Category: Features

We arrived in Iznik on an overcast Saturday afternoon,
reeking of the scented hand-cleaner that Turkish minibus crews dispense to all
passengers. We had not planned to run here – we only learnt of the race after
making our travel arrangements – but for runners who travel, costly changes to
flights and hotel bookings are a small price to pay to race through one of the
world’s most historic towns. Iznik was originally known as Nicea, and was
renamed when it was captured by the Muslim Seljuks in 1075. As Nicea, Iznik was
an important centre of the Christian Byzantine Empire, and was described as the
third Holy City of Christendom. Iznik was also the capital of the young Ottoman
Empire, and produced the world’s most coveted ceramics during the 16^th
and 17^th centuries.

 

And so we arrived as participants in the two-day
festival of running comprising four events, three starting together: The 130km
Iznik Ultra run around the beautiful lake, the 80km Orhangazi Ultra halfway around the lake, and the tough 42km Mountain
Marathon, which climbs over a thousand metres. For lesser runners like me,
there is a 10km run through the town, held the following day.

 

Early the next morning, I headed to the town centre
where the longer events start and finish. Only the four race helpers were there
to watch as a lone runner emerged from the dawn mist. A smile flitted briefly
over her weathered face as she crossed the finish line, then she disappeared…
a most understated ending for someone who had just spent 23 hours running 130km.
But then this was Bakiye Duran, Turkey’s female ultra pioneer, whose recently
published biography is aptly entitled Courage
is Solitary.

 

NOISY START

Later, Debbie and I wandered up to the start of the 10km,
the town centre was thumping and a joyfully raucous marching band threaded
through the milling spectators. It came to a halt behind the field of nearly
300 runners from 17 nations waiting to begin. Above the buzzing din, a chanted
countdown began, indicating the seconds: “iki…
bir… sıfır!”… and the stampede began! We started near the back, as we
always do, and Debbie soon allowed me to drift ahead. A woman looking like an
advert from a running magazine gear section kept pace in my vicinity, and she
glanced so frequently at the large contraption on her wrist that she failed to
notice the huge banner warning of the steps leading down past the 14^th
century Green Mosque. Narrowly averting
disaster and recovering her stride with great aplomb, she consulted her wrist
contraption less frequently as we ran past the Iznik Archaeological Museum.

 

In the side streets, local farmers waited patiently
astride their muddy tractors for the runners to pass. I suspect they were
enjoying the distinctly un-Turkish spectacle of semi-naked people running in
public. Cutting through the town walls at the Yenisehir Gate, a short stretch
of gravel road brought us to the lakefront road leading to the turnaround near
the halfway mark. We passed the palace of Constantine the Great, where the Nicene Creed, core of the most widely
shared Christian orthodoxy, was drawn up in 325 AD, and when I swung round the
turn, I saw Debbie was not too far behind, looking good (as always).

 

NOISIER FINISH

We headed back down the lakefront, took a final left
turn past the deserted gardens of the Talya Caf?, and cruised comfortably up a
gentle tree-lined incline to the finish in the centre of town. The marching
band formed a guard of honour for the runners and
the crowd completed the carnival atmosphere. Although the band greeted all female
finishers with heightened gusto, Debbie received a particularly ear-shattering
welcome. Only later did we understand the reason for this: She had finished
first in her age category.

 

At noon we joined the fun of the marvellously
colourful prize-giving, including a stirring performance of sword and shield
dancing. Back at our hotel the manager was standing at the front door. “Number
One!” he said, greeting Debbie with a cheerful smile. Later, at the restaurant
opposite the Aya Sophia, the waiter looked at her… “Number One!” he beamed,
throwing in free cups of Turkish coffee. When we checked out the next morning,
a warm sun was lifting the morning mist. We’ll have to come back, I thought, as
the taxi went over a bump in the road, and, next to me, Number One’s medals
jingled softly in her bag.

Run in Iznik

The event is held in late April, an ideal time to
visit Turkey, and Iznik is easily reached from Istanbul by ferry, across the
Sea of Marmara. Go to www.iznikultra.com for more info.

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.

Over the years there have been other
expeditions that have set out to navigate the length of the Orange River. There
have been plastic kayaks, racing kayaks and even a swimming relay that took on
the river for a couple of days at a time. A major river in South Africa, the
Orange regularly welcomes kayaks and rafts on commercially-operated sections, but
to navigate the length of the river, in the water, by river board, and to do it
alone? Ray is embarking on an adventurous first, titled ‘The Plastics SA Nampak Rigid Plastics Orange River Project.’

 

RIVER
WHAT?

River boarding is an in-the-water
discipline where the athlete lies on a buoyant board to travel down a river. This
isn’t an ordinary boogie-board, though. Ray’s specialised river craft is moulded
from hard plastic by the Parys-based kayak design and manufacturing company,
Fluid. This river board, called a Fluid Anvil, has Ray positioned so that his
forearms, elbows and chest rest on the board while his feet – wearing fins –
kick for propulsion and steering.

 

The river board offers limited
protection from rocky collisions in rapids, which is why a full-face helmet and
knee pads are crucial. Although Ray will portage the Gariep and Van Der Kloof
Dam walls and the major waterfalls at Augrabies Falls, Twin Falls and Richie
Falls, the rest of the time he’ll be in the water moving through rapids and
flat-water sections alike on the river board.

 

LET
THE FUN BEGIN!

Ray’s journey started on 6 April from
the Mnweni Valley in the Central Drakensberg. For the first 80km, the river is
impossible to navigate, but Ray kept to his source-to-sea objective by carrying
the river board from the start. He’s also carrying a waterproof backpack loaded
with clothing, first aid supplies, food, camping equipment and river boarding
gear. On top of this, he has to strap on his river board and helmet. The river
board alone weighs in at a little under 10 kilograms, so he set off with about 40kg
on his back.

 

A hiking trail took Ray into the valley
and to the top of the Mnweni Pass and into Lesotho. Here, at 3 000m above sea
level, lies the source of the Orange River, an open expanse of marsh and small
streams that first join to become the Senqu River, then later the Orange River.
Hiking parallel to the stream, it took him a week to cover the 80km to the
first main settlement, the village of Mokhotlong in Lesotho, where he restocked
his food supplies and then got into the river for the first time.

 

Ray’s biggest concerns are infection,
skin conditions and drowning. He’ll be in the water during daylight hours –
that’s a good 10 hours a day – and along much of the 2 300km distance, the
water quality is questionable. “Each day I’ll spend an hour out of the water at
lunchtime to dry out and at the end of the day I’ve got antiseptic soap to
scrub down. I’ll have one day a week not in the water to thoroughly dry my skin
and disinfect,” Ray explains.

 

Ray has been training for months on the
Palmiet, Molenaars, Dwars and Liesbeek rivers in Cape Town, at both high and low volume. “Thanks
to the patience and generosity of members of the Cape White Water Club, I had
an incredibly steep learning curve last year,” he says. He also trained at Wadi
Adventure, a white water park in Abu Dhabi, to hone his skills in swift-moving
water.

 

UNFANTASTIC
PLASTIC

Ironically, Ray’s specialised river board
is plastic and it was this same material that sparked the idea for this
expedition. “During my time on the Dwars River last year, high up near the
watershed, I was horrified by the amount of plastic waste in the water and
hanging from vegetation on the riverbank after flooding. Litter and waste from
people starts off on land, ends up in rivers and is pushed into the sea,” he
says. “I became very ill from this trip as a result of the water pollution.”

 

The water samples that Ray will take
every 100km along the river during his trip will be analysed for pathogens and
contaminants. On his rest days, he will lead clean-up activities, encouraging
the participation of children and adults from communities along the river.

 

FOLLOW RAY ONLINE

 

WEBSITE:
www.RayChaplin.com

FACEBOOK:
www.facebook.com/RayChaplin

TWITTER:
www.twitter.com/RayChaplin

LIVE TRACKING:
https://share.delorme.com/RayChaplin

You’re probably
not sucking on sugar cubes during the day, but you might be consuming more than your fair share of sugary cereals,
sodas or ice cream. Added sugar is what we call an empty calorie. Sure, with
foods like honey and molasses, you get a few other nutrients, but
calorie-for-calorie, sugar is just carbohydrate. If it’s consumed in excess, it
can actually rob the body of the nutrients required to process it. Excess added
sugar can also send your blood glucose levels sky-high – then insulin shoots up
to clear out the glucose, sending you into a hypoglycaemic state, which can
eventually lead to insulin-resistance.

 

NON-NUTRITIVE
SWEETENERS

For those who
want to (or must) limit their sugar intake, there are extensive sugar
substitutes on the market, but we’re faced with so many names and terms, so
making the right choice becomes difficult. Sugar substitutes
are loosely considered to be any sweetener that you use instead of regular
table sugar (sucrose). They are anywhere from 30 to 1000 times sweeter than
sugar, and as a result, they have much fewer calories than foods made with
table sugar.

 

The benefits of artificial sweeteners are:

?      
They are non-nutritive — they have
virtually no calories. In contrast, each gram of regular table sugar contains 4
calories.

?      
They don’t contribute to tooth decay
and cavities.

?      
They may be a good alternative to
sugar if you have diabetes, as they don’t raise blood sugar levels. (However, because
of concerns about how sugar substitutes are labelled and categorised, first check
with your doctor or dietician about using any sugar substitutes.)

 

POSSIBLE HEALTH CONCERNS

Critics of artificial
sweeteners say that they cause a variety of health problems, including cancer.
That’s largely because of studies dating back to the 1970s that linked
saccharin to bladder cancer in lab rats. As a result, saccharin once carried a
health warning label, but according to the National Cancer Institute and other
health agencies, there’s no sound scientific evidence that any of the
artificial sweeteners approved for use in South Africa cause cancer or other
serious health problems, and the warning label was dropped.

 

Some people can be sensitive to sweeteners and experience symptoms such
as headaches, bloating or an upset stomach. The only people for whom it is a
medical problem are those with the genetic condition known as phenylketonuria
(PKU), a disorder of amino acid metabolism. They need to keep the levels of
phenylalanine in the blood low to prevent neurological, behavioural and
dermatological problems.

 

THE BOTTOM
LINE

Sugar in moderation can safely be part of a healthy diet and there is no
evidence that added sugar needs to be removed from one’s diet completely. For
people who are trying to control their weight or blood glucose levels, using
artificial sweeteners can be an effective way to achieve this, but remember
that there is an acceptable daily intake limit worked out per kilogram of body
weight. As a general rule, this limits all non-nutritive sweeteners to less than
8 pills or 4 sachets per day.

 

Regardless of which
sugar substitute you use, it is best to curb your sweet tooth. Most of us can
no longer perceive the natural sweetness in foods such as almonds or snap peas
because we bombard the sweet receptors of the tongue with high-intensity
sweetness and overwhelm that natural ability. By cutting down on sweets, you
can discover a new dimension to the natural flavours in many of your favourite
foods.

There we were at the Cape Point
Lighthouse on Friday 29 March, six runners dressed up in pink outfits more akin
to a gay pride parade as Japanese tourists snapped away with their cameras. The
six were Charles ‘Zoog’ Haynes, Alana ‘Doylie’ Doyle, Robert ‘Brundle’ le Brun,
Guy Allen, Alister ‘Dream’ Wilder and myself. We ran along the Puffer Route
over Table Mountain to the bottom of Platteklip Gorge, and from there made our
way back along the contour path to Newlands. We got back to my house at 2:35am
– 15 hours, 35 minutes and 70km later, according to the one Garmin we had
between us – having been joined by more than 10 other runners along the way,
and seconded by still more.

 

Less
than four hours later, four of us lined up for the start of the Two Oceans ultra,
and all went on to complete an epic 126km journey. Unfortunately, Alister
twisted his ankle badly late on the first day and took no further part, and
Zoog did the entire Puffer section like a champion, despite an injury, and thus
did not start Oceans, but the rest of us did it, with Brundle just making the
final seven-hour cut-off by a few minutes. His raw emotion will be etched in my
heart forever. A moment to savour for life!

 

CRAZY
PINK GANG

This was the Lettie Run 2013,
inspired by fellow runner Lettie Haynes, who last year went through a tough
battle with breast cancer, supported all the way by husband Zoog. She seems to
have won that battle, but she could not have done it on her own, and I think
the group photos of the Lettie Run capture the essence of what inspired us to
do it, and what enabled Lettie to beat a really nasty illness. It sums up the
spirit in which two very special friends of ours tackled a really tough thing
together. It’s amazing how far a sense of humour and a truckload of love and
dignity will take you.

 

That why we decided to support the
Pink Drive with this run, hence the pink outfits, and it was epic the way we gathered
troops as we ran, like Forrest Gump! Also, thanks to a Brundle-inspired rule, every
FH (Fire Hydrant) sign painted on the road meant “Free Hug” and
everyone piled in! It was pretty sweaty in there, but it reminded us regularly
not to take ourselves or the run too seriously! And I’m sure it provided some
form of entertainment to any passers-by!

 

SECONDING
CHAMPS

But it’s our support crew that truly
show the essence of Lettie Run, and all the other events that we are part of, which
simply would not happen without people who selflessly give of themselves. This
is why Jamo made event stickers for his car, why Brundle’s old man, Stanley, gave
up his entire public holiday to support his special son, why Bryony made
nothing seem like too much trouble, and why Lettie flew down with Zoog from
Durban to give her support and inspiration as the person who has brought us all
together. And there were more people who chipped in. Big or small, it made a
difference to us, and we salute you all.

 

This run was truly magical. Where
there is heart, incredible things happen. It will live in us forever, and
hopefully will inspire us and many more people to do many more great things,
Lettie Run 2014 being one!

FIRST-TIME WINNER

Former SA Marathon Champion David Gatebe beat a highly competitive field
to take the coveted men’s title, crossing the line in 3:08:54. Gatebe, who is a
sporting officer at the Implats Mine in Rustenburg, said the strong winds did
not play a major role in his run. “I decided to pull away from the other runners
after about 34km and managed to keep ahead. It’s a great feeling to win and I
am very happy.” Second place went to local Nedbank runner Mthandazo Qhina (3:10:02),
while Moeketsi Mosuhli (3:10:23) from Lesotho claimed third place.

 

For the first time since 2007, the Russian twins, Elena and
Olesya Nurgalieva, could not achieve a win. In fact, neither even made the top
three this year, citing flu suffered just three weeks before the race as the reason
for their relatively poor performance, by their normally lofty standards.
Instead it was their countrywoman Natalia Volgina, winner here in 2002, who
came home first in 3:38:38, just over a minute ahead of second-placed Thabita
Tsatsa from Zimbabwe.
Third went to an elated and fresh-looking Charne Bosman, the highest-placed
South African, who has won the Two Oceans Half Marathon three times as well as
three SA Marathon titles. She only recently stepped up to ultras and appears to
have found a new niche for herself.

 

In the half
marathon, both the men’s and women’s winners set new course records, despite
the windy conditions. Stephen Mokoka won the men’s race in a time 1:03:36,
beating two-time defending champion Lusapho April and Joel Mmone in an exciting
sprint finish. In the women’s race, Ethiopian Biru Meseret Mengista stormed to
victory in a time of 1:12:43, shaving more than two minutes off the course
record set last year by Rene Kalmer, who managed to take second place, while
third went to Irvette van Blerk.

 

MASSIVE INCENTIVE FOR 2014

The day
before the 2013 Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon, at the pre-race media briefing,
the big news broke about an upcoming cash incentive to be offered by the race’s
title sponsor, Old Mutual. In 2014, a cash prize of R1 million will be up for
grabs for the winning man and woman if they break the ultra-marathon course
record. Currently, the records belong to the late Thompson Magawana (3:03:44)
and Frith van der Merwe (3:30:36), and these were admittedly set on the old,
supposedly easier course that finished at Brookside inside of up the hill at
UCT, but there are sure to be fireworks in next year’s race as the top men and
women chase after a lucrative payday!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mthandazo Qhina and Joel
Mmone will both remember the 2013 Old mutual Two Oceans with bittersweet
memories. Mthandazo thought he had won the ultra, as he never saw the front
runner, but then found he had in fact finished second, while Joel started his
sprint too early in the half marathon after mistaking the wrong banner for the
finish line.

 

ULTRA GLORY

When eventual ultra winner David
Gatebe broke away after 32km, Coolboy Ngamole followed. Mthandazo was in the
chasing pack that managed to catch Coolboy, but he did not realise that David
was still out in front! So, at the top of Constantia Nek, David had a lead of
four minutes, but eventually only beat Mthandazo by 1 minute 8 seconds, 3:08:54
to 3:10:02.

 

Mthandazo says he felt strong
throughout the race – even that Chapman’s Peak and Constantia Nek felt flat! –
and his mentor, Henning Ludeke, adds that his athlete really looked good in the
closing stages. “Mthandazo was substantially stronger over the last 10km, and
if he had realised earlier that their bus was in second place, he might have
caught David.” As it turned out, Mthandazo surged at Kirstenbosch, with four
kays to go, expecting to cross the line in first place. When he realised he was
second, he says he felt a bit confused and disappointed at first, but
considering his achievement, Henning says has been smiling since.

 

TOUGH START

Mthandazo (35) grew up in a rural
area near Qunu in the Eastern Cape. He ran middle distances in primary school,
but his father had him shepherding cows and sheep instead of attending high
school. He left for Cape Town, where he sold snacks on the Cape Metro trains
before finding work in the mines in Jo’burg. However, he became afraid that
working underground might affect his respiratory system and did some casual
work instead.

 

At this stage (2007) he became
homeless, but Elias Sello, a friend and runner, gave him accommodation.
Mthandazo entered a few races and was immediately hooked, going on to finish his
first marathon in a time of 2:46:47. Since 2008 he has done
most of his training and racing in Cape Town and has won numerous races. His
PBs include 30:01 for 10km and a 6:21 at Comrades. Mthandazo is the current Western
Province half marathon champion and has run four Two Oceans Marathons. He has improved
from a 78th position (3:40) in 2010 to a 6th position (3:11) last year and a
second placing this year.

 

GUIDING HAND

Henning has played a supportive role
in Mthandazo’s career since November 2011. “He is a very strong-willed character, disciplined and a hard worker, and
had made a lot of natural progress on his own before we met. We are
close friends that share a passion for running. My main role is to find ways of
introducing small but incremental improvements in his training, as well as help
him navigate career decisions. Being part of the Nedbank Green Dream Team has
also helped Mthandazo focus more on his running and less on making a living
from running,” says Henning.

 

The next big step is Comrades. “As a novice he stood a good chance for a gold medal in
2012. Unfortunately, he cramped up just before Sherwood, where he was then attacked
by a deranged man on the side of the road!” says Henning. “He is currently in
peak shape and we have enough time to recover and prepare properly for a spot
on the podium. His dream is to win Comrades and then race overseas.”

 

HALF
MARATHON GLORY

In the half, Joel Mmone believed he
had a chance at a second place, but mistimed his final sprint. “When I realised
it wasn’t the finish line, my legs were done and the actual finish seemed very
far,” he Joel, who crossed the line third in 1:03:45, just five seconds behind
second-placed Lusapho April. Apart from this, Joel says he had a great race,
adding that the pace was relaxed until Lusapho took the lead at the 12km mark.
“After that the pace was hard, 2:55 minutes per kilometre, and at 19km my legs
started tiring.”

 

Although he was a bit disappointed that
he sprinted too early, Joel is still happy with his performance, and will
continue to stick to the shorter distances under the watchful eye of coach Pio
Mpolokeng. With a half marathon PB of 1:03:05 and a second place finish at last
year’s Two Oceans, Joel is hoping to claim top spot on the podium next year.
“Winning Two Oceans is my big dream,” says Joel, who has
been part of the Nedbank Running Club since the age of 16.

AJ SPIERINGSHOEK

Nickname: SeaBiscuit

Age: 26

Self-given Unogwaja Title: Coach

 

About me: I am a Maths
and IT teacher from Cape Town. My chosen sport is running because I have long
legs and it’s an amazing characteristic given to me by God! I love running and
am a RedSocker for life. The treatiest thing about me is that I talk a lot and
I am very sociable. The words I live by are “Your life is your message to the
world. Make it inspiring.” (Lorrin L. Lee) and “It’s hard to beat someone that
never gives up.”

 

Goals:

?        
To complete the Unogwaja Challenge in 2013.

?        
To obtain a 100% pass for my Grade 9 register class.

?        
To inspire and motivate people to pursue their dreams.

 

Charity I support: Wildlands –
SMS race 678 to 42030 to donate R30
to AJ’s cause.

 

GRANT MATKOVICH

Nickname: Grant
(Creative, I know)

Age: 33

Self-given Unogwaja Title: A ‘mere’
Unogwaja

 

About me: I am a
chiropractor in private practice from Durban. My main sports are running,
cycling and swimming because endurance sport allows me to eat anything I want!
I have learnt to take life in my stride with a smile, and I try to have a balanced
life. The words I live by are “Not all of us can do great things, but we can do
small things with great love.” (Mother Teresa) and “Is what you’re doing today
getting you closer to where you want to be tomorrow?”

 

Goals:

?        
To complete the Hillcrest Marathon in a time of sub-3:20.

?        
To survive, enjoy and get inspired by finishing the
Unogwaja Challenge 2013.

?        
To finish Comrades and get my green number!

?        
To complete Ironman in 2014.

 

Charity I support: The
Community Chest – SMS race 655 to
42030 to donate R30 to Grant’s cause.

 

ANDREW KING

Nickname: GI (Gee Eye)

Age: 34

Self-given Unogwaja Title: Vice
Captain

 

About me: I am a
documentary filmmaker from Durban. My main sport is adventure racing because I
take comfort in knowing my body and how far I can push it. I am an ordinary
person determined to make an extraordinary difference in my own life, and
thereby hopefully inspire others. The treatiest thing about me is I am
stubborn! I will not pack it in until I achieve the goal I set out for myself.
The words I live by are “Life is too short to do something you don’t enjoy” and
“Health, mobility and vitality are not gifts to be squandered on the couch.”

 

Goals:

?        
To inspire.

?        
To maximise.

?        
To push boundaries.

?        
To tear down society’s preconceived limitations.

?        
To laugh.

 

Charity I support: The Community Chest – SMS race 680 to 42030 to donate R30 to
David’s cause.

MICHELLE VAN ZYL

Nickname: MichI

Age: 31

Self-given Unogwaja Title: NewBee

 

About me: I work at
my family’s business in Johannesburg. My main sports are swimming, cycling,
running and water-skiing, because they makes me feel so alive and that
anything’s possible. I love laughing, sport and holidays at the sea, and I
can’t go a day without tea and chocolate. The treatiest thing about me is that
I am always keen for a new adventure. Thewords I live by are “There is no
passion to be found in settling for a life that is less than the one you are
capable of living.” (Nelson Mandela) and “There is always time to drink
champagne and dance on the table!”

 

Goals:

?        
Unogwaja Challenge 2013.

?        
Comrades Marathon.

 

Charity I support: Starfish –
SMS race 718 to 42020 to donate R30
to Michelle’s cause.

 

1. Make oats your
best friend! Eating a cup of oatmeal (no instant) in the morning will
prevent you from gorging in the afternoon. Try to add a few drops of vanilla
essence instead of sugar or honey.

 

2. Make a list: Do your
grocery shopping with a list and a time limit – that way, you’re less likely to
stray into the processed foods section.

 

3. Don’t confuse
thirst with hunger. Drink a glass of water when you feel hungry
to see if that’s what you’re really craving.

 

4. Take a brisk walk
before lunch or dinner. Not only will you get in some exercise,
you’re less likely to choose something unhealthy after a little exercise.

 

5. Add red pepper
flakes to your pantry. When eaten early in the day, red pepper
lowers the amount of food you’ll eat later. Try adding it to some scrambled egg
or an omelette filled with vegetables.

 

6. Use a dash of
cinnamon: It
gives fruits such as apples and melons a richer dessert feel without having to
add sugar.

 

7. Small changes work
wonders:
If you’re having trouble getting started, make a small change such as starting
a food diary or buying new running shoes. You’re three times more likely to
follow through if you start with small gestures.

 

8. Beware
“fat-free” or “zero trans-fats” foods, as you
could be trading fats for large amounts of sugar or sodium.

 

9. Chew
gum:
Sugarless chewing gum can suppress your appetite in a pinch.

 

10. Dump
the junk food. If you want to avoid temptation, make sure you clean
out the fridge and the pantry.

 

11. Eat a
snack before a party. Arriving with an empty stomach is a recipe
for disaster!

 

12. Have a
Plan B:
Create a shorter training route for days when you’re busy and pressed for time.
It’s far better than doing nothing at all.

 

13. Read
first!
Make sure you check food labels and avoid anything with more than 4g of sugar,
especially high-fructose corn syrup, per serving.

 

14. Team
up:
If you’re trying to lose weight with your significant other, pack each other’s
lunches. The lunchbox surprises will keep the both of you motivated.

 

15. Start
healthy:
If you’re eating out, make salad the appetizer. Most starters are fried and
come with unhealthy dips or sauces.

 

16. Round
up support: Share your weight-loss goals with your friends and
family, make it a positive life change and ask for their encouragement.

 

17. Dress
sense:
Store-bought or restaurant salad dressings can be packed with calories. Make
your own vinaigrette and store it in a small spray bottle to coat your greens
without over-dressing them.

 

18. Wrap
it up:
Before you sit down to a meal, wrap up any extra food so you’re not tempted to
get seconds.

 

19.
Schedule your treats. Establish regular times when you get to indulge
in your favourite food. Once you’re conditioned to eat your treat at those
times – and those times only – you’ll stop obsessing about them.

 

20. Do it
yourself:
Cooking meals at home allows you to control both portion size and what goes into
the food. Restaurant and packaged foods generally contain a lot more sodium,
fat and calories, plus the portion sizes tend to be larger.

 

 

(Sidebar)

(Header) Healthy Recipes to Try

 

CAULIFLOWER RICE

 

Ingredients (serves 4)

?        
500g cauliflower (1
medium head)

?        
1 tablespoon olive
oil

?        
1 clove garlic,
crushed

?        
2 shallots (or yellow
onion), thinly sliced

?        
1 tablespoon soy
sauce (optional)

?        
Salt and pepper

?        
1 small bunch of flat
leaf parsley

 

Method

1.     Process the cauliflower, including the core in a food processor (or
grate) until crumbly.

2.     Heat oil in a large frying pan until hot, saut? garlic and shallots
until tender. Add cauliflower and cook, stirring until golden brown.

3.     Chop the parsley and mix it in with the cauliflower.

4.     Add soy sauce (optional) and salt and pepper (to taste), then serve.

 

EASY HERB VINAIGRETTE

 

Ingredients

9 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 ? tablespoons wildflower honey

? teaspoon fine sea salt

1 cup canola oil

3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

3 tablespoons minced fresh chives

 

Preparation

Combine the first three ingredients in a medium bowl.
Slowly whisk in oil until combined. Stir in basil and chives. Store it in an
airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.

With five full Ironman SA medals to
his name, as well as another four from around the world, plus 11 half Ironmans,
Kyle Buckingham says he can’t wait to show what he can do on the pro triathlon
circuit in 2014, but he is also keeping his feet on the ground. “January’s 70.3
in South Africa will be my first race as a pro, but I don’t want to put pressure
on myself, because I want to race and stick to my own plans. It’s very
exciting, though! I’m also getting married in Durban after the Ironman SA in
April, so there’s so much to look forward to – especially the short break from
training after the wedding! I don’t get a lot of those!”

 

ROAD TO TRI

Kyle only took up triathlon at the
age of 25, having never participated in endurance sports. “I surfed a lot
growing up in Port Elizabeth, but that never flourished professionally. Then when
I moved to London to work as an electrician, I got into triathlon. I had watched
Raynard at the 2008 Ironman South Africa, and when my housemate started
triathlon training, I thought why not?”

 

So Kyle bought a bike and began his
triathlon journey, but he had to contend with cold weather on top of long
working hours. “I started by training four to five hours inside my flat, mostly
on my treadmill and bike. Being in the UK was hard because the weather was
really cold, dark and snowy. Also, I’d only start training in the evenings from
about 6 o’clock, after eight hours of manual labour, but I knew that I wanted
to pursue it!”

 

Thanks to natural talent, he made
good progress, and so in 2009 he took on his first full Ironman in SA and
finished 66^th overall in 10:29. A year later he improved his time on
local soil to 9:24 after starting a training programme with SA Ironman legend Raynard
Tissink. Kyle then went back to Europe to compete in several Half Ironmans, and
in 2011 he was back, chasing a top-10 finish at Ironman SA. Unfortunately, that
race didn’t go to plan, largely due to flat tyres on the bike leg, but he
bounced back in 2012 to finish 13th (one position in front of Raynard). His
next outing at Las Vegas 70.3 saw him bail due to illness, but a month later he
grabbed seventh in his age-group in Kona after taking a month off work to live
and train in Hawaii’s hot, humid conditions.

 

BREAKING RECORDS

Having moved back to SA at the end of
2012, Kyle entered his first 70.3 in South Africa and says things just clicked
for him. Always a competitor on the hills, he put everything into his bike leg
before running to a seventh overall finish, and first South African, in 4:17. He
also broke his age-group course record by 12 minutes and was the first amateur home
in a strong field! He then focused on fitting in six sessions each per week of
running, cycling and swimming, while also working on core strength in the gym,
to prepare for Ironman SA, and he did his fine-tuning by finishing ninth
overall in the Abu Dhabi International Triathlon.

 

Then it was back to PE for Ironman
SA, and in Kyle’s own words, “Everything went according to plan, despite a hard
last 4km on the run where I had to remind myself how much I wanted a good
finish,” He came home in an amazing seventh overall, the first South African
and first amateur over the line, and qualified for Kona in his age group, and
Hawaii would prove to be yet another highlight on his journey to turning pro.

 

Unsurprisingly, Kyle’s choice of
favourite event is not hard to guess. “I put down Ironman South African as my
favourite, because of the crowd support and vibe,” he says. “My family, my
sister and brother as well as my fianc? Lauren also make a plan to be there, so
it’s very special for me. Doing so well in 2013 was a great feeling and having
the family and Raynard at the finish was even better. I went from that to Kona
with a new confidence! Now I want to push on in 2014.”