Category: Features

I remember clearly being totally shocked when I stared
at the pregnancy test that had two stripes on it. Not because I didn’t think
that I could fall pregnant, but because I had just arrived back from running my
eighth Comrades Marathon. I had trained very hard for this one. After finishing
11^th three times, I was not going to finish eleventh again, so I
finally got some coaching help from Alec Riddle and it was all falling into place
as I ran a 10km PB two weeks prior.

So when I was tripped at the start of Comrades
by a runner turning back to pick up his sunglasses, I was devastated. I tried
to get up several times, but each time I got stampeded. Thankfully my brave
husband Michael turned back and grabbed me by my arm, pulling me to the side. My
knee was stuffed, my hip bruised, my hands grazed and my confidence shaky, but
I battled on and finished. I vowed that I would put my fitness into something
else, to make all the training, early mornings and sacrifices worth the while.

RUNNING WITH BABY

So there I was, staring at the pregnancy test,
and my first thought was that it probably was a blessing in disguise that I
took a tumble at the start of Comrades. My second thought was, I wonder how
long I can still run? My elation was short-lived as I Googled running and
pregnancy. After only finding a few scrappy bits of information on elite
athlete Paula Radcliffe, I was forced to broaden the search to include any form
of exercise. Even though it was wonderful to read that Paula Radcliffe ran
throughout her pregnancy, a normal working pleb like me didn’t have the privilege
of four-hour afternoon naps, massages and nutritious meals being prepared for
me. In the real world there are work stress, deadlines and family commitments.

I was amazed that in today’s information-overloaded
society, there are just scanty bits of info on something as popular as running,
and as prevalent as pregnancy. So I used my medical background to do a bit of
research and found that the only real enemy in pregnancy is core temperature,
and the biggest risk is during the first few weeks when most women don’t even
know that they’re pregnant. So with my newfound knowledge I went to the gynaecologist
to discover I was nine weeks pregnant. When I asked him about running during
pregnancy, he simply said listen to your body. He added that as long as I’m not
racing and chasing mega miles, running doesn’t pose any risk to the foetus.

CHALLENGES AND ADVANTAGES

I soon found that running was not the enemy, but
that heat, hills and hormones were, especially the ones that shrink your bladder
to the size of a pea. I ran early mornings, limited my runs to an hour and kept
my running speed down to a minute per kilometre slower than usual. So it may sound
impressive that I still did a 5km time trial in 24:34 the night before I went
into labour, it is all relative, since a few months earlier I was easily running
sub-4min/km.

I think running helped with morning sickness,
and the only days I felt slightly queasy were the days I didn’t run. It
definitely helped with the tiredness, as I had a second burst of energy the
nights I went out for a little jog. Backache and constipation, the two ugly
sisters of pregnancy, were definitely alleviated by being active, so all in all
it really lifts your spirits and helps to keep your mood elevated and in a
positive frame of mind – which is a good thing for baby. I also believe being
active helps you to eat healthily, as you don’t want to feed your body rubbish
when you are training, and being used to eating that way, I hardly had to
adjust my diet during my nine-month stint.

I read an article by Michelle Pieters (editor of
Modern Athlete) on running and
pregnancy, which was so nice in that it gave me some backup that I wasn’t
endangering my bubba, as a few frowning faces suggested during some club runs! In
fact, I was increasing blood supply to the placenta, thus increasing nutrients
and oxygen to ensure optimal growth. I can’t even remember how many times I got
asked till when I was allowed to run. My answer was always the same: Until it
feels uncomfortable – and luckily that never happened! I tried swimming a few
times, but I missed the running camaraderie too much, and just felt like I
didn’t really do a workout if there was no sweat involved!

COMRADES VS IRONMAN VS BIRTH

Now
the question I get asked most these days is what is more difficult, Comrades,
Ironman or giving birth? Well, they are all different, Comrades being hardest
on the body, while Ironman is mentally tough, but birth for me was just bliss –
maybe because out of the three, the birthing process took the quickest and had
the best prize at the end!

I
woke up just before 5am and soon realised that this could be the start of D-day.
My biggest fear was that I was going to arrive at hospital, this
Comrade/Ironman athlete, only to be told that labour had hardly started and I
need to go back home and maybe come back in a few hours. So, after walking the
dogs, buying bread and taking a leisurely shower, I finally phoned hubby at 9am
to say he better get his butt back home (it’s a 40-minute drive from Uitenhage
to PE).

We
arrived at the hospital at 10:30 and I sill posed for a photo at the entrance,
not knowing that I was already 8cm dilated! When the sister did the internal, her
eyes widened in surprise. She kept asking if I wanted any gas at least, but I
kept waiting for things to get unbearable, which fortunately never happened. With
hubby diligently rubbing my back, I breathed through it all, and baby Ryan was
born at 12:15, weighing 3.1kg.

GETTING BACK INTO SHAPE

It
is such a privilege to have a happy, healthy and content little baby. In fact,
he even went for his first seconding outing the week after he was born. Being a
protective dad, Michael said we’re only allowed to join him on route after sunrise,
so we caught up at the 20km mark. We’re also planning to wait for Dad at the
finish line of Comrades.

I think the most challenging part of this journey is
going to be getting back into serious running after giving birth. The Doctor’s
orders were once again, listen to your body. Since the birth was uncomplicated
and relatively easy and fast, after three weeks of walking our two Scotties, I decided
to do an easy 4km jog. I am happy I erred on the side of caution, since prolapsed
bladders and other complications can rear their ugly head only later in life. Now
that baby is old enough to accompany me to the gym, I can supplement running
with the elliptical trainer. My goal is to maybe do the Knysna Marathon just as
a jog to get back, and then build up to attempting a sub-3hr marathon towards
the end of the year.

But I do find that the motivation to get out the door
is much harder with a little nunu gargling, but I’m hoping that supporting
hubby at Comrades will light that fire to go back next year. I also just
received a luminous pair of pink Nike racers that I’ll keep by my bedside table
as a neon sign of hope that I can aspire to race again.

Whether it be a marathon or a 10km, every runner out
there has their personal goals in mind, and what pregnancy has taught me is
that it is such a privilege to run and be active, and I hope to still be
running one day when Ryan wants to go for gold at Comrades. In theory, we’ve
done one together already!

Davera
has a marathon PB of 2:48, has finished 10 Two Oceans Marathons with a best position
of eighth in 2010, has completed eight Comrades Marathons (PB 6:59, with three
11^th positions) and has completed a couple of 70.3 Ironman events
(best result a fourth position). She has also completed four full Ironman
events (best position eighth), including one Kona Ironman finish in Hawaii.

On air,
Koula is energetic, knows the local music scene and has become one of the
country’s most loved radio personalities. Off air, she has taken to running to
keep herself fit and happy. She is ready and motivated to be competing at
Comrades next month and will be using May to taper down from her long runs in
April. “When it comes to running, I just love to put on my shoes, run and have
fun. I wouldn’t call myself a fast runner, but when I run I can run far, and it
is one of the most rewarding experiences,” she says.

GETTING HOOKED

Koula was
encouraged to run Comrades six years ago by Kaya FM presenter Thabiso Sikwane,
who wanted to run for charity. Having no experience running long distances, Koula
was put on an eight-month programme to get Comrades-ready – a tough ask for
anyone! “We built it up, walking then running, and then competing in a 5km, 10km,
half marathon and so on. Before Comrades, Bruce Fordyce told Thabiso and I to
have beer and biltong before!” she laughs, recalling how she’d take any advice!

Koula’s
first Comrades was a down run and after her 11:35 finish, she vowed never to do
it again. “Then I thought I’ll have to do the uphill, and from then I was
hooked and kept doing it. Comrades is such a buzz, there is great support and it’s
a real leveller – everyone is equal on the day, everyone is there just to get
across the finish!” She adds that it’s easy to get inspired to keep going, even
though your body is tiring: “We pass a kids’ home and some are in wheelchairs
cheering you on, and there are also blind runners at Comrades. It gives me
goosebumps!”

FITTING IT ALL IN

Media guru
Koula has always been a fan of the music scene and decided to work in the radio
industry, studying journalism at the former RAU, spending time as a DJ at the
campus radio station and getting a job at Edgars Club Radio. She worked herself
up to 5fm and now holds a prime spot on 94.7 Highveld Stereo. In between gigs, freelance
work and appearances, she manages to keep up her training and relies on early
morning sessions. “I wake up at 4:30am and do short distances in the week, just
before work and meetings. My weekends are dedicated to long distances and
races.” Koula says early starts also allow her relaxing time in the evenings
with husband PJ Budler.

On top of
it all, Koula also has time to dedicate her love for running to a great cause by
being an ambassador for the Starfish Greathearts Foundation, a non-profit
organisation that raises funds and runs various development programmes for
orphaned and vulnerable children in South Africa. “I am proud to be a part of
Starfish because they uplift communities. There is an all-round team effort for
raising funds and they do a great job starting up feeding schemes for children
as well as teaching sustainable development, helping people help themselves.”

Koula is
running this year’s Comrades for the charity and is thankful for her position
to punt it on the airwaves, “I can luckily use it to motivate people to
contribute to a great cause. Running is very self-indulgent and takes up a lot
of your time, so I’m turning it around and giving back!”

LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCE

Koula’s says
her lifestyle has changed drastically since getting into long distance running.
She has changed her diet, lost a lot of weight – which made her second Comrades
on the up route a little easier – and she sticks with a balanced protein and
carb diet… even though she admits she loves baking in her spare time. She bakes
cupcakes for friends’ parties and thinks it’s a great combo to be a runner and
foodie! She also runs races with PJ and likes to renovate homes.

“I want to
run a 100-miler in a few years. I am in love with Comrades, so I could carry on
longer with it, too! I’d also love to run New York, London, The Texas Marathon
and even the Arctic!” Meanwhile, for newbie runners wanting to tackle the Big C,
Koula has the following words of advice: “Start slow, build yourself up and wear
the right shoes! Don’t do too much, too soon, and join a club – you won’t be
left behind and will want to do more.”

Look out
for The Starfish Greathearts Comrades Campaign at www.facebook.com/starfishcharity
and sponsor a Greatheart runner!

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