Category: Features

Richard Murray has been competing for years in many different sporting disciplines, and he is clearly talented, but it is his drive, dedication and passion for the sport of triathlon that has seen him grow over the last three years and achieve remarkable results, especially in the last couple of months. And it seems as if this is just the start of things to come!

INTERNATIONAL SUCCESS
Richard’s first big international breakthrough came on 20 June in Germany when he made South Africa proud by winning his first international triathlon in Schaumburg. He followed it up with a fourth position at the Brasschaat ITU Triathlon Premium European Cup a week later, and then to top that off, he was crowned 2011 African Champ at the recent ATU Triathlon African Championships in Maputo on 3 July. Three stunning victories in less than four weeks!

But glory does not come without dedication and a strong mental attitude, as Richard proved with his win in Germany. It was by no means an easy victory, more a gutsy performance that made many realise why he is SA’s hottest triathlete. Firstly, he started in a slower swimming batch before being penalised because he did not put his helmet on in the box in T2. But anyone who knows Richard will tell you he has a winning attitude! With less than 3km to go, he passed 2007 world champion Daniel Unger before surging ahead to cross the line in a time of 1:44:22, with the fastest run split on the day, 29:54 for 10km.

Richard describes his first international win as “major” and says the feeling is on par with the World Duathlon Champs title he won as an under-19 athlete. “Swimming just over 18min, biking about 55min and running a sub-30min for a 10km was amazing for me. I find that I have moved forwards in triathlon in the last three years – and bigger things are to come!”

BORN AN ATHLETE
Richard, who was born in Cape Town and has been involved in sport since an early age. “My love for sport started at about age seven or eight when I was mountain biking with my father. I did every sport I could when I was young – cross-country, mountain biking, duathlon, motorcross, biathlons and biathle. All this led to competing in duathlons between the ages of 14 and 18. I then realised that duathlon was very small, and took up swimming in 2009, but my true love for triathlon only started in 2010 when I started to compete full-time. I find that in triathlon, the variation of sports gives me a lot to think about, and this makes training and perfecting very difficult. I guess you could say I love a challenge!”

His cross-training experiences have definitely helped him develop into the triathlete he is today. “As my father says, if it weren’t for mountain biking and duathlon, I would not have been the athlete I am today. There is a huge amount of bike skill and raw power needed for mountain biking, and leg speed is crucial for duathlon! So I think that these elements have given me a great base to head forwards with triathlon.”

MAKING WAVES
And Richard certainly did head forward! In 2010 he won several titles, including the SA under-23 and African under-23 triathlon titles. And his success was not limited to triathlons – he also won the African and SA under-23 duathlon titles.

He sees his biggest achievements up to now as being crowned Junior World Duathlon Champion in 2007 and 2008, as well as his eighth position in the under-23 category at the World Triathlon Championships in Budapest in 2010, and of course his recent success at elite level in Germany.

A DAY IN THE LIFE
Ever wondered what a day in the life of a professional triathlete looks like? Well, this is how Richard does it. Muesli and coffee is a must to start his day with before he tackles his first training session. This is followed by a late breakfast, a snooze of between one and two hours followed by lunch and a second training session about two hours after lunch. “My sessions are normally a variation of swimming/running or cycling/running.”

Richard trains in 10-day blocks, ending with a track session on a Tuesday followed by four days’ recovery. This is normally done twice a month, with the day after recovery being a race day. “So it’s train, train, rest, race, repeat! I don’t normally have a full day off. But in the days preceding a major race, I take the following day off at times. At the moment, running is my favourite discipline. I don’t have a worst – positive thinking gets me through swimming,” chuckles Richard.

He believes in consistency when it comes to eating habits, but with the occasional treat, of course. “I have the same dinner most nights: Pasta, chicken and vegetables with a ‘condiment’ added, such as fruit, vegetables and dark chocolate. You can’t go wrong with that!”

DREAMING BIG, STAYING HUMBLE
Through all his recent success, Richard has managed to stay level-headed and humble. “I find that keeping humble, focused and dedicated is more important than fame. I love triathlon, and I put in the hard hours when it’s needed. I appreciate all the attention I am getting, but I expect bigger and better things from myself every day. World’s best triathlete is where I’m headed!”

Competing at the Olympics next year is his biggest dream, where the triathlon consists of a 1 500m swim, 40km bike and 10km run, a gruelling, fast-paced event where world class athletes usually complete the event in just below two hours. In order for this to happen he needs to race World Cups and World Championship series races to gain ITU points. “From there I will need to gain a top 20 overall ranking before I will qualify through my federation towards Olympics. To race at the Olympics in itself would be my goal achieved, but once on the start list a top three finish is all I would go for! All or nothing!”

MENTAL FITNESS
These days he does not get that nervous before a race, as he has done so many now that all his experience contributes to making him comfortable with getting to the start line. “But I will admit to still getting a bit nervous in race briefing, and when they say, ‘On your marks,’ followed by the air-horn blast.” However, once he gets going he gives it his all. And when the going gets tough in a race, he tells himself several things to stay motivated. “I tell myself to HTFU… And then I put my head down and do what I can. I find that if it’s not my day, then I pull the cord and save my energy for another day. In triathlon, I have found that if you don’t have the swim you want and you lose a lot of time, then your race is over! But if there is hope, I do all that I can.”

Richard is currently based in Sigmaringen, Germany, till 10 September, as it is easier to get to European ITU cup races from there. “The summer weather here also allows me to train and race all year round! When I’m back home, I train in Cape Town, my ‘home town’, before moving on to Pretoria for altitude training with my coach Lindsey Parry and team mates at the High Performance Centre in Pretoria.”

His favourite local place to race in is the windy city of Port Elizabeth, and of course the Cape Town leg of the BSG Energade Tri-Series. Internationally, it is Brasschaat in Belgium, as the course allows for fast swim, run and bike splits.

Competing internationally takes some time to get used to, but Richard says he has become very independent and self-sufficient. “I have become quite a self-provider when in Europe. I rely on myself for almost everything, apart from flights from ‘Ma and Pa’ from time to time. I love being alone, and stuck in random places trying to get to races! For me, this is fate testing me before something even harder. I think that without lows, I would never appreciate the highs.”

“My parents are my biggest supporters and the backbone of my career. They are always there to help out and to come watch me race, even if it’s internationally! My brothers Collin and Andrew are both IT specialists and also have a track record of athletic abilities!”

A BRIGHT FUTURE
His short-term goals include gaining ITU points to get into the World Cup and World Championship Series events hosted by the ITU. In the long term, he wants to become the best triathlete in South Africa and race at the 2016 Olympics.

Richard is part of the BSG Elite team. “BSG has a new slogan: ‘Unlocking potential and accelerating performance.’ I find that this is very similar to what I am trying to do. BSG is a great sponsor and the team is very organised and focused on delivering great performances around South Africa and internationally. Without them, my future wouldn’t be as bright!”

ADVICE
Richard advises novice triathletes to listen to their bodies and take it easy in times of recovery. “Many athletes don’t know the word easy! It’s not about who is the fastest in training. It’s about who wins on race day.” He says that the most important pieces of equipment a novice triathlete should invest in is a wetsuit and a pair of tri-bars, while experienced triathletes should know that a pair of smooth racing wheels or light racers will help improve efficiency in racing.

According to Richard, the biggest mistake age group triathletes sometimes make is to take it too easy in transition. “I don’t want to put age groupers down, but transitions for age groupers must be the main issue. Many athletes have a picnic in transition. The goal should be in and out of transition as fast as humanly possible!”

INSPIRATION
He is inspired by the joy of being fit and the ability to train every day injury-free. “I find life is a journey and that without setbacks, life would be boring! Sport is my life! Being able to train every day isn’t easy, but I look forward to travelling, meeting new people and living a life less ordinary. Sport is pain, and I love pain.”

Any chances of seeing this great athlete at longer races such as Ironman 70.3 and Spec-Savers Ironman in future? “I will most likely do 70.3 next year. I think after base, a longer race will be great, but I intend to stay with Olympic distance till I am 32 years old, before I make my move across to Xterra in America.”

THE BSG ELITE TEAM
A number of elite athletes recently competed in the first ever championship event on the Maputo shore of Mozambique. The 2011 All Africa Triathlon Championships are held every year and are a chance for elite athletes to earn ITU World Ranking points. Mozambique was chosen as the host country so that the African Triathlon Union could use the African Championships as a ‘test event’ for the 2011 All Africa Games Triathlon event in September this year. While Richard Murray won the elite event, team mate Chris Felgate finished seventh overall. The women’s field was won for the fifth time by South African BSG athlete Kate Roberts. Other remarkable performances from the BSG Elite team included Wian Sullwald winning won gold in the Junior Men category to become the African Junior Champion for 2011.

Reiner Stucky 34616
Age: 51 Club: Volksrust
Comrades run: 15 (plus 1 DNF)
2011 time: 10:51:29
My 2011 Race: I had a great race, and just took it easy. I have been totally buggered after this race before, but this time I felt OK. I had wanted to finish under 10:30, but I was always on the edge for that, and when I went through halfway, I knew I wasn’t going to get it, so I just wanted a sub-11:00. So I walked all the way up Polly’s because I knew I had enough time, then cruised home, finishing between the two sub-11:00 buses. I actually put down 10:30 for myself in our club’s time prediction competition, but there wasn’t enough money riding on it to push any harder.

Donna Lee Meyerson 31014
Age: 38 Club: Run/Walk for Life CG
Comrades run: 1 DNF
2011 time: Did not finish
My 2011 Race: It just wasn’t my day. My legs felt great after they warmed up, but I just had no gas in the tank and I struggled from the start, so I decided to stop at 60km when I knew a finish was not on the cards. I made the Cato Ridge cut-off by 45 minutes and would have made Camperdown as well, but the last cut-off at Polly Shortts would have left me 6min/km for the last 8km, which would have been impossible for me. On paper it was the right decision, but I have to live with the sting for a year before I can put it right. I will earn my Comrades pride in 2012!

Nikki Campbell 18595
Age: 48 Club: Fish Hoek
Comrades run: 14
2011 time: 11:39:44
My 2011 Goal: I was aiming for bronze, but had to settle for a Vic Clapham, because I wasn’t in the game until 30km in the race. I was very distracted, and was running it like a fun run, until at the top of Fields Hill I realised I was behind and had to refocus and start again. The highlight was catching my daughter Heather just over Polly’s and finishing with her. But I learnt a lesson this year: I wasn’t disrespectful of the race, but was not focused enough. The beauty of the Comrades is that you have enough kays to fix mistakes and pull back time.

Daryl Heffer 22141
Age: 34 Club: Westville
Comrades run: 1
2011 time: Did not start
My 2011 Race: My knee started hurting two weeks before the race, and despite going to the physio, resting and strapping the knee, it just wouldn’t come right. The day before the race the physio just said don’t even try to run. I have a friend who ran two years ago on a dodgy knee and it’s taken him till now to be able to run properly again, so I had that at the back of my mind. Obviously, I’m very disappointed, because it would have been my back to back run and medal, and can I never do that again, but I will be back to try again.

Spiced Red Lentil Soup
(Servings: 4-6)

Ingredients
1 medium onion
1 red pepper
2 sticks celery
1 medium carrot
225g baby marrow
125g red lentils
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp turmeric
pinch cinnamon
pinch cayenne pepper
400g can chopped tomatoes
1 tsp basil
1 bay leaf
+/- 750ml vegetable or chicken stock
salt & pepper
1 Tbsp Soy/Worcestershire sauce

Method
1. Chop vegetables finely. Wash and rinse lentils.
2. Heat oil and fry spices. Add vegetables and lentils. Stir well to coat with oil and spices. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Put tomatoes in a measuring jug and top with stock to make 1 litre.
4. Add to soup with basil and bay leaf. Bring to boil and simmer for 40 minutes, or till lentils are cooked.
5. Add salt, pepper to taste. Add soy sauce and more stock if required.

Leek, Chickpea and Parmesan Soup
(Servings: 4-6)

Ingredients
3 packets (or 20) leeks, chopped finely
Chickpeas (I used 3 x tinned & drained)
100g parmesan cheese, grated
(I added chopped spring onion which was not in the recipe originally)
750ml vegetable/chicken stock, diluted
Olive oil (to braise leek)
5 chopped garlic cloves
Herbs & spices (salt, pepper, cumin, cayenne pepper, etc)

Method
1. Heat olive oil in pan and braise garlic.
2. Add chopped leek and onion. Braise till see-through.
3. Add chickpeas and keep stirring.
4. Add grated parmesan (keep a bit for garnish after).
5. Add diluted chicken stock and boil up.
6. Remove half of soup mixture and liquidise it with a blender till smooth.
7. Add liquidised soup back to remaining soup in pot and stir in.
8. Add herbs & spices and enjoy!

Broccoli Soup
(Servings: 4-6)

Not only is this soup delicious and nutritious, it is quick and easy to make. It looks elegant when garnished and can be served all year round.

Ingredients
2 cups chopped broccoli – stems and florets (500ml)
2 cups chicken broth/stock (500ml)
1 cup buttermilk (250ml)
? tsp dried basil (2ml)
? tsp dried tarragon (2ml)
Garnish: salt and black pepper to taste, small broccoli florets, low-fat plain yoghurt, chives, low-fat cottage cheese

Method
1. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, cook broccoli in chicken broth for 10 minutes or until tender.
2. Refrigerate in broth until chilled.
3. In a food processor or blender, pur?e chilled mixture, buttermilk and seasonings until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings.
4. Reheat just to serving temperature (or chill and serve as a cold soup). Serve garnished with broccoli, yoghurt, chives and cottage cheese.

Standing at Cape Agulhas on 1 October 2010, I wondered what I was getting myself into. I said my farewells to the small group of family and friends, and set off with Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania as my destination, crossing through five countries and an estimated 5000km. My aim was to run at least 42km per day with a rest day every six days, to raise R300 000 for the Ethembeni School in KwaZulu-Natal, The Kidney Bean Trust and the Asha Trust. In the end I covered 6034km – a lot further than I expected – and still finished with the Kilimanjaro Marathon, then climbed Kilimanjaro with my brother Stephen.

I carried my life in my three-wheeled baby jogger pram. I had a foam mattress, sleeping bag, tent, gas cooker, bagful of clothing, bagful of food, lots of water, and what I called my treasure bag, containing my camera and GPS phone, cables, chargers and anything that was of value. I also had money hidden in numerous places – inside socks, between papers, even inside the frame of the pram. However, I was never really worried for my safety from a people point of view; it was the wild animals that were a bit of a challenge. I was always cautious, especially when setting up camp in the bush.

SETTING OUT
On day one, I ran a brisk five-hour 42km to Bredasdorp with Stephen and my Edgemead clubmates Rob and Kathleen Corb. It felt easy, we chatted, and the running was awesome… but from day two I was on my own. It rained, it was muddy, and I hurt my Achilles. Still doubting this expedition, I thought to myself: “What the hell am I doing here?” But every day the hospitality of the South African people was fantastic, which made it easy to keep going. I stayed in guesthouses, hotels, in private homes, old-age homes and anything resembling accommodation, and I never took my tent or my sleeping bag out once, and used very little of my supplies, in the 2350km through our country.

Amazingly, I did not suffer from any kind of muscle stiffness. However, I would run my 40-45km in the day, arrive at a place to stay, have a quick meal, sleep for four hours, wake up to have supper and then sleep for another 10 hours. I think that in the beginning, people assumed I was just bad-mannered or impolite, as I barely spoke with the people who offered me accommodation and food. Simply put, I slept, ate and ran. There were occasional breaks in between to chat to someone on the road who stopped to ask where I was going, but mostly I just enjoyed the long open roads.

In Willowmore, I was fortunate to stay with Jane and Ian Simon for a rest day. They welcomed me into their home, even though it was Jane’s birthday, and not only fed me, but even gave me books to read. It was the first time I realised just how far people would go to assist me. The same thing happened when I stayed with the Theron’s in Graaf Reinett, who organised numerous farms for accommodation further along the route.

FROM ZIM TO ZAMBIA
I will never forget the first of December, crossing the Beit Bridge into Zimbabwe. That first night I stayed with Mr ‘Big Boy’ Goro on the outskirts of Beit Bridge, my first experience of living in a township. The water only came on at certain times of the day, and the electricity was off most of the time, but I was made as welcome as anywhere in South Africa. The following day Mr Goro didn’t want me to leave on my own, as he felt that the first 40km outside of Beit Bridge could be dangerous. He wanted to follow me, but I thanked him and told him I would run on my own. He didn’t say much about this, but about 20km into the run I noticed that a white minibus was following me, which turned out to be Mr Goro keeping an eye on me.

One of my worst days was on day 66, in Zimbabwe, when I couldn’t find a place to sleep or to camp. It was getting dark, and I was feeling lonely and afraid, when I was saved by a woman called Eunice, who let me sleep in her store. Luckily it got easier the further I went in Zimbabwe, going from sleeping in my tent to huts, schools and villages, to once again sleeping at farms, guesthouses, hotels and eventually the Lamagondi Lodge at Kariba.

When I crossed into Zambia on Christmas Eve and I knew I had a big day ahead of me from Lamagondi Lodge to Kariba and then on to Chirudnu, which ended up being 92km. That day was so hot, my jelly babies turned to liquid, and the tar on the road got soft. I had no choice but to push on until, eventually, after leaving in the dark that morning, I reached Chirudnu that evening. Thankfully, a banana farmer named Vic found me and invited me to spend Christmas Eve with his family.

Zambia was probably the hardest country to travel through. I ran in 40-degree heat, constantly battling not only the heat but also the myriads of flies as I covered distances of 40, 50, 60km a day. However, one highlight was when the manager of the Lusaka Southern Sun gave me three nights’ accommodation and flew my wife Samantha up to stay with me.

TAKING STRAIN
Crossing into Malawi was different, because the people seemed to speak less English than in Zambia. I spent most of my nights in churches or schools, or camped in my tent. Malawi was also different in that I had to approach the heads of villages and ask for permission to camp in their villages. The pram was performing awesomely well, but I did have a problem when the handlebars snapped one day – I think I was a little overenthusiastic when ramping over some rocks. However, a farmer helped me with a temporary fix involving pieces of wood fitted inside the aluminium tubing, with duct tape holding it all together. This makeshift fix lasted right to the end of the run, another 1500km.

A big highlight was reaching Lake Malawi, which was beautiful, perfectly calm and perfectly clear. However, by this stage I was starting to feel really ill. On my last day in Malawi, I headed off towards the border, 50km away, expecting to see villages and shops along the route where I could buy some food and water, but I found nothing. When I reached the border post, I was seriously dehydrated, so I attempted to exchange R60 worth of Malawian Kwacha for Tanzanian Schillings, only to be swindled and received just R6 worth of Schillings. I was so dehydrated, I didn’t care. All I wanted was something to drink…

END IN SIGHT
The following day, I pushed on and was fortunate enough to spend the night at Rob Close’s avocado farm and the following night in Bayer with Rob and his wife. Then I met Mark Nightingale, who had walked across 16 countries for personal pleasure. I needed this inspiration, because soon afterwards I fell sick with dysentery. I was nauseous, had diarrhoea and my urine had turned a dark red plum colour. I didn’t think I was dying, but it certainly felt like it! Fortunately, I met up with two Americans who gave me some medication, which really helped.

Then my spirits were revived when I received a phone call from the organisers of the Kilimanjaro Marathon in Moshi to say that if I was there by the 25th, they would give me an entry in the race, which was on the 27th, as well as a couple of nights’ accommodation. So I started doing up to 70km a day and went 15 days in a row without a break. Things became quite intense, as I was covering large distances despite being quite sick. The rate at which I was losing weight was astounding! Despite this, I was having the time of my life.

By the time I arrived at Moshi, I was down to 71kg from my normal 93kg. I looked and felt awful. Then the Kilimanjaro Marathon day arrived, a beautiful day with the snow-capped Kilimanjaro peak in the background, and I ran with Matthew from Durban, whom I had only met I7 minutes prior to the start of the race. With the marathon complete, I had done 6034km in 150 days, of which 122 days were running at an average of 49.86km per day.

My brother Stephen then joined me on the 2nd of March and together we made our way up Kilimanjaro. We did this in six days and it was surprisingly easy – some of the running was far more difficult than the climb! Stephen had been with me on that first day of my journey, and it was truly incredible and heart-warming to have my brother with me on this last leg. It was just unfortunate that my other brothers, David and Grant, could not also be with us.

LOOKING BACK
The journey had emotional highs and lows, triumphs and trials, but now that I am home with Samantha and my two sons, I do not regret any of it. If anything, I have learnt to value what really matters in life. I have learnt patience and not to complain about things that are not worth the effort.

What stood out for me was the generosity and hospitality of the people all over Africa. I met so many unusual, interesting, gracious and kind people. I will remember this journey and recount the tales of hardship and woe, exhilaration and great fondness for years to come. It was truly an awesome experience!

Cape to Kili by the Numbers
As runners, we like to know the stats and figures, so here is a quick breakdown of Richard’s 6000km trek.

Country         Total days Days running Daily average Distance
South Africa  61                 52                    45.1km            2347km
Zimbabwe     23                 18                    51.1km            919km
Zambia          19                 15                    52.9km            794km
Malawi          16                 13                    52.8km            687km
Tanzania        31                 24                    53.4km            1287km
TOTALS      150               122                   49.5km            6034km

The Northwest University (previously the University of Potchefstroom) has always been one of the top athletics universities in the country, but in the past five years they have set the bar so high that most South African universities measure their achievements against those of the athletes from NWU-Puk. No wonder, either, because not only have they won the national student athletics championships for the past three years, but they have never featured lower than third overall in the final standings of this competition since the turn of the century.

In the 18-year existence of the competition, the NWU-Puk women have won their section nine times with the men taking first place six times, and ‘Pukke’ have been the overall winners nine out of 18 times. Doing this in a hotly contested competition is no mean feat, and Terseus Liebenberg, manager of the athletics club, says there are several reasons for their great successes. “We have bucket loads of talent on the campus and behind every successful athlete stands a hardworking coach who gives their all. Combine this with our world class training facilities and you have a recipe for success.”

RICH AND SUCCESSFUL HISTORY
Athletics has been a part of the old University of the Potchefstroom for almost a century, as the club was established in 1918. But even before the club existed, the university had top class athletes such as Chris Coetzee, who ran the 100-yard race in 9.8 seconds. The club had to wait until 1966 for its first Springbok athletes, Willie Coetzee (sprints and hurdles) and Fanie van Zijl (middle distances), but it was in 1968 that the university achieved one of its greatest successes. This was when Coetzee, van Zijl, Willie van der Westhuizen (sprints), David Booysen (shot put) and Bea Marais (middle distances) represented South Africa during a tour of West Germany. Bea and her husband Hennie Botha are still involved with the club today and their son, Hennie, represented the university at the World Youth Championships in Korea in 2003, winning a bronze medal in the 400m hurdles.

Since then the university has been a regular source of junior and senior world champions, Olympic athletes and numerous national champions. Its first senior world champion was Marius Corbett (javelin), who was also the first South African ever to win a track and field world championship title. Hestrie Cloete (high jump) soon followed in his footsteps to become South Africa’s second world champion, and she also competed at the Olympic Games with other Puk athletes Hezekiel Sepeng, Ockert Cillers (both middle distances), Sunette Viljoen (javelin) and Justine Robbeson (heptathlon).

PRESENT PERFORMERS
Today the club still attracts top athletes and their performances on track, field and cross-country are evidence of this. Terseus says track athletes such as the sprinters Simon Magakwe and Rapula Sefanyetso, middle and long-distance runners Tsholofelo Thipe, Rorisang Ramonnye, Andr? Olivier, Edwin Molepo, Elroy Gelant and Gert Manora and the walkers Inge Kotze, Corli Swart and Ruan Wessels are names to look out for in future.

The NWU-Puk campus has become renowned internationally as an ideal training ground for top athletes because of its high altitude as well as world class facilities, the presence of these athletes and the quality of coaches who help the athletes to achieve their best. The current crop of coaches include names such as Eugene Thipe (sprints), Ockert Cilliers (hurdles), Dr. Ria van den Berg (middle distances and hurdles), Hennie Botha and Jean Verster (middle and long distances, and cross-country), Owen van Niekerk (heptathlon and long jump) and G?rard Moerdyk (race walking). The field athletes train under the watchful eyes of Johan Swart, Izanne Ellis, Basie Koen, Pierre Blignaut and Terseus Liebenberg.

Terseus says one of the reasons why prospective students should consider coming to the Puk campus of the NWU is that they will not only leave as champions, but as well-balanced individuals, because a lot of focus is also placed on academics during their time as students. And judging by the history of the club, chances are that they might never leave, because a number of the coaches at the Fanie du Toit athletics field were once athletes for the university in their younger years. The fact that these athletes have chosen to stay involved with the institution for such a long time is a sure sign that athletics at NWU-Puk is healthy and thriving.

A Race Referee – or more correctly, a Technical Official – has quite a lot of power on race day. He or she has the ability to penalise you for any transgression, and in more extreme cases, even to disqualify you on the spot. And we all know that when this happens, your race day is pretty much done.

In some cases, athletes take out their frustration on race referees, but at the end of the day, we all realise that the basis of refereeing is safety and fair play – and not just among the front athletes, but all the way down the field. After all, everyone deserves the same playing field.

FOR THE LOVE OF SPORT
Race day is usually a long and gruelling day for most of us, but we often forget that it is just as long a day for race referees. They are up at the crack of dawn and sometimes leave long after we have had hot showers and a meal after a hard race. A post-race meeting or checking and signing off results sees many race referees get to bed long after midnight. And just as we sometimes race in rain, cold or blistering heat, they operate in the exact same conditions. There are many similarities between referees and athletes, but the most important is that both are doing what they love.

Two well-loved referees (and organisers of the popular annual Rhodes Trail Run), Darrell and Evie Raubenheimer, explain why they decided to become race referees. For Darrell it was purely because he wanted to give something back to the sport. “I remember when I was active as a runner, there were always folk out there time-keeping, refereeing and marshalling, sometimes in really lousy weather, just so that I could enjoy my run and do it safely. I’m sure I never thanked them enough. Now it’s my turn to be one of the mostly unseen ‘backroom’ folk at events.”

Evie started by first ‘just helping out’ at Ironman, before officially refereeing. She loves recognising athletes from previous races. “About a third of our Rhodes runners have done 70.3 or Ironman, so at bike check-in it’s a nice opportunity to see them, especially in warmer conditions.”

THROUGH UPS AND DOWNS
Just as athletes experience ups and downs during a race, so do race referees. One of the hardest parts of being a referee is dealing with unpredictable weather conditions. “If you’re an athlete competing in adverse weather,  be it a skin-burning scorcher, icy cold wind or rain, you get on with it, you live with it. Officials also have to grin and bear it! At 70.3 this year it poured. We were drenched after the race briefing on the Friday, got totally soaked at bike check-in on the Saturday, and drowned again on the cycle leg on the Sunday,” says Darrell.

But as bad as it sometimes gets, it can be just as good. “Generally, triathletes are really nice folk, so it’s always a pleasure being there for them. Also, there is a wonderful spirit amongst the PE refs and we make sure we have fun at events. It’s never boring, not by a long chalk,” both agree.

WHEN NERVES TAKE OVER
We all know no matter how well we are prepared for race day, sometimes nerves take over and we do funny things. And it’s usually race referees who get to giggle about it. “There are so many funny stories to tell, all of which are probably not that funny to the people they happened to. There is a humorous incident at almost every single event. We’ve had someone come to bike check-in at a 70.3 blissfully unaware he did not have a saddle,” chuckles Darrell.

Evie tells of a duathlete getting to the mount line coming out of transition one and realising he had one cycle shoe and one running shoe, another guy arriving for a triathlon and minutes before the start realising he had his daughter’s wetsuit, and another going down to the beach for the start of the swim with his cycle helmet on. “Watching some athletes at our development tri’s having a tea party in transition one, spending ages towelling themselves off, having a few relaxing drinks, taking it so slow while all around them it’s chaos, is fun to watch, and so different to someone like elite triathlete James Cunnama who is in and out of T1 in the same time it takes them to remove their swimming goggles,” says Evie.

PLAYING BY THE RULES
Elite professional athletes are usually a pleasure to ref as they know the rules for each event, but the biggest mistake most average athletes make is not attending race briefing, not listening properly and not checking their equipment before the event. That’s when things can go wrong and athletes get penalised, or even disqualified.

Both Darrell and Evie agree that athletes generally know when they are in the wrong. “There might be a few mutters and glum faces, but triathletes know that if they are carded by a ref, there’s a valid reason. Any flak comes from spectators. It’s pretty much the same as when I watch a rugby match. I can get a bit heated with the ref, but then he knows the latest rules; I certainly don’t. He’s got a spot-on view of what’s happened; I don’t have. He’s got experience to evaluate and interpret the rules instantly, which I certainly don’t have! All sports are like that – one has to accept that comments come from folk who don’t know or are maybe not impartial,” says Darrell.

GETTING INVOLVED
Triathlon South Africa run ITU referee courses in various centres – all you have to do is speak with anyone on the local provincial triathlon body and they will welcome you with open arms. If you are thinking of becoming a race referee, Evie and Darrell advise that you have to be the type of person who volunteers without expecting much thanks. And a good sense of humour and not taking things personally will definitely help.

THE RHODES EXPERIENCE
Besides being race referees at various triathlons, Evie and Darrell have also been involved with the well-known 52km Rhodes Trail run (Border province, July) since its early days. Darrell ran the second one in 1990, and the next year Evie started helping at the finish. Evie’s involvement grew and since 1998 she has been race director. The race is special for many reasons, including Evie knowing each and every runner by name. Most come to Rhodes for the snow and the incredible winter wonderland route, but it’s also the small things that count: All runners are treated the same, there are no cash prizes or lucky draws, all get a complimentary glass of sherry as they wait in the registration queue, and of course, there are always the war stories to take home.

One of the plus-points of running as a sport and fitness activity is that it is easy to get started, you don’t need much equipment, nor expensive facilities, and it is an individual sport, so each person can determine their own training and racing levels. Running thus offers great ‘me-time,’ which attracts many people to the roads and trails. However, another great aspect of running is its camaraderie, where family, friends, clubmates, colleagues and even complete strangers can enjoy the time together, having a chat along the way and getting to know each other better.

From training together regularly, to entering races together, running can really bring families or couples closer – and even more so when they enter a three-day stage race that requires each pair of runners to never be more than two minutes apart, like the recent Pronutro AfricanX Trail Run in Kleinmond.

I’LL STAND BY YOU
One of the couples in the event, James Brown and Julia Goedeke, who have been dating for two years, really saw what teamwork and understanding meant when James had stomach problems on the second day’s 41km long stage, while Julia struggled with ITB on day three, which forced them to walk the entire 21km stage and eventually finish last team home on the day. It really looked like they had been brought even closer together by two days of hard survival mode running in the mountains above Kleinmond.

“Julie and I often train and run races together, so I suggested we run it as a team, but I wondered if we would still be ‘together’ by the end of the three days. Well, we started together, and we finished together,” said James, looking over at Julie. “She waited for me on day two when I was ‘looking in the bushes’ all the time, so there was no way I was going to leave her behind on the last stage.”

Another great couple performance was that of husband and wife team Ian and Sue Don-Wauchope, who dominated the veteran mixed team category and finished second overall amongst the mixed pairs. Both are recognised trail running elites, but Ian had struggled with a virus in the lead-up to the race and was not feeling as strong as usual. Sue took over to set the pace and pull Ian through when he took strain – despite being woken up several times each night by their young baby. At the event prize-giving, Ian still commented that he felt guilty about her getting up so often after all the hard running, and offered to help, but she kept telling him to rest.

MOTHER-DAUGHTER TIME
Parents and their children can also forge stronger bonds by running together, and the AfricanX had several two-generation teams, including Team Rockies Chicks and Team Winter Farmers. The Rockies Chicks, were a mother-daughter combination of Simone and Kimberley Bishop of Johannesburg. Simone has done four 250km extreme events in Chile, China, Australia and Antarctica, and her next big one will be the Gore-Tex Trans-Rockies in the USA in August, another pairs race. Her daughter Kimberley, who is currently studying at the University of Cape Town, decided she’d like to join her mother in the Rockies, so Simone told her she’d have to prove she could handle it. Cue their entry in to the AfricanX, which covered about 88km in three days.

“I told Kim she needs to prove herself in a local race before I’ll let her go with me. This race was good training for us both, but we ran it mainly to see if she can keep up with me, and whether she has the temperament for it – and if we can stand running with each other for five days! It went well, wonderful mother-daughter bonding time, so we’re all set now for the Rockies.”

Team Winter Farmers – Trish and Candice Winterboer, from Empangeni and Cape Town respectively – usually run a race or two together whenever they see each other, but this was their first multi-day event together. “It works well when we run together. We don’t fight, we don’t stress, and if we do well it’s a bonus, but running behind Candice and seeing how fleet-footed she looks makes me feel like an elephant!” said mom Trish.

“No, she’s a machine! Running with her is so motivating,” responded Candice immediately. “I almost didn’t run after tearing my ankle ligaments in February, but I didn’t want to disappoint my mother and make her find another partner, and I didn’t want to miss out on running with her.”

START SMALL
Of course, you don’t need to enter a three-day mountainous trail event with your partner, parent or child to experience the bonding benefits of running together. Here are a few simple ways to get the whole family running:
• Using baby-joggers: Nowadays, even the youngest children can be included in a family run or jog, and one parent does not need to stay home while the other trains. Modern, lightweight baby-joggers are both comfortable and safe for the child, and easy to push and navigate by the parent, with brakes, a stable chassis and even rugged tyres for off-road use.
• Run and bike: By using a combination of two wheels and two legs, the whole family can venture out together. Mum and dad can run while the children cycle, or perhaps vice versa, or indeed any combination of running and cycling between family members.
• Fun runs: Most races have an accompanying fun run, usually about 5km, and they’re a great way of involving every member of the family in the day’s running. There are usually medals for all finishers, so everyone will be happy.
• Orienteering: This is a great sport for the family. Events typically involve a range of courses of varying length and difficulty. There is very much a family atmosphere at orienteering events and everyone can keep fit and develop useful map reading and navigational skills at the same time.

It is said that less than one percent of all athletes who participate in competitive sports ever reach an elite level. Being an elite depends on skill, natural ability and talent, but it takes years of hard work, discipline, focus and most importantly a lot of heart! One such athlete who knows all about hard work and never giving up is current SA marathon champion Charn? Bosman. She has been running competitively since the age of 15 and has achieved great heights, but also some disappointment in her career. But through it all she is still pushing ahead in order to reach her dream of competing at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. When chatting to Charn? one quickly realises that this petite Mr Price athlete from Pretoria definitely has a lot of heart.

“I know novices and other athletes often look at us elites and think running comes easy to us, but they don’t always realise that we suffer just as much as them – it’s just on another level. Every athlete has his or her own goals. It doesn’t mean if I run a 35min 10km and you run a slower 45min 10km, that you did not suffer as much as I did! We all go through hard times when running. I know it might seem easy when watching elites, but we put a lot of hours and hard work into our sport. We don’t just wake up one morning and run a 34min 10km,” says Charn?, who knows all about hard word, dedication and eventual success.

In 2002 and 2003 she won the Old Mutual Two Oceans Half Marathon, breaking the course record in 2002 (since then the record has been broken again). She followed that up with a win at the Old Mutual Soweto Marathon in 2003 and 2004, where she also placed fourth in 2009 and third last year. She was crowned 2008 SA marathon champ, a title she won again this year.

AN ELITE IN MAKING
Born in Malmesbury, Charn? was an active child, playing tennis and netball, but never ran. It was only at the age of 15 when the family moved to Pretoria that Charn? started running with her niece. “I remember running in my tennis shoes next to her. Without any training I could keep up and I think I then realised that I might have some talent.” Within six months she was awarded Northern Gauteng colours in cross-country, but it was only at the age of 19, soon after she she turned senior, that her big break came and she placed second at the SA Cross-Country Champs. “Gwen van Lingen won that day and I was the surprise package of the day!”

Her first trip overseas was in 1995 as part of a SA relay team. Back on home soil, her next big international event was the World Cross-Country Champs in Stellenbosch, where she learnt her first valuable lesson in competing at an elite level. “I listened to everyone around me. I had never run in spikes, but that day I did! Also, at that stage my fastest training kilometre was 3:09, but everyone said I must go out and stay with the front bunch. Well, I did. I ran my first kilometre in 2:57… and that was the end of my race! What a disappointment. But it taught me a lesson and I was determined to improve. I made the World Cross-Country team six times after that.”

TAKING ON THE DISTANCE
Charn? successfully moved up to half marathons before she decided to tackle her first marathon in 2003, which she managed to win despite terrible windy conditions on the day. “It was the Peninsuala Marathon in Cape Town and the wind was so strong that some of the elite guys pulled out. I just decided I won’t give up, because I have trained too hard, and I managed to win in 2:42.”

At the end of 2004 Charn? picked up a stress fracture and her Olympic dream was shattered. She quickly dusted herself off and ran her first international marathon in Amsterdam in 2005, where she finished in fourth position in a time of 2:39. “That was definitely one of the highlights of my career. I also qualified for the Commonwealth Games in 2006 in Australia.” However, disappointment was soon to follow.

The Commonwealth Games was one of the biggest disappointments of her career, but once again a valuable lesson learnt. “I decided to run in my old shoes, which had shoe patch on, but no one told me that shoe patch doesn’t roll effectively on racers. That meant blisters from the 5km mark. While running, I could see my feet bleeding, and reaching the finish, I pulled the skin off my soles. But I did not give up. I finished 15th in 2:48. And I learnt such a big lesson that no matter what, you do not change anything on race day!”

BOUNCING BACK
In 2007/8 Charn? battled with persistent injuries and could not figure out what caused them. Only last year she underwent a bone density test which showed her bone density to be at dangerously low levels. Since then she’s been on medication which has helped enormously. “For the first time since last year I am feeling stronger and like my old self again.”

Her renewed strength gave her a new lease on running and she is determined to make her Olympic Dream come true next year. In order to do this, Charn? has started training with her old coach, Gerrie Coetzee, who also coaches other elites such as Irvette van Blerk and Rene Kalmer. “I am so happy to be with a coach. It is very stressful to try and do your own thing, especially because you will never give yourself a chance to rest and you will keep on pushing harder. It is nice to have a coach you can trust.”

Shortly after she rejoined Gerrie, she won the 2011 SA Marathon Champs in a time of 2:44. “I know a lot of people are saying it is not a fast time and I agree, but that day I did not go for a fast time, I just wanted to take the title comfortably, which I did. My next goal is to run a marathon in sub-2:34 before April in order to qualify for the Olympics. I don’t think I have ever reached my full potential. I feel that only now am I in a position to do so. I have been invited to the Amsterdam Marathon in October and will try to go under 2:36 there.”

HARD TRAINING
As we all know to run a sub-2:36 marathon does not happen on 100km a week. Charn? trains twice a day and runs between 150 and 170km a week. This include speed sessions of 10 to 15 1000m with a 2min rest (jog) in between, tempo runs on Saturdays of 10 to 16km run at about 3:45min/km, and long runs of between 28 and 40km on Sundays, run at 4:00 to 4:15min/km. “Sometimes during especially hard quality sessions, I do go through hard patches, but I motivate myself by keeping my eyes on the end goal. Also, I tell myself there are many other elites out there doing exactly what I am doing and suffering just as much!”

She describes her long runs as “food for the soul”. In both training and races she never focuses on the end distance, and only focuses on the kilometre she is running. “I run kilometre by kilometre and every time one is done, I tick it off. You have to have a strong head and you need to remember that the path to the top is by no means easy. If you can’t work through hard patches in training, you won’t be able to do it in a race either. So you really need to focus on your training and put effort into it.”

When not out running she loves spending relaxing home time with husband Carel, an avid cyclist who has completed the Absa Cape Epic three times. “It is important to be married to someone that understands your sport. We make sacrifices because of my running, like not being able to stay out late because of early training the next day.”

Charn? plans to compete at the upcoming SA Half Marathon Champs as well as the final legs of the Spar Women’s Series. “I need to bring my 10km and half marathon times down in order to run a fast marathon. The Russians are running consistent 2:30 marathons and that is exactly what we should be aiming for.”

LOOKING AHEAD
After the Olympics, Charn? aims to move into ultra-distance races and would like to focus on the 56km Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon, but for now her heart is set on one thing, to make her Olympic dream come true. “One thing I know for sure is that one needs to know where your strength comes from. My strength comes from God. I also realise that one needs to be grateful each and every day for the fact that you are healthy and able to train. It can be taken away from you at any time. Athletes sometimes get so frustrated when they don’t run certain times, but one needs to take a step back and realise how fortunate we are just being able to do what we do!”

PERSONAL BESTS
10km 33:41
15km 52:03
21.1km 1:15:06
42.2km 2:39:26

The last day that Scott Ludwig didn’t run was 29 November 1978. He was still studying English at the University of Florida at the time and he went to a conference in Atlanta with one of his professors. The professor had been urging him for a long time to start running and on the trip, on 30 November 1978, Scott finally agreed to join him for a run. He still remembers every detail about that first run and says his professor ran a one-mile loop six times. Scott ran every other loop with him until he had done 3 miles. “I was pretty proud of myself after that first run, and my professor kept me at it, eventually talking me into running a marathon in March of 1979. I was hooked and haven’t stopped since.”

Scott can’t remember when he realised he was on a streak, but about three years later he consciously made a decision to keep the streak alive. He was in Pennsylvania in January 1982 and it was 11:30 at night, but he had not been for a run yet. “I looked out of the window and it was snowing, and I thought I can’t go out in that, but I did anyway and ran three miles before midnight. Now it’s second nature and I haven’t really thought about ending it since then. About every six months or so I have a day where I don’t feel like I want to run, but then I go anyway and I always feel better once I’m out there. The next day I’m better again and want to get out there.”

33 YEARS AND COUNTING
This means that for the last 33 years Scott has been getting up at 3:30 every morning to go for a run. He has never had any injury or illness that was serious enough to keep him from running and has notched up a staggering 196,800km on about 150 pairs of running shoes. He wants to keep running until he has the longest streak in the USA and hopefully until he has run 200,000 miles (320,000km) and 200 marathons. This will probably be when he is in his late seventies.

So why does he do it? Ask Scott and you don’t really get a concrete answer; he just loves running and wants his name next to the longest streak. “As long as I don’t die and I’m not in a coma, I figure I can keep going,” he explains. The United States Running Streak Association’s official list of active streak runners in the country places Scott at number 35, with the runner in first place on a streak of 43 years. However, Scott says most other streak runners won’t do ultra-marathons and jeopardise their streak, they mostly stick to their one mile per day run and average a little less than 3,000km per year.

That is what makes Scott a little different. He has run 180 marathons and 50 ultras, and likes to do at least 5km per day. In recent years he has averaged approximately 6,400km per year but he says he is trying to cut back. “I peaked at 5,400 miles (8,640km) in 1998. Back then I ran some really good times in the ultras and over long distances, but once I turned 50 my body said I should cut back. Five years later my brain caught up with my body and now I’m trying to be sensible. This year I might not even reach 4,000 miles (6,400km), which is probably a good thing, but it’s hard to let go.”

CROSSING OVER TO THE DARKSIDE
As Scott’s love for running grew he looked for people to join him on some crazy running adventures, but he couldn’t find what he was looking for at his local running club. So he decided to start his own running club with long-time friend and running partner, Al Barker. In 2002 they established the Darkside Running Club with six members. “Most people think we are called the Darkside because we always run in the dark, and though this is true to some extent, it was actually because we wanted to do something a bit more adventurous than 10km runs and therefore ventured onto the Dark Side.”

Today they have grown to about 200 members and the club is unique in that you only have to pay a once-off fee of $35 for lifetime membership. This fee gives you access to approximately 200 runners from all over the USA, Canada and the UK who have done almost any race you can think of. “Between our members you will find someone who has experience in just about any race in the world, and what’s more, you will probably have a place to stay in a city where you’ve never been before. I find that runners universally are very open about offering their home to another runner, even if they don’t know them from Adam.” Also covered by this membership fee is the club’s quarterly newsletter and three free marathon entries (all in the USA).

Like most runners the sport has not only influenced Scott’s fitness and health, but also his life. It has influenced his choice of friends, given him the opportunity to travel, and even made him a writer. He’s written three books already and says he does most of his writing whilst running. The books are all about (you guessed it) running, and he writes his club’s quarterly newsletter, but Scott says there is one thing that stands out above all. “I’ve always thought runners are the best people in the world. It takes a special kind of discipline and dedication to run and it has made me disciplined in everything I do. That said, I think the biggest influence running has had on my life is that I don’t know what night time is anymore. Come 9:30pm my day is over, where most people get their second breath then. But I have the mornings when it’s quiet and you can think. I wouldn’t trade that for anything.”

A SPECIAL RACE
Scott travelled to South Africa this year with his friend and running partner Susan Lance to run the Comrades for the first time. They ran it together, finishing in 10:35 and enjoying every minute. Interviewed just before the race, they said they loved the atmosphere in Durban and felt like celebrities, but what amazed them most was the amount of people running an ultra-marathon. “In the USA, the ultra community is really small. You can run an ultra pretty much anywhere in the country and know almost everyone in the field – it’s like a little reunion every time. Here you have thousands of people running! I’ve heard running the Comrades is one of the greatest things in the world to do and a member of our club said it was the best thing he’s ever done. I don’t know what to expect in terms of crowd support or how bad the hills are, but I just want to finish and enjoy the sights and the experience,” said Scott.

So why do the Comrades now, after 33 years of running? Scott said he always knew about the Comrades and wanted to do it since forever, but he saved it for a special occasion: His 50th and most probably last ultra-marathon. “The Comrades may not be the longest or the hardest ultra in the world, but it has a reputation in the USA for being the most prestigious. I’ve done much harder races, like the Western States 100 miler and the Badwater Marathon, but this was the last thing on my bucket list. I wish I ran it in the late 90s when I was running really well and fast, because then I would have aimed for a seven or eight-hour finish, but I just want to finish it now. All the other goals, like reaching 200,000 miles and getting the longest streak will be nice, but the Comrades I had to do.”

After the race, Scott sent an e-mail from the USA where he simply said the race was tough, but amazing, he loved meeting Zola Pieterse at the expo, and the Castle Light tasted really good afterwards. Seems like most runners’ feelings towards Comrades are pretty much universal.

For more information on the Darkside Running Club, or if you want to join the club, visit their website at www.darksiderunningclub.com.

A streak of what?
According to the United States Running Streak Association, the official definition of a running streak is “to run at least one continuous mile within each calendar day under one’s own body power (without the utilisation of any type of health or mechanical aid other than prosthetic devices).” That might sound complicated, but it simply means you have to run at least one mile (1.6km) every day between midnight and midnight.

The top streak runner in the USA is Mark Covert, who has been running every day since 1968, ten years more than Scott, who is currently placed 35th on the list. Streaks are measured by days and not distance and the runners don’t get any special prizes or medals, only the accolade and satisfaction of saying they have one of the longest running streaks in the USA.

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.”