Runner`s World - April 2016

Transcription

TOP
TIGHTS
& 6 SOCKS
THAT ROCK!
p47
Feet
Hurt?
Fast
Fixes
p44
BAREFOOT
RUNNING
Fad Or Phenom?
THE 1KM
TRAINING
PLAN
Why Can’t I
Run Faster?
Use Science To Succeed p57
SOUTHERN AFRICAN EDITION
R39.00 (R4.79 VAT incl)
R41.50 Foreign Countries
N$41.50 Namibia
www.runnersworld.co.za
C@ntrol MSS
WARM-UP
CONTENTS
THE LOOP
06
APRIL
2016
RAVE RUN
EDITOR’S LETTER
10
14
Peter Moses
has finished 61
races, including
four ultra
marathons.
MAN
17 CINDERELLA
Peter Moses thought
becoming a gangster would
make him happy – and yet,
he never came close to
getting his hands on gold.
But then he found running.
BY LISA NEVITT
ON THE COVER
Runner’s Diet....................................62
Post-Run Power Meals...................42
Beginners.........................................36
Use Science To Succeed................57
Tights And Socks............................47
Why You Need Stronger Feet........44
Barefoot Running............................35
Ryan Sandes Exclusive...................68
57
SWEAT SCIENCE
WHY CAN’T
I RUN FASTER?
Most of us know the
effort it takes to push for
a PB. But what exactly is
going on inside us that
holds us back?
BY ALEX HUTCHINSON
62
68
How good gut
health helps you
on the run.
In this exclusive extract
from trail star Ryan
Sandes’ just-published
autobiography, Sandes
talks about the first multistage race – in the Gobi
Desert – that launched his
competitive career.
HALF
THE BATTLE
BY SAM MURPHY
SANDES OF
THE GOBI
76
THE TAMING
OF THE OTTER
The Otter African Trail
Run rates as the premier
event on the South
African trail-running
calendar. Runner’s World
captures the most
challenging moments.
BY JACQUES MARAIS
BY STEVE SMITH
4
RUNNER’S WORLD APRIL 2016
PHOTOGRAPH BY NICK ALDRIDGE
CONTENTS
42
36
WE’RE ALWAYS
RUNNING AT
RUNNERSWORLD.CO.ZA
TREAT YOUR FEET!
Your foot is the first point
of contact with the ground
when you run. To avoid
injury, keep your ankles,
heels and arches strong
and healthy. For key
exercises, watch our video
at runnersworld.co.za/
bestfootforward
ON THE COVER
APRIL
38
HUMAN RACE
22 The Singlet He knows it all.
24
I Ran It Off! A software architect
transforms his body.
32
By The Numbers NASA astronaut
Scott Kelly ran his way through
space.
FUEL
42Go With A Grain Five varieties
that add nutritional firepower to
every meal.
MIND+BODY
44
Best Foot Forward Learn how to
pinpoint pain, determine its cause,
and prevent it from returning.
GEAR
47 Tights & Socks
THE NUTRITION ISSUE
SA’S BEST-SELLING RUNNING MAGAZINE
SLIM
DOWN
SPEED
UP!
10
RACES+PLACES
p47
Feet
Hurt?
Fast
Fixes
The Ultimate
Runner’s Diet
PLUS
TASTY
POST-RUN
POWER
MEALS
p44
BAREFOOT
RUNNING
28Run The World
The Truth About Tokyo
BY CALVIN FISHER
30The Newbie Chronicles
Mind Games
BY KATHRYN ARNOLD
90Back of the Pack
Badge Of Honour
BY BRUCE PINNOCK
Exclusive
“I was pushing past
mental boundaries I didn’t
even know existed.”
Ryan Sandes’ New Autobiography
Use Science To Succeed p57
COLUMNS
Fad Or Phenom?
THE 1KM
TRAINING
PLAN
Why Can’t I
Run Faster?
85 Racing Ahead
APRIL 2016
TOP
TIGHTS
& 6 SOCKS
THAT ROCK!
Beginners
PERSONAL BEST
TRAINING
34The Future’s So Bright No matter
what derailed your training, you
can get back on track.
36The Starting Line Just adding a
single kilometre to your normal
routine can ramp up your fitness.
38The Fast Lane Think you can’t go
any harder? Think again.
Race Prep A little planning will
40
ensure a fun, productive, and
injury-free year.
2016
04262
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9 771021 566004
Runner – Lisa Chulich
wears bra top by
Champion, shorts by Asics
and watch by Puma.
Makeup by
Jessi Pagel Diaz for
camerareadycosmetics.com
Styling by
Argy Koutsothanasis
Sittings Styling by
Brienne Neuman
Photographed by
Larsen & Talbert
APRIL 2016 RUNNER’S WORLD 5
WARM-UP
THE LOOP
THE POLL
Do you
run
listening
to
music?
THE INBOX
WINNING LETTER
FRESH START
Ever since I was a boy,
I’ve always loved to run,
because of how it makes
me feel: running gives me
the freedom to look into
the trees, hear the birds,
and feel the sun and wind.
That changed when I fell
into a bad crowd at high
school, and stopped doing
sport. I became addicted
to smoking and alcohol;
and as a consequence,
depression set in. So my
parents sent me to go
and live with my brother
in Rustenburg, where I got a job working
in the mines. In my spare time I started
running again, around the neighbourhood.
It was there I met Hetta Havenga, manager
of Run Walk For Life, at a church fun run.
I began to train with Hetta, and my coach
Erika, for all these amazing races, and now
I have my sights set on a Bill Rowan medal
at Comrades. – STEFAN DU PLOOY, RUSTENBURG
39%
YES. EVERY TIME.
61%
NO. TOO
DISTRACTING.
THE BOTTOM LINE
SKINNY SCOOP
is SA’s first sugar-free protein ice cream. The guilt-free
treat is already available in Cape Town, and co-owners
and directors Jarred Plu’g and Gabriella Esposito
plan to launch it in Johannesburg and Durban within
the next year. Look out for exciting new flavours.
skinnyscoop.co.za
WATER WISE
The water crisis facing South Africans
presents runners participating in races with
a challenge. We could conserve water at
races by: wearing hydration packs, and
appropriate gear, so we don’t have to throw
water over ourselves; volunteering to drive,
carry or collect water for use at races; only
taking the water we’re going to drink; and
ensuring we’re properly hydrated at the
start of each race. – TRACY ECCLES, GAUTENG
WHAT RUNNING ADVICE
WOULD YOU GIVE TO YOUR
YOUNGER SELF?
“Forget about the
gadgets. Invest in
good shoes and just
enjoy running. The
achievements will
come later.”
– Bernard Badenhorst
“Don’t be intimidated
by fast runners.”
– Thabo Mashoro
This month’s winning letter will receive a pair of Budds By
DJ Fresh Bluetooth Earbuds, valued at R699. Whether
you’re road or trail running, hiking or at the gym, at home,
at work or in between, BUDDS By DJ Fresh will give your
life a soundtrack. Music and calls are transmitted to
your earpiece wirelessly, allowing you freedom to move
without the restrictions of being physically attached
to your mobile. The rubber buds, ear-hoops and in-ear
control panel all work together to give you a lightweight
but firm in-ear grip. Write to: Runner’s World, PO Box
16368, Vlaeberg, 8018; Fax: 021 408 3811; or email:
rwletters@media24.com (letters must be no longer than
100 words and must include your name, address and
telephone number or email address).
“Get a plan and take it
one run at a time.”
– Salomé Hanli le Roux
“The first 10 minutes
are an uphill battle
between your body
and mind. Push
through, and you’ll
run forever.”
– Cherona Vlok
“Running is a longterm commitment. In
good times and bad.
There’ll be a lot of
both, but never let
anything stop you.”
– Carmen Gouws
“Invest in good
shoes, a strong core
and lower body, and
slowly ramp up your
mileage.”
– Scott Stewart
“Stretching and core
exercises are not to be
underestimated. Injuries
will curtail your fun.”
– Schalk van der Merwe
“It might hurt, but it
won’t kill you. The
hardest challenge is
training your brain.
Run to a telephone
poll, walk to the next,
and run to the one
after that. Next time,
run for two telephone
poles. Eventually,
you’ll be able to join
the dots.”
– Kim Mottley
P H OTO G R A P H S U P P L I E D ( S T E FA N ) ; B Y JA M E S G A R AG H T Y ( E A R P H O N E S )
runner’s world reserves the right to edit readers’
submissions. All readers’ submissions become the sole
property of Runner’s World and may be published in
any medium and for any use worldwide.
READER COMMENTS
THE GALLERY
#INSTARWRUN
We asked runners to show
off their running experiences.
Here are four submissions
that made us envious.
THE QUESTION
WHAT ARE YOUR
BUCKET-LIST RACES?
“A sub-nine-hour
Comrades.”
– Jotina Faith Mukaro
“Kilimanjaro and the
Big Five Marathon.”
– Amanda Stonehouse
P H OTO G R A P H B Y I M AG E S A ( T WO O C E A N S ); T E R E N C E V R U G T M A N ( S K Y R U N ) ; S H AW N B E N JA M I N / A R K I M AG E S ( BAY TO BAY )
– johnmartinct
“The famous track at the
Nike campus in Portland.
I would sell my kidney on
the black market to run
it.” – Matodzi Phosa
“Lesotho Skyrun,
Cederberg Traverse, Ultra
Trail Cape Town, and then
running the R355 between
Ceres and Calvinia, 208km
through the Tankwa
Karoo.”
“London Marathon,
Comrades, and New
York.” – Kathy Bergh
– Lourens van der Colf
“Sydney or Melbourne.”
TWEET OF THE MONTH
“Nothing quite like a quick
#morningrun to start your
day #quick3k #instarwrun”
– migueldasilva
“What a privilege to be able
to run among this. #Clarens
#LiveTheWeekend
#instarwrun” – tanyakovarsky
RACE
OCEAN BASKET
CAPE TOWN
BAY TO BAY 2016
“Really enjoyed this
race. Apart from the
overall beauty of the
route (despite the wind
being a bit challenging),
it was well organised
and professionally
managed.” – Martin
Janse van Rensburg
– hallowandplank
“Silvermine circuit, 9km
#strava #trailrunning
#instarwrun
#runnersworldza”
RATE YOUR
– Madelein Schreuder
“Two Oceans Half and
Skukuza Half.”
“Let’s take it back to
the streets, where I was
young and carefree.
The streets where I did
the Reckless Running
thing #RecklessRunning
#instarwrun”
WE’RE ALWAYS
RUNNING AT
RUNNERSWORLD.CO.ZA
– Karin Maritz
VISIT WWW.
RUNNERSWORLD.
CO.ZA/EVENTS AFTER
YOUR RACE TO SHARE
YOUR EXPERIENCE.
“FOR SOME PEOPLE,
IT’S JUST A DREAM.
FOR OTHERS, IT’S A
REALITY. EVERYTHING
IS POSSIBLE FOR THE
ONES WHO BELIEVE
ROAD2RIO!”
– @LUSAPHOAPRIL
RUNNER’S WORLD PROMOTION
WARM-UP
Southern African Edition. A joint venture between Rodale Press, Inc and Media24 Magazines.
EDITORIAL
Editor MIKE FINCH (mike.finch@media24.com)
Deputy Editor LISA NEVITT (lisa.nevitt@media24.com)
Online Editor KIRSTEN CURTIS (kirsten.curtis@media24.com)
Senior Designer MARK ARENDSE (mark.arendse@media24.com)
Chief Sub / Managing Editor DAVE BUCHANAN
Editorial Assistant ANDRÉ VALENTINE
Digital Assistant PENNY CAIRNS (penelope.cairns@media24.com)
Picture Editor AMY MOSTERT
Gear Editor RYAN SCOTT (madibapi@gmail.com)
Scientific Editor DR ROSS TUCKER
Editor-at-Large BRUCE FORDYCE
CONTRIBUTORS
Nick Aldridge, Shawn Benjamin, Tudor Caradoc-Davies, Casey Crafford, Calvin Fisher, James Garaghty,
Claus Kempen, Elzana Kempen, Wouter Kingma, Peter Kirk, Jacques Marais, Lindsey Parry, Bruce Pinnock,
Ryan Sandes, Erika Sissison, Steve Smith, Terence Vrugtman,
Kathryn Arnold, Emma Ritchie Calder, Megan Ditrolio, Leo Espinosa, Jeff Galloway, Paul Grimes, Alex Hutchinson,
Matthew Kadey, Cindy Kuzma, Zohar Lazar, Mitch Mandel, Dr Jordan Metzl, Sam Murphy, Rami Niemi, Agata Pec,
Matt Rainey, AC Shilton, Joshua Simpson, Kirsten Ulve
PUBLISHING & MARKETING
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Kay Better
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you’ll have all the tools you need to run better,
stronger, and faster than you ever thought
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RIP AND THANK YOU CHET SAINSBURY AND RIANA VAN NIEKERK.
WARM-UP
RAVE RUN
WOODLAND
HILLS WILDLIFE
ESTATE,
BLOEMFONTEIN
PHOTOGRAPHS…
Elzana Kempen
RUNNER (AND WORDS BY)…
Claus Kempen
GPS LOCATION
-29° 2’ 55.345” S 26° 11’ 31.444” E
TERRAIN
Double-track gravel paths
and wide, scenic tar roads
meander between houses
on the Estate. Endlessly
varied backgrounds,
from golden Free State
landscapes to rustic,
bushveld treetops and
shaded forests, will add
colour to your run. Wildlife
– sable, kudu, waterbuck,
springbuck, nyala, zebra
and giraffe – roam freely
in the open areas and
residential gardens.
BEST TIME TO RUN
Avoid the heat during
summer. In winter, any
time of day is suitable.
GRADING
Overall, the gradient is
gentle and mostly flat,
though occasionally, some
sections will require you to
work a little harder.
DURATION
One-kilometre loops to
20-kilometre marked trails,
and everything in between.
THE RUN
All in all, a unique outdoor
experience. There
are natural Free State
flora in both the large
communal areas and the
1 000-hectare nature
reserve, and plenty of
water and dams. Game
roams wild between the
modern houses inside
the nature reserve, which
10
WARM-UP
RAVE RUN
WOODLAND HILLS
WILDLIFE ESTATE,
BLOEMFONTEIN
surround a number of
safe running, walking and
cycling trails.
REFUEL AT
Woodlands Shopping
Centre, located right at the
entrance gate. You can also
do your grocery shopping,
have your hair done, and
take in some community
culture – all in one visit.
OTHER ACTIVITIES
Bowling; outdoor gym;
cycling; tennis; game
drives
LOCAL HISTORY
At one stage, the land
on which the Estate was
developed belonged
to Abraham Fischer,
the first and only prime
minister of the Orange
River Colony, before the
country became a union
in 1910. Fischer’s former
residence can still be seen
on the grounds today. It
will soon be incorporated
into a new Lodge that will
be developed on the stand.
Another snippet of history:
the Canadian regiment
was stationed on the farm
during the Anglo-Boer
War. Guard posts were
erected, and even today
various spent cartridges,
horseshoes and artillery
shells can be spotted.
GETTING THERE
The Estate is located on the
outskirts of Bloemfontein,
next to the northern suburb
of Heuwelsig. It can be
reached from the City by
turning from Dan Pienaar
Drive into Lucas Steyn
Street. This street later
becomes Frans Kleinhans
Road. The turn off to
the Estate is about two
kilometres outside the
borders of Heuwelsig.
WORTH NOTING
Bring ID. As it’s a
residential area, access to
the Estate is controlled by
security.
FOR MORE AWESOME
RUNNING PICS, VISIT WW W.
MYRUNNERSWORLD.CO.ZA /
INSTARWRUN.
WARM-UP
EDITOR’S LETTER
A LIFE
INSPIRED
Peter Moses turned his life around through running. If he can do it, so can you.
P
14
THE MIND & BODY ISSUE
HAVE YOUR
CAKE AND
BEAST IT!
HEALTHY TREATS TO
BOOST EVERY RUN
PLUS 6 FIXES
FOR COMMON
DIET MISTAKES
MARCH 2016
TWO
OCEANS
SPECIAL
Pacing Tips
From The Experts
Am I Fit Enough? p81
The Science
Of Good Sleep
BEGINNERS
RECHARGE
YOUR
RUNNING p36
TESTED!
9 New
Running
Watches
How I Outran
Depression!
A Runner’s Story
p49
Be
Unstoppable!
p58
03261
9 771021 566004
R39.00 (R4.79 VAT incl)
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.
Key Rules To..
ck
Bounce Ba
back
From Any Set
dset
Min
ng
nni
Adopt A Wi r Way Happy
Run You
DIGITAL OR PRINT?
Did you know you can buy
digital single copies, back copies
or subscriptions to Runner’s
World magazine right NOW?
Visit www.runnersworld.
co.za/subscription-offers for
all the latest offers on single
copies and budget-beating
subscriptions.
P H OTO G R A P H B Y N I C K A L D R I D G E ( P E T E R )
art of the reward of producing a
become a symbol of what is possible through
magazine like Runner’s World is
pure grit.
the feedback and stories we get
Moses’ true legacy will be the example he
from our readers that inspire us.
sets in his own community, of fending off the
Take, for instance, the story of Peter
temptations of alcohol, drugs and crime. He
Moses (‘Cinderella Man’, p17), who
admits making the decision to change his ways
transformed from a
didn’t sit well with his previous
life of gangsterism to
life; but despite it all, he has
becoming a runner and father.
remained resolute.
Deputy editor Lisa Nevitt and
There are probably hundreds
photographer Nick Aldridge met
of stories like that of Peter Moses
up with him in Bonteheuwel,
in South Africa. Stories that show
one of Cape Town’s toughest
how transformative running can
areas. Not only did Moses open
be – whether it’s in shedding
up about his previous life as a
those unwanted kilos, turning
hard-core street thug, driven
away from a sedentary existence,
by violence; he was incredibly
or making a major life change.
PETER
honest about the challenges of
Moses’ example is an extreme
MOSES:
his new life as a runner.
one, but the perspective it
GANGSTER
His description of how he
provides is astonishing. When I
TO
RUNNER
felt lining up for his first race
think about the days I complain
is humbling for the many of us
about the price of an entry fee, or
“The pain he felt as
who have never known what it’s
having to get up early to get to a
he ran was more lifelike to really suffer.
race or run… on those days, I will
affirming than gang
“You’re a failure. An
remind myself of how tough that
fights had ever been.”
unemployed gangbanger,
is for people like him.
struggling to take care of two
Peter Moses changed our
“They didn’t expect a
kids and stuck in a relationship
lives this month by telling us
man like Moses to be a
that went sour long ago,” he told
his story. We hope it will do the
runner.”
himself on the start line.
same for you.
But Moses pulled himself up.
“Nobody will care if
He trained, he changed, and he
MIKE FINCH
you give up, because
even slept on a police station
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
that’s what you’ve
bench overnight just to be sure
@MikeFinchSA
been doing all your
he made it to the start of his first
life.”
marathon.
He describes, in that first
“Why slave away at
race, how his lungs burned and
a normal job, when I
his throat was parched. But he
could go down in a hail
didn’t stop. He has now run
of bullets at 25?”
more than 60 races, and has
“MY WAIST SIZE DROPPED!” HOW DEMITRI TRANSFORMED HIS BODY p24
HUMAN( )RACE
NEWS, TRENDS, and REGULAR RUNNERS doing AMAZING THINGS
CINDERELLA
MAN
BY LISA NEVITT
PHOTOGRAPHS
NICK ALDRIDGE
PETER MOSES THOUGHT BECOMING A
GANGSTER WOULD MAKE HIM HAPPY – AND
YET, HE NEVER CAME CLOSE TO GETTING
HIS HANDS ON GOLD. ONLY WHEN HE FOUND
RUNNING DID HE REALISE WHAT IT TRULY
MEANS TO BE WEALTHY.
HUMAN
RACE
PETER MOSES LOOKED OUT OF PLACE at his first race.
His body was an open book that told a
thousand stories of his former life as a Cape
Flats gang member: a misshapen nose, scars
left by knife wounds, a skull with glass from
broken bottles embedded in it, and missing
front teeth. His tall, light physique had been
ravaged by years of drug and alcohol abuse.
Surrounded by all the other participants,
decked out in what looked to him like
space-age gear, the rags he had on made
him stand out even more. Despite having
trained for the race, he began to doubt he
could finish at all.
“Who are you trying to kid?” scoffed a
voice inside his head. “You’re a failure:
an unemployed, uneducated former
gangbanger, struggling to take care of two
kids, and stuck in a relationship that went
sour long ago.
“Nobody will care if you give up, because
that’s what you’ve been doing all your life.
Why would this race be any different?”
Moses found the answer when he began
to run. His lungs felt as though someone
had thrown petrol on them and set them
alight, his throat was as dry as a desert, and
his legs protested with every step. But it
seemed like the cheering spectators were
urging him to push beyond these limits.
The pain he felt as he ran was more lifeaffirming than gang fights had ever been.
By fighting without using his fists, he was
reminded of the simple joy of being alive.
Knowing how hard he’d worked to
cross the finish line filled him with a sense
of accomplishment. Finally, Moses had
become the kind of man his family had
always thought he could be – and the father
his sons needed him to be.
Since that first race, Moses has finished
60 more, including five marathons and
four ultras. He has campaigned to raise
awareness of children with Down Syndrome,
in conjunction with the Running For
Luca charity, and has raised thousands
for the JAG Foundation. He dreams of
one day competing in the Spartathlon (a
246-kilometre ultramarathon, held annually in
Greece. – Ed).
This is his unconventional, but literal,
rags-to-riches story.
THE FALLOUT
Moses’ parents divorced in 1981. He was
four. His paternal grandmother didn’t
agree with his mother’s decision. She’d
always managed to pick herself up, no
matter what life threw at her – her first two
18
“Why slave away at a normal
job, when I could go down in a
hail of bullets at 25, my street
reputation intact?”
kids had died very young, and she’d been
forcibly moved to the Cape Flats thanks to
apartheid. Her opinion was unwavering: it
was a wife’s duty to stand by her husband,
no matter what his indiscretions.
So Moses’ grandmother asked Mom to
move out, and Dad was often away, working
in Namibia. In their parents’ absence,
Moses and his brother Andy were raised by
their grandmother.
How do you explain divorce to a fouryear-old – or any child, for that matter? It
didn’t make sense to Moses; he felt like the
adults had made decisions that were best for
them, and not for their kids. Even though he
understands their reasons now that he’s an
adult himself, his parents’ divorce has had a
lasting effect. Even today, it influences how
he parents his own children.
But Moses doesn’t blame his parents, or his
grandmother, for his descent into gang life;
because no matter what upbringing you have,
he believes, your individual character traits
are what determine the course of your life.
Moses and Andy handled the divorce in
very different ways. Andy threw himself
into school and sport, and he was a popular
boy. He went on to serve in the South
African Police Service for 10 years, and
now lectures law at a Traffic Department
training college.
Moses, on the other hand, lacked the
discipline to follow in Andy’s academic and
sporting footsteps, and instead became
Top left and right:
Moses still lives in
his grandmother’s
house in
Bonteheuwel; below
right: his second
gang tattoo.
an introvert – a deep thinker, with a vivid
imagination. He developed a heavy stutter
– but was in no hurry to help doctors find a
cure, because he enjoyed the attention.
GANG LIFE
Bonteheuwel could be described as a
vibrant place, full of life. It has tremendous
sporting and academic potential that has
never really been tapped into: even Pearl
Jansen, the first coloured girl to become
Miss SA, was from Bonteheuwel. In the
1980s, the high schools were producing
some of South Africa’s best young
sportsmen and women.
But sadly, the township has a sinister
underbelly, swelled by the societal diseases
of poverty, drugs, and widespread alcohol
abuse. Gangs are an everyday reality – there
are about 20 in Moses’ neighbourhood
alone. But they’re no different to you; these
are the guys you grow up with, the guys
in your class at school, the guys you play
soccer with.
In the 80s, gang members were revered as
heroes who protected the local community
from outsiders. Moses didn’t see the negative
side of gang life. He only saw the respect
gang members were given, the easy money
that bought them flashy clothes and cars,
and the girls who fell for them.
“Why slave away at a normal job, when I
could go down in a hail of bullets at 25, my
street reputation intact?” he reasoned.
Besides, Moses had been a delinquent
since primary school. He’d get into fights,
at school and in the streets; and he’d steal
his dad’s long toms of lager and boxes of
cigarettes, so that he and his friends could
drink and smoke while they practised
flicking knives in someone’s back yard.
Moses first joined a low-level, feeder
gang in his neighbourhood, called the Jump
Street Kids (named after the 80s TV show. –
Ed). At the age of 17, he switched to the Syco
Kids. He had no interest in joining one of the
larger gangs, as he would’ve been expected
to pledge his allegiance by sacrificing some
time in prison. Neither was he interested in
becoming a leader, or in petty crime. He was
more attracted to violence…
When the drug trade and the turf wars
really took off in the 90s, Moses’ wish came
true: the Cape Flats gangs became more
aggressive. As a result, gang members no
longer wore distinguishing clothes, or had
gang flags. Tattoos, slogans, and the subtle
hand gestures they used to greet one another
allowed them to move around more freely.
Moses got three tattoos. His first was the
initials of the Jump Street Kids. His second
was the initials of the Syco Kids, replacing
those of his previous brethren – but first,
he used a heated spoon to remove the
original. His third, he had done when he
later became friends with a group of real
criminals. This was the only tattoo he had
done with a machine and real ink; the rest
were inscribed using a needle attached
to a matchstick, and a nameless melted
substance used as ink.
At first, running
in Moses’
neighbourhood
wasn’t easy.
Some members
of his community
insulted him and
attacked him.
20
HUMAN
RACE
“...with every redeeming step
and laboured breath he took
towards the finish, some of his
dark past fell away.”
BREAKING OUT
By this time, the local community no longer
saw gangs as their protectors; they were
afraid of them. The older Moses became,
the deeper he got involved in serious
criminal activity. He became paranoid
about getting caught – so much so that
he stopped undressing for bed, afraid the
police would come looking for him in the
middle of the night. Everywhere he went,
he looked for the fastest escape route.
Inspired by the characters he’d
read about in Beau Geste while still at
school, Moses dreamed of becoming a
heroic legionnaire. At 17 he ran away to
Johannesburg, intending to get to the
French consulate and apply to join the
Foreign Legion. He hoped that he could
change his name, and forget about his past
– maybe even return to Bonteheuwel one
day as a new man. But things didn’t work
out that way. His money ran out, and he
ended up sleeping on the streets.
He did return to Bonteheuwel eventually.
He passed his matric exams – just – and
got a job as a loan clerk in Bellville. But
his straight-and-narrow path was shortlived; gang life, orgies, alcohol, drugs and
strippers lured him back.
There was never a single precise moment
at which Moses began to feel remorse for
his actions; it was more an accumulation
of events and underlying feelings that had
to break the surface sooner or later. The
tipping point finally came in 2004 when
Safwaan, his first son, was born. Moses
realised he no longer had a death wish, and
his son was a good reason to try and escape
his old life, and start anew.
In any case, drug use – and the fact that
some of his fellow gang members had ended
up in prison – had already ripped his gang
apart by the time he decided to call it quits.
No-one stopped him from leaving. But even
though 12 years have passed, the shadow of
death still haunts him. He wakes up in the
early hours every morning, wondering, Is
today the day?
REBIRTH
Moses took up running because he’d given
up smoking, and needed an outlet to help
distract him from the cravings. But running
in Bonteheuwel proved difficult. At first,
some members of his local community
insulted him, swore at him. Attacked him.
They didn’t expect a man like Moses to be a
runner. Or perhaps being presented with a
foreign concept they couldn’t identify with
frightened them.
Given his violent past, Moses found it
difficult to keep his cool. He had to remind
Moses proudly
displays his
medals on the wall
at his home in
Bonteheuwel.
himself why he was running – to become a
better man, and to secure a better way of
life for his sons.
Training for that first marathon, Moses
spent hours running alone on the streets
of Bonteheuwel, late at night, after he’d
fulfilled his duties at a cleaning job. He
knew it wasn’t safe, because that was when
gang shootings were most likely to happen.
Moses had no money to pay for a lift to
the start of the Red Hill Marathon, and
public transport didn’t operate early enough
in the morning to get him there on time. So
he decided to take the train to Fish Hoek the
evening before the race, and spend the night
in a shop front, or a bus shelter.
Once again he found himself on the
streets, vulnerable, as darkness blanketed
what, by day, is a quaint coastal village.
Spooked by noises emanating from the
shadows, he approached the police station
– oddly, he sought solace in the very place
he’d have avoided in his former life as a
gangster. Moses told the officer on duty his
story, and asked if he might spend the night
on a wooden bench in the police station.
Luckily, the policeman obliged.
Even though getting to his first marathon
had been challenging, Moses wouldn’t have
had it any other way. Not only had running
made his body stronger; he felt as though,
with every redeeming step and laboured
breath he took towards the finish, some of
his dark past fell away. In his exhaustion, he
found peace. He felt… happy.
GOING FORWARD
A life in the dark has no upside. Moses
wasted a lot of time involved with gangs,
drinking, drugging. He barely passed matric,
and skittered from job to job, without giving
much thought to how it would affect his
future. If he’d continued to live that way, he
would have ended up dead. Or in prison. Or
an alcoholic, drug-addicted junkie.
Moses still lives in his grandmother’s
home in Bonteheuwel, with his sons and
their mother. His unsavoury past makes
finding employment difficult –
but not impossible. Nothing is
impossible. Though the most
important lesson Moses has learned,
from his rebirth as a runner, is that
there’s no such thing as easy wealth.
If you want to achieve anything in
life, you have to work for it – like
you would if you were training for a
marathon. But when you do, the reward
is priceless.
The Singlet
BECAUSE RUNNING ISN’T
JUST ABOUT STRING VESTS.
ASK THE TRAIL STAR
Ryan Sandes
How do you avoid
chafing? – HENK,
Ballito
A few years ago, I was
preparing for a multi-stage
race, and planned to do four
days of long runs, back to
back. On the first day, my
skin got chafed, which meant
the next three days were
horrible. The pain was so
unbearable I had to cut two
of my runs short.
Ultra-runner Michael
Wardian once started the
Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc®
“… prevent it
from happening
in the first
place.”
IRRITABLE IRENE
I run on rural roads in the
Overberg. Sometimes people
ask me for directions or local
info. But I’m not in the mood
to interact with tourists. Am
I wrong to feel irritated? –
IRENE, Kleinmond
We run to get away from the
emails, texts and tweets of the
modern-day office. There’s
nothing quite like the sound of
your running shoes squelching
in the mud, and birdsong. That
is, until you’re interrupted by
a sunburned out-of-towner:
“Excuse me, where do I find X
wine farm, or Y beach?”
Yes, it’s a pain to have your
run interrupted – especially
since Google Maps means
there’s actually no reason to
bother the locals – but I like
to factor in karma. Instead of
giving our sport a bad name by
being grumpy, take a moment
to help them. Run on the spot
as you do, so they know (as daft
as you might look) that you’re
not there to linger. Then, carry
on with your run. If bad luck
strikes further down the road –
22
gored by a mad cow, struck by
lightning – you may need to cash
in that karma credit. A car full of
tourists might be just the ticket.
you on your first marathon – “A
great achievement!” – and your
second marathon – “Way to go!
Is this a thing now?”
“W e think you’re awesome, you
think you’re awesome – even your
family thinks you’re awesome!”
EVERYTHING IS AWESOME!
I ran my third marathon and
didn’t get a congratulatory
call from my family.
Should I educate them on
the awesomeness of this
accomplishment, or just
replace the family portrait
with my finisher photo? –
GEORGE, Durban
As you don’t live under the
same roof as your family –
deduced from the fact that
you need to pick up the phone
to talk to them – I assume
you’re an adult. As an adult,
you should understand the
pressures of life by now. Your
family obviously congratulated
But for your third, they’ve
either forgotten about it, or
they’ve just accepted that this
is one of those things you do.
Like your dad brewing beer and
winning the local craft-beer
champs – again; your sister
finishing another sub-four-hour
Argus; and your mum making
a difference to peoples’ lives
through charity work. We all
just get on with life. You ran
your third marathon. Whoopdi-doo-dah-day! We think
you’re awesome, you think
you’re awesome – even your
family thinks you’re awesome.
They just think they’ve already
made that point. Move on. Start
training for your fourth.
without wearing briefs
under his running tights. By
70 kilometres, he’d chafed
so badly that every time he
ran past a puddle of water,
he grabbed a handful of
mud to rub on his nether
regions. (Perhaps that’s
why his sponsors, Squirrels
Nut Butter, took an interest
in him.) I’ve also heard of
runners who’ve used duct
tape to save their skin from
getting any worse.
Once you have it, nothing
will make it go away. The
trick with chafing is to
prevent it from happening
in the first place. I apply a
generous helping of Vaseline
to areas prone to chafing,
which seems to work for
me. Try taping, if the area
isn’t too sensitive. Also a
good idea: check the type of
clothing you’ll be running in,
because abrasive material
can irritate your skin when it
gets wet.
Ryan Sandes, a.k.a ‘Hedgie’, is a
trail-running supremo, with race
wins too numerous to mention.
ILLUSTRATION BY ANDY REMENTER
A WATCH FOR
EVERY RUNNER
Forerunner 25
BEGINNER
Forerunner 230
Forerunner 235
Forerunner 630
EXPERT
ADVANCED
DESCRIPTION
Easy-to-use GPS watch that
tracks how far, how fast and
how long you have been
running.
GPS watch with a colourful
gauge that identifies your heart
rate zone and beats per minute
in real time and has a built-in
accelerometer for when you are
running indoors.
A Forerunner that uses Garmin
Elevate optical sensor to
measures heart rate at the wrist,
giving you the option to run
without a strap.
Touchscreen GPS running
watch with advanced
running dynamics, extended
physiological measurements,
and extensive smart features.
BATTERY LIFE
Up to 8 hours in training mode;
6 weeks in watch mode.
5 weeks in smartwatch mode.
9 days in smartwatch mode
4 weeks in smartwatch mode
HEART RATE DATA
Use with the heart rate monitor
to track your heart rate, zone
data and active calories for any
fitness activity.
Use with the Premium heart rate
monitor to track your heart rate,
zone data and active calories
for any fitness activity. It also
estimates VO2 max, recovery
time and predicts your race
times for certain distances.
All heart, all at your wrist with
Garmin Elevate Optical wrist
heart rate. Train with your heart
rate zones so you know when
to push it and when to rein it
in. It also estimates VO2 max,
recovery time and predicts your
race times.
Use with the HRM RUN to
get 2nd generation Running
Dynamics on step length,
ground contact balance and
vertical ratio. It also estimates
VO2 max, recovery time and
predicts your race times.
ACTIVITY TRACKING
A Forerunner that doubles as an activity tracker that counts steps, calories and distance throughout the day. The move bar with vibration
alert motivates you to move when you’ve been sitting too long.
GARMIN CONNECT
With a compatible smartphone or a simple computer connection, you can upload your activities to our free online fitness community,
Garmin Connect. See your run on a map, get more detail on each kilometer, see a daily summary of your activities and share with friends.
You can also join online challenges and earn virtual badges for extra motivation. Additional connected features include live tracking,
where you can let your family and friends follow your run in real time.
SMART
NOTIFICATIONS
See incoming emails, text messages, call alerts, calendar reminders and more from your compatible smartphone.
AUDIO PROMPTS &
MUSIC CONTROLS
Receive audio prompts for lap times and control the music on your connected smartphone directly from
your watch.
GRAPHICAL
INTERFACE
Easy to read colour graph shows your heart rate zone at a quick glance.
CONNECT IQ
Customise your Forerunner by downloading watch faces, widgets, apps and data fields.
PHYSIOLOGICAL
MEASUREMENTS
Official training device supplier to the 2016 Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon
Provides metrics associated with
stress, performance as it relates
to previous activities and lactate
threshold.
garmin.co.za/forerunner
HUMAN
RACE
RUN IT OFF CLUB
BAROUTSOS
THE BUTTERFLY
A software architect started running
– and radically transformed his body.
I RAN
OFF
1 3 KG!
DEMITRI
BAROUTSOS
Age: 41
Home Town:
Cape Town
Height: 1.8m
Occupation:
Software
architect
Time Required:
9 months
Then: 96kg
Now: 83kg
24
HAVE YOU RUN OFF SIGNIFICANT WEIGHT AND CHANGED YOUR LIFE?
SHOW US YOUR BEFORE-AND-AFTER USING #RWIRANITOFF ON INSTAGRAM
OR TWITTER, OR EMAIL YOUR STORY TO RWLETTERS@MEDIA24.COM.
THE WAKE-UP
I was out of breath and my
lungs heaved like a steam
train. It was Boxing Day
in 2013, and my brother
– who was already three
months into a new fitness
regime, and looked all the
leaner, healthier and fitter
for it – had agreed to go
for a quick run with me
around the neighbourhood.
Until then, I’d never
understood why people
ran. To me, it looked
painful and tiring. I’d
dabbled in cross-country,
and played basketball
and hockey back in high
school, but that was where
my brief flirtation with
exercise had ended.
My brother and I ended
up running two kilometres
at most, peppered with walk
breaks every hundred metres
or so. The reality hit: I was
39 years old, and couldn’t
even run around the block –
which bothered me.
THE SHAKE-UP
So the very next day, I
downloaded a running app,
laced up, and off I went –
slowly. On that first run, I
barely managed one and a
half kilometres; but each
day, I jogged a little further
than the last. In the nine
months that followed, my
waist size dropped from a
size 36 to a 32.
Then came my biggest
challenge yet. I decided
to run the Cape Town
Marathon, and raise
money for The Anna
Foundation. During the
cold, winter months
leading up to race day, I
did over 500 kilometres
of training. The actual
event was tough, because
I’d never run more than
30 kilometres in a single
training run; but I finished
it, and raised R3 000.
THE REWARD
I wouldn’t exactly call
myself a sprinter, but
there’s no denying I’ve
come a long way since
I was barely able to run
around the block. My
string of personal bests
includes five kilometres in
less than 25 minutes, and a
half marathon in 1:56.
My family and I have
a history of high blood
pressure, but since I started
running my resting heart
rate has dropped under 50
beats per minute, and my
doctor has prescribed a
lower dosage of the bloodpressure meds I’ve been
taking since 2004. Not only
has my health improved,
but also my demeanour.
Because of running, I’m far
less prone to stress.
I could kick myself for
not having started running
sooner, and will continue
to run for as long as my
body will allow.– As told to
Lisa Nevitt
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RU N NIN G
NAME
the W
RLD
TOKYO
Calvin Fisher AGE 37 PROFESSION Editor TopCar Magazine
JAPAN
APRIL 2016
THE TRUTH
ABOUT TOKYO
Three ways to explore
this bustling, illuminated
and thrilling city.
Takeshita Ave,
in the Harajuku
district, takes
congestion to a
fantastic new
neon-infused
level.
28
PHOTOGRAPHS BY CALVIN FISHER
IT’S A BIT CHEEKY, I know, but
there’s no reason not to have a
bit of fun on a work trip, right? By
‘fun’, I mean running, and by ‘work
trip’, I mean gallivanting from one
exotic location to the next, all in
the name of motoring journalism.
I’m one of the lucky ones; the
spoilt kids who get to test-drive
the latest hot metal, and call it
making a living.
But while others are sleeping off
their karaoke-infused hangovers,
I’m running through the streets of
Tokyo, Japan. Being a runner is
like being in on a secret; privy to
the truest nature of a place.
Tokyo is massive and congested
– and so very alive, teeming
with commuters, against a neon
backdrop. It’d probably make
more sense to rest when you’ve
just landed after 26 hours of
transit, but I couldn’t wait to
Visit in
don my running threads,
November for the
and hit the streets and
autumnal leaves,
electric air of Shinjuku.
and in April
for the cherry
In the month of
blossoms.
October the weather is
cool and crisp, and come
5pm the sun had already set.
But there was no shortage of
illumination, thanks to the city’s
iconic neon lighting and five-storey
multimedia billboards. Even though
I was ensconced, almost shoulder
to shoulder, in bustling locals, I’ve
yet to encounter a more thrilling
location to hit the pavement.
So without even trying I bust
out a five-kilometre run – then
retired to my room at the Keio
Plaza, hijacked the WiFi, and set
about finding worthy running
routes. The plain truth is that you
can run anywhere in Tokyo and
have an amazing experience, but
here are three areas you simply
can’t avoid if you’re staying in
Shinjuku. And yes, it’s possible
to do all three routes in one
stunning 13-kilometre loop. A
tip: don’t focus on your pace too
much, because it’s all about the
experience. Take things slowly, or
you’ll miss too much.
HARAJUKU, TAKESHITA-DORI
AVENUE
You’ll know you’re there when you
cross the digital-clock threshold,
and make your way through 400
metres of the craziest shopping
experience of your life.
SHIBUYA CROSSING
What? You’ve been to Tokyo, but
didn’t bother crossing the most
famous (and busiest) intersection
known to man? Shame on you! As
a bonus, check out the statue of
Hachiko, the faithful dog.
YOYOGI PARK
You can run around the perimeter
of this huge urban garden, but
I suggest you dive inside. Every
Saturday, the park transforms
into a crazy hive of activity for
cosplayers (people who dress up
as characters from video games
or anime/manga. Don’t ask. – Ed),
yoga aficionados, flash-mobbers
and more. Don’t forget to visit the
tranquil Meiji Shrine.
BEST TIME TO VISIT
For the best running weather, visit
in November. And the beautiful
Sakura cherry-blossom trees, for
which Nippon is justly famous,
bloom in April.
THE REST
Obviously,
it’s not just
Tokyo that
gets the running
treatment: I pack
my running shoes
wherever I go.
Most recently, it
was to a cold-asanything Iceland.
Go on, run along
a glacial river
– I dare you!
Calvin’s job entails travelling the
world every few months. It’d be
a crime not to pack his running
shoes, right?
The Newbie Chronicles
HUMAN
RACE
BY KATHRYN ARNOLD
MIND GAMES
How to get your brain on board – before setting your body in motion.
D
30
ays before my first run, having
completed all the required tasks
(vaguely militaristic iPhone
armband: purchased! Running
magazine: earnestly perused!
More expensive socks than strictly
necessary: check!), I decided
I’d better gather some wisdom.
If running is a largely mental
proposition, as everyone says, I figured my
mind ought to be as thoroughly fortified as
my feet. So I conducted anecdotal research.
My questions were simple: what could I
expect? What might make the first forays
easier? What do runners wish they’d known
before they began? I figured my runner
friends would say stuff like, “It gets easier
much faster than you think” or “There’s this
company that makes great sports bras for us
full-figured ladies”, or “Don’t wear colours
that’ll show butt-crack sweat”. Their actual
responses were, in a word, dismaying.
“You have to be consistent – after I took a
month off, even a kilometre was brutal,” said
Naomi. “If you stop for any length of time,
you’re back at square one.” Got it: I will be
doing this forever.
ILLUSTRATION BY LEO ESPINOSA
“The thing with running,” Zoe said, “is you
have to stretch and have good form, or you’ll
hurt yourself. It’s not like dawdling aimlessly
on an elliptical.” Understood: no half-arsery
allowed.
“You’re going to eat,” said Emma. “A lot.
The day after a long run I’m a black hole
for food.” Check: my reward for extreme
physical exertion will be weight gain.
“The whole not-being-able-to-breatheand-feeling-like-your-legs-are-full-of-lead
thing is pretty damn awful,” said Jihan. In
other words, this is gonna suck.
“Ugh, the shin splints and cramps,” said
Lynn. “The former go away with time. The
latter don’t.” Repeat: this is really gonna suck.
At my therapy session that afternoon (I
find myself so fascinating that I go twice a
week), I asked Dr Sussmann why someone
might do something at once punishing,
unpleasant, and with regard to at least
a couple of body parts, demonstrably
detrimental.
She pondered this. “Now that I think about
Dr Sussmann and beat back the hopeless
me that just wanted to wallow in woe. Or
the very reason I was so low in the first
place: that marriage I was in with a lovely
man I shouldn’t have been married to, the
union that had begun to feel like death by a
thousand weighted silences, like a youthful
caper-turned-prison. Hadn’t I eventually
done the very hard thing – triumphed over
the weary me that balked at the prospect
of leaving, and left? I had always ultimately
done the hard thing, and it had always been
the right thing. In the battle against myself, I
was undefeated.
I returned to the office to find more emails
from runner pals. (I have a lot, apparently.)
“There’s this moment during a run,”
Emma said, “when you realise you’re not
forcing it. You’re just doing it. Sometimes it
only shows up deep into the run. Sometimes
it never shows up at all. But when it does
come, it’s like you’ve found your groove – or,
uh, some other non-cheesy word.”
“There’s this moment during a run when you realise
you’re not forcing it. You’re just doing it.”
it,” she said, “I don’t really know why anyone
runs, ha ha.” Great!
Then I remembered that during one
of our early sessions, the iPhone in Dr
Sussmann’s purse had begun playing music
spontaneously, as though possessed – by the
ghost of Taylor Swift, evidently. A red-faced
Dr Sussmann had shrugged and said, “Her
stuff is good to run to.” Run to?! “Oh, I’ll run
once in a while,” she said. “There’s something
appealing about it on a metaphorical level –
it’s you against yourself.”
As I walked back to work, I considered
my doctor’s words. You against yourself.
Well, hell, isn’t that a battle I’ve fought
countless times? Like when I was terrified
to leave my hometown – with its dearth of
opportunity and sedating familiarity and data
processing job at which I was categorically
terrible – for the big city, because what did
I know about hustling and bustling and real
careers? And yet I overruled the chicken
me – to my incalculable benefit. Or that time
I was depressed as hell, plain old bonetired of being alive, and I dragged myself to
I liked the sound of that.
“When I was training for the marathon,”
Deborah said, “I had a mantra. It was the only
way I could get through. Every two steps I’d
say, I’m strong. I repeated that for kilometres,
and it never failed me: I’m strong, I’m strong,
I’m strong.”
I loved the sound of that.
I figured then that I had about as much
wisdom, as much mettle-fortification, as one
could hope to find. I felt like I could make
peace with what lay ahead: it will suck for a
good long while, but it can be done. I’m strong.
The former is no reason to doubt the latter.
I’m strong. I’m going to look dumb, and get
routinely sweaty and winded; I’m going to
really, really want to stay in bed; and when I
don’t, I’m going to be hungry like the wolf. But
so what? Because all the while, step after awful
step, I’m going to remain sure of one thing.
I’m strong.
Kathryn Arnold is a writer for Time and Wired, and is
the author of the novel Bright Before Us (2011).
HUMAN
RACE
RUNNER BY THE NUMBERS
SCOTT KELLY
51, INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
Forget moonwalking – Kelly, a NASA astronaut, ran
his way through space, hooked to a treadmill aboard
the ISS. Kelly spent almost a year orbiting the Earth;
he left on 27 March 2015, and returned in March
2016, making his the longest spaceflight in US history.
Kelly participated in studies to see how an extended
space stay impacts the body. Because one known
effect is muscle-mass loss, Kelly exercised regularly.
Here’s more on his mission. – MEGAN DITROLIO
six
Days per week
Kelly exercised
730
LITRES OF WATER HE DRANK
DURING HIS STAY; WATER WAS
PRODUCED FROM HIS OWN
RECYCLED SWEAT AND URINE.
1829 ONE HUNDRED
SQUARE METRES OF
THE SPACE STATION —
KELLY’S HOME FOR
THE YEAR
Estimated hours Kelly spent on
the ISS treadmill in total
240
16
1030
ESTIMATED NUMBER OF KILOMETRES KELLY
RAN WHILE IN ORBIT
FASTEST KM/H PACE
KELLY HIT ON THE
TREADMILL DURING
INTERVAL WORKOUTS
Resistancetraining sessions
Kelly completed
while in orbit
25-30
Length of his runs, in minutes. He wore a
harness that attached to the treadmill.
16
Times Kelly
circled the Earth
per day. He saw
a sunrise every
96 minutes.
3
4
0
DAYS IN SPACE.
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34 42 44 47
TRAINING
FUEL
MIND+BODY
GEAR
PERSONAL BEST
GET FIT, EAT SMART, RUN STRONG
TRUE GRIT
Focus on the shoe. Breathe
in, breathe out. Calmer? RW’s
hyperkinetic art director Erin
Benner was, after she fashioned
this zen rock garden. “I was
surprised how meditative it was,”
she says. “It required all my focus.
I couldn’t talk or think about
anything else.” Medita
tion gurus
say that mind-set – centred, and
free of external distractions –
helps runners calm their nerves,
deal with doubt, and appreciate
the journey. “In both anguish and
jubilation, just one more mindful
step is all there is,” says ultrarunner Tim Olson, who hosts
running meditation retreats.
PHOTOGRAPH BY MATT RAINEY
TRAINING
THE FUTURE’S
SO BRIGHT
How to stage a healthy, happy comeback, no
matter why your running got off track
By Cindy Kuzma
IN A PERFECT WORLD, nothing would stand between you and
your running. But life has a way of knocking you off track.
A recent study found that more than one in 10 distance
runners sustained an injury over a three-month period –
and countless others fall away due to new babies, extra
kilograms, or misplaced mojo. If your training has been
on pause for more than a couple of weeks, you’ll need a
measured and thoughtful approach to resume running.
All triumphant returns have a few common
characteristics, including a slow return and a mindset that doesn’t involve pining for lost fitness, says
coach Lisah Hamilton, host of The Conscious Runner
podcast. You’ll probably feel rusty at first, but muscle
memory means that sensation won’t linger, says Ryan
Warrenburg, a coach at ZAP Fitness.
Beyond that, approach each comeback on its own
terms. Here’s how to build back up, depending on the
cause of your hiatus.
“I GOT HURT.”
By far the most common
reason for time off,
i n j uri es requ i re an
abundance of caution
upon return, especially
if you’ve been off
completely for more
than two weeks. Once
you’ve recovered
or received medical
clearance to run again,
alternate running and
walking for 20 to 30
34
minutes every other
day, Warrenburg says.
Gradually increase your
running time each week
or two, with pain as
your guide – back off if
you feel worse during
or after your workout.
Keep your runs easy at
first, saving speedwork
until you reach your
desired weekly mileage.
This approach prevents
you from swiftly
sidelining yourself again,
Warrenburg says.
Choose soft
surfaces as you
return to running,
to prevent aches
and pains.
PHOTOGRAPH BY CASEY CRAFFORD
type of exercise alone.
“I LOST MOTIVATION.”
Walk breaks will
help you ease
back into a routine
and spend more
time outside.
“LIFE GOT CRAZY.”
For new parents or for
accountants during tax
season, say, running might
temporarily take a back
seat. “The quicker you
can make running part of
what you do again, the
better,” Warrenburg says.
Block training time into
your schedule, preferably
first thing in the morning,
before conflicts arise. If
your layoff involved giving
birth, remember that your
body has been through
a huge transformation.
Don’t worr y that you’re
too fragile to run unless
your doctor advises against
it, says Megan Lizotte, a
coach at Hit the Ground
Running. But do build in time
for hip- and corestrengthening exercises
to reduce injury risk (think
bridges, planks, and
donkey kicks). And for all
new parents or others in a
temporarily sleep-deprived
state, give yourself some
leeway – for instance, take
an extra day or two of rest
EASE BACK IN
How long you’ve been
sidelined (near right)
dictates how much of your
previous weekly mileage
you can target on your
return (far right).
or easy running each week,
and consider trading some
kilometres for sleep if you
feel completely wiped out.
“I GAINED WEIGHT.”
It’s a vicious circle – time
away from training can pack
on kilograms, which in turn
weigh down your efforts to
hit the road again. Carrying
more body mass may slow
your pace and make running
harder on joints, ligaments,
and muscles. Acknowledge
this, but don’t dwell on it;
instead, view your newfound
heft as temporary and focus
on the process of changing
it, Lizotte says. As you ramp
back up, eat a diet full of
nutrient-rich foods like fruits
and veggies, do some running
on soft surfaces like dirt and
grass to reduce impact,
mix in other cross-training
activities such as swimming
and cycling, and strengthtrain regularly: in a recent
12-week study, participants
who combined cardio and
weights shed more fat than
those who stuck with one
Shaking things up can
reconnect you with your love
of running, Lizotte says. Pick a
goal race in a fun destination,
or shift your focus from
(another) half-marathon PB
to a fast 5K or completing
an ultramarathon. If you can,
build a running fund into your
budget; buying cute new
tights or attending a running
retreat can reignite your
fire. So can pushing another
participant in a wheelchair,
serving as a running guide, or
raising charity funds for your
kilometres “If you’re getting
burned out on yourself,
do it for somebody else,”
Warrenburg says.
“I CRUSHED A MAJOR GOAL (OR
DIDN’T).”
Downtime after a big event
is actually a good thing,
Warrenburg says. Hitting
‘register’ too soon on a
follow-up race, either to
capitalise on your gains or to
redeem a bad performance,
deprives your body and
mind of critical recovery
time. In other words, taking
a few short, planned breaks
throughout the year can
prevent longer, unexpected
layoffs due to burnout or
injury. Lizotte advises taking
as many days off from racing
as the number of kilometres
you raced. Then, keep
running easy until you feel
the urge to train seriously
again.
8 to 15 Days
75% to 90%
2 to 3 Weeks
60% to 75%
3 Weeks to a Month
50% to 60%
More than a Month
40% to 50%
Note: Coming back after an injury may require even more time.
ASK THE SCIENTIST
Ross Tucker
Is minimalist
running here to
stay? – MIKE, Newlands
When Born To Run was
published, runners discarded
their shoes, and shoe companies
produced barefoot shoes.
At the time, Dr Nic Tam was
investigating how people ‘learn’
to run without shoes. I suspected
barefoot and minimalist running
was a fad; but I believed it would
evolve into a sustainable niche
– some runners would continue
happily in minimalist shoes, and
the majority would return to
cushioned options.
Five years on, and the
commercial market for
minimalism has shrunk –
cushioned shoes have regained
the ground they lost during that
hyped-up period. The studies
we started all those years ago
explain the reasons why.
Tam analysed a group
of 51 runners who normally
ran in cushioned shoes, by
“The only way
you’ll know is to
try it out.”
asking them to run barefoot,
while he measured advanced
biomechanics. He found
that his subjects fell clearly
into two groups – some
seemed to make positive
adjustments that reduced the
impact and load, while others
actually landed with greater
impact. The identification
of responders and nonresponders strongly indicates
why the initial excitement died
down – minimalist running
simply doesn’t work in the
same way for everyone.
Are you best suited to
barefoot or cushioned running?
The only way you’ll know is to
try it out.
RW Scientific Editor Dr Ross Tucker
has a BSc (Med) (Hons) Exercise
Science Degree and PhD from the
Sports Science Institute. Visit him
at www.sportsscientists.com.
TRAINING
THE STARTING LINE
TIPS FOR BEGINNERS FROM AN EASY-GOING COACH
BY JEFF GALLOWAY
You Asked Me
Jeff answers
your questions.
How do I approach my
first race?
When in doubt, slow
down. Liberal walk
breaks are the ‘shock
absorbers’ that allow
many beginners to reach
a 5K in five weeks and a
10K in 10 weeks. Plenty
of 5K and 10K races are
walker-friendly – choose
one that is.
How do I fit long runs
into my busy days?
JUST ADD A KILOMETRE
Go a little further (or faster) to reap big rewards.
A kilometre can be more than just 1 000 metres. For
new runners, completing that first kilometre is a major
achievement. More seasoned runners find that logging
an extra kilometre or two per week builds stamina better than any
other technique. And adding a kilometre’s worth of faster running
to your weekly routine can help you run more efficiently, making
every kay feel easier. Here’s how to get started and keep going.
WORK UP TO A KILOMETRE
Spend your first week
of activity walking every
other day, increasing to
a one-kilometre walk.
Next, introduce your body
to running – walk half a
kilometre, then insert a
five-second jog into each
minute. If you begin huffing
and puffing, walk for a few
minutes before adding short
run segments back in. Repeat
every other day, adjusting
run/walk times as needed,
36
until you can comfortably run
most of a kilometre.
...THEN TO 30 MINUTES
Running for 30 minutes
every other day will help you
achieve the recommended
weekly 150 minutes of
activity. To get there, focus on
increasing the distance of one
run each week (with shorter
runs on other days). Add a
half-kilometre each week,
and increase walk breaks as
needed. Once the longer run
JOIN OUR ONLINE TRAINING PROGRAMME FOR BEGINNERS
AT RUNNERSWORLD.CO.ZA /28DAYS
feels comfortable, expand
one short run at a time until
30-minute runs are the norm.
...THEN ADD A LONG RUN
The best way to make
30-minute runs feel easy is to
add a weekly longer run. Start
by adding 3/4 of a kilometre
to a weekend run every other
week. Again, slow down – the
walk breaks that help you
catch your breath can also help
you avoid the aches that may
surface when you add mileage.
...THEN GO A BIT FASTER
Speedwork can help you run
more smoothly at all paces,
but the greater impact forces
pose an injury risk. Don’t
sprint – speed up by increasing
your cadence. Try this: on a
rolling route, let gravity pull
you downhill, then glide up the
uphill for a few metres. Walk
up a bit more, turn around,
and run the other way, using
momentum to run further back
up. Start with two repeats, and
work up to four to six.
Get up early (before
family members rise) and
get it done. It helps to set
out clothes and plan a
route the night before. To
avoid using bad weather
as an excuse, have a
treadmill (at home or at
the gym) as an alternative
option.
Say What?
Running
Jargon,
Translated
MAGIC KILOMETRE
Do my ‘Magic Kilometre’
time trial every two or
three weeks to measure
progress: after an easy
five- to 10-minute warmup, run a kilometre
harder than usual (but not
all-out), then finish your
run at any pace desired.
As the months go by,
try to beat your previous
best kilometre by slightly
increasing your pace
each time.
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TRAINING
THE FAST LANE
TRAINING ADVICE FOR PEAK PERFORMANCE
BY ALEX HUTCHINSON
on pace – the goal is to push
when you thought you couldn’t
anymore.
FOLLOW THE LEADER
With training partners of similar
fitness, run an unstructured
fartlek in which you take turns
leading, without telling the
others how far or fast the rep
will be. For example, four
runners could do 12 repetitions,
so that each person leads
three times. The repetitions
might last from 30 seconds
to five minutes, at kilometre
to half-marathon pace, with
a minute or two of recovery.
This simulates the challenge of
matching a competitor’s surge
during a race.
The surprise
of an extra rep or
a short recovery
develops the ability
to push through
fatigue.
THINK YOU’RE DONE? WRONG
Uncertainty workouts make you run further and faster.
Amby Burfoot, 1968 Boston Marathon champion,
RW contributor, and all-round running sage, once
revealed the “absolute, no-doubt-in-the-world
best running workout you can do”. Run 5 x 1km as hard as
you can, with 400-metre recovery jogs – and then, when
you’ve finished, get your coach to tell you to do another
fast kilometre. From such workouts, he wrote, “You’ll learn
forever that you’re capable of much more than you think. It’s
the most powerful lesson you can possibly learn in running.”
Burfoot’s workout uses deception as a way of tapping into
your hidden reserves. You may think you’re cooked when you
finish a hard workout, but scientists have shown repeatedly
that people can actually maintain a similar pace for another few
reps after completing a prescribed workout. And the benefits
can be substantial. In one study, cyclists who were fooled into
riding further than expected were subsequently able to race 13
per cent faster when they knew the correct distance. If you don’t
38
FOR MORE TRAINING TIPS AND PL ANS, VISIT
RUNNERSWORLD.CO.ZA / TRAINING.
have a coach, there are other
ways of conducting workouts
to introduce uncertainty and
surprise that will trick you
into running further or faster
than you thought possible.
REST ROULETTE
Run 10 x 400m, with the rest
times determined by the
100th-of-a-second digit on
your watch after timing each
previous rep, multiplied by
20. For example, if the first
400 takes 1.18.36, take 6 x
20 = 120 seconds of rest. Run
each interval as if you had 90
seconds of rest (but slow down
as needed if you hit a streak of
short rests). And be ready for a
time that ends in zero, because
that means you have to go
another lap. Don’t get hung up
LANDMARK FARTLEK
If you’re running solo, replicate
the challenge of Follow
the Leader by starting and
stopping surges depending
on unpredictable external
events that occur every few
minutes. Depending on where
you run, that could be passing
cars, cyclists, robots, dogs,
and so on. If there are lots of
pedestrians on your route,
surge until you’ve passed 10 of
them, then jog until you pass
five more, and repeat.
SPEED SHUFFLE
Put an upbeat playlist on
shuffle and let the song order
dictate your workout. For
example, run at 10-K pace
during tracks with a female
singer, then jog during tracks
with a male singer, and keep
going until you’ve accumulated
at least 20 minutes of fast
running. You can achieve the
same thing by varying genre or
artists. Designate one or two
tracks that mean you have to
surge at kilometre race pace
for a minute, then jog for the
rest of the song.
PHOTOGRAPH BY JOSHUA SIMPSON
TRAINING
ASK THE COACH
Lindsey Parry
What’s the best
way to run in
the heat? – ANNE,
Franschhoek
RACE PREP
PLAN TO SUCCEED
To run your best in key events, think
strategically about what precedes them.
By AC Shilton
WE ALL KNOW THE GUY who mugs with his finisher’s medal on Instagram above
the humble brag: “Signed up on a whim. Crushed it. #BeastMode.” What
he opts not to share on social media is a shot of his grimacing face as he
attempts to get out of bed the next morning. Beastly, indeed.
Spontaneity and distance racing are an unhappy couple. To
perform your best on race day, you need to think long-term. “I sit
down with all my athletes and plan out their goals for the year, then we
re-evaluate as the year goes on,” says running coach Jen Rulon. Even if you’re
not trying to nail a time goal, plotting out peaks and valleys will help prevent
burnout from racing too much – or rustiness from racing too little. Here’s
how to organise a fun, productive, and injury-free year.
MAKE PRIORITIES
If you have your eye on
a 42.2 medal this year,
pencil that into your
calendar first. Rulon
likes to pick out goal
marathons six months
in advance, to ensure
adequate time to train.
Will Rodgers, a running
coach, says if you’re truly
chasing a time goal, one
marathon per year is best.
You can do well in two if
you schedule them four
to six months apart – long
enough to recover and repeak. Half-marathoners
can run two or three
strong efforts per year,
with two to three months
of recovery between
40 RUNNER’S WORLD APRIL 2016
training cycles.
If your goal is to hit a
certain time in the 5-K,
10-K, or 1 600m, Rulon
says you could schedule
all-out goal races as often
as every three months.
FILL IN THE GAPS
Regular racing – at least
every two to three months
– keeps you motivated and
helps dial in everything
from your warm-up and
mid-race fuelling to postrace recovery. And “it’s
important for ‘callusing’ the
mind,” says Rodgers. “If we
get to our goal race and we
haven’t been challenged
and haven’t gone through
that adversity and
discomfort, it can be hard
to handle.”
But don’t overdo it:
Rodgers says you should
be running – at most – a
shorter race every three
or four weeks. “In the
weeks with races, you’ll
do fewer hard efforts;
so if you’re constantly
racing, you’re not going
to get those training
days in.” Ideally, Rodgers
schedules tune-up races
for step-back weeks,
when mileage is lower.
If it’s a 5-K or 10-K, he
lets his athletes push
the pace, since learning
to be uncomfortable is
a valuable skill. If it’s
a longer tune-up race
(15-K+) fewer than four
weeks out from your
goal race, though, he
suggests running more
conservatively.
COMMIT (OR DON’T)
Register for your toppriority goal races right
away to lock in training
motivation and provide
a framework on which
you can build the rest of
your racing year. For any
in-between races, Rodgers
recommends waiting as
long as you can to commit,
even if prices rise as race
day nears. “I’d rather pay
a little bit more but have
that flexibility,” he says.
Because these aren’t goal
events, the ability to opt
out due to a niggling pain
or a poorly-timed head
cold trumps ensuring that
you have a bib.
ILLUSTRATIONS BY RAMI NIEMI
Heat can negatively impact
your performance as much as
altitude. When we exercise,
our working muscles generate
heat, which the body needs to
get rid of to protect itself.
This is easy to do if the
outside temperature is cooler
than your body temperature;
but when it’s hot or humid, it’s
somewhat difficult. Our most
effective strategy is to cool the
skin when sweat evaporates.
Fortunately, our bodies
are amazing at adapting to
stress, and as such the more
time you spend running in hot
“Expect your
heart rate to be
five to 10bpm
higher...”
conditions, the more efficient
you’ll become at cooling down.
In the short term, listen to your
body and reduce the intensity
and duration of exercise, so
that you can allow adaptation
to occur over time. Postexercise, rehydrate by adding
electrolytes to your drinks.
This will reduce post-exercise
recovery time.
When it comes to training
in extreme heat, heart rate
isn’t the best way to gauge
effort. Your body will pump
more blood faster, so that it
can circulate it past the skin,
where it can be cooled by
evaporation. Expect your heart
rate to be five to 10bpm higher
than usual. In extreme heat, it’s
better to use your breathing
rate to control intensity.
Lindsey Parry is a qualified
biokineticist, Two Oceans and
Comrades silver medallist and 2:47
marathoner. Email him at lindsey@
hpc.co.za.
CARBOHYDRATEELECTROLYTE DRINK*
FOR THOSE DRIVEN
TO DESTINY
INTRODUCING
CR7 DRIVE
ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS FREE
CARBOHYDRATES AND ELECTROLYTES
FOR HYDRATION AND ENDURANCE*
SUBTLE, REFRESHING FLAVOUR
VERY HIGH IN VITAMIN B1 (THIAMIN)
AND VITAMIN B12
HIGH IN MAGNESIUM AND A
SOURCE OF ENERGY
Cristiano ronaldo
herbalife-sponsored athlete
*Carbohydrate-electrolyte solutions enhance the absorption of water during physical
exercise and contribute to the maintenance of endurance performance during
prolonged exercise. EFSA scientific opinion EFSA Journal 2011;9(6):2211.
10 SACHETS
ACAI BERRY
For more information on Herbalife products and
to reach your nearest Herbalife Independent
Member, call us at 011 554 1000 or via Web at
www.herbalife.co.za
FUEL
Curried
Cauliflower
Sorghum
Salad
GO WITH
A GRAIN
Unusual varieties pack more nutrients
and flavour into a healthy post-run meal.
Soak slowercooking grains like
spelt and sorghum
in water overnight,
to shorten their
cooking time by up
to 30 per cent.
By registered dietician Matthew Kadey
CURRIED CAULIFLOWER
SORGHUM SALAD
QUINOA FRUIT SALAD
WITH MAPLE DRESSING
Gluten-free sorghum (available at
health-food shops – and it’s the
basis of Maltabella!) has a firmer
texture than quinoa. The round,
yellow-tinged seeds have plenty
of disease-fighting antioxidants
and a lower glycaemic index,
meaning their carbs deliver more
sustained energy.
Quinoa packs a bigger
antioxidant punch that may help
improve recovery from training.
Fruits add an extra layer of
antioxidant protection to this
post-run breakfast or dessertworthy salad. Nutty hemp seeds
are rich in protein and hearthealthy omega fats.
SALAD
SALAD
1 cup sorghum
1medium cauliflower, cut
into small florets
1Tbsp. canola oil
1 Tbsp. curry powder
2 carrots, grated
3spring onions, sliced
Seeds from pomegranate
1/3cup unsalted pumpkin
seeds
DRESSING
1/3 cup light coconut milk
2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1Tbsp. grated ginger
1 tsp. curry powder
¼ tsp. salt
DRESSING
2
1
½
¼
Spelt, Tuna,
and Roasted
Fennel Salad
Tbsp. pure maple syrup
tsp. grated lemon zest
Juice of ½ lime
tsp. ginger powder
tsp. salt
Bring ¾ cup quinoa and 1 ½ cups
water to a boil. Reduce heat and
simmer covered for 12 minutes or
until grains are tender and water
has been absorbed. Set aside
covered for 5 minutes, and then
fluff with a fork.
Place quinoa in a large bowl
and toss with remaining salad
ingredients. Whisk together
dressing ingredients and toss
with quinoa salad.
Makes 6 servings.
F O O D S T Y L I N G B Y PAU L G R I M E S
Place sorghum and 2 cups water
in a saucepan. Bring to a boil,
reduce heat, and simmer covered
until tender, about 50 minutes.
Drain well.
Preheat oven to 220°C.
Toss cauliflower with oil, curry
powder, and a couple of pinches
of salt. Spread in a single layer
on a baking sheet. Roast until
darkened, stirring once, about 30
minutes.
In a large bowl, toss sorghum,
cauliflower, and remaining salad
ingredients. Whisk dressing and
toss with salad.
Makes 6 servings.
¾ cup quinoa
2cups blackberries or
blueberries
2 cups diced pineapple
½ cup dried tart cherries
1/3 cup coconut chips
1/3 cup unsalted pistachios
1/3 cup sliced fresh mint
3Tbsp. hemp seeds
(hemp hearts)
Quinoa
Fruit Salad
PHOTOGRAPH BY MITCH MANDEL
SPELT, TUNA, AND ROASTED
FENNEL SALAD
An ancient variety of wheat, slightly
sweet spelt is armed with plenty
of nutritional firepower, including
energy-boosting iron and fibre.
SALAD
1 cup spelt
1large fennel bulb, sliced
into 1.5cm pieces
4tsp. canola oil, divided
500 grams tomatoes
3 (140g) tins of tuna, drained
170 grams mozarella
DRESSING
3Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. fresh oregano
½ tsp. smoked paprika
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. black pepper
Shaved
Vegetable
Bulgar
Chickpea
Salad
Place spelt and 3 cups water in a
saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce
heat, and simmer covered until
tender, about 45 minutes. Drain
well.
Preheat oven to 200°C. Toss
fennel with 2 tsp. oil, spread on
a baking sheet, and roast for
20 minutes, stirring once. Toss
tomatoes with 2 tsp. oil; place
on baking sheet with fennel.
Continue roasting about 12
minutes. Allow to cool.
In a large bowl, toss spelt,
roasted vegetables, tuna, and
mozarella. Whisk dressing
ingredients and toss with spelt
salad. Makes 6 servings.
SHAVED VEGETABLE
BULGAR CHICKPEA SALAD
Millet
Chicken
Waldorf
Salad
Bulgar is a cereal food, most
often derived from durum wheat.
It’s most common in European,
Middle Eastern and Indian
cooking. High in fibre, bulgar has
a light, nutty flavour.
SALAD
Toasting
grains adds a
nutty flavor. Place
grains in a pan over
medium heat, and
stir frequently until
fragrant and
slightly
darkened.
1 cup bulgar
1medium butternut, peeled
2 medium carrots
1 ½cups tinned chickpeas
2 stalks celery, sliced
½cup chopped parsley
1cup sliced dates
170 grams diced gouda cheese
1/3 cup toasted unsalted
sunflower seeds
DRESSING
3Tbsp. olive oil
3Tbsp. white balsamic
vinegar
1
1
½
½
¼
garlic clove, crushed
Tbsp. fresh thyme
tsp. cumin powder
tsp. salt
tsp. red chilli flakes
Bring 2 ½ cups water to a boil in a
saucepan. Add bulgar, return to
a boil, reduce heat, and simmer
covered until water is absorbed,
about 20 minutes. Let stand
covered for 5 minutes, and then
fluff with a fork.
Slice peeled butternut
lengthwise into thin ribbons.
Place in a bowl, cover with boiled
water, and let soak 15 minutes.
Drain and pat dry. Slice carrots
into thin ribbons.
In a large bowl, toss bulgar,
squash, carrots, and remaining
salad ingredients. Whisk dressing
and toss with salad.
Makes 6 servings.
MILLET CHICKEN
WALDORF SALAD
Millet is a stellar source of
manganese, a mineral necessary
for proper metabolism and bone
formation.
SALAD
1 cup millet
5 cups chopped curly kale/
spinach/Swiss chard
450grams sliced cooked
chicken, about 3 cups
2large apples, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
2 celery stalks, sliced
1/3 cup dried cranberries
DRESSING
¼ cup olive oil
3 Tbsp. cider vinegar
2 Tbsp. water
¼ cup chopped walnuts
1 shallot, chopped
Zest of 1 lemon
1Tbsp. Dijon mustard
¼ tsp. salt
Place millet and 2 cups water in a
saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce
heat, and simmer covered until
water has been absorbed, about
20 minutes. Set aside covered for 5
minutes, then fluff with a fork.
Blend dressing until nearly
smooth. Place kale in a large bowl;
add 2 tablespoons dressing and
massage with hands until kale is
tender, about 2 minutes. Add millet
and remaining salad ingredients
and toss with remaining dressing.
Makes 6 servings.
MIND+BODY
Where Does It Hurt?
Pain along the bottom of your heel
– that’s particularly bad first thing
in the morning, as you get
out of bed – is most probably
PLANTAR FASCIITIS (2).
THE BODY SHOP
BEST FOOT
FORWARD
Where Does
It Hurt?
Our top sports doc explains
how to keep your ankles, heels, and
arches strong and healthy.
By Dr Jordan Metzl
1234
STRESS
FRACTURE
What’s Going On?
This develops over
time when the demand
on the bone exceeds
the bone’s ability to
withstand the force.
A burning pain in
the ball of your
foot that radiates
toward your toes
signals MORTON’S
NEUROMA (3).
You may also
feel tingling or
numbness between
your second and
third toes.
Where Does
It Hurt?
Pain in your
forefoot or heel
– that’s most
pronounced
during running
and worsens
over time – may
indicate a STRESS
FRACTURE (1).
TREAT IT
ee a sports doc.
S
Immediate diagnosis
(and rest) reduces
recovery time.
Cross-train.
PREVENT IT
Gradually up mileage.
If you overpronate, try
arch supports.
Get enough calcium and
vitamin D.
Strengthen your core
and hips (see ‘Jump
Squats’, far right).
44
WATCH A VIDEO OF THESE EXERCISES AT
RUNNERSWORLD.CO.ZA /BESTFOOTFORWARD.
PHOTOGRAPH BY MITCH MANDEL
1234
PLANTAR FASCIITIS
What’s Going On?
Excess tension or
pulling on the plantar
fascia, which runs along
the bottom of your
foot, causes painful
inflammation.
TREAT IT
Cross-train.
Take an anti-inflammatory.
Roll your foot over a
STRETCH AND STRENGTHEN
frozen water bottle.
Pump your ankle up and
down 10 times before
getting out of bed.
Wear shoes with arch
support.
Stretch your calf.
Consider a night splint.
PREVENT IT
Stretch, strengthen, foam
roll your calves (see right).
Shorten your stride: aim
for 180 foot strikes per
minute.
Where Does It Hurt?
Pain on the outside of your ankle beneath
the bone and toward the back of the joint, which may
start out mild but worsens over time with repeated
running, signals TENDINITIS (4).
1234
MORTON’S
NEUROMA
1234
ANKLE
TENDINITIS
What’s Going On?
When your forefoot is
constricted (by high heels
or other pointy shoes),
the plantar digital nerve
gets squeezed, causing
inflammation and pain.
What’s Going On?
A big bump in mileage
can stress the two
tendons that run along
the outside of your ankle,
causing them to become
inflamed.
TREAT IT
TREAT IT
Stop running if the pain
changes your stride.
Wear running and
everyday shoes with a
wider toebox.
If pain persists, see
a sports doc, who
may recommend a
cortisone shot.
Choose shoes that
allow wiggle room.
BENT-LEG
CALF STRETCH
Stand with your arms in front
of you, hands against a wall.
Move your right leg back
until your right foot’s toes
are close to your left heel.
Keeping both heels flat on the
floor, bend both knees for a
comfortable stretch. Hold for
30 seconds and switch sides.
Do three sets.
CALF ROLLING
Place a foam roller under
your left ankle. Cross your
right leg over your left. With
hands flat on the floor, roll
your body forward until the
roller reaches the back of
your left knee. Roll back and
forth from knee to ankle 15
times. Repeat with the right
leg. Too difficult? Roll with
both legs.
FOOT EVERSIONS
Anchor a resistance band to a
sturdy structure, like the leg
of a sofa. Sit on the floor and
place the other end of the
band around your foot, so
it’s taut against the outside
of that foot; then straighten
your leg and push your foot
outward against the band.
Repeat 10 to 20 times and
switch sides.
ECCENTRIC
CALF RAISES
Stand on a step with your
heels off the edge. (Hold
onto something for support.)
Push yourself up. Then slowly
– to the count of 10 – drop
your heels below the level of
your feet. Push back up and
repeat. Do three sets of 15.
JUMP SQUATS
Stand with your feet a
bit more than shoulderwidth apart. Put your arms
straight out. Squat down,
pushing your butt back
while keeping your upper
body tall. Now explode up as
high as you can and land
softly. Do three sets of 15.
Cross-train.
Apply ice for 15
minutes, five times a
day.
Stretch and foam roll
your calves (see right).
If discomfort lasts, see
a sports doc, who may
recommend a brace.
PREVENT IT
PREVENT IT
STRAIGHT-LEG
CALF STRETCH
Stand with your arms in
front of you and your hands
against a wall. Keep your
left leg forward, and extend
your right leg straight back.
Don’t bend your back knee.
Lean into the wall until you
feel the stretch in the calf of
the straight leg. Hold for 30
seconds and switch sides. Do
three sets.
Do foot eversions and
calf raises and foam roll
your calves (see right).
BECOME A FASTER,
STRONGER
RUNNER
WITH THE REVOLUTIONARY 3-RUN-A-WEEK
TRAINING PROGRAMME!
This new edition of Run Less,
Run Faster continues to
promise the same tantalising
results: readers can get
stronger, faster, and better by
training less. The quality-overquantity approach optimises
training time and yields better
performance — results runners
will love, no matter what
distance they’re racing.
FOR ONLY
R140
EXCLUDING POSTAGE
Go to FitShop.co.za and click on Runner’s World
GEAR
Today’s
exciting designs
have come a long
way since the
traditional black
tights.
T he
Tight
Stuff
BY RYAN SCOTT
PHOTOGRAPHS BY
JAMES GARAGHTY
TIGHTS FOR
EVERY RUNNING
OCCASION – EVEN
IF THAT MEANS
BEDAZZLING
YOUR PINS WITH
SWAROVSKI
CRYSTAL.
GEAR
01 /
1
NEW BALANCE
SEAMLESS THREE-QUARTER
TIGHTS R1 200
A strong, grainy fabric,
used in varying degrees
of thickness, manages to
keep the (almost) seamless
single piece of fabric
in place, for a fit that
integrates as naturally as
any we’ve tested before.
A very thick, ribbed
waistband anchors the
tights on the hips, and can
be adjusted to sit just below
the belly button.
02 /
ASICS FUJITRAIL
TIGHTS R1 200
A traditional design, with
more pockets, panels, and
storage than we’ve ever
seen. Trail runners can
pack gels, a smartphone,
keys, or even thread a
lightweight wind jacket
through the five, thick,
stretchy belt loops stitched
to the waist band. A waterresistant panel on the
shins is useful on the trails,
where dew can drench
your shoes and socks
unexpectedly.
2
03/
PUMA PWR SHAPE
TIGHTS R1 399
Puma ACTV and RCVR
tights have been a testers’
favourite since they were
introduced four years ago.
The fit of this new option
around the waist and thighs
didn’t disappoint. The
waistband was larger than
any others tested, and the
finish was smooth on the
skin and seamless at the top
end. An extra panel on the
outer quads has a lightlyperforated circular pattern,
for extra breathability. The
welded seams on the top
are purely for aesthetic
reasons – inside is a
standard, rougher seam.
3
48
04 /
4
PUMA ¾ TIGHTS R699
Prominent diagonal black
and white stripes create a
flattering fit, all the way to
the knee of these ¾-length
tights. The waistband
includes a zip pocket at
the back, and a drawstring
to ensure the tights won’t
slide down from the hips.
On the buttocks there’s a
second panel, below the
waistband, which creates
a well-fitted contour at the
rear for extra comfort.
05/
Ready Freddy:
Ready for
a run – and chic
enough to
wear
all day.
FREDDY SUPER FIT R1 400
The special, heart-shaped
cut accentuates the
buttocks, and a high-quality
stretch fabric smooths and
shapes the hips and thighs.
But those aren’t the only
reasons these tights look
so good – a collection of
Swarovski crystals above
the left ankle elevates
this pair to a new level of
running chic.
GEAR
Flowered Up:
Exotic prints
are used to inspire
and enhance
positive energy.
06/
ADIDAS LONG FLOWER
TIGHTS R899
You can’t pack much
more colour into these
comfortable, full-length
tights, which are also
available in a ¾-length
option. Two panels make
up the waistband, giving
these tights an extra-fitted
feel, and on the inside of
the panel there’s a handy
key sleeve.
50
GEAR
08/
07/
7
LORNA JANE
CAPRI TIGHTS R1 299
Lorna Jane’s inspirational
quotes are often subtly
hidden in thoughtful places
inside their garments. This
time, a quote runs boldly
down the side of the leg,
to inspire both the wearer
and those she passes on
the road. For comfort,
there’s thin mesh inside
the waistband, and there’s
a useful sleeve for a key
or gel. And in true Lorna
Jane style, there’s a heart
hidden somewhere inside
the tights.
ADIDAS CLIMALITE
TIGHTS R699
Climalite fabric is versatile
– which means these tights
are warm enough to keep
out the cold, but effective
moisture-wicking abilities
will also help remove sweat
when it’s hotter. These
tights have extra panels at
the knee, so the length is
somewhere between fulllength and ¾ – which some
testers found appealing.
“They covered the bulk
of my calves, without
interfering with my socks,”
commented one.
8
09/
9
10/
VIVOLICIOUS TECHFIT
TIGHTS R795
Not as technical as the
other options, but the fun
designs and simple, fulllength panel fit is ideal
for fans of tights who are
looking for some variety in
terms of colour and design.
The creativity is endless,
ranging from dandelions
to portraits and sunsets. A
double-thick band at the
waist makes the fit versatile
at the hips.
10
FREDDY WR.UP R1 700
Known as ‘the push-up bra
of pants’, the WR.UP is the
pair Freddy is most famous
for. A thick silicon strip
grips the waist, and two
pockets on the buttocks
form a cradle to help keep
your glutes firm and perky.
A fashion-centric design
contributes to this popular
look for those who like
to blur the lines between
walking the catwalk and
running on the road. Thick,
soft cotton – similar to that
used in the Lorna Jane
Capris – makes these
tights more suited to cold
conditions.
FOR A FULL LIST OF STOCKISTS, VISIT
RUNNERSWORLD.CO.ZA /STOCKISTS.
GEAR
1
01/ SAKO 7 R395
Named after the sock’s creator,
South African Sean Sakinofsky,
the SAKO 7 is as authentic an
option as you get in the world
of breaking-the-mould sports
gear. Technically speaking the
sock is up to the task, with 39%
COOLMAX for heat regulation;
however, this option is more
about the look.
ASK THE GEAR GUY
Ryan Scott
What’s the best
gear for running
in sand? – SANDY,
2
Knysna
02/ ADIDAS ANKLE RUNNING
SOCKS R69
Made from 85% cotton, these
socks feel softer than most,
especially in the heel – but also in
the toe, where a thicker, seamless
toe box offers a plush zone of
contact with the shoe.
3
03/ LORNA JANE SECRET
SOCKS R159
Runners often buy disposable
secret socks – and more often
than not, they don’t work. Lorna
Jane Secret Socks are a better
option. Not only will they remain
as out of sight as disposable secret
socks; they’re far more durable
and comfortable – because they’re
made from moisture-wicking,
quick-drying fabric.
4
04/ NEW BALANCE IMPACT
RACER R110
SOCKS
THAT ROCK
An antimicrobial treatment called
Ultra Fresh technology and an aircirculating knitting technique have
been applied to these socks, to
keep them fresher for longer. The
ultra-low cut makes it almost like
a secret sock, but for a padded tag
which testers found helped to keep
the sock in position at the heel.
From cotton to acrylic, and
from secret to sensationseeker, the latest runningsock options have every
foot covered.
05/ FALKE AR3 NEUTRAL R56
The asymmetrical toe design
makes for a customised fit. Like
the adidas socks, the Falkes have
extra, seamless padding in the heel
and toe – except in this sock, the
cushioning extends along the full
length of the foot, under the arch.
06/ ASICS 3-PACK
LYTE SOCK R170
Where adidas achieves its soft
feel with cotton, these quick-andeasy Asics socks – made from
88% acrylic – also feel soft and
super-lightweight. “The strong,
seamless toe feels like underwear,
and the socks are up to the task
on both tar and trail,” remarked
one tester.
6
FOR A FULL LIST OF STOCKISTS, VISIT
RUNNERSWORLD.CO.ZA /STOCKISTS.
52
There are many different
types of sand densities – the
trickiest of which is soft sand
that offers little in the way
of resistance, and saps your
energy. My favourite way to
run on the sand is barefoot
– even when I’m racing. It
feels tactile, and my feet
are engaged in the running
process more than ever.
But if you don’t fancy
running barefoot, wider shoes
such as Altra and Vivo work
best. Because the surface
pressure is spread over a
larger area, you’ll notice that
your feet don’t sink into the
sand as much. And gaiters
wrapped around the ankles
will help to keep sand out of
“If you get
sand in your
shoes, empty it
out…”
5
your shoes.
If you do get sand in your
shoes, empty it out before it
has chance to cut your feet.
Stop, remove your socks,
shake them out, and then
hold one end to end and use
it to scour in between your
toes, removing stubborn
grains. Now shake the sock
out again, before you pull it
back over your foot.
Training in sand regularly
will help you to familiarise
yourself with what feels most
comfortable.
RW Gear Editor Ryan Scott is
comfortable running on the road
and mountain trails alike, and is
seldom seen wearing the same
pair of shoes twice.
PHOTOGRAPHS BY JAMES GARAGHTY
BECOME A
RUNNER IN
4 WEEKS
JOIN THE PROGRAMME TODAY!
www.runnersworld.co.za/28days
FRESH SHOES
FOR GIRLS’
FEET ONLY
adidas PureBoost X
R1 599 • 184g
runnersworld.co.za/stockists
This new women’s-only shoe is designed
to fit better, feel better, and look stylish.
Often, designers of athletic shoes
start with the men’s model, and then
shrink its size and splash some pink
on it for women, as an afterthought.
But by doing this, they overlook
major differences between men’s
and women’s needs, in terms of fit,
cushioning, flexibility, and stability.
According to adidas, it took three
years and 100 prototypes to perfect
this model.
HIDDEN CAP
A one-piece upper usually
incorporates a toe-cap, for
added protection. This model
does include a strip to protect
the toes, but it’s hidden out of
sight, in the inner side of the
stretch mesh.
54
HINT OF STABILITY
The midsole is made entirely of Boost,
adidas’ cushy, bouncy, and highly
flexible new foam. The outsole is made
of stretchy rubber that wraps and
protects the Boost, but doesn’t impede
its stretch in any direction. The wider
forefoot, together with the slightly
higher sculpting on the arch side of
the midsole, offers a hint of stability.
NARROWER, WIDER
A woman’s foot tends to be narrower in the
heel and arch, and wider at the ball, than
a man’s foot. The PureBoost X reflects this
shape – not only in the upper, but also in the
wider stance of the forefoot.
FLOATING ARCH
A unique upper, with a free-floating arch
above the midsole. Stretch mesh with
supportive overlays wraps around the
bottom of the arch, hugging the foot, which
allows the arch to move and flex naturally.
PHOTOGRAPHS BY JAMES GARAGHTY
Not For Long
Although we haven’t run huge mileage in these yet, testers’
first impressions were that this is not a shoe for longdistance runs exceeding 12 kilometres. The tread is very
grippy, but it starts to wear right away. Time will tell.
Every runner knows
what it feels like
to reach his or her
limits. But what
defines those limits?
Our chief Sweat
Scientist decodes
the mysteries behind
why our legs turn
to lead and our will
seems to vanish.
By Alex Hutchinson
Illustrations by
Kirsten Ulve
Contrary to the
outdated changingroom myth, the reason
you hit your limits is
not simply that lactic
acid is scorching your
muscles. Instead,
each sensation you
feel while running
corresponds to a
different mini-crisis
in your body, and
they combine to
determine whether
you can hold your
pace. Last spring,
scientists from around
the world gathered
in San Diego for a
special conference
to share the latest
results in their search
for the ultimate
limits of endurance.
They discussed hot
new topics such
as metabolites and
mental fatigue, as well
as the familiar foes of
heat and hydration.
Here is what their
findings reveal about
what’s behind the pain
of pushing for a PB.
58
“I can’t
catch my
breath!”
Oxygen deficit
Shortly after
starting to run
A ‘priming’ warmup, including a sustained burst
of intense running
T
he first rep of an interval
workout always feels hard.
You’re gasping for air; your
heart is pounding. The next
rep, though, is a bit easier.
“Your breathing rate doesn’t actually
fall; you just kind of settle into it,”
says Dr Andrew Jones, an exercise
physiologist at the University of Exeter
in the UK. What you’re experiencing
is the result of a temporary mismatch
between the oxygen your legs require,
and the oxygen your heart and lungs
are able to deliver.
When you start running, your
muscles’ oxygen needs immediately
spike upwards, but the time it takes
for the rest of your body to respond
is dictated by your ‘oxygen kinetics’,
or response time. This oxygen deficit
then triggers signals that cause your
breathing and heart rate to speed up,
dilate the blood vessels, and activate
oxygen-processing enzymes in the
muscles themselves. As a result, within
two to three minutes your muscles are
getting enough oxygen.
The temporary oxygen shortage
has lasting implications, though.
To meet the energy shortfall, your
muscles tap into their precious supply
of anaerobic (oxygen-free) fuel stores.
That produces metabolic byproducts
that make your muscles feel fatigued –
and it also leaves you with less energy
for the final anaerobic sprint at the
end of the race. “What you burn up
in the first couple of minutes is never
going to replenish unless you slow
right down,” Jones says.
To fight oxygen deficit, Jones and
others are studying an approach
called “priming,” which gets that
first-rep fatigue out of the way before
the race. Ten to 20 minutes prior to
the start, include a sustained burst
of intense running in your warm-up
– 45 to 60 seconds at 5-K race pace,
for example. This priming run will
activate enzymes and dilate blood
vessels, while also allowing you
enough time to recover before the
race starts.
FAMILIAR FOE →
Your body has a ‘critical core temperature’ of about 40ºC. In the real world,
though, you slow down well before you reach that point. You can delay the
rise of core temperature by ‘pre-cooling’ your insides – for example, by
drinking a crushed-ice slushie before a run in hot conditions.
“I’m running harder,
but I’m not speeding up!”
Inefficient muscle-fibre recruitment
Sustained medium efforts, such as 10-K to half marathon
Train your fast-twitch fibres to be more efficient.
T
he early kilometres of a
half marathon often feel
pretty easy. You’re not
sprinting fast enough to
accumulate high levels of
lactate and other metabolites; and
unlike in a marathon, you’re not
running far enough to empty fuel
stores. So why does it eventually –
and inevitably – get hard?
The answer, according to studies
from the University of Copenhagen,
once again depends on oxygen
kinetics. Over the course of a
sustained run at half-marathon pace
or faster, the amount of energy (and
thus oxygen) needed to maintain
that pace gradually inches upwards.
Over the course of 10 or 20 minutes,
your oxygen consumption can drift
upwards by as much as 25 per cent,
making it progressively harder to hold
your pace.
This drift is the result of a shift to
less-efficient muscle fibres. When
you start running, you automatically
recruit mostly slow-twitch muscle
fibres, which are suited for longdistance running because they’re effi
cient and take a long time to fatigue.
As time goes on, though, individual
fibres begin to fatigue and run low
on fuel. To replace them, your brain
must recruit fast-twitch fibres, which
demand more energy – and oxygen –
to deliver the same output.
One way to tackle this problem is
to train your fast-twitch fibres, which
are usually deployed for explosive
movements, to be more efficient.
“This might be one reason long runs
are so important for marathoners,”
Jones explains. A 2.5-hour run,
even at a slow pace, will eventually
deplete slow-twitch fibres and force
fast-twitch ones to practise delivering
slow-and-steady power. In response,
they’ll build endurance by ramping
up mitochondrial content and adding
capillaries to supply more blood.
FAMILIAR FOE →
The best predictor of who will slow down near the end of a 42.2? Whoever
has the most muscle damage. Quads and calf muscles experience stressful
‘eccentric’ contractions as you land. Try the ‘repeated bout effect’: inflict
temporary damage with long, hilly runs, and you’ll suffer less the next time.
“My legs
are on
fire!”
Metabolite
accumulation in your muscles
triggers signals to your brain.
1 600m or 5-K
races, fast surges, or
finishing sprints
Short, fast
interval workouts
I
magine the searing muscular
discomfort of a hard
interval workout – focused
entirely in your thumb.
That’s the odd sensation
that 10 lucky volunteers in a
University of Utah lab experienced
in 2014, when a research team
led by professors Alan Light and
Markus Amann injected a cocktail
of metabolites – the chemical
byproducts that build up in your
muscles during intense effort –
into their thumbs. The results were
profound: they created sensations
of fatigue in subjects who hadn’t
moved a muscle.
For decades, scientists and
athletes have talked about ‘lacticacid burn’ triggered by intense
exercise. When you run hard, you
eventually reach a point where your
aerobic energy system – the ultraefficient fuel supply that relies on
oxygen delivered by your heart
“I can hardly lift my legs!”
Metabolite accumulation hinders muscle contraction.
and lungs – can’t supply energy
to your muscles quickly enough.
You turn instead to anaerobic
(oxygen-free) energy sources,
which provide much-needed fuel
but also generate metabolites that
build up in your muscles. One of
those metabolites is indeed lactate
(a molecule that’s closely related to
lactic acid). But despite its nasty
reputation, lactate on its own
doesn’t make you tired.
Light and Amann tried
injecting their volunteers with
three different metabolites:
lactate; protons, which make your
muscle more acidic; and adenosine
triphosphate, a form of cellular
fuel. When the chemicals were
injected alone or in pairs, nothing
happened. But when they injected
all three together – bingo! At first
the subjects reported feelings
like ‘fatigue’ and ‘heavy’ in their
thumbs, even though they were
sitting. Then, when researchers
injected higher metabolite levels
that would correspond to all-out
exercise, the sensations shifted
to ‘ache’ and ‘hot’ – the so-called
lactic burn, created in a test tube.
The results show that regardless
of what it feels like, your muscles
aren’t being dissolved by lactic
acid. It’s only when special
receptors in your leg muscles
detect a particular combination
of metabolites that they trigger
a distress signal that travels up
your spinal cord, which your brain
interprets as a burning sensation.
One solution? Train the receptors
to be a little less sensitive, by
repeatedly triggering them in
training. “The first time you do
intervals after the off-season, you
think you’re dying,” notes Amann.
But after just one or two workouts,
“it already feels a bit better”.
O
Near the end of hard races
Prudent pacing
kay, so now we know that
the ‘lactic burn’ is really
just a sensation in the brain,
triggered by nerve sensors in
the muscle. Does that mean
that the muscles themselves can keep
going indefinitely if you somehow ignore
those signals? To find out, Amann and his
colleagues injected a nerve block called
fentanyl into the spines of volunteers,
preventing signals from traveling up from
the leg muscles to the brain, and asked
them to ride five kilometres as hard as
they could on a stationary bike.
The results were dramatic. When the
first subject finished and tried to step
off the bike, he nearly collapsed on the
floor before Amann and his researchers
caught him. All subsequent subjects had
to be helped off the bike. Some couldn’t
unclip their feet from the pedals, Amann
recalls, “and not a single one was able
to walk.” They had all been given a gift
that many athletes dream of – the ability
to push as hard as they wanted without
feeling much pain or fatigue – and now
they were paying the price, with muscles
that had essentially ceased to function.
Yet despite their temporary super
human status, the subjects didn’t
ride faster than when they received a
placebo injection. “They always feel
great initially,” says Dr Grégory Blain,
one of Amann’s colleagues. “They’re
flying. But” – he flashes a wicked grin –
“we know they’re going to crash.” By the
halfway mark, the cyclists still felt great,
but they started to look puzzled, because
their legs were no longer responding
to the commands sent by their brains.
Whatever advantage they gained from
their fast start soon dissipated as their
legs stopped responding.
In this case, the fatigue really is
in the muscles rather than the brain.
Without any warning signals in the
brain, metabolites such as protons and
phosphate ions accumulate far beyond
levels that directly interfere with the
ability of the muscle fibres to contract.
In other words, the fatigue produced
by metabolites isn’t ‘all in your head’ –
instead, you experience a mix of ‘central’
(in the brain) and ‘peripheral’ (in the
muscles) fatigue during hard runs. Push
too hard at the start of a race, and you’ll
discover just how real those peripheral
limits are.
FAMILIAR FOE
↓
Everyone knows that
dehydration slows you down.
But here are three stats to keep
in mind:
African marathoner Haile
Gebrselassie set a world
marathon record in Berlin in
2008, despite losing roughly
10 per cent of his starting
weight; when cyclists were
rehydrated with an IV drip to
eliminate the psychological
boost of drinking, losing up to
three per cent of their weight
didn’t affect their endurance;
and periodically sipping less
than 30ml of water was enough
to prolong study participants’
time to exhaustion by 17 per
cent. Bottom line? Drink when
you can, but don’t worry if
you get a bit dehydrated.
The effects are milder than
previously thought.
“I give up!”
Effort overload
Anytime you’re
pushing your limits
FAMILIAR FOE
↓
Your muscles can store enough
carbohydrate fuel to last 90
to 120 minutes, but you’ll start
suffering low-fuel effects
well before that. One reason
is that fully stocked muscle
fibres actually contract more
efficiently. The other is that
your brain is fundamentally
cautious, and begins holding
back when it detects a partly
empty tank. You can fool
it – temporarily – by rinsing
your mouth with a sports drink
and then spitting it out, which
triggers receptors that tell your
brain more fuel is en route.
But for races longer than 90
minutes, you need to refuel
along the way.
I
Train your brain.
t hurts too much. That’s the
simplest way to explain why
you don’t push a little harder
during those crucial final
kilometres. But it’s not quite
right. Pain – the feeling that makes you
go “ouch!” – isn’t what holds you back.
When researchers at Great Britain’s
University of Kent ran electric current
through the brains of volunteers to dull
their sense of pain, using a technique
called transcranial direct current
stimulation (tDCS), it didn’t improve how
subjects felt during exercise, or how they
performed in a ride to exhaustion on a
stationary bike.
What matters, according to exercise
physiologist Dr Samuele Marcora, one
of the authors of the Kent study, is
effort: the struggle to continue against
a mounting desire to stop. All the other
forms of fatigue – oxygen deficits,
metabolite accumulation, overheating,
dehydration, muscle damage, fuel
depletion, and so on – contribute to your
overall sense of how hard it would be to
maintain your pace or speed. Effort, in
other words, combines all the different
fatigue signals that emanate from every
corner of your body – and the moment
of truth in any race corresponds to
maximum effort.
Runners spend most of their training
time trying to make their muscles, heart,
and lungs stronger and more efficient.
But Marcora’s theory suggests that
altering your subjective sense of effort
is another way to run faster. Studies
have successfully altered effort – and
endurance – using techniques such
as subliminal messages (smiling faces
flashed for a fraction of a second),
electric brain stimulation (with
electrodes positioned to alter perceived
effort instead of pain), motivational
self-talk (“Feeling good!”), and ‘brain
endurance training’ (computerised
tasks completed while exercising on a
stationary bike).
The big question, though, remains
unanswered: what is effort, exactly? Is
it a psychological state? Is it the tactile
sensation of your muscles contracting?
Or is it, as Marcora believes, our overall
sense of how hard it is to maintain race
pace? We’ve learned a lot about what
happens in the body when we run, and
come up with explanations for many
of the sensations we feel and limits
we encounter. The next great training
leaps will come from understanding
the brain.
NO GUTS
NO GLORY
If you’re looking to improve your running, go
deep – a tune-up for your digestive system could
boost your performance and your health
Words Sam Murphy Photography Agata Pec Styling Emma Ritchie Calder
62
I
It’s the day of your big race. You’ve
done the training, and you’re toeing
the line injury-free. Things go well for
the first few kilometres – but then the
rumblings begin. Your stomach
begins to gurgle, bloat and cramp.
You try hard to run through it, but
there’s no escape – you’re forced to
divert to a port-a-loo, or to stop by the
side of the road. It happens to the
best: Paula Radcliffe was caught short
at the London Marathon in 2005, and
similar emergencies have taken down
runners before and since.
“There’s evidence to suggest that
the incidence of gastrointestinal
distress is higher among runners
than in athletes from sports with less
mechanical trauma, such as cycling
or swimming,” says Nathan Lewis,
senior performance nutritionist at
the English Institute of Sport. In one
study, published in the Scandinavian
Journal of Gastroenterology, 45 per
cent of runners reported suffering
from gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms,
such as cramping, bloating, reflux,
nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.
It’s little wonder. Aside from the
jarring action of running,
oxygenated blood flow to the gut is
reduced by as much as 80 per cent,
as it’s diverted to the working
muscles and skin for heat dissipation.
“This can result in an inadequate
supply of oxygen and nutrients to
the gut mucosa – the innermost
layer of the gastrointestinal tract
– which can cause pain and
significant gut-related problems,”
explains Lewis. “For example,
increased permeability of the gut
barrier, allowing bacterial
components into the bloodstream,
where they invoke an inflammatory
response.” This manifests itself in
classic GI symptoms, including
nausea, tummy ache, cramps and
urgency.
Such symptoms can ruin your race
as surely as a twisted ankle will. But is
gut distress simply an inevitable
hazard of our sport? Not necessarily.
While there’s no one-size-fits-all
solution, there are plenty of strategies
to try to help you get to the bottom of
the problem (pun intended).
A second brain
What’s more, taking care of your gut
for the sake of your running may
also have a knock-on beneficial
effect on your overall well-being.
The health of your gut microbiome
(the population of microbes in your
digestive tract) has been shown to
influence the immune system, neural
function, mental health and body
weight. One study, published in the
Journal of Proteome Research,
suggested a lack of bacteria in the
large intestine could cause obesity by
slowing down the activity of ‘brown’
fat, which protects against weight
gain. In fact, so great is the gut’s
influence that it’s been called the
‘second brain’.
This second brain is composed of
tens of trillions of microbes from
more than 1 000 different species or
strains. But, says Professor Tim
Spector, Professor of Genetic
Epidemiology at King’s College
London and author of The Diet Myth:
The Real Science Behind What We Eat
(eBook, takealot.com, R278), every
individual’s microbiome is as unique
as a fingerprint. “That’s one of the
reasons people don’t respond the
same way to different diets or
2
Approximate
weight in kg
of the gut
microbiome
exercise regimes,” he says.
But the good news from emerging
research is that exercise appears to
have a positive effect on the gut
microbiome. “Evidence from rat
studies is strongly suggestive that
running alters microbe composition
to favour chemicals called shortchain fatty acids [SCFAs],” says
Spector. “These strengthen
immunity, dampen inflammation
and prevent leaky gut, in which
microbes and toxins cross between
the gut and the blood. There is
sparse human data, but twin studies
show a good correlation between
regular exercise and a healthy
microbiome.”
One of the main definitions of
‘healthier’ when it comes to gut
microbes is ‘diverse’. “The more
species you have, the more vitamins
and metabolites they are producing,”
says Spector. “While many vitamins
come from the food we eat, our gut
microbes also produce them.” And
studies have shown that gut microbes,
in particular, aid the production of
vitamin K and the B vitamins. It’s one
of the reasons Spector is sceptical
about the current trend for
eliminating food groups – such as
“Exercise appears
to have a positive
effect on the gut.”
wheat or dairy – to solve dietary
issues. “The less varied the diet, the
more it reduces diversity in the gut
microbiome – in the long term, you’re
going to pay a price,” he says. Infant
studies have shown that the less
diverse the microbiome at three
months, the more likely the chances
of developing food allergies later on.
Eat and run
But that doesn’t mean you can’t
make changes to your diet to reduce
your chances of suffering from GI
symptoms when training and racing.
Lewis has worked with diarrhoeaprone elite athletes, and says dietary
alterations in the 48 hours before a
race can solve the problem. “I
recommend temporarily removing
high-fibre foods – such as vegetables,
pulses, nuts and beans – from the
diet. Stick to easy-to-digest foods,
basing meals around white rice,
potatoes without the skins, or
porridge oats in the morning. This
leaves you with little fibrous bulk in
the large bowel by race morning.”
That said, there is wide variation
in the foods that – consumed too
close to physical exertion – cause a
gut reaction. “Dairy isn’t great for
some athletes, because the proteins
it contains can clot in the stomach,”
says Lewis. “And anecdotally, some
people report improvements in
symptoms when they avoid gluten.”
As these issues vary so much from
person to person, keeping a detailed
food and symptom diary can be
helpful in identifying your personal
60
Percentage of
the immune
system’s cells
that live in
the intestinal
tract
triggers. You can download one free
of charge from the World
Gastroenterology website
loveyourtummy.org. “If you identify a
potential food or type of food, I’d
advise cutting portion-size initially
– this can make a huge difference,”
says Lewis. “Perhaps you can’t
tolerate a pile of lentils, but you’re
fine with a small helping.”
Timing is also important. “For
those prone to diarrhoea, I would
recommend eating four hours before
a race, opting for something low in
fat and free of fibre,” says Lewis.
“But you need to experiment to see
what works for you.”
For training sessions of under an
hour, avoiding food altogether
beforehand might be the solution.
“Eating itself increases peristalsis
[contractions that move food] in the
gut,” says Lewis. “As long as you have
a decent-sized meal the evening
before, you’ll have enough fuel for
training of this duration. And just
swilling the mouth with a carb drink
has been shown to have a positive
effect on performance.”
Hydration is also an important
factor in avoiding or reducing GI
symptoms. “Getting your fluid status
right is essential,” says Lewis.
Exercising in a hypo-hydrated state
(under-hydrated, though not
necessarily dehydrated) affects the
rate at which the stomach empties,
which could trigger problems. It’s
best to avoid starting exercise in a
dehydrated state, rather than
attempting to down lots of fluid on
the run. An excessive volume of
fluid, along with the air you take in
while drinking, has been shown to
increase stomach discomfort.
It’s also a good idea to look at your
fuelling strategy. “Have you used the
same carb drink or gel in training
that you’re going to use in racing?”
says Lewis. “Do you take caffeine
before or during races for
performance benefits that you
have not been using in training?”
Many sports nutrition products –
especially gels – now contain a mix
of glucose and fructose. Since these
two sugars have different
‘transporters’ into the bloodstream,
this enables you to maximise your
carb intake on the run. However,
says Lewis, too much fructose can
cause diarrhoea because it draws
water into the gut. Research has
shown that the benefit of dual or
multi-source carbs only overtakes
simple glucose or maltodextrin when
you’re consuming more than 60g of
carb per hour. So, if you’re taking in
less than this, there’s no need to use
a product that contains fructose and
risk upsetting your stomach. Be
mindful of what you drink in the
hours prior to running, too: a large
glass of fructose-rich apple juice or a
fruit smoothie could cause GI
problems on the run.
Go pro
One much-touted measure for
improved gut health is to increase
your intake of probiotics, either
through supplementation or diet.
Probiotics are microorganisms that
benefit human health, and they can
help to restore a healthy microbiome
that’s been thrown off by illness,
medication (especially antibiotics),
foreign travel, stress or poor diet.
Studies have shown that probiotics
can improve intestinal barrier
integrity in those suffering from
acute illness, reducing GI symptoms
such as cramps, bloating and
diarrhoea, but this hasn’t been
shown specifically in exercisers. Still,
The English Institute of Sport is
recommending that Team GB
athletes take probiotics, based on a
growing body of research backing up
their beneficial effect on the
athletes’ health.
For example, an Australian study
found that fatigue-prone athletes
were lacking in interferon, a protein
that helps regulate the immune
system. They were given probiotics
daily for a month, and the deficit was
corrected. And research published in
the International Journal of Sport
Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism
found a reduction in upper
respiratory tract infections and
post-marathon GI symptoms with
probiotic use.
66
95
Percentage
of the
‘happy’
hormone
serotonin
produced
in the gut
While there is no direct evidence
in humans of a physical performance
benefit, a recent study in the Journal
of Strength and Conditioning Research
found that mice stripped of their gut
bacteria performed worse in a
swimming-endurance task than
those with a healthy gut microbiome.
Spector, however, believes more
evidence is needed before
recommending ‘blanket use’ of
probiotic supplements, instead
recommending that people look to
dietary probiotic sources. ‘I’d rather
people ate a natural yoghurt,’ he
says. Other foods that are high in
probiotics include fermented foods
such as kimchi, miso, kefir and
sauerkraut.
Spector also points out that
probiotic supplements aren’t all
created equal, and there is little
regulation regarding what they
should contain – or whether they
even contain what they say they do.
“You need a product that contains a
minimum of five billion bacteria [per
capsule] to ensure enough reaches
your colon,” he says. “Check the
label. You also want a range of
species – many products only
contain a couple of strains of
bacteria.”
Also, be aware that the benefits of
taking probiotics last only as long as
you continue to take them. “They are
like tourists,” says Spector. “They
only benefit the health of the local
economy for the fortnight they are
“GI symptoms
tend to lessen
over time.”
brain about what the food is. The
more liquid and the longer in the
mouth, the more detailed the
information sent to the intestinal
organs on how to respond. This leads
to optimal digestion and absorption
of the nutrients.” Fegerl
recommends chewing every
mouthful 30-40 times. This also
slows down the rate at which you eat.
At Viva Mayr, the guests are
encouraged to eat alone, without
distractions. “We recommend not
drinking anything with your meals,
but especially no iced or carbonated
drinks,” says Fegerl. “Also, avoid
drinking half an hour before eating
and an hour after. Fluid dilutes
digestive liquids and affects transit
time, leading to reduced absorption
of nutrients.”
“The long-term goal is
maximum diversity and
sufficient fibre.”
there.” So it’s key that you keep your
intake consistent if you want to reap
the benefits.
Other foods that sustain useful
microbes in the gut include those
rich in polyphenols, such as olive oil,
nuts and seeds, green tea, coffee and
dark chocolate. Polyphenols
encourage some microbes – such as
lactobacilli – to flourish, and also
prevent unwanted microbes from
colonising the guts.
The importance of prebiotics is
also becoming increasingly apparent.
“Prebiotics are like fertilisers for
your gut microbes, encouraging the
good species to grow,” explains
Spector. They can’t be digested in
the upper part of the digestive tract,
so they reach the colon, where they
are ‘digested’ by the microbiome.
Prebiotics come in the form of
starches in the diet, including
oligosaccharides, oligofructose and
inulin. “There’s evidence that a
high-prebiotic diet can improve the
health of the microbiome,” says
Spector.
However, they can also cause gas
and bloating. “This is why portion
size is so crucial,” says Lewis. “Many
people can tolerate small amounts of
prebiotic-rich foods, but will
experience significant bloating, wind
or diarrhoea if they go beyond a
certain quantity.” Many of the key
prebiotic foods are the same ones
that IBS [Irritable Bowel Syndrome]
sufferers following the low‘FODMAP’ diet are told to avoid.
FODMAP stands for Fermentable,
Oligo-, Di- and Mono-saccharides
and Polyols – some of the ‘culprit’
foods are wheat, garlic, dried fruit,
kidney beans, milk, cabbage, onions,
apples and cherries.
“Athletes with a history of IBS may
benefit from trying the lowFODMAP diet, with assistance from a
health professional,” says Lewis.
“Reducing the exposure of the gut to
certain fermentable carbs (fructooligosaccharides and galactooligosaccharides) could resolve their
symptoms altogether.” But Spector
points out that it could be just one or
two specific foods from the FODMAP
family causing the problem. “Runners
with IBS need to experiment to see
which foods give them problems, and
which are fine,” he says. “The
long-term goal is maximum diversity
and sufficient fibre.”
Dr Sepp Fegerl, medical director
at Viva Mayr (vivamayr.com), a clinic
specialising in digestive health,
believes that it’s not just what we eat,
but also how we eat that can affect
our gut happiness. “Digestion begins
in the mouth,” he says. “That’s why
chewing your food properly is so
essential. The action of chewing,
combined with the liquid and
enzymes contained in saliva, breaks
the food down, giving the maximum
number of nerve endings in the
tongue information to send to the
Take your time
Kings College
London is
working with
the American
Gut Project
to learn more
about how
microbial
diversity
affects health.
Participants
are taking a
test to see
what’s living
in their gut.
To learn
more, visit
britishgut.org.
If you feel as if you’ve tried
everything and aren’t getting any
relief from your gut discomfort,
it’s worth getting a check-up to
rule out any serious problems in
your digestive tract. Lewis says you
could then consider trying the
FODMAP diet, or an elimination
diet, in which you strip the diet right
back, wait for symptoms to
disappear, and then reintroduce
suspect foods one by one to see if
you get a reaction. But he cautions
against doing this alone. “Work with
a dietician or nutritionist, or you risk
an unbalanced diet that could cause
your performance – and health – to
suffer,” he says. “For example,
eliminating dairy can be a big risk
for endurance athletes – potentially
compromising their calcium intake
and bone health.”
Also, take comfort from the fact
that when it comes to runningrelated gut health, time is a great
healer. “GI symptoms tend to lessen
over time,’ says Lewis. Novice
runners tend to suffer more than
experienced runners, and younger
runners more than older runners.”
Spector’s final piece of advice is
something that we runners are
frequently encouraged to do: “Listen
to your body,” he says. “Experiment,
but aim for diversity and eat ‘real’
food wherever possible.” It’s a simple
message to take away, but for both
your running and your all-round
health, it’s a recipe for success.
SANDES
OF THE
GOBI
RYAN SANDES IS ONE OF THE WORLD’S BEST LONG-DISTANCE TRAIL RUNNERS,
BUT THE HUMBLE SURFER FROM HOUT BAY STARTED OFF HIS RUNNING CAREER
CONQUERING THE SANDS OF A FAR-OFF DESERT. IN THIS EXCLUSIVE EXTRACT FROM
HIS NEW BOOK, TRAIL BLAZER , SANDES TALKS ABOUT HIS FIRST MULTI-STAGE
RACE, IN THE GOBI DESERT – AND THE STIRRINGS OF A COMPETITIVE CAREER.
PICTURES WOUTER KINGMA / RACINGTHEPLANET
68
W
We registered on the Friday evening, and it was the first time to get
an idea of the other athletes. I was obviously a total unknown, so noone paid me any attention. There were some names I recognised – a
few athletes from Hong Kong and China, plus the guys who had come
first and second at the Atacama Crossing earlier in the year (the race
I’d originally wanted to enter). The runner who came second was
Welshman Rob James, and the guy who came first was none other
than… Dean Karnazes.
I’d like to say it didn’t faze me much, but it was pretty intimidating.
On the Saturday morning everyone had a big breakfast together, and
it was then that the butterflies really set in. It was a four-hour trip in
a 15-bus convoy to the start, where we’d kick off on the Sunday
morning, and I remember watching the remnants of civilisation
slowly disappearing as we entered the desert. The last thing we saw
was this massive graveyard. It brought the point home just how
unknown the territory was – geographically, physically and mentally
– that I was heading into.
FOCUS ON MYSELF
But now it was time to focus on myself. Sure, there were some big
names around me, but I had put in the training, and I just needed to
zone in on doing the best I could. In the back of my mind, I was
hoping for a top-20 finish; but I wasn’t aiming to beat any particular
athletes. I just wanted to get to the finish line as quickly as possible. If
that was good enough for a top-20 position, then great.
I did make one crucial, Spanish-flavoured mistake, though. Once
the buses arrived at the start camp, we were assigned to a 10-man tent
that we would share with the same competitors for the entire race. I
was assigned to one occupied by eight Spaniards – all of them really
good mates, and all of whom snored like a herd of Iberian bulls. For
the whole night. That – and the fact that I’d thought the Gobi Desert
would be sandy, so I hadn’t bothered packing a sleeping mat for what
turned out to be one big rock field – meant I barely slept a wink that
first night. The nerves didn’t help either.
I woke up the next morning with legs like jelly, and feeling
nauseous – I couldn’t even eat breakfast – and doubts creeping
around inside my head. I’d spent around R60 000 on this race –
money I could’ve used for a two-month holiday surfing and partying
with my mates in Indonesia. Was this what I wanted to do?
For the opening 40km stage there was a bit of pomp and ceremony
from the local community. The mayor made a speech, and there was
a parade and drum beating while local horsemen galloped around in
full traditional regalia, which all meant that by the time the starting
gun went off, it was quite late – around 9am.
Predictably, some guys went flying off in front, but I just stuck to
my rhythm and began ticking off the checkpoints. Initially I was
quite far back, but I slowly started picking guys off. I even passed
Dean. I think it was quite early on, and we ran together for a few kays
before I pushed on. That was quite a cool feeling, a nice little
confidence-builder, so I kept up my pace. Not too quick, but I was
feeling pretty relaxed and strong.
I had no idea where I was in the field until I got to the last
checkpoint, around eight kilometres from the finish. The medical
crew asked me how I was feeling – I gave them the thumbs up – and
they almost casually mentioned that I was in second place. Cue wide
eyes. I was hoping for a top 20, maybe sneak into the top 10, but this
was a proper surprise. And that’s when the adrenalin and my
competitiveness kicked in full blast.
The guy in first place was only about four minutes ahead, and for
me that meant game on. I started running hard. Not the smartest
70
thing to do on Day 1 of a very long race, but the red mist came down
and I didn’t care… I wanted that stage win.
BAD CRAMPS
The guy leading was the appropriately-named Chinese hard man,
Stone Tsang. I’d heard of him – he does a lot of the mountain races,
and was one of the favourites. With three kays to go, I came over this
horizon and saw him up ahead. He wasn’t happy – bad cramps. He
even asked me for some help, and pointed to the top compartment of
his backpack. That’s where he kept his salt tablets, and he wanted me
to get them out so he didn’t have to stop running.
A little cheeky perhaps, asking the guy who is about to pass you for
help, but I could see Stone was done, so I helped out. And then put
the hammer down. I remember looking behind me and there was noone in sight, and then looking up ahead to the cliffs and seeing the
race village. There was about one kay to go, and I knew I had it in the
bag. It was super-emotional. I don’t often express my feelings, but
there were tears running down my face. Relief was part of it, but also
thinking back to all the training I’d done, and all the people who had
told me I was mad to enter. This was a pretty powerful confirmation
of my self-belief and determination.
Obviously I was on a complete high afterwards. There were some
STUFF
I’VE LEARNT
One grain of sand… and one
training session at a time
For the Gobi, I did some training in the
Hout Bay sand dunes. On a Tuesday
and a Thursday I would do some short
repeats up and down the dunes. After
one particular session, sitting there
and getting my breath back, it struck
me how much the dunes would change
from one week to the next. I’d watch
the wind blow a few grains of sand in
front of me, and then when I returned
the next week, the whole dune
would’ve changed shape and moved.
One grain of sand at a time leads to the
whole dune shifting completely. This was
the mantra I took to the Gobi Desert race.
Being my first race, at times the whole
thing felt completely overwhelming. Two
weeks into my training there, I felt so tired
I didn’t know if I was coming or going, and
I still had another big week of training to
go. It felt like a massive mountain I could
never climb.
Thinking back to those grains of
sand helped, though. It helped to
break it all down into small steps,
and just focus on getting through one
training session at a time. I tried to
block the rest out of my mind, and
maintain my focus on the moment.
Small steps – one grain of sand at a
time. Basic Psychology 101, sure; but
it works.
Despite it being
his first serious
multi-stage race,
it was everyone
else who followed
in Sandes’
footsteps in the
Gobi desert.
interviews, and word spread around the race
camp that I had won the stage, so I was getting a lot
of congrats. There were a few other South Africans in the race, and one
of them – Paul Liebenberg – and I got on particularly well, and we would
become fairly good friends over the next couple of races. Paul came over
and had a chat with me – he’d had a fair amount of experience of these
multi-day races, and he helped me out a lot during the rest of the race.
Yes – the rest of the race. There was still a way to go, and I had no
idea whether I’d overcooked it by finishing guns blazing. The camp
was small, and there was a lot of talk going around about my out-ofthe-blue result. I heard from Paul that a lot of the guys reckoned I
wasn’t going to finish Day 2.
One individual who certainly wasn’t even going to start Day 2 was
some Canadian chap who came in about seventh, finishing like he
was doing a 10-kilometre time trial. Clearly, his mission had been to
beat Dean, which he had done by basically sprinting the last few
kilometres. At the finish he was going ballistic – completely pumped,
and loud-mouthing his achievement. Twenty minutes later he wasn’t
feeling too well, and was going to lie down. Next thing, I saw the
whole medical team rushing to his tent. He’d started convulsing.
Apparently he had got his nutrition completely wrong during the
race, only drinking water and not taking any additional food. His
muscles had basically started eating each other. It was serious. He
was on the verge of renal failure, and it was touch-and-go for a few
hours. Fortunately the medics stabilised him, and he was taken back
to a hospital in Kashgar, where he recovered after a couple of days.
That freaked me out properly. I did not want to be that guy.
Still, I slept a little better that second night. My Spanish compadres
continued to snore up a storm, but I was pretty knackered.
Determined to keep it real, I started Day 2 with zero expectations.
The previous day’s win was rad, but I was still heading off into the
unknown. After the first checkpoint I started to feel a bit better, and
kind of picked it up. For most of the time I was running in the top 10;
and by the time we got to the final checkpoint, there were only three
of us in the lead group.
“IT WAS BALLS- TO-THE-WALL
TIME, AND I RAN AS HARD AS I
COULD TO THE FINISH. AMAZINGLY, I
HAD WON ANOTHER STAGE…”
We got to a bit of a climb and the other guys just seemed to have
nothing left in the tank, so I made a bit of a move to see if I could pull
away. No-one followed me. Again my adrenalin started pumping, and
suddenly the prospect of two wins was on the cards. It was balls- tothe-wall time, and I ran as hard as I could to the finish. Amazingly, I
had won another stage!
I remember waking up on Day 3 feeling really stiff and sore, but
within 10 kays I started to get some life back into the legs. The
From Hout
one easy thing about the Gobi March – if you can even say that
Bay surfer to
world-class
– is that it’s not the most mountainous of routes. There’s
desert runner:
probably only about 2 000 metres of climbing over the entire
Sandes’ ascent to
race, but it does have its own unique challenges. One of which
the top was
rapid.
was trying to work out where the actual route was. In theory, it’s
staked out by these little pink flags every 100 metres or so, but
when you got to the sections close to a local village, you’d see the
kids waving the same little pink flags. They’d obviously pulled them
out of the ground, and – while they meant to be all encouraging and
supportive – we didn’t know where the hell to go. I’d run past them
shouting for directions, but no one understood a word and they’d just
smile and wave. Competitors would inevitably get lost, and on more
than one occasion I had to circle twice around some village before I
figured out in which direction I should be heading.
The 38km of the third stage followed the by-now familiar pattern.
I’d start conservatively and then work my way through to the front of
the field. This time, though, I was involved in a sprint to the finish
with a Chilean. There was no need for it – he was pretty far behind,
overall – but I couldn’t help myself.
I remember getting to the last checkpoint, and one of the officials
72
TRAINING FOR GOBI
I was using a five-week cycle, based on the following approach:
WEEK
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
1
Rest day
Morning: Steady run for 1 hour
Evening: Quality run – 6 x 1km repeats (10 x
1km if I was feeling energetic)
Low-intensity, easy
45-minute run
Evening: Quality, so hill repeats or
other shorter stuff based on time:
1 minute hard, 2 minutes easy
Rest day
Long, steady run
with race gear and
a heavy backpack
Same as Saturday,
but about 70% of
the distance.
The training is the same as for Week 1, except to up the intensity and distance a little as you get fitter. It should be sufficient to do 90 minutes in the
evening session on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and up the weekend distance runs to around 5 hours for the Saturday run.
2+3
4
This would
include the
dreaded fourday block:
5
This would be
a recovery
week:
Rest day
Evening: 6 x 1km repeats (10 x 1km if I was
feeling energetic)
Low-intensity, easy
45-minute run
Rest day
Long, steady
3-hour run
Long, steady 4.5hour run
Long, steady
5-hour run
Long, steady
2.5-hour
(sometimes
3-hour) run
Rest day
Rest day
Rest day
Gentle run
A little longer run,
with some quality
stuff
Same as Saturday
saying there was ‘only five to go’. Thinking he meant five kays, I filled
up only one of my water bottles – but of course he meant five miles, so
for the last few kays I had no more water. The finish was also at the
top of a peak, and those remaining kilometres took longer than I
expected. The Chilean guy – Juan Encina – caught up with me with
about two kays to go and overtook me… but I hung on. We were neck
and neck for the last 300 metres, gunning it at full pace. We crossed
the line together, both of us dipping, Usain Bolt–style. Pretty stupid,
given the race we were doing; but, hey, it’s what guys do. I was given
the win – it must’ve been by a ball-hair – but I was happy to take it.
The other competitors were treating me very differently now. I
wasn’t this young gun cruising onto the scene, only to blow out after
Day 2. I was also suddenly getting a ton of support messages from all
over the world. My daily blog post on the 4 Deserts website received
some amazing comments.
BEGINNING TO SMELL
What wasn’t so amazing, however, was how I was beginning to smell. As
it was a self-supported race, I had to carry everything I needed for the
full seven days in a pack that I would run with. And that meant packing
as light as possible. A nice fresh pair of shorts and shirt to put on each
day was not an option. One set would have to do. And you couldn’t wash
them. At the end of each stage, you’d get a ration of water that was
enough to cook the dehydrated food you were carrying, and to
rehydrate your body. They were really strict with water.
It was mandatory to take two shirts, but I would run in the one and
sleep in the other – at least that way I had a semi-clean one to sleep
in. My running shirt, on the other hand, could literally stand up by
itself after the second day. It was lightweight, breathable synthetic
fibre, which got encrusted with salt.
For the first time in my life, I’d had to think really carefully about
what kit I was going to use. I needed apparel that was comfortable,
durable and light. That last quality was particularly important. I did a
fair amount of research, and as one should always do, I tested various
items in the weeks and months leading up to the event. I was running
in New Balance shoes back then, and one piece of advice I picked up
online was to run in shoes one and a half to two sizes too big, as your
feet swell up during a long desert race. It was the first time I’ve ever
had a pair of shoes that was too big for me, but the advice turned out
to be spot on.
Chafing was a big issue too, and even though I was running in thighlength lycra tights, I still had a big tub of petroleum jelly with me to make
sure I didn’t end up with raw skin where you definitely don’t want it.
But, yes, the smell was the worst.
The Gobi March is not an event to attract the opposite sex.
Especially on the last day. I’m sure I smelt pretty horrendous after
Day 3 and 4, but you grow used to the smell and you tend not to notice
it. By Day 6, however, even your own stink is inescapable. That’s the
rest day after the long Day 5 and before Day 7’s shortish run to the
finish. You’re sitting around the race village and everyone stinks to
high heaven. But by then I was, like, ‘Okay… enough already. Let’s get
this done and get the hell out of here.’
With that attitude in mind, I won the fourth stage as well – by
about two or three minutes. It was another 40-kilometre stage, and
this time there was no sprint finish or anything like that, thank
goodness. By Day 4 I was starting to feel pretty good. The soreness
and stiffness I had felt at the beginning had gone. This is a common
thing in multi-day endurance sport. It would always be like that for
me in the races I ran subsequently; and I know from my wife, Vanessa,
who’s done two Cape Epic mountain-bike races, that she and her
fellow competitors in that race feel the same. Day 1 you’re usually
quite fresh, but Day 2 and 3 are always the worst. By Day 4 your body
just seems to get into it, and you kind of settle into a groove.
While we’re on the subject, remember to not totally take your foot off
the gas in the week leading up to a multi-day race. You don’t want to rest
up and do nothing. After all the training you’ve done, your body has got
used to running, riding or paddling at least every day. Stop completely for
anything longer than three or four days, and it’s going to think it’s time to
switch off and rest. In the week leading up to the
big race, rather do a few short, slow efforts; and
then the day before, a quick little higher-intensity
activation run. This keeps your body sharp and
focused. I’ve seen guys do all the right training and
then make the mistake of resting up for five days
before, and having a total nightmare on Day 1.
HOW TO RUN
IN SAND
been running under four minutes a kay. He
would take off and I would sit behind him, and
then on the flats I’d try to surge ahead. It was
proper backwards and forwards stuff the whole
time – obviously, a stupid waste of energy.
I started to feel it, too. I remember getting to
Running in sand
around 50 kilometres, and not feeling great at
all. I was determined not to let it slip, though – I
is an art, and it’s
QUEEN STAGE
would fall down dead before I gave up. And
as much about
On Day 4, everyone was running fairly
fortunately, that’s when I discovered my latent
your head as it is
conservatively, given what awaited us on Day 5.
ultra-distance-race mojo – that zone where
about your feet.
That was the race’s queen stage – around 80
nothing else matters but winning. Nothing. After
kilometres, and it was where the Gobi March
all the messages of encouragement I’d received,
would be won or lost. I was feeling pretty good
I felt like I was representing my country, and I
after Day 4, which was more than I could say for
The head part: you’ve got to be superwasn’t going to let anyone down.
the Spaniards…
relaxed. You can’t fight it. It’s almost
At about the 55-kilometre mark, Encina
The group snoring had got so bad that they
like swimming against the current. If
started to slow down – thankfully, because I was
were actually starting to fight among themselves,
you fight it, you’re going to get fatigued
starting to seriously overheat. I don’t think I had
punching one another and throwing shoes
pretty quickly. You’ve just got to go with
been drinking and eating enough. It was only
around in the middle of the night to shut the
the flow, and try not to resist it.
later on that I worked out that pouring water
other person up. Even I was getting in on the
over your head, the back of the neck and your
action. The altitude makes you get up to pee in
upper body really cools you down.
the middle of the night, and I’d make sure to
Stay relaxed, and accept that
By the 60-kilometre checkpoint I was
walk past the guy who was snoring the loudest
every now and again your foot
completely out of it. As soon as I stopped
and give him a little bit of a kick, so that he
is going to slide backwards, and
running, everything started to spin. The medical
turned over and stopped the chainsaw. One
you’re going to have to run an
crew were talking to us and I had to hold onto
word of advice: if you’re ever staying in a tented
extra two steps to make up for
one of the poles of the gazebo. I kept looking
race village, pack earplugs. You won’t believe
the ground you’ve lost.
down at my bottles, worried that they would pull
how much snoring, farting and talking in your
me out of the race. My vision was a bit blurry,
sleep goes on.
and my thoughts even more so. I avoided any
Day 5 began with a very early start. We had to
You need to shorten your stride and
more medics, filled up my water bottles, and
be up at 4am for a bus trip of one and a half
kind of shuffle a bit more. To get more
took off.
hours to get us from the camp to where the stage
grip and contact area with the sand, it
Encina was still following me. By now it was so
would start. I was feeling good, but the wait was
also helps to adjust the angle of your
unbelievably hot, and I was so knackered, that I
pretty nerve-wracking. They also staggered the
foot’s contact with the sand. You need
didn’t know if I was going to manage another 10
start for this long stage, with the slower guys
to be more duck-footed, if you know
metres or fall over and collapse. Whatever
setting off first and the faster guys last, so
what I mean.
happened, I wasn’t going to stop. Eventually,
everyone goes through the checkpoints at the
Encina dropped off a bit… but then, out of the
same time and they have to keep some of them
corner of my eye, I saw Stone Tsang come up
open all day.
to my shoulder. That really rocked me. Here I
That meant I only started four or five hours
was in a really bad state, feeling super-nauseous
after the front guys had gone. The pressure was definitely starting to
and on the verge of puking – and my closest rival was about to trot
build now. I had gone from being a nobody to actually being able to
past me.
win this flippin’ thing. Paul helped a lot to keep me in the right frame
Somehow I hung on. This was new territory for me. I was pushing
of mind. He told me to keep doing what I’d done every day – to take
past mental boundaries I didn’t even know existed. I didn’t think it
it easy and not do anything rash. If I blew up on the long stage, my
was possible to run for another 10 metres. But I did. You just keep
seven-minute lead meant nothing. Chatting to him, with a couple of
doing it. Focusing on the next 10 seconds. It’s pretty scary, looking
Afrikaans words thrown in here and there, made me feel a lot more at
back at it now – I kind of get angry thinking I was basically prepared
home in this very foreign environment. Still, I’d never run 80 kays
to die out there to win a race. Why? But in that situation, at that time,
before. Plus, we’d also be running in the real heat of the day, which in
it made perfect sense.
the Gobi was around 3 to 4pm – a time I’d usually be finishing the
Fortunately, I didn’t die. In fact, I started to feel a bit better. The
other stages.
ambient temperature dropped a little, and I managed to pull myself
A group of 30 of us started in the final batch, and my plan was to
together. Arriving at the last checkpoint just as Stone Tsang was
try to stick to whoever was at the front and not let them get too far
leaving, I caught him with five kays to go. We ran together for a
ahead. Encina, the Chilean, took off hard, and initially I hung with
while, and then – with a few kays left – I could see it was now his turn
Tsang, who was in second place overall. But my 18-minute lead over
to hit the wall; he was really battling. I upped my pace, pulled away,
Encina, who was in third, could disappear if I let him get too far
and won the stage!
ahead, so I took off too. I caught him after about 30 kays or so, and
Cue massive relief. I hadn’t just won the stage, and probably the
suddenly it was game on. We started racing quite hard, mostly
race… I had survived.
because he was trying his best to drop me. He must have figured that
I remember just lying there at the finish line – it must’ve been for
this long day was his big chance, and on some downhills we must’ve
over an hour – feeling incredibly nauseous, and with a massive
74
Strategy –
something Sandes
mastered early
on – is a key skill
when it comes to
negotiating the
arid valleys of
the Gobi.
“I HADN’T JUST WON THE STAGE, AND
PROBABLY THE RACE… I HAD SURVIVED.”
headache. I couldn’t get anything down, and was really concerned
that the medics would have to put me on a drip, which would’ve
meant a time penalty; so I went to lie down behind the tents, where
no-one could see me. After an hour and a half, I managed to drink
something, and later I had a little soup. I had a
rough night’s sleep, getting cold sweats, and
couldn’t eat anything until the next morning at
breakfast. It wasn’t until the Leadville Trail
100 Run in 2011 that I would push myself that
close to the limit again.
Fortunately, Day 6 was a rest day for
everyone, with the final stage being a short
10km run. Like the Tour de France, whoever is
leading after the penultimate stage pretty much
has it in the bag, provided there are no major
disasters. People were already congratulating me; and Stone Tsang,
Juan Encina and I decided to run the final stage together.
Again they staggered the start; and when we crossed the finish line
in some little village, all the other competitors had already finished,
and were there to congratulate us. In the end I had beaten Tsang by
31 minutes, and Encina by 41 minutes. The South Africans and I
shared a couple of beers and some proper food, which was pretty
cool. After a week of eating horrible freeze-dried meals, ProNutro,
Perpetuem and Recoverite, it tasted like the best food in the world.
Rather annoyingly, the joy of winning dissipated quickly, and the
real world intruded once again. I knew that would happen eventually,
but I didn’t quite anticipate it would happen on the bus trip back to
Kashgar. It was a long trip, and for the first hour
everyone on the bus was making loads of noise,
and my head was still spinning with what had
happened to me over the past week. But after a
TRAIL BLAZER
while it quietened down as people tried to catch
IS PUBLISHED
up on some sleep, and I remember staring out of
BY PENGUIN
RANDOM
the window, feeling super-stoked.
HOUSE SOUTH
Then, I felt a massive emptiness set in. I’d
AFRICA
spent the last six months training for this race,
(TAKEALOT.COM,
R184).
and it had filled up most of my headspace.
What now?
In the first few kilometres,
runners negotiate rugged,
rocky outcrops, tidal surge
pools, and technical coastal
boulder fields.The utmost
concentration is required.
76
THE TAMING OF
The Otter
The Otter African Trail Run rates as the premier event on
the South African trail-running calendar. Chased by the
tides, athletes bound across giant boulders, inch their
way along dramatic cliffs, and swim across surging rivers.
PHOTOGRAPHS AND WORDS BY
JACQUES MARAIS
THE OTTER
C
Close to the southernmost tip of Africa,
there’s a magical place; where a rugged,
cliff-top path timelines through one of the
world’s most diverse botanical kingdoms,
the Garden Route National Park.
The Otter Trail ranks as one of the finest
wilderness and coastal walks on the planet.
Hikers travel from far and wide to tramp its
course for five leisurely days.
But for two days a year, this magnificent
route is closed to hikers. Instead, a phalanx
of 440 runners line up to duel it out in this
glorious natural arena. What usually takes
hikers five days is condensed into less than
five action-packed hours for trail runners.
The marathon-distance trail morphs
into a trial by fire for world champions and
Olympians. Gunning for top honours are
the likes of Ruby Muir, Jeannie Bomford,
Landie Greyling, Emma Rocea, Ricky
Lightfoot, Sebastian Chaigneau, Krissy
Moehl, Marc Lauenstein, Kane Reilly, Ryan
Sandes and Iain Don-Wauchope.
Vaunted names make for a lightningquick dirt spurt, which is presented in two
editions: the Race, for professional athletes,
followed two days later by the Challenge, for
amateurs. The Race has an eight-hour cut-off,
and the Challenge 11 hours.
The direction is reversed each year, and
the backwards run is known as the Retto
(for obvious reasons). But it’s extremely
challenging, regardless of which direction
you plan to bomb it in.
The key to taming this testing trail is
in knowing where the obstacles are. Five
are particularly noteworthy, bound to
test runners’ tenacity. For this reason,
the top athletes’ assault on the slipping,
sliding, dipping and winding course is
premeditated, taking into consideration
tree routes, river crossings, surging tides,
boulder beaches, stairways to hell and
descents to heaven.
78
1. Lightfoot’s Leap
Blasting onto the Otter Trail from the mouth of
the Tsitsikamma River, you’re perpetually mauled
in the maw of a menacing rock field, which loiters
with intent just two kilometres beyond the start.
Tidal surges, swathes of wind-whipped sea foam,
and slippery rock beds that require leaps of blind
faith litter the initial kilometres of the trail, leading
towards Ngubu Hut.
It’s a sweaty slugfest of note, and the jury is out
as to whether it’s quicker to negotiate this boulder
perdition early on in the race, or right at the end,
when you’re slowing down anyway. Either way,
you’re hammered by unforgiving terrain. Your focus
needs to be constant: one slip could end your race.
2. Ngubu Guts
As you drop down towards
Ngubu Huts, the hard-rock toll
gives way to a glorious forest
footpath, winding through
emerald greenery, with the
tempestuous Atlantic Ocean at
your back.
Don’t let that lull you into a
false sense of security, because
the first major climb is waiting
to wreak pandemonium on your
glutes. This jade stairway to hell
seems without end. It’s not until
you pass the escape-route exit
that you find respite, descending
to the Elandsbos River.
THE OTTER
Retrospect
3. Sandman’s Surge
Sublime scenery and natural grandeur impress as you
traverse the rocky shoreline, bombing hundreds of steps,
hurdling tree roots, and rock hopping. You’re en route to
the halfway mark at Oakhurst, where a cliff-hugger of a
trail eventually deposits you atop the Bloukrans River. This
is where the biggest barney of the race awaits.
The Sandman’s Surge sign – located on the rocks,
at the river exit – acknowledges an infamous tidal rush
that swept trail star Ryan Sandes towards the open
ocean in 2012, and could’ve cost him his victory. It’s
a race against the tides, full of cramps, icy water and
serrated rocks. Better get your game face on!
When Swiss trail star Marc Lauenstein
obliterated the course record in 2015,
it went down as one of the most
extraordinary athletic achievements in
South African sporting history.
Lauenstein needed exactly 3:59.29
to claim his cheque for R100 000, the
biggest payout in local trail-running
history. He described the Otter as the
hardest marathon-distance course he’d
ever run.
According to race organiser Mark
Collins, there are only a handful of
people in the world capable of running
the race in under four hours.
“But being capable of it and actually
doing it are two very different things,”
he points out. “It takes the running
engine of an Olympic marathoner, the
dexterity of a professional dancer, and
the mental focus of an orienteer.”
Facts
Distance: 42km
Cut-off times: Race 8:00, Challenge 11:00
Prize money: R100 000
(men to break 4:00, women to break 4:30)
Fastest times:
Retto Men – Iain Don-Wauchope (4:21.30)
Retto Women – Landie Greyling (5:11.46)
Otter Men – Marc Lauenstein (3:59.29)
Otter Women – Ruby Muir (4:58.48)
Total elevation:
2 600 metres of climbing
Significant climbs:
11 (eight have more than 50m elevation
gain, and three have more than 100)
Number of steps:
7 000, going up on the Otter (counted by
Deon Braun and Grant Harper)
4. Faecelator Factor
A sign reading ‘Faecelator Factor’
is erected specifically for the
race, in remembrance of pilots
in the Second World War who
involuntarily soiled their overalls
when they saw the damage that
had been done to their planes
during sorties over enemy territory.
When you see the zig-zagging,
calf-crunching Fynbos trail coiling
skywards beyond Andre Hut,
chances are you’ll do the same
to your running shorts. If you’re
feeling strong, keep in mind that
this section is known as the Suunto
King And Queen Of The Mountain
stage. Will you be first to the top?
82
THE OTTER
Anecdotes
HOW TO CAUSE CARDIAC ARREST
IN A RACE DIRECTOR
“When Marc Lauenstein and Kane
Reilly came through Oakhurst at
halfway, they were on target to run
4:15. In order to achieve sub-four,
Lauenstein would have to make up
a lot of time. But at Bloukrans, only
two hours and 53 minutes into the
race, I heard the marshal shout, ‘Go,
go, go!’ as Lauenstein tore through.
My heart nearly stopped. How is
that even possible? I wondered
in disbelief. That’s when I knew
my money wasn’t safe!” – race
organiser Mark Collins
Like seeing the
Loch Ness Monster
Andre Gie is a former winner of
the Otter, and a technically gifted
runner. He’s one of a small handful
of people capable of keeping up with
the likes of Marc Lauenstein over
sections of the Otter.
Gie was tasked with filming
footage of the front runners, and
followed Lauenstein from the
Bloukrans River to Andre hut. When
asked how it had gone, he compared
the experience to sighting the Loch
Ness Monster. “Everybody talks
about it, and they all agree it’s out
there. Only no-one has ever actually
seen it, and no-one can be certain
it exists. Then suddenly, you’re the
one to spot it.”
5. Sting In The Tail
Here’s the quandary: you’re 100
metres from the finish line of a
marathon-distance race of epic
proportions. All you have to do is
pass through the finishing arch.
But in between you and glory is the
Otter floating bridge. In order to
reach the end, you must dig deep
and sprint across the woodenpallet bridge, as it pitches and rolls
beneath your weary legs. Then you
cross a balance bar, with the crowd
at the finish egging you on. The final
spurt is enough to send your heart
rate through the roof.
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RACING
AHEAD
T h e b e s t r u n n i n g , m u l t i - s p o r t a n d a d ve n t u r e r a c e s t h is A p r il • C o m p il e d by C r a i g D u n c a n, r a c e e d i to r (r w r a c e e d i to r @ g m a il.c o m)
A lively start:
The Birchwood
is considered
Gauteng’s
fastest-growing
marathon.
ED’S CHOICE
GAUTENG
SUNDAY 17 APRIL
5 10 21.1
The Birchwood Cross the Line
Half Marathon
Birchwood Hotel, 14 Viewpoint
Road, Boksburg; 21.1km & 10km:
6:30am; 5km Fun Run: 7:30am
Kate Wood 082 903 9722 /
Carol Wallace 082 886 2898
birchwoodhalfmarathon.co.za
The sixth Birchwood Half
Marathon is set to be the
best yet. Entries to arguably
Gauteng’s fastest-growing
marathon have been limited to
3 000 for both the 21.1km and
10km, and 500 for the 5km.
D I S TA N C E I C O N S :
T-shirts will be awarded to
the first 1 500 finishers of the
21.1km and 10km, and medals
to all finishers. After your race,
kick back and relax on beautiful
lawns, and enjoy entertainment,
jumping castles, face painting
and delicious meals.
SUNDAY 3 APRIL
5 21.1 42.2
The 71st Jackie Gibson
Marathon & 4th Allan
Ferguson Half Marathon
Klipriviersberg Recreation
Centre, corner of Sunnydale and
Peggy Vera Road, Kibler Park,
Johannesburg; 42.2km & 21.1km:
6am; 5km Fun Run/Walk: 6:30am
Race Enquiries 072 679 0874
SUNDAY 10 APRIL
5 15 32
The Alan Robb
Germiston Stadium, Delville
Road North, Germiston; 32km
& 15km: 6:30am; 5km Fun Run:
6:45am
Andre Berrange 082 826 1961 /
Les Black 082 552 7866
SUNDAY 17 APRIL
6 12
Lenasia Run and 31st Annual
Gandhi Walk – honouring
Ahmed Kathrada
Gandhi Hall, 23-29 Impala
Crescent, Extension 5, Lenasia;
12km; Run: 9am; Walk: 9:15am;
6km: 9:30am
Amit Parbhucharan
083 400 3050 / Rakesh Jivan
F I N D E V E N T S W I T H Y O U R F A V O U R I T E D I S TA N C E S Q U I C K LY, U S I N G T H E F O L LO W I N G
PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF MULTIPLICITY EVENT MANAGEMENT COMPANY
KEY:
084 627 4938
gandhiwalk.org.za
SATURDAY 30 APRIL
10 21.1
Solomon Kalushi Mahlangu
21km & 10km
Moretele Park Resort, Sibande
Street, Mamelodi, Pretoria;
21.1km & 10km: 6am
AGN Office 012 327 4930/1/2
SEARCH THE COMPLETE
LIST OF RACES IN SOUTH
AFRICA: RUNNERSWORLD.
CO.ZA/RACE-CALENDAR
0-9KM
10-19KM
20-29KM
30+KM
R A C IN G
A HE A D
ED’S CHOICE
Scenic, devoid
of traffic – and
there’s a vibey
bus ride to the
start.
ED’S CHOICE
WESTERN CAPE
KWAZULU-NATAL
SUNDAY 17 APRIL
5 10 21.1 42.2
Tronox Marathon & Half
Umhlathuze Athletics
Clubhouse, Addison Park,
Empangeni; 42.2km & 21.1km:
5:30am; 10km & 5km Fun Run:
7am
Nymus Booysen 083 280 1121
umhlathuze-ac.co.za
This is the last Comrades
qualifier on the North Coast.
The route is undulating; mostly
tar roads, with one 6km dirt
road. Pre-enter the marathon
before 27 March, and you’ll
be guaranteed a race T-shirt.
Walkers are welcome on all
distances; however, prize
money will only be awarded to
86
walkers participating in the
half marathon. Pre-entries
for the half marathon will
close on 14 April, but you
can also enter on 16 April,
between 2pm and 5pm, or
on race day, from 4:30am.
SUNDAY 3 APRIL
15 21.1
Dick King
Amanzimtoti Main Beach,
Beach Road, Amanzimtoti;
21.1km Run & 15km Walk: 6am
Des van der Merwe
082 806 0348
totiac.co.za
SUNDAY 10 APRIL
10 21.1
Oasis Crescent Challenge
Cycle Stadium, Oasis
Crescent, Durban; 21.1km &
10km Run/Walk: 6:30am
Ms Jubera 083 550 0600
FRIDAY 15 APRIL
5 10
Durban North & Umhlanga
Community Policing Forum
Summer Nite Run/Walk
Crusaders Sports Club, 10
Ranleigh Crescent, Durban
North; 10km & 5km Fun Run/
Walk: 6:30pm
Dave Ward 082 492 1995
SATURDAY 23 & SUNDAY 24 APRIL
5 10 21.1
Mondi 21km & 10km Run/Walk
Bay Hall Meerensee, Richards
Bay; 23 April; 21.1km & 10km
Run/Walk: 6am; 24 April; 5km
Mondi Schools Challenge: 9am
Petro Hardwick 071 355 7992
PHOTOGRAPHS BY ERIKA SISSISON
SATURDAY 23 APRIL
5 10 21.1 42.2
Langebaan Country Estate
Weskus Marathon
The Golf Club, Langebaan
Country Estate, Langebaan;
42.2km: 7am; 21.1km: 7:15am;
10km: 7:30am; 5km Fun Run:
8:30am
Langebaan Strandlopers
074 233 8865
weskusmarathon.co.za
Run inside the West Coast
National Park, this race is
beautifully scenic, devoid of
traffic, and begins with a vibey
bus ride to the starting line.
This is a small-town race with
big aspirations: to attract over
4 000 entrants to this year’s
event – from as far afield as
international shores. Pre-entries
will close on 14 April. There
will be no late entries for the
marathon and half marathon.
Other Provinces
EASTERN CAPE
BORDER
Road, Somerset East; 5km
Fun Run/Walk: 8am
Ronette Marais
042 243 1128
SATURDAY 23 APRIL
10
East London Pacers 10km
Run/Walk
Beacon Bay Country Club,
Beaconhurst Drive, Beacon
Bay; 10km: 6:30am
Sharonne Dewing
083 318 3853
EASTERN PROVINCE
SATURDAY 16 APRIL
5 15 25 50
SATURDAY 9 APRIL
5 10
Delta Draf
Solms-Delta Wine Estate,
Delta Road, Off the R45, Groot
Drakenstein, Franschhoek
Valley; 10km: 8am; 5km Fun
Run: 8:15am
Ralph Jacobs 083 586 1168 /
Faith Stubbs 078 157 3737
SATURDAY 16 APRIL
10 21.1
Leapfrog Gordon’s Bay Half
Marathon & Labourwise 10km
Gordon’s Bay Primary School,
corner of Sir Lowry’s Road and
Avondrus Street, Gordon’s Bay;
21.1km: 7am; 10km: 7:30am
Frans Kotze 083 302 6613 /
Kevin Wearing 082 676 0109 /
Karlien Scholtz 082 657 8851
SEARCH THE COMPLETE
LIST OF RACES IN SOUTH
AFRICA: RUNNERSWORLD.
CO.ZA/RACE-CALENDAR
(10km queries only)
leapfrog-gordonsbayrace.co.za
African Wild Life
Artistry Bruintjieshoogte
Marathon, 25 & 15km
Pearston Town Hall, Main
Street, Pearston; 50km:
6am; top of Bruintjieshoogte
Pass (on the main road,
between Somerset East and
Graaf Reinet); 25km: 7am;
3km from Swaershoek/
Cradock turn-off (on
the same road, close to
Somerset East); 15km: 7am;
Gill Primary School, College
SATURDAY 23 APRIL
5 10 25
Chris Hani Freedom
Marathon
Sabalele Community Centre,
R61 (close to Queenstown);
25km: 8am; 10km: 8:30am,
5km Fun Run: 8:45am
Sheena O’Keefe
072 293 4974
chrishanimarathon.co.za
SATURDAY 30 APRIL
5 21.1
Siza Vitality Half Marathon
& 5km Fun Run
Port Alfred High School
Grounds, corner of R72
Albany Road and Park
Avenue, Port Alfred; 21.1km:
7am; 5km Fun Run: 7:30am
Mthuthuzeli Pikoli 071 308
8870 / Noluthando Vithi
083 553 6323
sizavitality.co.za
SUNDAY 17 APRIL
5 10
Spar Women’s 10km/5km
Race – Cape Town
Cape Town Stadium Forecourt,
Fritz Sonnenberg Road, Green
Point, Cape Town; 10km; Run:
7:30am; Walk: 7:45am; 5km Fun
Run/Walk: 8am
RaceTec 087 820 7221
spar.co.za
SATURDAY 23 APRIL
5 10 21.1 42.2
NE W
10 K M
EVENT
Outeniqua Marathon
& Half Marathon
George Sports Club, CJ
Langenhoven Road, George:
42.2km: 7am; Garden Route
Dam, Stander Street, George:
21.1km: 8am; Ebb & Flow Rest
Camp, Dumbleton Road,
Wilderness; 10km: 8am; 5km
Fun Run/Walk: 9am
Alf Zehmke 083 650 5098
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF JETLINE ACTION PHOTO
R A C IN G
A HE A D
ED’S CHOICE
NE W
EVENT
TRAIL RUNNING
SATURDAY 23 APRIL
5 16 42.2
Oorlogskloof Trail Run
Oorlogskloof Nature Reserve,
R27 (close to Nieuwoudtville);
42.2km (teams of 2 or solo) &
16km: 7am; 5km: 7:05am
Ugene Nel 082 658 3078
quantumadventures.co.za
On the edge of the plateau, there
are incredible rock formations,
rock-art sites, ravines and caves.
A water point will replenish
boulder hoppers participating
in the shorter distances,
while marathon runners can
refill at natural springs. Your
entry includes: camping for
the whole weekend, reserve
permits, refreshments and
meals. Supporters will also be
accommodated.
SATURDAY 23 APRIL
65
Tsitsikamma Ultra Trail Run
The Big Tree, on the N2 (close to
Storms River Village); 65km: 6am
James 082 925 7885
muddyfootadventures.co.za
FRIDAY 29 & SATURDAY 30 APRIL
5 16 38 90
Merrell Hobbit Trail Runs
Arminel Hotel, 18 Main Road,
Hogsback; 29 April: 90km (2-Day
Event): 6am; 30 April: 38km: 7am;
16km: 9am; 5km: 9:30am
Tatum Prins info@
mountainrunner.co.za
mountainrunner.co.za
SATURDAY 2 – SUNDAY 3 APRIL
38
Trail Girl 2-Day Run
Fairy Knowe Hotel, Dumbleton
Crescent, Wilderness; 2 April;
20km: 8am; 3 April; 18km: 8am
Janine Swart 083 662 2022
trisport.co.za/tri-event/trailgirl-2-day-run/
SUNDAY 10 APRIL
5 10 20
Scottburgh Trail
Rocky Bay, Old Main Road, Park
Rynie, Scottburgh; 20km, 10km
& 5km: 7:30am
Andrew Booth 082 603 4098
kzntrailrunning.co.za
SUNDAY 17 APRIL
6 10 20
Rosemary Hill Trail Run
Rosemary Hill Farm, 257 R964,
Pretoria East; 20km: 7:30am;
10km: 7:45am; 6km: 8am
Debbie Agenbag 083 294 5260
wildtrail.co.za
88
PHOTOGRAPHS BY PETER KIRK
Other Provinces
FREE STATE
SATURDAY 30 APRIL
10 21.1 42.2
Potato Pride Wilge Marathon
GJ Humans Sports Ground,
Kerk Straat, Frankfort; 42.2km,
21.1km & 10km: 7am
Anita Oberholzer 058 813 1487 /
071 382 7219
MPUMALANGA
SATURDAY 2 APRIL
10 21.1 42.2
Gert Sibande District
Marathon
Gert Sibande District
Municipality, corner of Joubert
and Oosthuise Street, Ermelo;
42.2km, 21.1km & 10km: 6am
Sabelo Sikhakhane 082 430 8057
SATURDAY 16 APRIL
4.9 21.1 50
The 30th FOREVER Loskop
Ultra Marathon
Municipal Offices, Wanderers
Avenue, Middelburg; 50km:
6am; Loskop Nature Reserve,
Dam Wall Complex, (around
55km outside of Middelburg,
between Middelburg and
Groblersdal on the N11); 21.1km
Loskop Wild Challenge:
6:30am; 4.9km Rhino Fun Run:
6:45am
Loskop Marathon Admin Office
060 358 8546 / 013 243 2683
loskopmarathon.co.za
WEDNESDAY 27 APRIL
4 10 21.1
A
participant
gleefully
explores a
cave.
Bethal Half Marathon & 10km
Marietjie van Niekerk Primary
School, New Bethal East,
Bethal; 21.1km & 10km: 7am;
4km Fun Run: 7:15am
Pieter Botes 082 920 7555
SATURDAY 30 APRIL
4.9 21.1
Sudwala Screaming Monster
Sudwala Lodge/Caves, R539,
Nelspruit; 21.1km: 7am; 4.9km
Fun Run: 7:10am
Amanda Wessels 084 583 6945
LIMPOPO
SATURDAY 9 APRIL
5 10 21.1 42.2
Mall of the North Marathon
Mall of the North, corner of R81
and N1, Polokwane; 42.2km: 6am;
21.1km: 6:30am; 10km & 5km Fun
Run: 7am
Colinda 082 898 8341
SATURDAY 30 APRIL
5 10 21.1 42.2
Polokwane Mayor’s Race 4-in-1
Old Peter Mokaba Stadium, Dorp
Street, Polokwane; 42.2km &
21.1km: 6:30am; 10km & 5km Fun
Run: 7am
Corrie Calitz 082 464 1963
ADVENTURE RACING
& MULTISPORT
SUNDAY 10 APRIL
Standard Bank Ironman African
Championship
Hobie Beach, Nelson Mandela Bay
3.8km swim, 180km bike, 42.2km run
World Endurance South Africa
041 581 7990
ironman.com/southafrica
SUNDAY 24 APRIL
Discovery World Triathlon Cape
Town
V&A Waterfront, North Wharf
and Green Point Athletics
Stadium, Cape Town
Sprint and Schools Challenge:
500m swim, 20km bike, 5km run
(solo or team): from 7:30am
Standard: 750m swim, 40km
bike, 10km run (solo or team):
from 7:30am
capetown.triathlon.org/enter
THURSDAY 28 APRIL – SUNDAY 1 MAY
X-Berg X-Treme Challenge
Mountain Splendour Eco
Resort, take D19 off the R600,
Champagne Valley (close to
Winterton), Drakensberg
150km: Paraglider vs Trail Runner
vs Mountain Biker
X-Berg Team xcafrica@gmail.com
xcafrica.com
Back of the Pack
BY BRUCE PINNOCK
BADGE OF
HONOUR
“Oh, how the injured runner has fallen,”
said… no-one. Ever.
T
hree things in life are
certain: death, taxes and
running injuries. The only
way to avoid death is to
transform into a flesh-eating
zombie or a blood-sucking
vampire. And unless you’re
willing to take up residence
in South America, or hide away in
Robert Mugabe’s Swiss bank account,
taxes are bound to catch up with you.
Less of a dead cert, and more a woeful
surprise, is the running injury.
“Surely it’s avoidable,” I hear you gasp.
But despite gobbling every morsel of
advice ever written about how to avoid
injury, there isn’t a runner – dead or
alive, tax payer or dodger – who hasn’t,
but at least I can say my body’s better
than that of my brother-in-law, Big
Dave. You can’t tell where his arse
ends and the couch begins!
LITTLE TO NO SYMPATHY
Big Dave was the first one to call me a
wuss. Mr Lard-Arse himself had the
nerve to accuse me of lying about my
calf strain, just because he’d spotted
me – in a temporary moment of
confusion – limping on the wrong leg.
He’s the kind of guy who stares
at you in disbelief when you suggest
going for a jog, and yet he’s never had
so much as a mild ankle twinge – let
alone a calf strain.
Likewise, Janette showed little to
“I decided against a visit to the doctor,
because if he’d put my leg in a plaster cast, I
wouldn’t have been able to carry on training.”
no sympathy towards my latest calf
strain. “Get over yourself,” was her
irritated response. “I’ve never had
to treat little old ladies whose idea
of a healthy lifestyle is to play bridge
and swill gin, but runners seem to get
injured all the time. Still, I suppose
you macho, pavement-bashing
morons do keep my business afloat.”
Her dismissive tone left a lot to be
desired – but she had called us macho.
Which gave me an idea…
Instead of moaning bitterly about our
lay-offs, perhaps we should embrace
them. Like fearless endeavours that
have never been endeavoured – by
sedentary couch potatoes, like Big Dave,
I L L U S T R AT I O N B Y I S TO C K P H OTO
at one stage or another, been laid low
by a creaky knee or a dicky hip. It’s
Nature’s way of reminding us – contrary
to Christopher McDougall’s popular
assertion – that we weren’t born to run.
I’ve complained to my
physiotherapist, Janette, about the fact
I’m prone to pain and suffering. All I’ve
been doing is what I’ve been advised
to do: get off my arse and live a healthy
life. And yet, no matter how well
exercised my body is, it regularly limps
around with a calf strain. Or a dicky hip.
“Well-exercised body?” I hear you
scoff.
Perhaps the phrase isn’t quite
accurate – or even slightly accurate –
or gin-swilling bridge players.
We should behave like the kind of
runners non-runners would be jealous
of. Parade our injuries for all to see.
“Just a sore leg, but probably a
fractured bone,” we’ll tell them,
our faces adorned with a stoical
expression that says, ‘It hurts, but I’m
not showing it’.
We’ll continue: “It was my own
fault, really. When it gave way, I carried
on running. Giving up is not my style.
“I decided against a visit to the
doctor, because if he’d put my leg in a
plaster cast, I wouldn’t have been able
to carry on training.”
Then, with one final, dramatic
pause for effect: “I guess there’s
only one thing for it: to test it out
at tomorrow’s 20-K hill-training
session.”
And with that, we’ll limp off bravely
– at the same time taking extra care
not to hobble on the wrong leg;
because according to Big Dave, that
lessens the effect.
Yes, injuries are like biblical
plagues, and Big Daves everywhere
have been sent to try us. But like
Hercules of yesteryear, we shall not
be daunted.
Nor shall we swill gin and take up
bridge.
STAND UP FOR
YOUR
HEALTH
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Visit www.ergotherapy.co.za to view the
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Contact us today to arrange an obligation-free test
drive, or for a formal quote and volume discount.
For more information or to buy online:
www.ergotherapy.co.za
t +27 (0) 11 326 5126
f +27 (0) 11 326 5127
e info@ergotherapy.co.za
Unit 4, Block A
Upper Grayston Ofﬁce Park
150 Linden Street, Sandton
PO Box 575, Strathavon, 2031, SA
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Proprietary name (and dosage form): StaminoGro® Tablets. Composition: Each tablet contains: 187,5 mg L-Arginine, 150 mg L-Glutamine, 75 mg Glycine, 50 mg L-Lysine, 45 mg L-Ornithine, 450 µg Beta-carotene, 5 mg
Lipoic Acid, 15 µg Selenium (AAC), 75 mg Vitamin C, 5 iu Vitamin E, 5,62 mg Zinc, 125 µg Folic Acid, 0,75 mg Vitamin B1, 1,25 mg Vitamin B2, 6 mg Vitamin B3, 6 mg Vitamin B5, 6 mg Vitamin B6, 6 µg Vitamin B12, 100 mg
Calcium, 75 iu Vitamin D3, 20 µg Biotin, 4,1 mg Choline, 500 µg Copper (AAC), 60 mg Magnesium, 1 mg Manganese. Name and business address: iNova Pharmaceuticals (Pty) Ltd Co. Reg. No. 1952/001640/07, 15e Riley
Road, Bedfordview. Tel. No. 011 087 0000. www.inovapharma.co.za. Further information available on request from iNova Pharmaceuticals. IN114/16

Runner`s World - April 2016

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