Category: Features

The Comrades Marathon Association’s (CMA) 2011 AmaBeadiBeadi Charity Campaign was launched in Johannesburg in November and its main intention is to foster wider support for charitable fundraising for the CMA’s five official charities.

An exciting facet to this year’s campaign is that runners have the opportunity to improve their seeding batch, while raising funds for a good cause. This innovative initiative is the brainchild of popular radio personality Brad Brown, who thought up the idea whilst fundraising during his first Comrades Marathon run this year. The story behind Brad’s novel and noble gesture is an emotional one, which strongly epitomises what this exciting endeavour is all about.

HERE’S HOW IT WORKS:
• The CMA has reserved 1000 entries for runners who sign up for the Race 4 Charity initiative and raise R5000 by getting 100 friends, family and colleagues to sponsor them R50 each to run the Comrades Marathon. This will ensure that they get to start in their own special seeding batch (CC – Comrades Charity batch) near the front of the field on race day. So if you’re a ‘back of the pack’ runner, this is your chance to get into that special seeding batch.
• Go to the Comrades website www.comrades.com and follow the Race 4 Charity link. Here, runners are able to sign up, whilst family, friends and supporters can make donations and leave messages of motivation. Runners get to choose which of the five AmaBeadiBeadi charities they would like to support. The campaign takes on an added air of excitement as prizes are up for grabs for those who raise the most funds.
• All Race 4 Charity runners will also receive an exclusive goodie bag which they can collect at the charity stand during registration.
• The entry process remains a simple one. Runners need to enter Comrades 2011 by 30 November, but will have until 6 May 2011 to sign up for Race 4 Charity and raise funds. Please note that normal race rules still apply for entries and there are no refunds should a runner fail to qualify or raise the minimum amount.

The AmaBeadiBeadi Charity initiative gives individuals the opportunity to not just make a difference, but to unite people of all backgrounds to get involved and race for charity, in order to effect a greater positive change in the country. “The AmaBeadiBeadi campaign is just as much a charity drive as it is a thank you to the Rainbow Nation for supporting the Comrades Marathon. We encourage our runners to embrace this noble initiative and to do their part for the greater good of South Africa,” says CMA Chariman Peter Proctor.

All AmaBeadiBeadi charities – the Community Chest, Wildlands Trust, Sports Trust, Pink Drive and Starfish – will benefit from this exciting campaign. So, if you’ve ever yearned to do something for the environment or to make a difference in the lives of the less fortunate, then Race 4 Charity is for you, as its sole purpose is to facilitate the process of raising money for a good cause. As Brad puts it, “A rising tide lifts all ships.”’

Visit www.comrades.com and click on the Race 4 Charity link to be a part of this amazing initiative.

It has happened to millions of people. You finish school, head out to the ‘real world’ of working hard and trying to create a future. Before you know it, you’ve settled down, started a family, and then suddenly something resembling a spare wheel appears around your middle. This is exactly what happened to Magz Khomane, but the difference is that she decided to take her life back after a vicious battle with her weight for almost four years.

MAKING THE DECISION
It all started with the birth of her son, Kagisho, five years ago. “For the first three years of his life, Kagisho was sick and in hospital almost every three months. He had seizures and was on different antibiotics every month. I changed jobs quite frequently during this time and started neglecting myself by eating wrongly, worrying all the time, not exercising and falling into bad habits.”

“When I realised I had grown too big for my size 42 clothes, it was the last straw. At my heaviest I weighed about 115kg. I suffered from high blood pressure, insomnia and migraines, never smiled, and was pretty much depressed. When my doctor told me I will have to take medication to control my blood pressure for the rest of my life, I decided; ‘hell no!’ I decided then and there to lose weight and take my life back.”

“A friend of mine had told me about Adventure Boot Camp (ABC) for women. I had seen her go from plump to ripped in a few months, so I decided to join her at ABC. For the first two weeks my body was in shock. I’ve always been athletic, but hadn’t exercised in a long time. I also felt guilty at first, because I thought I was being selfish for taking an hour every day for myself rather than being with Kagisho.”

But Magz soon realised that an hour away from Kagisho every day was a far better choice than possibly not being there for him at all if she carried on with her unhealthy lifestyle. “I had to make sure I live so I could look after my son. You can’t allow something to kill you if you have control over it. When you’re a single mom, it’s difficult to leave your child and just take time for yourself, but you have to do it for yourself. You are of no use to anybody if you’re not happy.”

SEEING THE KILOGRAMS MELT AWAY!
Magz religiously stuck to her early morning training schedule at Adventure Bootcamp at Emmarentia in Johannesburg. This involved an hour long session three times a week of a jogging, sprinting, push-ups, sit-ups, skipping rope, core conditioning and much more!  

Soon Magz could see the difference in her body and this motivated her even more to stick to her exercising guns. She combined her training with a healthy eating plan. “I was not on a strict diet where I ate three fruits and five veggies every day. I made a major mental shift. These days I don’t eat as much starch as I used to, I’ve decreased my portion sizes, I don’t eat if I’m not hungry, and I drink lots of water. Previously I didn’t use to eat at work and then binged when I went home, because I was famished. Now I eat breakfast, a pre-packed lunch, and I only boil, steam and grill my food… no more frying!”

Her commitment paid off and she went from 105kg in July to 75kg today. She plans to lose another 10kg by her birthday in February, to ‘officially bring sexy back.’ An avid volleyball player in her younger years, she plans on hitting the courts again in the New Year to keep her fitness levels up, and has also taken up golf to help her unwind.

TAKING HER LIFE BACK
Magz is a firm believer in mind over matter and says if it wasn’t for her attitude she wouldn’t have lost 30kg. “I started exercising with the attitude that I have to do this and I’m going to do this no matter what!” Her attitude obviously paid off and Magz’ philosophy on exercise and endurance can serve as inspiration to many a runner. “You need dedication if you want to achieve success, but your mind is stronger than your body, so it’s easy to fool your body. If you tell your body that it can keep going, it will just play along.”

She is philosophical about her weight-loss journey and says that nothing that has happened to her during the past four years has been without reason. “You learn from everything and it makes you stronger. You have to decide for yourself how you’re going to deal with difficult situations and then go through with the decision.”

Magz tries to take part in a fun run or walk every month, and always takes Kagisho with her. Since she has lost the weight, she is smiling again, her migraines have disappeared and her blood pressure is under control. In short, she has taken her life back!

If you have ever loved someone, you will have thought about that phone call. You know the one. Will it come in the middle of the night, in the foggy space between dream and reality, or during the day while you are washing the dishes, or rushing out the door? Will it be expected after a long fight with a disease, or will it be sudden, like when you stand up too quickly? What will you say into the phone? What will your body feel like?

My phone call came on the 8th of April, and it was a rare day that I was not expecting it. For 12 years I had expected that phone call. Bob spent all his beautiful, vital energy running towards death. Testing it, toying with it. He jumped out of airplanes and even off a bridge with a parachute. He solo climbed the biggest mountains and hardest routes in the Southern Hemisphere, cycled across Africa, and drove his small, sleek car too fast down the N3 to get home…

And so I waited for that call. I rolled it around in my mind, and thought I knew my reaction, but when it came, the breath got stuck in my throat, and suddenly I was outside of myself. My teeth started chattering. I felt so cold. Nausea washed over me in breathless waves and my only instinct was to run, and run, and run. And never stop. It wasn’t really the desire to run away, but the pursuit of pure movement, of tasting the elements, and testing the pain. That first day, I ran up Chapman’s peak drive. I only managed an hour and a half, but it was pure and clear, and it exonerated my grief. The weather was perfect. Cold biting wind and stinging rain.

SOUL MATES
Running has been part of my life since I was six years old. I wanted to complete the school cross-country race, so I started running. I discovered the perfect escape of running solo. I was never particularly fast or brilliant, but maybe my talent has been a mixture of a macabre high pain threshold, and pure determination and discipline. While pushing the boundaries of my music and art career, performing around the world, working with my band Naked, and living a bit of a rock and roll life, Bob nonchalantly strolled in and instantly stole the show.

It really was love at first sight, corny as that sounds. From the moment we met we both knew we had found our soul mate. We had one date, canoeing in a thunderstorm, and at the tender age of 21, I packed my bags, and moved in with him. We pursued a very active lifestyle together. All our spare time was spent running, cycling, canoeing, climbing, hiking and swimming… and a good few parties, as well. By 24, I gave birth in our bath to our daughter Lilu and my career and life was once again changed forever. I focused my attention on my first solo album, which later won a South African Music Award. I was also writing and producing music for television, enjoying the flexibility of working as a recording artist, while juggling being a mom and wife, and of course running…

RUNNING SURPRISE
In 2005 I received a message from my club, RAC, informing me that I had been selected for the Gauteng team to race in the national marathon championships. It was a big surprise. I had generally managed a top 10 place in my races, but had always considered myself a bit limited in the running arena. However, it turned out that this was the boost I needed. I started training more efficiently and I went on to win several road races and represented Gauteng in both the marathon and half marathon national champs, and picked up sponsorships in running and triathlon. But truth be known, running became my obsession.

I devoured books on the subject, and spent hours on the road and in the gym. My computer’s main function was to log my training, and as my body fat percentage shrank, so did my marriage and my career. Then, after winning the Spring Striders 32km race, I bounced back into hard training without a second for rest and recovery. I was breaking all the basic rules, and I knew it. Within days I detected a peculiar and persistent pain in my lower leg. A friend urged me to go for X-rays, and it turned out her fears were well founded: I had a stress fracture and I was put off all exercise for six weeks.

It was a hard slap in the face. My body and my relationship were in tatters, and I had forgotten why I was doing this all in the first place: because I love it. But six weeks and two kilograms later, I discovered I was pregnant with my second child. Running had miscarried several previous pregnancies, and it was with much joy and relief that I turned my back on competitive running and spent the next nine months repairing my damaged marriage and nurturing the beautiful growing creature inside me, our son Mojo. I was happy and counted myself lucky that I had achieved many of my goals in running, and had the wonderful and unlikely experiences that I had.

QUALITY OF LIFE
We decided to escape the big smoke and move to the Natal Midlands, and though it put other pressures on us with Bob commuting to Johannesburg, it was the change of pace that I needed. My cross-training was now riding my horses, strength training was working in the garden, and flexibility came from my rather overzealous arts and culture teaching at the local school. My running was limited to three times a week, with no watch or mileage check, and often over dirt paths and mountains. I was fit, but also much stronger, with sexier curves! Our marriage was finally blossoming after eight years, and the next four years were intensely happy. I didn’t think about races or personal best times, or track training or hill repeats. So on that fateful day in April, I knew that I had no regrets.

We were on holiday in Cape Town. It was the first real family holiday we had ever taken, and we spent rare time with family and friends. On the 8th of April, Bob, Mojo and I went down to St James beach. We spent a blissful day playing in the waves, lying in the sun reading the newspaper, and having a lazy lunch at the local bistro. I clearly remember ordering Canaloni Amore, and the waitress warned me that I would feel very passionate after eating it. Bob and I giggled about that. Our love was palpable that day.

We got back to the house and he quickly changed into light climbing gear. He had a skip in his step because he was going to spend a few happy hours with his good friends, doing the thing he loved. Mojo and I played outside and as the darkness started creeping in, I thought to myself how glad I was that Bob must be having such a great time. For once, I didn’t think about the phone call. The rock fell off Table Mountain and killed him instantly, but didn’t stop there; it crashed into my life and tore up the solid ground that I was standing on.

THE ROAD BACK AGAIN
So after that fateful day, I spent the next few months building up my running mileage and my career with equal ferocity, and grappling with a completely altered self-identity. I started setting up my recording studio at home, and getting in touch with old music buddies. It was time to pour all of this raw emotion into making music. I wanted to write songs and get on stage and drink from this well of emotions. But what I had not factored into my programme was that grief is an almighty beast. My body started aching from top to toe, and every movement became an effort. I struggled to maintain a sense of purpose, and I was drowned by feelings of anxiety, self-loathing and doubt.

My sense of identity was in crisis. Did I still have what it takes? Was my music still relevant? Did anyone ever want to see me on stage again? Equally, would I ever run under four minutes a kilometre again? And the great big clanging bell that rang loudest; would I ever have a partner again that understood the nuances of my quirky life, and would love my imperfections and inadequacies. All that history was obliterated. Once again, my body was the symptom of my internal problems. I suffered a deep muscle tear in my right calf, and was put off running for a few weeks. I used the opportunity to regroup and focus on strength training.

As soon as I was good to go again, and with renewed energy, I set my sights on my next goal. I needed to test my running in a race. So I entered my first running race in five years. My hopes were to finish in a good position and to test my speed. I chose a 20km trail race. As we lined up at the start, I was dismayed to see the perfect example of a female competitive runner line up next to me. We spent the next 20km tussling for the lead position. My only advantage was my past running experience and my newly discovered capacity to endure pain. The route was spectacular, though extremely tough, but I enjoyed the challenges of the uneven terrain, and the fast single-track downhill was thrilling. My nemesis eventually took first place, but truthfully, I was delighted with my second position. It was a good re-entry into the fray, and I had enjoyed every hard breathe. I could now start making plans for my other running goals.

So how does a heart rate monitor measure a broken heart? They say time heals, but I know I will never be the same. How many years will it take for me to stop reaching out to Bob’s side of the bed in the middle of the night, or imagine his crazy, wild spirit walking through the door? But I will tell you one thing with absolute certainty; it is better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all, and I will spend the rest of my life waiting to meet him again.

WHEN TIMES ARE TIGHT
Gifts for under R200

Reflective Running Strips
Running and cycling in South Africa can be dangerous, especially on those dark mornings or evenings when drivers can’t always see you. Make sure you head out with a pair of reflective running strips that you can strap around your wrists or ankles. Be seen and be safe! (R50-R100 at various sports shops.)

Running Socks
No runner can ever have enough socks! So you can’t go wrong when buying this essential in every runner’s cupboard. Just remember there are different socks for different sports, so make sure you choose the right type for your loved one. (R20-R100 at various sports shops.)

Running Cap
Living in sunny South Africa is good for running, but bad for your skin and eyes. Every runner needs a running cap and if you are a woman, you probably need one in each colour to match your running outfits! Make sure you buy one that’s lightweight, waterproof and absorbs (moistuer-manages) sweat. (R100-200 at various sports shops.)

A Long Walk To Running
Olly Maujean not only ran his first Comrades this year, he also wrote a book about his Comrades journey, and it’s a must-have for any runner who has ever run Comrades, and any novice who is brave enough to attempt it! A Long Walk to Running is one of the most hilarious reads on running you will find! It’s a perfect Christmas gift for your running friends or loved ones. (R184.68 at www.modernathlete.co.za – postage and delivery included.)

Nedbank Runner’s Guide 2011
There’s a reason why this book is known as the ‘Racer’s Bible’ in South Africa. It is the essential guide for anyone who wants to run some races in 2011 and contains all the information you’ll need to plan your racing calendar in the New Year. Details on trail running are a new addition to the book, while comprehensive route descriptions and profiles are sure to help you to a possible PB. (Approximately R110 at various sports shops and bookstores.)

‘TIS THE SEASON TO BE JOLLY AFTER ALL!
Gifts for under R500

My Comeback, Up Close and Personal (Lance Armstrong)
You’d have to search far and wide to find a more inspirational person than Lance Armstrong. His latest book will inspire you to get out of the bed for those early morning training runs or rides – the awesome photos and anecdotes are sure to get you on the road in no time. A must-read for any athlete! (R220 at most bookstores, Sportsmans Warehouse and kalahari.net.)

Compression Socks
No, there isn’t a seventies revival in the running community! All those runners you see wearing tight-fitting, calf-hugging socks are doing so to improve blood circulation in their legs, thereby improving recovery from long, hard runs. The science makes sense, so give them a try. (R150-R500 at most sports shops.)

Tog Bag
Runners’ tog bags go through a lot: Most of them are filled with a pair of smelly shoes and sweaty clothes and often the bags are left in a hot car too! So, most runners will appreciate a fresh, odour-free tog bag under the Christmas tree. Why not consider the adidas Basic Essentials Team Bag? It has separate compartments for smelly clothes and a special spot for your shoes. (R200-R400 at adidas stores.)

Power Plus Bracelet
Developed to improve your balance, help you recover faster and just make you an altogether better athlete, these bracelets are a must-have. Just make sure you buy the real thing as there are hundreds of cheap knock-offs out there that claim to be the real thing. (Available at the Runner Group, Action Sports outlets, The Athletes Foot and Wellness Warehouse. You can also order them online at www.modernathlete.co.za at R399).

First Ascent Apple Jacket
A handy little rain jacket that not only rolls up to the size of an apple, but also fits into its own little pocket. It’s one of those items you simply must have in your backpack whenever you hit the trails – it takes up so little space and will only add 90 grams to the weight on your back. And it’s unisex! (Available from Sportsmans Warehouse at R400.)

iPod Shuffle
If you need music to keep your feet moving, there’s no better gadget than the iPod Shuffle. This nifty little gadget is so small, you won’t even know you’re carrying it. Clip it to your clothing, backpack or purse strap and it stays put, whether you’re running an errand or running around the track. It gives you 2GB of storage capacity and up to 15 hours of battery life, so it’s good for hundreds of songs on the run. And it’s available in you’re favourite colour! (R499 at the Apple Store, Incredible Connection, Game and Dion Wired.)

GO ON SWIPE THE PLASTIC!
Gifts for over R1000

Hydration Pack
If you or your loved ones are planning on hitting the trails, you should invest in a hydration pack. They come in all shapes and sizes, are designed specifically for men or women, and vary from a simple bladder to a bag big enough to store a jacket, chafing cream, dry socks and other odds and ends. (R400-R1000 at various sports and outdoor stores.)

Garmin Forerunner 60 / Forerunner 405
Both these nifty watches with heart rate monitors will track your distance, heart rate, calories burnt as well as measure your speed when running. Also, advanced training tools such as training alarms and a virtual training partner will help you improve your running in no time! If you want something more fancy with even more functions, opt for the Garmin Forerunner 405, which is more like a portable computer. The only thing it won’t do is make you a cup of coffee! (R1800-R3800 at all various sports and outdoor stores.)

Rudy Project Running Glasses
The official eyewear of the Comrades Marathon, you’ll have to look hard to find better running glasses. The ImpactX photochromic lenses transition from light to dark in record time, making them perfect for running. They are so lightweight and comfortable, you’ll soon forget you’re wearing glasses. Try the Rydon or Swift models, which offer numerous lens options. (Approximately R1900-R2300 at optometrists and cycling shops – go to www.rudyproject.co.za for a list of stockists.)

So what are you waiting for? Get out there and get shopping – and Happy Holidays!

Adventure racing is exactly what the name promises: an adventure that allows you to experience places and scenery that not many people get to see, while racing many exciting and different sporting disciplines. Each person that competes in an adventure race usually says they came out of it with a new philosophy on how to tackle life! And though it’s a sometimes gruelling adventure, it is definitely not just a sport for hardcore elites. It is for anyone who wants to experience the wonder and beauty of nature with a couple of sporty mates.

Adventure racing is a non-stop multi-disciplined sport in which some races can be as short as 30km and some as long as a 1000km! It can take competitors from two hours to 10 days non-stop to complete a race. And of course, the first team to cross the finish line wins. All navigation is done with a map and compass to reach various transition areas where you change from one discipline to another. At big races, each team must comprise four people, of which one has to be of the opposite sex. The stronger teams therefore consist of three men and one woman. An interesting aspect of adventure racing is that a team needs to stay together at all times and be within 100m of each other.

Races include a variety of disciplines, but the main sports are generally trail running/hiking, mountain biking and paddling. Other disciplines involve inline skating, some sort of rope work, swimming and rafting. Running/hiking is the most important discipline as competitors spend the most time doing this.

THE MERRY MERRELS
With nicknames such as Tweet, Hobbit, Houtkapper and Eye Candy, it is no surprise that the Merrell Adventure Addicts have loads of fun. But don’t let their nicknames mislead you, all of them are accomplished athletes in their own right. The team recently competed in the Adventure Racing World Championships in Spain, where they were one of 61 teams from 26 countries around the world. After 720km they finished in 14th position. Though not one of their best races, because of mechanical mishaps, it was another race that brought them closer as a team and made each of them even stronger in the process. The team is currently taking an end-of-year break, but they’ll be back in action in early 2011 as they start building up to the World Champs in Tasmania, Australia in October.

The team is lead by Graham Bird, better known as Tweet, who fell in love with adventure racing after competing in a short 30km race in 2004. He has been one of South Africa’s top canoeists since the early nineties, winning 28 South African titles and finishing in numerous top five placings at World Canoeing Championships and World Cup events all over the world. “Adventure racing is a spiritual journey for each person. You learn and discover new things about yourself, you re-look and adjust your outlook on all things, from life in general to small issues, and you definitely come out of each race with a new philosophy on how to tackle things,” he says.

Graham is the navigator in the team, which he says is mentally hard, “because you have to concentrate all the time while the team members just follow.” Donovan Sims – better known as the ‘Eye Candy’ – serves as a back-up navigator. Donovan’s strengths lie in the fact that he is not strong in any one discipline, but pretty much the same throughout all of them. That applies throughout the team, with all the members very similarly skilled. “You can’t put a strong cyclist who can’t run with a strong runner who can’t cycle. They will get frustrated with each other! A successful team consists of four people who are similarly skilled across all sports,” says Graham.

The only woman in the team is Tatum ‘Hobbit’ Prins, who is the jovial and outgoing one. “This sport is so incredible. It has this way of humbling you. You end up having this love-hate relationship with it. One minute you are crying and ready to call it quits, and the next you are laughing hysterically and loving every second. Quite simply, it’s a beautiful kind of crazy! Your highs and lows are amazing, so much so you can’t understand them. All I know is adventure racing sucks you in and keeps you there. It bares your soul. At times it rips it apart and just lays it open for all to see. It teaches you the importance of living life. It puts life into perspective. It teaches you to never give up, to keep looking forward. It pushes your limits. It shows you the importance of having three friends as team mates, because without them in adventure racing you are nothing. They are your world for those five days. It’s you, them and the elements. Life becomes simple again.”

As in each team there is always one solid, consistent member and with the Merrell Adventure Addicts it is no different. Hanno Smit, also known as ‘Houtkapper’ or ‘Smelly’, is this guy! He is also an accomplished paddler and the only person to partner Martin Dreyer on the Dusi and not win just once, but twice!

WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH
The essence of adventure racing consists of teamwork and support. “We all go through bad patches. That is bound to happen over 1000km of racing, but we pull each other through every time. Sometimes we go 45 hours without sleeping. We have done races where we got to the end and had only slept two or three hours in four days! Adventure racing is an extreme sport but mostly a mental challenge, one you need to be prepared for,” says Graham. Team members are also often relieved to change from one discipline to another. “After 60km of hiking or trekking you just want to get onto your bicycle, but then halfway through you just want to get back on your running legs!”

Each team member carries equipment and food – generally things such as a rain jacket, thermal clothing, a space blanket, knife, safety rope, mobile phone and a first aid kit are compulsory items. One needs to be ready for any emergency, as teams can often go days without seeing anybody. If you take a wrong turn it can cost you up to 12 hours of extra racing. “We have raced in Australia where the organisers thought it would take 20 hours to complete, but it took us 36 hours! We did not see another team for 26 hours and we were totally in the wild with no cars and no other human beings!”

TRAINING
So if you race for 1000km, surely that involves excessive training in many different disciplines? “No way! If you train excessively you will never be able to race well. We make sure we are competent in running, biking and paddling, and train these disciplines consistently during the week with longer sessions over the weekends. We are experienced and know by now how to get through 40-50 hours of racing for days on end. Once you race for longer than two days it becomes a mental game and not only just about how much you have trained.”

The team members are all competent in rope work, inline skating and other disciplines, and don’t really need to train this often. Novices to adventure racing will naturally have to become competent in these elements, though there are many beginner adventure races that only involve running, paddling and biking, a superb way for a newbie to get into the sport.

RACING WITH A DIFFERENCE
One of the most exciting things is that in each race the environment differs. Some terrain can be so overgrown that it could take you up to an hour to cover 1km! “One year we did a race in Brazil where we started right in Rio de Janeiro. From there we paddled out across the bay before landing in the jungle and later on the beach! The next year we went back and raced in the dessert in temperatures of 50 degrees. Recently in Spain, the terrain was more urban and we raced over mountain ranges, on tracks, through small villages and up mountains again.”

Another notable feature of these events are their finish lines: don’t expect anything like the Comrades Marathon or any other road race or triathlon, where hundreds, sometimes thousands of spectators wait and cheer. Often adventure teams finish hours apart and it can happen that a team gets to the finish line with hardly any spectators. “All you want to do when you finish is shower, eat something decent and sleep! I have slept 15 hours non-stop after a race.”

THE BEAUTY OF IT ALL
The most incredible thing about adventure racing is definitely the beauty of the sport. “We get to places that the public don’t get to. I have abseiled off waterfalls and 200m cliffs, and I have been on major rocks in the Utah dessert. I have been dehydrated because I haven’t had water for 10 hours in 50 degree heat, I have been overhydrated because of too much water, and I have been so freezing cold I could not feel a single thing on my body!”

“As a team we experience the highs and the lows, the joys and sadness, the pain and suffering, and the tiredness. It makes us stronger mentally and physically. It shows us just what our bodies and minds are capable of. We all love being outdoors, that’s what we live by and why we get on as a team.”

HOW DO I TRY IT OUT?
There are many novice races around to get you started. It is best to start with shorter races of 30km and build up before you tackle the longer multi-day races. “The main thing is to believe that you can do it! Some people think they can’t race for so long. You just need to overcome your mind and fear. If you can do one to two hours of mountain biking or one to two hours of running, you can do adventure racing. It is definitely not just for elite athletes,” says Graham.

You’ve probably seen them either in a movie, advert or on a YouTube video. Most of them look like Spidermen scaling walls or jumping off three-story buildings. They blitz through city streets, run from obstacle to obstacle, and instead of running around these obstacles – like most of us – they choose to run over them! They call themselves Traceurs and they’re doing Parkour, better known as ‘Free Running,’ something that is slowly taking South Africa by storm.

Just recently the very first Free Running race, or so-called Urbanathlon, was held in Johannesburg. Participants ran, crawled and climbed 12km through the urban sprawl of Sandton. They had to negotiate a massive inflatable obstacle course, slide down a fireman’s pole, scale a climbing wall, stride across balance beams and descend 258 steps… not your average road race!

CHILD’S PLAY
It all started with two Frenchmen, David Belle and S?bastien Foucan. As youngsters the two friends amused themselves in their backyards by running from obstacle to obstacle and jumping over them. Little did they know that their fooling around was to develop into a sporting discipline with jaw-dropping visual effects.

The public first became aware of Free Running in 2003 when the BBC aired a documentary about this new phenomenon called Jump London. This film is widely regarded as a turning point for Free Running, as the broadcast helped it gain so much momentum that it became an international movement.

The word parkour is French for ‘obstacle’ and this essentially encapsulates what free running is all about. Where parkour aims to enable someone to move smoothly, quickly and efficiently past obstacles, Free Running has a greater emphasis on self-expression within the environment. Though there is a difference between the two, the terms are often used interchangeably. Within both disciplines, you will see elements of gymnastics, dancing and martial arts. Both disciplines produce some pretty spectacular physical feats, but despite the visual delights, Free Running followers believe there is much more to it than just looking cool!

CHALLENGING YOUR BODY
Although the big jumps are usually what you see when the media showcases free running, this is only a small part of the discipline, says Dane Grant, founder of Free Running in South Africa. “I dislike it when someone asks me what the highest jump is I’ve ever done. Any idiot can jump off a roof! Parkour is about training your body in a natural way to be as strong and useful as you can possibly be. It is pointless to have huge muscles and not be able to do anything with them.”

Dane lived in London some years ago and met one of the founders. He soon started learning the tricks of the trade before becoming part of one of the most respected Free Running teams, Team Traceur. He brought his passion to South Africa and introduced new people to the sport every time he returned to his home country.

Dane fondly remembers the early days of Free Running in South Africa. “I was handing out pamphlets on the streets of Pretoria and leaving them under students’ car windshield wipers to advertise our sessions. We mostly met at the Union Buildings or at the University of Pretoria, but we actually had no idea what we were doing!”

A MATURE FREE RUNNER
It takes about two years for a Free Runner to reach maturity. “By then you usually start questioning your reasons for Free Running. After two years most people are past the honeymoon stage and the idea of being cool is no longer enough of a reason to keep at it,” says Dane. “Free Running can be a huge sacrifice and you have to push yourself to improve all the time. It involves so much more than jumping off high things. It’s about moving smoothly and fluidly through your environment. I believe it has a huge philosophical side to it.”

“It’s a personal journey for everyone. You start seeing life through the eyes of a child, where things are simpler and more fun. You don’t stop playing because you get old, you become old because you stop playing, and Free Running makes you realise it’s a playground out there.”

RUNNING VS FREE RUNNING
Free Running is an excellent form of training for seasoned road runners who are bored with their usual morning runs. Free Running can turn your morning jog into a creative, individual expression of yourself. You will look at your normal route in a completely different way and probably see things you have never seen before.

“Free Running takes your blinkers off and makes you see things differently. I am intensely aware of the environment around me. Where other people will barely notice a railing next to the road, I will see it as a challenge. I get a rush every time I clear an obstacle or make a jump. This keeps you alive, but you can never get too confident,” Says Dane.

However, Free Running is not only beneficial for road or trail running. The opposite is also true, as running is such a big part of Free Running. “It’s pointless running to an obstacle and not having enough strength to clear it. We often do a circuit during training sessions and before you know it, you’ve run 3km without even realising it, so yes, running is an essential part of Free Running.”

Dane is adamant that injuries are no greater risk than in any other sport as long as Free Running is performed correctly and you do not try moves that you aren’t capable of yet. In the seven years that he has been jumping over walls and railings, he has only been injured twice. “If you practise Free Running smartly, then there is no reason for you to get injured. If you do get injured, however, it’s all about how you recover and come out of it.”

RUNNING FREE IN SA
The South African Free Running community is growing slowly, with about 2000 people on Dane’s national e-mail database. The hub of the community is in Johannesburg, while other big cities like Pretoria, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and Pietermaritzburg also have active communities. Dane’s future plans for Free Running in South Africa include updating their website and creating a space where anyone can log on to see where the best free running routes in every city are.

So if you feel a little adventurous, maybe it’s time you try the roll, the tic-tac, the pop vault or even the drop jump. Trying to explain these in print is near impossible and when you see someone Free Running you soon realise that this activity is a little like the movie The Matrix… no-one can explain to you what it is, you have to experience it for yourself!

Log onto www.modernathlete.co.za and check out our cool video on Free Running.

HOW DO I GET STARTED?
Dane presents weekly workshops in Johannesburg that teach essential Free Running skills, and anyone is welcome. “We mostly have adventurous people signing up, but we do have a big mix of participants. Free Running isn’t restricted to the super fit, but basic fitness is required to progress. To excel, you have to put in the hours.” Sessions cost R60 and are held on Thursday evenings from 5:30pm to 8pm and Sunday mornings from 10am to 12:30. Visit www.parkour.co.za for more information.

Our coach is a man who has encountered several personal stumbling blocks, but Despite his own challenges, week after week you will find him at the Randburg Harriers track, coaching athletes to achieve their personal goals. He is always there, smiling and willing to pass on his expertise and lend a helping hand. This is a story written by a group of Dave’s athletes as a thank you to someone who they hold dear and who they refer to as ‘Our Humble Coach’.

Most of us run for the pure love and joy that running brings, but most of us, from average to elite runners, also want to improve our running times and overall fitness. We all read up on training programmes, get advice from running friends and search the internet for any running-related information, but we don’t always improve the way we would like to. Finding a coach can make a huge difference, but many times runners find a coach, then the relationship fizzles out after a while for several reasons, like we feel too pressurised, we don’t ‘gel’ with the coach, or the training methods just don’t suit us.

FINDING THAT SPECIAL ONE
Sometimes we are lucky enough to find one special person who crosses our paths and who brings out something special in us. That one special person who takes our running ability from zero to hero! Dave Coetzee is one such man. He has made a difference to the lives and running abilities of each and every one he has coached. Dave is now entering his ninth year as official coach to Randburg Harriers and his endless passion, dedication and commitment to his athletes is always prevalent, never expecting anything in return.

When one sees Dave on the track with his athletes, always smiling and never grumpy, you would never guess that this is a man that has had to overcome some serious personal stumbling blocks. Yet despite his circumstances, he coaches his athletes to achieve their personal goals irrespective of who they are; school athletes, track runners, cross-country runners, ultra-marathoners or those who just want to keep fit.

All his novice Comrades runners have managed to get a finisher’s medal. Some more experienced have been helped to Comrades silvers or achieved Gauteng colours in cross-country and track. At the annual 2009 Harriers Club Awards event, 90% of the awards were taken by Dave’s athletes! That was already a remarkable achievement, but to add to that, Dave’s 2010 track team have achieved stunning results so far in all disciplines and there is more to come before the year is out.

A REMARKABLE ATHLETE HIMSELF
Dave is a Libra, born in the same year that Neil Armstrong took his giant step for mankind! He is married with two lovely daughters. As a youngster he proved his running talent on the school circuit, where he achieved Transvaal colours for cross-country in 1985 and school full colours for athletics and cross-country. He also won two inter-school titles in the 1500m. Three of Dave’s school records still stand today, including the fastest times for juniors and seniors cross-country route. He continued running as a student and got a fourth place in the steeplechase at the SA Technicon Champs.

Dave has competed in cross-country, veterans’ athletics and duathlon, and 2001 was his golden year as he achieved Gauteng colours in both duathlon and track, achieving good results at the SA Champs in both disciplines.

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
This humble coach sacrifices much of his personal time for his athletes, always checking up to see where they are at, both mentally and physically. He deserves a medal and tribute for his efforts, and for this we are grateful. Were it not for him, many of us wouldn’t have achieved our goals. It is hard to thank Dave in words, but a couple of us tried in the following sentences.

Charlene Botes
I started training with Dave in June 2009, with the aim to run Comrades 2010. Bearing in mind that the furthest I’d ever run before was 21km. I didn’t just finish Comrades in a time of 9:53, but also improved on all my former PBs along the way. I really wouldn’t have been able to do this without Dave’s help, support and constant motivation. He selflessly gives up his time and all he wants in return is to see us accomplish our goals. Dave is very passionate about running and it really shows in his coaching methods.

Michelle Mee
I started track training with Dave in August 2009. My goal was to run a sub-8-hour Comrades Marathon – my previous best was 8:48. This year I ran 7:48, improving my PB by 1 hour! En route to my Comrades PB, I also improved my marathon time by 10 minutes. Dave’s extensive coaching expertise and knowledge is the common denominator in all my running achievements in the past year. I have found my passion for running again, without the pressure. Dave has this great ability to bring out the best in you and your running without putting pressure on you. This gives you the freedom to go out there and get the results you want. Dave gives freely of his personal time, he has track sessions every Monday and Wednesday, and in addition he also sacrificed many early Saturday morning sessions to keep us ‘on track’ during Comrades training.

Paula Quinsee
My goal when I first started training with Dave was to run the Comrades Marathon, only once of course, and only to say: “I have been there, done that, got the T-Shirt.” Five years later and I am still training with Dave. I have run four Comrades Marathons, four Two Oceans Marathons and numerous other races in between. This is mainly due to Dave, who subtly coerced me into goals I never thought I was capable of – at the 2009 Comrades I got a silver medal, finishing in 7:23 and was 13th lady; at the 2010 Two Oceans I finished in 4:12 and was 15th lady. I owe a lot to Dave for helping me achieve what many will talk about but never attempt. I have realised that with the right person behind you, you can achieve anything you want!

Adam Martin
I joined Dave’s group around May/June this year. I have several goals on my list, the current ones being a silver Two Oceans and a men’s silver at The RAC Tough One! The journey so far has been incredibly positive, netting my most recent 10km PB (33:43). Dave takes a personal interest in each of his athletes and adds that human touch, like checking up on you before a race or checking up just after a race to see how it went. I enjoy the intense nature of his sessions, where you feel as though you really have worked hard, but more notably, I have never seen a coach take such glee from “particular” sessions which are definitely not for the faint hearted and are there to make you strong (mentally and physically!)

Danica Dannhauser
I moved to Johannesburg from Pietermaritzburg in April 2009. I love running but was scared to join a club in Johannesburg. My dad told me about Randburg Harriers and how outstanding the club and coaching was. I have always wanted to run Comrades, so I started training with Dave on 1 July 2009, battling initially and wanting to give up as it was so much hard work. Dave made it easier. He is patient and doesn’t push an athlete from the start, but if he sees talent in someone, he tries very hard to coax that runner to achieve their best and ultimately their goal. It took me three months to start seeing an improvement. Running just got easier and much more fun.

Training with Dave taught me how to pace myself and be consistent. As a result I achieved a 21km time of 1:32 and finished the Ultimate Human Race in 9:53. I am very pleased with myself and only have Dave to thank for this. He gives his everything and there is not one day when he is not at the track, or checking up on you after a race to find out how it went and giving his athletes credit and recognition. No one gets treated differently.

Dave made me realise that having big dreams and goals are possible and to never give up, but to push through to the end. His influence on my life is immeasurable and the skills and lessons he has taught me will be amplified over and over in my lifetime. He has given me wisdom and confidence. He has been an inspiration on and off the field. Thanks Dave, for all the time and effort that you have put into coaching our team this year!

Eric Wiebols
I joined Dave’s group in February last year. Having run all my life, I thought I was quite experienced. However, Dave has brought a whole new dimension to my running and helped me to reach goals I didn’t think possible. As a result I have since run two Comrades Marathons, achieving a silver medal on my second one and improving my Two Oceans PB by almost an hour. I have also improved my PBs over all other distances and have Dave to thank for this.

The Sports Heroes Walk Against AIDS is a campaign that has not only raised millions of Rands for the fight against AIDS, but has also improved awareness about the illness. This month sees the last leg of the Sports Heroes Walk Against AIDS as this year’s sporting heroes are geared up to walk almost 700km in and around Gauteng. All thanks to a host of sporting legends who are getting involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS. – BY CATHARINA ROBBERTZE

The Sports Heroes Walk Against AIDS is a vehicle that allows the sporting community, federations, administrators, clubs and individuals to unite in the fight against the spread of HIV/AIDS. “The project is about sporting people uniting and getting involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS,” says Cynthia Tshaka, a director of the campaign and well-known SABC sports presenter. “Over the past eight years we have raised more than R6 million and taught countless people about the consequences and prevention of Aids. We are attempting to remove the stigma associated with this illness.”

The campaign kicked off in 2002 when various sporting heroes walked from Johannesburg to Cape Town and each year thereafter they walked to a different province. The last leg in Gauteng will see them zig-zagging across the province, starting at Wintersveld and ending at Alexandra.

HIV/AIDS IN SPORT
Youngsters who are supposed to be winning medals at the next Olympic Games and World Cup tournaments are most affected, says Cynthia. “Who will play in our soccer, rugby and cricket teams 10 years from now? Who will bring home medals in big competitions in 15 years from now? And who will be in charge of our sport administration in 10 years’ time? It is the youth of today. We need to start doing the work now, so that those who are not infected will be able to lead productive lives. Each one of us needs to stand up and be counted in the fight of our lifetime.”

This year sporting personalities Ruben Ramolefi (steeple chase champion), Noko Matlou, Janine van Wyk, Veronica Phewa (all Banyana Banyana players), Arturo Ballossini (karate), Willie Mtolo (world class marathoner), Lehlohonolo Ledwaba (boxing world champion), Cynthia Tshaka, Daleen Terblanche (national women’s cricketer), Desiree Ellis (former Banyana Banyana captain), Josia Thugwane (Olympic marathoner), Bruce Ramokadi (soccer legend) and Evelina Tshabalala (the first black woman to summit Kilimanjaro and openly living with HIV since 1999) will take part in the walk. “We are taking small steps in order to achieve a big objective. We believe all the sporting heroes will reach their goal

ONE STEP AT A TIME
Setting off on 19 November, the team will walk for 12 days, taking turns to walk between 5km and 25km at a time. The event will end on 1 December: World Aids Day. The towns they will visit include Winterveld, Hammanskraal, Cullinan, Bronkhorstspruit, Thembisa, Muldersdrift, Kagiso, Khutsong, Orange Farm, Sharpeville, Duduza, Daveyton, Katlehong and Alexandra. The sports heroes will stop at HIV/Aids hospices in these towns, where they will be donating funds and sporting equipment as well as conducting sports clinics. Then at night they will be visiting community halls were they will be speaking to the community about AIDS. A mobile testing clinic will also available at every town and members of the community will be encouraged to get tested.

“We want people to know what they need to do if they have contracted the virus, where to go when diagnosed and what kind of treatments are available. This can only be done through information and more information!”

HOW CAN I HELP?
If you would like to donate money or sporting equipment to the Sport Heroes Walk Against AIDS, contact Cynthia on 083 260 3336. If you want to support the walkers and even join in one their walks, make sure you listen to Talk Radio 702, Metro FM or Umhlobo Wenene FM for regular updates on the heroes’ whereabouts.

November not only means first race of the season for most runners, it is also the month when we all realise that summer is here to stay! Excessive heat can certainly put us at risk and therefore staying hydrated is critical to our running performance – and more importantly, for preventing heat-related illnesses. Runners therefore need to pay attention to what and how much they’re drinking before, during and after exercise. – BY CHRISTINE PETERS

Dehydration in athletes can be very dangerous. It may lead to fatigue, decreased coordination and even muscle cramping. Other heat-related illnesses such as heat exhaustion and heatstroke have even more serious consequences. However, as runners we are not always sure of how much too drink.

HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH?
At rest we need around 20-30ml of water per kilogram body weight, i.e. 4-5 glasses per day for a 55kg person or 8-12 glasses for a 95kg person. Pale coloured urine is an indication of good hydration, whereas dark coloured urine means you should consume more. However, be aware that excessive vitamin supplementation can offset urine colour.
During events, the best way to assess how much fluid you need is to know your own sweat rate. Use the following calculation to determine your individual fluid need per hour: body weight pre-run – body weight post-run. For example 50kg (pre-run) – 49.5kg (post run) = 0.5kg (500ml sweat).
Then calculate the above sweat loss (0.5kg) + fluid intake (0.5kg) = 1kg. Minus this (1kg) with urine output (0.3kg). This equals 0.7kg or 700ml. So your sweat rate is 0.7l/hr or 700ml/hr. This is what I should aim to drink per hour generally under the same environmental conditions.

• Do a light warm-up run to the point where perspiration is generated.
• Urinate if necessary.
• Weigh yourself naked on an accurate scale (remember to get dressed again before going out on
 your run!)
• Run for one hour at intensity similar to the targeted race pace.
• Drink a measured amount of a beverage of your choice during the run.
• Do not urinate during the run.
• Weigh yourself naked again on the same scale after the run.

You now know your approximate fluid needs per hour. Always take into account the different conditions and temperatures your event will take place in and factor more or less fluid accordingly. You should not have lost more than 0.5kg in body weight or 2% of body mass after an event or training session.

WATER OR SPORTS DRINKS?
An endurance event can be defined as one that will challenge the athlete’s fuel and fluid reserves. Despite the best preparation possible, an athlete is likely to fatigue during an event from carbohydrate depletion as well as possible dehydration. Studies have repeatedly shown that during endurance events, especially those events longer than an hour, additional carbohydrate consumption can prevent, reduce or delay symptoms of fatigue and improve performance.

Remember, while exercising our muscles use carbohydrate (glycogen) as a fuel; once our muscle glycogen is used up we become fatigued. Our fully topped up muscle glycogen stores at the beginning of an event will only last us between 30-90min depending on the intensity that we are exercising. After this our bodies are dependant on the carbs we consume during the event.

Benefits of sports drinks include:
• Supplying working muscles with fuel (in the form of carbohydrate) and electrolytes.
• Preventing blood sugar levels from dropping low.
• Offsetting fatigue and muscle cramping.
• Improved hydration, because a diluted carbohydrate-electrolyte solution will actually achieve faster rehydration than water on its own. Sodium and glucose increase the rate of absorption of fluid into the blood from the gut. (This also helps offset nausea that is often felt when drinking too much water). An electrolyte solution also helps retain this fluid in the body instead of making you run to the toilet!

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A SPORTS DRINK
Type of carbohydrate: There should always be some High GI (quick-absorbing) carbs such as glucose, glucose polymers, dextrose, maltodextrins, maltose, corn syrup, glucose syrup, sucrose and oligosaccharides. A sports drink can contain small amounts of fructose (low GI) in combination with others already mentioned. Fructose in high concentration is best avoided due to risk of gastrointestinal upset.

Amount of carbohydrate (concentration): This is the amount of carbohydrate per 100ml (check the label). This should ideally be 5-10%, i.e. 5-10g of carbs per 100ml. In humid weather a solution of 4% is recommended and in colder weather 10%.

Electrolytes: Sports drinks should also contain sodium and, if taking diuretics, potassium. Sodium stimulates sugar and water uptake from the intestines and helps to maintain extracellular fluid volumes. Potassium levels lost in sweat can be a concern for people in general and especially for people taking diuretics for high blood pressure. Diuretics cause excessive excretion of potassium, and running could result in low potassium levels in the blood.

Osmolarity: This refers to the number of particles dissolved in the drink. There are hypotonic, isotonic and hypertonic drinks available. Blood osmolarity is around 300mOsmol/kg. Drinks with similar osmolarity to blood are called isotonic drinks and these are preferable if the demand for fluid and carbs is equally high such as with running marathons.

PRE-EVENT HYDRATION
Runners should start all exercise sessions well hydrated. In the days leading up to your long run (or race), drink plenty of water and non-alcoholic fluids. Not only does alcohol dehydrate you, but it can also prevent you from getting a good night’s sleep. It’s not a good idea to run on a hangover because you’ll most likely be dehydrated when you start running!

To ensure proper pre-exercise hydration, you should consume approximately 400-600ml of water or a sports drink. Sports drinks should now:
• Contain low GI carbs.
• Be low in fat (less than 25-30% of total KJ should come from fat)
• Protein should not be more than 15-20%.
• Carbs can be up to 20% concentration (20g per 100ml)
• Good pre-event sports drinks include Nestle Nutren Active, Ensure or Get- On-Up drink.

DURING THE EVENT
Keep in mind your sweat rate and fluid needs per hour. Drink 150-350ml approximately every 20min. Don’t wait too long before you start drinking. Remember in hotter weather you will sweat more. Sports drinks should now contain:
• Concentration of 5-10% (5-10g carbs per 100ml).
• Mostly Intermediate to high GI carbs.
• Sodium concentration should be 20-30mEq/L (Millie equivalents per litre).
• Good during-event sports drinks include Energade, Powerade or Game.

AFTER THE EVENT
Post-exercise hydration should aim to correct any fluid loss during training or the event. Ideally consumed within two hours, your rehydration drink should contain water to restore hydration status, carbohydrates to replenish glycogen stores, and electrolytes to speed rehydration. The primary goal is the immediate return of physiologic function. You should drink 1-1.4l of water for every kilogram lost. If your urine is dark yellow after your run, you need to keep rehydrating. It should be a light lemonade color. Sports drinks should now contain:
• Intermediate to high GI carbs.
• Up to 20% carbohydrate concentration (20g per 100ml).
• Sodium concentration should be 20-30mEq/L (Millie equivalents per litre).
• Protein up to 20% of total KJ (protein helps improve muscle glycogen refuelling).
• Good post-event sports drinks include Powerade, Energade, Game with added PeptoPro or Cytopro Recovery drink.

MAKE YOUR OWN RECOVERY DRINK
1 cup of low-fat milk or yoghurt blended with a ripe banana (if preferred, add a little apple juice).

BE AWARE!
Hyponatremia, or low blood sodium levels, can occur if excessive fluid is taken in (more than lost in sweat and urine) or if low sodium drinks are consumed. Severe cases of hyponatremia may involve grand mal seizures, increased intracranial pressure, pulmonary edema, respiratory arrest, and in some rare cases even death. Risk factors for the development of hyponatremia include:
• Excessive drinking.
• Weight gain during exercise.
• Low body weight.
• Female sex.
• Slow running.
• Event inexperience.
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents.
• High availability of drinking fluids.
• More than four hours of exercise duration.
• Unusually hot conditions.
• Extreme cold conditions.

It is obvious that the ingestion of fluids and carbohydrate in sports drinks is beneficial, and athletes competing in endurance events should be encouraged to drink regularly. There is, however, a need to apply common sense. Working out your sweat rate and knowing what environments you are participating in will help figure out your fluid requirements. It is safe to say that runners should drink enough to limit weight-loss to not more than 2% of their body mass and that sports drinks should contain carbohydrate solutions between 5-10%, as well as electrolytes like sodium.

He has never seen the sun rise or set. He has never seen a lightning bolt cut through the dark Highveld sky and he doesn’t know what the Drakensberg, Karoo or Johannesburg skyline look like. Despite this, Carl de Campos has experienced more than most other people and has lived life to the full ever since he can remember. For this runner, cyclist and horse rider, it‘s full speed ahead. – BY CATHARINA ROBBERTZE

As a child Carl de Campos hated sport. He attended the Pioneer School for the Visually Impaired in Worcester and chose to focus on his academics rather than head out to the sport fields. It was only once he finished school and attended the Optima College in Pretoria that his dad Jorge and one of his lecturers got him to hit the road running. Little did they know what they were getting him into, because once Carl felt the thrill of competing there was no stopping him.

Carl soon became fitter and faster than his dad and needed a new sighted running partner to keep up with him as he set his heart on completing the Comrades Marathon in 2000. He found a training partner at his running club, Johannesburg Harriers, but struggled to find someone willing to run the Comrades with him. After sending requests all over the city he met Jonathan Selwin, who was willing to tackle the gruelling Comrades at his side. Despite Carl nursing a knee injury, the two men finished their first race in 11:10:33.

A BURNING DESIRE
“Finishing the Comrades was just one of those things that I always wanted to do, and of course, another one of those things that people told me I wouldn’t be able to do,” says Carl. When speaking to him, one quickly realises these words served as a motivation to him to reach his goal.

However, the struggle to find sighted running partners is one of the reasons Carl graduated to other activities such as cycling, canoeing and eventually horse riding. It is his need for speed that has continually compelled him to look for an event where the wind rushes past his face just that little faster. Therefore, cycling and canoeing fitted Carl like a glove and found a special place in his heart. Riding on a tandem bicycle enabled him to compete at the same level as sighted people. “When I was introduced to the tandem for the first time, it was like a new world opened for me!” he says. Carl and his partner won the tandem category in the first race they competed in and Carl was hooked. He finished three Cape Argus and three 94.7 Cycle Challenges between 1996 and 2004.

BLIND FAITH IN BILLY
Just getting on a horse for the first time was a challenge, as no one wanted to let him ride, despite his obvious love for horses. “People always said I’m going to get hurt and that blind people can’t ride horses.” Fired up with motivation, Carl was adamant to not only ride a horse, but to ride his own horse and finish the Fauresmith 200 Endurance Ride, a gruelling 201km riding event in the Free State.

The road to Fauresmith was filled with challenges and roadblocks, but true to his style, none of them deterred Carl. In just five years he moved out of the arena and onto the endurance track on his own horse, Billy. “I didn’t enjoy the arena because the people there always told me I shouldn’t be on a horse because I’m blind. Also, I got bored of the pace. I love flying around on Billy.”

Buying Billy was a challenge all on its own, as no blind person in the country owned their own horse. In fact, it is safe to say there are few blind horse owners in the world, let alone South Africa. Billy is a 12-year-old cross-bred Gelding – not really the kind of horse most people would take to an endurance race. However, the bond between Carl and Billy was almost immediate and although Billy used to be a ‘hot horse’ that spooked easily and didn’t trust people, he soon relaxed under Carl’s magical touch. Carl knew he would be able to finish Fauresmith on Billy.

However, training for Fauresmith was no easy task! “I experienced a lot of opposition, just as I did when I ran Comrades. Many people were negative and put a lot of doubt in my mind, but Billy and I knew we could do it.” Carl didn’t let this get him down and simply learnt the area in Drum Blade, south of Johannesburg, where he stays with Billy, so they could train on their own. He also did not agree with the training methods his fellow riders used, as they trained on the same route and at the same pace every time. “You can’t train that way – I know that from running,” says Carl.

Although Carl could train on his own, he needed a sighted partner to ride next to him when racing. Unfortunately, Carl’s regular sighted riding partner, who was supposed to ride the Fauresmith with him, was chosen to compete for his provincial team, so he couldn’t accompany Carl during the race. Two new partners later and Carl was back in the saddle, facing the 200km ride with two youngsters almost 20 years his junior. Carl and Billy’s training paid off and they finished the ride at the planned 12km/h pace they had set themselves, kicking dust in the eyes of every single person who said Carl couldn’t do it because he is blind and Billy couldn’t do it because he was not strong enough.

EQUINE BONDING
The freedom he experiences thanks to Billy is liberating, says Carl. “For the first time in my life I can tell someone I’ll meet them at their house before we go for a ride. Do you know how amazing that is?”

The true epitome of a Modern Athlete, Carl is one of those people who sets himself goals and reaches them no matter what anyone tells him. Hard work and training don’t scare him and time and again he has conquered the odds stacked against him, humbling those more fortunate on every occasion.