Category: Racing

You’ve entered Comrades 2011, you might be a novice, running the Up Run for the first time or last ran when the Comrades was still in June. Everyone keeps telling you it’s time to start training and it feels like you have a big ticking clock on your back! Take a deep breath, because Comrades is six months away, and while you definitely do need to start training, there is lots of time left to get to your goal; a Comrades medal. Your focus through December should be on enjoying time away from work, spending time with family, and while the usual work and time pressures are reduced, getting into the habit of training.

The main goal for the months of December and January are to build a foundation for the training and long runs ahead. As a novice, the more gradually you build up, the lower your risk of injury will be. Don’t be in a hurry to keep up with the training volumes of more experienced runners. You need to aim to do four runs a week of between 40-60min, giving you a maximum of 40km in week one of December and 50km in week four. Once you are training consistently by the end of the month, you can look to build up the kilometres through January and February so you can get to March and April ready to do the big miles injury-free and mentally fresh.

If you use December to catch up on lost kilometres in November or to get a ‘head-start’ on 2011, you will more than likely pick up an overuse injury, or worse, get to April mentally stale and unmotivated. It is therefore important to try not to focus too hard on the fact that you are preparing for an ultra-marathon. Even experienced Comrades runners should use this time to freshen up and build up the mileage slowly. A silver medallist will run almost half their total mileage in March and April, so doing too much running now will definitely lead to mental and physical burnout.

No need to panic

Now that we have calmed a few nerves on one front, I can feel the anxiety rising in others, as you may not know how you will be able to train because you are going on holiday to a tropical paradise, or will be skiing, visiting Big Five game territory, or staying with family in minus-25 degrees! There is no point in panicking about it now, as it will just take the shine off the holiday. Similarly, there is no need to throw in the towel – you can still train for and finish Comrades.

Important to note is that if you go into December with the best intentions, but do not do as much as planned, there is still hope. The key remains: When you start to train, ensure that you start with short, slow runs (walking if necessary) and build up gradually. If you start December well and then miss a week or two because of the holidays, take 10% off the mileage in the programme and catch back up over two weeks.

Because we are preparing for the Up Run, do not avoid routes with hills. Running hills will make you stronger and increase your confidence when tackling hills.

Most importantly, enjoy the festive season!

DO:
• Start training in December, but build up slowly!
• Run in the morning, because no-one starts training after a couple at lunch…
• Take off Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Years Day. If it’s not in your programme, you won’t feel guilty when you don’t run!
• Spend time with friends and family – there won’t be time next year!
• Put on a bit of weight – it will help in the long run.
• Run the Old Year’s Eve 8km or 10km races; because finishing off 2010 well will create the momentum for 2011.
DON’T:
• Try to catch up the training you missed in November.
• Use the extra time to run big mileage.
• Do nothing – Comrades is in May, not June, so the build-up starts now.
• Set unrealistic goals – December is about doing some running, not getting serious.
• Train through injuries or niggles.
• Get cranky if sundowners interfere with training on the odd evening.

December 2010
29 Nov REST 
30 Nov Walk 5min easy; jog 30min easy; walk 5min
1 Dec REST
2 Dec Walk 5min easy; jog 40min easy; walk 5min
3 Dec REST
4 Dec Walk 5min easy; jog 50min easy; walk 5min
5 Dec 1hr long run, walking when needed
6 Dec REST
7 Dec Walk 5min easy; jog 35min easy; walk 5min 
8 Dec REST 
9 Dec Walk 5min easy; jog 45min easy; walk 5min 
10 Dec REST 
11 Dec Walk 5min easy; Jog 50min easy; walk 5min 
12 Dec 1hr10 long run, walking when needed
13 Dec REST 
14 Dec Walk 5min easy; jog 40min easy; walk 5min 
15 Dec REST 
16 Dec Walk 5min easy; jog 50min easy; walk 5min 
17 Dec REST 
18 Dec Walk 5min easy; jog 50min easy; walk 5min 
19 Dec 1hr20 long run, walking when needed
20 Dec REST 
21 Dec Walk 5min easy; jog 45min easy; walk 5min 
22 Dec REST 
23 Dec Walk 5min easy; jog 55min easy; walk 5min 
24 Dec REST 
25 Dec REST 
26 Dec 1hr long run, walking when needed
27 Dec REST 
28 Dec Walk 5min easy; jog 50min easy; walk 5min 
29 Dec REST 
30 Dec Run 45min easy 
31 Dec Old Year’s Eve 8/10km 

January 2011
1 Jan 1hr10 easy 
2 Jan 1hr30 easy
3 Jan REST 
4 Jan 15min easy; 5x2min hill repeats with slow jog recovery; 15min easy 
5 Jan REST 
6 Jan 1hr easy running 
7 Jan REST 
8 Jan 1hr20 easy 
9 Jan 1hr45 easy
10 Jan REST 
11 Jan 15min easy; 6x2min hill repeats with slow jog recovery; 15min easy 
12 Jan REST 
13 Jan 1hr10 easy running 
14 Jan REST 
15 Jan 1hr30 easy 
16 Jan 2hrs easy

The pictures of models wearing them are quite inspiring; most have beautiful long, lean legs and firm butts that would make any woman rush into the shop to buy a pair of these shoes. After all, why sweat it out in the gym or on the road when you can get a beautiful body just by wearing a pair of shoes.

ALLEGED BENEFITS
The common denominator is that all these shoes have an unstable sole design, which forces the wearer’s body to constantly struggle to find equilibrium or balance. Some of these shoes have rounded sole designs, while others have 1cm-diameter pods built into the forefoot and heel. Most of the shoes have extra cushioning to alter the wearer’s normal walking gait, and the manufacturers promise:
• Destabilisation of the feet to create continuous leg muscle tension.
• Increased leg, calf and gluteal muscle activity.
• Improved posture.
• Barefoot walking gait mimicked.
• Improved muscle tone.

Some people who have used these shoes swear by them, while some manufacturers claim you will perform up to 28% better for no extra effort. But many experts just don’t agree.

PUTTING IT TO THE TEST
Scientists from the Exercise and Health Programme at the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse in the USA, recently studied these types of shoes. The study was funded by the American Council on Exercise. To test the effectiveness of the shoes and evaluate the manufacturers’ claims, the researchers evaluated exercise responses to walking in traditional athletic shoes versus the toning shoes. A second study evaluated muscle activation when walking in regular athletic shoes compared to toning shoes.

For the first study, the researchers recruited 12 active females, aged between 19 and 24 years, and they all completed a dozen five-minute exercise trials in which they walked on a treadmill for five minutes wearing each type of shoe. To measure muscle activation, the researchers recruited a second group of 12 females, aged between 21 and 27 years, who performed a similar battery of five-minute treadmill trials rotating shoes at random. Researchers recorded muscle activity in six muscle areas: calf, quads, hamstrings, buttocks, back and abs, as subjects walked in the different shoes.

THE RESULTS
Across the board, none of the toning shoes showed statistically significant increases in either exercise response or muscle activation during any of the treadmill trials. The researchers found no evidence to support the claims that these shoes will help wearers exercise more intensely, burn more calories or improve muscle strength and tone.

“We tested Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE), which is basically how hard one is working, as well as oxygen consumption, how much oxygen you take in versus being at rest, and caloric expenditure, and we found no significant difference between any of the shoes,” says researcher Stephanie Tepper. “Of course, you feel different when you’re walking on probably an inch worth of cushioning. When people first wear them they’re probably going to be sore because you’re using different muscles. But if you wear any sort of abnormal shoes that you’re not used to wearing, your muscles are going to get sore. Is that going to translate into toning your butt, hamstrings and calves? Nope. Your body is just going to get used to it.”

With that said, some podiatrists believe there are certain circumstances in which this type of footwear may be beneficial. Individuals who have arthritic changes or restrictions at the ankle joint or the big toe joint may well benefit from a shoe which allows the body to pass over the foot in a more fluid manner, as less joint movement is generally thought to be required. They may also provide some relief for those with plantar fascia or heel pain – as any shoe with a raised heel has been shown to reduce the tensile loads in the plantar fascia.

The bottom line is that every human body is different, so some people will love these shoes, and some will hate them. For some they may be beneficial, and for some they may be detrimental. You’ll have to decide for yourself.

(Additional sources: Ian Griffiths, Sports Podiatrist & www. Acefitness.org)

The “Last Desert” done and dusted..

The last week has been an insane experience and a once in a lifetime opportunity to see Antarctica. Yesterday was defiantly the highlight of the trip…we woke up to views of massive white floating ice mountains and there were orca’s, whales and penguins playing next to our boat. Then later that day competitors ran the last stage of the “Last Desert”… running the last 2.3km loop I realised I had done it and my goal / dream to complete the 4 Desert series was coming true. To win all 4 Deserts was a bonus and really rewarding for some long hours of training over the past two years. I was elated crossing the finish line with a South African flag in hand but also relieved to have “done it” as I felt the pressure leading up to the race.

Looking back at the last two stages (3 and 4)… I ran a 100km on stage three which was 40 loops of 2.5km. This stage took place on Deception Island and the scenery was awesome! We started running in a blizzard and visibility was not great but after about two hours the weather cleared and it turned into perfect running conditions. We ran along the beach and looped around a “small hill” which felt like a mountain at times. Running past old whaling stations, baby penguins and loads of birds took my mind off the monotony of running 2.5km loops and the first 15 loops flew by. Then I hit the wall – I felt directionless and did not know when we were going to finish the stage… probably only if the weather turned bad. I felt a bit like a hamster on a turning wheel and had to dig deep to keep focused and keep up the tempo. The next 20 loops were a hard slog…  Then competitors were told we were finishing at 5:30pm as the weather was turning bad…I now had a goal of completing 40 loops /100km. Once again time flew by and before I knew it I was boarding the zodiac to head back to the ship. With only one stage to go I could feel my goal /dream was in sight.

The last and yesterday’s stage took place in Dorian Bay and we ran on a massive glacier. This stage had the toughest running conditions and the first 2.3km loop was a power walk in knee deep and at times waist deep snow. After the first loop competitors had compacted the snow and running was a bit easier but still very slow. I had to concentrate the whole time as one miss placed step could have led to sprained ankle etc. This was by far the most beautiful stage and the views from on top of the glacier were spectacular.  As I said running was slow and technical but this was it…the last stage of the “Last Desert”. I took my time running the last loop; soaked up the experience and reflected on my journey over the past two years and a bit.  Whoo Hoo I had done it!!

We are currently heading back to Ushuaia in some pretty rough seas but are hoping to miss the massive storm… Faaaak!!

A massive thanks to Velocity Sports Lab, Salomon, Red Bull, Oakley, Suunto, Hammer Nutrition and Imazine for making my dream come true!! Thanks Ian, Chris, Benita, Sally, Tara, Willie for helping me cross the finish in one piece!! Kelly thanks for keeping everyone posted and getting me out there!!    Thanks to everyone for your support and messages of encouragement, these kept me going through the tough times and I could not have achieved this without you!!

Ok time for some breakfast… I will post a race report in the next week or so.

Cheers

Ryan

Ryan Sandes has done the impossible and won the Final Desert Race in Antarctica – making him the first person EVER to win all four of the Desert Races. In fact we can go one better – not only has he won every single one of the 4 Desert Races, he has also won EVERY stage on these four races… Well done we are SO proud of you!!!

For more info visit www.thelastdesert.com

Ryan Sandes is doing what he does best and has won stage 3 of the Last Desert Race in Antarctica. He has  a very healthy lead over the 2nd place competitor and says he is feeling good.

Stage 3: “Four seasons in one day!” is how Mary Gadams described today’s weather on Deception Island from a satellite phone on the deck of The Antarctic Dream. South African Ryan Sandes retains a healthy lead from Paolo Barghini of Italy whilst in the women’s section the top three are closely stacked: Diana Hogan-Murphy, of Ireland, Samantha Gash of Australia and Mirjana Pellizzer, of Croatia. The competitors were able to race until 17:30 before the weather finally closed in. The Antarctic Dream is now on a 14 hour crossing to Dorian Bay, and it’s hoped that Stage 4 will begin between 09:00 and 10:00. Satellite internet connections remain difficult to establish and maintain so please bear with us on the updating of website content.

We were woken up yesterday at 4am to be told that Stage one was on hold due to really strong winds. This was not the news I wanted to hear as after 3 days on a boat I was starting to get serious ‘cabin fever’ and really wanted to get the ‘Last Desert’ race started. At about 10am the another announcement was made that stage one would be starting at 12 o’ clock and finish at 9pm….this meant competitors had 9 hours to see how many full 14.5km loops they could do. Whoo Hoo it looked like we were finally getting started!! On the zodiac across to  King George Island it suddenly struck me that the ‘Last Desert’ was here and my adrenalin was pumping.. Stage one consisted of a 14.5km lap with two loops of 4.5km and 2.6km as well as a 150m mandatory walk zone past the Russian base… I assume there are no Russian runners on Antarctica!?

Stage one started and after about 1km I had to peal off all my layers as I found I was overheating…I ran in this gear (tights, 2 base layers, long sleeve running T, buff and a pair of gloves for the last two stages) for the entire stage and never really felt the cold. I was quite a surprised as I thought I would have had to be layered up like an Egyptian mummy. On a few occasions when the wind picked up I could feel the chill on my hands and face. Stage one went really well and I felt comfortable the entire 87km (6 laps)  apart from my near over heating after the first 1km. 70 % of the course consisted of thick snow and Antarctica was a lot more hilly than I expected. Running in snow is loads of fun and in some ways is very similar to running in the sand – just a bit more tricky.

The scenery was insane and it is one of the most beautiful places I have ever run in. While running I could see birds flying everywhere, frozen blue lakes and never ending white frozen landscapes. There were times I forgot I was running a race…  There was one little white bird that tried to attack me every time I ran past it…the first time it dive bombed me and pecked me on the head. It tried this three or four times but after I threw a few snow balls at it left me alone!!

Back to the race I completed 6 laps which was the most and therefore I won stage one. I was stoked with how the day went and also relieved as it is very common for stages to get cancelled during the ‘Last Desert’.  This was a nice start but with the race organisers planning to make stage two 15hours long, the race was far from won.

The plan was to start stage two at 6am and finish at 9pm…most competitors only got to bed at 12pm so a 4am start left little time for any recovery. Stage 2 was also going to be held on King George Island on the same course as stage one. At 4am we were woken with the news that the stage had been delayed due to strong winds and to be honest I was not complaining. I rolled over and went straight back to my coma. At 8am the news was that stage two would be starting at 11am. I ampt myself up and boarded the zodiac to the start line, but on the way there a mass of black clouds were building up overhead and things were not looking promising. Never the less we started stage two but unfortunately the stage was stopped after the first loop (9km).I finished first but as this race is run on distance everyone who finished the first loop gets credited for the 9km. I was super disappointed to be stopped but at the moment we are sitting on the boat in a blizzard. There is talk that we will go out again later… so who knows. I think the most frustrating thing about the ‘Last Desert’ is how uncertain the racing is as we are controlled by the weather conditions.

OK apparently we may go back out to the course at 3:30pm so I better get ready!!

Thanks to everyone for their messages of support and encouragement!!

Cheers

Ryan

Stage 1: The stage finished approx 21:00 today. Ryan Sandes has about an hour lead on the nearest competitor completing nearly 90 kilometers today amid freezing temperatures. Most competitors completed a full marathon distance. Two competitors had to withdraw from the stage, Mark Jaget and Ken Perry of the USA. Both had issues with the cold but are resting and in good spirits. Guy Evans of the UK summed up the stage well: “This was simply the toughest day of any race ever. If we do not run another kilometer all week, we would have earned our medal.” For the women, Diana Hogan-Murphy of Ireland finished top of the rankings. The Italians all had a great day with Emanuele Gallo, Marco Vola and Paolo Barghini all doing very well. Adding a sober dimension to the stage and bringing the harsh nature of this wilderness home to competitors was a crab-eater seal in the middle of the course which had been attacked by an orca whale. The seal took many hours to crawl to sea with everyone holding out hope it would make it, which it did by 20:00 much to competitors’ relief. All competitors are now back on the ship enjoying pizza and pasta. Tomorrow’s stage will return to King George Island starting at 06:00 and lasting until 21:00.

Breaking News about Stage 2 of the Last Desert Race in Antarctica: As the Chinese meteorologist forecast yesterday the weather has deteriorated overnight. Today’s stage was scheduled to begin at 06:00, but the course team and competitors are waiting for an improvement in the conditions. It’s hoped that Stage 2 will kick off by 09:00.

So far life on the Antartic Dream has been good…I have done a lot of eating, sleeping and catching up with fellow competitors. The crossing has been relatively smooth – according to the ship captain conditions are about a 4 out of 12.

Competitors have just been briefed on the first stage which will start tomorrow at 6am and end at 9pm. The first stage will be based on time and  therefore I will  have 15hours to see how far I can run….Faaak the longest I have ever run for in one go is about 11 and a half hours. This is going to be a new challenge and I am super excited to start the first stage on King George Island. The weather conditions are looking good for the first stage and the course director thinks the faster guys should be able to cover 10km an hour.

OK I better go sort out my gear now, but I will keep you posted..

Thanks to everyone for your messages of support!!

Cheers

Ryan

It’s less than three hours until we finally head to Antarctica. I must say there are a few butterflies floating around my stomach this morning, but the adrenalin is pumping through me and I can’t wait to start. I think the first stage will be on Saturday and could be a 100miler… what a place to run my first 100miler!?

Otherwise all is good, I have spent the last few days taking it really easy and shooting some footage for www.wanderingfever.com Dean (Wandering Fever) and I hiked up to a massive glacier above Ushuaia, which was insane until it started pouring down with rain and the temperature dropped about 10 degrees. We went to the National Park yesterday, which was really beautiful but I don’t think Dean appreciated hiking 8km with a 20kg bag loaded with camera gear!!

Ok time to head for quick run before getting on the boat…. The sea looks super calm today…I hope it stays that way!!

Thanks to everyone for your messages of support and encouragement!!!

Keep you posted

Ryan

I am currently in the small city of Ushuaia, in Southern Argentina. I have not seen any penguins yet but it is COLD here.. All the training and prep work is done and now it is a waiting game. My mind always seems to work over time with a hundred different race scenarios going through my head; I can feel the pressure growing and just want the race to start. This race is very different to the other ‘conventional’ desert races I have done and there is a huge unknown element. I suppose I did not know what to expect going into my first race in the Gobi, but then at least I was also an unknown… The media, race organisers etc have touted me as one of the favorites to win the ‘Last Desert’, which looking at my past results I must be. But I know anything can happen out there in -30 degree temperatures and I would be a fool to think the race is in the bag before I have even started it. The ‘Last Desert’ is going to be an experience of a lifetime with some really harsh conditions but I can’t wait for the challenge.

My build up to the race has gone extremely well, with a great year of racing injury free.  For the last two months I have specifically focused on training for Antarctica. This has included a few runs in the Cape Union Maart Ice Chamber to test out my prototype gear designed by Salomon. It is really awesome to have the support of guys like Salomon (make me specially designed gear and shoes), Velocity Sports Lab (training facility in the process of being built with some specialist equipment to help improve my performance), Red Bull, Imazine, Oakley, Suunto and Hammer Nutrition.

My legs are starting to freshen up and I can feel a spring in them after a two week taper so I am hoping by the time we start the first stage they will be like coiled springs waiting to explode. I have got into the right headspace over the last few days and I am feeling really focused and excited about the challenge ahead. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and I am going to make the most of it!!

A massive thanks to everyone for your messages of support and encouragement leading up to the race!!

Thats all for now…

Cheers

Ryan