Category: Racing

Marsha’s r?sume makes for impressive reading: Over 300 test caps and
appearances at two Olympic Games, three Commonwealth Games and two World Cups. She
made her international debut in 2001, has captained the side since 2006, and
says she has come a long way since first breaking into the team: “The
differences between 18-year-old me and myself now is my physical strength and
toughness, and that I can handle pressure better.”

Her flair for the game runs in
the family – her mother, Marian
Marescia, has often been described as the best player to never play
internationally for South Africa, due to Apartheid – and Marsha has been
involved in the sport since a young age.
“I basically grew up beside the field with my mum being a provincial
player in KwaZulu-Natal as well as a provincial and junior national coach. I
chose hockey as my main sport from grade nine.”

Marsha spent many years playing
for Southern Gauteng and has just started her second season with Premier League
side SV Kampong in the Netherlands, where she lives with her
husband, Alex Cox, who is also a women’s hockey coach and was an assistant
coach to Dutch women’s hockey team that won gold at the London 2012 Olympics. While
adapting to the Dutch culture remains challenging, Marsha has plenty of help
and support from Alex, as well as her club and teammates. “The hockey has been
challenging, as we have a few Dutch internationals as well as the German
national captain, but it’s easier with a lot of foreigners in Utrecht, which is
a student town, and the club really makes an effort to make you feel at home!”

SPEED AND STRENGTH

Averaging 9.5km of running per game,
Marsha’s fitness needs to be consistent, so running – both endurance and
sprints – remains a vital part of her training. “A hockey player needs to last
70 minutes at a high intensity and speed to keep up with and eliminate
opponents, and you also need physical upper body strength. We don’t pump
ourselves up in the gym, but we work on having a good core strength base that gives
you explosive power.”

In a typical week, Marsha’s
training will include agility and weight training on Mondays and Wednesdays,
and a focus on score fitness and speed on Tuesdays. Thursdays are reserved for
two team sessions of two hours each to work on match preparation, and she spends
another two hours with the club on Fridays before resting on Saturdays ahead of
Sunday match days. It’s also a plus having Alex around, says Marsha, with his
understanding of the demands of a pro. “We share the love for the game and
fully support each other in our respective roles in the sport. However, not
training together helps us to enjoy our time together away from hockey!”

PROUDLY SOUTH AFRICAN

Apart from her debut and 300^th
test matches, Marsha says her other career highlight is her first Olympic
experience in Athens 2004, where the SA team beat eventual gold medallists
Germany and placed ninth overall. Looking ahead, Marsha says 2014 holds many
exciting opportunities: “Next year it’s the FIH World Cup and Commonwealth
Games a month later, and my goal is to leave Scotland after the Commonwealth
Games with a medal! I care so much about the progress, process and success of
the team, and it keeps me motivated to play my part on the field!”

Merrell Hobbit Trail Runs presented by Nikwax, Hogsback, Border, 11-12 October

The
100km event takes runners on a magical journey along the Amatola Hiking trail,
with over 5000m of ascent, making it one of the toughest multi-day trail running
events on the calendar. The two days are long, with average finishing times of between
eight and 12 hours each day, giving the runners plenty of time to reflect on
life’s subtleties as they experience the physical, mental and emotional highs
and lows that come with covering the extreme route. There is also a ‘rustic’ overnight
stay at Cata Hut, adding to this truly unique experience.

A
field of 41 runners lined up at the start line at Maden Dam on the Friday
morning, with only 30 managing to get an official finish at the Arminel Hotel,
Hogsback on the Saturday afternoon, once again led home by 2012 winner, Ryno
Griesel, while race novice Driekie Black claimed the women’s title. Most runners
finished elated and smiling, some with tears of relief and joy, but all saying
there were no words to describe how they felt as they crossed the line.

While
the 100km runners were busy with their second day, over 220 runners made the
trip to Hogsback for the one-day races. The 38km event took the runners on a
loop out and over Hogsback Mountain, joining up with the 100km route, while the
16km runners did a tough loop in the forests surrounding Hogsback. The 5km loop
was far tamer, with families and kids getting a taste of single-track trail
running at its best.

Check out www.mountainrunner.co.za
for more photos and results.

Swimming to cool down after a hard run in summer is
always a treat, but swimming offers so much more. For starters, it is
particularly useful for recovery, as the water has a cooling effect on muscles,
which enhances recovery. Still better, swimming is non-weight-bearing, so when
used as part of your fitness routine, it promotes recovery of muscles, joints
and bones. There is an increase in activity of the circulatory system due to
increased bloodflow through muscle activity, and swimming also activates the
core muscles, which can lead to faster and longer running form. Furthermore, something
that runners might not know about is the beneficial effect swimming has on the
brain: Learning and practising new motor-neuron skills has a significant
positive impact on the aging process on our brain and body functions.

The caveat to all these benefits, however, is that
with poor swimming technique, other problems can arise, so it’s not just a case
of jumping in. For example, back pain and an unconditioned shoulder can result
from hyperextension of the spine from a poor body position in the water. Poor
technique can also result in swimming too hard and taxing yourself in what is
meant to be a recovery session.

SWIM MINDFULLY

Even runners who swam at school and think they are fairly
competent should be careful: That was a long time ago, and the type of swimming
you did then was fast and not mindful at all. Runners are also challenged to
adapt mentally to swimming in a pool, because with just a black line to look at
and little opportunity to chat to mates in your usual running group, boredom
could set in, so it’s important for you to up your focus.

Before starting, it’s best to get some advice on
technique, to avoid injury and stay motivated. Find a coach who is focused on
technique, because just joining a swim squad is not the answer, as these can
turn into mini races – especially for the competitive runner. Frustration could
also set in as you discover that you are not as good at swimming as you are at
running. Squad swimming can result in poor swimmers, but swimming more
mindfully will decrease chances of injury and take away the boredom factor. You
will have too much to think about as you practise executing a good stroke, and
swimming will become a form of meditation and rest from running (and life).

FIND YOUR PACE

Since you are not looking for a major gain in your
fitness, it is best to practise swimming in the very lowest range of perceived
effort. This might be a challenge, though, if you have poor technique,
especially relating to breathing. Seek advice, don’t just try and plough
through! Avoid training sessions that you find on the internet, as these don’t
speak to technique and will often recommend training aids which may not benefit
you. For example, kicking with a kick-board may seem like a good idea, as it
will certainly give you a workout, but you are also putting your back into a
hyper-extended position, which might cause you pain. The same goes for hand paddles
– they add resistance and build muscle, but put strain on unconditioned shoulders
and could lead to injury.

You might say that since you only want to swim for
recovery, it doesn’t matter how you swim. Well, it does matter. First avoid
injury and in time you may discover another joy, aside from running. And it
could turn out to be a bonus if you find yourself laid off from a running
injury. You never know, you might become addicted to swimming and find yourself
lining up for a triathlon or swimming race in the future!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Georgie Thomas is the Head Coach of Total
Immersion Swimming South Africa. Go to www.totalimmersionsa.co.za to find out about
workshops all around SA, or mail [email protected].

Pronation in the foot results from a combination of motions resulting in a
position where one’s foot is everted (rolls inward on the run). That’s normal.
We all pronate. In fact, without it, running would be rather uncomfortable… but
too much pronation, or over-pronation, can lead not only to unevenly worn
shoes, but sore knees and other niggles. Now, the theory holds that a larger Quadriceps
angle – the Q-angle at which the femur (upper leg bone) meets the tibia (lower
leg bone) – puts more stress on the knee joints and ankles, resulting in
increased pronation, and since women generally have wider hips than men,
resulting in a larger Q-angle, it holds that women will generally pronate more
than men.

For podiatrist Chris Delpierre,
of the Sport Science Institute of South Africa, the subject of women pronating
more than men due to their diverse biomechanics is a difficult one. “It seems
pronation has somehow become the bogeyman in running, an evil motion that
somehow is responsible for all our running injuries. It is in fact a very
normal movement of the foot and ankle during weight-bearing activities, that helps
with shock absorption,” explains Chris, who does however note that excessive
pronation can cause unnecessary stress. “The question about women pronating
more than men somehow implies to me that women should then get more running
injuries linked to pronation, which is not the case. Women definitely have
different biomechanics to men, and this means that women need different shoes, not
just smaller ones with different colours!”

ANOTHER VIEWPOINT

Meanwhile, registered
biokineticist Faaeza Bala doesn’t rule out the
larger Q-angle theory: “It does change the biomechanics of women’s running
style compared to men, placing a greater amount of stress on the knee joint and
therefore increasing the risk of knee pain and injuries.” However, she says
there an even bigger factor in increasing a
woman’s odds of over-pronating. “The main factor is her ability to
become pregnant. During pregnancy, hormones are released in the body to loosen
ligaments in the pelvis to allow for easier delivery. Unfortunately, these
hormones tend to affect all ligaments, including those in the feet, which support
the arch and prevent over-pronation.” It’s the same reason why many women also
find their feet growing during pregnancy.

So while the myth remains an
up-in-the-air issue, there are definitely injuries that pop up with a larger
Q-angle:

?        
The quads pull on the
kneecap, which can cause added stress on a long run, and over time this can
damage the cartilage on the underside of the kneecap, resulting in the common
over-use injury known as ‘runner’s knee.’

?        
ITB occurs with
weakened hip muscles, whereby the illiotibial band, a stretch of tissue extending from the pelvis and hip and inserting just
below the knee, is crucial for stabilising the knee during running. The added
stress on the band will cause inflammation and pain on the band right next to
the knee.

The good news is that there’s a
way to get around injuries caused by over-pronation. “Exercises aimed at
strengthening the muscles supporting the joints in the foot can help to reduce
functional pronation,” explains Faeeza. “Also, exercises to strengthen the
thigh and hip muscles that stabilise the knee joint can also reduce the number
of knee injuries caused by a larger Q-angle, or wider hips.” In other words, by
strengthening one’s quads, the knee won’t be as affected by the natural
movement of the foot.

Discovery Surfer’s Challenge, East London, Border, 6 February

It all started back in 1975 when local runners and surfers in East London started a friendly race from the Kwelera River in Yellow Sands to Nahoon Beach in East London. Having not faired as well as some of their road running friends in a road relay from King William’s Town to East London, the local five-man surfing team came in for a fair bit of ragging. Seeking retribution, the surfers issued a challenge to the runners to meet them on their turf – the beach – and set about planning a route taking in the sand, rocks, loose boulders and rivers between two points. It was a test of fitness and bragging rights, and for the next 39 years, has been a top attraction in the area.

This February, a field of 3 300 athletes lined up for the start of the gruelling 17.45km race, with a huge climb in numbers in the accompanying 5km junior race, which was introduced last year. Race organiser Neville Wilkins says the history of the race and it being such a distinctive route makes it so popular: “There’s always been some competition between the runners and surfers. It’s also turned into a great day for the family on the beach.” Discovery Sponsorship Manager, Sandile Mkari, adds, “This is a vehicle for healthy living. We are challenging everybody, also children, to get out of their houses and compete. You don’t even have to be a runner – you can paddle, you can walk – and we see so many youngsters and newcomers to the sport. That’s what it’s all about!”

OUT THE WATER FIRST
This year, the surf-skiers came out ahead of the runners, with Richard Von Wildman coming home in 1:02:29, four minutes ahead of the first runner, Zingisile Marikeni (1:06:30). Nevertheless, Zingisile was all smiles after finishing, despite the toughness of the route. “I feel on top of the world!” he said. “I just wanted to work hard and I knew as a runner competing in this that I had to win it!” The first female runner in was Hanlie Botha (1:16:21), a winner of the event for the third time after she had trailed in third position up to the 12km mark. “The first bit on the rocks was hard and I was shaky, but it became easier as the wind came from behind us,” she said. “I keep coming back because of the crowd support, water points and vibe. This is the race to do in East London!”

THE ATHLETES SAID…

Doran Fritz (1:10:14, 2nd male runner): “I have done the challenge for 13 years now and I love it. It’s definitely a good training run for the other races on the calendar. One gets very tired out of the water, but I’m very happy with today’s result.”

Mzukisi Kebeni (1:10:51, 3rd male runner): “I’m very happy about my time this year, even though it was spot on my time from last year. I will come back and improve next year.”

Myrette Filmalter (1:24:03, 3rd female runner): “My Achilles hurt before today, but I knew I wanted to compete and I’m happy I did! The last 4km were very challenging, though. It’s my third time here and I love it. After this gruelling route, you don’t think you’ll come back, but you do.”

Michael Dettmer (1:41:53): “This is my first time at the Surfer’s Challenge as it was on my bucket list for this year. The route was good, even though the rocks take it out on your ankles quite a bit.”

Yongama Mtikitiki (1:35:21): “This is my first race here and I really loved it! I’m looking forward to doing it every year.”

Bruce Fordyce (1:39:46): “It was a cooler day and the wind was coming from behind us, which made today easier. The most challenging bit is dealing with the rocks and pebbles at Gonubie. What makes this race so different is that it is so unique – you go over rocks, the road, sand and rivers. For a road or trail runner, there’s something for you and you will find some strengths and weaknesses out on the run. I’ve done this race for a few years and will definitely be back!”

TOP 5 MEN

1 Richard Von Wildman  1:02:29 (Surf-ski)

2 Brendan Thompson  1:03:00 (Double-ski)

3 Andrew Carter  1:03:00 (Double-ski)

4 Bevan Manson  1:03:46 (Surf-ski)

5 Steve Woods  1:04:30 (Surf-ski)

(8) Zingisile Marikeni  1:06:30 (Runner)

TOP 5 WOMEN

1 Helen Weldrick  1:07:00 (Double-ski)

2 Nicole Russell  1:14:43 (Surf-ski)

3 Liz Russell  1:16:03 (Double-ski)

4 Hanlie Botha  1:16:21 (Runner)

5 Kerry Louw  1:17:31 (Surf-ski)

SA Marathon Champs, Oudtshoorn, SWD, 3 February

A small, select field of 109 athletes lined up for the 2013 edition of the SA Marathon Champs, which this year was hosted by Athletics South Western Districts in Oudtshoorn, and the highlight of the day was undoubtedly 24-year-old Cornelia Joubert of Central Gauteng becoming SA’s youngest ever female marathon champ – in her first ever marathon, having never raced longer than 32km before!

With defending women’s champion Charne Bosman withdrawing in order to focus on her preparation for the Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon in March, the women’s title was up for grabs, but Cornelia’s victory was still a big surprise. She tracked the leading ladies for the first half of the race, then took the lead with 20km to go raced away to clock 2:46:13. Her teammate Kim Laxton was second in 2:47:25, while KZN’s Melanie van Rooyen took third in 2:48:35. Cornelia has recently hired a coach, so watch this space for more from this future star!

In the men’s race, defending champ Coolboy Ngamole of Central Gauteng was the pre-race favourite, but Benedict Moeng of Gauteng North won comfortably in 2:17:32, with Lucky Mohale next home in 2:19:38 and Coolboy having to settle for third in 2:21:39. Benedict’s winning time was unfortunately 32 seconds short of the men’s qualifying time for the World Champs in Moscow in August, and our athletes will have to pick up their times if they want to get to Russia.

Men

1 Benedict Moeng (AGN) 2:17:32

2 Lucky Mohale (CGA) 2:19:38

3 Coolboy Ngamole (CGA) 2:21:39

4 Anthony Godongwana (AGN) 2:21:49

5 Othaniel Phahlane (AGN) 2:22:14

Women

1 Cornelia Joubert (CGA) 2:46:13

2 Kim Laxton (CGA) 2:47:25

3 Melanie van Rooyen (KZNA) 2:48:35

4 Suzette Botha (KZNA) 2:49:38

5 Caroline Wostmann (AGN) 2:53:35

Pick n Pay Marathon & Half Marathon, Johannesburg, Gauteng, 10 February

The 30th edition of the event, hosted by the Jeppe Quondam Athletics section, was once again a great family day out, attracting a field of 5 231 athletes across the 42km and 21km events, with a further 1 750 taking part in the 4km and 8km funs runs. That’s quite some growth in the fun runs, considering that there were only 250 entries in the funs runs just five years ago! And the cool, overcast weather on the day also helped all the athletes cope with the mixed bag of uphills and downhills on the various routes.

Bonitas runner Peter Muthubi emerged as this year’s marathon champ, coming home in 2:25:28, ahead of teammates Charles Tjiane (2:26:23) and Mabule Raphotle (2:28:20). Overall, Bonitas grabbed five of the top 10 men’s placings, and then the club’s women also dominated, with Charne Rademeyer grabbing victory in 2:48:21 in the women’s race, ahead of Bonitas’ Mpho Mabuza (2:53:25) and Ntombesintu Mfunzi (2:55:09). In the half, Mbongeni Nqxazozo clinched the win in 1:07:08, ahead of John Chebbii from Nedbank Running Club (1:07:25) and Paul Nyamachere (1:07:47). In the women’s race, Transnet’s Paulina Phaho won comfortably in 1:26:58, with RAC’s Annah Watkinson second (1:29:51) and Judy Bird from Breakthru Midrand Striders third (1:30:39).

FROM THE FINISHLINE
Here’s what some of the Pick n Pay finishers had to say just after crossing the line.

Susan Mzinyathi: It’s my first Pick n Pay this year. It’s a mixed route with lots of hills to deal with, but I enjoyed it very much.”

Neil Coville: “It was a hard run today – it always is! – and it got very humid as the morning went on. I got through it, though, and I am very happy with my time, and I’ll always come back.”

Thobile Nkosi: “It’s very mixed. If it was too flat, it would be boring. It is a tough route, but a great day out for the family and for friends.”

Argentina Senda: “The cool weather helped me out. Pick n Pay is usually a training run before Two Oceans and a small step towards Comrades for me.”

Maxwell Godwana: “This is my first 21km. The route had lots of steep hills, but it is worth running again, that’s for sure! Next year, I’ll be doing the 42km race!”

SOCIAL RACE FEEDBACK

After the race, many athletes went online or grabbed their phones to have their say on Facebook and Twitter about the event.

Charl Henry Whitaker: Was a TOUGH day on the road, but survived with another 42.2km in the bag! Sometimes we need to hit the wall to experience the hardness of a race, so we can train harder and work smarter on the next race day!

@Shifty617: Awesome day out, huge field so the start was super slow.

Janet Brandon: Traffic was a disaster, and finding parking a nightmare. So much so that when I arrived to register for the fun run, with only five minutes to spare, they had run out of numbers. This meant that at the finish line my son (6) and his friend were refused medals. However, the day was saved by fantastic marshals, water points, excellent venue, and most especially two kind-hearted ladies who generously gave their fun run medals to the two kids. Thank you to those ladies, whoever you are!

@Nutreats: despite the 10min late start and incorrect km markers (750m over for most of the 21 course, 400 at the end), #pnpmarathon was great.

Bokang-kabelo Tsotetsi: I ran the Marathon and did great – felt like doing 10 more kays.

@enjabz: did the half, besides initially struggling with finding parking, the race itself was nice. I really enjoyed it!

Warren Graham: Congratulations to all the athletes competing in the 2013 PnP marathon! Thank you, Pick n Pay, for allowing me to inspire these remarkable athletes with songs at your 17/38km waterpoint.

Faan Van Der Westhuizen: It was tough man, but I qualified and that’s all that matters!

In 1975, women were finally allowed to run the Comrades Marathon and we’ve seen many female greats at The Ultimate Human Race since then, in ever increasing numbers. Now, in a bid to grow participation of women at Comrades still further, the Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) and Vital Health Foods teamed up to bring women across SA a seminar that provided essential advice needed in their Comrades preparation. These seminars were aimed at arming sisters with the psychological and technical information they need to help them fuel their drive for road running and achieve their Comrades goal.

KEEPING HEALTHY
The great thing about the seminars were the various Q&A panels, where the ladies could ask the various experts and Comrades veterans about their concerns to the lead-up to one of the world’s most gruelling races. “These essentially revolved around the menstrual cycle and some complications around that for specific individuals,” says Comrades Coach Lindsey Parry, “as well as bathroom usage on the move, bra recommendations and possible supplementation around iron and bone density loss.”

Vital Health Foods dietician Andrea Du Plessis also outlined some nutrition tips for women in training, and dealt with questions around hydration and the energy supplements runners use during the run. Some of Andrea’s top nutrition tips included:

• Sustained energy: For long distances, a low-GI breakfast option such as Vital Original Muesli is ideal, as it ensures sustained energy release.
• Recovery nutrition: Within the first 30 to 60 minutes after a long or intense run, try to ingest a combination of fruit juice or fruit and milk or yoghurt, as this provides the carbohydrates, fluid, electrolytes and amino acids your muscles need to recover best.
• Oil those joints: To support joint mobility and to help in the nutrition management of inflammation, take 1000mg Omega 3 per day. Vital Arthrit Ease is another product that can help with joint mobility, a safe alternative to the anti-inflammatory medicines that one cannot take during an ultra-endurance event.

Vital and the CMA say they are determined to make women’s running more comfortable, and make it that much easier and accessible for women to reach their running goals, and these seminars have gone a long to do just that.

Your legs are beginning to feel the strain of the continual pounding of each step as the sun climbs ever higher and the heat begins to take its toll. You feel like you’ve been running for hours, when suddenly you look to your left and see a long stretch of snow-white beach stretching endlessly up the Cape coastline. Directly below is the deep blue with patches of emerald green sea, breaking tirelessly against the cliff face, and you are gripped by the sheer beauty. You’re running one of South Africa’s most beautiful races…

That’s what you should be imagining right now, reading this article a short while before you’re due to run the Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon. Because with only a few weeks to go until race day, the hard work is done. It’s now time to start thinking about tapering and ensuring that you line up at the start rested and ready to race. As you move into these last few weeks, forget about trying to squeeze in any additional mileage. Rather focus on sharpening up and adding the finishing touches to your preparation:

• Shorter training sessions with quicker repeats will ensure that your legs are turning over quickly and efficiently.
• Get to a sports massage therapist who is able to get rid of the knots which have formed in the muscles as a result of the hard training of the past months.

VISUALISE
Now is the time to begin to visualise the route and the race. Close your eyes and see yourself walking toward the start area. Hear the music blaring out from the PA system. Feel the excitement and adrenaline of your fellow runners as they cheerfully laugh and chat nervously around you. Feel yourself controlling your anxiety and keeping your nerves under wraps as you hold onto the quiet confidence deep within your being. A confidence that says, “I can do this. I’ve worked hard for this. I’m ready for this.” Feel yourself moving with the throng around you as the gun jump starts your heart and gets you underway. Visualisation is one of the most important aspects of race day success, yet the most neglected by so many runners.

There’s also a misconception among runners that your performance or achievements on race day are dependent on ‘the day.’ While this may be true to a point, our fate lies not with the running gods, but rather in how well we have prepared for the race. There are certainly aspects of race day we cannot control, like the weather, picking up a stomach bug or a last-minute change in the route. But those things only account for a very small percentage of the day. The other 90% are things that we can control, and with adequate preparation and planning, we place our success in our own hands.

RACE DAY TIPS

So when it comes to race day tips, tip number 1 is PLAN, PLAN and PLAN some more. If it rains again this year, what is your strategy going to be? What if it’s a cooker of a day? Try to factor in all the possibilities, and here are a few other tips for race day:

•  Apply plasters, lube and sun-block before heading out the door. This way it’s done and no need stressing if there’s a delay getting to the start.

•  Leave your accommodation with plenty of time to spare and get into your seeding pen as soon as possible.

•  Cut your toe nails a few days before race day, NOT the night before. This way there’ll be no rough edges – and you won’t forget.

•  Stop at a garage along the way for your last-minute loo needs to avoid the queues at the port-a-loos.

•  Agree on a meeting spot at the finish with your family the night before.

•  And my final and most important tip: NOTHING new on race day. Try and keep to your usual diet and eating routine in the few days before the race. Stick to the nutrition strategy you’ve used on long training runs and use the same gels or energy drinks. Don’t be tempted to try anything new.

GOOD LUCK and have a great race!

At the beginning of October, the headline bout at EFC
Africa 24 at Carnival City in Johannesburg saw Garreth ‘Soldierboy’ McLellan
regain the EFC (Extreme Fighting Championship) middleweight title from Jeremy ‘Pitbull’
Smith in an aggressive bout that went to the ground in the first round. Garreth
pinned Smith to the mat while landing a devastating elbow to the nose, and with
Smith gushing blood, Garreth applied a rear naked chokehold and forced Smith to
tap out. After months of regaining form and fitness following a double-knee
operation late last year, Soldierboy held the champ’s belt again. “My mind was in
a better place,” he says. “I knew Smith was going to be strong and quick, but I
remained positive.”

NATURAL FIGHTER

Garreth’s talent on the rugby field at school in
Durban took him to the Sharks Rugby Academy in 2007. With a focus on getting
fit for and learning the tricks of playing hooker, he started working with Sharks
fitness coach Jason Vorster, who used MMA as
part of the of the training programme. MMA is a full-on combat sport that
allows grappling and striking techniques from a range of different martial arts:
Judo, boxing, muay thai, karate, wrestling, sambo and jiu jitsu. “Jason was
impressed with what I could do, so I thought I’d look into MMA, and from there
it was just a massive snowball effect on my career,” says Gareth. “I moved up
to Jo’burg, where EFC started up, and now the sport has grown substantially!”

As an amateur, Garreth boasted an
undefeated 10-0 fighting record. He turned pro after a year of fighting, and
then joined EFC in 2009, where he went on a three-year undefeated streak before
becoming the middleweight champ in 2011. His reign was short-lived, however, as
Smith took the title away early in 2012, and Garreth was then sidelined by a
knee injury, but he worked hard to regain fitness and moved back up the
rankings to become number one contender for the title. “The preparation this
year has seen me in the best shape and more confident than before,” he says. “With
my family and church behind me, I also had the support.”

HARD WORK

For the new champ, training consists
of four to six hours a day, six days a week, and each session includes technical
training, conditioning and strength work. Sundays are set aside for running, rowing
or cycling, where Garreth focuses on cardio – although he does sometimes take
the day off for a relaxing round of golf. “I have to prioritise running,
because it helps me maintain my weight. As a middleweight competitor, I have to
sit on 84kg, so the sessions keep me lean,” he says. “Running is also good to
wind down after tough conditioning work, and you can clear the head for a bit!”
Garreth also concentrates on rest and recovery, which involves stretching,
pilates and swimming. “We push our bodies to the max, so it’s also about rest
and eating well – high protein, lots of veg, and the right vitamins.”

Looking ahead, Garreth aims to hold
on to the title he worked so hard to regain, and he hopes to get his big break
on the international stage. “I’ve learnt from experience and I’ve adapted as a
fighter,” he says. “I believe that I’m supposed to be doing this.”

Follow Garreth on Twitter:
@SoldierboyInc