Category: Features

Being addicted to drugs is a
destructive addiction that leaves you desperate and helpless, and often without
any friends and family. But sometimes, something inspirational is born from
these times of hardship, and that is exactly what happened to Marco Broccardo, CEO
of Eurocom, a communications and digital strategy company in Rosebank, Johannesburg.

Whilst in rehab in 2001, Marco felt
he wanted to give something back, and it was in the rehabilitation centre that
the concept of Mountain
Heights was born. His
journey of addiction and recovery has now led him to the 7 Summit Challenge, of
climbing the highest mountain on each of the seven continents, in order to
achieve the goal of funding a self-sustaining drug rehabilitation centre that
will give addicts who truly want to recover the gift of hope and the chance of
leading a successful, fulfilled and normal life.

“I know
this all might sound very rosy and structured, but believe you me, the journey
to get where I am now, to acknowledge and make this dream a reality, has been
messy, violent, lawless and deceitful,” says Marco, adding that he believes
that through this challenge he can bring a message of hope to users and their
families. “There is hope and recovery for every addict if they are truly
committed to a drug-free life,” he says.

THE START OF IT ALL

“My story
began like any other addict’s story. Picture it: Joburg, the early 90s, an
athletic young boy from a loving home starts dabbling in a little weed here, a
cheeky line there, and quickly my using got out of control, the lights went out
and my dark path through the belly of Joburg’s underworld and full-blown
addiction began. I did my first line of coke when I was 15. Scary, huh? The
crack cocaine and heroine days were particularly fun… my life was a smorgasbord
of drug cocktails and using opportunities. But it’s this resolute tenacity and
commitment to my addiction that was the same strength I drew on in my recovery.
That and my faith in God,” says Marco.

Marco hit rock bottom in 1999 and
began rehab. He has always been fascinated by mountains and whilst in rehab he
decided to use the mountains as a metaphor for the same mental and physical
challenges it takes to overcome addiction. “We all have a mountain in our
lives, be it an addiction, a bad relationship or an eating problem,” says Marco,
who in 2010 won the title of Top Young Entrepreneur in South Africa at the
African Access National Business Awards.

VIRGIN CLIMB

The first step in his
three-and-a-half year campaign to climb the highest mountains on all seven
continents was in 2010 with Mount Kilimanjaro.
In preparation for this, Marco met up with extreme athlete Alex Harris, one
of the first South Africans to conquer the seven summits as well as walk
unassisted to the South Pole. “I learnt that one can only be so fit to climb a mountain.
What gets to you in the end is altitude sickness and your body shutting down in
wild temperatures that drop well below double negative numbers,” says Marco,

That first summit was quite a shock
for someone on their virgin climb, but after Kilimanjaro, Marco was hooked and
determined to do more. He and his team members, many of whom are former
addicts, now follow a vigorous training programme. “Training is pretty hectic,”
explains Marco. “We run 4km a day, five times a week, and for that extra bit of
stamina training, we climb the Westcliff Stairs in the North of Johannesburg twice
a week, doing ten sets up and down at a time. And then for a real taste of
pain, we’ll do an eight to 10-hour cycle in Magaliesburg or climb the ridges of
Joburg from Fishers Hill, Primrose, to the Walter Sisulu
Gardens in Krugersdop. That’s
66km in a day.”

And if that’s not enough, the team
does a stretch exercise once a month and will, for example go to Sabie in
Mpumulanga and do a 120km ride the one day and then the 50km Fanie Botha hiking
trail the next. “This stretches you mentally and physically, and leaves you
crying for your mom!” says Marco.

MOUNTAIN SKILLS

However, it’s not only fitness that
is core to summiting, it’s skill as well. To make sure the team is
mountain-ready, they go rock-climbing and hone their rope skills and harnessing
techniques. Before Marco and his team climbed Mount
Kosciuszko, the highest mountain in Australia, in May last year, they practiced
these essential elements in the Blue Mountains
to ensure that nothing was left to chance.

Altitude sickness is a reality and
Marco got his first taste of this in South America
last year. Symptoms include nausea, dehydration and shortness of breath. “What
people don’t know is at that altitude, other than your body performing its
essential functions, everything else kind of shuts down. We attempted Acongagua
in Argentina
in December and that quite honestly was the most physically challenging and mentally
daunting experience I’ve ever been through. The temperature at the top of Kilimanjaro
when we climbed in 2010 was -22 degrees with a serious wind chill factor. The
base camp temperature at Acongagua was -12. It was intense and everything slows
down as your body uses all its energy to keep you warm!”

UNPREDICATABILITY

It was Acongagua that really woke
Marco up to the reality of climbing mountains, which are largely unpredictable.
After reaching 5500m, Marco developed what was thought to be a cerebral edema,
a swelling on the brain caused by high altitudes and he had to be airlifted off
the mountain. “Alex warned us what we were in for, but I don’t think anything
could have prepared me for that. You only realise what you have got yourself
into when you are sitting on the side of a mountain, frozen to the bone and
moving tents and food and gear to the next camp, not sure if you’re going to make
it, or how you’ll make it. What started off as a tummy bug eventually took me
out and my body just didn’t want to comply.”

The rest of the team had to turn
back 700 vertical metres before the summit, as conditions were simply too
dangerous. It was a huge disappointment after the distance and training and
expense it took to get them there, but in true Marco form, he just saw this as
a lesson in personal growth. “We never made it to the top, but it’s important
to look at it in terms of the bigger picture. When we didn’t summit, we were a
bit down and out, but the reality is, like the road to recovery from addiction,
there are hiccups you’ve not accounted for. Things don’t go your way up a
mountain… much like recovery, mountains are unpredictable.”

FUTURE CLIMBS

Marco and his team are planning to
climb Everest next year as their 7 Summit Challenge swansong. He realises there
is a very real likelihood that his whole team won’t make it up, possibly him
too. But Marco embraces the challenges ahead of him.

So what keeps him going in minus
temperatures, up a mountain, miles away from civilization, hospitals and a
decent meal? “My faith in God and my family, and the core reasons I decided to
climb mountains in the first place. Life’s not easy, nor is climbing, but how
will we ever achieve anything if we don’t give it 100% effort and dedication?
That’s what keeps me going.”

It seems ridiculous: 43 years to Green…
but it happened haphazardly, without green as a goal until I got to eight. It
is more about failure than perseverance: 40-plus years of trying would imply an
obsession, but it was a lack of appreciation of Comrades that added the years,
coupled with chronic injury and some bad luck.

My first attempt at the Comrades was
in 1968, based on cross-country training. I dropped out at Drummond with sore
knees. The next year Charlie Chase introduced the Wits runners to proper
Comrades training, so I was able to finish in ’69, but in a disappointing 8:24.
The mental challenge of Comrades continued to bug me, though, and I developed
an attitude that if I was not enjoying myself, then I should go home.

In ’70 I dropped out with hurt
feelings when clubmate Dave Levick left me for dust over the big hills. In ’71,
I won the Matopos 33 Miler and was set to run a good Comrades, but developed a
foot injury, later diagnosed as a stress fracture. In ’72 I had a reasonable
run, but the stress fracture returned to haunt me for seven years. So in ’73 I
had the great privilege of seconding Dave Levick to his brilliant come-from-behind
win. Finally, I started to understand distance running and started to study it
in a more academic way.

BACK
FOR MORE

By the late 70’s I was ready to start racing again and ran a string of
good sub-2:40s marathons and the Korkie ultra in 3:27. I entered again in ’79,
but ‘flu (caught from five-time Comrades winner Jackie Mekler at a dinner
party!) stopped me getting to the start line.

Aged 32, I decided to give the 1980 Comrades a full go and my training
peaked at 240km per week. Training with the elite RAC group meant long distance
at high speed and I went into Comrades with 2400km under my belt and little
sleeves sewn into my vest so I could put ice in to keep me cool. I went through
halfway in 2:57, 60km in under four hours, with the long gentle downs – my
forte – still to come. At Hillcrest, I fell over with hypothermia… the ice had
worked too well!

In ’84 my brother, Ant, started to
run, and there followed five years of the most enjoyable running. As we both
got fitter, we competed first in half marathons and then marathons, and
ultimately Comrades. In the early Comrades I beat him, but then he reeled off
6:24, 6:12 and 6:07 to win the Vets’ category. His 6:24 plus my 6:34 in ‘86 are
still, to my knowledge, the fastest times by two brothers on the same day. (Don’t
ask about sisters.)

In ’87 I made a rather half-hearted
attempt, dropping out at Camperdown unfit and unmotivated. The following year,
’88, so angry was I at my pathetic performance the year before and being a shiny
new Veteran, I resolved to put everything right, but I thought I had ‘flu and
only started because I was there, only intending to run slowly to Westville. I
ended up having one of my best races, with a 40-minute negative split for 7:22.
I have been an advocate of negative splits ever since.

SIDELINED
AGAIN

Then followed a 12-year period of
running shoe-induced injuries, but thanks to the hype around the Millennium
race and with orthotics that countered the bad effect of the shoes, I had the
most enjoyable run in 2000. However, my heart was not really in it because of
the injuries, but I kept trying, entering again in 2003, but was kept out by
calf strains.

Fortuitously, the lack of commitment
led to my discovery of the dangers of running shoes. Not wanting to splash out
the money on new shoes, I started running in an old pair of cross-country shoes
in 2006. The leg injuries faded, but injuries to the pelvic girdle, causing all
manner of aches and pains, made my 2007 race an absolute hell, but by now, for
the first time, as ‘green’ became a possible dream, I finished my ninth in a PW
10:48. After 40 years, I had finally learnt what it meant to persevere!

In 2008, my debut Grandmaster year,
I thought I had a chance to once again be competitive, but I was flattened by
the worst injury of my career, a glute spasm that could only be cured by
hip-replacement surgery, according to the sports scientists. For two years I
hardly ran, but when I did it was in the lightweight cross-country racers and I
had ditched the orthotics. Come January 2010 I was ready to go, only to
discover that entries had closed in November. I read Born to Run and realised that my injuries were disappearing, and by
January 2011 I was a full forefoot striker and even the chronic hip pain had
gone.

FINALLY,
NUMBER 10

So in 2011,
wearing a tatty old pair of shoes with 3000km in them, and I lined up with my
son Simon, cheerfully undertrained. As I stood there in that crowd, my usual
talkative self was suddenly conscious that this was probably the last time I
would stand in that sea of cosmopolitan humanity, reeking of expectation. We
bumped into Jackie Mekler, who wished us well in his low-key way. I could have
cried right there.

It turned out to be a long painful
day… I never really got into a comfortable stride, but not finishing was simply
not an option. By three kays to go, I knew it was safe and I was happy to walk
and enjoy the crowds, which I had not really done earlier, so scared was I of
not making it. To enter the stadium and to hear many friends calling our names,
the beating on the boards, the surreal late evening light supplemented by the
blue-green floodlights. To cross that line with Simon next to me… for father
and son, it was an immensely special day and a suitable closing to a 43-year
love-hate relationship with Mother Comrades.

Simon Gear is currently running 9
marathons in 9 weeks in 9 provinces, which he thinks will be an SA first, to
drum up support for the Greathearts Comrades initiative to get 200 runners
raising money for the Starfish Foundation at Comrades 2012. He started with his
first marathon on 28 January. Look out for a report back on this in a future
edition.

CHASING SILVER

Tim
Low (42) of the Pinelands Athletic Club will line up for the 56km Two Oceans ultra
looking to run at an average pace of around 4:15 minutes per kay, which should
see him home in just under four hours and earn him one of the most coveted
silver medals in South African road running. That will also bring him a PB by
some 30 minutes, given that his best Two Oceans time is 4:28:38, run in 2001,
the last time he tried to go for silver.

“That
year I got to the marathon mark in 2:57, and decided I wasn’t going to make it,
so I had a very enjoyable, easy last 14km. I also managed to win the club’s
predict your time challenge… I had predicted two times, 3:59 or 4:29, so I
completely cheated by stopping to chat for about five minutes at the club tent
alongside the finish straight!”

Tim
has 13 Oceans medals to his name, proudly wears Blue Number 3530, and has run
as a pacesetter in the ultra several times. Last year he led the sub-5:00 bus
home in an apparently well-judged 4:58:36, but says it was not so good. “I said I was going to run at
a constant pace the whole way, including the hills, but that meant most people
couldn’t stay with me, because most need to go slower over the hills in the
second half. By the time Constantia Nek came, most people had dropped off the
bus, so when I was interviewed by the SABC at the top, their first question
was, ‘Where is your bus?’ I had to tell them the wheels came off at the bottom
of the hill.”

Tim
works as a senior lecturer in the Education Development Unit at UCT,
specialising in statistics and mathematics, and recently won a UCT Distinguished
Teacher Award. Now he jokes, “I’ve reached the pinnacle of my career and it’s
all downhill from here… hence me looking for new goals, including in running. I
want that silver medal. I am nervous about committing my goal to paper, because at
the end of day, I run for myself, and for my enjoyment, but it’s nice to have
goals to aim for.”

THE NERVOUS NOVICE

Matthew
Zoutendyk (37) of Durbanville says his reason for wanting
to run his first half marathon at Two Oceans is quite simple: “The 21^st
of December is supposed to be the end of the world, according to the Mayan
Calendar, so I want to know I can outrun a tidal wave. Or a traffic jam!”
Seriously, though, his long-term goal is Ironman 2013, so he is gradually
building up his road running, and the Oceans 21km will be another step in that
process.

To date he
has run two 10km races, the first of which proved quite eventful. “I was
running with two married girl friends who took it upon themselves to point out
all the girls I should be meeting, which I thought was quite decent of them.
But while I was admiring the mobile scenery around me, I managed to run into a
park bench, and there was a bit of blood spilled. I prefer telling people I was
attacked by a big dog while trying to save somebody – makes for a much cooler
war story!”

Matt is the
owner (and chief coffee-maker) of Vestifusion,
an insurance think-tank company that also brokers policies through a call
centre with some 200 operators. He also spent some years as a semi-professional
road biker, including a stint riding in France,
and has eight sub-3:00 Argus Cycle Tour finishes to his name and has also done
the Cape Epic. He now lives on a wine estate just
outside Durbanville, where he does most of his training, doing three 6-8km runs
during the week and a longer run as well as a mountain bike ride on the
weekend.

He says his
goal for the Oceans Half was initially to finish in two hours, but he has now
shifted that back a wee bit to 2:15. “I have never experienced 21 kays before,
and I’m scared of Southern Cross Drive, dehydration, and cramping, and being
attacked by squirrels going past Kirstenbosch. Seriously though, you need so
much more prep for running than riding, and you can’t freewheel or let the pack
carry you along. So I’m just going to go out and give it my best go.

The
problem with convenient bought lunches is that they can be high in unwanted fat
(especially saturated fat), sugar and salt, as well as nutritionally deficient
in things like fibre and good quality protein. So when choosing your lunch,
keep the following in mind and choose wisely:

?              
For a low-calorie lunch, look for 450Kcal or less per
meal.

?              
Remember that ‘Low Fat’ means 3g fat or less per 100g.

?              
Low saturated fat = 1.5g saturates or less per 100g.

?              
High protein means that at least 20% of the calories
need to come from protein.

?              
High fibre = at least 6g fibre per 100g.

?              
Low salt = 0.3g salt or less per 100g, or 140mg of
sodium or less per 100g.

HEALTHY OPTIONS

Here
are some healthy options to consider:

Nandos Vitality Meal

(Grilled
chicken breast, flame-grilled mealie and regular salad)

?        
Low-calorie: Only 345Kcal per meal.

?        
Low fat: 6.1g per meal (1.1g per 100g) – without added
salad dressing, though!

?        
Low saturated fat: 1.4g per meal (0.2g per 100g).

?        
High protein: 6.3g per meal (40% of calories come from
protein).

?        
Low salt: 99mg sodium per 100g.

Woolworths Sushi Mini Combo 2 Go

(Prawn
Nigiri, Rainbow Roll, Cucumber, Mayo, Sesame Seed Maki, Wasabi, Pickled Ginger,
Soya Sauce Sachet)

?        
Low-calorie: Only 106Kcal per meal.

?        
Low fat: 3.3g per meal (2.3g per 100g).

?        
Low saturated fat: 0.4g per meal (0.27g per 100g).

?        
Low salt: 173mg sodium per meal (120mg sodium per
100g).

Woolworths Chicken Salad & Fat-free Cottage Cheese Sandwich 2 Go

?        
Low-calorie: Only 374Kcal per meal.

?        
Low fat: 6.5 g per meal (2.5 g per 100g).

?        
Low saturated fat: 0.6g per meal (0.4g per 100g).

?        
High protein: 27.7g per meal (30% of calories come
from protein).

Kauai Thai Chicken Salad (without dressing)

?        
Low-calorie: Only 279Kcal per meal.

?        
Low fat: 7g per meal (les than 3g per 100g).

?        
Low saturated fat: 1g per meal (less than 1.5g per
100g).

?        
High protein: 29g per meal (less than 30% of calories
come from protein).

In high school I never considered myself to be a runner. Instead I was always the person who cheered on my friends during our inter-house athletics. But one fateful day in 2006, during my Sport Science Institute of South Africa (SSISA) orientation, the last introductory stop we made was to Kathy McQuaide-Little’s office. As I entered, I was overwhelmed and fascinated by the medals and photographs of her running experiences, ranging from the Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon and even the Comrades Marathon. As I glanced at all her medals, I knew I wanted to venture into the unknown.

MY RUNNING LOVE AFFAIR
Soon after, she went on to ask whether or not I had any interest in running. Then she informed me about a competition they were running and encouraged me to enter. I wrote in for the competition and was one of the six people selected for the Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon Nike Superstar Programme. We joined OptiFit, a running programme for beginners offered at the SSISA, and this proclaimed the beginning of what soon became my love-affair with running.

A year later, in 2007, I completed my first Two Oceans Half Marathon in 2:26. Successfully finishing this race, one which I had never envisioned myself completing, remains my best achievement to date. The experience gave me a new lease on life: I gained a renewed sense of self-belief in my abilities. From there onwards, anything was possible; the world was mine for the taking!

I continued running and completed the following half marathons: Cape Town, Grape Run, Gun Run and my second Two Oceans in 2010, finishing in 2:14. In the same breath, there have been challenges: after my second Two Oceans I suffered a knee injury which took 18 months to conquer!

MAJOR PAIN
In the early weeks of November, I joined the Sport Science Institute’s Boot Camp Programme, an intensive eight-week programme that takes place in Newlands, with three sessions a week. It provided me with a holistic exercise experience from strength, resistance and cardiovascular exercise, as well as expert advice from ‘Major Pain’ (a biokineticist and real taskmaster). During these sessions, he pushed us to our limits and was most encouraging, with fun punishments dished out if we were slacking off. Rain or sunshine, the prospect of outdoor exercise served as motivation throughout my course.

My experience at Boot Camp was really fruitful; each week we were provided with rich information pertaining to articles covering different topics ranging from yoga, diet and fitness, and as a result thereof, I gained more knowledge on healthy eating and exercising. Most of all, I gained strength and improved my fitness levels. Boot Camp taught me about the value of teamwork, and how important it is to remain consistent, no matter how hard it is.

Yes, there were times when I thought I could not push any further, when I felt defeated. However, the thought of how far I had come made me persevere. Today, not only have I regained my strength, but I am fit as well. At the end of each week I reflected on Boot Camp and wrote about it in my blog, journeyofhope28.wordpress.com. Overall, not only was the experience life-shaping, but it was fun.

Mahatma Ghandi once said, “Every worthwhile accomplishment, big or little, has its stages of drudgery and triumph; a beginning, a struggle and a victory.” And so it was with pursuing my dream. As I look back, the end of Boot Camp proclaimed a new chapter in my love affair with running; one of maturity, foresight and a fresh perspective on exercise. And as I continue with my training for the 2012 Two Oceans Marathon, my assertion remains: Nothing is impossible, because all power is within us.

Whatever your dream, it is not too farfetched for you to achieve. Don’t only immerse yourself in your thoughts, but strive to make them a reality. Live your dream!

If you are keen to join a Boot Camp with SSISA programme, the next one starts 23 January. For more details, visit www.ssisa.com, e-mail [email protected] or phone 021 659 5600.

DON’T TAKE MOM FOR GRANTED
The impact of a mother’s health on the household diet cannot be overstated, according to research. The main caregiver in a family (usually the mother) needs to be energetic and organised to make healthy eating happen consistently within the family. When the main caregiver is sick, tired or unmotivated, the household diet tends to slide.

BYE-BYE JUICE, HELLO FAT-FREE MILK!
Research has found if you replace your morning juice with a glass of fat-free milk, you will manage your weight better. The study found that a glass of skim milk with your toast or breakfast cereal reduces mid-morning munchies more than a glass of juice does. In fact, milk drinkers ate 10% less food four hours after breakfast than those who drank juice for breakfast. According to the researchers, such a change in appetite could potentially help with weight management.

AVOID TAKE-AWAY TRAPS
If you are a convenience connoisseur, try keeping these three easy tips in mind:
• Sauces are dangerous: A single squirt from a tartar sauce bottle contains about 500kJ. You would need to run at full pace for about 15 minutes to burn this off. On top of this, a take-away burger and chips will often have two or more sauces. You do the maths!
• Portion size: One large portion of chips is too much food for any one person. Half this amount is much more reasonable and half the fat and calories.
• Preparation is important: Sweet and sour pork is prepared by coating high-fat pork in batter, then deep frying it in oil and finally boiling it in sugar (the ‘sweet’ bit). That’s why it’s so energy-dense. Always ask how your food is cooked so you know where the hidden energy is.

BEWARE OF THE ‘HEALTHY HALO’ EFFECT
If a food product says ‘low-fat’, do you eat more? Probably! In a US study, adults were directed to one of two bowls of unusually coloured M&Ms (gold, teal, purple and white) and invited to help themselves. The bowls were labelled either ‘New colours of regular M&Ms’ or ‘New low-fat M&Ms’. On average, people ate 28% more of the supposedly low-fat variety.

In another study, researchers asked participants to estimate suitable serving sizes for M&Ms and muesli. Half the participants were told these were low-fat versions of the food, the others were told they were regular versions. When people saw a food labelled ‘low-fat’, they estimated an appropriate serving size to be 25% bigger.

These studies found that we often assume the energy (kilojoules) content of a food is much less in foods labelled ‘low-fat.’

GET ENOUGH SLEEP
Older people who sleep for less than five hours each night, or for eight to nine hours, are more likely to gain 5kg or more over a two-year period, and more likely to be obese, according to a study in Spain. The researchers analysed the sleeping patterns and body measurements of over 3 500 people aged 60 and older, and found the optimal sleep duration for weight maintenance in this group appeared to be seven hours. So don’t compromise your sleep!

I was born and bred in Zimbabwe and am a Zimbo at heart, but have spent much of my short life on the KwaZulu-Natal coast. During my school and varsity years I was a jack of all trades, but there was never really any mastery. I participated in swimming, canoeing, cross-country (now known as trail running), triathlon, squash, hockey and cricket. I didn’t always know what I wanted to do with my life, but I was fortunate enough to have the time and freedom to discover what it was.

I love being outdoors, I love adventure and I love people. So I needed to find a job that ticked all those boxes. I ploughed through a four-year natural sciences degree, thinking science would be my ticket to bush adventures, foreign languages and starry skies. But it wasn’t. In need of a holiday and some perspective, I went yacht racing around the world for four years. The ocean, it turns out, is just about the best place for anyone to get big world perspective. There was plenty time to get introspective, and I soon learnt what my real strengths and passions were. Photography, which had long been a hobby, stood out. I conjured up a plan, focused on exploiting my strengths and put my head down.

A STEEP LEARNING CURVE
Without much guidance or planning, I started taking photos at adventure sports events. I did it simply because it was a subject I knew. I got to take photographs almost every weekend, honed newfound skills, rapidly built my portfolio, and met and learnt from fellow sport creatives. Everything snowballed and evolved from there. This is not to say it was easy. I can clearly remember the first adventure event I covered, mainly because it also doubled as the first marathon I’d ever done. The event is known as the Mweni Marathon and takes place in probably the least visited, but most spectacular part of the Drakensberg. When I pitched the idea of photographing the event to the organisers, they said the route is completely inaccessible and the only way to cover the race would be to run it myself. I was stoked. I love running and now someone just made it part of my job!

Undaunted, and blissfully unaware of the rigours of trail running with a camera bag, I set off on the 42km high altitude, mountain run with everything I thought I needed. By kilometre 10, it was clear I had brought too much equipment. I was battling to keep up with the majority of the field, let alone finding the time or energy to take pics of the race. I ditched all my food to lighten my backpack, but it didn’t help. At halfway I was close to last. I eventually latched on to a couple runners going my pace, and on the way back to the finish I had to make peace with the fact that most of my photos were only going to feature two people. After eight hours, my loyal subjects and I crossed the finished line – exhausted. I later jotted down the lessons I learnt from the race, and reading them now, it’s amazing how insightful they proved to be in terms of what the future held.

One of my fondest photographic memories has to be the TransAlps Run 2010. It was my first overseas assignment and I remember sitting on the train with my pelican case, camera bag and running shoes, staring out the window, watching the big German Alps whiz by, and thinking: “Somebody is actually paying me to do something to be here.” Everything about the event was world class and we were a crack team of photographers consisting of two Germans and myself. I had the enviable job of running, camera in tow, for two thirds of each race day. Each of us had to present a photographic slideshow every night and it turned out to be a full-on photographic war. Each photographer tried to outdo the other, the slideshow winner being the one with the most oooohh’s and aaaahh’s from the audience. It was great. The working environment was super-charged and pressure-filled, and I learnt stacks because of it.

PART OF THE ACTION
I maintain that the best way to capture what is in front of your camera, is to be a part of it. I hate sitting on the sidelines documenting an event. If people are running, I like to be running with them. I always try to put myself in my subjects’ shoes. Understanding what your subject is feeling really helps you portray the emotions and sights. It’s this participatory style of photography that I think separates my images from the rest, but really it’s an excuse to justify doing the sports I love whilst working!

All events are different, and all need a specific strategy or pre-planning. The more you know about your subject and surroundings, the better your photos. I come from a multi-sport background, and those early experiences taught me that capturing and documenting the essence of multi-sports, requires not only a technical appreciation for film, but also a unique blend of creative agility and sporting knowledge, and of course, the ability to combat an often unforgiving shooting environment.

LIVING THE DREAM
It’s now been three-and-a-half years of professional photography, and I’ve been on more bush adventures, listened to more foreign languages and seen more starry skies than I could have ever dreamed of. But like anything in life, it’s all about finding a balance.

For the first two years of my professional camera-wielding career, I was so set on growing the business that I’d go from one job to the next, always rushing, always looking for the next best assignment. It was only until recently that I found some sort of inner peace. It’s so easy to get caught up in the moment, especially when you see everything from a photo or creative perspective. The world kind of passes you by at face value only, nothing deeper. It’s only when you stop and reflect that you begin to appreciate all the places you’ve seen and people you’ve met. You are continually forced to engage and interact and learn, and the more you do that, the better the pics are. It’s a win-win situation. And I love it.

On many an afternoon and weekend in the township of Lamontville just outside Durban, you will find Mahlasela Nhlengetwa and Lloyd Miya surrounded by a bunch of kids, all eagerly hanging on to their lips and listening to advice on all things swimming, running and cycling. All present have one thing in common, their passion for sport and their eagerness and willingness to become involved in triathlons – and who knows, to even one day compete internationally and take a podium position.

Mahlasela and Lloyd are the driving force behind this youth development programme in KwaZulu-Natal and are doing so without any funding or big sponsors to back them. On top of that, they are also starting their very own triathlon club called BlacksDoTri. They might not have funding, but one soon realises both have a lot of passion for life, and triathlon in particular.

SPREADING THE LOVE
Lloyd grew up in Lamontville playing soccer, like most township boys, but was soon drawn to swimming and cycling. About 12 years ago, a friend who was a lifeguard introduced Lloyd to triathlons. “By then I was already swimming, cycling and playing soccer.” Today he is a passionate triathlete who has completed Ironman 70.3, several BSG Energade races and other sprint distances. In between, Lloyd also finds time to work as a spinning instructor at Virgin Active Gym and a seasonal swimming coach for the Ethekwini Municipality in Durban.

His friend and business partner, Mahlasela, grew up in KwaMashu outside Durban and did not share Lloyd’s childhood love for soccer. “From an early stage, I discovered that I didn’t have a flair for soccer and I was drawn to sports that were seen as unconventional in the township. I am creative by nature, and during my varsity days, the entrepreneurial bug bit. This allowed me extra time to pursue triathlons.”

He admits watching Ironman on TV scared him at first. “While watching I thought to myself, ‘That’s total madness, but I like it!’ After completing the Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon, he was in search of a new challenge and found it in triathlons. Up to now he has completed the Joburg City Tri and a couple of sprint distance triathlons, but plans to tackle bigger races soon. “I love triathlon simply because it keeps both your body and mind fit. No other sport works your body quite like triathlon. It teaches you endurance, commitment and discipline.”

FACING CHALLENGES
Lloyd and Mahlasela both agree their biggest regret is that they did not get involved in triathlons earlier. They also both experienced challenges when they got involved and realised that if they as adults faced these challenges, how difficult it is for the youth to get involved. “I realised that without a mentor it was difficult for me to stay in the sport. I would like more black kids to be part of the sport and to not encounter the same challenges that I faced.”

There is no shortage of eagerness amongst the youth to learn more about all things triathlons, says Lloyd. Kids between six and 18 and young adults up to 26 have shown up at the training sessions. “When they arrive for training, we start by just chatting, then we warm up. Depending on what we are doing that day, we start with the swim, run or bike session. We train for about three hours,” says Lloyd.

The training is fun and invaluable, but comes with loads of challenges. Lloyd and Mahlasela have no funding and battle with a lack of resources such as bikes and transport for the kids. “Thus far we’ve managed to make it happen. This is as much a journey for the youth as it is for us,” says Mahlasela. Other challenges include parents who don’t really understand what triathlon is, kids who don’t have resources and therefore drop out of training and sometimes don’t show up consistently for training sessions. “We try to get the kids to understand that whatever they put in, they will get out.

TRIATHLETES IN THE MAKING
There is a lot of talent amongst the township kids and the earlier these kids can be developed, the better, says Lloyd. “We are hoping to over time develop elite black triathletes that will take podium positions at races and compete globally. Even if we just produce two medal-winning triathletes (one female and one male), that would be a great achievement. This is definitely quite possible. Just look at Melton Rasimphi, who got gold at the South African Long Distance Duathlon Champs, making him the first black person to win this competition. With the right resources, equipment and support, the same can be achieved in triathlon.”

BLACKS DO TRI
So, Lloyd and Mahlasela are now in the process of establishing their very own multisport club. “BlacksDoTri is a triathlon club in its infancy stages, and its goal is to introduce blacks (but not exclusively) of all ages to the sport of triathlon. Most of all, through the club I would like to support guys like Lloyd who are in the forefront of developing these kids and have an undying passion for the sport and the youth. Sometimes it’s hard to understand development when you don’t live in the same area and have not grown up in the same circumstances as these kids,” says Mahlasela.

The club’s name BlacksDoTri might raise a few eyebrows, admits Mahlasela. “The name is more tongue in cheek than anything else, but it does look good on a T-Shirt! With the name we are simply trying to say that blacks are interested and love the sport of triathlon, and that one should always keep trying in life, whatever you do. The name may seem excluding, but we are open to anyone who wants to be part of it,” says Mahlasela.

In the next year they want to encourage especially more black people to become involved in triathlons. “It’s a great sport and there are only a handful of us at races, at times as few as three in 600 athletes. I believe triathlons are not something you do, it is part of who you are and will motivate you to get up to train on those cold days.”

It all came about when an e-mail popped into Tim Noakes’ inbox late in 2010, advertising a book called the New Atkins Diet for You, which promised to help you lose 6kg in six weeks. This immediately piqued his scientific interest. “We all know that losing that much weight that quickly is impossible, but the book was written by a serious scientist, so I ordered a copy, and it said replace all carbohydrate in your diet with protein and fat,” says Tim. “I said to myself, they wouldn’t say this without reason, so I decided to experiment on myself. I cut all carbs out and started eating just biltong, cheese and fish, and in one week I lost three quarters of a kilogram. By the next week it was 1.5kg, and it was so easy. I had no hunger pangs. In the past I had tried to lose weight, but was always hit by hunger from the first day.”

Tim has now lost 15kg, and says just as easily as the weight came off, so his running improved. “The more I lost, the more I wanted to run. Before, I had only been able to run 30 to 45 minutes at 7min/km, but now I am running at 5:30/km, sometimes even under 5min/km. One particular run on the mountain used to take me 140 minutes – I got it down 92 minutes after just five months. Then I ran the Two Oceans Half Marathon in 2:06, 40 minutes faster than the previous year. In my view, it’s not just weight-loss, but also something in my energy levels. I feel like I’m 22 again, with endless energy, and I just want to burn it by running.”

FACING OPPOSITION
Naturally, Tim has been raving about his anti-carb diet, and unsurprisingly, he has received quite a lot of opposition to his new way of thinking. “I know that The Lore of Running is all about carbohydrate-intake, but think about it, I must have a reason to say this now. Using a normal ‘cut the calories’ diet, most of us will probably lose 1kg over a year, but by cutting carbs, people are losing 40 to 80kg – just imagine how that changes their lives. And they all say that the further they go, the stronger they get.”

“What I’ve learnt is that there are those who can metabolise carbohydrate and those who can’t, and your body becomes slightly more carb-resistant as you age. If you start putting on weight in middle age and your Body Mass Index (BMI) is 25 or higher, then you’re probably one of those who can’t. You can eat all the carb you like if you can process it, but if do and see gentle, persistent weight-gain, that is a problem.”

Tim explains that most athletes eat carbs, which contain glucose, to generate glycogen, the fuel for the muscles, but in the BMI 25+ group, chances are that the muscles and liver can’t take up the glucose normally due to this carb-resistance, and so the body over-secretes insulin to break down the extra glucose. However, there is too much to be broken down, because our diets contain so much carb and sugar, and so it ends up in our fat cells, thus resulting in weight-gain, and on top of that, we experience constant insulin and glucose spikes, which are damaging to our health. He adds that if we cut the current consumption of sugar in SA from an average 60kg per person per year to 5kg, which is about three teaspoons per day, we would get rid of most cases of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimers and certain cancers.

PROOF IS IN THE PUDDING
“Ironically, the more fat I eat now, the thinner I get – I’ve replaced the carbs that make me fat with the fat that makes me thin! Nobody believes this until they try it. When you cut carb, you tend to replace it with fat, because you can’t eat that much protein, so you have to increase your intake of yoghurt and nuts to compensate. Essentially, I eat six food groups now: Nuts, full-cream dairy, leafy vegetables, meat, fish and eggs.”

“You have to understand that fat is actually a brilliant energy source, including for exercise and sport, but your body simply isn’t used to using it. It’s like putting diesel fuel into a petrol engine – you need to change the engine first. By cutting the carbs, you bring about this gradual engine change, and your body learns to burn more fat, which will result in both increased energy levels and weight reduction. It won’t work for the average 20-year-old, but if you’re older, have a BMI of 25 or higher and are gaining weight, you should give this a try.”

Dan Hugo took his first XTERRA steps in Stellenbosch and with guidance from one of the all-time great triathletes, Conrad ‘The Caveman’ Stolz, it was only a matter of time before he stepped up to play with the big boys. “Conrad had a big influence on me because we spent a lot of time together when I was younger. He exposed me to many other top triathletes and introduced me to the possibility of an alternate life, but also made me aware of the restrictions that come with leading an athlete’s life. It’s not all romance, and I learnt a lot from him.”

Dan did his first local XTERRA in 2004 before heading to Brazil for his first international event in 2006. “I’m pretty driven and did my first triathlon when I was nine years old, but I stumbled around during university for a while, trying to decide where to next. What really swung me was Conrad telling me of a race he did in Brazil. The pictures he showed me seemed idyllic and I organised to compete there in 2006. I knew if I came fourth, the prize money would make me break even, so I went for two weeks, combining the race with a holiday. That race is still one of my favourites thanks to that experience!”

He did manage that fourth place and subsequently turned professional. In 2007 and 2008 a host of first and second places at local multi-sport races followed, as well as quality performances around the world. He became a regular top five finisher at several XTERRA races across the USA in 2009 before he swept away all local competition and kept delivering promising performances in the USA in 2010. But 2011 proved to be Dan’s best year thus far and he finally delivered on the promise he had shown for the previous four years. In a year filled with highlights he secured the South African XTERRA title in January and beat Lance Armstrong twice in November to finish second at both the US Championships and the World Championships in Hawaii.

GOING FOR GOLD
However, being as competitive as Dan is means second will never be good enough. “Finishing second in the last two races, you get addicted to that hunger of wondering what could have been. I knew beforehand I was in great shape and just the wrong puncture and the wrong crash changed things, but I’m still very grateful for what I achieved. You can see the cup half empty, but I’m seeing it more than full at the moment. I have that hunger now more than ever, having come that close and felt what it was like. There were times where I didn’t know if I could get here, but the belief I have now is way higher than it used to be. I want to be the best, whether it’s possible or not.”

“I have an increasing ambition and know things can change. Like a compass that’s always attracted to north, I’m addicted to want to get better, to that hunger to improve. I very much believe there is room for improvement and that’s what drives me. On the experience side, I have to keep racing again and again until I start making the right decisions, not only consciously but sub-consciously, too. I’ve been working hard to think more when I’m racing, and the input has been giving exponential output.”

LOCAL SUPPORT
On his return to South Africa, Dan was overwhelmed by the support. “The support back home has grown immensely and I’ve been in a bubble, having so much fun since getting back. So many people have told me they stayed up and followed the World Champs online, and with that my appreciation has also grown!”

Of course, the Lance Armstrong factor contributed immensely to the increased awareness of a sport that usually doesn’t get that much attention, and for Dan the opportunity to race against the Tour de France legend was “exceptionally special.” Lance competed at the US Champs and the World Champs and both times Dan got the better of him. “I’m really grateful for what he’s added to the sport I love. He can choose to do what he wants and I think it really says a lot about XTERRA that he chose it as a hobby. People who had probably never heard of XTERRA came to watch because of him, and the support was remarkable. On some single tracks, in the middle of nowhere, the noise was incredible. I really tried to step up because of this.”

LOVING XTERRA
Dan’s first priority this year is the defence of his national title in Grabouw. “I’ll be in South Africa until April and will do some local racing and local projects. There’s exceptional support here and I want to spend as much time here as possible!” Though he has been seen competing on road on rare occasions, Dan says anything outside of XTERRA will have to wait. “My focus is very much on XTERRA at the moment, but I’ll keep experimenting with 70.3 and road triathlons. I think they’re complimentary to XTERRA, as you’re forced to address a few weaknesses that you can hide away off-road, but I’ll see how it develops and take it from there.”

For now he’s hooked on XTERRA and all it entails. “XTERRA people are a different type of people. They’re very authentic and don’t care about the latest gear, but it’s also about the essence of the race. It’s very dynamic and you have to think all the time. It’s a combination of fitness, skill and finesse, and I’m more of a strength and endurance guy than pure speed, so it fits me. And then of course you get to compete in pretty beautiful spots.”

Life is great for Dan right now, and with motivation not a problem, we are sure to see much more of him in future. “I’m very privileged to finally be at a point where I’ve always hoped to be, and the motivation is not external any more, rather the hunger to see how far I can push the envelope. I swim, bike and run. I get to eat great food and drink great coffee. That’s motivation.”