Category: Features

From his earliest memories, radio DJ and local celebrity Brad Brown was a “big kid”. He has tried every diet under the sun and says he has probably lost about three times his body weight and put it all back on again in his lifetime. One of the reasons for this is the relationship he had with food where it became an addiction similar to drug or alcohol addiction. “I remember when I was about nine years old, I was on Weigh-Less and was told if I’m good during the week, I could have a hot dog on the weekend. That’s ridiculous, it teaches you to starve yourself for the week and reward yourself with junk. What kind of a relationship does that create with food?”

“With diets, you tell yourself if you eat like this now, you can go back to eating ‘normally’ and that’s not the way it works. You have to change the way you live and know it’s about balance. To this day I still have to watch what I eat and I still slide off the back of the wagon sometimes. It’s like being a drug addict or an alcoholic and you have to manage that addiction every single day. As much as people want you to stop, you’ve got to hit rock bottom before you can turn things around and make that decision for yourself.”

For Brad this moment came when one of his colleagues, Mark Pilgrim, had a heart attack in 2008. “Back then Mark was one of the fittest guys I knew and I was grossly overweight, so I thought I’d better get to a doctor to see what the damage is.” His fears were confirmed when he was told his blood pressure and cholesterol were out of control. The scale used to weigh patients only went up to 150kg and simply said “Error” when Brad stepped on it, incapable of registering his 165kg. He was placed on medication to improve his blood pressure and cholesterol and his doctor told him to start exercising, or else. Things went well for about a month before it started fizzling out and Brad had once again put on more weight.

Then, in 2009, just after the Comrades, he had a meeting with a client who was wearing a Comrades T-shirt and limping a little, so naturally Brad thought the limp was from Comrades stiffness and blisters. He was blown away when his client told him the limp was from a stroke he had seven years earlier and that he only decided to do the Comrades while he was stuck in a wheelchair after the stroke. “I went home and thought to myself, if someone who was in a wheelchair can do the Comrades, surely I can do it in my condition. I knew if I didn’t do something I wasn’t going to make 40, so I went home, found my local Run/Walk for Life, called them up and joined. You can imagine how they looked at me when I arrived the next day, weighing 165kg and telling them I want to do Comrades the following year. That day I walked around the hockey field three times. I made 900 metres and that was it, I was knackered.”

COMRADES COMMITMENT
But this time Brad stuck to his guns and decided he needed to commit publicly to running the Comrades in order to actually do it. “I’m one of those guys where if I don’t tell people I’m going to do something, I’ll chicken out. So I told everyone I was doing Comrades and committed. My mom was fighting breast cancer at the time, and I knew Pink Drive was one of the five official charities, so I went to Comrades and said I want to do the race as part of their celebrity challenge, but I want to run for Pink Drive. We started raising money and then it was even harder for me to chicken out. If I hadn’t done that, I don’t think I would have started Comrades in 2010.”

Unfortunately Brad’s mother passed away just two weeks before last year’s Comrades and he was unable to finish. “After the race I was gutted, my feet were bleeding and I was sore. That’s when I met John Hamlett and he told me if I committed right then to doing the Comrades again he would help me. I’d rather not say what I told him at that moment, but after I thought about it for a while, I agreed. He put me on a strict diet and gave me a training programme, and after picking the brains of a few friends who’ve done Comrades, I started again.”

Brad says it was a long 365 days knowing he hadn’t done what he set out to do at last year’s Comrades, but that made this year’s race so much more rewarding. “I never once felt I wasn’t going to finish or found myself looking for a bailer’s bus. But it was tougher than I thought it would be. I thought with my experience from last year it would be better, but the race only starts at 70 to 75km. The best thing about the race was the finish. I was sore coming onto the grass, but then all the pain just disappeared. That feeling was awesome, I can’t really put it into words. For the moment things have gone full circle, but I will be back next year to finish the ‘down’ race, because I have unfinished business there.”

BECOMING AN IRONMAN
Comrades wasn’t Brad’s only achievement in 2011, however. He also became an Ironman in April, something that was never part of the plan. “My brother did Ironman in 2010 and he was the one who got me fired up on that side of things. After last year’s Comrades I wanted to do some cross training to lose more weight and improve my strength, so he suggested I do some Olympic distance triathlons with him.” Brad did his first triathlon in November and kept graduating to longer distances until he attempted the full Ironman. “I had an awesome Ironman and think the fact that I was more focussed on Ironman this year helped me at Comrades.”

Brad enjoyed the Ironman experience so much that he says he will probably go back and do many more of them. “Training for Ironman is way tougher than training for Comrades, but on race day, compared to the Comrades, Ironman is a doddle. Comrades is in a class of its own in terms of toughness. I have to go back and finish the ‘down’ race because I messed it up last year, but I can’t see myself doing 10 of them. It’s sore and I don’t think it’s healthy. I can see myself doing lots of Ironman races, though. It’s not as taxing on your body.”

INSPIRING OTHERS
While travelling with the Comrades road show earlier this year, Brad realised he can be an inspiration to other people and get them moving. “I’m very grateful that I managed to turn things around before I had a heart attack or damaged my body permanently, but I’ve been lucky to be able to inspire a few people because they can relate to my story. The most important thing that people should realise is that anyone can turn their life around. You don’t have to run the Comrades to reap the benefits of running. Just walking briskly four times a week for 30 minutes will already make a difference. The first step, getting out there and doing it, is the hardest, but I think I’ve proven that anyone can do it, because if I can do it, anyone can! I want to help people get started with their training and at the same time create a culture of doing a race for charity. When you look at the London and New York Marathons, the amount of money those people raise is massive and I would love to instil that kind of culture in South Africa.”

He’s already well on his way to doing this and was the brains behind the CC seeding batch where runners could start the Comrades in a special seeding batch toward the front of the field if they raised R5000 for one of the official charities. “I think we raised about R700 000 this year and laid the foundation to do it even better next year. There were about 100 people in that batch, which I think was pretty good for a first time. I have a few good ideas for the future and the CMA can expect my call soon.”

As for the immediate future, Brad’s next big project will probably be at the 94.7 Cycle Challenge, where he is thinking of attempting a triple challenge, something that has never been done before. This means he would have to do the route twice by the time the last batch of cyclists start their race and then do his third loop with the last batch. More Ironman races are also on the cards, and he wants to lose another 20kg before next year’s Comrades, to avoid serious blisters on the ‘down’ run.

Brad is the first to admit he doesn’t know everything about training and losing weight, but he knows what has worked for him and is sticking to it. “Running has made me mentally stronger, especially the long races. I used to get overwhelmed by a big challenge, but I’ve learnt to break things down into manageable bits. If you take care of the little bits, the big bits take care of themselves.”

Comrades Marathon, Durban to Pietermaritzburg, Sunday 29 May

THE TOP WOMEN
The top ten finishers in last year’s men’s and women’s races will all be lining up again this year, looking to defend their titles and improving their placement at last year’s race. In the women’s race the Russian Nurgalieva twins, Elena and Olesya will look to rack up another one-two finish for Mr Price International, but you can bet the rest of the field will be giving their all to topple them from the top of the podium.

Between the two sisters they’ve taken home the winner’s trophy six out of seven times since 2003, and after their continued dominance at the Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon in April, it seems they are untouchable at the moment. However, don’t think the rest of the women’s field will simply be fighting for third position! Russians Marina Myshlyanova, Anna Pichtova (both Mr Price International) and Irina Vishnevskaya (Nedbank) will be hot on their heels, while the American Kami Semick and Brit Lizzy Hawker (Bluff Meats AC) will also hope to impress.

South Africa’s hopes will be placed firmly on Farwa Mentoor (Bonitas), who has been the first South African home eight times in the last nine years, as well as Lindsay van Aswegen (Toyota), Adinda Kruger and Lesley Train (both from Nedbank), who were next over the line after Farwa in 2010. Farwa has also been the leading South African woman five times in nine years in the Two Oceans, and has said that the Comrades is once again her big focus this year. Adinda will have to improve her PB of 6:36 considerably to reach the podium, but she gave the twins a run for their money at last year’s Two Oceans with a late surge. She was not in top form at last year’s Comrades after only recovering from the flu a few weeks before the race. This year she didn’t compete at Two Oceans to focus her energy on the Comrades, so hopefully it will pay off!

Other names to look out for include Kerry Koen (Nedbank), Riana van Niekerk (Mr Price), and the Scot Ellie Greenwood (Nedbank), who will be running her first Comrades.

THE TOP MEN
The men’s race may be a more open affair, with all eyes on Zimbabwean Stephen Muzhingi (Bluff Meats AC), who will be under pressure to claim a third consecutive title, but for the first time on the more challenging ‘Up Run.’ He was fifth in therecent Two Oceans, showing that his form and speed are looking good ahead of Comrades.

A strong South African contingent will be hoping to bring the trophy back home, with last year’s podium finishers Ludwick Mamabola and Bongmusa Mthembu (both Mr Price) leading the charge. Ludwick was arguably the find of last year’s race and will hope to improve on his second place in 2010 with the change of direction, while Bongmusa will hope the home crowd will help him improve on last year’s third place. But don’t write off Fanie Matshipa (Toyota), Fusi Nhlapo, Leboka Noto (both Mr Price), Claude Moshiywa, Petros Sosibo, Peter Molapo and Peter Muthubi (all Nedbank). A lot can happen over 89km!

An exciting addition to the field is a team of Ethopians that will be hoping to show they are also a force to be reckoned with in the ultra marathon scene, while regulars Jaroslaw Janicki (Mr Price International) and Oleg Kharitonov will hope to emulate their female compatriots and make it an all Russian affair.

COMRADES 2011 HEADCOUNT
• Official number of entrants: 19 523.
• Male (15 161), female (4 362), a ratio of 78% to 22%.
• South African (18 255), international (1 268), a ratio of 94/6%.
• Novices (4 822) of which 3 543 are male and 1 279 are female.
• 526 runners will be going for their green numbers, 98 for double green and 11 for triple green.
• The most common age will be 38 years old (822), followed by 40-year-olds (817) and 39-year-olds (790).
• The oldest runner will be 81-year-old Des Robins.
• The runner with the highest number of Comrades this year is Dave Rogers from Westville AC who will be running his 45th. Louis Massyn (Riebeeckstad Harriers) and Barry Holland (Jeppe Quondam) are joint second as they both attempt their 39th.
• Of all the entries, 43 indicated they are diabetic, three are blind, and 26 have had open heart surgery.

When Jannie Van Deventer wakes up every single morning, there is one thing he has to do: Run! It is in his blood, and one of his greatest passions in life. This is a man who has crossed the finish line of Comrades a remarkable 30 times. On top of that, he has completed numerous (former) Leppan Ironman races, duathlons, triathlons, often winning many of these in his age category.

As an ex-rugby player, he only started running in his late 30s after he saw a group of sweaty guys finishing their run at the local gym. Before long he was hooked on running and finished his first marathon in a remarkable time of 3:09. He kept on running and soon found himself running the one Comrades after the other. He received his green number (10 Comrades) from the legendary Wally Hayward, who also awarded him his double green number for 20 Comrades. And when Jannie crossed the Comrades finish line for the 30th time, it was Bruce Fordyce who awarded him his triple green number.

SOME MUCH-NEEDED INSPIRATION
You won’t find many runners who are as passionate about Comrades as Jannie, who despite this passion, doesn’t even know where most of his medals are! For him the Comrades Marathon is so much more than just race day, and he advises runners to remember all the sights and the smells on the day, but to not forget to enjoy the whole experience.

“Comrades is about the build-up, the months and weeks of training, socialising with mates, walking around at the expo, and then eventually waking up on the morning of your big day. When you close that door behind you to walk or drive to the start, your fear starts, because there is no race such as Comrades anywhere in the world! It is tough and it is gruelling.”

THINGS TO REMEMBER
• There is no such atmosphere as at the start of the Comrades Marathon. Expect to feel emotional.
• Make peace with the fact that you have no idea what is going to happen to you on the day. You might have trained for a silver medal, but you might end up finishing in 11 hours!
• Know that there will be some very tough Comrades Marathons, and others that you experience as “slightly easier,” but there is NO such thing as an easy Comrades.
• Comrades is not your friend! Never ever lose respect for this race.
• If you are a novice, never predict your finishing time. Rather just go back home with the medal around your neck as proof.
• There will be some very dark moments on race day, but remember to have fun and enjoy the day!
• Start slowly.
• Remember, when you cross that finish line you are part of an elite group of runners who have conquered the Ultimate Human Race.

LONGEVITY
For Jannie, longevity lies in the fact that no one should ever stop exercising. Yes, over time you do slow down, but one should never ever become a couch potato. “So many people stop training and it is only after their first heart attack that they return to sport.”

Jannie, who recently emigrated to America to be closer to his children, takes pride in the fact that at the age of 67 he can still run marathons and half marathons with his children and grandchildren. In fact, he plans to return to South Africa in three years, when he is 70 years old, to tackle his 31st Comrades with his son! And who knows, says Jannie, he might just take on the mighty Big C when he is 80 years old…

If there is one man that can advise you wisely on the Comrades Marathon, it has to be Denis Kennedy. He has run 21 Comrades Marathons, 21 Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathons and over 150 standard marathons, to name but a few. And on top of that, he is a remarkable athlete in many other sporting disciplines, including recently winning his age group at Ironman 2011 and Ironman 70.3. For the last couple of years, Denis has sent out an e-mail with advice and tips on how to tackle the Ultimate Human Race. This e-mail has become so popular that each year runners look forward to his advice and take his tips to heart.

Denis agreed to share some of this experience picked up over 21 years on the long road between Durban and Pietermaritzburg. Before you even start the big day, he says you must remember the following:
• About 400 000 athletes have successfully run Comrades over the years, but of these less than 200 have won and less than 2 000 have achieved gold. About 7 to 8% of the field achieve silver, while 50% finish in the last hour, but keep in mind that in 2009 about 25% of the starters did not make the 12-hour cut-off. So approach this race with caution and show it respect.
• The average healthy person who has trained for about four months and covered about 1000km in training should finish within the cut-off time. You cannot wake up one morning in May and decide to run Comrades. It won’t happen.
• Always have a plan B and sometimes a plan C!
• There is no such thing as an easy Comrades – it is tough and it hurts.
• No-one apart from you actually cares about your finish time.
• Don’t take yourself too serious!

THINGS TO REMEMBER ABOUT THE ‘UP RUN’
• The ‘Up Run’ is about 2km shorter than the ‘Down Run.’
• The start is usually warm.
• The first half is a very tough uphill marathon, but the second half is considerably kinder.
• Despite the relentless climbs, the ‘Up’ is less painful than the ‘Down.’
• The last plus-minus 8km have lots of supporters and the winding roads disguise the distance, as opposed to the ‘Down,’ which ends on a motorway and then city streets.

THE START
• The start is a very stressful time for first-timers or inexperienced athletes. Being stressed out or cold simply wastes energy. Keep calm and warm, take deep breaths, and chat to fellow runners.
• Get into your pen about 25 to 30 minutes before the gun.
• Check your watch after the first kay or so as it is often bumped off in the crush and you will need to re-start your time.
• Weaving in and out the crowded field wastes energy – but having said, that do not dawdle!
• Get into your rhythm as soon as possible and keep an eye on your pace/time. If you are planning a steady 6min/km, you should do the first 10km in about 65 minutes. This will easily be caught up later, so not to worry.

HANDY TIPS
• If you are looking for a silver medal, you should pass through the halfway mark at Drummond in around 3:40, for a Bill Rowan about 4:15, and for a bronze around 5:00.
• Do not take painkillers if you can avoid doing so. Your body is stressed enough without adding to the kidney’s task of dealing with more chemicals.
• You will have one or more bad patches. Accept that this happens, but know also that you will recover, so just keep moving forward.
• You will seriously consider giving up somewhere along the route. Be strong, dig deep, the feeling will pass.
• Walk briskly if you need to.
• Make friends and chat to the spectators.

THE FINISH
• In the final stretch, don’t relax too much – you are not finished until you cross the line!
• Smile for your finish photo’s and try to look like you just had a quick walk.
• Cry if you want.
• Enjoy every second of it, but never ever say you have conquered Comrades, because it will come back and bite you when you feel a bit too confident on your next run.
• Take the medal and hang it round your neck, as it is too hard to carry. Say thank you, because you have just run Comrades, something very few in the world will do. It is a personal achievement that can never be taken away.
• Remember, the recovery drink of choice post-Comrades comes in a can or bottle and is amber in colour!

The story of Tuks athletics goes back nearly a century after the club was founded in 1918. The university produced its first Springbok sprinter, Werner Gerhardt, in 1930, and their first Olympian sprinter, Abraham van Heerden, in 1948. Since then, numerous Springboks, national champions and two world champions have hailed from the University of Pretoria. Olympic medallists from Tuks include 800m athlete Mbulaeni Mulaudzi, 400m hurdler Llewelyn Herbert and long-jumper Khotso Mokoena.

Other big names include hurdler LJ van Zyl, who broke the 11-year-old national record in the 400m hurdles earlier this year and is on track for a medal at the World Champs in August, while Caster Semenya is slowly regaining the form that saw her crowned World Champion in the women’s 800m in 2009. Sprinter Oscar Pistorius and discuss thrower Elizna Naude are two other athletes carrying high hopes for the World Championships later this year and Olympic Games next year.

YOUNG FACES
The university’s current crop of top athletes oozes class and confidence, with many new names strutting their stuff at the LC de Villiers athletics track.

Since the turn of the century Tuks has featured in the top three of the South African Student Athletic Championships (USSA’s) every year and 2011 was no different. The university finished second overall in the team competition at the recent champs meet in Stellenbosch.

Club manager Hennie Kriel says one of the reasons the university continues to attract top athletes and perform so well is because of the quality of its coaches. “Everyday we have between 10 and 15 top coaches on our track, which includes six coaches for sprints and hurdles alone. The opportunity to train with athletes such as Morn? Nagel and Geraldine Pillay is reason enough for any prospective champion to join our club.”

Add to this a new synthetic track, a close working relationship with the High Performance Centre and the newly established Tuks Sports School, and it is a promising prospect for many young and upcoming athletes such as long-jumper Mpho Maphuta, national junior champion Rikenette Steenkamp (sprint hurdles) and Jacques de Swart (400m).

Tuks boasts a proud tradition of being an athletic powerhouse in South Africa, as indicated by their tally of medals at the national senior championships earlier this year. Out of a possible 44 gold medals that were up for grabs, Northern Gauteng took 20, and 18 of these went to Tuks athletes, which means that almost half of all the golds went to one club! That’s a feat that will be hard to match by any other club.

When I was a child our community of Riverlea was ridden with alcoholism, drug abuse, gangsters and poverty. We had a lot of fun playing street games and chipping golf balls in our backyard, but growing up we were threatened by the malfunction of society. It was then, as a little boy, that I prayed to God to keep my brothers safely together.

I enjoyed sport at school and during my teens I decided to make my life meaningful and be a good example to the community. I knew this would not change the entire neighbourhood, but in later years it would rub off on others. I was introduced to the running scene by Frank and Tony Richardson from the Rand Athletic Club and for the first time I was educated on all things running. I loved it!

In the heydays of Apartheid, it was a struggle getting to road races, as most transport was for whites only. I didn’t know about a road atlas and there was no such thing as GPS, so I always asked for directions from people at my workplace, often getting lost on my way to a race and even missing a few. My first Comrades in 1981 was riddled with transport and accommodation problems, but I managed to get to Durban and back to Johannesburg in one piece after finishing.

BROTHERS IN ARMS
As my collection of medals grew, my brothers became interested in the sport and eventually we were all running! In 1995 and 1997 all six of us finished the Comrades Marathon and as far as I know we are still the largest group of family members to finish the race in one year. We were close throughout our lives and I was thankful to God that he had answered my childhood prayer and we were safely together.

Today four of the six brothers have received their green Comrades numbers. Between myself (19), Lennie (13), Tony (15), Paul (12), Wayne (9) and Derrick (7), the combined tally of Comrades medals stands at 65. My brothers are planning on increasing this number even more.

A RACE OF A DIFFERENT KIND
I stopped running in 2002 after several bike and motor accidents, but last year I decided to attempt my 20th Comrades. Unfortunately, this was not to be, as I was diagnosed with cancer in late April. Since then I have been involved in a race of a different kind.

In May and June last year I received radium treatment, but it was unsuccessful and I had to undergo chemotherapy. The radiation was exhausting, but after being on chemo for three months I can say it is the worst medical treatment one can experience. It has been physically exhausting, financially costly and spiritually draining. It is also trying being terminally ill, bed-ridden and unemployed while everyone around you is still in good health.

Despite this suffering, I see this experience as a blessing. I’ve learnt to love my family, and people in general, with the love of God, appreciating them more than ever. My family and the community have all been wonderful in their love and support. Through all of them, I am able to encourage others to believe and fight cancer. Stand and fight!

FIGHTING CANCER
Running has strengthened me considerably over the years, both physically and mentally, and today I can say I am a fighter against cancer in the same way that we have to fight to conquer the valleys and hills of the Comrades Marathon.

Through my fight against cancer, I have come to realise that life is a cycle where you’re at the top one second and the bottom the next, but ultimately you keep moving forwards towards the finish line, just as in Comrades. If you have a crisis at work, home or in your sport, you should not be afraid. Run your life race well and the Almighty will give you a crown of glory and scoop you up and carry you to the finish line when you cannot finish. Don’t be downcast by obstacles, but overcome them!

This year three of Alvin’s brothers will be running the Comrades Marathon once again. Derrick, Wayne and Paul, together with Paul’s wife Faith and their nephew Neilan (Tony’s son) will be lining up in Durban on 29 May, once again dedicating their run to Alvin. Wayne will be going for his green number and his first silver medal this year, but ultimately the entire family wants to keep on paying tribute to Alvin for uniting them in running.

Reiner Stuckey 34616
Age: 51 Club: Volksrust
Comrades run: 14 (plus 1 DNF)
2010 time: 10:53:44
My 2011 Goal: I want to run a sub-10:30 for another bronze. I’m a bit old school, so if you don’t finish within 11 hours, you haven’t done it, and that’s why I loathe the copper medal. I have two of them, but usually hide them away! I’m very much a social runner, so for me it’s all about the spirit of the Comrades. It’s one of the most beautiful races in the world, and you just don’t get that same camaraderie anywhere else – that’s what makes it special and what keeps me coming back year after year.

Donna Lee Meyerson 31014
Age: 38 Club: Run/Walk for Life CG
Comrades run: 0
2010 time: N/A
My 2011 Goal: All I want is to finish. I’ll take any medal, even a Vic Clapham. I actually bought an Ipod the same colour as a Vic Clapham, and when I registered it with Apple, I called it the Vic Clapham! I’m so excited about running, because it’s been such a mission to get there. I ran a PB in Maritzburg but didn’t make the qualifying time, then another PB at Cosmos but still didn’t qualify. I almost gave up, but then it was third time lucky at Elands Valley! After all that, even if I only get to halfway, I’ll look at it as experience for next year.

Nikki Campbell 18595
Age: 48 Club: Fish Hoek
Comrades run: 13
2010 time: 10:25:21
My 2011 Goal: My aim is to run under 11 hours, and to have a comfortable day out on the road. I’m addicted to the Comrades. Since I ran it the first time, I haven’t missed a year – there is no other place I would want to be other than the road on Comrades day. I want to keep running the race until I can no longer run. It’s a journey, not a race. It’s one day a year that I can be a hero for a day, not because I’m going to win it, but because the supporters on the side of the road that see this ordinary person doing this want to be me.

Daryl Heffer 22141
Age: 34 Club: Westville
Comrades run: 1
2010 time: 8:49:44
My 2011 Goal: My training has gone alright, but we’ve got one-year-old twin boys, which means that I couldn’t always go train as planned. With it being an ‘Up run,’ it’s like doing a new race again this year, so I don’t really know what to expect. I’d like another Bill Rowan, but I haven’t set my heart on it, and I’ll be happy with anything under 10 hours. I had a terrible run at Two Oceans was just a few weeks ago, cramping at the marathon mark, just like I cramped last year in Comrades, and I think I have this barrier in my mind to get over around 50km.

Go to our Facebook page www.facebook.com/modernathletemag and catch up on more Comrades goals of Modern Athletes countrywide.

When Ludwick Mamabolo lined up in Pietermaritzburg last year he was a Comrades novice, yet he still came close to dethroning Stephen Muzinghi as he finished in second place, a mere six minutes behind the winner. This year he will be back with more experience and more confidence, and with the change of direction it could just be Ludwick who crosses the finish line first and takes the title for Mr Price. He ran 5:35 last year and his preparation for this year has gone smoothly, so he is definitely someone to look out for.

His teammate Bongmusa Mthembu was third at last year’s Comrades with a personal best time of 5:37. On top of this, he had a strong showing at Two Oceans in April. He’s only run the Big C twice but has improved every year and will be another big threat at this year’s race, even though he hasn’t run the ‘Up Run’ yet. A more experienced teammate is 39-year-old Fusi Nhlapo, the 2003 winner of the race who now has nine gold medals under his belt. Fusi will not only be looking for that 10th gold, but will be very eager to show everyone that he still has plenty of running in his legs.

The most experienced of all the Mr Price runners will be Poland’s Jaroslaw Janicki, who will be looking for his 13th medal. He already has five golds, finishing second in 2008, and although this was the last year he was able to finish, his participation in the race is sure to make things interesting.

The rest of the Mr Price team includes 2005 winner Sipho Ngomane, Mncedisi Mkhize (3rd in 2007), Charles Tijane (3rd in 2009), Leboka Noto (9th in 2010, Lesotho), Prodigal Khumalo (11th in 2010), Butiki Jantjies (13th in 2007), Eric Ngubane (19th in 2009), Sandile Makhaye (16th in 2010) and Godfrey Sesenyamotse (10th in 2007). New kids on the block Marko Mambo (three-time Two Oceans winner) and Wellington Chidodo of Zimbabwe, and Teboho Sello and Mpesela Ntlosoeu from Lesotho, will hope to get their Comrades careers off to a good start and will be aiming for at least for top 10 positions.

FEMALE DOMINATION
The Russian Nurgalieva twins have dominated the South African ultra-marathon scene for the past eight years in much the same way that Bruce Fordyce dominated our roads in the eighties, and after another one-two finish at this year’s Two Oceans, it doesn’t look as though they will be dethroned anytime soon. If things follow the pattern that has developed between the two sisters over the past five years, it should be Olesya’s turn to take top spot this time around, but the big question will be whether one of them will be able to improve Elena’s record on the ‘Up Run’ after running downhill the past two years.

Their compatriot Marina Myshlianova took the last place on the podium last year, making it an exclusively Mr Price top three, and she will hope to stay close to the twins again. South African Riana van Niekerk (6th in 2008) and Zimbabwean Samukeliso Moyo (novice) complete women’s line-up and local supporters will hope they can add some African flavour to the podium.

Hein was born blind, but it was only at the age of six months that his parents realised that their son did not focus on anything they held before his eyes. Since the age of five, he attended the Worcester School For The Blind, an environment he loved as he grew older, especially as he got to mingle with people who faced the same challenges as himself. “There are some amazing teachers at that school. I will always remember one teacher who everyone initially thought was crazy because he took a bunch of blind kids on hikes in the mountains! Only later did everyone realise it was his way of teaching us blind kids that in life we are going to face some great challenges and that we are capable of overcoming them.”

DEFINING MOMENT
After school Hein started working as a switchboard operator at Absa. It was at the age of 21 that he reached a defining moment in his life. “We were two blind guys and a deaf guy who decided to take on the Cape to Rio Yacht Race. I always joke and say it is only a deaf guy who could have been persuaded by two blind guys to tackle an event such as that,” chuckles Hein.

On a more serious note he admits that 14 days on a yacht at sea made him realise how small he is in such a magnificent world. “One day I sat on the yacht and thought if I could do this, there was still so much more out there that I could achieve. I fought for so long against my blindness and I could not understand why it had to happen to me. I was a miserable person and I had to get through that.”

ADVENTURE FILLED LIFE
Hein slowly started getting involved in more and more sporting events and adventures. One of the first sport events he participated in was being a player in the South African blind cricket team that won the World Cup in India during the inaugural Blind Cricket World Cup in 1998. “As I walked off the cricket field, I wondered whether I would have had the chance to represent my country on the highest level if I could see?”

Hein realised that the minute he stopped feeling miserable and sorry for himself, his whole life changed His career also took a different direction as he became involved in selling computers, while more people started asking him to present motivational talks on his life and growing adventures as a blind person. Meanwhile, his passion for adventure grew and in 2005 he broke the World Blind Land Speed record by setting 269km/h. He admits it was a bit tricky finding anyone brave enough to get into a car with him! When a Belgian blind driver broke his record some time later, Hein was determined to outdo him. He phoned the late Lolly Jackson and set a new record of 322.5km/h in the controversial strip club owner’s R4.5 million Mercedes SL65 AMG Black Series.

“Initially, I tackled these challenges to obtain a feeling of self-worth, but today my driving force is so different. My passion is born out of the fact that for more than 25 years I fought against being blind. I wasted energy on something that I could not change. It influenced me and the people around me negatively. I never want to go back to that frame of mind. I want to show people that if a blind guy can finish something such as the Epic, what is their excuse not to tackle some of life’s challenges?”

AN EPIC EXPERIENCE
One of Hein’s greatest and most emotional adventures yet is finishing the recent Absa Cape Epic mountain bike event with his loyal team mate and close friend Gerrie Olivier. It was the first time ever that a blind person completed this gruelling race, which covered 707km over eight days, with more than 15 000m of climbing.

“Gerrie and I participated on a tandem and I now know that if our friendship could survive the Epic, we are set to be friends for life! There were so many tough days. At the finish I was so emotional and hardly had words to express what I felt. It was all too much. It was the most physical and mental challenge I have ever tackled. I knew it was going to be hard, but I never realised on how many different levels. Sitting at the back of a tandem can be frightening and you have to have 100% faith in your partner. Not only do you have to move in the same way he does, the two of us had to constantly communicate, especially on the dangerous downhills.”

WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS
Hein’s sporting talents are definitely not confined to one sporting discipline: In January, he and Gerrie tackled Ironman 70.3 in East London. “When I said to Gerrie, let’s try and do 70.3, he said he can’t swim! Well, then I mentioned to him that I can’t see, and that he should not make his problems mine,” chuckles Hein.

Hein was able to train for the swimming leg by himself as he used a line touching his body as guidance in the water, but it was a whole different story swimming 1.9km in the sea in East London with a partner. “Race day was the first time ever we swam together in the sea beyond the breakers,” says Hein. The two friends used a band connecting their hips, but it was not much of a success as fellow swimmers swam in between them. They have now decided to use a different harness when doing future triathlons, of which Hein plans to still do many.

He will be participating in all the BSG Energade sprint triathlons coming up soon, and then he plans to take on a couple of international triathlons, all in preparation for one of his ultimate dreams: participating in the world-famous Ironman in Kona, Hawaii next year. Other future adventures include paddling around Robben Island on a surfski.

CHOICES
If he had the choice to see, would he? “There are certain things that I would love to see, but it has taken me 38 years to get where I am today. I am happy where I am and for who I am. I am grateful for so many opportunities and I don’t want to risk or change the happy rhythm of my life for anything. Being able to see is probably not destined for me,” says Hein, who lives just outside Stellenbosch with his wife Melindi.

Hein would love to run the Comrades Marathon, but first wants to tackle the Two Oceans Marathon next year before taking on the mighty big C in 2013. “I have great respect for anyone who runs the Comrades Marathon. If I can give advice to anyone running Comrades, I would say: ‘If you are at the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on!”

THE VISIONTRUST
All the adventures Hein tackles are in aid of TheVisionTrust, an organisation he founded in 2008. Its main aim is to make the world as we know it a more accessible place for persons living with disabilities. The project assists disabled people to have access to workplace tools and facilities, thereby helping them to create their own future. Anyone who would like to contribute to TheVisionTrust can do so at: Absa Bank,
Account name: The Vision Trust, Account number: 4069423823, Branch code: 632005.

HEIN’S RECIPE FOR ACHIEVING EXTRAORDINARY RESULTS IN LIFE
• I refuse to get up in the morning if I can’t start the day with a smile. Trust me, it has happened that I have stayed in bed for a day or two!
• Everyday I thank God that I can live my dreams, love life and have gratitude, something all of us have too little of.
• I believe in keeping physical fit and knowing one can reach your goals.
• If I have a dream or a goal, I remind myself of that at least five to 10 times a day, because then it becomes a reality.
• I try to commit an act of random kindness to another person at least once a day.

HEIN’S REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENTS
• April 2011: Becomes the first blind person to complete the 2011 ABSA Cape Epic.
• January 2011: Ironman 70.3 in East London.
• February 2010: Lap record around the East London Grand Prix circuit.
• October 2009: Broke the World Blind Land Speed record becoming the fastest blind driver in the world by averaging a speed of 322.5km/hr in a Mercedes SL65 AMG Black Series.
• March 2007: Completed the Hong Kong Marathon
• November 2006: Completed the New York City Marathon.
• August 2006: Took part in the Standard Chartered Bank Ironman event in Korea.
• February 2006: Becomes the first blind person in the world to cycle solo over a distance of 39km.
• Skydived from a height of 10 000 feet and bungee jumped from one of the highest bridges in the world.
• Tackled the white waters of the Zambezi River in a rubber raft.
• Completed the Cape to Rio Yacht Race at the age of 22.
• Played in the South African team that won the inaugural Blind Cricket World Cup in India in 1998.

Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon & Half Marathon, Cape Town, Saturday 23 April

Eight of the top 10 men from last year’s ultra field have entered once again, as have seven of the top 10 women – many of them no doubt tempted back not only by the stunning course, but also by the greatly increased prize money on offer this year. This has also no doubt contributed to a large contingent of Ethiopian runners heading down to the Cape for the first time.

ULTRA CONTENDERS
Included in the men’s field are defending champion Mabuthile Lebopo of Lesotho, as well as his brother Warinyane (5th last year) and three other countrymen who finished in the top 10, Moeketsi Mosuhli (2nd), Teboho Sello (3rd) and Mpesela Ntlosoeu (8th), all of whom will be running for Mr Price. Another big name to look out for will be Stephen Muzhingi of Bluff Meats AC, the two-time Comrades Marathon defending champion, who finished fourth here last year – he may race Two Oceans again this year, but may also take it slightly easier to conserve his legs for the Big C, which takes place just five weeks after Two Oceans. The same could apply to 2010 Comrades runner-up Ludwick Mamabolo and Comrades third-placed runner Bongmusa Mthembu, both of whom will be running for Mr Price.

Also in the mix will be 2007 winner Bethuel Netshifhefhe (Bonitas) and 2006 winner Moses Njodzi (Mr Price, Zimbabwe), while an interesting name to pop up in the list of entries is that of Gert Thys (Mr Price), the SA marathon record holder who recently returned to racing after serving a ban for doping. He has unfortunately failed to finish several marathons in recent times, but if things go right for him on the day, he could possibly spring a surprise at Two Oceans. Other interesting names to look out for include several former Comrades winners, Bruce Fordyce and Shaun Meiklejohn (Nedbank), and Fusi Nhlapo and Sipho Ngomane (Mr Price).

In the women’s race, all eyes will be on last year’s top two, Olesya and Elena Nurgalieva, the Mr Price-sponsored Russian twins who have dominated the South African ultra-marathoning scene in recent years. Farwa Mentoor (Bonitas) will once again be expected to lead the local challenge, but it is likely she will also run conservatively to save herself for the Comrades, so watch for a challenge by South Africa’s Riana van Niekerk (6th last year) and Zimbabwe’s Samukeliso Moyo (5th), both running for Mr Price, while 2007 winner Madina Biktagirova of Russia and 2003 winner Simone Staicu of Hungary are also back this year.

Another medal hopeful is Two Oceans novice Marina Myshlanova (Mr Price), who finished third at Comrades last year, while an outside bet for a gold could be Gladys Lukhwareni (Transnet), best known for removing her shoes in the final kilometres of Two Oceans several years ago and then surprising the twins with a surge that almost caught them out. Gladys has not yet recaptured top form after serving a two-year suspension for doping, but could prove a surprise package this year.

HALF MARATHON HOPEFULS
In the 21km, six of last year’s top 10 men have re-entered, with Lusapho April returning to defend his title. He should face stiff competition from 2009 winner Stephen Mokoka (Transnet), who has been in scintillating form on road, track and cross-country courses in recent months, while another ‘dark horse’ to look out for could be local favourite and former SA Junior Steeplechase champion Anthony Godongwana (Celtics), who recently won the testing Tygerberg 30km race in Cape Town.

In the women’s race, five of last year’s top 10 have entered, including last year’s winner and course record holder Rene Kalmer of the Nedbank club. Other names to watch will be Irvette van Blerk, who raced clubmate Kalmer all the way to the line last year and also dipped under the old course record, and three-time winner Helalia Johannes of Namibia, while Annerien van Schalkwyk, Zintle Xiniwe and Christine Kalmer of Nedbank, Charne Bosman of Mr Price and Zimbabwean Tabitha Tstatsa could all feature as well.

Another two names to watch for in the half marathon will be the all-time favourites of SA road running, Frith van der Merwe (Run Walk For Life) and Grace De Oliveira (Boxer), both multiple gold medallists at Two Oceans and Comrades. They could put in a show for age category placings, and are sure to get a good cheer all along the course.

LOOKING AT THE STATS
• In the ultra, 75% of the field are men and 25% are women, 35% of the field will be doing the race for the first time, and 68% come from outside the Western Cape.
• 208 runners will get their permanent blue number for completing 10 ultras, while 1 004 runners participating in the 56km have their blue number already.
• In the half marathon, the men and women are split 50-50, just over half the field (54%) are novices doing the race for the first time, 41% come from outside the Western Cape, and 56% will be running in a temporary license.
• 69 runners will receive their light blue number for completing 10 half marathons, while 123 runners participating in the 21km have their light blue number already.
• Western Province has again provided the biggest contingent of runners taking part in both events with 9 826 participants, which is 43% of the total field.
• 1 269 runners (5.6% of the total field) hail from outside the borders of South Africa, representing 77 different countries, with the United Kingdom recording the biggest contingent of runners with 459 participants.
• 82.8% of all participants entered online.
• 38 runners in the 21km and 42 runners in the 56km will celebrate their birthday on race day.

CHARITY DRIVE PUTTING BEST FOOT FORWARD
At the time of writing, just under R200 000 had been raised for the Two Oceans Marathon’s official charity, the Bobs for Good Foundation, with race entry auctions fetching an additional R56 000, all of which will go towards putting locally-produced leather school shoes on the feet of needy learners around the country. Taking this worthy cause still further, race title sponsor Old Mutual recently launched a new campaign that will see the financial services company match every rand donated by the public to Bobs for Good, in a quest to raise R1-million for the charity and to get everyone to run for more than themselves on 23 April.

FUN RUN ENTRIES STILL OPEN
Entries for the Old Mutual Two Oceans Fun Runs on Friday 22 April will still be available right up to race day. Taking place on the UCT rugby fields, where the ultra and half marathon events will finish the next day, there will be several distances on offer: A 56m Nappy Dash for children aged three and under, a 300m Toddlers’ Trot for ages 4 to 6, a 2.5km and a 5km. Entries cost just R20! Entry forms for these fun runs will be available at the Expo at the Good Hope Centre on Wednesday 20 and Thursday 21 April, and at the UCT rugby fields on Friday 22 April.

MEDALS AND MONEY
There will be a wide variety of medals up for grabs at the Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon and Half Marathon. The medal breakdown is as follows:

ULTRA
Gold: 1st 10 men & women
Silver: sub-4 hours
Sainsbury: sub-5 hours
Bronze: sub-6 hours
Blue: sub-7 hours (cut-off)

HALF MARATHON
Gold: 1st 10 men & women
Silver: sub-1 hour 30 minutes
Bronze: sub-3 hours (cut-off)

The Two Oceans has increased its prize money for 2011 by 47%, which will see the men’s and women’s winners in the Ultra each taking home R250 000 – up from R150 000 in 2010 – which makes the Two Oceans one of the highest-paying ultras in the country. The second- and third-placed male and female runners will each receive R125 000 and R65 000 respectively, up from last year’s R75 000 and R50 000, with prize money down to 10th as well as for leading age category placings. Furthermore, a R50 000 bonus is up for grabs if the men’s or women’s winner can beat the current course records of 3:03:44 and 3:30:36 respectively.

In the Half Marathon, the winners will each take home R20 000, with second winning R10 000 and third R5 000. A R10 000 bonus is up for grabs by the men’s or women’s winner if they can beat the current course records of 1:02:54 and 1:12:39 respectively. Furthermore, further incentive bonuses will see the winners take home an extra R20 000 if they can beat 1:02:00 and 1:12:00, or R15 000 for beating 1:02:30 and 1:12:30 respectively.

Total prize money on offer for the event is just under R1.5 million, with the half marathon prize-giving taking place at 09:00, while the ultra prize-giving will start at 13:45.

TRACK YOUR RUNNER
Attention all supporters! For the first time at the Two Oceans, you can track your runner’s progress during the race, and it’s so easy. Simply SMS your runner’s race number to 38119 and you will receive messages each time your runner passes over one of the timing mats along the route, including the finish line. Register now for just R10 – one race number per SMS.

IMPORTANT PARKING NOTICE
With parking being a big issue on race day, keep in mind that four schools in the area are offering parking at R30 per car: Westerford High, SACS Junior, SACS High and Groote Schuur High. With Westerford and the two SACS grounds usually filling up quite quickly, the organisers are urging runners to consider using Groote Schuur, which is quite near the start. Take Liesbeeck Parkway from either Cape Town or the northern suburbs side, and simply follow the marshals and signage. There will be a regular free shuttle service from the finish at UCT to all the schools – officials at the Expo will have more details on routes and timetables. Most importantly: Arrive early and avoid getting stuck in traffic!

CONTACT US
Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon
Tel: 021 657 5140
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: www.twooceansmarathon.org.za