Category: Features

(Strap) MY GOAL

The
Great Wall of China is one of the man-made wonders of the world and a
world-renowned tourist destination, and each May it plays host to the Great
Wall Marathon, of which half the distance is run on the Wall itself, including
over 5100 steps! However, that is just a small ‘tourist section’ of the Wall,
which stretches for over 4200km across China – and only two runners are known
to have ever run the full length. That was back in 2006, and it was done by
SA’s David Grier and Braam Malherbe.

 

Now
another South African, 40-year-old former fashion designer and creative
director Alister ‘Dream Wilder’ Koeresies, plans to run on the Wall in an
effort to raise funds to pay for school sport and playground facilities and
equipment, as well as computers, for the underprivileged kids of the
Masiphumelele township near Fish Hoek in Cape Town. “I’ve been training for a
year for this trip, doing up to 60km a day, so mentally and physically I feel I
am ready,” says Alister. “Now I’m busy lining up my support crew, because I
will need some ‘crazies’ to go with me!”

 

RUNNING ROOTS

Alister
was a talented middle-distance runner at school, later moving up to long
distances and running the Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon in 1996, clocking an
impressive 4:36:57. He ran it again in 1999, but then took an extended break
from running. “I started again in 2011, ran another Oceans, then decided last
year to run a marathon every few weeks for five months in order to raise money
for the kids. It was the first time I had done anything like that… before that
I had been a business executive, but having separated from my life partner, I
decided to refresh myself, because I felt I had become stagnant.”

 

And
so, from April to August, Alister ran the Two Oceans, then based himself in the
UK to run the London Marathon, Cork Marathon (Ireland), Defi Mountain Marathon (Switzerland),
Midnight Sun Marathon (Norway), Stockholm Marathon (Sweden), Davos
Ultra-marathon (79.4km, Switzerland) and the Poeti Cinque Terra Marathon (47km,
Italy). “Some I ran unofficially as charity runs, but others I took seriously,
including finishing eighth at Defi and 13^th in the Cinque Terra. It
was a really taxing experience, because I hitchhiked and ran to get to many of
the races, but I raised about R40 000 in sponsored gear donations for the kids.”

 

APPETITE WHETTED

Next
Alister decided it was time to pursue one of his all-time ambitions, to visit
the Great Wall of China, and what better way than on the run? “I’ve always been
fascinated by Eastern philosophy, and when I went to Hong Kong at age 22, my
interest was piqued by a silk robe I saw on sale, which led to me becoming
interested in the old silk trade routes. That in turn led me to the Great Wall
of China, and I’ve always wanted to see it. I came across a Chinese quote that
says, ‘To be a great man, you have to stand on the Great Wall.’ Next year I
will fulfil that dream.”

 

However,
Alister realised that the language and culture barriers will make the trip even
harder than it already is, so in June he flew to China for a month of
fact-finding, planning, networking and training, while also taking in as much
Chinese culture as he could. This included training with various martial arts
masters. “I have no martial arts background; it was more about learning about
my inner strength and energy.” Strangely enough, the one thing he didn’t do was
visit the Great Wall. “I had to be disciplined about not ‘opening my Christmas
present’ early, because I want the Wall to be a surprise when I get there next
year.”

 

IN THE MEANTIME…

March
is still a long way off, so in the meantime Alister has jetted off to Europe again
for a few months of training. This includes training in the Italian Alps, running
the Davos and Cinque Terra races again, and running the 800km Camino de Santiago
Pilgrim’s Trail in Spain. “I’ll just see how my legs feel and take it one day
at a time,” he says.

To
support Alister’s run, go to www.alisterdreamwilder.co.za.

He knew something was seriously wrong as he lay there on the tar, unable
to move, and yet Pieter du Preez was still the one keeping everyone around him
calm; from the motorist who just knocked him off his bike, to the shocked
crowd. Firstly, he told the motorist that she should stop crying and that he
forgave her, because everything happens for a reason. Then he asked someone to
please phone his dad, as he would be the calmer family member to deal with the
situation.

 

Pieter was admitted to hospital in a life-threatening condition and
spent 42 days in the ICU. For the first 32 days of that, the doctors kept him in
an induced coma, and breathing on a ventilator. When he came round and found himself
paralysed, he made a promise to himself: Within one year he would learn how to
be totally independent, and he would find a way to do sport again, whatever it took,
and in whatever form. But SupaPiet did so much more than just ‘do sport’ again…
he has become an inspiration to many people worldwide!

 

A WORLD
FIRST

On 11 May this year, Pieter made history when he became the world’s
first C6 quadriplegic to complete a Half Ironman triathlon event, finishing the
Busselton 70.3 in Australia in six hours and 37 minutes. He completed the 1.9km
swim in 54 minutes by swimming backstroke with a guide tapping his feet to help
him keep direction and as a safety measure. The 90km bike leg, which Pieter
describes as his weakest discipline, took him 3:55 to complete on his hand
bike. He then went on to complete the 21km run leg in 1:33, again using his
hand bike, and beating more than 150 able-bodied athletes to the finish line.

 

“It was the most amazing thing I have ever done!” says Pieter. “Before
the race I just wanted to finish, but afterwards I realised I could have
actually finished in close to six hours! One of my first thoughts was that I am
only halfway. Now I can take on Full Ironman.”

 

NATURAL
SPORTSMAN

Growing up in Randburg, Pieter was always a gifted athlete. He excelled
at all sports and achieved provincial colours in running and duathlon. After
school he studied BSc in Actuarial Sciences at the University of Johannesburg
before moving on to a part-time Honours degree in investment management. His
love for sport continued throughout his student years, when he earned South
African colours in triathlon as well as SA Student colours in cycling in 2001.

 

When the accident happened on 6 October 2003, Pieter was on his way to
the chiropractor to sort out a niggling injury. He had decided to cover his
60km training ride for the day by cycling there and back. Then tragedy struck.
“An elderly lady drove right into me. Many people can’t understand why I am not
bitter, but I believe that day I had angels with me. It was amazing how calm I
was, though I had broken my neck, femur, knee and wrists.”

 

The accident left Pieter paralysed from his nipples down. The only
movement he has is in his shoulders and biceps. He has no tricep movement, and
though he can move his wrists, his hands don’t function. He can’t feel pain,
heat or cold, and his nervous system has been affected to the extent that he
does not sweat. “From day one in ICU, my faith in God saved me. While I was in
rehab they wanted to give me anti-depressants to help me cope, but I did not
take them. Every day I refused that little pill and said as long as I have my
faith, I will be fine,” says Pieter. “It’s been 10 years since the accident and
not one day have I had an ‘off day’ because I am in a wheelchair. Sure, I have
had off days when taxi’s drive in front of me, or a bad day at work, but not
because of my accident.”

 

TAKING HIS
LIFE BACK

Pieter was released from hospital on 23 February 2004 and barely two
weeks later, on 9 March, he wrote his final Honours exam. “It was tough, but I
managed to graduate with my class.” Shortly after that, he decided his next big
goal was to gain independence. Today Pieter is totally independent. He baths
and dresses himself and if needs be, can go away for a weekend and look after
himself 100%. “I had to find little ways and tricks in my quest for
independence, for instance, how to put my socks on even though I can’t move my
fingers,” he says. “I suppose I looked like a useless quad and I guess my
parents did not know where I was going to find a job, but they were always
supportive of me, even when I told them that I would find a way to participate in
triathlons again.”

 

A year after his release from hospital, Pieter started off with
wheelchair rugby, in which he represented South Africa in 2005 in Rio. In the
same year he got a job at Deloitte, where he still works as a senior actuarial
analyst in the Actuarial and Insurance Solutions Division. “Deloitte has been
amazing and has supported and sponsored me in all my sporting endeavours. The
whole company has been behind me, and I can’t thank them enough for what they
have done for me.” He started working towards getting back into triathlon by
first researching sporting equipment he could use, then he started cycling
before tackling his first marathon in Berlin
in 2008. That same year he married Ilse, an occupational therapist. “She is my
biggest supporter and helper on race day. We are a team,” says Pieter.

 

His dream was realised when he became one of the first quadriplegics
ever to complete an Olympic-distance triathlon in 2010. In the same year he
made the SA hand cycle team and represented his country at the World Cup in
Spain. Later that year he finished the 94.7 Cycle Challenge with Ilse, before earning
a silver and bronze medal on the track in the 100m and 200m sprints at the IPC
(International Paralympic Committee) World Champs in New Zealand. Then another
of his dreams was realised in August 2012, when he represented SA in the 100m
at the London Paralympics.

 

A CUT ABOVE
THE REST

It was just after the Paralympics that he set his sights on
participating in a Half Ironman event. “I had to find a race with a flat route,
as the bike is always my drawback, but just the idea of competing was mind-blowing,”
says Pieter. And having conquered the 70.3, he immediately set his sights still
higher. “On the way back from Half Ironman, I said to Ilse, now it is time to
set a date for full Ironman!”

 

And so Pieter has chosen the Busselton Full Ironman in Australia on 8
December. One of his worries is that the race extends into the night, which
might complicate things for him due to his deteriorating eyesight. He suffers
from a hereditary eye condition, which will eventually
see him becoming blind, but he is determined to see it through and become the
first quadriplegic to complete a full Ironman.

 

When chatting to Pieter, one quickly realises that he is a cut above the
rest. He is not only positive, but has a great sense of humour and an
unshakeable faith that this is the path that was chosen for him. “I believe to
inspire creates a circle effect. I know I inspire people through what I do, but
what they don’t realise is that when they come to me and congratulate me, that
in turn inspires me to carry on!” he says. “If I could have any words of advice
for anyone, it would be for people to be nice to each other. And if someone
means something to you, go and tell them that. Finally, I would say this: The
impossible is possible!”

After initially
going well in this year’s hot and humid Comrades Marathon, Malusi ‘Richard’ Monisi’s
race plan became seriously derailed. Having first run the Comrades in 2004 and
with eight medals already to his name, Richard was forced to a grinding stop
when the heat got the better of his guide. “She collapsed due to dehydration
and I stayed by her for an hour,” he says. “I felt so bad and waited before
taking out my cane and continuing.”

 

Yes, you did
read that correctly. He just took out his cane and carried on with race,
clocking an unbelievable 9:57:10, despite barely being able to make out what
was happening around him, and while also worrying about his guide in between
worrying about the cut-off. But Richard says his only goal was to get to the finish
before the 12-hour gun, and tick off another ultra. “I’ve been dealing with
this a few times in my life, where I have to ‘see’ the route with my cane. It’s
a fold-up, and it’s always by my side.”

 

GUIDING HANDS

Born in
Limpopo, Richard moved to Johannesburg
20 years ago in search of a job. After walking into Gerald Fox’s shop asking
for money, Richard was introduced to running. “Gerald told me I looked fit and
that I could probably do sports,” explains Richard. “That was in 1997 and I
started running. After six months, I entered my first ever race, The Tough One,
and I struggled! Gerald was there looking after me.” In that challenging 32km,
Richard finished in 2:55 and vowed to improve, so he joined Rockies Road
Runners and says he received amazing support from the very beginning. “They got
me kit and a race number, and they helped me where they could – and still do
today!”

 

Despite only
being able to see about two metres and barely make out shapes, Richard took to
running naturally, and after a few years of shorter races, where he always
received great support, he found himself lining up for his first Comrades in
2004. The record books say he finished in 10:45, but interestingly, Richard
thinks it was a lot slower. “I just just made
it. I think it was 11:50-something. I learnt a lot from that and a year later I
finished in 8:45! I get a lot of support on the road – from runners and
spectators. They think I struggle because I am a blind man and think it’s
wonderful what I’m doing. I hope many are inspired by me.”

 

LIKE BRUCE

Today,
Richard is a well-known figure at Comrades, which he has now run nine times,
and at the Two Oceans, where he has eight medals. While he may not see the
beauty of Cape Town, he says he can feel the
energy of the Cape Town
classic. “I get very excited in Cape
Town! I feel myself and every being of me there.” He
has managed a 4:54 finish at Oceans and also deems the Soweto Marathon, his ‘hometown
race,’ a special event that is always a must on his calendar.

 

Richard has
always struggled to find a sponsor to cover decent running shoes and travelling
expenses, but somehow has always found the means over the years. “I’ve always
held the belief that if I think it and pray, it will happen. I dreamt about
Comrades and Oceans, and I prayed for it, and God gave me the means, despite it
being expensive!” For Richard, nothing seems out of reach, and running is his
outlet to forget about hardship or stress. “It can be a cure for almost
anything! For young runners, for inspiring runners, there needs to be a
desire,” Richard explains. “If you think you can run like Bruce Fordyce, then
you can! When I think of Bruce, I think I can do the same, and run despite my
disability!”

 

GIVING BACK

Every day
Richard spends his time at the ‘Service for the Blind’ building in Industria
West in Jo’burg, loading trucks with boxes for retailers and packing goodie
bags for countless running and cycling events in Gauteng for Monica Childa
Marketing. “Monica found us and helped us back in 2005,” he explains. “We are
given an opportunity to be helpful in society and this has given a lot of work
to the blind community!” After work, Richard does three 10km training runs a
week, before dedicating his Sundays to a local race or long five-hour run. He
says that running, alongside his love of gospel music, is his go-to for relaxation
and having fun.

 

Despite
everything he has achieved already, Richard says he still has more dreams he
would like to fulfil in the sport he loves. “I got to Oceans. I got to
Comrades. Now, I dream of running the London and
New York
marathons. That would be amazing! That is my future, and maybe I can find a way
there with a little help one day.”

 

Richard
feels that it is important to recognise disabled runners for the love they hold,
just as much as able athletes, for lacing up, and even more so for inspiring
the everyday runner. “Some of us struggle to enjoy the sport because of having no
sponsors, but we run because we are in love with the sport! Perhaps races need
to make specific categories for disabled athletes as an incentive. This will
also give us support in the future.”

To get behind Richard
and his running, you can contact him on 078 467 3161.

After being hit during an action cricket game for
Eastern Gauteng in 2008, Graham went to the doctor when the swelling persisted
and found out that he had stage three testicular cancer. “They had to remove
the tumour, I had to go through intensive chemotherapy, and then for recovery I
started to become more active, by cycling and running,” he says. Even when
Graham’s white blood cell count was as low as 0.01%, he continued pedalling, having
decided that there was nothing big enough that could get the better of him.
“Cycling became a body makeover for me – I was feeling better and I was not
going to feel sorry for myself and just sit at home.”

 

Having left home at 18 and been on his own since then,
Graham says he has always relied on himself, and after being diagnosed with
cancer, he knew that it was up to him to live positively to overcome it – and
that started with an active lifestyle. “People may say you can’t do it, but if
you are sure that this is all you want to do, then you don’t have to prove them
wrong, you have to prove yourself right!”

 

GET UP AND GO

Today Graham cycles a round-trip of 35km each day to St.
Benedict’s Catholic School for Boys, where he coaches sport, while weekends are
dedicated to long 120km cycles as well as 5km runs. In recent months he has
also added some swimming training to his programme as he began his journey to Ironman.
“I wanted a new challenge, and though 17 hours or so on your body is hard, I
know I can do it!” And then there is the multi-day mountain-biking Cape Epic to
come as well… but though he admits that he’s a bit scared of the huge challenges
ahead, he knows he’ll get used to the disciplines and distances when he picks
up the training.

 

As part of this build-up, towards the end of 2012
Graham completed a few BSG sprint triathlons to get used to the sport, and rode
the Momentum 94.7 in a stellar 2:49 as well as 24-hour mountain bike races in
the Omni-Motion MTB and Rietvlei 24-hour events. He will use Ironman 70.3 in
January as a stepping stone to the full Ironman a few months later. Also, in
2010 he rode from Johannesburg to Cape Town on his bike in seven days and now
he is planning to ride the route down to Cape Town and back (3 800km) in 18
days after his Ironman experience. And he hopes to do all of this while raising
awareness and funds for CHOC and CANSA South Africa.

 

“Finishing Ironman and the Epic, and other challenges,
is not only my dream, but also a platform where I can raise awareness of cancer
and inspire those around me. I’m living proof that one can do anything!” says Grahams.
“I feel that if you can conquer your mind, you can conquer anything you attempt
to do. I hope people see me and are motivated to also do something.”

 

LEADING BY EXAMPLE

At school, Graham motivates his pupils every day with
his never-say-die attitude. “When the boys heard about Ironman, they said, ‘Are
you crazy, coach?’ But I just tell them to never give up!” He says he treats
his students like they were his own children and is a coach that likes to get
involved. “The boys look up to you. At school, the coaches and teachers are the
parents and you need to push the boys to reach their potential. So when I’m
training, my chest is obviously affected and I think about stopping, but I
remember to push the thought of quitting away, because this is what I tell the
boys to do.”

 

Graham’s coaching skills also kick in at bike races,
and he gets very emotional about helping fellow riders at races because he just
wants to show people that they can do anything they want to, even if their mind
is telling them they can’t. “I remember seeing a lady in one race who was
struggling to cycle, and after 5km she was ready to quit – and I hate to see
people quit – so I rode alongside her all the way to the finish,” he explains.
“I helped her on the climbs and she told me I was her hero.”

 

And when he himself feels like he’s hit a wall, a word
tattooed on his fingers keeps him going: Livestrong. “I remember when they said
Lance Armstrong was found out for taking EPO to win his titles,” says Graham.
“I just told people I use OPE to race: Other People’s Energy!”

 

LOVING LIFE

So, while Graham has had to come to grips with living
with cancer, he also lives with his girlfriend, his bike, and his spirit to
keep living life to the full. He reckons he is on the right track to reach his
goals of finishing Ironman and the Epic in 2013, and has a sponsorship from
32GI to help him get there, but it is obviously his great attitude that plays
the most important role in keeping him on track to do so. “I just never back
down from a challenge,” he says, “I race for no-one but myself, and I aim to be
better than I was before.”

To get behind Graham’s cause, follow his progress or
sponsor his active journey, e-mail [email protected] or call 0734454342. You can also
find Graham on Twitter @grahamprinsloo.

At 4350km, the
Mekong is the world’s 13^th longest river. It rises in Qinghai Province
of China, where it is known as the Lancang River, and flows south-east through
Tibet, then through Yunnan Province. After leaving China, It becomes known as
the Mekong and flows southwest to form the border of Myanmar (Burma) and Laos
for 100 kilometres, then turns southeast to form much of the Laos-Thailand
border, before crossing through Cambodia into Vietnam, where it spreads out
through various distributaries to form the massive Mekong Delta that empties into
the South China Sea.

 

“We originally planned to run a source-to-sea route, starting in China,
but when the Chinese government recently announced that Tibet will be closed to
tourists until further notice, we faced a 600km detour around Tibet, so rather
opted to skip the Lancang River section and start where the river becomes known
as the Mekong,” says David. “We will run as
close as possible to the river at all times, taking into account the need to
run on a de-mined route – there are still thousands of mines in the area left
over from the Vietnam War. A support crew will accompany us in a four-wheel
drive vehicle, but where the route makes this support impossible, we will run
self-sufficient with backpacks.”

 

FOR THE CHILDREN

Given the nature of the route David and Mark will
follow, this will arguably be one of the most gruelling ultra trail runs ever
undertaken, but both runners are seasoned long distance athletes, with many
marathon, ultra and stage races finishes between them, and they averaged 250km
per week in training in the build-up to their run, so they’re quietly confident
of success. They’re also highly motivated to complete the challenge, as they
are running for the Endurance Challenge Charity Trust (ECCT), which David
founded in 2007 to use his running to raise funds for various children’s
charities in South Africa.

 

“The Mekong River Run will
allow me to combine my love of ultra-distance running with an abiding passion
for answering the call to make a difference,” says David. “I am dedicating this
challenge to Home from Home, whose members exemplify the spirit of charity in
their commitment to caring for orphaned children who are innocent victims of
the HIV/Aids pandemic.” Home from Home sets
up and runs small, community-based, family foster homes with up to six children
cared for by foster parents. They are currently running 26 homes caring for
around 170 children, and many more homes are in the planning stages.

 

Mark adds, “I decided to join David in this challenge
because I identified it as a once in a lifetime experience to raise mega funds
for the wonderful organisation Home from Home, and I was also concerned for his
safety doing it alone.” (Besides monsoon rains, landslides, landmines and
renegade army troops that like to kidnap foreigners for ransom, David is also
as a recent cancer survivor and underwent a bone marrow transplant less than a
year ago, so Mark will keep an eye on his health through the challenge.)

You can follow David and Mark’s progress and support
their effort at www.mekongriverrun.com.

 

Beetroot juice and its potential athletic performance
benefits has been a hot topic of late. It started after a University of Exeter study
in 2009, and published in the Journal of
Applied Physiology, reported that regular consumption of beet juice may
boost athletic performance, increasing endurance while lowering blood pressure
and reducing fatigue. Although there has been some conflicting research about
this topic, a recent study by researchers at Saint Louis University, published
in the April 2012 issue of the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and
Dietetics, shows that eating cooked beets “acutely improves running
performance.”

 

For this latest study, the researchers tested 11
“moderately fit” runners as they ran a pair of 5km races on a treadmill. Before
one race, they gave volunteers a placebo; before the other, they gave them a
200g serving of baked beets (which contains approximately 500mg of nitrates). After
eating beets, the runners went an average of 3% faster and shaved 41 seconds
off their times. And their biggest speed gains came over the final 2km of the
race. According to the study, 200g of baked beetroot, or an equivalent nitrate dose from other vegetables,
should be consumed 60 minutes before exercise so the magic can kick in!

 

BEET BENEFITS

There are a number of potential benefits from eating
beet or drinking beetroot juice:

?        
More oxygen for your
muscles: Beetroot is rich in substances called nitrates, which are
converted into nitric oxide by the body. The nitric oxide dilates blood vessels,
which results in improved oxygen delivery to the muscles and essentially makes
the hard efforts easier. For example, one study found that a cyclists’
endurance can be boosted by 16% by nitrates. Nitrates can be found in other
vegetables as well, including radishes, lettuce, celery, parsley, Chinese
cabbage and endive.

?        
Cardiovascular benefits:
Athletes aren’t the only ones that benefit from
nitrates. Elderly people and those with lung, heart and metabolic disease could
also benefit from the increased oxygen that nitrates supply to the body. In the
Exeter study, scientists found that those who ingested nitrates also had a
lower resting blood pressure, because the juice dilates blood vessels.

?        
Improved hydration: Beet juice is also beneficial for an athlete’s hydration. Maintaining
electrolytes is challenging, especially when athletes compete in the heat, but
beet juice is high in potassium, which can help regulate fluid levels and
balance electrolytes.

?        
Natural anti-inflammatory: Beet juice is
also an effective anti-inflammatory because it contains betanin. Therefore, a
relatively low daily intake of 300ml (one and a quarter cups) of red beet juice
has been suggested to be enough to reverse the effects of free radical damage and
oxidative stress in humans. Medical researchers are now optimistically suggesting
that beets and beet juice may be a useful healing therapy for a variety of
degenerative diseases and can reduce an athlete’s risk of chronic inflammation
and illness.

?        
Essential Vitamins: Beet and beet juice
are also rich in vitamins C, A, B1, B2 and B6.

 

RECOMMENDED RECIPE

To make your own beet
power-snack, place about 200g of beetroot on a baking sheet and bake at 350
degrees for 90 minutes or so. Peel off the skin, then put the remaining
beetroot in a food processor. Add a tablespoon of lemon juice, 1/8 teaspoon of
cinnamon, and 1/8 teaspoon of nutmeg to make it more palatable, and blend. Then
eat it about two to three hours before an event to get the maximum athletic
affect.

Go for an
early morning run on a Friday and chances are you’ll bump into a group of
runners in funky knee-length red socks, chatting away and greeting everybody
with a boisterous “ShoOops!” as they merrily make their way down the road or
trail. These are the proud members of the ‘I Wear Red Socks on Fridays’ social
movement, which has developed into an unofficial global running club of sorts,
all from a simple gesture of friendship by John McInroy, a 31-year-old South
African entrepreneur.

 

He says the
first Friday morning Red Sock Run took place in Newlands, Cape Town, with eight
runners joining in. A week later there were 33 runners. Then, as word of mouth
spread and pics appeared on Facebook and Twitter, John started receiving mails
from people all over, asking if they could start their own Friday Red Sock Run.
“It was totally unstructured, just taken on by people with passion, and I now
know of nearly 30 regular Friday morning groups all over the world. Every now
and then I hear of another one starting in the USA or UK,” says John.

 

“I try to join
as many as I can and love meeting all the Red Sockers, like the crazy, but
incredible Edgemead group here in Cape Town: 50 people running at 5:30am, with a
guy on a loudhailer, everybody ShoOopsing amongst the houses. What I love is
that it is not restricted to running. Whether you run, walk, hop, or just join
for a post-run coffee and chat, everybody is welcome. It doesn’t matter if you’re
tall, short, white, black, etc., it’s all about getting people to follow their
hearts and live out their passion. And if there isn’t a Red Sock Run in your
area, you can start one!”

 

MAN WITH THE PLAN

John was
born in Cape Town, lived in the UK aged four to 16, then came back to SA to
finish school before doing a B.Comm at UCT. While at varsity, he was picked for
the SA men’s hockey team, alongside his great friend from UCT, Ian Symons, and
after completing varsity he played two seasons of pro hockey in Bordeaux,
France. A short while later John found himself in Ireland, and that’s where the
Red Sock idea was born in 2007.

 

“After
university and hockey, my first job was for an Irish property developer in Cape
Town, and then I was transferred to Dublin, where Ian was working as a doctor,”
says John. “I had read about Sidney Feinson, a South African soldier who made a
pact with two friends in an Italian prisoner of war camp during the Second
World War, where they promised each other that should they make it back from
the war alive, they would wear red socks to remember each other. So Ian and I
started wearing red socks too, as a mark of our friendship, and decided to always
do it on Fridays – because it seemed a good day to do it. Soon our colleagues
and friends also picked up on the idea, and because times were economically
tough in Dublin then, the red socks seemed to brighten up people’s lives. It
just spread from there.”

 

As the Red
Sock movement gained momentum, so did John’s plans to spread the goodwill. “One
day I woke up after dreaming of the whole world wearing red socks, including US
President Barrack Obama pulling up his pants while addressing a crowd and
saying ShoOops!” So, John applied to do an MBA at the University College of
Dublin, even though he couldn’t afford it, and things just worked out for him.
“I received a 15 000 Euro scholarship for my entrepreneurial idea for ShoOops Red
Socks, and the university’s sport department approached me to become head coach
of hockey, which paid for the other half of my studies. I was getting a free MBA
plus pocket money, so I decided I must be doing the right thing!”

 

RUNNING IN RED

Upon
completing his MBA and returning to SA, John’s vision was to sell the socks and
donate most of the proceeds to charity, but admits he had no clear plan as yet –
and running was not even on the radar. “Then Ron Rutland of the Bobs For Good Foundation
sent me an invite to run the Sani Stagger Marathon in November 2010. I ran in
my red speedo and red socks, and finished almost last, just a few minutes
before the six-hour cut-off, but I had never felt so proud of taking part in
anything!”

 

“A month
later, WP van Zyl came into my life. He told me about Phil Masterton-Smith, the
youngest ever winner of the Comrades Marathon in 1931, who couldn’t afford to
travel to the race in 1933, so cycled from Cape Town to Pietermaritzburg over
10 days, then ran the race on the 11^th day and still finished tenth!
He was known as Unogwaja, which is Zulu for The Hare, and the moment WP shared the
story with me, I said we’re doing the Unogwaja Challenge!”

 

Unsurprisingly,
some people said John was crazy. After all, it was just five months till
Comrades 2011, he had only just run his first marathon, and he didn’t even own
a bike at the time, let alone know how to cleat his feet into the pedals, but sponsors
like KTM bikes immediately came on board, and John and his fellow riders duly
finished the ride-run. Now in 2013, John has just finished the challenge for a
third time, alongside 11 carefully selected fellow biker-runners, all
completing the challenge in their red socks and raising nearly half a million
Rand for charity in the process. “It was scary how many people told us in the
first five hours of Comrades that we wouldn’t make it, because of the energy we
were wasting on shouting, jumping, hugging and ShoOopsing, but the ‘Red Love
Train’ made it!”

 

FOR A GOOD CAUSE

John explains
that running in red socks is more than just about friendship and fun, or a
physical challenge, it is also to support worthy causes. “Thus far we’ve sent
about 30 000 pairs of socks to 60 countries, with the largest
concentration here in South Africa, and in the last three years we’ve raised
nearly a million Rand for charity, so it is working. Some people even wear them
every day, and due to the demand, I’ve had to hire an administrative assistant,
Jean, who has quickly become known as ‘Mrs Red Socks.’ Things have been quite
unstructured thus far, but going forward we will sell the socks at R50 for the
long ones and R40 for the short ones, with some of the money covering the
manufacturing process and our administrative costs, and the rest going to charity.
We’re also giving socks to charities to sell themselves, so they can keep the
profits and benefit even more.”

 

“You can’t
buy the socks in shops, but just from word of mouth it keeps growing. Maybe one
day there will be a million red socks out there, but it’s not about numbers of
socks, it’s about the incredible stories that have come out of it. For me, the Red
Socks epitomise how a small group of people can make a difference, by living
life to the full, following their hearts, giving back and inspiring others to
do the same. It’s an attitude to life.”

 

 

 

When
Claude Moshiywa took the lead in the 2013 Comrades Marathon shortly after
halfway, the contest for first place was effectively over. Granted, he was
reduced to a walk on Polly Shortts, but with a lead of over seven minutes, he always
looked set to win. Meanwhile, the Nurgalieva twins once again claimed the top
two women’s positions, with Elena recording her eighth win at Comrades, now just
one behind the all-time record of Bruce Fordyce. No surprise then that some
said it was a fairly undramatic race…

 

However,
with the brutal heat and headwind that the runners had to endure much of the
way, it was far from undramatic behind the leaders! Some 4000 starters did not
make it to the finish, and amongst the 10 000-plus runners who did make it
home within the 12-hour cut-off were many runners who had dug very deep to get
to Pietermaritzburg. Amongst them were Alan Robb and Dave Lowe, both running their
40^th consecutive Comrades to increase the number of ‘Quadruple
Greens’ to eight. Unfortunately, David Williams was unable to do likewise. Meanwhile,
Dave Rogers quietly pushed his medal tally up to 45, three more than anybody
else has managed.

 

Other
notable runs included Jonas Buud of Sweden (second), defending champ Ludwick
Mamabola coming home fourth after recently being cleared of doping charges, and
1995 winner Shaun Meiklejohn reliving his glory days to claim the 50-59 age
category title. Amongst the women, local heroine Charne Bosman came home fifth
overall and first South African, to enhance her relatively new status as SA’s
leading female ultra-marathoner.

 

MEN

1. Claude Moshiywa                  5:32:09

2. Jonas Buud (Swe)                 5:41:21

3. Mpesela Ntlotsoeu (Les)        5:43:38

4. Ludwick Mamabolo                5:45:49

5. Johannes Kekana                  5:46:27

6. Henry Moyo (Maw)                 5:46:52

7. Joseph Mphuthi                     5:48:00

8. Mike Fokoroni (Zim)               5:50:11

9. Rufus Photo                          5:51:52

10. Stephen Muzhingi (Zim)        5:52:38

 

WOMEN

1. Elena Nurgalieva (Rus)           6:27:09

2. Olesya Nurgalieva (Rus)         6:28:07

3. Irina Antropova (Rus)             6:44:36

4. Joasia Zakrzewski (GB)          6:53:29

5. Charn? Bosman                     6:53:35

6. Marina Zhalybina (Rus)           6:56:55

7. Holly Rush (GB)                     7:04:21

8. Melanie van Rooyen              7:08:09

9. Kerry Koen                            7:15:07

10. Julanie Basson                    7:21:02

 

Pacing
Perfection

Modern Athlete had three pacesetters in
action during Comrades 2013, with two coming home on target and the third
having one of those days…

Derrick
Ronganger, Sub-12:00 Pacesetter

We pacers had a job to do and I think everyone
played their part. Vlam was incredible, doing most of the work, most of the
way. I am just glad for the opportunity to have taken the runners home. I love
what I’m doing and hope to continue pacing for a few more years if the
opportunity is there.

Andrew Dollenberg, Sub-10:00 Pacesetter

This
was certainly one of the worst days of running I have ever experienced. I
started off well, and we were about three minutes ahead of plan at Drummond. I
was feeling really good up to about 55km, when I suddenly felt nauseous and
dizzy. I chatted with some of the guys running with me, and an athlete from
Eskom agreed to take the flag. I believe he ran with it to the end, coming in
about 9:55. I was dizzy for the rest of the day, even passing out on the side
of the road. I don’t know what went wrong – I did everything I normally do on
race day. Guess it was just one of those days.

Jackie Camphor, Sub-11:00
Pacesetter

This
was my third time pacing at Comrades, and I faced all the same questions: “What
is your plan for the race, what is our halfway target time, which hill is this,
when is the next walk?” You cannot tell runners that nobody is sure of anything
in this race, so you just keep their spirits high. And so we reached halfway
exactly on time, 5:25, but when we reached the top of Inchanga, the heat was
the worst I have experienced in 12 years at Comrades, with the strong wind
making it worse.

 

I
looked around and could see the runners around me were not having it easy. Sometimes
it is hard for us pacesetters, as well. On more than one occasion, I felt like
taking out the flag and telling them, “Sorry, go on your own.” But then that
question is asked again: “Will we make it?” So you pick yourself up and keep on
going. The best is always when you cross the finish line, with people hugging
you, saying thank you with tears running down their faces.

 

Best Seat
in the House

 

Taking a
seat on the media truck at Comrades 2013 was a privilege: I got to see the dash
from the start in Durban, Claude Moshiywa’s walk-run shuffle up Polly Shortts,
and the tears and smiles of thousands at the finish line. – BY LAUREN VAN DER VYVER

 

After
running, the second-best place to be on Comrades race day is on the media truck
– this was my second year covering the front of the race – and there is nothing
more exciting than the Comrades start! I’ve also learnt that Comrades holds a
mystery each year: Despite the continuous build-up, there will always be the
underdogs who come to the fore and the unexpected happenings that will write
the headlines. Like who knew that Nedbank’s Claude Moshiywa, who also holds
down a ‘normal’ 9-to-5 job, would grab such an emphatic victory? At Comrades, anything can happen.

 

As
Durban disappeared, the crowds gathered and little boys sprinted alongside the
leading men. Up Inchanga, Claude ran beside Johannes Kekana and they shared a
packet of water, grappling with the stinging heat. On the truck, we heard the
Nurgalieva twins were leading comfortably in the women’s race, with SA’s Charne
Bosman close behind. Then at Polly’s, Claude slowed to a walk, with the
journalists urging him on. He recovered and the last 7km dash ensued so the
media could grab a good spot at the finish.

 

For
the next seven hours until the final cut-off, my camera was out to capture gasping
finishers hugging strangers, team mates embracing with relief, and the
first-timers who seemed dazed that they had actually made it. For Claude, Elena
and the runner who stumbled in at 11:59 alike, this is a special race to be
part of. For a young journalist, I doubt anything can compare.

 

 

First
Taste, Want More

 

I
had always thought the Comrades Marathon is a race for the mentally deranged,
so when I was asked to go down to work in the Modern Athlete Smile Zone
vibe spot on the route, I was in two minds. One was curiosity, the other was
wondering if I would actually enjoy this. –
BY NICOLE DE VILLIERS

 

To
my surprise, I was as excited as a kid on Christmas Day as we set up our vibe spot
4km from the finish, but the waiting for the frontrunners was torture. Finally
the flashing lights from the cop cars came steadily over the hill and we saw
Claude Moshiywa in the lead. I can’t remember the last time I had felt such
heart-pumping adrenalin!

 

As
the crowd thickened, the heat grew more intense, but we kept on cheering for
hours. The hardest thing to see was when the masses of athletes towards the end
realised they weren’t going to make the cut-off time of 12 hours. Then our vibe
spot became a war zone, with some athletes lying next the road. I stayed with
one who was suffering from severe dehydration and was in desperate need of an
ambulance. I had to hold the tears back, but it was all worth it when he got
hold of me the next day to thank me for staying by his side.

 

I
now think of Comrades differently. It is a life-changing experience for those
who dare to take on the gruelling challenge, and it was an absolute privilege
to be a part of this extraordinary race.

While
climbing the corporate ladder, smoking heavily and enjoying more than 10 beers
at a time, Willem Anderson knew he had become overweight, but he never really
cared. After all, the chartered accountant was happily married to Gay, the
father of two great boys, and was slowly building a bright future for his
family. So, without any guilt, he could easily tuck into numerous large meals
before topping it off with some chocolates, take-outs and at least two litres
of Coke daily.

 

Though
he was a keen athlete at school, until a motorbike accident stopped him
competing, over the years the weight slowly crept up on him – to the extent
that in September 2006 Willem tipped the scale at his heaviest: 144kg. He
battled to sleep at night and sometimes even stopped breathing before waking,
gasping for air. He could barely fit into any decent clothes, had not exercised
since his schooldays, and basically lived only to work.

 

INEVITABLE CHANGE

In
August 2003 Willem’s father passed away and this was his first wake-up call to
start losing weight, especially as his father had complained a lot about his
son’s weight problem. “His death shocked me and I was feeling terrible,” says
Willem. “My feet and ankles were always swollen and I would literally watch TV
for about 20 minutes before falling asleep.” So Willem applied some basic
healthy eating principles and lost 35kg. “However, I did not do any exercise,
was still a workaholic, wad still drinking too much, and was still smoking more
than 30 cigarettes a day.”

 

The
biggest change came when after he landed up in hospital. “My wife got home with
my favourite food, pie and chips, but I could not even face it. I had terrible
chest pains and asked her to take me to hospital, where they tested me for a
possible heart attack. While lying there with al the ECG cables and monitors, I
saw my boys looking completely lost and staring at me in total shock. I said to
my wife I can’t die now, my sons need me.”

 

While
in hospital, Willem had to run on a treadmill as part of a stress test, and
strangely enough, he says, that was what awakened his desire to exercise again.
“I felt so good after that run on the treadmill that I decided there and then
to buy a treadmill.” With all the tests done, Willem was diagnosed with a gall
bladder attack and told to lose at least 35kg before he could be operated on to
remove his gall bladder and fix a hernia. On the same day of his discharge, he
bought a blood pressure monitor and scale. He also saw a dietician briefly
while in hospital and she gave him some guidelines to healthy eating that he
still applies today. Back home, he was a changed man, sticking to a strict and
healthy eating plan. “My motivation came from losing weight each week,” he
says.

 

THE EXERCISE BUG

The
first time Willem attempted to do any form of exercise since school was in
2006. He started out by walking 2km, which took him 30 minutes to cover. Over
the next few months he slowly built up, and in July 2007 Willem and Gay ran
their first 15km road race together. “We were so inexperienced. I was
completely overdressed and did not even know what an energy gel was when it was
handed to me. But when we reached the finish line, I sobbed like a baby! It
certainly was one of the most joyous moments of my life.”

 

Three
months later Willem stopped smoking and from there his health kept on improving
– the rest, as they say, is history! In 2007 the 94.7 Cycle Challenge came
along and though an inexperienced cyclist, Willem decided to tackle it. His
first half marathon followed in January 2008, before he set his heart on the
big mamma of running, the Comrades Marathon. “I knew that I was eventually
going to run Comrades, and after we watched from the sidelines in 2008, I
decided it was time. My first Comrades in 2009 with my wife by my side was
magic!” Since then the couple have crossed the line three more times.

 

In
2010 Willem climbed Kilimanjaro with Gay, who had always dreamt of doing it.
“It was unbelievable and by far the greatest emotional experience.” Then in
2011 it was time for a different type of challenge as Willem completed his
first Half Ironman race, before moving on to full Ironman in 2012, the year in
which racing conditions were the worst in years. “I have never been so scared
in my life before a race, but crossing that finish line was the ultimate for
me. I still look back at it and wonder how I did it.”

 

A BRIGHT FUTURE

Willem
now weighs in at 82kg, while his lowest recorded weight was 73.7kg on 3 October
2007 – just over half his top-end weight of 144kg in 2003! He now eats healthily
by following a sensible eating programme and believes in making healthy food
choices rather than resorting to so called diets. Apart from finishing numerous
cycling races, Willem has also run six ultra-marathons, 21 marathons and 74
half marathons, plus finished six Olympic-distance triathlons to go with his
Ironman medals. And still he has numerous challenges left on his bucket list!
He adds that he still looks at himself in the mirror today and can’t believe
how he has changed. “I would have been dead by now if I
had not changed my life. There is no doubt in my mind.”

Malealea

Lesotho

WORD & PICS BY JACQUES MARAIS

 

WHY GO

This is a
place you visit because you hanker for wide skies and lungs full of fresh air.
A place so vast your echo has an echo, and where canyons duck and dive amidst
rambunctious hills rising towards the high Maloti peaks. A place where peace of
mind and the freedom of the spirit unite, and where trail runners come to test
their mettle against the grandeur of Mother Nature.

 

WHAT YOU
GET

Malealea
Lodge is the perfect base for either solo runners in search of a wilderness
escape or families on the hunt for a full gamut of runnable route options.
Accommodation options range from backpacker dorms to delightful self-catering
suites, with honest to goodness country hospitality.

 

WHERE TO RUN

Choices,
choices… if you’re keen for a flattish jog with the kids in tow, the easiest
option is to head west from Malealea’s main entrance towards the ‘Gates of
Paradise’ Pass. This section of gravel road slopes gently upwards for the first
4km, making for a doable run to where a sign confidently proclaims distances to
Tokyo, Cape Town, Los Angeles, Berlin and various other global centres. This
makes for a good turn-around point, or you can keep going up a steep climb all
the way to the ‘Gates of Paradise’ summit to take in the view before
hot-footing it back down for a run of around 15km.

 

Should
you be more of an adventurer, head west to a small village (3km) with
stone-walled huts crouching right on the edge of the valley, and if you
route-find along the rim of the gorge, a glorious rock run awaits. Look out for
a path worn into the sandstone to your left, 1km from the village, and follow
this into the gorge itself, then scramble up-river over some huge boulders
(5km) until you eventually reach some cultivated fields along the banks (8km).
From here, an obvious path winds up the hill to your left back to Malealea,
completing a 14km circular run.

 

You can
also head further up-river to the waterfall (12km), where (maybe in summer!)
you will be tempted to strip off for a natural shower. Route-finding is
necessary along the densely wooded banks, but there is generally an obvious
trail if you keep your eyes open. Then follow the same way back for a total
distance of just on 20km.

 

Malealea
Waterfall Route Fast Facts:

GRADING: Moderate, some technical scrambling

TERRAIN: Footpaths, animal tracks, gravel roads

MAP: Check the wall maps at the lodge

CELL
RECEPTION: Moderate signal

BEWARE: Summer thunderstorms and floods, snakes

BEST TIME
OF YEAR: Winter can be bitter, but beautiful

 

GETTING
THERE

From
Maseru, head south on the Main South Road towards Mafeteng for 50km, then turn
left towards Matelile and Malealea. Keep on this road for 24km, where you will
turn a slight left to Gates of Paradise Pass, and to Malealea Lodge just 7km
from here. GPS: S29? 49.704, E27?
35.981 Map: www.malealea.co.ls/map-directions.

 

STAY HERE

Check out www.malealea.co.ls.