Category: Features

Back in May 1986, Willie
Mtolo and the late Zithulele Sinqe fought an almighty duel in the SA Marathon
Champs race in Port Elizabeth. Sinqe’s winning time of 2:08:04 was the fastest
ever by a South African, with Mtolo’s 2:08:15 second on the list, and their
performance really made the rest of the world sit up and take notice. “Globally,
only the Australian Rob de Castella, with his 2:07:51 in Boston, was faster
than Sinqe that year,” says SA athletics statistician Ri?l Hauman, current
editor of the South African Athletics Annual.
“Even though both the Boston and PE courses were considered assisted due to the
overall drop from start to finish, Sinqe and Mtolo were right up there in the
world rankings of the time.”

However, it took more than
11 years for another South African to go faster than Sinqe, when Josiah
Thugwane ran 2:07:28 in Fukuoka, Japan in December 1997. And since 1986, only
four SA men have managed to go faster than Sinqe: Thugwane, Gert Thys, Hendrik
Ramaala and the late Ian Syster – and Thys set the current SA record of 2:06:33
in Tokyo as far back as February 1999. Similarly, amongst the women, the days
of Elana Meyer, Colleen De Reuck and Frith van der Merwe are somewhat a distant
memory. In the 90s these three athletes ran 14 sub-2:30 times between them, but
we had to wait until Rene Kalmer’s 2:29:59 in 2011 for another SA woman to
repeat that feat.

“If you look at the global
marathon statistics, the world is getting better at a terrific rate, but South
African standards are not improving. SA has stagnated,” says Ri?l. “And for
that reason, we selected a 41-year-old Hendrik Ramaala to go run the marathon
at the World Champs this year. Yes, he made the qualifying time, but he is past
his best racing days now. The problem seems to be that there are few younger
athletes of the same calibre coming through to take over from him.”

WORLD MARATHON STANDARDS 2012

In the past year, South Africa’s top male and
female marathoners were substantially off the global pace overall.

Men            World   SA        Women      World   SA

Sub-2:05     11         0          Sub-2:20     6          0

Sub-2:06     23         0          Sub-2:22     18         0

Sub-2:07     50         0          Sub-2:24     44         0

Sub-2:08     91         0          Sub-2:26     89         0

Sub-2:09     152       0          Sub-2:28     144       0

Sub-2:10     224       1          Sub-2:30     210       0

Sub-2:11     307       1          Sub-2:32     313       1

Sub-2:12     432       1          Sub-2:34     407       2

Sub-2:13     562       2          Sub-2:36     522       2

Sub-2:14     706       3          Sub-2:38     656       3

Sub-2:15     848       6          Sub-2:40     798       3

FACTOR OF SEVEN

Ri?l believes that a
combination of interlocking factors is responsible for not only this lack of
marathoning depth in SA, but also the overall disappointing performances by South
African athletes in global track, road and cross country events:

1 Lack of season structure
and planning.

2 Lack of opportunities for
top class competition.

3 Lack of money and support
for athletes.

4 Over-racing, moving up to
marathons too soon and over-importance of ultras.

5 Lack of proper coaching
structures and guidance for athletes.

6 Dysfunctional and too
politicised national athletics body.

7 Overly stringent and
impractical qualifying requirement for Olympics.

“I see athletes all over
the country racing too much, weekend after weekend. They don’t peak for a big
race, they just race at the same level all the time, and I know it’s a question
of money for many of them, as they need to put bread on the table. Also, many move
up to marathons and ultras too soon, when they should ideally gradually build
up distance over a few years, focusing first on speed and strength on the track
and in cross country, then step up to 10km on road, and only much later move up
to half marathons, still later the marathon, and only much later the
ultra-marathons. But we all know the big money is in the marathons and ultras,
and that is where many young athletes go.”

Ri?l points to the success
of UK Athletics at the 2012 Olympic in London as a model which SA would do well
to learn from. “If we can get our season planning right and get a proper
coaching structure in place, with a national coach in place and coaches at all
levels working together, from grassroots to Olympic level, as they did so
successfully in the UK, then we can turn things around. And with more money we
can help athletes like Stephen Mokoka with a 2010 PB of 2:08:33 and Lusapho April
on 2:09:25 in 2011 to focus on the Olympics and World Champs, and then we could
see our marathoners challenging the world’s best again.”

FANUS ROSSOUW

I was involved in a hit-and-run motorcycle accident in
2005 and I ended up with several broken ribs, a broken back and suffered major
head trauma. The doctors told my wife that I wouldn’t survive the operation,
but after two and a half months I was out of ICU and started rehab. Paralysed from
the abdomen down, I started to do some strength work, but it was difficult.
It’s then that I met Pieter and the group of guys at Rademeyers.

Pieter told me to start off with a 10km with him.
Little did I know he was tricking me and it was an extra 5km, but my love of
races was born. So we stepped it up to 21km, then 32km and eventually a
marathon. Now, we’re ticking off 100-milers! You just go, and Pieter always
encourages me if I feel like stopping. I managed to get 805km for a silver
medal in the 1000km Challenge. At races across Gauteng, we get a great
reception from runners. When there’s a steep incline, they’re more than happy
to push and help. It’s always a fun experience and we joke along the way.

Pieter and I race in our normal day-to-day chairs,
just to show athletes that it doesn’t take a big expense to start! While we
struggle to wheel on grass at most finishes, we carry on! What’s life without a
few hiccups, anyway? If you try one race, who knows what can happen? It has
definitely changed me as a person – I knew that I could do so much more than
sitting at home.

Pieter Pretorius

I feel like Fanus and I have had two lifespans in one
– one on our feet and one on wheels. I was involved in a car accident back in
1992 and was left paralysed from the abdomen down. About five years ago, I met
Thea Wilkins and the wheelchair group at Rademeyers, ‘The Kloofies,’ and they
convinced me to do my first 5km. After that I never thought I’d double it up to
10km, but I got stronger and eventually I met Fanus and conned him into doing
races with me! We use a front freewheel on our normal chairs instead of racing
chairs, because we want to let other wheelchair athletes know that there is no
need for fancy chairs.

It’s been two years now that the 1000km Challenge has
been open to wheelchair athletes and there’s more awareness out there. This year,
I managed to get in 1 200km for a gold medal and it’s been a great experience!
Fanus and I finished in 23:37 at the Dawn to Dusk 100 Miler and were ninth in a
time of 20:21 at the Golden Reef. There are a few more 100-milers we’d like to
do, the Comrades – if we’re allowed one day – as well as the London Marathon. Apart
from some blisters, swollen hands at the end of a race, and flat tyres, we love
every minute of it!

Since I’ve started racing, there’s been an improvement
in my health – my blood pressure has dropped and I’ve got so much confidence!
In the end, it’s a battle against yourself. I always thought I was in the way,
but now there’s so much support. People tell us that we’re an inspiration, but
it’s the runners who boost us!

After 90 minutes of strenuous activity, your glucose
stores are depleted, which brings the nervous system function to a near halt,
making continued exertion almost impossible. This is what marathon runners
refer to as “hitting the wall.” Therefore, it is important to fuel up every 45 to
60 minutes during a long ride or run, with around 30 to 60g of carbohydrate per
hour.

The form of carbohydrate does not seem to matter physiologically
– some athletes prefer to use a sports drink, whereas others prefer to eat solids
or gels and consume with water. You can mix and match different options and should
experiment to find what works best for you during training. Prolonged exercise
may affect appetite and varying salty & sweet foods during the day can
help. However, what makes a good snack during a ride or a run is about more than
just providing your muscles and glycogen stores with the correct nutrients, it
needs to also be portable, convenient and sustainable, and should be able to
handle high temperatures (should not melt).

If you are cycling, it is important to start eating as
soon as you feel comfortable on your bike. During your run, start eating and
drinking early in the session (within 30 to 45 minutes). A very good phrase to
go by is the following: “Eat before you’re hungry and drink before you’re
thirsty.”

SNACKS YOU CAN TRY

Energy or sports bars: A simple but effective
snack, and usually well balanced in their carbohydrate, fat and protein
content. Cutting the bar into smaller pieces makes the snacking process a lot
easier.

Baby potatoes or Salticrax biscuits: This snack is packed with
carbohydrates and potassium. Approximately three to four boiled baby potatoes
or eight Salticrax biscuits will provide you with your needed 30g of
carbohydrates per hour. By adding a little salt to the baby potatoes, you get a
lovely savoury treat that will also help to replace sodium lost through sweat.

Peanut butter and syrup sandwich: The bread and syrup provides you with the needed carbohydrates and the
peanut butter provides protein and healthy fats. Cut the sandwich up into four
small squares or triangles to make eating as easy as possible.

Sports drinks: Approximately 375 to
500ml of sports drink (6-8g of carbohydrates per 100ml) will supply you with 25
to 30g of carbohydrates. Sports drinks also contain electrolytes to help
replace those lost.

Energy gel sachets: These are easy to
carry and two sachets provide you with approximately 30g of carbohydrates
(depending on the brand).

Trail Mix: Dried fruits supply
you with a concentrated source of carbohydrates and salted nuts supply you with
potassium and healthy fats.

Jelly sweets: These as generally
the easiest to carry and consume during a long ride or run. They supply you
with an instant source of simple carbohydrates to help increase your blood
glucose levels. Approximately five to six sweets (jelly babies, jelly beans,
Super C’s, etc.) will provide you with roughly 30g of carbohydrates.

To get the most out of your training rides and runs,
and of course race day, the timing and type of food you eat is important. As a
general guide, you should aim to eat a main meal three to four hours before a
run and then a lighter snack one to two hours beforehand.

The Bluffer was born in 2008 when 12 guys from Cape
Town decided to support a mutual friend’s training for the 80km Puffer Trail
Run. This saw them cover 100km of trail on the Cape Peninsula over three days, sleeping
over in SANparks camping areas, and they repeated the Peninsula setting for the
next two years’ runs, followed by two years running in the Overberg Mountains
around Elgin-Grabouw and Kleinmond. This year, in early October, the 25-strong
group will head to the Cedarberg Mountains up the West Coast for the 2013
Bluffer, and running with them will be former Proteas cricketer Mark Boucher.

Having decided to support a worthy cause with their
run, the Bluffers chose Mark’s SAB Boucher Conservation charity, which supports
the fight to protect the rhinos, and he was thus invited to join the run. He
admits it’s going to be a tough undertaking: “I’m not used to trail and the courses
I had done previously were nothing more than 14km, so when you’re expected to
cover about 30 to 40km a day, I knew I needed to pick it up in training!
Fortunately I’ve always been a nature lover, so 25km Saturday morning runs around
Table Mountain and Tokai Forest in the recent storms in the Cape were fun.”

FOR THE RHINOS

Mark says he is really pleased that the Bluffer will
be run on behalf of his charity and rhino conservation. “We look at any species
that need help. Right now, rhinos are on the tip of everyone’s tongues and
we’ve already raised close to R1 million. Once the Bluffer funds are collected,
I’d like to see the money go towards the Onderstepoort Veterinary Clinic, which
is helping build a DNA database for SA’s rhino population. I’ve been out in the
field for darting and DNA sampling operations, and the campaign is getting
there!”

More info at www.markboucher.co.za

This really has been Mapaseka Makhanya’s year! So far
in 2013, she not only did the double at the SA Senior Track and Field Champs by
winning both the 1500m and 5000m titles, she also set new personal bests for
800m, 3000m and 5000m. Then she shifted her focus to national Spar Ladies 10km
series on the road once the track season was over, winning the Durban leg in PB
32:49, breaking the course record in Pretoria, and finishing second in Cape
Town and third in Port Elizabeth. With just the Johannesburg leg to go, she has
all but won the Spar Grand Prix competition, as she is now 29 points ahead of
Irvette van Zyl, and she is confident she can win in Jozi as well. Then, to top
it all off, in early September she also ran her debut 42km at the Gauteng
Marathon, cruising home in 2:37:06 to record the second-fastest time by a South
African woman this year.

“I’ve always had that winning mentality. My coach,
Lungile Bikwani, has made that a part of who I am now,” says the Sowetan
speedster. “I’ve got the results and I’m happy, but I know that I can go
faster!” And while many still identify her with middle distance events on the
track, Mapaseka is happy to embrace new challenges in the sport she loves. “The
track will always be my home and where I’m comfortable, but I know now that I
have a future at road running,” she says, “all it takes is the same dedication
and enthusiasm that I’ve had at training all these years.”

YOUNG TALENT

Running has always been a part of Mapaseka’s life. At
school, she took part in cross-country and track events, and that continued into
her student years at the University of Johannesburg. In her teens, she
represented South Africa at the World Youth Champs, World Junior Champs and
World School Games, and while her coach pushed her throughout her teen years,
taking the ladder to senior level competition was difficult. “At that point, I
was just happy to be a part of the pro set-up,” she says. “I wasn’t as serious
about it. It was just an opportunity to get a unique perspective on athletics
and how one can make a living out of it. But there’s a development gap in this
country. Between the ages of 19 and 24, there’s a huge difference between the
juniors and seniors, so at first, I wanted to quit when I reached that level,
but my coach pushed me through it and I got a lot stronger.”

Now, the decision to push to longer distances and
leave the track is a bittersweet one for Mapaseka. “Track and field is dying in
this country, so while I still love it, road running is becoming more popular
and there’s definitely a future for me there in the coming years. It’s meant a
different way of training – I’m still on the track a lot for speed, but now I
run the mileage and have to entertain that long-distance mentality.”

JUGGLING ACT

As a pro athlete, Mapaseka puts in a lot of time for
training. On Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, she dedicates mornings to speed
work on the track followed by a short run, with tempo runs and hill sessions
the rest of the week. She rests on Saturdays and uses her Sundays for long
runs. She also does some strength work in the gym. As a track athlete for so
many years, she says she understands the importance of concentrating on speed
work. “I think success is usually guaranteed behind the scenes. It’s those
hours at training. A lot of athletes skip a day if the coach happens to miss
training. Not me… I go back to basics and work hard!”

With a busy training week, she still juggles being a mom
to four-year-old Naledi. “People ask how I do it, but I’m used to being an
athlete mom. You have a routine you stick to, like I go for a run, come back home
and dress Naledi for cr?che,” she says. “There are hard days, but nothing I
can’t handle.” And Naledi is never far from Mapaseka’s thoughts: The proud mom
is well known for her trademark tattoo across her stomach, a chain holding her
daughter’s name, which is seen every time she races. “I remember being so proud
of having my baby that I knew that I had to get that tattoo. Naledi means ‘star,’
and she’s very important to me. She’s always at the finishes and usually wants
to pick up my trophies for me!”

THE NEXT STEP

This year, Mapaseka knew she would be taking on road
running stars such as the Kalmer sisters, Irvette van Zyl, Lebo Phalula and Rutendo Nyahora. Her initial goal in
the Spar Ladies races was a top three finish, but she got so much more than she
bargained for. “I think I’ve learnt a lot making the move to the road,” she
says. “The 800m, for example, is quick and hard, but the first time I moved to
a longer distance on the road, I found I had to ‘entertain’ myself and continue
to be positive on the route. As I move on, so will my mind for the distances,
and I usually race as the route goes – if I’m feeling good, I’m feeling good.”
At the Gauteng Marathon, Mapaseka says she really felt the distance in the last
4km as her legs cramped a bit, but she stuck with it. “There was a point at
about 26km I thought I was quite slow, so I picked it up, then cramped a bit
later. It was hilly and tough, but I can only move on to better things now!”

While she’s highlighted next year’s Old
Mutual Two Oceans Half Marathon as a must-run, there’s no stopping her from
attempting the ultra some time in the future, but for the immediate next few
years, Mapaseka wants to go after more track titles, build up her strength on
the road, and then wear the green and gold in the Olympic marathon in Rio 2016.
“I work hard and I have my family support at races and in everything I do,” she
explains. “It’s come to a point where they say, ‘Why didn’t you win?’ if I come
second! Going forward, there’s enough in me to carry on with the bigger distances
and tougher races. I think if any young athlete just works hard, everything
will fall into place in the end. I love running and I’ve just made it work for
me!”

MAPASEKA’S PBs

800m                2:03.18

1 500m             4:08.18

3 000m             9:08.02

5 000m             15:53.02

10km                32:49

42.2km             2:37:06

You can follow Mapaseka on Twitter:
@Mapasexy

Thirteen years ago, in 2000, East Coast Radio (ECR) presenter Makhosi
Khoza tackled his first Comrades Marathon when he decided to enter the race on
the spur of the moment. But on race day, things did not go as he had hoped. “My
ITB got worse at Drummond and I was literally walking my way to the finish,
until I got stopped at the cut-off at Lion’s Park.” That was Makhosi’s Comrades
dream gone – and he never went back. But this year he vows to be back AND to
cross the finish line!

Makhosi, who has been in the radio industry for the last 21 years and
says there is no job like it, started running at university, because it seemed
fun, and a great way to brave a cold shower afterwards. Since then he has continued
running on and off. In preparation for the Comrades in 2000, he entered his
first race, the Hillcrest Marathon, and describes the whole event as a bit of a
blur. “It was relatively easy, notwithstanding the sharp pain in my knee, which
was later diagnosed as ITB. It still plagues me to this day!”

Running coach and mentor Norrie Williamson helped Makhosi prepare for that
first Comrades and Makhosi describes this process as Norrie having to ‘hold his
hand’ throughout his race preparation! It was therefore even more disappointing
that he never made it to the finish. Still, over the years Makhosi kept on
running, but only decided now to go back to the race that beat him 13 years
ago. He is still battling with ITB and is currently being treated for it, but
hopes to resume training with some beach runs along Durban’s Golden Mile soon.

FITTING IT
IN

Though he has demanding working hours, Makhosi says he doesn’t find it
hard to fit in time for training and usually trains after work, as he says he is
not much of a morning person. He prefers training alone and is still looking
around for a club to join, but is really looking forward to the Big C. “I am
more excited about Comrades than you can imagine!” And I realise that the
biggest hurdle to success at Comrades is not a physical one, but a mental
battle.” He adds that his passion for running stems from the fact that it is a
sport for everyone, does not require any fancy facilities or great expenses,
and that one can run anywhere.

For now, Makhosi just hopes to finish the race, but if all goes well, he
would like to finish within 10 hours, and his inspiration is simple: “I did not
complete my first Comrades, so I’m hoping to do it now 13 years later!”

WHITE VS WHOLEGRAIN BREAD

Whole wheat bread in
general is a richer source of protein than white bread – a slice of 100% wholegrain
bread provides about 3.6g of protein, compared to 1.9g for a slice of
commercially-prepared white bread. The wholegrain is also substantially higher
in dietary fibre, 1.9g compared to 0 to 0.6g, and it will make you feel fuller
for longer because the fibre takes longer to digest. Furthermore, wholegrain
bread is a rich source of selenium, a trace mineral that provides antioxidant
benefits.

FAT-FREE VS FULL-CREAM MILK AND YOGHURT

There is a significant
difference between fat-free and full-cream dairy products:

Also, people are often
under the impression that fat-free dairy products are lower in the important
mineral calcium, but they’re actually equivalent, if not higher, than their
full-fat versions. One cup of whole milk generally contains 276 milligrams of
calcium, while one cup of fat-free milk contains 299 milligrams.

OSTRICH MEAT VS REGULAR BEEF

Ostrich meat low in
fat and lower in cholesterol than regular lean beef. However, both are a great
source of iron, as the high iron content in regular beef is only slightly higher
than that of ostrich meat:

DARK VS MILK CHOCOLATE

Everyone
loves to hear that their favourite indulgence is “good for you.” Not so fast!
Cocoa and dark chocolate are rich in a group of antioxidants known as flavanols,
which emerging research shows promote blood-flow to the brain, keep arteries
elastic, lower inflammation and ‘top up’ your levels of antioxidants. But while dark chocolate may have
more health benefits than milk chocolate due to the antioxidants it contains,
it’s still just as high in calories, fat and sugar.

DECAFFEINATED VS CAFFEINATED COFFEE

Decaffeinated coffee
still contains caffeine (about 4mg per cup versus 130mg in a cup of regular)
and has been shown to have similar health benefits to caffeinated coffee. Caffeine
is a central nervous system stimulant that can have some positive effects on
the human body, such as it may help reduce the risk
of heart disease, diabetes, certain cancers, Parkinson’s disease and maybe even
Alzheimer’s disease. Caffeine in low doses is also thought to be
associated with an improvement in sporting performance, increased alertness and
reduction in fatigue.

However, there are
some definite drawbacks to too much caffeine, including anxiousness and
irritability, headache, irregular heartbeat, muscle twitches, and sleeplessness.
Caffeine can cause temporarily high blood pressure, nervousness and increased
production of urine and gastric acid, and may trigger arrhythmia in people with
heart conditions.

MARGARINE VS BUTTER (UNSALTED)

Butter is an animal
product, high in both saturated fat and dietary cholesterol, so increases our
risk of heart disease and stroke. On the plus side, butter is a good source of
fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. Margarine is made from vegetable oils and
contains no cholesterol, but it the controversy with margarine lies with its
level of artery-clogging trans-fat, a largely man-made fat formed when hydrogen
is added to vegetable oils, making the oil more solid and less likely to spoil.
In general, the more solid the margarine, the more trans-fat it contains. Fortunately,
there are a number of margarines on the market that are trans-fat-free.

Ten
years ago I was living the regular life of a 20-something. I enjoyed going out
with friends, late nights, clubbing, drinking, and eating rich foods. Then I
started noticing blood every time I went to the toilet, and the trips to the
bathroom became more frequent. After numerous blood tests and a colonoscopy, I
was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis, a disease with no known cause or cure.
Symptoms include swollen, inflamed and ulcerated intestines. I was told I would
have to be on medication for the rest of my life.

I
just wanted it to go away, so that I could carry on with my lifestyle, so I
took the medication and carried on as normal. For a while things were fine, but
then the disease would flare up and I would be struck with terrible abdominal
pain and bloody diarrhoea. Sometimes I would have to rush to the toilet 35
times in a day! For a number of years, that was how things were… I would have
times when everything was relatively normal, and then all of a sudden I would
be struck with a flare-up and life would become hell.

CHANGE OF LIFESTYLE

About
five years ago, after a very bad flare-up that saw my weight drop from 90kg to
62kg, I decided that I needed to make a change in my life. I changed my diet, I
became conscious about what I was putting into my body, I stopped the late
nights and I gave up alcohol. I then started running, initially a few 5km races
and then moved onto 10km, and before long I was hooked. I joined a running club
and soon was tackling half marathons.

Running
became my party place, so while friends were coming home from clubs in the
early hours of the morning, I was getting up to run. It was so amazing to feel
the life force in my body again. It was amazing to go from being so ill that I
had to be helped in and out of the bath, to being able to go on 30km training
runs. Then in 2012 I managed to complete the Two Oceans Ultra Marathon in a
time of 5:26, and I plan to be back in 2013 to try to better that time.
Hopefully 2014 will be the year that I tackle the Comrades Marathon.

There
are still numerous challenges I face with my illness and running, and also
everyday life. A big factor is nutrition, as my diet is so limited. At first it
was a nightmare to get used to, but your body soon adjusts and after some time
you find you no longer miss those things. My advice to anyone living with a
disease such as this is acceptance. Once you accept things are the way they are,
then all the sadness, anger and questions disappear. Once you accept life the
way that it is, then you can decide to be happy.

RUNNING LESSONS

Running
has had an amazing effect on my life, and has taught me so much about life. It
has taught me to be disciplined, it has taught me about sacrifice, it has
taught me about dedication, and it has taught me how to be strong. Running has
made me into a better person. I have learned to appreciate every single moment
of good health in my life that I have, and to make every single day count.
Running is my meditation time, my time to be with myself and to really connect
with my body. Sometimes when I am out running, I am so overcome with joy, it
feels like my body could explode into a million pieces.

There
is no known cure yet for Ulcerative Colitis, and for now it seems I will be on
chronic medication for the rest of my life, but I have amazing support from my
wife and family, as well as my friends. My plan for the future is to take it
one day at a time, as I never know when I could be hit with a flare-up and be
crippled with pain and bloody diarrhoea again. For now, I just want to rise to
meet each morning with a smile on my face and happiness in my heart. Having
good health at the moment is a blessing and being able to get out there and run
is an added bonus.

Many
people consider triathlon to be the flagship of multisport, but for some
endurance junkies, three disciplines apparently just isn’t a big enough
challenge… and so it was that the Stellenbosch-based team at Stillwater Sport
& Entertainment dreamt up an even bigger challenge, with seven disciplines!
Held in the second week of January each year, the Totalsports Challenge comprises a 12km surf ski paddle, 1.5km swim,
50km road bike, 13km road run, 13km canoe paddle, 25km mountain bike and 9km
beach run, with separate categories for individual athletes and teams of two,
three or seven. In recent years the organising team added the Terra Firma race
to the event, comprising the four biking and running ‘land’ legs only.

DING-DONG
BATTLE

Going into the race, a big battle was expected between
defending champ Dan Hugo and last year’s runner-up Stuart Marais, and what a
race it turned out to be. Unfortunately, due to windy early morning conditions
in Gordon’s Bay, the surf ski leg had to be cancelled, and the swim was
shortened to 1km, which possibly had quite an effect on the final results. Dan exited
the swim with a narrow lead and held it through the road bike, but then Stuart made
his move on the road run, going into the canoe leg in first place. Dan caught
and passed Stuart near the end of the paddle and led through the mountain bike
leg to take a lead of just under two minutes into the beach run, but Stuart
then dug deep into his reserves and passed Dan shortly after the halfway mark, going
on to win in 5:13:30, just under three minutes ahead.

After the race, Stuart admitted that the
cancellation of the surf ski leg had probably been to his advantage, as Dan is
stronger in this leg and he had expected Dan to have a bigger lead early in the
race. Nevertheless, he was still over the moon at winning: “I didn’t know
whether I should laugh or cry. It was rough going, with Dan going out super
hard. He is by far the toughest oke I’ve ever had to race against and this is
definitely my biggest career win.”

Jeannie Bomford marked her return to the Totalsports
Challenge after becoming a mother with a well-deserved win in the women’s individual
race, crossing the line in 6:33:54 and describing making a comeback as tough. “The
last time that I competed here was in 2009, and since them I’ve had two
children. The event has definitely grown, with loads of new faces now
competing, and the Totalsports Challenge is just that, a real challenge. I love
all the disciplines – it just makes life so much more exciting.” Bradley Weiss
took gold in the individual men’s category of the Terra Firma in 4:02:26, while
Colleen De Oliveira was victorious in the individual women’s category in 5:27:27.

After
coming stone-last at a compulsory school cross-country event when she was in
grade four, Robyn-Leigh’s father gave her some valuable advice: Never stop
trying, and never stop improving. He was a runner himself, while her mom was a
swimmer back in the day, and soon Robyn-Leigh’s obvious sporting genes came to
the fore. “I started getting better as a runner, then started getting into
biathle two years after that, and in my grade seven year I got into the
provincial and national team,” she says. (Biathle consists of run, swim and run
legs.)

Robyn-Leigh says her first taste of
international competition was hard. “Getting into international competition was
more about experience at the beginning. It was definitely scary! The athletes
were bigger and there was a huge gap between us South Africans and Europe.” But she says she learnt everything she could and
trained harder, and so, having come first in the Central Gauteng Biathle Champs
last year and first in the SA Champs, she was selected to represent South Africa at the Biathle World Championships
in Dubai in
2012, where she placed second in her age category.

ESTABLISHED STAR

Today
Robyn-Leigh is an accomplished star in both biathle and duathlon (run,bike,
run), and recently moved into triathlon (swim, bike, run) as well. While she says
she has no outright favourite discipline, she is really enjoying her running
more as she is improving on her speed. And this year, that speed helped her finish
second in the Potchefstroom ATU Duathlon African Championships, which saw her selected
for the SA team in August’s Ottawa ITU Duathlon World Championships in Canada. She
also finished fifth overall in the 2013 ATU Triathlon Championships held in
East London in March, and was chosen to compete in the ATU Triathlon African
Champs held in Agadir, Morocco, where she won the bronze medal in the women’s
junior race. Then in June, she placed fourth overall at the SA Biathle Champs
after just recovering from flu she picked up in Morocco.

At
the time of going to print, Robyn-Leigh was travelling to Istanbul for the ETU
Triathlon Junior European Cup, followed by the Tiszaujvaros ETU Triathlon
Junior European Cup in Hungary, which are races traditionally used by athletes
from all around the world to prepare for the ITU World Championships, which
will be held in September in London. Robyn-Leigh has thus foregone the
opportunity to race in the Duathlon World Champs in favour of getting better
exposure in the European triathlon races and possible inclusion in the SA World
Cup squad, while getting a good indication of where she ranks amongst the
world’s best in her age group. “I want to get the results and the exposure, I
want to get my name out there,” she says, “While Rio 2016 is a huge ask, I’ll
be prepared for anything that comes my way.”

DOING
THE HARD YARDS

For
a young pro athlete like Robyn-Leigh, there isn’t much opportunity for normal
teenage ‘chill time.’ In the week, she tackles an hour-long run in the
afternoon after school – a steady 5km to 7km – and then spends a further two
hours after that in the pool, depending on the season, which also sees her
doing specific sessions for endurance on cross-country routes as well as 200m,
600m and 800m track sessions to up her speed. “On weekends my dad and I go out
for a more relaxed cycle session and I do have some breaks to recover, because I think that’s very important!” She
does have most Sundays off for family time and her coach makes sure she has
down-time with friends. “I do the normal stuff I should do, like homework,
friends and catching up on TV. You can’t burn out.”

Before
leaving for Istanbul,
Robyn-Leigh was focusing more on her cycling, which is the one discipline she
feels she can still improve. Over the past seasons she has also learnt to plan
her carbs and protein intake before a competition and to hydrate properly during
race day. “I remain very positive and have always had amazing support from my
parents, two sisters, coaches as well as my school, St. Dunstan’s College. My
parents are there at the finish line and that’s always a massive relief for me.
At home, there are medals and newspaper clippings of me from competitions, and I
keep telling my mom ‘No more! My room is full!’” she jokes.

For
this young athlete, discipline and passion are the two factors that any
promising talent needs, but she rates fun just as highly, and has made a point
of making new friends on the international circuit, many of whom have become
regular opponents in subsequent meets. “What’s the point if you don’t love what
you do? You have to have fun, too! You have to stay positive and motivated, no
matter what, and the results will come.”

WHAT THEY
SAY ABOUT ROBYN-LEIGH

Zinto Sports
(sponsor):
“She’s an up-and-coming star in the sport and she’s readying herself for future
Olympic competition. It’s a pleasure to sponsor her entries, trips and
equipment, and hopefully more of her results will catch the attention of more
sponsors!”

Darryl Jones (father):
“The
sport is obviously a very expensive one to get into, so we do everything we can
for Robyn-Leigh. You need a backing in this sport to grow and develop, besides
the hard work and belief.”

Cass Jones (mother): “We
support every decision Robyn-Leigh makes and we’re very proud of her
achievements. We believe in her and in turn she believes in herself and her
ability. We push her to do her best in life.”