Category: Racing

More
than 3500 runners dusted off the winter cobwebs to take on the annual RAM
Rockies Avis Van Rental Gerald Fox Memorial Half Marathon & 10km, which
started and finished at the Johannesburg Zoo, while the 5km fun run was held
within the world famous zoo grounds. The weather played along and a great time
was had by all!

 

21KM MEN

1
Sipho Ncube (Nedbank) 1:09:16

2
Isaac Mahlake (Gallopers) 1:16:53

3
Elias Mabane (Nedbank) 1:18:03

21KM WOMEN

1
Kim Laxton (Sunninghill) 1:21:57

2
Jodi Moss (Discovery) 1:31:53

3
Caery Lee Fournier (Temp) 1:34:22

10KM MEN

1
Vincent (Temp) 31:43

10KM WOMEN

1
Caroline Wostmann (Breakthru Midrand) 39:32

 

Race
Previews

Dis-Chem Sun City Swim, 20 October

October
heralds the start of the open water swimming season – and what better way to
kick off the season than with the Dis-Chem Sun City Swim. Held amongst the swaying
palms of the magnificent Sun City Resort, this event has a distance and event
to suit swimmers of all ages and levels. The day kicks off with a 3km swim (two
laps of the dam), followed by four 1.5km age group events, culminating in the 600m
fun swim. All entrants get free access to the resort as well as The Valley of
the Waves. More information at www.suncityswim.co.za – entries close 30
September, but late entries will be available on the day.

 

Dis-Chem Half Marathon, Bedfordview, 13 January

Preparations
are underway for the 12th annual Dis-Chem Half Marathon, one of the most
popular races in Gauteng, so be sure to diarise the date now, because entries
will open in November and you will want to get yours early! Modern Athlete will once again be
teaming up with the race to bring you in-depth previews, training programmes
and giveaways.

Peak
Timing is a Gauteng-based company using ChampionChip Timing technology to
manage and time events. For more information on having your event timed, please
contact Craig van der Westhuizen on 082 551 1487.

There are six events in the 644 Series and each event
is run over 6.44km. Runners start at timed intervals, depending on their
predicted finishing time, so while you are running you are being ‘hunted’ by
the faster runners and at the same time you are ‘hunting’ the slower runners,
with all entrants racing to get to the finish line first. The first event was
held at the Waterfall Country Village in Midrand in early September, and it
proved an exceptional venue. The run was within the safe environment of the
estate, with excellent marshalling and no traffic to contend with, but it was a
bit dark in some spots and I recommend you wear a headlight.

 

My handicap was 14, which meant that I was expected to
finish 14 minutes behind an Olympic runner, and my start leg was 31. At exactly
7pm the slowest runners started. Thereafter, the “hunters” left the starting
blocks in minute increments until the last runner, Leon Baker of Breakthru
Midrand, set off at 7:41. I started at 7:31pm in a group with three other
runners, and this was a great speed incentive from the start, as I pushed to
stay with the group. It was a great feeling catching up to slower runners – and
admittedly not such a great feeling when faster runners caught up to me! But
this in itself was also great incentive as I tried to stick to the faster
runners for a while. In the last kilometre my lungs were burning, but I crossed
the line in exactly the time that was predicted for me, which was a great
feeling! I would love to go back, though, and push myself even harder to beat
my predicted time. In a rush for the finish, it was Brandon Doyle of team Convergence
and Wanda Vogel of Team Meerkat who took line honours.

 

The 644 Series is for everyone, from walkers to
runners, from slow athletes to the elite. There is also an innovative team
system that allows runners to pit their skills against club mates, work
colleagues or friends, to earn the right to wear the coveted yellow polyshorts.
Come and join the Modern Athlete team at the next events in the series:

?        
27 September 2012:
Modderfontein Sports Complex @ 7pm

?        
11 October: Waterfall
Country Village @ 7pm

?        
25 October: Zoo Lake
@ 7pm

?        
8 November: Italian
Club, Bedfordview @ 7pm

?        
22 November:
Waterfall Country Village @ 7pm

Entries are available at www.644.co.za, and timing
will be done by Peak Timing using ChampionChip.

THE SINGLE GIRL – DRIEKIE MYBURGH

 

Did other club members make an
effort to mingle with you? Yes, from the very first time
trial I took part in. Since my running club is not all that large, it made it
very easy to mingle and meet new people.

 

From a single girl’s perspective,
do you get advances from the single guys in the club? Most
are married or involved, but there are one or two that I have noticed giving me
‘the look,’ and one has actually made the effort to come and chat to me. It really
motivates me to go to time trials in the hope that I see my new ‘friend.’

 

Have you ever dated anyone in
your club? Yes, but sadly it did not work out.

 

How easy is it to be sociable in
your running club? Everyone is very friendly and
helpful. They also have a hamburger evening every last Thursday night after
time trial, which is a great way to get to know healthy, fit people instead of going
out to bars and night clubs.

 

THE MARRIED WOMAN – FERNE MURABITO

 

Does being married affect your
social life in your running and cycling clubs? I am very
social with all my club mates, both male and female alike.

 

Knowing that you are married, do
single male members pay any interest in you? I have
not attended that many ‘meets’ at my running club, and I belong to my cycling
club with my husband, so no, I would not say the male members pay any extra
interest in me, but some other ladies might have a different experience.

 

Have you ever thought a guy in
the club is too flirtatious? Not at the cycling or running
clubs, whereas the gym tends to be more of a pick-up joint. Running and cycling
take a whole lot more effort and for a man looking for a girl it is way easier
to lift a couple of weights instead of running 21km or cycling 100km.

 

Which is more social, your
running or cycling club? I would probably say cycling, as
I know more people there, but I have heard that the runners are a rowdy, social
bunch too.

 

So can you see a difference
between the runners and the cyclists? The one
group is more focused, painfully aware of what they eat and weigh, and the other
is more social and not afraid to have a huge party the night before a race… I
will leave it up to you to decide which is which.

 

THE MATCH MADE IN A RUNNING CLUB – ANONYMOUS

 

Is being part of a club conducive to meeting
someone special? Being part of a sports club does enable you to meet
like-minded people who understand your lifestyle and share your passions.

 

How long did you belong to the club before
going on a date? One year.

 

Do you know of other couples that met like
you guys did? Yes, there are actually a few that I know who met this
way.

 

Did either of you go to the club to meet
people or were you purely focused on running? We both went mainly
for the purpose of running, but making friends was definitely a big aspect of
joining a club. I had not really thought of meeting a partner there.

 

Would you suggest to other singles to try meeting
people through a club? Yes, definitely. Having a partner who shares
your passion for a healthy lifestyle is very important. It also helps having
someone who understands why you want to get up at five o’clock on a Saturday or
Sunday morning, and supports you in all your crazy goals and ideas. Being able
to run and train together is a great way to share quality time together.

 

 The Social Side of Things… from the Social Media

 

We asked
our readers on Facebook and Twitter if they have met their partner through a running
club, and to comment on the social side of being part of a club. Here are a few
of the responses.

 

Sally Hollick: We’ve been together
for more than six years now!

Liezel vd Westhuizen: Running is
the best way to meet people, everyone greets when you run past.

Debbie Osborne: Lol, no,
but I’d love too! It would be awesome to have someone to run with!

Maritza Hartkopf: Still trying to get
my loved one to start running…

With the London Olympics done and dusted, South
African paddler Bridgette Hartley says it is all still sinking in as she is feted
all over South Africa following her third-place finish in the K1 Kayak 500m sprint
women’s final. Starting as one of the top seeds, Bridgette crossed the line in 1:52.923, behind gold medallist Danuta
Kozak of Hungary (1:51.456) and Ukrainian Inna Osypenko-Radomska (1:52.685). “I
remember the World Champs in Poland in May and the first to sixth placings were
just seconds apart, so I knew it was going to be close in London. I just
remember hearing beep, beep, beep at the finish!”

 

Having finished, she was
unsure about her final placing, looking up at the scoreboard, hoping for ‘South
Africa’ to blink in the top three. “I was excited when I finished, but I had to
calm down before I knew about a medal position for sure. I sensed my bronze, but thought there might be a photo-finish, and then
finally I saw it, and my coach was
in front of me and it was so cool to experience it. My parents and my step-dad
were also there to celebrate it with me, and it was my best moment as an
athlete!”

 

Gracious and humble, Bridgette says she had always hoped for a medal in the Games,
but never expected one. She was in good shape, though, and explains how she
“put her head down” and raced well in her qualifying heats and the semi-final.
“In the final, I was nervous but I had a race plan to focus on. I did not want
to be distracted by medals and even though I probably only got four hours of
sleep the night before, I was going into it with confidence.” Still, she
says watching the race now still brings back all the emotion of that day. “I get
nervous all over again!”

 

TRAINING HARD

In the build-up to
London, Bridgette paddled twice a day and went to gym four times a week, as
well as doing morning swims, yoga and Pilates, training a total of three to
four hours a day, but she says her running was the foundation for her success. She
would do two main running sessions a week, fitting in 8km to 10km and focussing
on hills for strength, as well as shorter sprint and speed work sessions when
an event was around the corner. “Running helps me a lot, as you need all-round
endurance, and I’d only rest one day a week and cross-train to get fitness up. As
a top athlete, that’s your life.”

 

She also keeps strict
tabs on her diet, focusing on chicken fruit and veggies. “Your body needs to
feel right and if you don’t eat well, it will also affect your recovery,” she
says. “But balance in important, so I still sometimes indulge in a bit of chocolate…”

 

MAKING PLANS

With London 2012 behind
her, Bridgette says her next big goal will be the 2013 World Champs in May. “It’s
short-term goals at the moment, and I want to enjoy a holiday before it’s on to
a new training season.” She also says that her bronze-winning performance has
already generated a great responses from youngsters who are now inspired to get
into paddling. “I hope, too, that I’ve inspired women, and I hope that it gives
room for us to develop athletes for the future.”

After completing his first Sani2C in 2006, avid mountain
biker Johan Kriegler was determined to host a similar multi-stage race in the
Western Cape, so in 2008 he approached local sports marketing specialists
Stillwater Sport & Entertainment and the Wines2Whales three-day mountain
bike stage race was born. The inaugural event took place in November 2009 and
attracted 300 riders. By 2010 word of the Wines2Whales had gotten out and a
spectacular field of 1100 riders signed up to be part of the experience, with another
300 riders on the waiting list! This saw the organisers split the field in 2011,
with the introduction of the slightly more relaxed Wines2Whales Adventure, so
that more riders could be part of the experience. Both the 2011 Wines2Whales
Adventure and Wines2Whales Race attracted a field of 850 riders each, with another
400 riders on the waiting list!

 

This year both events will see 1100 eager riders per
event flock to Lourensford Estate in Somerset West for the start of a mountain
biking experience like no other. The event will once again feature a new venue
for the Race Village, at Oak Valley Sports Field in Elgin, Grabouw, and riders
will cross 13 wineries, 26 private farms, six mountains, historic roads and
mountain passes, and nature conservation areas (including the Kogelberg
Biosphere), before finishing within sight of the famous whales of Hermanus.

 

LEGENDARY STATUS

“Our main objective is to continuously develop the Wines2Whales
routes. We are proud to say that over the past three years these routes have
become legendary within the mountain biking community. Each year it is our
mission to increase the scenic level of our routes, while raising the fun bar,
so a structure such as Pofadder, a 100m wooden trail structure that runs
between cliffs and a waterfall, has become infamous amongst riders, both locally
and internationally,” says Johan.

 

“This year we’ll add Magic Mountain, Corkscrew,
Boomslang, which is two 20-metre steel structures that run through trees, four meters
above the ground, and Big Dipper, a 100-metre structure that runs over, along
and around the Eikenhof Dam. These structures, plus 25 bridges, the longest of
which is 30 metres in length, the 600-metre pallet along the Onrus beach
crossing, as well as kilometres of flowing single track wrapped between
mountains, vineyards, orchards and fynbos biospheres, dam wall crossings,
rivers, cliffs and the ocean, will once again create one of the best mountain
bike experiences in the world.”

 

The
trails are built and maintained by Cape Trails, a group of four previously
unemployed youth from Grabouw that have been funded by Wines2Whales since 2010,
with additional funding from the Pedal Power Association. In the past, these
four intrepid trail builders often had to walk to work if Johan could not give
them a lift, as they only had broken bicycles without brakes, but Johan tells
how this all changed recently. “A friend at King’s Cycles in Worcester had a
customer who had four mountain bikes and helmets that he was willing to trade
for a Wines2Whales entry, so as of 1 June this year our Trail Builders have
been cycling to work.” The foursome now take their bikes out on the weekends to
make full use of the trails they’ve built, and it’s no surprise to hear that
they all hope to race the Wines2Whales in the near future.

 

EVENT INFO

Friday 2 – Sunday 4 November: Contego
Wines2whales MTB Adventure

Friday 9 – Sunday 11 November: Contego
Wines2whales MTB Race

Race Village: Oak Valley Sports
Field, Elgin

Start Venue: Lourensford Estate,
Somerset West

Finish: Onrus Caravan Park,
near Hermanus

More info: 076 118 0874 /
[email protected] / www.wines2whales.co.za

Follow us: Facebook: Contego
Wines2Whales or Twitter: @w2wmtb

 

GIVING BACK

Wines2Whales firmly
believes in community upliftment through sport, and the following charities
receive support from the event: Songo.info (a charity focusing on bringing
sport to the Kayamandi township of Stellenbosch) and local community programmes
en-route, including Hermanus Rotary Club, Helderberg Sunrise Rotary Club, Elgin
Round Table, De Rust Futura School, Botriver School, Cape Leopard Trust, Cape
Trails and the Botriver Educational Foundation.

 

LEOPARDS SPOTTED ON ROUTE

In September 2011 the
Wines2Whales organisers showed their support for conservation by donating
five digital camera traps to the Cape Leopard
Trust (CLT) Boland Project. After the first camera-checking excursion in
November 2011, a young, previously unrecorded leopard had been photographed at Paul Cluver (De Rust Estate, Grabouw), and six months after deployment, two
previously recorded leopards, Scott (BM12) and Popeye (BM17) had been
photographed using the Schapenberg Trail.

For more information
on the work of the Cape Leopard Trust, go to www.capeleopard.org.za
or www.facebook.com/capeleopard.

Discovery 702 Walk
the Talk, Johannesburg,
22 July

Over 58 000 walkers dressed in light blue and 1 500
dogs took to the streets of Jozi in July to participate in the city’s biggest
mass participation event, the Discovery 702 Walk the Talk. Amongst the crowd
were a number of celebs and top government officials who also turned out for a
stroll, including
Miss South Africa Melinda Bam, Miss Teen South Africa Celeste Khumalo, Police
Minister Nathi Mthethwa and Speaker of Parliament, Max Sisulu.

 

The Walk the Talk is a must-do on the Gauteng calendar, one of the province’s best-loved events, with walkers of all ages
and sizes joining in the fun, from the serious competitors who took part in the
30km and 15km timed races, to the families who walked with dogs and prams in
the 8km and 5km fun walks. And many of them were dressed up in costumes to
ensure they stood out in the crowd in what is now affectionately called the ‘meeting
of the neighbours’ event.

 

“Walk the Talk is all about fun and family engagement,
traits that support our core purpose of making people healthier, and enhancing
and protecting their lives,” said Jody Foster, Discovery head of sponsorship. “It
is always inspiring to see people coming together from all walks of life to
join each other in a fun, feel-good activity,” adds Pheladi Gwangwa, station
manager at Talk Radio 702. “This year was no
different – we have been overwhelmed by the camaraderie and spirit of the
wonderful people of Joburg.”

 

RUNNERS THAT WALK, TOO

There were even a few hardcore runners out for a walk:
“I used the 30km walk as part of my training for the Washie!” says Shaun
Naidoo. “I enjoyed the route, and I loved the atmosphere and fun vibe along the
course.” Another walker, Nomzobo Cuba, also took on the 30km route:
“I am quite fit as I’ve been running for more than two years, but at about
24km, I knew I was finished. But I was determined to complete the course, even
though my body was screaming so much by now. We approached the finish line and
that was the best feeling ever. It was amazing to think something so easy as
walking could be such an exciting and gruesome experience all at once!”

 

At the front end of the timed races, last year’s
winner, Lebogang Shange once again finished first in the men’s 30km in a time
of 2:34:44, while Sandra Steenkamp took the women’s title in 2:44:49. In the
15km, Lewis Moise won the men’s race in 1:10:45 and Susan Katrakazis won the
women’s event in 1:31:19.

 

FOR A GREAT CAUSE

As in previous years, R10 from every 5km and 8km entry
will go to charity and a portion of the proceeds will be presented to the
Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, which uses sport as a tool to bring about
social change in a number of community projects. Many Laureus Ambassadors,
including Butch James, Lucas Radebe, Baby Jake Matlala and John Robbie took
part in the 8km fun walk. This year, the funds will go to the Johannesburg
Cubs, a talented cricket team from disadvantaged backgrounds who are coached not
only in the basics of the sport, but also taught valuable life skills.

 

The Discovery 702 Walk the Talk is also committed to
using some of the funds raised to create legacy projects in the areas directly
affected by the event. Last year, together with the Emmarentia Residents
Association, the event helped build a walkway across an ecologically sensitive
wetland area with proceeds from the event.

RAM
Rockies Avis Van Rental Gerald Fox
Half Marathon, Johannesburg, 9 September

The
Gerald Fox event will once again take place at the Johannesburg Zoo – all
participants get free entry for the day – and the route sees runners meandering
through the leafy suburbs of Saxonwold and Forest Town. There is something for
everybody with a 21km, a 10km (including a corporate challenge), and a 5km fun
run within the Zoo’s grounds. This year there is a special floating trophy to
be awarded to the best performing club in both men’s and women’s divisions. Also
look out for the Modern Athlete pacesetters on race day.

 

Entries
are sure to be sold out once again, so make sure you get yours today! Enter at www.championchip.co.za.
Results are brought to you by Vit-T-Go and you have the option of purchasing
some of this great product with your online entry.

 

Another
innovation is the introduction of ChampionChip Timing to ensure all
participants get their results quickly and accurately! This will be done by Peak
Timing, which specialises in the timing of running and cycling events. To find
out more about having your race timed, or to become a timing sponsor, call
Craig of Peak Timing on 082 5511 487.

RACE
PREVIEW

Get Ahead
at the 644 Series

Nothing like a headstart to get your own back on those faster runners!

Tired of
the same races and the same time trials? Then get ready to tackle the 644
Series, an exciting new race format that
recognises an individual athlete’s running ability by levelling the playing
fields using a unique handicapping system. It’s sure to bring a different dimension
to the running calendar.

 

The
six events of the 644 series will be run over 4 miles (6.44 kilometres), with
entrants being started at one-minute intervals, from slowest to fastest, so all
entrants are literally racing all other runners to get to the finish line
first. What’s more, there is an innovative team system that allows runners to
pit their skills against club mates, work colleagues or friends to earn the
right to wear the yellow polyshorts! A unique league system has been developed
across the series to keep things interesting and relevant for all participants.

 

Entries
are limited to 644 participants per event, so you need to enter early, but a further
innovation allows you to enter for the whole series upfront and guarantee your
spot. The first event will be on 13 September at Waterfall Estate, Midrand and each event will be timed by
Peak Timing using ChampionChip. So what are you waiting for? Check out www.644.co.za
for more info.

Bones
have many roles in your body: They provide structure, anchor muscles, protect
vital organs and store essential calcium. However, women’s bone development
peaks around the age of 20 and they often slowly lose bone density as they grow
older, so it’s important to maintain bone strength after that, and
weight-bearing activities like running, walking and lifting weights are great
ways to do this. Strengthening your bones will also give you more energy,
flexibility and vitality.

 

However,
many female athletes often concentrate too much on cardiovascular training and
ignore strength training, especially when they hit the gym, because they want
to lose weight but not pick up muscle mass, but this further contributes to
their loss of bone strength. On the other hand, running can also contribute to low
bone density: The more intensive your training is, the less oestrogen you
produce, which is a major cause of weakening bones. A woman training hard for a
marathon, for example, could experience a reduction in oestrogen production of
up to 50%.

 

The
secret is finding the right balance between building strength and eating right,
so to keep your structure sturdy, heed the following advice to help prevent
problems down the road.

 

1. GET YOUR VITAMINS:
Women
need a higher calcium intake than men, around 1000mg of calcium per day, and after
50, the daily requirement climbs to around 1300mg. Vitamin D is another must
for bone strength, as it helps the body absorb enough calcium, while magnesium,
vitamin K and omega-3 fatty acids are also essential for bone health. Therefore
make sure your diet includes these vitamins and minerals, or alternatively get
supplements to ensure your body is getting enough of them. Also, go out and get
some sun for fifteen minutes a day to up your vitamin D intake – it’ll make you
feel relaxed and more energetic.

 

2. EAT RIGHT: An easy
way to ensure bone strength is proper nutrition, so make sure these foods are
in your trolley:

?        
Dairy
products
– Considered the best source of the three essentials, calcium, vitamin D and
magnesium.

?        
Leafy
greens –
Another great source of the three essentials.

?        
Nuts and
seeds –
excellent source of magnesium and the omega-3 fatty acid ALA.

?        
Beans – Loaded
with magnesium and calcium.

?        
Dried
fruits –
Contain compounds that enhance the body’s ability to build bone strength.

?        
Fish – Great
way to get vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids.

?        
Tea – Most
brews contain fluoride, flavanoids and phytoestrogens that contribute to bone
strength.

?        
Fortified
foods –
Whole grain cereals, orange juice and non-dairy milks usually contain added
calcium and vitamin D.

 

3. EXERCISE: Eating for
your bones needs to be backed up by regular weight-bearing physical activities,
such as running, walking, hiking, dancing, stair climbing, weight-lifting and
racquet sports. While swimming and cycling can improve your endurance and
fitness, they are not the ultimate sports to improve bone mass density.

 

MAKE NO BONES ABOUT
IT…

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. Make it a lifestyle choice to
protect your bones and you’ll be making a long-term investment in your health
and quality of life.

As many young South African boys do, Abrie Griesel dreamt of one day wearing the Springbok jersey and playing for his country. From a young age, he ran around on the family farm in Springfontein in the Free State with a rugby ball, and never missed watching a single Springbok rugby match with his family, who are all avid Springbok supporters. “My father, Jan, played rugby at a provincial level and passed on the love of the game to me,” says Abrie.

His rugby career really took off when he attended one of the country’s leading rugby schools, Grey College in Bloemfontein, and in 2010 Abrie was selected for the Free State under-18 team for the Academic Week, where he was scouted by the Blue Bulls franchise and moved to Pretoria. That saw him offered a bursary to study at Tuks, and after a few trial games he was selected to play scrumhalf for the under-19 Blue Bulls squad. That in turn led to him being selected for the South African team, the ‘Baby Boks,’ for the Under-19 World Cup recently held in South Africa, which the home team went on to win!

Abrie says it took a lot of hard work, discipline and extra training to get to this level in rugby. “Firstly, I think what it takes to make it is believing in yourself that you can make it. I knew that God gave me this gift and what I do with it is my gift back to him, but it still took extra training in my own time. My running fitness had a lot to do with getting into the Baby Boks team, and I believe it also had a lot to do with my healthy lifestyle, which includes plenty of rest and good nutritional habits. It was overwhelming, yet exciting to play at this level.”

RUNNING REQUIRED
Playing provincial-level rugby requires an immense amount of fitness training, especially for a scrumhalf, who has to be quick off the mark to get to every breakdown in order to link the forwards and backs, so Abrie says running, especially speed work, is the most important part of his fitness training. “We do a lot of 20-metre, 50-metre and 100-metre sprints, mostly done in sets of 10. This is mainly for fitness and speed performance on the field. Also, during team training sessions, the conditioning coach sets out cones on the field in a specific way to improve our agility, acceleration and speed over different distances while we are running.”

“Longer distance runs are also important, as they improve our stamina and help us to stay focused on the field during a game. This includes a regular 3km to 5km run which we have to finish in a given time according to our positions. We also do a run that we call ‘20 minutes of Fun,’ which includes 50-metre sprints alternating with a 50-metre jog around the rugby field.”

FAMILY INSPIRATION

Sport has always been part of the Griesel family make-up. Abrie’s sisters Marli and Janette also excelled at sport at school, and they try to make it to all his matches to support their little brother. “My parents were also so inspirational. My father taught me from a young age to never give up, and always give that little bit of extra effort, and my mom always reminded me to go out and enjoy each game, despite the outcome.”