Category: Features

As most
athletes know, it takes a huge effort from a sporting club to put on a race, be
it a running race, triathlon or cycling event. There are just so many variables
to consider. Now imagine organising an event such as the Olympics. It takes
years of planning, construction and practising, and the statistics and
logistics around this event are simply mind-blowing!

?The 2012 Summer Olympic Games will be held
in London from
27 July to 12 August 2012, followed by the
Paralympic Games from 29 August to 9 September.

?It is expected that 205 nations will take
part in 300 events.

?London previously hosted the Olympics in 1908 and 1948.

?26 Olympic sports and 19 Paralympic sports will
be played.

?31 competition venues will be utilised.

TICKETS

?There will be 9.6 million tickets
for sale – 8 million for the Olympics and 1.6 million for the Paralympics.

?Organisers say 75% of all tickets
will cost less than ?50 and offer free travel on London transport.

?Tickets for the athletics will start
at ?15 and there will also be 20 000 ?10 tickets for the Olympic Park to watch
on big screens.

?A sell-out rate of 82% for the
Olympic Games and 63% for the Paralympics is projected.

THE OLYMPIC VILLAGE AND STADIUM

?The Olympic stadium will have a capacity of
80 000. It is the lightest Olympic stadium ever built.

?Construction of the park started in
May 2008 and more than 5 250 people have worked on it.

?80% of athletes will be housed within
20 minutes of their events and 97% of athletes within 30 minutes of their
events.

?93% of training venues are to be
within 30 minutes of the athlete’s village.

?The village will have 17
320 beds and provide each athlete with 16 square metres of floor space.

?Each apartment will have
a TV, internet access and a private courtyard.

?The dining hall will
cater for 5 500 athletes at a time.

?A tri-generation plant will supply
electricity, heat and chilled water to the Olympic Park, using technology that produces
33% lower CO2 emissions than the electricity grid.

SPECTATORS

?There will be 500 000 spectators per day.

?This will include 35 000 foreign
visitors per day.

?It is predicted that on event days,
78% of spectators are likely to travel from within London
and 22% from the rest of the UK
and Europe.

TRANSPORT

?There are 9 000 planned park-and-ride
parking spaces to be made available at Ebbsfleet, where spectators can board a
10-minute javelin service to the Olympic Park. This is the same station where
continental spectators travelling by Eurostar will join the javelin to the
Olympic Park.

?The aim is for 90% of venues to be
served by three or more forms of public transport.

?There will be two major park-and-ride
sites off the M25 with a combined capacity of 12 000 cars, within 25 minutes of
the Olympic Park.

?Organisers estimate 80% of visitors
and staff of the Games will use rail services to reach the Olympic Park.

?Low- or no-emission vehicles will be
used to transport Olympic athletes and officials.

MEDIA

?20 000 members of the media cover the Games.

?Live Olympic backdrop
presentation facilities will be available to broadcast rights holders, via
rooftop studios on the main press centre with a direct view of the Olympic
Stadium and Park.

ECONOMY

?Value of tourism income is an
additional ?2.1 billion.

?Food and beverage turn-over: 18
million meals.

?It is estimated that over 135 000
hotel rooms will be available within 50km of the Olympic Park, up from 120 000
before.

?Total workforce needed: 200 000.

?The Games are expected to cost ?20
billion. London
taxpayers have contributed approximately ?625 million.

?Due to these games, the economy of London is projected to
grow by $80 billion by the year 2015.

?The Games are projected to generate 12 000
new jobs in the Olympic Park.

?9 000 new homes will be built.

?10km of new roads will be built.

?There will be 60-70 London 2012 sponsors.

WHEN ALL HAS BEEN SAID AND DONE

?After the Games, four arenas will be
deconstructed and relocated to other parts of the UK, along with the swimming pools
that are used for water polo and the 50m training pools.

?Charities will be given the sports
equipment used in the Games.

?The Olympic Village
Polyclinic will be converted into a learning centre for the east London community, with
nursery, primary and secondary schools.

?The village will be
converted into 3 600 apartments, most of which will be offered as affordable
housing.

?The media and press
centre will become a creative industries centre for east London.

?After the games, the Olympic park
will become one of the largest urban parks built in Europe
for more than 150 years.

BECOMING A WARRIOR

So after completing
school last year, Brent decided to join Warriors, an extreme sporting gap programme
for young adults that was started in 2004. The programme’s selection is very
particular, with just 24 to 40 participants selected each year. The Warriors
base camp is in Magoebaskloof in Limpopo, and
the course focuses on four crucial values: Social skills, self-actualisation,
entrepreneurship and leadership, as well as adventure, eco-tourism, health and
fitness.

Going
through the Warriors programme boosted Brent’s confidence and he became more
independent, self-reliant and sociable. He faced fears some of us would never even
dream of and did amazing activities that many people would like to tick off
their bucket lists! “The only risk in life is not taking one, and Warriors has
helped me face a lot of fears,” says Brent.

EMBRACING THE PHYSICAL

In this day
and age, it’s important for youngsters to be exposed to nature, skills and
society while maintaining a mental and physical health, says Warriors facilitator Rowena Viljoen. “It is important for us to challenge the Warriors to play
outside of their comfort zone, in what we refer to as the courage zone. Our
philosophy is that you are more than what you think. A healthy body is a
healthy mind. It keeps us young and pumps endorphins to keep us happy,” she
explains.

So
what is the programme all about? Well, apart from waking up at 5am every
morning for a 10km run around base camp in Magoebaskloof’s misty hills, the
Warriors endure long distance swims, challenging themselves to swim the
renowned Ebenezer Mile Open Swim, and often go on regular 80km mountain bike rides.
The Warriors also go rafting, scuba-diving and camping, learn to build fires
and set up small traps and snares, and do first aid courses.

A
big part of the physical side of Warriors is mountain biking. They even compete
in a 24-hour race to test their endurance. And while the group maintains fitness
with daily running, there are several hiking expeditions, some over several
days, where participants learn trail ethics, learn to cook their own food, and navigate
a route through the unmarked Serala Wolkberg Wilderness.

Other
adventure activities include scuba-diving in Mozambique,
ocean sailing in KwaZulu-Natal
(where students can earn a yacht hand’s certificate), horsemanship, bridge
swings and even abseiling from the country’s great waterfalls.

”For
us as a family, this is a way of life, and the feeling and experience of making
a difference in the lives of young adults gives us a sense of purpose and
meaning,” explains Rowena.

AN ENRICHING EXPERIENCE

The
Warriors programme has been a blessing to many participants. Michael Swilling,
a Warrior from 2006, describes the programme as enriching to his life. “Every
facet of my being grew in leaps and bounds. There can’t be many places in the
world where one can experience both skydiving and sewing, gun-handling and
gardening, horse-riding and scuba diving, all the while exploring both the
country and yourself.” Michael also feels that there is too much pressure for youngsters
to go from high school to a tertiary institution and then work. “Warriors
builds an amazing foundation from which to live the rest of your life.”

Antonia De
Luca, a Warrior from 2004, recommends the programme to anyone leaving school.
“I was young and it really helped me to grow up. Warriors pushes you out of
your comfort zone, so it is great for personal growth and achievement!”

Rowena
gives simple advice to those who are looking to make a change and do something
completely different. “If you are serious about your future and are looking for
an exciting and adventurous environment where you could take a look at
yourself, what you want from life, and what attitudes you need to develop to
get there, then Warriors is the place for you!”

One thing
is for sure: After tackling the Warriors programme, you should be able to
tackle any endurance sporting event in the world!

Record #1: Stephen Doubles
Up

Triple
Comrades champion Stephen Muzhingi of Zimbabwe became only the second male
runner to hold both the Comrades and Two Oceans ultra-marathon titles at the
same time, thus equalling the record held by Derek Preiss since 1974, and only
the third male runner ever to win both races. Derek won both the ultras in 1974
and again in 1975, and if Stephen can retain his Comrades title in June, he
will also match Derek’s feat of winning both races in the same calendar year.
The only other runner to have won both is Fusi Nhlapo, who won the Two Oceans
in 1998 and the Comrades in 2003.

Having
stayed with the leaders most of the race, Stephen took the lead at 52km, then
accelerated up ‘Chet’s Hill’ on Union Drive, the last big climb of the race.
There was a moment of drama when he slipped and fell in the mud as he turned
into the home straight, but after a quick glance backwards, he picked himself
up and finished strongly, clocking a new PB of 3:08:08, the 10^th fastest
time ever for the race.

Before
the race, Stephen said, “I want to improve on my 3:09 of last year. Everyone
wants to win the race, but I look to improve each year. And if the other
runners let me win, then that’s fine.” He sure lived up to those words, but after
the race, he made light of his win and equalling Derek’s record: “This is all
part of my preparation and build-up for the Comrades. I was going for a good
time, and I knew that it was good enough for the win. The conditions suited me.
I think I do better in difficult conditions, and I felt strong towards the
finish.”

Record #2: Gert Smashes
World Best

Possibly
the best performance of the day saw SA marathon record-holder Gert Thys (40) smash
the world best for 50km in the veteran (40-49) category, clocking 2:48:39 at
the intermediate timing mat as he went on to finish fourth in 3:09:42 and also
break the veteran course record by almost four minutes. Both these records were
held by Vladimir Kotov and were set 12 years ago.

After the
race, he mentioned his career-long insulin difficulties and complained that his
second could not get onto the course to test his blood sugar levels at three
points during the race. “I am certain I would have won if I had been able to
correct this at 47km. At the finish my sugar level was much too low. I know a record is possible on this
course, but the weather conditions were against us.”

He then
predicted another record in the near future: “I congratulate Stephen on his
win, but I will be back to race him in Comrades. I am going for the record – it is
soft and little more than a jog. I will be the first person to run the Comrades
in under 5 hours!” (The current Comrades record is 5:20:41, so this year’s
elite race should be enthralling to watch!)

Record #3: Elena Equals
Monica’s Four

Elena
Nurgalieva of Russia
became only the second athlete ever to win four Two Oceans titles as she won
the women’s race in 3:41:55. The only other runner to have achieved this feat
is Monica Dr?gem?ller, who won in 1988 and 1990-92. Elena had been tied on
three wins with her twin sister Olesya as well as Bev Malan and Angelina
Sephooa. Olesya did not run this year due to injury.

When asked
if she had been going for the fourth win and Monica’s record, Elena said
winning was her focus, not records. “Yes, I know this legend woman and this
year read more information about her in magazines, but for me it was more
important to be the winner this year than count how many times I won Two Oceans
or Comrades in the past. The rain and wind didn’t help us in the race, but all the
runners were in the same conditions, and everybody struggled. To tell the
truth, for me the temperature was very comfortable, not hot and not cold. I
liked it!”

Another Russian, Natalia Volgina, claimed second position, having won
the race in 2002 but not run it since 2003. She led much of the race with
Elena, but eventually slipped back going up Constantia Nek. It did appear they
were working together at times, but Elena refutes this. “I saw her only on the start line and
so we hadn’t any agreements before the race. Just we passed drinks to each
other during the race because we are friends in normal life, but not on the
road. Here it is business! But it is always a help to have company and someone
to talk to, so I want to thank Natalia.”

56KM MEN

1 Stephen
Muzhingi (Bluff Meats F1 – ZIM) 3:08:08

2 Henry
Moyo (Nedbank RC Int – MAW) 3:08:35

3 Collen
Makaza (Nedbank RC Int – ZIM) 3:08:45

4 Gert
Thys (Mr Price WPA) 3:09:42

5
Bongumusa Mthembu (Mr Price KZN) 3:10:16

6
Mthandazo Qhina (Nedbank WPA) 3:11:00

7 Tsotang
Maine (Toyota
RC Int – LES) 3:11:51

8 Lucas
Nonyana (Absa Group RC) 3:12:03

9 Odwa
Tunyiswa (Nedbank CGA) 3:12:50

10
Kimutai Lezan (Nedbank RC Int – KEN) 3:12:58

40-49: 1 Gert
Thys (Mr Price WPA) 3:09:42

50-59: 1 Vladimir Kotov (Century
City AC – BLR) 3:32:47

60-69: 1 Sizinzo
Kama (Achilles AAA) 4:37:53

70+: 1 Brian Key
(Foresters RC) 4:49:33

56KM WOMEN

1 Elena Nurgalieva
(Mr Price Int – RUS) 3:41:55

2 Natalia
Volgina (Nedbank RC Int – RUS) 3:45:29

3 Devon
Crosby-Helms (Nedbank RC Int – USA)
3:47:30

4
Mamorallo Tjoka (Toyota
RC Int – LES) 3:48:50

5 Samukeliso
Moyo (Mr Price Int – ZIM) 3:49:10

6 Adinda
Kruger (Bonitas RC CGA) 3:50:13

7 Lizih Chokore
(Nedbank RC Int – ZIM) 3:52:26

8 Ntombesintu
Mfunzi (Mr Price EP) 3:52:39

9
Tshifhiwa Mundalamo (Bonitas RC CGA) 3:53:00

10
Paulina Njeya (Toyota
AC) 3:53:29

40-49: 1 Ursula
Frans (Celtic Harriers) 4:09:53

50-59: 1
Annatjie Botes (Nedbank SWD) 4:34:39

60-69: 1 Hester
Kotze (Plexus Durbanville AC) 5:21:43

Record #4: SA’s largest
21KM

With an extended 16 000 entries this
year, the Old Mutual Two Oceans Half Marathon made an even stronger claim on
the title of biggest 21km in the country. Granted, the weather probably
prompted a number of runners to stay in bed, but over 12 500 made it across the
finish line within the three-hour cut-off. South African men and women
dominated the top 10 positions in the half marathon, with Xolisa Tyali winning the
men’s race and Rene Kalmer crossing the line first amongst the women.

Due to the larger field, the organisers had changed the first half of
the course, in order to clear the ultra route quicker ahead of the 56km
starting 25 minutes after the 21km, and times were expected to be slower
overall due to the inclusion of a big climb in the first three kays. However,
while the winning times were slower than previous years, no fewer than six
fastest times for the year in SA were run in various age categories, including
both the men’s and women’s open categories, so it remains one of the faster
courses in the country. And with the rain only beginning about 90 minutes after the start,
most of the top runners only had wind to contend with.

21KM MEN

1 Xolisa
Tyali (Nedbank CGA) 1:04:54

2 Joel
Mmone (Nedbank CNW) 1:05:01

3 Lucky
Mohale (Mr Price CGA) 1:05:09

4 Tshamano
Setone (Mr Price CGA) 1:05:22

5 David
Manya (Nedbank) 1:05:50

40-49: 1 Graham
Katzen (Celtic Harriers) 1:12:50

50-59: 1 Raymond
Howard (Celtic Harriers) 1:21:36

60-69: 1 Clive
Owen (Edgemead Runners) 1:25:30

70+: 1 Chris
van Coller (Acsis VOB) 2:02:45

Juniors: 1 Xolisa
Melane (Nedbank WPA 1:14:49

21KM WOMEN

1 Ren?
Kalmer (Nedbank CGA) 1:15:02

2 Irvette
van Blerk (Nedbank CGA) 1:16:22

3 Rutendo
Nyahora (Nedbank RC Int – ZIM) 1:18:30

4 Zintle Xiniwe (Nedbank WPA)
1:19:39

5 Christine Kalmer (Nedbank CGA)
1:20:05

40-49: 1 Janene
Carey (Boxer Superstores AC) 1:25:37

50-59: 1 Olga
Howard (Celtic Harriers) 1:37:51

60-69: 1 Ria
Donnoli (Collegians Harriers) 1:53:06

70+: 1
Willemien Smuts (Bloemfontein
Achilles) 1:57:00

Juniors: 1 Jessica
Pollock (UCT) 1:27:17

You would
expect an athlete who has represented his country at four Olympic Games and
numerous World Champs, and who has won the prestigious New York City Marathon,
to be training at some high performance centre with a team of coaches and
experts. But not Hendrick Ramaala. Drive to the beautiful Zoo Lake in
Johannesburg and there you will find him every morning, running a 3.5km loop.
It is here that Hendrick meets up with a couple of running buddies and finds
his peace and joy in running, which he describes as his “life.”

Hendrick’s
training ground is but one of many ways in which he sets himself apart from
other athletes and training methods. He is extremely laid back, but speak to
him long enough and you will soon realise that this is an athlete with a
burning passion for the sport of running and the development of South African
athletics. “I have no secrets to longevity. I just love running and competing
at the highest level. I get up every single morning and I run. That’s what I
do. I don’t get bored of it and there’s never a day that I don’t want to run.
It is not a labour of pain. I don’t run because I have to, I run because I love
it. It’s been a way of life for the last 20 years,” says Hendrick.

His dedication has clearly paid off. He has run the New York
Marathon nine times and has won this Big City classic in 2004. He followed that
up with a win at the Mumbai Marathon the same year, and has also run the London
Marathon eight times, where he has finished in the top ten. He has represented
South Africa at three World Marathon Champs, five World Cross-Country Champs
and two World Track and Field Champs, and he’s won two silver medals at the
World Half Marathon Champs (1998 and 1999) and is a two-time
national champion in the 5 000m.

And who will ever forget that
sprint finish in New York in 2005 when Paul Tergat, former world marathon
record-holder and one of the most accomplished long-distance runners of all
time, beat Hendrick to the line by less than a second. Tergat won in 2:09:29.90
leaving Hendrick to take second place in 2:09:30.22. On top of all this, Hendrick is the
second-fastest South African over the marathon distance, with a personal best
of 2:06:55, set at the London Marathon in 2006.

BECOMING AN OLYMPIAN

Hendrick
got into running purely by accident after a soccer injury at the age of 20 forced
him to look at alternative ways of staying fit. He soon discovered his talent
for running and moved up the ranks in the ‘old fashioned way,’ first starting
out as a cross-country and track runner. “Too many athletes associate track
with pure sprinting. They need to be educated that there are 5 000m and 10 000m
events, and you first need to run well at these distances before you can run a
good marathon,” says Hendrick, a law graduate from the University of the Witwatersrand
who still holds the South African 10 000m record of 27:29.94, which he set in
Port Elizabeth on 22 February 1999.

“I see my marathon running as
the second part of my career,” says Hendrick, whose Olympic journey started in 1996 when he made
his Olympic debut, aged 24, at the Atlanta Games, where he was eliminated in
the heats of the men’s 10 000m. Four years later, in Sydney, only six months
after making his debut over the marathon distance, he finished 12th in the Olympic
marathon. Unfortunately, he did not finish the marathon at the Athens Games in
2004 after dropping out in sweltering conditions, and four years ago in Beijing
he finished in 44th position.

“The Olympics
is a different ballgame and I have not performed that great at any of them. I
wish I had, but I have always performed better at the big city marathons, maybe
because the pressure is different. At the Olympics you run for your country and
the pressure is more intense, whilst at the big city marathons it is more a
feeling that you are on your own and you don’t have that much to lose.”

His recent
performance in Dubai,
where he clocked 2:12:12 and finished 19^th was his fastest marathon in
nearly three years. He bettered the IAAF A standard for the London Games by
nearly three minutes, yet it remains to be seen if he will be chosen to be part
of the South African marathon team. Only three team members get chosen and at
this stage there are three other runners who have already clocked faster times
than Hendrick. “I would like to go to London, but we will see if that happens
when the team is announced at the end of April. I know that I can still do well
and I have the belief, the motivation and the love for running. Right now I am
training as if I am going to the Olympics. If I make the team, great! If not,
there are hundreds of other races I can target.”

A CHAMPION’S TRAINING

Hendrick
trains twice a day and includes a long run of up to 40km in his weekend
schedule if he is in training for a marathon. He believes strongly in quality
work and includes two track sessions and two tempo sessions in his training. He
averages about 3min/km in his tempo sessions. “I have a training programme, I
follow it and don’t question it,” says Hendrick, who has always been self-coached
and who says this has worked for him through trial and error.

He admits to
being an aggressive runner who likes to lead. “My strongest point is that I can
persevere and hang on. I believe everybody can train for a marathon, but not
everybody can race a marathon. Many can’t take the pressure and go into a race
without a plan. You need to know that while racing, you will always feel like
stopping, but that is when you hang on.”

He has the
greatest respect for Kenyan runners after living and training with them. “For
them running is a tradition. They don’t run for fun. They run to win, and have
the belief that they can do it. There are so many rags to riches stories,
especially in Northern Kenya. I have seen how they train and how much they
sacrifice. Some of them live in training camps and don’t see their families.
They have a system in place; they nurture young talent and know what it takes
to be a champion. Running in Kenya is a business,” explains Hendrick.

DEVELOPMENT IN SOUTH AFRICA

An absence of
development and coaching structures in South Africa is our biggest downfall,
says Hendrick. “There is no question that we have the talent in South Africa,
but we need more development coaching, which makes the transition from junior
to senior so much easier. We also need to improve the standard of our coaching.
There are so many big sponsors throwing their weight behind sport such as rugby
and cricket, but not athletics. In our country there are no systems in place,
everyone is all over the place and doing their own thing. We should establish
schools of excellence with set standards. We have the resources, and yet we are
not willing to do it. Look at rugby, they are all excited about their new kit
and much is made of it, yet in athletics you are on your own.”

“It’s a fact
that most of our good runners are poor. They still struggle with basics such as
shelter and food. In other countries, these things are a given. It takes 2two
to three years of Olympic cycles to develop a champion. Take for instance
Hestrie Cloete and Khotso Mokoena… we saw them winning at youth level before
they eventually did well years later. Imagine a National School of Excellence
where young talent is groomed and nurtured. Unfortunately the talent we have often
give up. They go out and look for jobs because they have to survive.”

LOOKING AHEAD

Hendrick’s
career is far from over. He admits to probably ending up running ultra’s and
even having a go at Comrades, but definitely not now. He still has way too much
speed in those legs! And hopefully a chance at a fifth Olympic Games.

At the recent Spec-Savers
Ironman 70.3 South Africa in Buffalo City in January, Kent and Claire Horner of
Cape Town celebrated another great double, coming home as first South African
finishers in the men’s and women’s pro fields after finishing overall fifth and
fourth respectively. They are building quite a collection of ‘doubles,’ having also
both been crowned SA Long Distance Triathlon Champs in 2009 and 2011.

Their success in the local
70.3 also extends their growing list of top 10 results in various 70.3 events around
the world in the last few years. Now their goal is to get to the 70.3 World
Champs in Las Vegas later this year. “You need to do at least six
international 70.3 races in a year, because your best six results count,” says
Claire. “We both qualified in 2009, but didn’t have the funding to go that year,
so this year we’re working towards getting there.”

GETTING INTO
IT

Kent (30) and Claire (29) have been married since May
2009. They met through triathlon, but it was not love at first site, says
Claire. “I first saw Kent at an Energade Series event and he had this chequerboard
hair colouring… I thought, ‘What a freak!’ Then he moved to Stellenbosch and we
used to train together. One day a big group was out riding and I crashed going
over a railway. Kent stayed with me and pushed me up the rest of the passes.”
Kent smiles mischievously and adds, “I had to push you because you were tired,”
prompting an immediate retort from Claire: “I was concussed!”

So what is it like being married to an elite
triathlete? “It’s impossible!” says Claire. “The one is always more tired than
the other. It’s a race to see who doesn’t have to cook at night. But we
wouldn’t have it any other way.” Kent agrees, saying, “We’re lucky to spend all
the time together training. We encourage each other, and it makes it easier to
go train.”

PLANS FOR PE

The Horners are both
aiming to do well at the full Ironman SA in April, hoping to build on their
recent success in the PE event – last year they both finished 11^th overall,
coming home second SA man and first SA woman. They also hope not to have a
repeat of previous bad luck and suffering in the event…

“It was terrible watching
Claire do her first one in 2009, because everything possible went wrong, from
technical to nutrition to illness and cramps. I told her I would never watch
her do it again, and would only go with if I was racing it myself,” says Kent.
“After my first one, I immediately said I wouldn’t do it again, but on the
drive home I had already decided to try again. You don’t master the Ironman in
your first race, so I’m chipping away at it.”

GIVING BACK

Kent works for Cycle Lab as well as helping full-time
coach Claire run My Training Day, their web-based triathlon coaching service,
which has grown into a very successful operation. “We approach things very
differently – sometimes there are calculators thrown across the room – but like
any marriage, it’s a team, and we do pretty well together,” says Claire.

Kent adds, “When we were juniors, we had a constant
thirst for knowledge and guidance, but could only get it from fellow athletes.
That inspired us to share our knowledge.” Claire picks up the story here: “We
started in 2006 with online coaching, because we wanted the freedom to coach
from anywhere. Then we started training sessions and it grew from there. We’re
so inspired by our athletes – half the reason we get through Ironman is
training with and then competing alongside them.”

70.3
South Africa: 2008 – 6^th,
2009 – 3^rd, 2

A run-of-the-mill
athlete all his life at school, JD Mostert started to take his running more
seriously after varsity, running several half marathons and participating in triathlons.
But then he wanted more. “There came a time when I thought there was a bigger
challenge out there – a way I could use running to give back,” he says. And
what better way than through his profession as a teacher?

JD, an
accounting teacher who heads Outdoor Education at St. Andrew’s High School for
Girls in Johannesburg, is extremely passionate about education, and through
running he is trying to make people aware of Ubambiswano, a charity headed by
St. Andrew’s since the 1990’s. The aim is to bring the privileged technologies
of private school education to learners from the Daveyton and Etwatwa areas in
Gauteng. “Education is the most important thing for me and there’s a gap in
South Africa,” says JD.

Funds
collected pay for the transportation of young learners from Ubambiswano to the Saturday School at St.
Andrew’s, as well as a packed breakfast and lunch as well as learning materials
for the facilitated classes. St. Andrew’s also heads a ‘Learn to Swim’
programme which teaches the basics of swimming and water safety. “Sometimes I
can’t be at the Saturday School, so I try to let people know about this great
cause through my running.”

A MAN ON A MISSION

JD’s
mission started in 2010 when he took on Kilimanjaro and also ran Comrades for
the first time in 2011 to raise some funds for Ubambiswano. He climbed Kilimanjaro with a
group of 40 learners and family members from St. Andrew’s. Dealing with
altitude and endurance, JD and the group summited in late August on a full-moon
night. “Both Comrades and climbing Kili teach you how to prepare mentally and
physically,” says JD.

Now he and colleague
Gavin Esterhuizen will take on the London Marathon this month. Gavin, a newbie
runner, has trained hard and has recently completed his first 21km. “Gavin has
come on in leaps and bounds and become used to the distance. For me, I’m a
runner and athlete at heart,” says JD.

He is
excited about his London Marathon mission. “It’s something huge and the girls
keep asking me ‘Sir, are you ready?’ There’s quite a hype among the learners
and teachers now and they’re also starting to run.” He is also planning more
fundraisers this year. “There’s an 8km charity trail run/walk on 21 July which
will be a junior school lap fundraiser as well. It’s also a week before the 702
Walk the Talk, so people can get good training in!”

NO STOPPING HIM NOW

JD’s humble
character and love for being active has done wonders for learners from Ubambiswano. And he is still planning to tick
off more missions on his active Bucket List. “Running has got me now. I want to
do the Dusi, row at Fish River, complete multi-stage trail runs and run Two
Oceans and do Kili again! I can’t sit still, I have to keep exploring – and for
a good cause!” JD’s mission for education is quite simple: “Just DO something
and keep going –that’s my motto!”

For more
information go to www.standrews.co.za/ubambiswano

The
Department of Health bases its five-a-day message on a report from the World
Health Organisation (WHO) that came out in 1990. Looking at the amount of fruit
and vegetables eaten in regions like Italy and Greece, where high intakes of
fruit and vegetables were linked to low rates of chronic disease and some
cancers, the WHO recommended that 400g of fruit and vegetables should be
consumed per day. In 2003, the WHO confirmed this with further studies and
continues to recommend a minimum of 400g. To make it easier, health experts
have divided the 400g into 5x80g portions, two to three of them coming from
fruit.

WHY ARE FRUITS SO IMPORTANT?

?        
They are rich in fibre, important in healthy digestion
and help prevent certain conditions such as constipation and bowel cancer.

?        
They are packed with antioxidants that stop
free-radicals attacking and damaging our cells, helping prevent health problems
like heart disease, strokes and cancer.

?        
They contain vital vitamins and minerals, like vitamin
C, potassium, folate and beta-carotene.

?        
They are low in fat and calories yet fill us up, so
they help with appetite and weight control.

WHAT COUNTS AND WHAT IS A PORTION?

Most
fruit-containing foods can count towards your three fruit servings per day, but
there is a limit to how many portions they provide, regardless of the amount.
For example:

?        
Fresh fruit: 80g of
fresh fruit equals one fruit portion, e.g. 1 medium apple, 3 apricots, 4 heaped
tablespoons of blueberries.

?        
Dried fruit: 30g dried
fruit equals one fruit portion, e.g. 2 figs or 1 heaped tablespoon of raisins.

?        
Tinned fruit: 80g tinned fruit equals one
fruit portion, e.g. 2 pear halves or 2 pineapple rings

?        
Fruit juice: A small
glass (150ml) of pure fruit juice counts as one fruit serving, but you can only
count one serving of fruit juice towards your three fruit servings per
day. This is because unlike fresh fruit, the juicing process squeezes out
natural sugar that is normally found between the cells of fruit, which is
harmful to your teeth.

?        
Smoothies: A smoothie
can contain up to two portions of fruit per day, but not more than this. The
smoothies must contain at least 80g of fruit & 150ml pure fruit juice, or 2x
80g servings of fresh fruit.

?        
Fruit in recipes: Add up the
total amount of fruit used in a recipe and divide by 80g to give you the total
amount of fruit portions in the recipe. You can then divide this by the amount
of servings of food to figure out the amount of fruit portions you will be
consuming.

(For children younger than 11years old, use their fist size or 50g of
fruit as one fruit portion.)

DO I NEED VARIETY?

Each
different fruit contains various combinations of fibre, vitamins, minerals and
antioxidants. So to get the best benefit, eat a variety of fruit daily,
especially differently coloured fruits. And if you are not a fruit fan you can
puree fruit and…

?        
Mix it with fruit juice and freeze it into ice
lollies.

?        
Add into yoghurt and make smoothies or healthy
milkshakes.

?        
Add apple/pineapple puree into baking recipes, e.g.
blueberry muffins or banana bread.

?        
Mix into porridges or cereals.

WILL FRUIT MAKE ME GAIN WEIGHT?

Like
everything you eat, if you eat too much of it, you will put on weight. However,
many people make the mistake of thinking fruit is sugar and will cause you to
gain weight. The truth is, fruit is made up of various types of sugars, but the
main type of sugar is fructose, which has a different metabolic pathway and a
lower glycaemic (blood sugar) response compared to glucose, which is found in
candy and sweet, refined carbs. Fruit also contains fibre, which lowers the
glycaemic response even further.

Thus
if you eat a lot of fruit at one time, the sugar load in the blood can rise
unfavourably, but not if you eat one to two portions at a time. So the key is
to have a variety of fruits and spread them out throughout the day, rather than
having them in all in one shot.

In
the first week of March, some 35 000 cyclists took to the streets of Cape Town
for the Pick n Pay Cape Argus Cycle Tour. Most were on conventional bicycles,
but there were also five unicycles in the field, one of them ridden by Jonathan
Benjamin of Cape Town. This 15-year-old grade 10 pupil from Westerford High
School was doing just his second Argus, and his first on a unicycle, but he was
riding with the iron-willed determination to finish – so that he could collect
on the pledges various people had made to his fundraising drive for Afrika
Tikkun, a non-profit NGO that delivers education, health and social services to
children, youth and their families in South African townships.

“I
realised I could make a difference while doing Argus, so I was looking for a
charity to ride for, and then I got an e-mail from someone at Synagogue talking
about Afrika Tikkun looking for people to ride for them, so I decided to go for
it,” says Jonathan. “I originally set my target at R2 160, which is the cost of
sending one child to school for a year, but when I got close to that, I raised
the target, and kept raising it until where it is now at R30 000! If everybody
that has promised me money sticks to their word, I should get to about R32 000.
I wasn’t expecting to even get close to R10 000, let alone R30 000, so I am
extremely happy!

GETTING STARTED

Jonathan
began unicycling nearly five years ago. “I had a teacher who was obsessed with
the circus and she had a unicycle in her class. It caught my attention and I
wanted to learn to ride it, so she leant it to me and I took about a week to
learn. It is normally quite hard for most people, but lonce you’ve got it, it
really is like riding a bicycle. What makes it harder, though, is that you
can’t free-wheel on a unicycle, you have to keep pedalling and constantly have
to balance, so you can never rest, and there are no gears, plus you’re sitting
a lot higher, which means there is more wind resistance.”

Shortly
after his first unicycling attempts, Jonathan’s father, photographer Shawn
Benjamin, started mountain biking and Jonathan would go along on his bike. Up
in the forests on Table Mountain one day, he spotted more unicyclists. “I saw a
whole group of people unicycling in the forest, on off-road unicycles, which is
what I wanted to do, so I got myself a 20-inch unicycle and took up forest
unicycling.”

ARGUS ON ONE WHEEL

Having
mastered the one-wheeler, Jonathan told his parents that he would like to ride
the Argus on a unicycle, but they said he was still too young and
inexperienced. “I’d been wanting to do the Argus on my uni for three years, but
the first year I was still too small to fit on a big 36-inch uni, the second
year my parents said I first had to ride a normal bike to get experience of the
race, then this year they finally said yes.”

That
saw Jonathan up his training considerably for what would be his longest
unicycle ride yet. “I did some mountain biking with my dad for basic fitness,
then two 20km off-road rides on my uni, and then a 30km, a few 60km and one
70km ride on the uni on the road. I also did a few quick mid-week rides near
home.” Some of his training was done with three fellow unicyclers who would
also be riding the Argus, and he was leant a 36-incher by Alan Reed of Oddwheel
Unicycles.

“We
all started together in NU group, along with a visiting American unicycler, but
I only saw two of the others during the race. The race went extremely well and
I was the first unicyclist to cross the finish line in about six-and-a-half
hours. I thought the last 40km would be a lot harder, but it wasn’t as bad as I
expected. Still, I’m not sure if I will do it again on a unicycle, but I had a
great time and want to say thank you to everybody that supported my fundraising.”

For
more info on Afrika Tikkun, go to www.afrikatikkun.org. To support Jonathan’s
fundraising drive, go to www.beasport.org.za/beasport/project/power-of-one

Growing up, I took part in
many sports enthusiastically, albeit some not always successfully, as my old
cricket coach would vouch for! I was never a runner at school… in fact, the
only running I recall was either on the football pitch or to the beach to check
out the surf. I quickly developed a love for the ocean and I found surfing was
a great way to express myself and escape problems at home.

My parents’ separation when
my brother Kristian and I were 9 and 13 respectively was devastating. It was
further compounded when Kristian fell ill whilst we were driving through to
visit family in Johannesburg. He was admitted to a hospital in Bloemfontein and
diagnosed with leukaemia a few days later. I didn’t understand how life-threatening
leukaemia was until I saw Kris in hospital connected to various drips and
machines with the colour drained from his frail-looking body. It was a life-changing
moment for me.

My Dad’s kombi was turned
into an impromptu ambulance and we rushed Kris overnight to the Red Cross
Children’s Hospital in Cape Town. He spent the next few weeks in the leukaemia
ward – many times in intensive care – and my memories of that time are
harrowing. Kris was one of the lucky ones and eventually made a full recovery,
even fulfilling his dream of becoming a father after being told that he would
never be able to have children. Today Kris lives with his fianc?e Kelly and their
two beautiful children Zach and Skye on the south coast of England.

FOR KRIS AND
MOM

After returning home to Cape
Town from a six-year work stint in London, I decided to take up running and
completed my first half marathon in 2006 in Knysna. I eventually moved on to my
first full marathon and then first Two Oceans ultra-marathon in 2009. I
dedicated both runs to Kris and my Mom, who had recently overcome breast cancer.
I got in contact with The Sunflower Fund at the time and my wife, Bianca, and I
registered as donors on the South African Bone Marrow Registry.

I then started thinking about
what more I could do for The Sunflower Fund and made plans for fundraising at
Two Oceans in 2010. Unfortunately, I had my first major running injury in late
2009. After some rehabilitation, I tried to qualify for Two Oceans but had
another breakdown and then took the difficult decision of taking time off to
fully recover.

BECOMING A
TRIATHLETE

The six long months of not
being able to run were hard, but made me more determined to come back a lot
stronger. I took up cycling and swimming and did my first sprint distance
triathlon as part of my comeback. I enjoyed it so much that I knew that one
sport would never be enough again!

My friend Jason Taylor and I
entered our first Argus Cycle Tour in 2011 and I decided to use it as a
platform to raise funds for The Sunflower Fund as part of their Miles 4 Marrow
Campaign. My fundraising went a lot better than my cycle did on the day (five
punctures!) but I enjoyed the experience and began thinking about what to do
next. I then completed my first ultra trail run and followed it up with an 80km
PUFfeR run, finishing in The Sunflower Fund kit. The incredible support I got
from people as I ran wearily along Signal Hill and then into the Waterfront
because I had The Sunflower Fund top on got me thinking about how I could use
sporting events to help increase visual awareness and exposure of this charity
to the public.

Since then I have
participated in the Totalsports Challenge, run a number of half marathons, and
more recently ran my first road marathon in three years, all in aid of and
wearing my beloved The Sunflower Fund kit.

MY BIGGESTE
CHALLENGE YET

This year I decided to take
on my biggest challenge yet for The Sunflower Fund by taking on The Spec-Savers
Ironman South Africa in Nelson Mandela Bay on 22 April. The event comprises a
3.8km swim, a 180km cycle and a 42.2km run, all to be completed in less than 17
hours in order to be called an Ironman.

Fitting in the training required
to complete this iconic event has been challenging but gratifying, as I am
doing it for a cause close to my heart. The show of support has been incredible
with New Balance, Coral Wetsuits and Dykes van Heerden Attorneys amongst others
that have donated or sponsored towards fundraising going into the event.

DRAWING
INSPRIATION

Inspiration is readily
available and often in places you don’t quite expect it unless you open your
eyes and your heart. It is easy to be inspired watching athletes competing in sporting
events like the Two Oceans, Comrades and Ironman, or the Olympics, achieving
feats seemingly impossible to many of us mere mortals. However, I draw my
inspiration from people like my brother Kris and more recently my friend
Lucille Swart, who is fighting leukaemia for a third time and to whom I am
dedicating my first Ironman. Whenever I have a tough moment in training or
experience pain when I am racing, I think of them and remember what they have
overcome, and that gives me the strength and resolve to carry on and finish.

Science and technology have
come a long way since the days when my brother was treated and becoming a bone
marrow donor is not as scary as one thinks. In South Africa, we are a nation rich
in diversity and culture, which also means that getting a donor match is not
always easy. It only takes two test tubes of blood to become a donor and then,
if chosen as a donor match (one in a 100 000 chance), the process is similar to
donating blood. A donor’s stem cells are harvested when blood passes through a
cell separator machine.

The Sunflower Fund’s message
is “Share a Little, Save a Life” and means exactly that. Consider becoming a
donor or help The Sunflower Fund by fundraising for them through their Miles 4
Marrow campaign. By sharing so little of yourself and becoming a donor, you may
give someone a chance at life that they never had before.

To donate, sponsor or follow Scott’s
Ironman Journey, go to www.scotttait.co.za
or join the Tri-ing for The Sunflower
Fund group on Facebook. For more information on The South African Bone
Marrow Registry, contact Chris Moir at The Sunflower Fund on 021 701 0661 or
[email protected].

ELROY
GELANT, 5 000M

It’s been a busy start to the year for Elroy. In
mid-February he won the South African Cross-country Trials, then jetted off to
Istanbul, Turkey for the IAAF World Indoor Champs in early March, where, he
made it to the final of the 3000m, finishing in 7:48.64 to break the SA Indoor record. A week
later he was second-best SA finisher at the CAA Africa Cross-country
Championships in Cape Town. Just two days later, he was back on the track at
the Stellenbosch leg of the Yellow Pages series, going after the 13:20 IAAF A
standard qualifying time for the 5000m for London.

Admittedly, Elroy’s personal best is only 13:25.09, so
he has some serious work to do if he wants to get to London, but the way he is
going after that mark is what makes people think he can do it, even if he did –
quite understandably – fade a bit in the middle of the race in Stellenbosch.

“I maybe started a bit fast and my hamstrings
really felt it after a while. I’m still feeling the cross-country in my legs
and haven’t got my rhythm back yet,” said Elroy, having just run 13:25.50, less
than a second off his PB, and finishing second to Gladwin Mzazi. “Still, I
think I can go faster if I rest up now, then work on getting my pace and
endurance right to go for 64 seconds per lap. I was close today, and I know I
can do it.”

GLADWIN MZAZI, 5 000M

Much is expected from Gladwin Mzazi after his
recent performances in the 5000m. In Stellenbosch, he initially looked a bit
off the pace, then joined Elroy Gelant up front to chase that 13:20 qualifier,
and eventually outsprinted his tiring countryman to win the race in 13:24.50,
the sixth-fastest ever by a South African, and take nearly six seconds off his PB!

Gladwin and training partner Steven Mokoka, who missed
the race while recovering from a minor injury, have made it known that they are
chasing the 5000m qualifying mark. In the Yellow Pages Interprovincial in
Bellville on 3 March, he and Steven really went for it, but a strong south-easter
blew away their chances. Still, the two gave the crowd a huge thrill with a
sprint finish that Gladwin won.

After his PB in Stellenbosch, Gladwin said, “I
really wanted to go for the qualifier, but my body just did not respond in the
first 2km. I’m very happy with my PB, but I need to go faster if I want to get
to London. I think if Steven had been here today, all three of us would have
done it.”

LJ VAN ZYL, 400M HURDLES

Having been to the Beijing Olympics in 2008, the
Commonwealth Games in Melbourne in 2006 and four
IAAF World Champs meets, LJ van Zyl has both the ability and the experience to
bring back a medal from London.
He took bronze in his specialist event at the World Champs in South Korea last
year, then anchored the 4x400m relay team to silver, and also finished fifth in
Beijing and first in Melbourne. And what’s more, he says he owes it to himself
to be on the podium in London.

“I’ve won medals at the World
Championships, Commonwealth Games and African Championships, so what I really
want now is an Olympic medal. I was fifth last time and want to do well again,
but first I must qualify, then get to the final, and to do that I need to be
running consistently under 48 seconds.”

To qualify for London, LJ has to run
49.50 seconds, and with a PB of 47.66, the SA record he ran twice last year, he
feels the qualifying mark is within his grasp. However, he has still changed
his approach this year. “Last year I was in top shape in April and May, but
this year I want to shift those six weeks to reach top shape at the Olympics.”
LJ says he will also be running a few 400m races, having run 44.86 second in
Germiston last year, a mere 0.28 seconds off the national record. “If I can go
a little faster in the 400m, I know I can bring my time down even more over the
hurdles.”