lenient stance of allowing non-competitive runners to use music players and cell phones, but at the same time they urge all runners to rather run without music, and if they insist on running with music, rather run with the volume turned down, or with just one earplug in place. Of course, very few runners with MP3 players actually heed that advice, and while this usually does not cause too many problems in road running – except for making some runners a bit anti-social – it is a growing problem in trail running. If the trail includes narrow single-track sections where overtaking is difficult, a slower runner listening to loud music is hard to pass, because a faster runner cannot catch their attention and has to tap the slower runner on the arm to ask to get past. The runner with music is then perceived as being selfish, and this can lead to frustration and unpleasant exchanges.

Bottom line: Running with music can be risky for your safety and can cause other runners frustration, but if done carefully and with consideration for others, you can still run with your favourite tunes. Just ensure the particular province or event allows it, and very important, make sure you do not start singing along to your favourite tunes. Especially if you don’t have a great singing voice!

It’s the latest craze to sweep South African running, offering a fun challenge coupled with safety for night running, all rolled into one, thanks to various golf course night runs popping up on the running calendar. – BY KIM STEPHENS & SEAN FALCONER

Golf is a sport played during the day. The player steps up to the tee, swings the club a few times to practice and then sends the ball whizzing down the fairway in the direction of the flag on the green. It’s a relatively simple concept, but there is one thing that can stop a round of golf: Sunset. Because golf cannot be played at night. Therefore, as the sun goes down, so the golfers on the course wrap up their rounds and head for the clubhouse and the traditional 19th hole for a drink or two, while the fairways and greens are left to the darkness, awaiting the next day’s players. Well, not anymore…

These days you can drive past your local golf course on a week night and chances are you will see headlamps. Lots and lots of headlamps! That’s because more and more golf courses are opening their doors to runners for night races as more organisers tap into this lucrative new market, and more runners give night trail running a try. Most of these events are smallish, no more than 300 runners at a time, but man oh man are they fun! And judging by the number of these events being added to the calendar each month, the demand is only going to keep growing!

RUNNING WITH THE WOLVES
One of the companies putting on these golf course runs is the Cape Town Running Company, with its monthly Petzl Wolfpack Night Trail events. These are the same guys behind the Ultra-Trail Cape Town 100km and Batrun events, and one of the directors, regular trail runner Stuart McConnachie, provides some insight into the decision to launch the golf course series. “Discussions with fellow Cape-based trail junkies resulted in the realisation that the trail calendar is packed with events of every kind, but there was not much happening that echoed the road running time trial concept. Plenty of runners want to test their speed off-road, and many were looking for safe ways to explore trail running on non-technical courses,” he says.

“Night running holds particular appeal, but it’s a pretty daunting idea for many. We’ve seen similar concepts in other areas of South Africa, and decided that there was more than enough interest here in the Cape, so we started chatting to golf clubs and plenty have expressed a need to use their grounds for alternative activities that won’t affect their primary purpose. So Petzl Wolfpack Trails was launched, and it has been a radical success story to date. Rondebosch Golf Club was first, but we’re now at Stellenbosch and Durbanville, with a very exciting Hermanus event in the pipeline. They’ve even allowed us to cut sections of brand new single track for some of the events!”

NUMBERS GROWING
Just as the Petzl Wolfpack runs are growing, so too are other golf course runs. Also active in the Cape is Lans Pepler of On-Site Events with his Run the Greens events, usually between 5km and 10km in length, at the Bellville and Parow golf courses. He started Run the Vines in 2015, offering regular runs on various wine farms in the greater Paarl area, and this year saw a natural extension into golf courses for night runs, bringing his unique humour and fun-loving approach to a new running market. This series particularly encourages the participation of children and walkers.

Meanwhile, up in Gauteng Kinetic Events has been in the game a little longer, with Gautengers enjoying 8km and 4km races presented by Energizer at venues like the Parkview Golf Club, Bryanston Country Club, Woodmead Country Club and Randpark Golf Club. The fitCal Frostbite Night Run series has also been on the calendar for a year or two now, at the Country Club Johannesburg in Woodmead, and then there is the proverbial new kid on the block, Shane Gouldie, the ex-cricketer who took up trail running to overcome long-term cricketing injuries and ended up starting the Trail Adventures company. He is now putting on up to three golf course events per week all over the Gauteng area, thanks to starting up satellite franchises, with plans for more to come, so there will likely be still more golf course runs on the calendar in the near future!

SOMETHING NEW
Night runs on golf courses are an interesting hybrid of trail running and cross-country, since much of the routes that zig-zag up and down the fairways are on grass, with sections here and there on gravel roads and a small portion on paved roads or pathways. The routes of these runs are quite something to look at on a map, taking in every corner of a course while making sure to skirt around the off-limits greens, and a route organiser can easily put together a 5km to 8km ‘loop’ on any given course.

Of course, a good headlamp is the one essential of these night runs, as runners need to see the ground up to a few metres ahead in order to run freely and confidently. Many a runner has realised after just a few metres of running that the little headlamp they got at Christmas is fine for reading or braaing when they go camping, but doesn’t quite light the way enough for a night run!

While some trail purists might turn up their noses at the idea of a run around a golf course, these event companies have definitely captured an enthusiastic audience, including a fair number of ‘roadies’ taking their first steps off-road, in a safe and fun environment that doesn’t require top-level technical trail running skills. As one female newbie to trail said after the first Petzl Wolfpack run, “For a moment I panicked, but I quickly realised I was safe, and that is exactly what I wanted from the evening, to run alone at night and not feel threatened.”

Even the pro’s are enjoying these runs, with some of SA’s elites a regular sight at the night runs, including Chantel Nienaber, who has represented SA at Trail World Champs: “There is something mystical about running at night. Your senses are magnified and you somehow seem to be more in touch with the earth as you move over the terrain. The atmosphere is always electrifying as the participants light their way with their headlamps, and people generally arrive at a night race with a sense of excitement and exhilaration. What’s not to love about it?”

SIGN UP FOR A GOLF COURSE RUN

If you’re keen to try out one of these golf course night runs, look for more info on the various series around the country by visiting these websites
• Petzl Wolfpack Trails (Cape) – www.capetownrunningco.com
• Run the Greens (Cape) – www.runthevines.co.za
• Energizer Trail Series (Gauteng) – www.kineticgear.co.za
• Trail Adventures (Gauteng) – www.trailadventure.co.za
• fitCal Frostbite Series (Gauteng) – www.fitcal.co.za/ccj

When they say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, they're so right – especially if you're an athlete. Your body needs the energy of a good breakfast to give you the energy to run and to recover afterwards, whether you run early in the morning or later in the day.

As a dietician, I counsel several dedicated athletes, many of whom start out by saying that they know they need a balanced diet, and they know what is healthy and what they should be eating. But at the same time, they confess to a lack of understanding about how to eat to maximise the benefits of their exercise regime.

Some of these athletes tell me that their typical day involves skipping breakfast, grabbing a greasy toasted sandwich for lunch on-the-go, training on an empty stomach, binge eating at dinner and snacking on ‘junk' until bedtime. Not only does this erratic routine rob their bodies of the necessary nutrients for optimum health, but also the energy required for high-quality workouts. And it all starts with breakfast – or rather, the lack thereof.

PERFECT START
Breakfast is, without question, the most important meal of the day, as it gets you ready for action for the rest of the day and provides your body with the fuel it needs to perform at its best. And the secret to breakfast success doesn't just lie in knowing what to eat but also knowing how to eat.

The reason is simple: the timing, structure and combinations of your meals have a massive effect on your digestion, metabolism and blood-sugar levels, which determine your energy balance throughout the day. The more balanced your blood sugar levels are, the more efficiently you can fuel your muscles and avoid the risk of fatigue, which may lead to a weakened immune system and possible injury.

Remember that your body uses the glycogen stored in your muscles to provide the energy required for exercise and the body produces glycogen by breaking down the carbohydrates you eat. So carbohydrates are the vital fuel for training – and the more training you do, the more fuel you need.

Protein is just as essential in your diet, as it is needed for building and repairing muscle. New research shows that by adding a small portion of protein to a carbohydrate eaten after exercise, you can increase the uptake and restocking of fuel in the muscles.

As the cliche goes, what you put in is what you get out. Skipping breakfast is like forgetting to put petrol in your car, so be sure to support and complement your exercise regime with a quality eating plan. And don't forget to balance your carbohydrate and protein intake to ensure that you get the most out of your training and produce nothing less than a quality result.

PUT INTO PRACTICE
Consider these two common running scenarios: Joburgers who wake up at a crazy hour and exercise before work and Capetonians who have the luxury of a late summer evening to train after work. For the early birds, a recovery breakfast is necessary after their early morning training sessions, while the later risers, who train in the afternoons or evenings, should consider a fuelling breakfast.

THE RECOVERY BREAKFAST
Your muscles are most receptive to replacing depleted glycogen stores within the first two hours (but especially within the first 30 minutes) after a workout. Refuelling your muscles with glycogen not only helps immediately with the recovery of any damaged muscle but also wards off potential dips in blood sugar levels later in the day, which is a common cause of sugar cravings and energy lows.

Recovery breakfasts should ideally be a combination of quick-releasing energy foods (high-glycemic-index carbohydrates) and slow-releasing foods (low-glycemic-index carbohydrates) to supply both rapid refuelling energy for muscle recovery, as well as some slower, sustained release energy for blood-sugar balance over the next few hours.

Great recovery breakfast ideas:

• Fruit smoothie: liquidise one cup of 100% litchi juice, one small banana, 1/2 cup yoghurt, two tsp mixed seeds, 1/4 cup raw oat bran and crushed ice.
• One to two slices of bread with scrambled egg and 1/2 cup 100% fruit juice.
• Toasted bagel or hot cross bun with peanut butter and honey, with 1/2 cup low-fat milk.
• Low-fat muesli mixed with low-fat milk or yoghurt and honey.
• Wholewheat ProNutro with low-fat milk and a piece of fruit.
• Original Oat-So-Easy with cinnamon, raisins and milk.

THE FUELLING BREAKFAST
A hearty breakfast is important for people who exercise later in the day. It not only tames hunger and promotes structured eating throughout the day, but also provides the fuel needed for strenuous workouts.

Research had shown that athletes who ate breakfast, and then enjoyed an energy bar five minutes before a noontime workout, were able to exercise 20% harder at the end of an hour-long exercise test. This was compared to a scenario when they did not eat breakfast or a pre-exercise snack before the physical challenge. When tested without having breakfast but having eaten the pre-exercise snack, they worked only 10% harder.

Fuelling breakfasts should focus more on slow, sustained release energy (low-glycemic-index carbs) to supply a constant stream of fuel throughout the day, thereby avoiding drops in blood sugar levels and, in turn, energy dips.

Great fuelling breakfast ideas:

• Fruit smoothie: liquidise 1/2 cup 100% apple juice, one cup berries, 1/2 cup yoghurt, two tsp mixed seeds, 1/4 cup raw oat bran and crushed ice.
• One to two slices low-GI bread with scrambled egg and 1/2 cup low-fat milk.
• Toasted whole wheat bagel or high-fibre banana bread with peanut butter and honey, with 1/2 cup low-fat milk.
• Low-GI muesli mixed with 1/4 cup raw oat bran and low-fat milk or yoghurt.
• Wholewheat ProNutro with low-fat milk and a boiled egg.
• Slow cooked oats with cinnamon, mixed seeds and milk.

ALL-IMPORTANT
Remember, to reach that finish line; you need a head start with a wholesome breakfast. Also, beginning your day with breakfast is the best and easiest way to develop a proper, healthy eating pattern that will benefit your running. Whatever you do, don't skip that first meal of the day.

The 2016 South African Ultra Distance Trail Champs race will long be remembered by those who participated as one of those four-seasons-in-one-day experiences. In fact, it was more like four seasons per hour at times, as the weather over Cape Town went a bit crazy, but that couldn’t stop Nicolette Griffioen from retaining her SA Champs title and adding to her already impressive list of trail running honours. – BY SEAN FALCONER

This year’s Hout Bay Trail Challenge at the end of July featured the traditional 40km route as well as an extended 68km ultra route designed specially to host the SA Ultra Trail Champs, and the already tough course was made still more challenging by the weather. “Those were really tough running conditions,” says 23-year-old Nicolette, looking back on the race, which also served as a final Trail SA qualifier for the World Ultra Trail Champs in Portugal on 29 October.

“It was drizzling when we started down in Hout Bay, then stopped and it got hot, so the layers of clothing came off. Then when I was on Table Mountain, heading towards Platteklip Gorge, it started to rain and hail, but I thought I was close enough to Platteklip and the descent, so I didn’t put on my jacket. But it took me another 30 minutes to get there, and by then I was frozen. I wasn’t wearing gloves and my fingers were so cold that I couldn’t tie my shoelaces properly. I also slipped and fell a few times. I actually thought about pulling out of the race, but at the bottom of Platteklip the sun came out and I warmed up again, and it was quite warm going up Kasteelpoort, so I was able to finish strongly.”

Star of SA Trail
Nicolette has built up a terrific list of wins in top level trail races since she took up the sport after school. In 2011 she posted her first big win at the Dryland Traverse three-day stage race and has run the ‘Grail of Trail’ Otter African Marathon five times, with a best position of second. Her first ultra win came in her first ultra outing, at the inaugural 100km Ultra Trail Cape Town in 2014, and the following year saw her win the Num Num Trail and Crazy Store Magalies Challenges, plus finish second women’s team alongside teammate Carla van Huysteen at the AfricanX three-day stage race.

Her latest win in Hout Bay saw Nicolette retain the SA Ultra Trail Champs title that she won in 2015 at the 80km Ultra Trail Mount Moody Run in Mpumalanga, in the same year that she also finished second in the SA Long Distance Champs at the 32km Molweni Trail Run in KwaZulu-Natal. This year has been even more successful, as she also won the 2016 SA Long Distance Champs title earlier this year, at the Drakensberg Northern Trail Skyrunning 40km event in KZN, giving her the SA Champs ‘double’ in 2016 and also making her the first SA woman to win both national titles.

This success on the national stage has seen her selected twice to represent SA on the world stage. In 2015 she went to the ultra-distance IAU Trail World Champs in Annecy, France, where she came home 24th after 85km and was the best-placed South African female finisher. Then in 2016 she came home fifth at the 42km WMRA World Long Distance Mountain Running Champs in Podbrdo, Slovenia, posting the highest finish ever by an SA athlete in a World Champs event. She was also taken to France last year for the 76km Le Grand Trail Des Templiers race as part of an SA development team, to pick up more experience of trail running on the world stage. “I loved Templiers – I finished sixth and it was probably my best race so far,” she says.

Humble Heroine
With trademark humility, Nicolette says that it is an incredible feeling to win titles, represent her country and do well overseas, but that isn’t what drives her running passion. “I’m not title-driven or orientated, and I don’t put a lot of pressure on myself, so I just go overseas to enjoy the running experience and get the best possible result. But it’s still great to represent your country and know you have so many people back home supporting you.”

Unfortunately, a heavy academic programme in her third-year veterinary studies this year will prevent Nicolette from going to Portugal, as she writes her biggest exam on the day before the World Champs race takes place, and she does not want to move the exam as that will create a high-pressure log-jam in her exam programme. However, she should be back in contention for the three different World Champs events next year, all of which will take place in Italy. When asked which World Champs races she prefers, Nicolette says she is up for any challenge, but does hanker towards the marathon-length races. “I did better at the Long Distance Champs thanks to the experience I picked up in the past year, but I am not sure I can get a similar result in the Ultra Champs – that’s a lot more of a mental race.”

Late Bloomer
It’s strange to think that Nicolette was not very active at school, apart from playing hockey. “I hated athletics! The real change was when I took a gap year after changing my course to veterinary science and I went to gym a lot, became a spinning instructor and did some running on the treadmill.” Then she entered her first race, a 10km trail run, and picked up third place, and that was her hooked. She moved up to 30km races, then ran the Otter Trail Marathon, and that led to an invite to the 100km Cape Town Ultra Trail, which showed her that she has the mental capacity to stick it out in the longer races. “After 50km, you know that you’re actually heading back towards the finish, so there’s no pulling out then, and I’m far too competitive to quit, anyway. Those last 20km were the longest of my life, though!”

Fortunately, Nicolette has no problems with finding motivation for training. She lives on a smallholding next to Oori Nature Reserve in the Rhenosterspruit area near Lanseria, which provides a convenient base for trail training and where she first took up running with the family dogs. And these days, she says it is her four-year-old rescue ‘Trail-dog,’ Dobby, that really gets her moving. “My dog is obsessed with running! From four o’clock, she starts scratching on the door – there’s a hole in the door from her enthusiasm – so it’s always a given that she’s out with me. I love sharing her pure joy at being free!”

Exams Before Race
Looking ahead, Nicolette says her studies will be her priority for the next three years, while she will just keep doing her best in her running. “I would like to get my degree, then turn pro runner for a few years with the security of knowing I have a job to come back to. Right now, I would prefer to be a pro athlete, but I have to be realistic, I can’t run for the rest of my life, so I need something to fall back on.”

She also intends racing less in the coming years. “Last year I did a lot of racing and got tired of all the time and effort travelling, so going forward I will choose the races that I think I will enjoy, like the Otter and Skyrun, because it’s not just about titles. I love getting over rocks, descending, going through rivers, tackling obstacles, and I have no fear when it comes to running the technical courses, so I will look for courses that offer that. I want to experience new places and routes, while also trying to stay injury-free after being out for three months at the end of last year with ITB.”

“I also like to mix up the distances and the sports, which is why I like doing the XTERRA triathlons at the beginning of each year,” says Nicolette, who finished fourth at the XTERRA SA Champs in Grabouw in 2015 and fifth in 2016. “I would like to qualify for the XTERRA World Champs in Hawaii, but it all comes down to the swim leg, which is my weakest discipline. I do swim a lot, three times a week, and enjoy it as active recovery from running and cycling. so I am hoping that will maintain my swimming fitness, and then in the two months leading up to the XTERRA SA Champs I will do more intensive speed swim training. But trail running will remain my sporting focus.