Today’s Ask Coach Parry Podcast deals with the amount of carbohydrates you need to take on board during a long run. Many runners struggle, particularly in races like the Comrades Marathon or the Two Oceans Ultra Marathon, to stomach energy gels, especially later on in the race. Are there other products that are high in carbohydrates that the Coach suggests? Listen to today’s podcast below to find out:
In a unique and exciting move, South Africa’s largest running publication, Modern Athlete magazine, has signed top South African runner Rene Kalmer as a Brand Ambassador for the magazine and its brand extensions. The multiple SA Champion and two-time Olympian will represent the Modern Athlete brand at various events and activations, will feature in the magazine as guest columnist and regular contributor, and will play an integral part in the magazine’s new school and corporate wellness programme.
Rene says she is hugely excited about this new chapter in her running career. “To the best of my knowledge it’s the first time ever for a running magazine to partner with a professional athlete, so it is exciting to be part of Modern Athlete’s plans. As a professional athlete, it is all about you and what is best for you, but now I have the platform to give back to the sport, both now and in the long term. As an athlete you don’t know where to start in terms of giving back, so this will allow me to do so much more that just answering people’s Facebook messages!”
“One of the things I am most looking forward to is the schools programme, given that I used to work as a teacher and really enjoy coaching young athletes. We want to motivate the kids to start exercising, and teach them about nutrition, so it will be a long-term involvement with the schools, and from there we will take it to corporates,” says Rene.
Speaking on behalf of Modern Athlete, Managing Director Craig van der Westhuizen says the whole team at the magazine is thrilled about their new brand ambassador. “To have South Africa’s top female athlete being part of South Africa’s largest running publication is terrific. Aside from her athletic feats, she is also one of the most respected, recognised and popular athletes in the country, with international experience and pedigree. We understand that Rene’s current medium-term goal is to qualify for the 2016 Olympics, so we will support her in every way we can to achieve that goal.”
“This is the first time we as a magazine are supporting a professional athlete, so both we and Rene will work together to see how we can best support each other in developing the sport in South Africa
On Wednesday night (26 March), Rene will fly to Copenhagen, Denmark, for the IAAF World Half Marathon Champs on Saturday 29 March, as part of the six-athlete SA team. She says she has been focussing on 10km and 21km races in recent weeks to get her speed up for these Champs, and will then revert to marathon training in her build-up to running a Big City Marathon at the end of the year. “I have not yet decided which marathon I will run, but I would like to run Berlin or Chicago, or perhaps return to Yokohama, where I set my PB in 2011*. It actually feels like I am loafing at the moment, because I am not in training for a marathon, but I am feeling fit and strong, and enjoying being injury-free.”
(* In 2011, Rene ran 2:29:59 in Yokohama, the first sub-2:30 by a South African woman in 14 years.)
For more information, please contact Craig van der Westhuizen on 011 454 1542 or [email protected].
With a very successful year’s running behind her,
Jenna Challenor of Boxer Athletic Club is looking forward to 2014 with great
excitement. Having given birth to her third daughter, Tao, just over 18 months
ago, the multiple KwaZulu-Natal champion at 10km, the half marathon and in
cross-country says she came back stronger than ever, which saw her win both the
Totalsports Ladies 10km in Durban in August and the Spar Ladies 10km in
Pietermaritzburg in September. She also finished third at the SA Half Marathon
Champs in September in East London, clocking a PB 1:16:21, and provisionally
booked her spot in the SA team for the World Half Marathon Champs in Denmark in
March.
“I decided to come back fairly quickly after Tao was
born and didn’t know what to expect, but ended up having a really awesome year.
I went to the Totalsports race unprepared, having been injured for a month
before, but I did alternate training and my world-class physio Wayne Holroyd
held me together, and I ran a time just one second off my PB of 34:58! Then I
won the Spar race, which I also won in 2011, even though I was tired after
three big races leading up to it, including the SA Half Champs. Now I’m waiting
to see if we will go to Denmark. I would love to be in the team and go run at
world class level.”
SPORTY ROOTS
Jenna ran middle distance at school and also did
lifesaving, being part of the SA team, along with future husband Brett, which
won the Lifesaving World Champs in New Zealand in 1998. She took a break from
running while studying teaching, but got back into it when she began working,
around the same time that she also turned her photography hobby into a business
venture. “I was doing my teaching, my photography, and running, and then my
eldest two daughters, Nicolette and Rylee, arrived. It all got a bit too much
and I had to choose, so I went into photography – it’s a lot more flexible for
my children, and my running. I do miss teaching, and one day will go back to
it, but now I can train, look after my kids, and still do my photography.”
She is a dedicated mother to her active daughters, and
says that Tao’s arrival completed her happiness. “I always wanted three babies,
and had to beg Brett for five years to get my third, but that’s me done now,
the factory is closed!” she laughs. “Now I can really focus on my running and see
where I can go with it. Thankfully, Brett is an incredible husband and father,
and is very supportive of my running – even though he travels a lot for
business, I wouldn’t be able to do so many races if he wasn’t so supportive. I
also need to thank my shoe sponsor Saucony and supplement sponsor 32Gi for
their awesome support!”
When asked what effect her three pregnancies have had
on her running, Jenna smiles as she explains she is now a better runner than
ever. “Some people say you struggle after having children, and I must admit I
did struggle to regain my fitness after my first two, but after my third, I
feel stronger than ever. Maybe it’s because I have to juggle a lot more now,
and be more disciplined and focussed, because I only have one-and-a-half hours
to train at 4:30am. I’m a mom of three and a wife, and I split myself a million
different ways, but I fit it all in. You just have to go out there and do it,
work it round your family and make it part of your life.”
LOOKING AHEAD
For now Jenna is focussing on distances up to 21km,
and this year she plans to get back into cross country, having run in SA
colours in 2009, but later she plans to step up to the marathon and ultras. “One
day I want to run a good marathon overseas, and having lived in Durban all my
life, the Comrades is in my blood. My mom has run 10 Comrades, and I feel I
have the endurance for it. I actually get stronger the longer the distance, but
Tao is still too young, so I’m not ready for that step up yet. I can’t train
for four hours and then come home to carry a one-year-old on my hip all
afternoon. At this age they’re very hands-on, but once they get to two to
three, it’s a lot less physically demanding. Then watch me go!”
Having
just recently run the Two Oceans and then facing 20 hours of flying to get to
Boston, Chris and I knew that we weren’t going to be in tip-top form, so we
decided to soak up the experience and have the time of our lives. We got to
Boston on 12 April, did some sightseeing and commented a few times about what a
safe and beautiful place it was… The registration and Expo were unbelievable
and we were like two kids in a candy store. We also took a bus tour of the
route, and I must say that their much-feared “Heartbreak Hill” has nothing on
our Chappies or Fields Hill!
Race
day arrived on Monday 15 April, Patriots’ Day in the USA, but also known as
Marathon Monday in Boston. Our day began with an early bus trip from Boston to
the start, where we waited for three hours in the athletes’ village and
marveled again at the safety and security as Americans packed their phones and
wallets in their post-race, pick-up tog bags. Being from South Africa, we
didn’t even consider this – and arrived in black plastic bin bags!
TRAGEDY STIKES
I
was just 500m from the finish line when a barrier was suddenly placed across
the road to prevent runners going through. I had heard a loud bang just before,
but there was a lot of noise from the crowd, so it didn’t register that anything
was wrong. I just thought maybe they were allowing traffic through for some
reason. Minutes later an official announced that there had been an explosion
and that we should wait until further announcements as to how we could finish.
We
stood there for about 45 minutes and runners were using their phones to call
loved ones waiting for them. Many were worried about people waiting at the
finish. I quelled my own anxiety by trying to reassure others – I also think
that living in South Africa sadly creates resilience, as most of us have been
touched directly by violence. I was nevertheless very worried about Chris. He
should have finished about an hour before and the plan was that he would wait
for me at our hotel about 1.5km from the finish. I just hoped that he had not
decided to wait at the finish after all.
A HELPING HAND
In
the meantime the people of Boston gave us water, food and plastic bags to keep
warm. One very kind woman just gave me the coat off her back! Eventually the race
was abandoned and we were directed to leave the course, so I made my way on
foot back to our hotel. It was the longest walk of my life, as I still had no
idea about Chris. In the meantime, he was in the hotel, oblivious to what had
happened, until he turned on the TV. He reckons it was the longest few hours of
his life as he waited for news of me!
Not
finishing was extremely disappointing, but this was far outweighed by the joy
of knowing that we were both safe. Events like this make you take stock and
redefine what is important. We are both still shocked and sad,
but we are determined to return to Boston and show that a small number of
cowards can’t defeat the spirit of the runners and the good people of Boston.
The last
30km of Comrades 2012 was no fun for Zola Budd Pieterse. At the marathon mark her mind went blank
when she realised she had already run a marathon but was not even halfway yet!
And from the 60km mark she was in pain and found it hard to believe that there
were still some 30km left of this race that thousands choose to run each year!
Zola did finish, alongside running friend and mentor, Bruce Fordyce, and
although she swore to herself many times during the race that she would never
run it again, she crossed the finish line knowing she would be back. “I
finished the race and told myself I could do better!”
Now Zola is
back to tackle Comrades 2013, but is humble in her expectations and says she
just wants to finish. “That is my first goal. If I feel OK at the 60km mark I
will try to run faster than last year. And that will be great! I would be very
grateful for a silver medal, but it is not the main aim.”
At the
recent Old Mutual Two Oceans Half Marathon, Zola crossed the line in a
respectable 1:24 and says she was pleased with the result, especially
considering she only arrived in SA the week before and then worked three full
days at the expo. Her training for Oceans was all Comrades-based, which meant
she was not sharp or race fit, just covering the distance, she says. “I would
love to run the Oceans Half again and see if I can run faster than this year! I
would also like to do the ultra, maybe in three years when I am 50. I can’t
wait for my new age group.”
LIFE IN THE USA
Zola, her
husband and their three teenagers have been based in the USA for the last five
years. They initially moved to Myrtle Beach so Zola could compete on the
Masters Athletics circuit. “Now the kids are in high school and we don’t want
them to change schools again. It will depend on their education when we move
back to South Africa,” says Zola. She visits South Africa four times a year as
promoter of Newton Running Shoes. “I miss South Africa a lot, especially our
running community. And I really miss running with friends and in Bloemfontein
on the farm roads.”
Zola still
tackles her beloved cross-country races in the USA and loves racing 5km
distances. “There are loads of 5km races over there. My favourite was the Foot
Locker cross-country race last year. I won my age group in 17:30,” says Zola,
who in 1983 clocked 8:39.00 for 3 000m before breaking the 5 000m world record
in 1984. She represented Great Britain at the Los Angeles Olympics and went on
also win two World Cross-Country Champs titles.
THE ‘BIG C’
Zola admits
that she never thought she would be tackling the 90km between Durban and Pietermaritzburg,
let alone running it a second time. “Comrades challenges your normal day-to-day
existence and it makes you feel part of something bigger. I think all Comrades
runners have to be a bit crazy, because you have to rationalise why you are
doing it, and craziness is the closest or best answer I can find.”
This year
she is definitely in better shape physically, having done more long runs and
track workouts, and also emotionally. “I think the most important factor in Comrades
is how fresh and injury-free you can get to the start. You need to look forward
to running it and not dread it.” She adds that she still turns to Bruce for
training advice, but with all the travelling she does it has been difficult for
her to follow a set programme. “I have a general guideline and then apply it to
my day-to-day circumstances.” The former barefoot starlet also hopes the Up Run
will suit her better than the Down Run. “I have never liked running down hill. If
you are tired going down hill you can’t really walk, but uphill it is easy to
walk!”
THE ROAD AHEAD
She is not
sure that she will be running Comrades every year, but she would like to do it
again when she turns 50. “I think people run Comrades because it adds meaning
to their lives. You are not just a runner, but a Comrades runner. It is a
challenge on a physical level, but even more on an emotional and spiritual
level. It also makes you part of
something bigger than yourself, and bigger than just a race.” She is also considering
tackling a Half Ironman race this year in the USA and Ironman next year. “I
believe you have to keep challenging yourself!”
A year ago, Ludwick crossed the Comrades finish line first in
5:31:03, sparking huge celebrations in his
hometown. Then the news broke that his A sample had tested positive for
methylhexaneamine, and a while later confirmation came that his B sample was
also positive, which resulted in a huge knock to his reputation and a loss of lucrative
sponsorship deals. Now, a much-delayed
inquiry has found multiple irregularities in the testing process and cleared
Ludwick of all charges, and at the beginning of May he was finally
awarded his winner’s medal and trophy by the Comrades Marathon Association.
Now he says he now hopes for a better future
in the sport he loves. “It was a very low moment going through these
allegations,” says Ludwick. “I had to allow the law to take its course. Maybe
it was God’s will, but I knew of my innocence from the beginning. I won fairly.”
He adds that he knew he would have to fight for his name to be cleared: “I
walked a dark road, but I always felt that positive things would eventually
come.”
Cleared to
compete again, when asked if he fears being watched and doubted, Ludwick
remains positive. “People can judge. I know the truth and that I ran fairly,
doing what I love best. There is always hope after a storm and now I’m on top
of the world!” And for Ludwick, there is no better response than going into competition
harder than before.
NEED TO EDUCATE
Ludwick continues
to stand by his ‘work-hard-to-get-ahead’ philosophy and feels that the
drug-testing irregularities found in his case is a definite wake-up call for
South African athletes. “It’s an eye-opener to the procedures, and we need to
educate athletes,” he says. “And as athletes, we need to take responsibility.
We need to ask ASA what they’re doing. Some of the top athletes in this country
don’t know what’s happening when they cross that finish.” He uses a very
powerful image of a climber trying to climb Kilimanjaro without the tools to do
so, when describing the knowledge the average SA runner has: “One can be very
talented, but then one doesn’t know about the processes involved in testing,”
he says.
For an
athlete who has avoided alcohol and smoking throughout his career, the doping tests
were indeed a mountain to climb. While suspended and trying to clear his name,
the champ still turned to running to help him cope, despite the media circus over
the last few months. At home in his village in Ga-mamabolo, Polokwane,
Ludwick’s loving wife, Loreto, as well as his friends and the community all stood
by his side. “For months I could not provide for my family, so we took a knock,
but we survived,” he explains. “Running just made me happy at that point, and
it helped me get rid of my stress.”
That saw
him return to fulltime running late last year, and early in the New Year he came
back to
and joined Bedfordview Athletic Club. “They took me in as their son,” says
Ludwick. “I was lost and they accepted me, despite the dark cloud that followed
me. It gave me more strength after the criticism out there.”
COMRADES AND BEYOND
Now the
champs says the 2013 Comrades is his priority, and the Big C will always be his
main focus. “The race is a privilege for any athlete, it’s the nation’s and
world’s ultimate, and something every South African should honour.” He’s eyeing
another top finish this year and has spent a few weeks in
he is remaining tight-lipped about where he wants to be in the next few years,
simply putting it this way: “I’ll always be back and grow stronger!”
RULING SUMMARY
Here are
just a few of the points in the inquiry findings that saw the doping charges against
Ludwick dropped:
?
There
was an absence of control over the Doping Control Station (where samples were
taken), regarding who entered it and the reasons for athletes leaving and
returning.
?
The circumstances of the sample collection process were found to be such
as “to cause some doubt to be placed on whether or not the samples that were
tested were in fact those of Mr Mamabolo.”
?
The panel found a
“remarkable lack of concern for the need to record precisely what happened or
the rationale for the documentation and information required.”
?
Mr Mamabolo was described as “a patently honest witness.” By contrast,
the credibility of three SAIDS witnesses was called into question.
Vanessa’s competitive edge was challenged
when she was invited to run the Otter African Trail Marathon in 2011. She had always
wanted to hike the Otter Trail, so she jumped at the chance. “I had never run a
marathon before, only a half marathon, so I trained very hard and luckily had a
great coach… The ‘Sandman’ himself!” says Vanessa. “I cannot describe how much
I enjoyed the race. It was so tough, but it’s the most beautiful trail I have
ever run on, and 7:08 seemed like a very long time to me, but apparently it was
a great time.” And not many people can say they grabbed a 12th
position in their very first marathon.
BRAVERY TO BEAUTY
In Vanessa’s earlier years she says
she was painfully shy and a very awkward teenager. Her mother thought modelling
and finishing school would help Vanessa gain confidence, and by the age of 22
she had become a beauty queen, strutting her stuff at Sun City as a Miss South
Africa finalist. Thereafter, her modelling and acting career took off and she
travelled all over the world for work. “It was a very exciting time in my life.
I’ve always loved entertaining and it’s in my blood. I feel most comfortable in
front of the camera,” says Vanessa. “However, the film and television industry
is also a very difficult one, as the work comes and goes, and sometimes it can
be a little soul-destroying, as I’m sure all actors will agree with me. So I
wanted to be involved with something more positive and something I had more
control over. I believe what I put in, I will get out.”
That is why Vanessa chose to pursue
her sporting life as well in recent years. Growing up in Mpumulanga had a great
influence on her love for the outdoors and for sport, and she began to realise
that without sport, her life would be empty. Vanessa adds that Ryan was a major
catalyst to this “more serious” approach to sport. “I’m happy to say that I am
now a semi-professional mountain biker! Every facet of what I do is highly
rewarding. In this day and age, sport is more than likely the only thing that
unites people from all backgrounds. It knows no colour or creed, it promotes
health and wellbeing, it changes people’s lives for the good. Being outdoors
and active is my ‘church.’ It’s where I connect with our Maker, and I clear my
mind and revive my soul,” says Vanessa.
EPIC ADVENTURE
Vanessa recently participated in her
second ABSA Cape Epic mountain biking event alongside riding partner and TV
personality Dr Michael Moll. Their team name was The Doc-Ness Monsters and
Vanessa became widely known as ‘Epic-Ness.’ She completed the eight-day Epic in
2012, uncertain of what she had gotten herself into, but crossed the finish
line in good shape. This year she knew what to expect and made sure she was
even fitter than before, but on stage five she suffered an acute asthma attack
and was hospitalised when she got to the end of the stage. After being in ICU,
Vanessa got back on her bike the next day and completed the rest of the race.
“The Cape Epic is ALWAYS tough and
it can throw anything at you!” says Vanessa, who reckons she gets through tough
races by switching off from the pain and removing thoughts of failure. “I don’t
have a quit button, so not completing a race or training session is not an
option. There are varying levels of suffering that require different methods of
mind-control, though, so when things aren’t too bad I like to think happy
thoughts, like lying in a hammock on a tropical island, or repeating mantras to
myself about strength and resilience.” Vanessa also admits to having two pairs
of ‘lucky earrings’ that she likes to ride with, and she did the Epic with a
charm bracelet, one of the charms being an eye. “It’s the eye of God and He
watches over me. I’ll probably never run or ride without it again!”
VANESSA AND RYAN
Vanessa met Ryan at the Knysna
Oyster Festival via a mutual friend. “We have been together since that day, so
it probably was love at first sight!” She admits that Ryan has had a great
influence on her sporting career. “I have never met a human being who is as
focused and dedicated to his career. I cannot describe how hard he trains and
how much he puts into what he does. This has motivated me in every sphere of my
life and his passion for life and sport has influenced me greatly.”
She likes to support Ryan at his
races and says that she cries buckets of proud tears when he crosses the finish
line. They also recently teamed up for the four-leg Terra Firma race in the
Totalsports Challenge and were placed fourth in the mixed teams category. “We
are very supportive of each other personally and in our careers. We communicate
about everything and share our thoughts and fears when doing so.”
THE ROAD AHEAD
The Trans-Alps Challenge is still on
Vanessa’s bucket list, as well as the joBerg2C and Sani2C, but her priority for
now is to complete the Cape Epic in 2014 and thus gain membership to the
exclusive Amabubesi Club. The name means ‘pack of lions’ in Zulu, and you can
only belong to this club once you have completed the Epic three times. She is
also an avid golfer and enjoys water skiing, and add, “I wouldn’t mind giving
snowboarding a proper go, but there’s one problem: No snow in SA!”
Vanessa says sport has taught her
patience, tenacity and immense mental strength. “In sport, I live by Albert
Einstein’s quote: ‘Only those who attempt the absurd can achieve the
impossible.’”
?
Commit
to a sport or event.
?
Employ
a good coach under the recommendation of a friend or fellow athlete, and stick
to what he or she says – don’t cut corners!
?
Find
a good training partner or group, because it’s safer to train with someone and
the company is also great. Identify a mentor within that group or someone you
look up to and inspires you.
?
A
healthy balanced diet is essential when you’re training hard. You should try to
balance carbs, protein and fat, whether you’re training or not. You have to eat
before a training session or race, because your body needs the sustenance. Try
eat an hour or two before, though, as you don’t want a heavy tummy sensation
when exercising.
?
It’s
also important to find a supplement range that works for you.
The phrase ‘can’t be done’ simply does not feature in
the vocabulary of the dynamic Lee Wyser, founder of the Guts 2 Glory
Foundation. She is a winner of numerous national and provincial titles in body
building and fitness competitions, as well as an experienced runner and
triathlete, and for years she has been raising funds for athletes who require
prosthetic limbs or wheelchairs in order to participate in endurance sports or
body building. Her current goal is taking a group of disabled athletes to the
5945m summit of Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain on the African continent –
including a wheelchair athlete!
“My
sister Kimmy is brain damaged and I guess I have always had a passion for
disabled people. In high school a friend’s mother worked at St Giles Home and
when I had the time, I would help the disabled folk swim or play basketball and
other sports,” says Lee. “Then one Saturday, I got the shock of my life when my
youngest son Taylor injured himself on his quad bike at the beach. A life guard
phoned me and said he was taking my son to hospital with a suspected broken
back. On arriving at the hospital, I saw the look on my son’s face and for his
sake, I had to remain strong. I have never prayed so hard in my life, and made
a deal with God that if my son’s life was spared, I would dedicate my life to
disabled people. Today, Taylor is a healthy, active young sportsman – I call
him my miracle son – and I am carrying through on my end of the deal.”
Not
long after Taylor’s recovery began, Lee began running with Ntsikilelo Mdladla, a single-leg amputee
from Khayelitsha Athletics Club who lost his leg in a shack fire in 2007. They met
at the Gun Run race in Cape Town, where Ntsi had done the 10km on crutches. “On
that day I promised Ntsi that I would help him get a prosthetic leg and
hopefully make the 2012 Paralympics. That was the birth of the Guts 2 Glory
Foundation. Every weekend for two years, if we weren’t running races, we were
competing in body building competitions, and two years later Ntsi had a
prosthetic and a blade sponsored by Medi-Clinic. My dream is to raise funds for
disabled athletes and underprivileged athletes and help them to make their
dreams come true! I am truly blessed to be involved with all the athletes and
sponsors of Guts 2 Glory!”
NO LIMBITS, NO LIMITS!
Fast
forward to 2013 and Lee came up with the idea of taking a team of eight South
African disabled athletes up Kilimanjaro in February 2014, led by SA
Paralympian and single-leg amputee Heugene Murray. “The aim of our Ampt-a-manjaro
No limits Kilimanjaro Expedition is to break the limiting
belief that a disabled team could never conquer Mount Kilimanjaro, and through
this, we want to raise funds for other disabled and underprivileged athletes,”
says Lee. “Our
goal is to make this climb an annual event and provide 1000 amputee children
with prosthetics every year through the African Leg Project.”
Also part of the expedition to Tanzania will be
American triple amputee and Ironman finisher Rajesh Durbal, who not only agreed
to come out for the expedition, but also to run the Kilimanjaro Marathon a few
days after the climb and ride the Cape Argus Pick n Pay Cycle Tour once back in
SA, and then also do a fundraising and motivational tour of South Africa to
raise awareness of disabled sport. At the time of writing, the team was not yet
sure if all the climbers would be able to go for the palnned summitting on 27
February, in which case Lee says another expedition will be arranged for later
in the year. “We did think about postponing the whole trip until September, but
Rajesh had already booked his flights, accommodation race entires and
motivational talks, so we decided to go ahead now in February, even if just
Rajesh, our team captain Heugene and I climb, along with the camera team and
support crew. Then we will arrange a second expedition in September for the
rest of the group to go, because I promised them a trip to Kili in 2014, but
after that we definitely want to try make it an annual trip in February.”
To find out more about the Guts 2 Glory Foundation,
follow the team’s progress or pledge your support for their fundraising
efforts, visit www.guts2glory.co.za.
With a solid win in the Dis-Chem Half Marathon in
Johannesburg in January, to retain the title he won here in 2012, Elroy Gelant
has started the year in the form he hopes will allow him to compete with the
best at the World Half Marathon Champs in Copenhagen, on 29 March. Having
finished third at the SA Half Marathon Champs last September, the
Potchefstroom-based star is expected to be part of a strong SA team in Denmark
alongside Stephen Mokoka, Lusapho April and Gladwin Mzazi, and they’ll be aiming
to repeat the team gold medal that Hendrick Ramaala,
Abner Chipu and Mluleki Nobanda won for SA in 1999 in Palermo, Italy.
The win at Dis-Chem is actually
just the latest in a string of great results for Elroy over the past year. He recorded
a unique ‘double’ at the SA Cross Country Champs in Potch by winning both the
12km and 4km events, and made it to the final of the 5000m at the IAAF World
Champs in Moscow, finishing 12th. He also narrowly
missed Shadrack Hoff’s 18-year-old national 5000m record of 13:14.16, clocking
13:15.87, so once the World Half Champs are out of the way, his focus will
shift back to the track ahead of the Commonwealth Games in Scotland in late
July, and in the lead-up to Copenhagen he also aims to do well at the World
Indoor Champs from 7 to 9 March in Sopot, Poland.
Elroy says he appreciates the
competitive atmosphere on the different circuits and surfaces, and picks out
last year’s Track World Champs as his highlight thus far, running alongside the
likes of Olympic champion Mo Farah and former World Champ Bernard Lagat. “You can feel the tension and everyone looks so
focused. I just remind myself of my plans and I don’t worry about anyone else. God
provided me with a talent to achieve great heights, and athletics is my soul. I
can’t imagine life without it. Also, athletics has made me tough, disciplined
and a respectful person.”
SPORTING YOUTH
Elroy grew up in Pacaltsdorp, near George, and was
very active in his school days. “I was always the all-rounder. I played rugby
and cricket in school, and started cross country in Grade 3, going on to
represent the South Western Districts and winning a medal when I was only nine.”
At North West University in Potchefstroom, he initially specialised in the 800m
and 1500m, but his current coach, Jean Verster, and former SA middle distance
great Hezekiel Sepeng, helped him move up to the 3000m and 5000m, and he has
subsequently also excelled on the road. “I knew I could show what I’m capable
of in 10km and 21km after doing them for endurance training,” he says, “and
after Rio 2016, I plan to step up to marathons.”
Currently holding down a
full-time position at North West University as a Human Resource Assistant in
the Department of Human Capital and Client Services, Elroy still manages an
intense training programme while representing the Traumeel NWU-Pukke team in
all three running disciplines. “It’s not easy! I wake up at 4:30am every day to
train and get home by 6am to shower before work. After hours, I train again
before 5pm, and it’s tiring, but what keeps me motivated are the goals I
continually set myself.” Added to work and training, Elroy also has to fit in hitting
the books, as he’s currently registered for a Diploma in Sports Science, having
already completed his B.Com and Honours in Human Resource Management and Labour
Relations.
A typical day in the week sees
him doing a 15 to 18km run in the morning and afternoon for endurance, with two
days a week set aside for afternoon sets of eight 1000m bursts. Elroy also
focuses on tempo runs and hill sessions to work on his speed, while Sundays are
for long runs ranging from 20 to 25km. He is just as dedicated when it comes to
his diet: “We hit 120 to 160km a week, putting a big demand on our bodies, so it’s
important to get the right nutrition in order to thrive and recover.”
BIG GOALS FOR 2014
Elroy says he wants to make 2014
a successful and injury-free season, and is aiming for top-eight performances
at the World Indoor Champs and Commonwealth Games, and his long-term goal is to
get to the Rio Olympics in two years in the 5000m. Before the showpiece in
Brazil, he also wants to compete at next year’s World Cross Country Champs in
China. “My 12th position last year in Moscow is my stepping stone to
Rio, and I want to make the country proud!”
(Strap) FEATURE
Ask Gill about about 2013 and she answers quite
frankly: “I’m not one for excuses, but I did not realise how much 2012 and the
lead up to the Olympics took out of me. There were still some good results –
African Champ, European Cup podium, top 10 in Yokohama – however, I expected so
much more of myself,” says Gill. “I do take great heart, or maybe relief, in
scrolling through the London 2012 results and noticing that it was not just me
who failed to make an impact on the circuit last year. I think people
underestimate how much an Olympic year takes out of you and the difficulty in
coming back the following year from such a high. However, it has made me hungry
again. While I felt deflated at the end of last season, I feel ‘uber-motivated’
now! I can’t wait for the 2014 season and to express my full potential.”
NATURAL ATHLETE
Gill (32) grew up in Pietemaritzburg and soon proved a
gifted runner and swimmer, in keeping with the family trend. Her father,
Kenneth Curr, had run the marathon for SA in the SA Games in the 1970s, then gone
on to ultra-marathons and competed at numerous World Triathlon Championships,
while her mother Margaret earned SA colours for the 100m, 200m and 400m. Older
sister Rowena was also a talented triathlete, so it was no surprise that Gill
also got into multi-sport at the tender age of nine, and when she was just 13,
she finished fifth in the 13-15 age group at the 1995 World Tri Champs in
Mexico, going on to represent her country many more times.
After school, Gill moved to Stellenbosch University for
five years to study law, and while there she met her future husband, Mark, a
cricketer at the time and also originally from KZN. Having completed her
studies, she moved back to Pietermaritzburg and subsequently became the youngest
female lawyer to appear in the High Court in South Africa. Then the opportunity
arose to go work in London, and it was here that Gill found herself racing on
the elite ITU circuit. However, balancing a demanding legal career with tri
training and competition was proving too much, so at the end of 2010 she
decided to put her legal career on hold in order to turn pro.
OLYMPIC HIGHLIGHT
The move paid off handsomely when Gill was selected to
represent SA in London, and she says the Olympics have definitely been the
highlight of her career thus far. “I finished 19th out of 55 girls,
and I was really pleased with that, as I had only been racing for 18 months as
a full-time athlete.” Looking ahead, she says the long-term goal is getting to
the Rio 2016 Games, but for now she is building up to the Commonwealth Games in
August while also focusing on getting more great results on the ITU circuit.
“I’ll be 34 come the next Olympics, so I’ll probably
have to think of packing it in after that, but I might as well make the most of
it while I can! When I do retire, I have the option to return to law, but I
think I’d like to give back to the sport a bit before I do that, somehow get
involved in triathlon to help other athletes, and see where that goes.”
RUNNING FUTURE?
Gill is also considering a switch back to road running
once she retires from triathlon. “I haven’t run many flat road races for a
while, but I’m capable of a low 34 for 10 kays off the bike, so I’d like to
think I can run a low 33 straight. I love running, it’s my favourite discipline
of the three, and I think that’s where I will end up. But for now I get to do
what I love, which is swimming, cycling and running, competing in triathlons at
the highest level while travelling to the most awesome cities all over the
world. I’ve got this short window, just a couple of years in my life to do it,
and I’m just loving it.”