Category: Racing

You’ve been running for a number of years and PB’s seem to be a thing of the past, so you tell yourself that “Age is catching up with me,” but a simple change to your training pace can set you back on the road to new PB’s. 

– BY RAY ORCHISON

 

When we first start running, we normally notice huge improvements in performance quite quickly, and with minimal effort, but as we age in running terms, and become stronger, faster and more experienced, most runners begin to find that improvements become smaller, and a much greater effort is required to better previous times. In most cases this is not because our training deteriorates, but rather because as we improve, we move closer and closer to our own personal maximum performance level.

The question then is what do we need to do to push new levels of performance once we reach this stage of our running career? The answer may lie in polarised training, which means to train at either a low or a high intensity, with very little training time spent in-between. This is by no means a new concept, but one that is often ignored by veteran runners, because as we become more experienced, we often fall into the trap of thinking that to get faster we need to train faster… all the time. While the first part of that statement is true, the second part, “all the time,” is not.

When the gap between our easy run pace and our fast interval or race pace is small, we find ourselves in no-man’s land, where we don’t run slowly and we don’t run fast, and end up with poor, sub-potential performances. The way to correct this is with polarised training: On easy days you run slower and on quality days you run faster. In other words, you need to get slower (on easy days) in order to get faster during your race.

FOLLOW YOUR HEART

The easiest way to ensure that you don’t get stuck in no-man’s land is to train with a heart rate monitor to keep your training primarily in two zones. Zone 1 is the easy zone, where you should do the bulk of your training, somewhere between 70-80% of your weekly mileage at between 60-70% of max heart rate. The second is zone 3, somewhere between 15-20% of your weekly mileage at between 80-100% of heart rate. Zone 2 is no-man’s land, which is run between 5-15% of your weekly total and at a heart rate between 70-80%. (If you don’t use a heart rate monitor, run on perceived effort. Easy runs should feel easy and you should be able to have a conversation, while zone 3 is the anaerobic zone and should feel very hard. Interval sessions on the track or time trials would fall into this zone.)

 

If you’ve never done hard, fast sessions, then gradually start by introducing one session per week into your training schedule. I suggest that you start with four to eight short, fast hill repeats. These will push you into zone 3, but are not as hard on the body as a fast track session. Hill repeats are an introduction to track work and help strengthen your body to better handle the stress of a track session. Once you’re stronger, then gradually introduce a track session, like 4x200m at 3km race pace with a 200m slow recovery jog between repeats. As you get stronger and faster, start to increase the number of repetitions and pace. With more time spent in zones 1 and 3, and less time spent in zone 2, you should start to see some improvement in your performance.

Too often, female runners ignore strength work that could complement a running programme and reduce the risk of stress fractures that may otherwise be caused by muscle weakness. To avoid brittle bones, it’s important to give your body the calcium it needs as well as do sufficient strength work to protect them. – BY LAUREN VAN DER VYVER

A common injury complaint amongst female runners is shin splints, especially as they build up their mileage or pick up speed to chase a PB or attempt a new, longer distance – and the cause of this pain is all too often attributed to a decrease in bone density. However, Dr Lisa Micklesfield, senior researcher at the UCT/MRC Research Unit for Exercise Science and Sports Medicine in Cape Town, says that this is due to a common misconception: “Women runners don’t lose bone density any faster than women who don’t run, unless they have reduced energy availability – a symptom of which is menstrual irregularity, which may be due to reduced energy intake or excessive energy expenditure. Shin pain, for example, is the response of the muscle and bone of the lower leg to an increase in weight-bearing exercise, but with constant monitoring and adaptation to one’s training programme, and the correct footwear, this type of injury shouldn’t become problematic.”

WEIGHT UP
Many women focus on cardiovascular instead of strength work in training, focusing on weight-loss instead of increasing muscle mass – especially when they hit the gym. Quite simply, to keep your structure sturdy, it’s important to introduce sessions that focus on building muscle in your legs and core to minimise the strain of your body hitting the ground when running. “Muscle mass is directly proportional to bone mass, largely due to the pull of the muscle on the bone” says Lisa, who therefore recommends strength training, but points out that it is just one of a number of factors associated with stress injuries in women runners. Training surface (tarmac versus gravel), biomechanics and possibly incorrect footwear should also be taken into account, if necessary.

Regular weight-bearing like walking, hiking, dancing, stair climbing, weight-lifting and racquet sports can all build the muscle you need, while swimming and cycling can improve your endurance, but they’re not the ideal sports to improve bone mass density.

BEING A WOMAN
As women, we also have to consider the impact pregnancy and breastfeeding has on the body. In the latter stages of pregnancy, maternal bone loss may occur, as this is the time when the fetal skeleton is being rapidly mineralised, but this bone-loss is temporary and is recovered after the birth and lactation, says Lisa. “While breastfeeding does decrease bone density, as the calcium is mobilised from the maternal skeleton for breast milk, the 3% to 7% lost is rapidly regained after weaning,” explains Lisa,
“and breastfeeding is not associated with
an increased risk of osteoporosis, either.”

Whether they run or not, women should be getting around 1000mg of calcium on a daily basis, and during pregnancy, Lisa recommends an extra 200mg of calcium on top of the 1000mg. “It all depends on how long the
woman breast feeds and how long amenorrhea – loss of menses – continues for. Evidence does suggest that it recovers fully even with short-spaced pregnancies.”

All in all, women runners need to stick to a lifestyle that includes sufficient calcium intake, whether pregnant or not, as well as introducing strength training in their weekly training programme – one to two sessions a week as a base. Naturally, we all lose bone mass as we age, but a healthy mix of physical activity and a nutritious diet can help you beat brittle bones – and avoid shin splints!

In less than a week, like-minded people and organisations across the globe will raise their voices against rhino poaching and the illegal trade in rhino horn by hosting events, shows and a variety of other creative initiatives for World Rhino Day on 22 September. First Car Rental’s ‘Post Your Selfie & Win’ charity campaign in aid of The Rhino Orphanage based in Limpopo will be driving rhino awareness by taking part in one of these events, Race the Rhino.

Race the Rhino is a mountain bike competition that challenges mountain bikers to ride for rhino conservation, with event proceeds going to non-profit organisations such as Poached Rhino and the Renosterveld Trust. This year the race will be held at the Van Gaalens MTB Park, Hartbeespoort Dam, Gauteng, on 20 September, the Saturday preceding World Rhino Day. There will be three MTB routes – a 55km, 35km and 8km – to cater to all levels of fitness.

Race organisers will be driving two of The Rhino Orphanage campaign’s Nissan Jukes, which have been vehicle-wrapped to look like a mom rhino with a baby rhino, from Johannesburg to the race venue at the Van Gaalens MTB Park.

At the race, competitors and their supporters can get involved in raising awareness of The Rhino Orphanage by taking selfies with the Nissan Jukes and posting to their social media networks, making sure to tag with #Rhinos1st, to enter the competition and lucky draw associated with the campaign.
Melissa Storey, Executive Head of Strategy, Development and Marketing at First Car Rental comments, “First Car Rental’s Rhino Orphanage ‘Post Your Selfie & Win’ campaign has gained huge traction across South Africa since its launch in February this year. The Rhino Orphanage Jukes have been featured at the country’s leading events, with hundreds of people posting selfies helping to raise awareness of the world’s first rhino orphanage and the plight of these little offspring.”
“It’s entirely fitting that The Rhino Orphanage campaign will be celebrating World Rhino Day with Race the Rhino MTB Race, an initiative that is also dedicated to inspiring people to take action to save the endangered rhino species.”
Now in its third year, Race the Rhino is an offshoot of Ride the Rhino, a MTB race that takes riders on a three-day adventure through the Cape Floristic Kingdom in the Western Cape, particularly the Renosterveld, one of the most threatened vegetation types in the world.

Says Heidi Eloff, organiser of Ride the Rhino and Race the Rhino, “Our events firstly encourage all anti-Rhino poaching initiatives. We are closely involved with Poached Rhino and other like-minded organisations that continuously fight against the merciless killing of this majestic animal.
“Secondly, the races aim to rescue one of South Africa’s and the world’s most endangered habitats – the Renosterveld. With only 4% of the region left, the Ride the Rhino mountain bike challenge peddles through as many areas of the Renosterveld as possible to show off its beauty and encourage collective action post-race to save one of the country’s most beautiful treasures.”

To find out more visit:
• World Rhino Day website : www.worldrhinoday.org
• Race the Rhino website: www.renosterveldmtb.co.za

To keep up-to-date with The Rhino Orphanage campaign visit the website at www.firstcarrental.co.za/Post-your-Selfie-Campaign.htm, follow @RhinoOrphanage and @firstcarrental on Twitter, or like these Facebook pages – @FirstCarRental and @TheRhinoOrphanage.

To donate R15 to The Rhino Orphanage, which relies entirely on donations from the public and businesses, SMS ‘rhino’ to 49100.

When Mignon du Preez smashed 258 runs in an under-13 provincial match, hitting 16 sixes and 25 fours with a strike rate of well over 200, a bright future was already on the cards for her in women’s cricket. Four years later she donned the green and gold against Pakistan, scoring her first ODI half century on debut, and today she captains the national team. We caught up with the Proteas skipper to discuss her training and where she'd like to see women's cricket going to. 

Mignon (25) will be the first to admit that her playing cricket came about by accident. “My dad was a mini-cricket coach and my brother played, so I went along to support. One day, one of the boys couldn't make it, so my dad asked me to help. I was about four years old and I scored the most runs, and that's where it all began.” She would go on to play with boys throughout primary school, and then finally a girls team at Hoërskool Zwartkop in Pretoria. She had already earned Northern Gauteng colours when she was 12, and in 2007, in her matric year, the national selectors came calling.

She was initially left out of the Proteas side that year, but when another player had to withdraw due to injury, Mignon was given her chance and knew she had to impress quickly to cement her place in an established squad. “It's difficult to break into the team, and even harder to stay there, but the pressure didn't get to me and my 50 runs against Pakistan at home was a perfect way to introduce myself,” she says, adding that fitting in national team duty was a challenge the next few years. “At varsity, I balanced my B.Com and Honours in Marketing with my training. At that time there wasn't a lot of touring, but I had to fit in it all in while taking textbooks to games.”

Mignon’s prowess with the bat and agile fielding capabilities made her an easy pick for the selectors, and then on tour in England in 2011, she got her first taste of captaincy with the then captain out injured. “I didn't think I had that knowledge, but my team believed in me,” she says. “I eventually found confidence in the role and I've continued to bounce ideas off and consult others. It's a work in progress, but I'm getting there!”

Lifting the Standards

Most recently, the women's side has been part of the national academy set-up, which has also boosted pre-season preparations. For the last 12 weeks, the squad has balanced two hours of training per morning in the nets, to sharpen skills, with meetings to discuss game scenarios, and three times a week the squad work on strength in the gym, with two sessions of pilates as well. “It's productive and it's essentially a 9-to-5 day,” says Mignon. “We often go on 5km runs to keep fitness up, and we do a lot of rowing, but shorter runs give us that short, explosive power when we're batting or fielding. It's all about turning on speed.”

In the next few years, Mignon is focused on getting the team to challenge the likes of England and Australia, and the more focused approach has the Proteas side feeling very positive about their tour to England this month. Mignon adds that she and her players are actually encouraged by being labelled the underdogs. “We haven't beaten them yet, so it's an exciting prospect to show them what we've got. We're a side that surprises – we beat New Zealand earlier this year in the T20 World Cup – and we can do it again. With sponsors now behind us, we're in the spotlight, so it's important for us to pave that future for women’s cricket in SA.”

Mignon is powered by Champions Uncovered (www.championsuncovered.com) and you can follow her on Twitter: @MdpMinx22

Do you and your partner fall in sync with each other or do you clash on a run? Feedback says a couple who runs together, stays together. 

My mom and dad got back from a run a few weeks ago, huffing and puffing whilst telling me about a new trail they found near our home in Pretoria. “Beautiful,” my mom exclaimed, “and dad stayed with me the whole way!” It was a rather surprising occurrence, because he usually runs ahead of her. While she is trudging up steep hills and keeping a rather conservative pace, he’ll often run ahead, then turn back to run with her again, and sometimes even shuffles backwards up hills while promising to stay with her. That’s common practice for when they go out running together, and despite some of the frustrations this brings for both of them, there’s a lot that comes out of spending time together and sharing a common love of running.

Road for Two

If your partner likes to hit an early morning race and you like to do the same, there’s definitely a plus side here. He or she will understand what makes you get up rather than lie in on a weekend morning. And ‘getting it’ is a rare find. Planning a race together is a winner – whether you’re faster or slower, the journey there will be a shared experience that you both will remember. It’s also reassuring having someone with you at the finish line. Without sounding completely corny, working out together can help build that cooperative spirit.

But when it comes to running together, there are victories and downfalls by the dozen. There are a few things you’ll have to decipher – who’ll be running quicker, and can you manage to slow down for your partner? Is it a social outing or is it competitive training? Decide from the get-go whether you will be sticking together or not. If you have a little more fuel in your tank, tell your partner that you’ll be shooting ahead. Otherwise, you’ll just be left frustrated by the end of your session. The plus side of being together is having that constant support system by your side, pushing you to new levels and PBs.

RUNNING COUPLES
We asked Modern Athlete readers if love and running can mix successfully.

Jennifer Ann Yeo: “Love running with my fiancé. My tempo runs might be his easy relaxed run, but it pushes me to run harder and he always runs back from the finish to meet me, which makes for a good finish.”

Stuart Wainwright: “We met on a half marathon seven years ago, ran three Comrades together, and countless other races. Now we are on day 115 of our consecutive running challenge and it is our little way to make sure that we get time together.”

Melanie de Bruyn: “My husband and I met at a race, we also got engaged at a race! We train together and run 10km races together – anything further than that, he ‘goes’ and I ‘follow,’ although he did run my first Comrades with me.”

James Allan Davis: “Me and my wife train together and I run at her pace. I also do my own training runs. We have run a few 21s together, the Spur Trail Series and the AfricanX. Great being able to share the journey with her!”

Gale force overnight winds gave way to rain and single-figure temperatures as 280 brave runners lined-up at Moolmanshoek for the Powertraveller 4 Peaks Mountain Challenge presented by Salomon, on Saturday 9 August 2014.

FAST RACING DESPITE TOUGH CONDITIONS
A staggered start (to prevent bottlenecks on the tight mountain trails) of four seeded batches, saw the A bunch depart before sunrise at 06:15am. This batch contained some heavy hitters including the likes of Ryno Griesel and Jock Green.

Eight runners from this group reached checkpoint one on top of the ‘first pyramid’ – a five-kilometre climb with 700 metres of ascent that tops out at 2167m (above msl) – in just under 30 minutes, a relatively slow time because of an intense tactical battle on the climb.

“It was a game of cat-and-mouse that first hour,” commented Griesel, who’s well experienced in navigating the unmarked route. “The locals didn’t want to go ahead because they knew they would be followed and I also didn’t want to run in front, for the same reason. At one stage we were all walking…” He said, adding how a very special part of this race is the strategic tussle.

Defending champion Sampie Makoakoe, a farm labourer at Moolmanshoek and compatriot Chabedi Nyedimane made their move on the descent from the first pyramid and down the back of Jacobsberg. The weather had taken a turn for the worse by the time Makoakoe and Nyedimane reached checkpoint two with driving ice rain and strong winds dropping the temperature to well below zero and making navigation exceptionally tough due to the low visibility.

The severe conditions however, suited the local runners who regularly train on the route. Nyedimane and Makoakoe ran together all the way to the base of Sekonyela’s Hat (the final ‘peak’ of the 4Peaks), chased by a group of around six runners, some three minutes back. Makoakoe charged up the steep Sekonyela’s climb, running in places where Nyedimane had to scramble and walk.

He built up a ten-minute lead this way and would hold on to it all the way to finish, completing his successful title defence in a time of 02:45:31. His time is was some three minutes shy of the record set by Ryan Sandes.

The women’s race was absolutely dominated by Jeannie Dreyer. Dreyer nearly missed the start and had to make up a deficit on the A-batch, but still managed to come home in a time of 03:36:54, nearly an hour ahead of second-placed Natasja Kask, and good enough for a top 20 overall placing.

LIVING UP ITS NAME
The true ‘mountain challenge’ was going on behind the front runners though, with nearly 50 percent of the 280 starters being first timers. One of Pure Adventures’ goals is to welcome newcomers to the world of mountain running and this philosophy translates into the event.

“I think the generous cut-off of nine hours is a big attraction,” commented race logistical manager, Michael de Haast from Pure Adventures. “Along with the general vibe of the weekend and of course the spectacular route,” De Haast said.

The route is a 24-kilometre hill-and-dale affair taking in the four iconic mountain peaks along the mountain bowl that cradles Moolmanshoek Nature Reserve. The route is unmarked and race unsupported and compulsory gear includes a space blanket, whistle, waterproof jacket and at least two-litres of water.

“These were by far the worst weather conditions, we ever experienced for the race however,” De Haast added. Despite the conditions there was a very low attrition rate with 268 of the 280 starters successfully crossing the finish line. For many a life-changing experience.

“It was a true mountain experience,” Griesel said, summing up what everyone – from the racing snakes to those in the sweeper bunch – experienced out there. “Just great for everybody, you got to experience in a safe environment how quickly the mountain changes.”

“It was super beautiful up there,” he said. “With the mist and the rain… but it was bitterly cold with the wind chill. The importance of compulsory gear, even if it’s a local mountain and the weather looks good, can never be underestimated.”

‘Underestimated’ was the theme of many a war story during Saturday’s night’s post race festivities, which included the traditional spit-braaied lamb. But perhaps not nearly as much as ‘camaraderie’ and ‘prevailing’.

RUNTASTIC PYRAMID CHALLENGE
Many were right back into their (by now dry) running gear for Sunday morning, which saw the running of the Runtastic Pyramid Challenge, a time-trial style event to the peak of the first pyramid and back down. Athletes started in reverse order, seeded from their finishing time from the 4 Peaks, the previous day.

Chabedi Nyedimane took the win in a time of 21-minutes for the up-and-down route, using his knowledge and technical skills to overcome the blustery conditions on the way up and then descend at pace. The performance earned him the top Challenge Medal (a special medal all runners who completed both races received) and big chunk of the R10 000 total purse on offer for the secondary event.

RESULTS:
Open men
1. Sampie Makoakoe (02:45:31)
2. Chabedi Nyedimane
3. Matt Kretzmann

Open women
1. Jeannie Dreyer (03:36:54)
2. Angela Kavallierato
3. Elani van Zyl

Masters men
1. Peter White (03:50:54)
2. Fernando Santos
3. Chris Lee

Masters women
1. Tanya Worner (05:23:17)
2. Cindy Brentley
3. Jonette Lee

Vets men
1. Jock Green (02:58:38)
2. Mark Phipson
3. Geoffrey Lee

Vets women
1. Hester Greeff (04:02:23)
2. Natasja Kask
3. Riana van der Merwe

Full results are available at http://4peaks.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Race-timing-Prog-Thule-4-Peaks-2014.pdf

Images : Kolesky/Nikon/Lexar

One of the fittest, most dynamic performers in the SA Proteas cricket team is Francois ‘Faf’ du Plessis, who also captains the national Twenty20 team. Modern Athlete’s Nicole Ferreira and Lauren van der Vyver caught up with him for a chat about training, playing, captaincy and World Cup hopes.

Nicole: Having been appointed SA Twenty20 captain in 2013, has this changed things for you?

Faf: We will be going to Sri Lanka now, so I have a bit of a break from the captaincy, but I really enjoy the responsibility that goes with it. It can get taxing if you are captain of all three platforms, as Graeme Smith and AB de Villiers were, because mentally, it eventually takes its toll on a player. I think it is better and more efficient that the system has now changed, and that there are separate captains for each discipline. Hashim Amla has recently been appointed as the new Test captain and AB de Villiers leads us through the ODI’s.

Nicole: What format of the game is your favourite and what teams are the most challenging to take on?

Faf: I prefer Test cricket, but also the Twenty20, as I enjoy leading my team. Regarding opponents, no-one intimidates me on home soil, but the toughest teams are Sri Lanka and India – if you play them on their turf, they are very hard to beat. The pitches play a big role and they have grown up in those conditions, and it is a bit of an adjustment for us when we are over there. Australian pitches are very much like South African pitches, but in England the ball swings a bit more and in the Sub-continent the ball spins more.

Lauren: The Indian Premier League (IPL) fixtures are very demanding, so how do you manage it all?

Faf: It is one of the tougher arms of our schedule. The travelling also becomes intense. You are away from family and friends for two months at a time and spend a lot of it in the hotel. Luckily, my wife Imari travels with me. It is an exhilarating experience, but after a week or two you need your privacy!

Nicole: What does your training entail? Is there time for any cross-training in your busy schedule?

Faf: Luckily for us we play so much that the regular games cover our fitness. I do have a light gym routine as anything strenuous will limit my performance on ‘game day.’ During the off-season I do more cross-training, with short, intense sprints on the treadmill to increase my explosive power, and on the odd occasion I swim to keep pressure off my joints.

Lauren: How are you feeling about the World Cup next year?

Faf: We just finished the Twenty20 World Cup in Bangladesh where we made the semi-finals but lost to India. I am excited about the upcoming campaign, and we will be involving the fans with the team a lot more. We are playing some superb cricket at the moment, but we need to get the ‘monkey’ off our backs when it comes to World Cup cricket… there is no pressure during the year, but when we get to the World Cup, it all becomes rather overwhelming.

Nicole: Do the three individual captains work together in the different formats?

Faf: AB and I grew up together, which makes it easy and natural for us to be in a partnership. Hashim has just been appointed and we will support him as much as we can. I am looking forward to seeing what he brings to the team. We have lost a lot of key, experienced players recently, so your medium experienced guys like myself need to step up now. The nice thing is that we are all close as a team, in a nice relaxed environment, and we’re just trying to win games together.

Former Banyana Banyana player and team manager Lydia Monyepao of Varsity Kudus completed her first Comrades last month in 10:14. She chats about how football helped her transition to the Big C, and running to raise funds for SOS Africa.

Given that it was her first go at Comrades, former soccer star Lydia Monyepao relied heavily on running friends for tips on how to run the race. She also attended the novice training programme seminars at the High Performance Centre in Pretoria, and ran several key events for her build-up, the Township Marathon, Pick n Pay Marathon, Old Mutual Om Die Dam 50km and Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon. Still, she says it was a hard run, especially in the latter kilometres of the race. “Comrades was tough but enjoyable, and running in a group or a bus made the first half easy. Then, as fatigue started taking its toll at about 35km to go, the spectators and their cheers along the route gave me the oomph to keep on,” she says. “The last 11km were the longest, however, and each kilometre looked longer than normal!”

NATURAL SKILLS

Lydia’s involvement in soccer began at school when she was invited to play in a five-a-side match and her teacher spotted her undeniable talent. She took the sport more seriously while studying for her B.Com at WITS University, and in 1998 she was called up to the national team for the first time for matches against Kenya and Egypt. “I remember not making the starting eleven back then, but I learnt a lot from my teammates Veronica Phewa and Portia Modise,” says Lydia. “I was also nicknamed Skillz, because of what I did on the field.”

She went on to play for the national side 20 times, scoring four goals, was part of the team at the CAF African Women’s Champs in Nigeria in 2002 and again back home in 2004, and helped Banyana finish runners-up at the 2003 All Africa Games in Nigeria. Back home at club level, she was part of the WITS team that won the SASSU student champs in 2002, and then played for the Soweto Ladies team that won the national club title in 2004. While at varsity, she also represented the national student team at the World Student Games in 2001 (China) and 2003 (South Korea), having also made the basketball team for the Games in Spain in 1999.

In 2007 she was a finalist in the Shoprite Checkers/SABC2 Woman of the Year Awards, and then in February 2012 she was appointed Banyana team manager and accompanied the team to the 2012 London Olympics. As a former player, she believes she knew how to empathise and interact with the team. “Former players with the right qualifications, experience and skills must be roped into that managerial position. It was the best job ever,” says Lydia.

FROM FIELD TO ROAD

Having hung up her boots, Lydia says it was natural to take up running. “The endurance I gained from training when playing soccer made the transition to running easy. Running helps you get through the 90 minutes, and game time helps you on the road.” Her Comrades debut was also a natural step up: “I remember every time I told people that I’m a runner, they would ask me if I’ve done Comrades. So I told myself I’d see what it is all about.”

Now she believes that every South African should attempt the ultra “It goes with the perception that you’re not a runner until you’ve done it!” Even better, she says people should run it for a good cause, as she did in 2014. “I decided to run Comrades for a charity called SOS Africa, which funds the education and care of underprivileged African township children. My hope and dream is to empower young girls from the rural area in Mafikeng by helping them gain access to quality education not offered in the rural public schools.”

Newly-crowned Big Wave World Tour World Champion Grant ‘Twiggy’ Baker of South Africa is not only one of the world’s best surfers, he is also one of the fittest.

Launching yourself down the front of a wall of moving water 80 feet (25 metres) high might sound exciting, but even the big wave surfers who do this admit that it is one scary sport! So says Grant ‘Twiggy’ Baker, whose wins at the Punta Galea Challenge in Spain and Mavericks in the USA saw him top the points standings of the 2014/2015 Big Wave World Tour at the end of March and thus be crowned World Champ.

“I still get terrified when the waves are that big, but it’s about controlling your fear and using it to make smart decisions, and surf smarter. If the fear wasn’t there, you’d probably be killed, because you’d do something stupid,” says 40-year-old Twiggy. “I’ve had friends who have drowned, and I’ve come close, too, but that was in the old days. We’ve got a lot more safety measures in place now, like the jetskis that tow us in and fetch us if we come off our boards, inflatable emergency vests, better leashes, and the right people on the jetskis with medical training and big wave experience.”

FIT TO SURF

Anybody who has tried surfing will know that it takes a lot out of you physically, even more so as the waves get bigger, and thus Twiggy works out in the gym regularly, doing weights and core work, plus bike work, stepping and running on the elliptical flyer for leg work. “I played a lot of soccer when I was younger and then tore my knee ligaments while surfing, so I don’t run on the road any more to reduce impact on my knees. I also do Yoga, which I find is the best possible thing for mental and physical preparation, but the best way to be surfing fit is to do a lot of surfing!”

Twiggy is actually in the water most of the time. When the waves aren’t good, he brings out the paddle for some stand-up paddling (SUP) to work on pure stamina fitness, and if the wind is up, he goes kite-boarding, which he says is a great cardiovascular workout. He also does a lot of pool work: “I swim and do free-diving, which helps build confidence for when you’re underwater after a wave hits you. I can hold my breath for five minutes static.”

LIVING THE LIFE

While it is a dangerous profession, Twiggy is definitely enjoying his current lifestyle. He owns a bar in Cape Town, has his own surfboard and clothing labels, both called TWIG, is engaged to model Kate Lovemore, and is based in Hawaii much of the year. “I prefer Hawaii, as I can spend more time in the water, but every time there is a big swell off the US West Coast I’ll be down there, and I also go over to Europe quite often.” However, his recent success came just in time, as he was close to making some big changes in his lifestyle.

“I was almost ready to retire from competitive surfing if I didn’t do well this past Northern Hemisphere winter. I will always surf big waves – that will never change – but maybe the travelling would have slowed down. Luckily, Bos Iced Tea backed me with a three-year contract, and my recent wins helped me pick up a few other sponsors as well, and that now allows me to follow this most amazing lifestyle, travelling around the world to these contests, making some money and then staying for a few weeks to surf with the locals. Without Bos coming on board, I wouldn’t have been able to afford to go to the US and Europe, and we wouldn’t have a South African champion.”

Attempting pull-ups, burpies, the perfect squatting technique and more, all while running 400m in between sets… let’s just say that the Modern Athlete newbies weren’t the prettiest bunch in class. But while we predicted a few sore bodies the next day, CrossFit did give us a look into the importance of strength work to maintain good form and avoid injuries on the run, and made a pleasant change from the usual gym circuit.

CrossFit is an exercise philosophy that focuses on strength training and conditioning, incorporating weight-lifting, interval training, plyometrics (‘jump training’) as well as gymnastics and strongman workouts (deadlifts or squats). Typically, each class or ‘box’ offers an hour-long session incorporating a warm-up, a skill development period, and then a high-intensity workout featuring whatever was learnt in that session – usually with running in between. There is a library of workouts to choose from, from a basic bench-press to rope climbing, and the workouts develop stamina, strength, balance, flexibility and speed. You definitely feel like you’ve worked your butt off at the end!

BETTER RUNNING

We wanted to know if CrossFit will benefit us as runners, so we asked Pierre Ferreira, owner and instructor at CrossFit Flaming Heart in Bedfordview, about that after the session. “I have encountered runners and cyclists who have done CrossFit and it’s only benefited their training,” he says. “They develop a stronger core and upper body, and it helps for overall fitness, which you’ll feel helping at the end of a run.”

Also, with CrossFit’s focus on conditioning, endurance athletes become less prone to injuries because the knees and core can handle hitting the road better, and with the running intervals between sets, athletes can also test their stamina and progression. “Running is important for base fitness,” says Pierre. “I’ve been doing CrossFit for five years and instructing and competing for three years. In the beginning I didn’t focus on running that much, and it showed.”

There are different styles from box to box, so find the coach and style that suits you. To give CrossFit a try with Pierre, call him on 082 532 2962 or e-mail [email protected]. Or find the nearest CrossFit to you at http://map.crossfit.com

Follow on Twitter: @flamingheartCF
Like on Facebook: CrossFit Flaming Heart.

Our Team on CrossFit

Nicole: “I was pleasantly surprised at how effective the combination of cardio and strength training is. I can imagine quick results, as my muscles were aching afterwards!”

Charlie: “This mommy is so unfit, I’m in need of a hell of a lot more exercise, but it was great fun.”

Richard: “Was awesome to build some camaraderie outside the office walls, whilst frantically wiping the flowing torrent of perspiration from my brow that was threatening to drown me!”

Jen: “The combination of strength and cardio is tough, but a nice change from either just running or the usual gym routine. And ‘burpies’ is a swear word!”