Category: Features

In the past few years, energy gels have become the
preferred choice for most long distance athletes because of the consistent
texture and the fact that they are easy to consume. They are digested and
absorbed quickly, resulting in a quick and easy surge of energy during a race,
plus they’re easy to carry on you on the road!

Energy gels are essentially concentrated sports drinks
which contain about 80 to 100 calories each, and all energy gels need to be
taken with water to ensure that they’re digested properly. There is a huge
variety of tastes and textures on the market today, so it is worth testing a
range of gels during your long training runs in order to find a product that
works for you. Here’s what to look for in a gel:

?        
Carbohydrate: 80-100 calories in
the form of 70-80% maltodextrin and 30-20% fructose. This combination creates a
complex carbohydrate, which has been shown to digest very quickly. Maltodextrin
has little or no flavour, even at high concentrations, which helps energy gels
to not be overly sweet.

?        
Amino Acid Blend: Helps to combat
muscle fatigue, assimilate the conversion of carbohydrates into energy, and
helps with mental focus.

?        
Electrolytes: Sodium and potassium
are important to balance the electrolyte levels in your body. Potassium also
reduces cramping and improves overall fluid movement in the body’s cells. Both
of these electrolytes are lost through sweat during exercise and should be
replaced throughout your run or race.

?        
Caffeine (optional): Caffeine is great for
improving performance and speeding the absorption of carbohydrate, but too much
can upset the stomach. Play around with energy gels that contain caffeine and
ones which do not, to determine which option is best suited for you.

WHEN TO TAKE THEM

The timing of when you should take your gels is an
individual choice. Each athlete processes carbohydrate at a different rate.
This variation in absorption rate has to do with how well your stomach reacts
to the energy gel. When running at high intensity for a long duration, your
body often diverts blood away from the digestive tract to the legs to help your
legs continue to move. Sometimes your body may shut the gut down completely, or
it may just slow down the digestion and absorption process.

By taking the energy gels early in your race, when your
body is unlikely to be under great stress, you have a better chance of
processing the sugars faster. It would be best advised to take your first
energy gel somewhere between the first 30-45 minutes of the race. Because the
digestion process will be slowed or halted the further you get into the race,
you need to be careful not to overload your stomach. I would suggest waiting
about 45-60 minutes between gels before taking another one.

It is important to consume approximately 250ml of
water with every energy gel sachet, but if you are consuming some form of
energy drink in combination with energy gels, it is important to reduce your energy
gel intake. You should then consume one energy gel sachet only every 90-120
minutes.

Your digestive system is trainable, so if you consume
energy gels during training, particularly if you do it at set intervals that
correlate to when you will take them during your big race, your body will learn
to keep the digestive process running and you will digest them more readily.
This is why it’s critical to practise your exact fuelling strategy as often as
possible! Also, energy gels may be a little sweet for you, and your stomach
rebel from consuming large quantities, so you should be testing your stomach’s
tolerance to different makes and flavours in training. Then, when the big race
comes, you won’t be trying something new, and you’ll know you can race hard!

WHY GO

Red Barn has it all if
you’re keen to run trail or mountain bike in the Jozi area: Safe venue (electric fencing and extra security on weekends), varying terrain and 25km of world-class trails and single-track designed for
the USN Mountain Bike Cup, no less. There is also an Acrobranch aerial cable
setup for kids and various other outdoor options.

WHAT YOU GET

Situated upon the edge of an extensive stand of
eucalyptus trees, the well-maintained, multi-use trail meanders in and out of
the plantation and through agricultural fields and grasslands spreading onto
the wooded Kaal River course. Keep in mind that you’ll be sharing the venue
with riders, but folks are doing this all around the world without getting
grumpy. You can plan to run at least two to three hours, so it’s well worth a
visit.

WHERE TO RUN

Start at the Big
Red Barn, where you can check out a large-scale map showing the full network of
trail options. Signage is based on IMBA (International Mountain Biking
Organisation) code: Green circles denote casual riding, blue circles denote intermediate,
while black diamonds denote advanced. If you’re looking for an easy route, head
out of the gate and to your right along the entrance road, looking out for the green
circle signs onto the single-track to your right after 500m. Once you’re on the
single-track, you will start winding your way through the eucalyptus stands, moving
closer to the Kaal River. Keep right until you reach the banks (2km) and then
follow the course left, occasionally dipping off onto a quick little
‘jakkalsdraai’ into the surrounding grasslands. Watch out for riders,
especially along the wooden stiles and bridges spanning the dongas here and
there.

Approximately
4km into your run, keep left to traverse along some ploughed fields. This takes
you up towards the opposite fence, and you’ll cross the main entrance gravel
road. Follow the fence line through a few straggly cypress trees, then drop
back down towards the river at around 7.2km. You cannot really get lost, as you
have the fence lines, access road and river course to use as navigational
handrails. For this very reason, I did not stick to a specific route, and ended
up doing an enjoyable run just shy of 12km.

RED BARN FAST FACTS:

TERRAIN: Single-track,
gravel road

MAP: www.thebigredbarn.co.za
or at venue

ACCESS REQUIREMENTS: Permits for sale at venue

FACILITIES: Shop, ablutions, etc. on site

CELL RECEPTION: Full signal

BEWARE: Speeding
mountain bikers

TIME OF YEAR: Year round, thunderstorms in summer

GETTING THERE

The ‘Big Red
Barn’ is an antique hay barn which has been salvaged and restored on Sunlawns
Estate, a 200ha farm just on 15min from Centurion. Look for the turn-off onto
the M18 off either the N1 or R21; the ‘Big Red Barn’ is located equidistant
between these two highways – look out for the signage after around 15min. GPS
COORDINATES: 25 55 52.10″ S / 28 14 02.18″ E LOCAL INFO:
www.thebigredbarn.co.za

STAY HERE

Check out www.lekkeslaap.co.za for literally
thousands of B&Bs, self-catering and other accommodation options in the
immediate area.

Many athletes defy their age, happily accepting compliments like, “Wow,
you don’t look your age,” and I believe that how we choose to celebrate birthdays
is key to how we will ‘age.’ With birthdays, I place myself in the same
position as I do when I am competing as an athlete: I want to be better than
the previous year (or race), stronger than before, changed in a way I will only
know through exhaustion. So, come the 1^st of October each year, I
require two things of myself, each for 31 days or more. The first is a physical
change (permanent or not), and the second, a mental challenge.

This year, turning 29, I felt I was peaking physically as an individual
and athlete, and as a businessman, so it needed to be a significant birthday.
The physical change (non-permanent) was a full beard – keeping in mind that I
cannot stand facial hair in the slightest. It’s itchy, looks untidy, and gives
me the creeps when I look in the mirror. The mental challenge: 31 days of climbing
Table Mountain every morning at sunrise.

Admittedly, I hadn’t quite thought the second part through that
thoroughly, but the prospect was motivating. Needless to say, however, that when
I worked it out, I realised I would have to be up every weekday morning at 4am
to be on the mountain by 5am, which is about 22km from where I live in Blouberg,
then have just over an hour for hiking to be back in the car by 6:20, in Blouberg
by 6:45 to get ready for work, take my daughter to school and be at work by
7:50. Weekends I would have to be up at 4:30, on the mountain by 5:30 and down
by 7:30 to take my Fit Friend class at 8am on Saturdays and sailing on Sundays.

The first 10 days, I was all over that mountain like a dassie on drugs,
trail running like a king, taking photos of everything, rock-hopping till my
quads and calves burnt like the 4^th of July fireworks. Days 11 to
20, I was not quite so optimistic. Fun ran ahead of me… far ahead! Miserable
fatigue and exhaustion were setting in for the long haul.

Days 20 to 25…I had never felt so deeply drained before, almost
regretting the sheer stupidity it took committing to such a challenge without
thinking it through. I talked my way out of it several times when my alarm went
off, but then talked myself back into it at the five-minute snooze buzzer. Most
mornings I faced a stubborn tug-of-war with myself. Thankfully, on days 26 to
29 I felt at ease with the fact that I only had a few days left. I had come
into a rhythm I appreciated.

The mornings of 30 and 31 October, and Friday 1 November (when I hiked
Lions Head for a change of view), were some of the most epic mornings I have
experienced, in so many unexplainable ways. My expectation of the days had
changed forever. I felt so intrinsically connected with the world, with myself,
with everything I came into contact with.

I wrote in a diary every day to map my thoughts, and the amount of
self-coaching I went through during the month was impressive. It’s fair to say
I am very hard on myself, but extremely effective. The beard was with me throughout,
and having the world around me on board with my double challenge, the
exhaustion in my face was always a conversation-starter. But shaving on the 1^st
of November was, well, bliss.

As difficult as this challenge may have seemed, once it was over I knew
I could do 100 days if I really wanted or needed to. Like many athletes, I have
the mental capacity to persevere and push myself where many don’t, or can’t go,
and through sharing my madness I saw friends, family and people in my fitness
classes change their perspective and expectations of themselves.

I feel strongly that at some stage during the month this became bigger
than me, and that’s one of the biggest reasons I completed the challenge. It
was not so much about finishing it, but having started it in the first place. There
are adventures in our lives that we sometimes forget we have had, but building ourselves
from those blocks, I think, is the foundation by which athletes define
themselves – personal experiences all put together to make up this person that
achieves, that strives for more from themselves.

THAMAR CLARK

Nickname: Posh

Age: 31

Self-given Unogwaja Title: Executive
Director of Ideas

About me: I am a Digital
Editor at Women’s Health in Cape
Town. I love running because there is no better way to feel free, be inspired,
enjoy nature and feel the vibe of a city. The endorphins help, too! I am a
dreamer, adventure freak and digital whiz. I have just completed a 5 500km
cycle tour through Asia. The treatiest thing about me is that I am a dreamer! My
favourite quotes are: “Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find
out how far one can go…” (T.S. Eliot) and “All people dream, but not
equally… the dreamers of the day are dangerous people, for they dream with
their eyes open and make them come true.” (Lawrence of Arabia)

Goals:

?        
To inspire others to live life to the full.

?        
To enjoy even the small moments in life.

Charity I support: The Sports
Trust – SMS race 694 to 42030 to
donate R30 to Thamar’s cause.

RICHARD CLARK

Nickname: Becks

Age: 34

Self-given Unogwaja Title:
Uphillrunner

About me: I am a freelance
3D animator from Cape Town. My sports are road running, trail running, road
cycling and mountain biking, because it’s my medicine. I love it! I am an
adventurer and competitive athlete who is always up for a new challenge. The
treatiest thing about me is I am the house husband. My favourite quotes are: “Some
people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.” and
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t
do than by the ones you did do. Explore. Dream. Discover.” (Mark Twain)

Goals:

?        
To run a sub-3-hour marathon.

Charity I support: The Starfish Foundation – SMS race 672 to 42030 to donate R30 to
Richard’s cause.

DAVID WILLIAMSON

Nickname: Ginger
Wizard

Age: 33

Self-given Unogwaja Title: The Tan
Line

About me: I work in sport
event/travel management. My sport is hockey: I do my best to get in the way of
fast-moving hockey balls, because it’s surprisingly rewarding! I get to wear
cool kit and I get to do daft things on a daily basis. I have great teammates
and great times. I am a little bit eclectic and have lots of random interests.
The treatiest thing about me is literally my ability to consume vast amounts of
treats! My favourite quotes are: “Training is like fighting with a gorilla. You
don’t stop when you’re tired. You stop when the gorilla is tired.” (Greg
Henderson) and “The question isn’t who is going to let me; it’s who is going to
stop me.” (Ayn Rand)

Goals:

?        
Take in and enjoy every moment, even the suffering
during this year’s Unogwaja.

?        
Finish the Unogwaja Challenge!

?        
Find more adventures to take along the way rather than
just watch them on the Discovery Channel.

?        
Work towards an Ironman in 2014/15.

Charity I support: Wildands –
SMS race 682 to 42030 to donate R30
to David’s cause.

MIRANDA SYMONS

Nickname: M

Age: 34

Self-given Unogwaja Title: Comrades
Queen

About me: I am a physiotherapist
from Cape Town. My sport is running (and cycling and swimming and playing
hockey!) because I love the feeling of pushing my body and seeing how far it
can go. Running is my favourite sport, mostly because I run with very cool
people – runners are awesome! I absolutely love Comrades! It is my favourite
day of the year. The treatiest thing about me is no matter how far, long or
deep the sporting challenge is, I smile the whole way through it. My favourite
quotes are: “Just play. Have fun. Enjoy the game. The rest will take care of
itself.” (Michael Jordan) and “Toughen up, buttercup.”

Goals:

?        
To run 10 Comrades Marathons and get my permanent
number (53177).

?        
To inspire people to follow their sporting dreams and
achieve more than they thought possible.

Charity I support: The Pink
Drive – SMS race 712 to 42020 to
donate R30 to Miranda’s cause.

All information and images supplied by Nutreats and extracted from their
#TreatyProfile Unogwaja edition weekly features. To find out more about the
weekly profiles and the Unogwaja Challenge 2013 Team, go to www.nutreats.co.za.

Towards
the end of January, Athletics South Africa (ASA) put out a media release to say
that 11 South African athletes were sanctioned during 2012 for doping offences,
with a further six outstanding cases awaiting finalisation (including that of
Comrades winner Ludwick Mamabola, at the time). The media statement added that
this is a very high number for a single country, even more so given that there
were only four athletes sanctioned in 2011, according the annual report of the
South African Institute of Drug-Free Sport (SAIDS).

As
ASA President James Evans put it, “There is clearly something badly wrong with
the knowledge of the athletes and their support teams. In many cases the
substances were taken out of pure ignorance, but even in those cases where it
was not only ignorance, one gets the sense that some of the athletes felt that
the testers will never catch them. They obviously believed the myth that the
testers are always one step behind the takers. If that ever was the case, it
isn’t any longer.”

CATCHING UP WITH CHEATERS

James
is so right, because in early March the international sporting headlines
included a story that six athletes from Russia
and Belarus had been caught for doping in retrospective drug tests of their samples from the 2005 Track and Field World Champs in Helsinki,
Finland, including three gold and two silver medallists, mostly in hammer throw
and shot put, some of whom had also been Olympic medallists between 2004 and
2012. The frozen samples from Helsinki were re-tested by the International
Association of Athletics Federations’ (IAAF)
just within the eight-year statute of limitations for drug violations laid down
by the World Anti-Doping Code.

That was
followed a few days later by another news report that 17 athletes worldwide
face doping bans after abnormalities were detected in their IAAF biological
passports, which show any changes in an athlete’s blood sample, compared to the
original profile, which could have been caused only by doping. The biological
passport programme was pioneered by the International Cycling Union (UCI) and
introduced by the IAAF in 2009.

PASSPORT CONTROL

“The
biological passport concept evolved out of the realisation that traditional
anti-doping methods were relatively ineffective, and that our insistence on
finding a ‘smoking gun’ in order to detect doping was compromising the fight
against doping,” says Dr Ross Tucker of the Sport Science Institute of South
Africa. “That is, we were naive to think that simply testing for a substance,
either in or out of competition, was going to catch cheats and dissuade
potential cheats. It’s just too easy to avoid detection, and the effect of
drugs persists long after the drug is gone.”

“So
now we have a paradigm shift in doping control, and it involves longitudinal
testing in the form of a biological passport. The concept is that rather than
try to find the substance in the body, we can find its physiological effects.
There is a natural biological variation in blood variables, and unusually large
deviations are flagged as suspicious. By tracking an athlete over time,
anti-doping gets a ‘fingerprint’ that allows any future changes to be detected
in the context of individual physiology.”

AND IT’S
WORKING!

Ross points to the stats as evidence of how this
programme is proving effective: In 2001/2002, he says about one in eight
samples tested showed abnormal percentages of reticulocytes, the immature red
blood cells that mature into mature red blood cells. The normal count is
between 0.5% and 1.5%. If an athlete has blood removed and re-infused (as in
illegal blood-boosting), or uses EPO and other banned substances, this count
can go abnormally high or low. When the test for EPO was developed in 2003, the
number of abnormal results climbed substantially, then tailed off again until
just 1 in 10 abnormal results were found. However, since the biological
passport programme has been in place, Ross says the stats now show just 1 in 40
abnormal results, and he concludes that, “Doping has been squeezed down.”

IAAF President Lamine Diack echoed this in a recent
media statement: “The IAAF’s message to cheaters is increasingly clear that,
with constant advancements being made in doping detection, there is no place to
hide. The IAAF will continue to do everything in its power to ensure the
credibility of competition, and where the rules have been broken, will
systematically uncover the cheats.”

Information
on testing procedures and which substances are prohibited can be found on the
SAIDS website, www.drugfreesport.org.za, as well
as ASA website www.athletics.org.za (under Info Centre, Anti Doping).

“I remember
crossing the finish and I thought it wasn’t real at all,” says Randfontein born-and-bred
Cornelia as she recounts her victorious day at this year’s SA Marathon Champs
in Oudtshoorn. “I was happy and shocked at the
result. I became the youngest champ ever, and this was my first ever marathon!”
Before that, Cornelia had focused on half marathons, but recently stepped up to
a few 32km races and done some longer training runs in preparation for her debut
marathon, which she won in a time of 2:46:13.

What makes Cornelia’s victory even more extraordinary is that she beat experienced marathon
runner and Central Gauteng team mate Kim
Laxton, who seemed the favourite to take the title this year. Cornelia
remembers running to keep up with Kim to the 23km mark, but then she knew she
could pick it up. “In the last 19km or so I ran up front and I did not see her again
before her finish. I guess now that I have this victory at a young age, I can learn
from it and better myself and my times.” Kim came home in 2:47:25 for the
silver medal, while third place went to Melanie van Rooyen of KwaZulu-Natal in 2:48:35.

While her
win was still three minutes outside the women’s qualifying
standard of 2:43:00 for World Champs qualification, Cornelia says it’s a great
stepping stone for her. “It’s so positive for me after little time for
preparation. I want to get to the point where I can represent South Africa
and also get some sponsors so I can run overseas,” she says.

BORN TO WIN

Cornelia has always been an athlete, having started running and
competing from the age of nine at primary school, where she participated in the
1 200m and 1 500m events. At the age of 11 she received her SA colours for the
first time and her talent continued to develop in high school, where she was
awarded further accolades for her running, and as her love of running grew, she
turned to cross-country and eventually road running, where she has blossomed. With
her great attitude towards the sport and her forthright humility, she was
pretty confident of running at a top level after school. “I trained on my own
for a while, but it didn’t fit with me,” she explains. “In the last four months
I’ve been with a coach who is pushing me for results and times, and picks out
the races in Gauteng.”

At the moment, Cornelia holds personal bests of 35 minutes for 10km and
77 minutes for the half marathon, and is hoping to bring her times down soon, so
that sponsors will take notice. “That’s what you’ve got to do now – you have to
compete with the top runners, and get the results and times, so sponsors and
teams will get behind you.” She adds that she believes running can take her to
new heights and places she hasn’t been before. “I’d love to be able to compete
with the best and also run some races overseas! If I can get represented and
can improve, I will get there.”

Despite her optimistic outlook, Cornelia also hopes Athletics South
Africa gets their act together with paying athletes for their wins. “There’s a
lot of athletes not getting paid and looked after, so there needs to be a
change there. As an athlete you rely on winnings and the athletics body
standing up for you.”

SACRIFICE AND
JUGGLING

During the week Cornelia trains on the track with her coach, including 1
000m intervals to work on her speed. She says bringing her times down on the
shorter distances is her priority. “I’m doing my first track champs soon and I
don’t know what to expect, but I have been working hard because I’ve been
struggling with running on the track.” On the weekends, she lines up regularly
at shorter local races on Saturdays, and does 30km long runs on Sundays. In the
recent Sarens Half Marathon in Edenvale, Cornelia grabbed a fifth placing with
a 1:23:24, and other notable runs in recent months include finishing as
runner-up in last year’s Ocean Basket/Marcel van’t Slot 15km, where she clocked
59:01, and a close second at the Jakaranda SABS Half Marathon in just over
1:22.

Having appointed a coach just a few weeks before the marathon champs,
Cornelia says that decision is really paying off. “If I don’t get my times, if
I’m struggling, my coach won’t put me down. He is always positive about my
running and that helps me when I compete!” she says. “It’s about eating
healthy, too! Of course, I cheat sometimes but you have to eat the right things
if you want to be better.”

Cornelia says that her current success is also thanks to her being able
to juggle being a mother to four-year-old Stephen and still fitting
in a lot of hard training. “It’s very hard to be a mom – when you have a
kid, you always have to run around anyway!” As for Stephen, he may still grow
up to be a runner as well, but Cornelia says she will let him choose his own
way. “I won’t push Stephen to run and compete one day – if he does, it will be
great, but it does take a lot of dedication!”

KEEPING IT REAL

For an
up-and-coming star on SA’s running circuit, Cornelia stays grounded and relaxes
by singing at Karaoke nights once a week. “I get my mind off things when I’m singing
and performing,” she says. “You always need to do things besides running to
relax!” And while her status as a top runner is slowly growing, Cornelia says
she still looks up to Rene Kalmer as her role model on the big stage. “She’s my
favourite because she has talent, she has a beautiful personality, and gives out
advice easily!”

And so,
with fresh, young legs, heaps of talent and dreams of international races and
becoming a star name, Cornelia is definitely an athlete to watch for the future,
and her unassuming approach to the sport should see her go far and get the
times she trains so hard for. “I feel like one day I will be able to tell the
kids who want to run to never give up – even if you don’t win and struggle at
first!”

In 2004, the year that Chapman’s Peak Drive was reopened and the Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon returned to its traditional route, the field in the 56km ultra-marathon climbed to an all-time high of 9 769 entries. That beat the previous record of 9 227, set in 1991 but now, in 2013, we have a new record, as the entries counter was standing on 9 847 at the time of going to print, near the end of February, with two weeks still to go before entries closed on 5 March!

When you add the maximum sold-out 16 000 entries in the half marathon, the maximum sold-out 800 in the trail runs, and the 900-plus entries already received for the International Friendship Run, plus entries already received for the various fun runs the total number of athletes who will be in action over the Easter Weekend already stands at over 29 000. In 2012, the total number across all events reached 28 794, and at least another 1 000 entries are still expected to come in for the Good Friday Fun Runs, so the total figure for 2013 could go past 30 000 – but even if no more entries came in (which we all know is not going to happen), the 2013 Two Oceans is already the biggest of all time, and further cements the event’s status as South Africa’s largest running event.

Looking at the statistics of the ultra, it is interesting to note that 39% will be doing the race for the first time, undertaking their first Two Oceans ‘Voyage,’ which is testament to fact that earning a finisher’s medal at the ‘World’s most Beautiful Marathon’ remains a highly sought after achievement. In fact, there are already 1 300 more novices in the ultra than last year’s race, which had a 27% novice entry stat! Another very pleasing figure – if you will excuse the pun – is the number of women running the ultra this year. Last year 26% of the field were female, while this year the stat has climbed to 30%. Comparing numbers, by the end of February there were already nearly 1 000 more women in the field than 2012.

But wait, there’s more… as they say in the TV infomercials. International entries in the ultra (from countries outside of Africa) have risen this year to all time high of over 700. Last year there were 567, which was already a big jump over the 2011 record of 494 – so the international marketing efforts of the Two Oceans Marathon Organisation are clearly paying off! Also, the record for African entries (from countries outside of South Africa) has been broken: It was 176 entries in 2011, while this year entries have already climbed past 180. (Oh yes, the entries for the International Friendship Run on Good Friday have also climbed over 900, well past the 2012 record of 768.)

Bringing things all the way home, the split between Western Cape entries and those from other provinces stands at 25% to 75%, which is very similar to the 26-74% split of 2012, but note that the total number of entries in both categories are significantly higher this year, which once again shows that the Two Oceans ultra is not only one of the country’s most popular events, but is growing in popularity!

Ultra entries close on 5 March, as do all substitutions, upgrades and changes of seeding, and absolutely no changes whatsoever will be permitted after that date. Runners should also take note that it is against the race rules to give a number away to another runner if you can no longer run, and this will lead to disqualification for both runners and a ban from the event for a year

So, now it is full speed ahead as we move towards the Easter long weekend and the annual voyage around the Peninsula. The 2013 Two Oceans promises to be the biggest and best of all time… and perhaps we may also see some new course records set to go with all the record entries!

PLAN YOUR OCEANS WEEKEND

The programme for the annual Two Oceans Easter Weekend is jam-packed with highlight events, so check out the list below and start planning your long weekend.

Wednesday 27 March to Friday 29 March

Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon Exhibition

Venue: Cape Town International Convention Centre

Thursday 28 March

Blue Number Club Dinner

Venue: Old Mutual Business School, Pinelands

Friday 29 March

Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon & Half Marathon Special Friday Run

Venue: Main Road, Newlands

Friday 29 March

Old Mutual Two Oceans 22km & 10km Trail Runs

Venue: Jameson Plaza, UCT Upper Campus

Friday 29 March

Old Mutual Two Oceans International Friendship Run 5km

Venue: V&A Waterfront Amphitheatre

Friday 29 March

Old Mutual Two Oceans Fun Runs

Venue: UCT Rugby Fields

Saturday 30 March

Old Mutual Two Oceans Ultra Marathon & Half Marathon

Venue: Main Road, Newlands

THE EXPO THAT HAS IT ALL

The Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon Exhibition runs from 27 to 29 March at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. Traditionally, the exhibition was a pick-up point for race numbers, but it has grown into a far more inclusive sports event.

Open to the public and free of charge, the Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon Exhibition is the perfect opportunity for running and fitness enthusiasts to see the latest gear from top sports brands, notably adidas, the new technical sponsor of the event, which will be showcasing their range of BOOST running shoes amongst other running apparel innovation. And there will be new products to test from the likes of Gu at their Energy Lab, as well as innovative new technology from many other industry leaders on display.

These three days of pre-race build up provide the perfect opportunity for runners to get into race mode. Old Mutual will be inviting visitors to meet the Virtual Coach or check cholesterol and general health with trained professionals. They will also be offering foot massages and will be handing out personalised supporter posters too.

With over 100 exhibitors to see and buy from, race runners are also able to pick up any last minute gear that they may have forgotten en route to the world’s most beautiful marathon. With all of these services and exhibitors under one roof, the pre-race routine just got that much easier. The only thing left to do is run.

Wednesday 27 March, 10:00 – 19:00

Thursday 28 March, 10:00 – 19:00

Friday 29 March, 09:00 – 17:00

For further information, please visit: http://www.twooceansmarathonexpo.co.za

OCEANS OF CARING

The Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon doesn’t just provide a great day out for runners, the event is also a fantastic way to give something back to the community. For that reason, the Two Oceans Marathon Initiative (TOMI) was launched for the 2012 event and replaced all previous race charities. TOMI is a fundraising initiative that provides much-needed funding for select groups of charities, with the emphasis placed on ensuring that the education and sporting needs of children are met, education facilities are provided and upgraded, and environmental issues involving our parks, flora and fauna, as well as animals both on land and in the water, are included.

If you would like to do a direct deposit, our banking details are:

Bank: Nedbank

Branch Code: 198765

Account Number: 1077006233

Account Holder: Two Oceans Marathon Association

BRING THE FAMILY

Runners and walkers of all ages are invited to take part in the Old Mutual Two Oceans Fun Runs, taking place at the University of Cape Town (UCT) rugby fields on Good Friday, 29 March. There will be loads of fun for the whole family:

12:00  56m Nappy Dash – for kids aged 3 and younger (must be able to walk)

12:30  300m Toddlers’ Trot – for kids aged 4 to 6

13:30  2.1km fun run/walk – for the young, the old and the not so fit.

14:00  5.6km fun run/walk – for the fitter and more adventurous runner/walker.

15:00  8km fun run/walk – the perfect loosener for those running the half or the ultra marathon.

There will be no time limits on any of the fun runs, so bring your family and friends, especially your kids, and come and experience the spirit of this great event. Prize-giving will be done in phases: For the Nappy Dash, Toddlers’ Trot and 2.1 km fun run/walk the prize-giving will start at 14:00. For the 5.6km and 8km, the prize-giving will start at 16:30.

The entry fee for all the events in the fun run programme will be R25. Late entries will be taken on the day in the registration tent at UCT from 9am onwards, but to avoid the queues, enter online at www.twooceansmarathon.org.za. You can also pre-enter manually at the Western Province Athletics office at Vygieskraal Stadium, Johnstone Road, Athlone, weekdays 09h30-15h00, or at the Two Oceans Expo on the Wednesday and Thursday. More info at Tel 021 699 0615 or [email protected]

FUN RUNS FOR THE COMMUNITIES

A series of ten 5.6km community fun runs, organised as a joint initiative between the Two Oceans Marathon Association and Western Province Athletics, kicked off in August 2012 to encourage participation in physical activity and bring the Two Oceans Marathon brand and spirit to the greater community of Cape Town. The remaining fun runs in the series will be held on:

16 March  Rocklands Sports Field, Mitchells Plain

20 March  Green Point Stadium, Sea Point

23 March  Florida Park Stadium, Ravensmead

The distance of 5.6km was chosen to align these fun runs with the 56km Old Mutual Two Oceans Ultra. The series provides an opportunity to identify running talent and creates a platform for development of future top runners, as some participants will be invited to take part in the Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon Fun Runs on Good Friday.

DINNER FOR BLUE TENNERS

When you run your tenth Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon, you are awarded your permanent Blue Number, and similarly, when you complete your tenth Two Oceans Half, you receive your Light Blue Number. The Blue Number Club (BNC) was founded to celebrate this achievement, and a special BNC area is reserved for BNC members at Registration as well as on the finish line on race day.

Furthermore, each year the Blue number Club Dinner takes place two days before the race, to give all the Blue Number holders a special opportunity to meet up. This year it will be held on Thursday 28 March at the Old Mutual Business School in Pinelands. For more info, contact Tel: 021 657 5140 or e-mail: [email protected].

SPECIAL CARE IN RUNNERS’ VILLAGE

One of the most notable charitable initiatives of the Two Oceans event is the Runners’ Village, which provides accommodation and meals to athletes from disadvantage communities who do not have the financial means to participate in the Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon, but do have the desire to be part of the ‘world’s most beautiful marathon.’ Runners must be a club member and must earn no more than R3000 a month in order to qualify for the Village, and once in, they are always looked after very well by the dedicated team of volunteers. Who knows, perhaps we may see a gold medallist amongst the Runners’ Village runners this year.

PLAN YOUR PARKING!

With the increase in entries at this year’s Two Oceans, it is more important than ever for runners to ake note of the parking arrangements that the organisers have laid on. The UCT campus rapidly fills up on race day and cannot accommodate all the tens of thousands of cars that will head towards the start and finish of this great event, so rather use one of the extra parking facilities at four schools within a 1km radius of the start, at Westerford High School, SACS High & Junior Schools, and Groote Schuur High School. A shuttle service will run at regular intervals from the finish to all the schools so that runners can get back to the ir cars after completing their event. There will be a stand at the Expo with large maps and marshals to explain the various options to you. And remember the best way to avoid stress on race day is to arrive early!

QUICK SUPPORTER’S GUIDE

The following spots have been identified as spectator ‘hot spots’ and are great for watching the race and taking in the breathtaking views that Cape Town has to offer:

•  Main Road, Lakeside

•  Fish Hoek-Kommetjie Road

•  Silvermine Road intersection

•  Noordhoek Village, start of Chapman’s Peak

•  Constantia Nek

•  Cecelia Forest, along Rhodes Drive

•  Kirstenbosch Gardens

•  Union Avenue towards UCT

Just take note that several roads will be closed on race day to ensure the free flow and safety of the runners. To see a full list of road closures, go to www.twooceansmarathon.org.za/support/road-closure

CATCH IT LIVE ON SABC 2

The world’s most beautiful marathon will be broadcast live on SABC 2 on race day, so if you’re not running and can’t be on the course to support the runners come Easter weekend, make sure you have the alarm clock set, the coffee and rusks ready and couch booked from 6:25am! The broadcast will start with the start of the ultra, and coverage will continue until 10:30

CATCH US ONLINE

Visit www.twooceansmarathon.org.za for all the latest race information, or follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/TwoOceansMarathon and Twitter @2OceansMarathon. You can also contact us on tel. 021 657 5140 or e-mail: [email protected].

Christine Bernard: “I am running the Two Oceans Ultra for the first time. I’m wary about the weather, but looking forward to being part of the most beautiful race in the world. This is one I’m not doing for time, but rather to enjoy every moment of it!”

Camillah Adams: My goal is to complete it! The sole purpose I started running was to one day complete a Two Oceans Half Marathon. After my first 5km race in 2011, I became addicted to running. My dream is close to coming true come March!”

Graeme Saggers: “I’m doing the Ultra for the first time. Stressing like crazy, but very excited at the same time… I think about it every day, and every night at like 2am!”

Megs Hollis: “I am running the Two Oceans Half because I used to struggle to run 4km! Last year I started running 10km races and thoroughly enjoyed challenging myself – it is so motivating having something to train for, and a goal other than the number on a scale. It’s about perseverance and positivity! My hopes for race day are to cross the finish line with a huge smile and a decent time. I can’t wait to prove to myself that I can do it!”

Sibusisio Zwane: “I’m impatient, nervous, but happy at the same time. Gunning for a silver. I’ve declared war!”

Tamlyn Miller: “First time I am attempting the half marathon. My husband and I just want to finish the race in under three hours!”

Kim Boschoff: “Been running for the past year and I’ve never been more excited for a race! It’s going to be epic!”

Bongani Myaka: “First time ultra, training going well. I’m a bit scared, but I try to block those thoughts out my mind. I can’t wait!”

Aneekah Fataar: “After running 56km (and the plan is to finish the race under cut-off time), I expect to be sore… Very sore!”

Nyakwesi Keregero- Motsa: “I’m a Two Oceans Half Marathon first-timer. I’ve never been to Cape Town, so the only reason I’m doing this race this year is so I can experience the Cape Town Vibe.”

Rene Lourens: “Ultra first-timer! Have no idea what I’m letting myself in for!”

Henry Thank: “Oceans is something I’ve always wanted to do. I’m a bit wary if it rains, but I’m very much up for the challenge. I’m doing the half and looking forward to crossing the finish line injury-free!”

Roxanne Scholtz: “I started running seriously for the first time in January 2013 and I have been running consistently since. Ran my first 21km three weeks ago and finished my first marathon shortly after! What a feeling of absolute mixed emotions… I qualified for the Two Oceans Ultra and can’t wait to cross that finish line – I know I’m bigger than the challenge I’m facing and I’m determined to make it!”

Traditionally, the title of ‘World’s Greatest Athlete’
was given to the man who won the Olympic decathlon event. After all, the
decathlon comprises ten events over two intense days of competition: 100m, long
jump, shot-put, high jump, 400m, 1 500m, 110m hurdles, discus, javelin and the
pole vault. The event works on a points system, instead of relying on podium
finishes, so while one athlete may be a fast sprinter, he still needs to score
well in the other disciplines in order to do well overall in the competition. “A
decathlete is like a handyman that has to know his way around everything,” says
Olympian and SA record holder Willem Coertzen. “It’s important to know the
basics instead of technical detail with specific training. Your fitness needs
to be tops and you have to be patient to find the balance.”

GIVING IT A GO

Willem says the first time he noticed decathlon was during
the 2004 Olympics in Athens, when he was studying his teaching Honours at the
University of Potchefstroom. “I thought I’d have a go and pitched up at an athletics
meet in Bloemfontein. I found that I took to it, so after my studies I moved on
to Europe for developed training and I found a coach in Greg Richards, who has
a decathlon background himself.” That saw Willem living in London for seven
years, although he says he struggled to adapt to a new culture and the busyness
of city life at first.

However, he was soon competing regularly for the Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers club, and in
2007 he won the South of England Decathlon Championship with a score of 7245 points. A
year later he returned to SA to grab his first national title, followed by a
silver medal at the African Championships in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. “It was my
first major competition outside nationals and even though I had to deal with
the high altitude, I was happy,” he says. “Then I surprisingly won the bronze
in the pole vault – a day after my decathlon! I was just asked to fill in and
come in at any height, but then I got the medal!”

GETTING STRONGER

After the elation of those championships, Willem had
an operation on an injured groin muscle and was out of action for four months,
but the rehabilitation only made him stronger. A few months later, he set a new
national record of 7907 points with his third place finish in the Multistars
Decathlon meet in Italy. Then in 2009, he improved on that score with an
African record 8054 points at the Hypo-Meeting in Austria, despite only
finishing 11^th, and that secured his selection for the World Champs
that same year. At the World Champs in Berlin, Willem finished 14^th
with 8146 points, setting six new personal bests in the process!

In the lead-up to the 2012 Olympics, Willem once again
improved the SA record, scoring 8244 points at the SA Champs, and he was
selected for the London Games. “I made the decision a few years before that I
would be at London 2012, and the Games stand out because it was personal for me
– everything was 10 minutes away from where I stayed!” However, he was
disappointed to only place ninth after scoring 8173 points.

FULL-TIME FOCUS

Willem moved back to Potchefstroom six months ago and continues
to focuse on his training, doing five to seven hours a day. Mondays and
Wednesdays are spent on weight training and throws, while Tuesdays and
Thursdays are focused on hurdles, running (400m, 1 500m and long runs) and
throws. He uses his weekends for long jump and high jump, and keeps his Fridays
for rest. “I’m on a break now before conditioning and training mid-November.
I’m aiming for a gold or silver at the Commonwealth Games next year, and I’ll
be looking at the next World Champs. There’s always Rio 2016, too!”

On top of his demanding training schedule, Willem still
finds time to be with his wife Odette and three-year-old daughter Wihane. “I’ve
learnt to cope with the routine. Sometimes I skip the track to run at home, and
after training it’s about keeping up with how active Wihane is!”

You can follow Willem on Twitter: @WillemCoertzen

It’s been a breakthrough year for Annie Bothma. The
17-year-old from Stellenbosch has run the fastest times in 2013 by a junior for
10km (36:47) and 15km (56:41), and she was selected by Western Province to run
at the SA Cross Country Champs in February, where she finished third, despite a
twisted ankle, and was selected to go to Poland for the World Champs in March.
Then in April she claimed the SA Junior 5000m title on the track, despite
running barefoot and severely burning her feet, and in May she added the junior
title at the SA 10km Champs. At the time of writing, she was also on course to
retain her junior title in the Spar Women’s Series Grand Prix.

And all this despite suffering from debilitating bouts
of illness. “It all started when I almost died of scarlet fever when I was six.
Since then I have struggled with my health, especially since grade five, losing
a lot of weight and spending more than a year in hospital if you put it
together. I started running in grade seven to escape the problems, and the more
I ran, the more I wanted to run – and then I started to become good at it. I fell
ill again at the World Champs and didn’t do that well, but I believe that made
me mentally stronger, which allowed me to come back and win the two SA titles.”

Annie lives with her parents and two brothers and is
currently in grade 11 at Bloemhof High School. Her other passion is art, and
she runs her own small business selling textiles and craft products to local
businesses. She hasn’t decided yet what she wants to do after school, but says,
“If I could, I would just run. I’m planning on taking a gap year after matric
to see what I can do with my running, and then taking it from there. I want to
try qualify for the Olympic 10,000m in Rio 2016, or else I am going to work for
the marathon later, because the further I go, the stronger and faster I get!”