Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2017 i Runner's World South Africa

THE INBOX WINNING LETTER A TRIBUTE I ran this year’s Knysna Half Marathon in support of locals living in a community that had been devastated by fire. But I also did it in memory of a special friend, Barbara, who passed away earlier this year. Barbara and I go back a long way: she’s been a stand-in mother, mentor, gym instructor, and she had a positive spirit. She never let age define her, and she always looked immaculate. Running along those burnt but still beautiful hills, I thought of Barbara, who would’ve celebrated her 90th birthday this year. Out of the ashes, the incredible human spirit rises, and the rewards of a healthy body and mind are limitless. – STEPHANIE KRUGER, CAPE TOWN NEVER SAY NEVER I never considered myself…

1 The Thrill of Speed  Pushing hard bombards your body with endorphins, and the rush of running fast is like no other. 2 It’s Over…. Fast!  Even if you’re slow, it’s over in under 45 minutes. 3 It Builds Strength  Running hills and intervals helps build a stronger body for even longer distances. It’s also better for your body. 4 It’s Achievable  Virtually anyone can run a 5-K; so you can risk going out too hard, and still finish. 5 It’s Fun Time  Time trials, parkruns… there are so many 5-K options that offer great courses and a relaxed vibe.…

To win the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) would be amazing. It has become the biggest ultra-trail race in the world, and is considered trail running’s answer to the Tour de France. Because UTMB attracts huge global attention, it has helped to develop the sport of trail running. The route straddles France, Italy and Switzerland, where the mountains are big and steep – and like nothing else I’ve seen before. The scenery is spectacular, and the vibe at the race is electric. To do well at UTMB, you need to be a good all-rounder. Those who can move quickly on the gruelling downhill sections tend to win; but climbing skills and the ability to run fast on flat stretches are also advantageous. Most European competitors use trekking poles to help them…

It’s no secret that fuelling can make or break a race. But it’s not just what you eat during a run that matters. Forty-one per cent of runners have had stomach problems ruin a long run or race, according to a recent poll of Runner’s World Twitter followers. But, experts say, most issues are preventable – if you follow these guidelines. THE DAY BEFORE Do carb-load throughout the day. Eat a higher-than-normal proportion of bread, pasta, rice, or other carbs (and less protein, fat, and vegetables) at every meal – not just dinner. “You might not be as hungry as usual during the taper,” says 11-time marathoner and dietician Kelly Hogan, of Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. “Eating smaller meals every couple of hours can help you get…

The big race, when it finally arrives, is a test you cannot cram for. We all know this in theory – but in those nerve-wracking final weeks, it’s hard to resist the urge to squeeze in extra kilometres or faster reps. The problem? If you give in to temptation, you’ll be missing out on some crucial physiological changes that happen only when you balance the stress of regular training with the relative ease of your taper. One example: when you taper properly, your leg muscles actually get measurably bigger and more powerful. A university study of cross-country runners found that the post-workout response of a gene associated with muscle size quadrupled during the taper period. Other benefits include a boost in oxygen-carrying red blood cells and a reduction in stress…

INSTEAD OF: “I just can’t run in the heat.” TRY: “During my next race build-up, I want to do some long treadmill runs in a warm room to practise hydration, fuelling, and pacing in less-than-ideal conditions.” WHY? You’ve identified an opportunity for growth (you haven’t practised running in hot weather), and you’ve identified an action you can take (acclimation) to prevent a previous setback from recurring. INSTEAD OF: “I’m getting slower every year – why can’t I place as high as I used to in races?” TRY: “Getting slower might be inevitable as I age, but I can alter my goals to stay motivated. For my next race, I choose to practise running an even pace instead of trying to beat a group of younger runners.” WHY? Extrinsic motivation, such…

“The news my sister had cancer inspired me to start running. And after she passed away, it became an outlet for my tears.” – Mark Brandstetter “I was addicted to so many things, and fought hard to get back on the straight and narrow. I managed to quit drugs, chain-smoking and alcohol, only to find comfort in food, and watch my weight balloon to 147kg. But in running, I finally found a healthy addiction: in the space of a year, I lost over 50kg, and ran my first marathon.” – Shaun Sangster “I was diagnosed with osteoporosis at 50; but instead of taking those dreadful drugs, I started running. One year later, a bone-density scan showed a 12% improvement.” – Madeleine Zwaneveld “I got tired of waiting for my husband…

Farai Chinomwe waves as he bounces up the sand track in a borrowed Mercedes. “OK, let me get these guys out,” he says, pointing to the bees that have escaped from the box in the back and are swarming in the car’s windows. There’s a reason Chinomwe’s known on Johannesburg’s streets as ‘Rasta Bee’. The dreadlocked beekeeper has lost count of the number of hives he’s rescued and relocated, or persuaded people with big properties to ‘adopt’. But it’s his remarkable exploits (in the name of bee conservation) as a backwards long-distance runner – starting in 2015, in races such as Om die Dam, Two Oceans and Comrades – that have brought him national attention. Chinomwe ran his fifth Comrades Marathon this year; and for the third year in a…

The Wake-Up I hated the thought of getting healthy when I was growing up. I enjoyed swimming, but I ate whatever I wanted. When I moved to South Africa from Zimbabwe to study, I lived a typical student life: parties, late-night pies from the petrol station, and burger specials. My sister invited me to swim the Midmar Mile with her, and because I’d enjoyed swimming at school I agreed. But I was in for a shock: that evening when I went to the pool to do my first training session, even two lengths left me feeling exhausted. My chest was on fire! The Shake-Up I persevered, and after a few weeks I felt comfortable in the water again. I had also lost 5kg. Motivated, I decided to take up running,…

Run – if you feel like it. Some runners feel they race better after a short, gentle shake-out run. It can help burn off some nerves and loosen up the legs, which is especially important if you’ve travelled a long distance. Others take the day off. It’s all about personal preference. At minimum, a 20- to 30-minute walk (even just around the expo) is a good idea. Collect your race number – if you can. If your event offers day-before race-pack pick-up – and you’re near enough – do it. Who needs the stress on race morning? Plus, if you happen to notice an error in your registration, such as incorrect age or sex, you have time to correct it. Get ready – then chill out. Lay out everything you’ll…

GEAR Do I need to break in new shoes before racing in them? If you’ve been donning the same shoe brand and style for years, you probably won’t have any problem running a race in a pair that’s fresh out of the box. You know what works for you. On race day, you want a shoe where there won’t be any ‘surprises’, meaning no blisters, no rubbing, no pain. However, it’s always wise to run a few workouts in a new pair. For longer races, like a half or full marathon, always do a few long runs in a new pair, just to make sure you won’t encounter any problems on the course. – Nikki Reiter, biomechanist and coach with the Run SMART Project GEAR My earbuds won’t…

The age-old question ‘What should I eat before a long run or race?’ plagues every runner. An ideal pre-workout meal is high in carbohydrates, moderate in protein, and low in fat – the latter two are harder to digest, and can cause GI issues. Try different meals during training to see what works for you, and give yourself two to four hours to let things settle. 1. Basic 4 low-fat frozen pancakes topped with 1 sliced banana and 1 Tbsp. honey. Serve with 1 cup low-fat milk. The carbs top off your muscles’ glycogen stores, which are essential for endurance athletes, says sports dietician Angie Asche. “Quick-acting carbs may also increase your performance and your time to exhaustion.” 2. Gluten-Free 2 cups rice cereal with 1 cup low-fat milk. Serve…

“…triathlon fans who ‘hop, hop, hopped’ him to an even greater advantage.” People always think winning is easy; they never get to see everything that happens behind the scenes to cross the line first. South Africa’s James Cunnama won the inaugural Ironman Hamburg, and did so in emphatic fashion. James got into triathlon while studying in Port Elizabeth, and being a volunteer for IM South Africa. Who would ever have thought he would end up becoming the only African to break the eight-hour barrier for the 226km of an Ironman distance race – not once, but twice – and also become the best-placed South African ever at the IM World Championship, when he finished fourth? Thus far, the win at home has eluded James (except for the 70.3 SA in…

“Running a fast 5-K requires more than just training fast... it’s about finding the right balance.” IN A 5-K, the challenge matches the pain. It’s a battle of the mind against the shortcomings of the flesh, and one of the purest tests of running. At the time of writing, a group of like-minded friends and I had decided to take on the challenge of running 5km in 20 minutes – by the end of this month. Admittedly, for most of us the challenge is more about running our fastest 5-K, rather than breaking the 20-minute mark. But the race is still on. We even started an Instagram account (@midlife_cri5i5) to document the journey, which was born of a discussion we had on the WhatsApp group we use for, uh, organising…

NAME: Erik Salamon INSTA NAME: @kissmycalves AGE: 31 HOMETOWN: Sea Point, Cape Town OCCUPATION: Copywriter About me I’m getting married at the end of this year, so in April I decided to start running in preparation for my big day. I started @kissmycalves to keep me motivated, and to share my journey with others. I still have a long way to go, but so far I’ve run 561km and lost 9kg. What phone do you use to take your Instagrams? iPhone SE Where’s your favourite place to run? Signal Hill or Lion’s Head. Tell us about your Insta name. People have always said that I have big calves, and that’s what they see when I run past. So I thought it would be rather fitting to use that as my…

Head injuries in rugby, and strained shoulders in cricket, come with the territory. In running, black toenails come with the territory. If you’ve ever trained for a long, long run, chances are one of your little piggies has suffered this dodgy-looking ailment (or maybe even all ten of ’em at once). Most of the time, black toenails are nothing to worry about; but at least some of the time they’re more serious than that, so you’d be wise to take steps to prevent them. 3B’S THAT CAUSE DISCOLOURING UNDER YOUR NAILS: BRUISING, BLISTERING, AND BLEEDING. 3-6 Time in months that it can take for a new nail to grow back if the damaged nail has fallen off; depends on the size of the nail. 21km Run any further…

To get the most out of a training tool, you must understand the information it provides. Distance running is an exercise in improving efficiency: the less energy you use to move, the longer you can maintain a given speed. Efficiency can be measured: either by looking at the amount of oxygen used to maintain a particular speed in a lab, or – in a real-world setting – looking at your heart rate at a given speed. Environmental conditions play a major role in heart-rate response and speed. Heat requires higher heart rate – in part, to help move more blood to the skin to aid cooling, but also due to increased energy cost. Wind leads to even higher energy cost at a particular speed. Power helps you look at efficiency…

1 Apple Watch Series 2 from R6 400 The first Apple Watch was viewed largely as a fun accessory for your iPhone, and lacked some key features that runners wanted. The Watch Series 2 has built-in GPS tracking and waterproof construction, which instantly makes it a one-watch solution for runners. This second iteration is still an extension of your iPhone, but now you can leave the handset behind when you set out for a run, and not miss a step. The native Workout app records your latitude and longitude points directly to the watch, to give you real-time distance and pace, and to chart a map later of where you’ve travelled. Our tests found the GPS to be on par with more advanced sport-specific watches, and the optical heart-rate monitor…

At the Furman Institute of Running and Scientific Training (FIRST) in South Carolina, US, we hear from runners who want to get faster, from those who simply want to enjoy the sport for life, and from those who’ve given up on running entirely. They’ve stopped because injuries have made it too frustrating or too painful to continue. The two of us – both long-time runners – spend a lot of time discussing what we can do now to increase the likelihood that we’ll log kilometres well into old age. We want to be able to keep doing what we love to do – and that’s probably a goal of yours, too. Based on our experience as athletes, coaches, and exercise scientists, we developed the 7-Hour Workout Week, which is detailed…

 I run because it keeps me HEALTHY, FOCUSED AND FIT I run because I develop an emotional attachment to every new place I run I run because my thoughts are different every time I run, and I finish with a new perspective I run because each route is unique and different, no matter how many times I have run it I run because running became my regular commute to work, and a way to avoid traffic I run because it grants me FREEDOM from all boundaries, barriers and constraints I run because it’s an adventure, a quest, a journey and an exploration I run because I experience the environment: in all its variation, intimately I run because it gives me the time to explore what my heart really wants and…

TRAIL RUNNING Saturday 21 October Sound Harmonics Harrismith Mountain Race Harrismith Primary School, 64 Greyling Street, Harrismith, Free State; 30km: 8am; 15km: 10am; 5km: 10:15am Barbara van der Hoven 084 570 2544 harrismithmarathonclub.co.za In 1922, Major AE Belcher – a member of the Devon Regiment, and a veteran of the Anglo-Boer War – made a bet with locals in the bar at the Harrismith Club that he could run to the top of ‘that little hill of yours’ in under an hour. (Legend has it a case of whisky was at stake.) The local magistrate accompanied the Major on horseback, to make sure he didn’t cheat. Major Belcher made it to the summit of Platberg in 52 minutes, winning the bet. The oldest race in South Africa…