Category: Features

When you’re training hard, especially in the build-up to a target race, it is often the combination of intense training and inadequate nutrition that decreases your athletic performance, and this will also create a higher risk of illness frequency. Therefore, take some of this advice into consideration in the next few months, especially as the flu season hits the country just as you want to take on your Two Oceans or Comrades runs feeling in tip top shape.

HEALTH CHECK LIST

Start by keeping a simple health check-list for yourself, and make sure you meet all these requirements:

• Get enough rest: Incorporate sufficient rest days in your training programme and ensure adequate sleep for at least seven hours per night.

• Avoid crash-dieting and rapid weight-loss: Chronically undersupplying energy, often done by athletes, compromises the immune cell activity. It is important to time meals to meet requirements. Even a subtle delay in food consumption after training may have negative effects. For example, to prevent the degradation of the immune system, ensure that within an hour after strenuous training there is a sufficient intake of energy (carbohydrate and protein) to avoid hypoglycaemia.

• Plan your meals: Organising your daily food intake is of great importance to ensure that the correct foods are consumed in order to meet the nutritional goals for optimal training, recovery and competition.

• Get the essentials: Having an adequate dietary intake of protein and specific micronutrients, including vitamins A, C, E, B6 and B12 along with iron, zinc, copper and selenium, are all critical factors for the maintenance of optimum immune function. Probiotics also play an important role in enhancing gut and immune function, minimising the risk of illnesses that may compromise athletic performance. The important question for athletes is whether or not supplemental form or mega doses of these nutrients are beneficial. Athletes should rather invest in nutrient-rich foods and fluids that are critical for maintaining immune system health, which will provide them with sufficient energy, vitamins, minerals and other important chemicals found naturally in food.

HEALTHY TIPS TO USE

So that’s all the theory, and here are a few examples of putting it all into good practice:

• Include high-fibre carbohydrates such as whole-wheat, multi-grain or low-GI seeded breads, fibre-rich cereals (or add oat bran to meals), brown-rice or whole-wheat pasta.

• Select a wide variety of fruits and vegetables which are packed with nutrients, and keep your plate colourful – the more colour, the better! Fresh fruit makes a good choice snack between training sessions, and make sure you include the peels and skins of the fruit and vegetables to increase your fibre intake, too.

• Include dairy such as milk, cheese and yoghurt that contains probiotics.

• Consume whole-foods instead of processed foods.

While these nutritional tips cannot guarantee that you will not catch a cold, or worse, pick up the flu, as your training hits its peak this time of year, by eating healthier you will give yourself a much bigger chance of staying on the road instead of staying in bed!

When you’re training for your next athletic goal, having the right fuel can go a long way to ensuring success, and your optimal nutritional status can be easily achieved by following these easy steps. – BY CHRISTINE PETERS, REGISTERED DIETICIAN

1. Focus on lowering your body fat percentage, instead of losing weight.

This will improve your power to weight ratio when climbing hills, but note that this should not be achieved by drastically reducing your energy intake, as this may negatively affect your training and recovery, and ultimately your performance on race day. Meeting daily protein requirements helps improve body composition, while trying to lose body fat and gain muscle mass during training.

2. Keep a daily fluid, food and symptom diary.

Logging your intake will help you get to grips with when, what and how much you are consuming, as well as how it affects your performance. This makes it easier to identify the necessary dietary changes that need to be made in order to improve. This makes it easier to identify the necessary dietary changes that need to be made in order to improve performance.

3. Establish a routine.

Meal regularity is extremely important, as missing meals can result in over-indulgence at the next meal, or choosing convenience meals and snacks which are generally high in fat and sugar, and low in nutritional value. Keep that balance going!

4. Keep an eye on your alcohol intake.

Alcohol is loaded with empty calories and can promote fat storage, and can negatively affect motor skills, strength and performance. So, switch to a light beer or spritzer (white wine and soda), or a single tot of spirits with a low-calorie mixer, e.g. a diet cold drink or soda water. (e.g. a diet cold drink, water or soda water). Note that drinking light beers or single tots of spirits does not mean that you can drink more!

5. Enjoy a variety of foods.

There is no single magic food. Each food offers its own specific nutrients and eating a variety of foods helps ensure a well-rounded nutritional intake. Don’t cut out any foods just because it’s the latest fad to do so.

6. Focus on natural foods.

Don’t get manipulated by clever marketing that you need special sports supplements and aids in order to perform optimally. Remember, your diet is your biggest insurance for health and performance, and natural food has been proven to have as good an affect on performance as ergogenic aids, if not better. For example, try the humble raisin instead of a sport’s chew, as studies have found that raisins perform just as well as a carb supplement. Recent studies found that raisins perform just as well as a carb supplement, including zero gastrointestinal side-effects for endurance sport.

The Bottom Line…

The overall thing you have to keep in mind is to keep it natural and balanced: Fruit, veggies (and leave those peels on!), whole grains and lean meats. Eat more seeds and nuts as a snack alternative, and remember to keep hydrated throughout the day. These simple rules will make you feel energised and will help improve your running performance. These simple rules will make you feel energised and will help your performance in training and chasing that PB!

While good old water is most runners’ tried and trusted go-to, a sports drink with added electrolytes will rehydrate you while also adding a combination of sodium and carbohydrates, which in turn also help more water to be absorbed, but some sports drinks are packed with concentrate and sugar, so try these healthy and effective alternatives:

•   Coconut water contains essential electrolytes, punching more potassium than a banana! There is no added sugar or fat, and it’s one of the healthiest options to replenish lost nutrients. It contains easily digestible carbs from natural sugars, which makes it a great alternative to sports drinks.

•   Green tea gives you a natural caffeine kick, while the antioxidants increase the body’s ability to burn fat as fuel, which improves muscle endurance. For endurance junkies, drinking green tea can help your blood-flow, because flavonoids relax blood vessels, so blood can flow more easily.

• ‘Wild’ water: Choose sparkling water with soaked strawberries and mint, or still water with ice, lime and apple slices. These drinks provide something different with the bubble, kick and flavour, but won’t overpower with sweetness, so you will cut calories.

I can now really say that I have seen the good, the bad and the ugly of Comrades. I won it in 1993. I have run a silver time 10 times. I got put in the ambulance in 2013 and finished my race in St. Anne’s Hospital. Now in 2016, going for my 30^th medal and Triple Green Number, I got cut off in Pinetown. The one thing I still have never done, however, is voluntarily got into a ‘bailer bus.’ – BY TILDA TEARLE

This year my training went well up until 1 May. Then I ran the Deloitte Marathon and at 39km I pulled up like a lame horse. If I had been a race horse, I would have been shot immediately… and probably made into meat pies. Luckily, I am not a horse.

I didn’t run a step for two weeks, and after much poking, prodding and ‘wheel alignments,’ I was able to limp 4 or 5km at a time. The week before Comrades, things were feeling a bit better, and my thoughts were “better to try and fail than not try at all,” so I decided to remain optimistic and confident. I knew that I would have to take painkillers on Comrades day, so discussed this with a doctor who reluctantly wrote a prescription for medication that would not cause nausea. He told me that he believed “my balls” were too big!

Stiff Upper Lip

Comrades’ morning dawned and off I went to Pietermaritzburg, with hope, but not the same feeling of joy I normally have. I knew I was in for a tough day, but Savages club mate Robbie Richie and I planned to run together if everything went according to plan. On a ‘Down Run’ I make arrangements to see husband Clive and my mom in Alexandra Road. This year I ran past them, gave them a hand tap and burst into tears, but Robbie gave me a pat on the back and I pulled myself together. There was no time for tears.

From there on the run was uneventful. The sun came up and I saw “the cow,” “the rhino,” and the lady being pushed in the adult pram. Our pace was slow, but on track, and before halfway I found Dave Williams, who said he was fine but slow. Suddenly I realised I needed to get moving to get through halfway before cut-off… I have never had to worry about cut-off times before! Thankfully, we skidded through halfway with about five minutes to spare, but by this time I was into “pain management.” After so many hours this tablet, then after so many hours that tablet.

Getting Harder

At Heidi’s I stopped at the Riverside tent for a chat and a bite of a sandwich. I was told that Dave Williams was a minute behind me, and I was happy he had got through halfway as well. Robbie and I soldiered on, but later I lost him when he went on ahead. I got to Hillcrest and met my sister, who had a sandwich for me, and I told her I would prefer a Rennies tablet, and that I really wished the day was over. I had now found a new friend from Boksburg, who attached himself to me, and we soldiered on. My legs were on fire and my kneecaps felt like nipple caps. I was hating the day.

When we got to Pinetown someone said that we had two minutes before cut-off, and suddenly we were sprinting (at least, I thought so) through Pinetown to get to the cut-off point in time. My watch said 9:33 and the cut-off was 9:30. The barriers were up and they were pulling up the timing mats, so I quickly jumped on a mat so that anyone tracking me could see I had gotten to Pinetown. The decision that I was not finishing Comrades 2016 had been made for me.

Home, James…

I gladly got into the ‘Greyhound’ that was waiting for the cut off runners. In fact, there were many buses, as there were many runners who didn’t get to Pinetown in time. The cut-off bus is actually a fine place: There are biscuits, potatoes, juice, and more, but on the bus I told those runners that were moaning to stop. I told them if they die tomorrow, it would never be written on their gravestone, “Here lies so and so… he failed to finish Comrades 2016.” I also told the novices to look at the number I was supposed to be running, and that I should be the sad one. Then a female novice with a cell phone came to sit next to me, and started taking selfies of herself with me. She wanted proof that we were on the same bus!

Meanwhile, I used her phone to call Clive and tell him I had missed cut-off and would see him at the finish, but there were no tears. And as our bus sped down to Kingsmead, I looked out the window at the suffering runners and thought to myself, “I’m actually glad I’m on the bus.” But when I tried to get off the bus, I needed two guys to lift me off and put me on the ground!

Once dropped at the finish, you have to go through a special entrance and over a timing mat – I suppose they track how many cut-off runners there are. There is coffee, tea, Coke, soup, etc., and there are tables and chairs for relaxing. I didn’t relax, instead going to wait for Clive, but he was taking a long time to get there, so I went to our plan B and dragged my body to the Savages tent. I then got Claire to phone him and tell him to meet me there. He duly arrived and said he was sad for me – in fact, he had been feeling sad the whole day, because he knew I was not happy – but I have to admit to not shedding one tear over a non-finish. In life, I have always taken the good with the bad. Comrades will always be there, and I would prefer to enjoy my 30^th rather than hate every step. As they say in the classics, “I will be back.”

Watching my daughter go from non-runner to half marathon finisher and sharing the roads on her journey made for a most special memory. – BY STEVE REES

In August 2015, my youngest daughter Lara, aged 20, joined our local Run/Walk for life group and began to run. I was an existing member and watched as she progressed rapidly from walking round the Run/Walk for Life field, to jogging round the field, and then joining the group on the established road routes around Bedfordview and Edenvale. Very soon, I watched, with some envy, as Lara began to run at the head of the Run/Walk for Life group.

Towards the end of 2015, Lara joined my wife and I, regular Modderfontein parkrun participants, on our Saturday morning parkruns. (My wife and I both have our red “50” T-shirts.) When Lara first joined parkrun, we had very similar times, but once again, within a very short space of time, Lara finished way ahead of me! She then joined the Greenstone Hills Running Club, and with club runs, encouragement and motivation from members, Lara’s love of running grew and she achieved better and better results.

21^st With a Difference

Lara decided she wanted to do something really memorable for her 21^st birthday in 2016. Rather than a party, she decided she wanted to run 21km for her 21^st. Now, the iconic Old Mutual Two Oceans Half Marathon was ideally suited, as this was run on the 26th March, and Lara’s birthday was on the 28th March, but we had been warned that the registration process for the Two Oceans was challenging, as there were so many prospective participants. This proved to be true and we spent almost one whole day online with numerous panics when the registration page crashed! Eventually, we were both able to register for the 2016 OMTOM!

However, early in January Lara began to complain of a pain in her ankle after doing the Dischem 21km. Initially, after a visit to a physiotherapist, the diagnosis was a strained tendon caused predominantly by incorrect shoes. Massages, new shoes and a short rest period were prescribed, but the new shoes and rest made no difference. In fact, the pain intensified, and with Two Oceans approaching rapidly, Lara began to think that this injury could prevent her from competing. The seriousness of her injury was confirmed, after visiting a different physiotherapist, when a scan revealed a stress fracture in her ankle! So, at the end of January, Lara was told that in order for her ankle to heal in time for Two Oceans, she would not be able to run at all until then!

This was devastating news and Lara began to think that her dream of running the Two Oceans 21km race for her 21st may not happen. How could she train? The sports physiotherapist prescribed a programme of spinning and ‘water running,’ and allowed Lara to continue her usual weight training, so Lara obtained a flotation belt for the pool and spent hours ‘water running’ in what was often pretty cold water. She approached this new training with the same conviction she had for her running – she still got up at 3:45am, and instead of going for a run, she followed her revised training programme.

Smooth Sailing

Lara and I duly lined up at the start of the 2016 Two Oceans Half Marathon in pouring cold rain, nervous of what lay ahead and concerned whether Lara’s ankle would be ok. This would be the first time she had run in two months. She wore an ankle brace and we hoped for the best. In commemoration of our Two Oceans half marathon, Lara had a special T-shirt made with the words “Strong Alone Unstoppable Together” on the back. This encapsulated the journey that we travelled together as a family to take part in the Two Oceans. It also echoed the Two Oceans slogan, “Run As One.”

Happily, her ankle held up and La and I finished the Two Oceans 21km and received our treasured medals. We now have plans to do it all again next year! We could not have achieved this without the support and understanding of our family and friends, so thank you Marisa, big sister Kate, George and Mel. Strong Alone, Unstoppable Together!

When winter hits, many of us change the way we eat. Instead of salads and light dishes, we want warm, comforting food, such as soups, hearty casseroles and creamy mash. And then we add our winter kilos. Sound familiar? The good news is that there are tricks to have our comfort food and stay lean and fit. – BY CHRISTINE PETERS, REGISTERED DIETICIAN

When it’s cold outside and you just want to fill up on something that warms you up, and also cheers up your blue mood, you may feel a twinge of guilt or remorse about your choice, but the good news is that you don't have to substitute the foods you love when the cold season rolls around.

1. Pack in the Protein

·         Eggs are satisfying at any time of the day, whether they're poached at breakfast, scrambled at lunch or an omelette for dinner.

·         Canned fish is an easy way to include a satisfying protein fix at lunch – and boost your omega-3 at the same time.

·         Low-fat milk or low-fat yoghurt with your cereal or smoothie at breakfast will keep you going.

2. Find your Fibre

High-fibre meals don't necessarily affect how much we eat straight away, but do reduce how much we eat at the next meal, because we're not as hungry.

·         Add a high-fibre cereal to your breakfast regime.

·         Use whole grain breads, rice and pasta.

·         Add chickpeas, lentils, red kidney beans, cannellini beans or other legumes to salads and stews.

·         Use hummus on bread or crackers.

3. Get your Veg On

Bulk up meals and snacks with low-energy vegetables, because they help us stop eating thanks to the weight of food influencing how much we eat and how full we feel. The water and fibre in these vegetables add weight, so we fill up with fewer kilojoules.

·         Snack on baby carrots, cherry tomatoes and other small or sliced vegetables.

·         Other low-energy veggies include broccoli, beans, beetroot, rhubarb and turnips.

4. Grab the Good Fat

Unsaturated fats stimulate a hormone which helps us feel fuller for longer. You don't need to go overboard though – it's the same hormone (cholecystokinin) that fibre stimulates.

·         Add small amounts of seeds and nuts to snacks.

·         Drizzle a little canola, olive or rice bran oil over salads or vegetables.

And enjoy! There is room to eat healthily even when the temperatures drop, without watching your weight go up. Plus, you don't have to minimise taste!

You learn so much about yourself when you run 56km, and one thing I learnt in running my first Old Mutual Two Oceans Ultra Marathon is that my faith in my fellow South Africans is not misplaced. – BY MICHAEL VLISMAS

It’s so easy to see the news and believe we live in a country being ripped apart across racial lines. It’s easy to mistakenly believe that South Africans are all racists who argue about colour and language and cannot live side by side. But when you run 56km on the streets of South Africa, you realise what a lie this is, perpetuated by politicians who specialise in highlighting what keeps us apart, so that we may, out of fear for each other, support whatever agenda they push onto us. But this is not the real South Africa, what I saw during my race.

I saw South Africans of all races and languages doing exactly what this year’s race asked of them – to run as one. And they do it so easily, because ordinary South Africans are all one at heart. I saw runners stop to help a fellow runner who tripped and fell. I even saw one runner turn around and run back after he’d heard a runner fall behind him.

As we ran through Kalk Bay, we clapped hands for the two old white rockers who’d set up in their roadside garage and were cranking out some amazing tunes on their electric guitars. There was also a lady and her young children in their driveway making pancakes for the runners. And further on, the coloured ladies were handing out their baby potatoes. And I heard that most beautiful way of the black man who, when an elderly white man declared his race over, exclaimed, “Sorry, Baba. Sorry.” Just a simple way to say I share in your suffering. Or maybe even more significant, I recognise your suffering. You are not invisible.

With a Little Help from Friends

When we reached the start of Chapman’s Peak, I felt my legs falter, and then a bus came up behind me. A Cape Muslim man was at the front of it, and we took on that hill together. He carried about 50 of us up that hill, telling us when to stop and walk and then when to start running again. I know I would not have made that hill without him. That’s what South Africans do. Sometimes we run up a hill together. Sometimes we have to walk. But always we keep moving forward together. And when we reached the top, a Kaapse Klopse band heralded our achievement with their trademark music, playing with such passion that I know a symphony in the Sydney Opera House wouldn’t have come close to moving me as much.

I ran through Hout Bay, where people from the squatter camp had come to join the throngs lining the road and cheering us on. When we reached Constantia Nek, I was forced to walk. “Michael from Strand,” said a voice behind me, reading my name and club on my vest. “Are you okay, my friend?” An Indian man pulled up next to me, and put his hand on my shoulder. “Ja, it’s just a bit eina,” I told him. “Me too, my friend, I’m also hurting. I’m just hiding it better than you. C’mon, let’s go together.” And so I started running again. I think about what he said. We are all hurting. Some of us just hide it better. So many South Africans hide their own hurt, but are there to help others.

Doing it Together

Once at the top of Constantia Nek, there are some sneaky hills – some runners in my club call them the “Damnit Hills,” because you don’t expect them. Two Indian men were running behind me as we hit the first of these, and I couldn’t help but smile as I heard one say to his friend, “No man, now I’m just bedonnerd.” Bedonnerd… what a fantastic word. In that moment, there was no question of the politics of language. No tearing down statues or protesting for the rights of only one language. Just a moment of being purely South African. Words like lekker and bru and bra and eish and yebo, and so many others that are more a part of our South African-ness than any legislation could ever force upon us.

And as we ran across the finish line, a black man put his arm around me and said, “We did it!” You know what, we did. For one day, once again, ordinary South Africans did it. They came out in their thousands, stood on the side of the road and cheered for their fellow South Africans from start to finish. They showed each other compassion, gave each other hope, inspired and helped each other. Because that’s who we are. Sometimes we stumble. Sometimes we walk. And sometimes we run. But we always get on with it, together. We are ordinary South Africans who do what ordinary South Africans do. We are extraordinary to each other. Every single day.

When you run for longer than 90 minutes, eating and drinking become imperative for optimum performance and sustained health, and there are many aspects to planning your race nutrition.

This time of year is all about qualifying marathons and running ultras in South Africa, and no matter what level you’re at in terms of running speed, you must meet your nutritional needs in order to achieve the results you want. And when it comes to fuelling for the ultras, practice is definitely the answer. Make sure that whatever snacks, fluids or gels you use, as well as meals before and after a race, are tried and tested – it’ll only heighten your performance and recovery. Also follow these general guidelines to munching for the long haul.

1. BRING ON THE CARBS

Endurance exercise puts a great demand on your glycogen stores and depletion can lead to fatigue and poor recovery. Therefore, if you’re running for more than 90 minutes, you should consume 40 to 60g of carbs for every hour of exercise. The carbohydrate consumed during training can be in the form of an energy drink, gels, energy bars, fruit, baby potatoes or sandwiches. Try to eat a well-balanced meal consisting of wholesome carbohydrates, lean protein, a small amount of unsaturated fat and fresh fruits and vegetables within 45 minutes after your run, to assure recovery quicker.

2. PACK IN THE PROTEIN

Protein is needed for muscle growth and repair, and your protein needs can be achieved without the use of supplements. Consuming a healthy, well-balanced diet that includes lean proteins will allow you to eat enough to meet your increased needs during your preparation for the ultras. Good sources of protein include lean meat, poultry, fish, eggs and fat-free dairy products that contain essential amino acids.

3. GET HEALTHY FAT

Endurance athletes should consume less than 30% of total calories from fat, and less than 10% from saturated fat. You should include a small amount of healthy fat in your diet – unsaturated fats are considered healthy and are necessary in a healthy balanced diet. As a concentrated source of energy, it can contribute to weight-gain when eaten in excess, so make sure you manage your intake!

4. HYDRATE EFFECTIVELY!

It is crucial to replace your daily fluid losses, because the effects of dehydration are felt quickly and can affect your performance during training and on race day. Make sure that you have a plan formulated to meet your fluid needs during training and on race day. In SA, we often have hot and humid conditions on the run, so make sure you drink regularly, and during runs lasting longer than two hours, include an electrolyte supplement to balance sodium and electrolyte losses.

5. INTRODUCING NEW STUFF

Always familiarise yourself with new foods or drinks during training. Many runners have experienced stomach distress when they have tried a new nutritional product in a race for the first time. If an event is going to have a certain food or drink on the course and you will not have your own available, use it in training to make sure it works for you. The golden rule is don’t try anything new in the race!

6. TIMING IS EVERYTHING

When possible, use downhills or times of decreased levels of exertion to eat and drink. Additionally, practise eating and drinking at different intensity levels during training, to see what works best for you. Set the timer on your watch to remind yourself when it is time to eat or drink, or use landmarks or course markings to remind you to fuel up.