Innholdsfortegnelse for November 2015 i Runner's World South Africa

THE INBOX WINNING LETTER PEP TALK I was never big on mantras; until one day during a hill-training session, a good friend – an experienced runner with 19 Comrades to her name, and hundreds of marathons spanning over 30 years – saw me battling, and shouted to me: “Grasp that imaginary rope, and pull yourself up!” After the session I thanked her, thrilled I’d managed to conquer a hill my mind had told me I couldn’t. She told me that it isn’t physical pain that makes us give up, but negative thinking. So I started to concentrate on positive thoughts. And the moment I did, I began to meet my race expectations. This year, ‘run to the sun’ was my mantra for the Comrades Up Run, in memory of my…

NAME: WAYDE VAN NIEKERK AGE: 23 HOME: PELLISSIER, BLOEMFONTEIN OCCUPATION: WORLD-CLASS ATHLETE, MARKETING STUDENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF THE FREE STATE When former Grey High School pupil Wayde van Niekerk won the 400 metres at the World Athletics Championships in August, to become the fourth-fastest ever over the distance, everyone asked, “Wayde who?” But for this ambitious 23-year-old, his ‘overnight’ rise to fame has taken years of hard work and dedication – and a big dose of self-confidence. When I stood in the blocks, everywhere I looked I saw national record-holders, Olympic champions and world champions. It was a quality field, and I knew I had to put it all out there. I was pretty nervy and a bit down, and didn’t get out of the blocks as explosively as…

JACQUI RENS Age: 41 Home Town: Cape Town Height: 1.70m Occupation: Owner of Exquisite Ice (a diamond store) Time Required: 1 year Then: 105kg Now: 83kg THE WAKE-UP After hearing the devastating news that having children of my own would probably never be a possibility, I turned to comfort eating, and my weight ballooned. I joke that I got off the couch for the first time at 40, but it’s actually true. Until I turned 40, I’d avoided exercise, but now I tipped the scales at over 100kg – and it made me feel miserable. THE SHAKE-UP I changed my diet, drank two litres of water a day, downloaded a running app and started running on the treadmill. For me, the biggest challenge was my own negative self-talk. I had…

Showing up in both high-end restaurants and Grade 5 lunch boxes, seaweed is being touted as the new kale. A staple in Asian diets for centuries, it’s low in kilojoules and provides a wide range of vitamins and minerals. Crunchy seaweed snacks (shown here), made from roasted, salted nori, are a healthy alternative to potato crisps. (Though be warned: “They don’t taste anything like chips!” says RW US Editor-in-Chief David Willey.) A serving of dulse seaweed provides 550mg of potassium, 15% of your daily iron needs, and 2g of fibre. Some say its rich, briny flavour is reminiscent of bacon. Ha! (For healthy-seeming foods you shouldn’t be eating, see page 35.)…

STAIRMASTER It replicates challenging hills better than many treadmills. “StairMaster workouts let you practise pumping your arms while maintaining a non-pounding movement,” says coach Lynn Gray. STAIRS Stadiums and office buildings offer enough flights to substitute for hill repeats. “Just be sure to keep your arms pumping,” says Gray. HIGH KNEES Running with high knees on flat terrain (above) mimics the form and explosive strength you’ll need on hills. Gray used high knees during long runs to train for a hilly marathon, where she won her age group. Start with short bursts (30 seconds at a time) and work up. To avoid injury, pump your arms and make sure your foot strikes are soft.…

SMARTPHONES AND GPS WATCHES have revolutionised our sport, enabling us to track pace and distance in real time. According to Running USA, 52 per cent of runners carry GPS devices. But there is a downside: “There’s been a shift from training and racing by feel, to training and racing by numbers,” says running coach Jenny Hadfield. Race according to your watch in heat or on an off-day, and you risk going out too fast and burning out. Or if you let it dictate your pace when you’re feeling great, you might hold back unnecessarily, robbing yourself of a PB. Check it obsessively in either case, and you’ll stress yourself out. Better to tune into your ‘inner GPS’ first and foremost, says Hadfield. “When you run by feel, you race at…

RAISINS These chewy morsels are a source of iron – a fatigue-fighting nutrient that some athletes fall short on, says Mangieri. BEANS What do the longest-living populations have in common? They eat lots of beans, which are rich in protein, antioxidants, and complex carbs. TEFF This tiny gluten-free grain has double the protein and fibre of brown rice. “Teff muffins are a great pre-run snack,” says White. YERBA MATE With a mellower buzz than coffee and more antioxidants than green tea, “it may give runners better focus and energy to enhance performance,” says White. SEAWEED Kelp, nori, and other kinds “provide iodine, fibre, calcium, and vitamin C,” says Stoler. She likes roasted seaweed snacks for “the added sodium after a workout.”…

FOR REBECCA PACHECO, yoga and running have always been intertwined – much like her legs in the photograph below. “I started running when I was 14 and doing yoga when I was 16, so I really don’t know one without the other,” says the yoga instructor and two-time marathoner. Recognising the benefits the ancient practice can have on both the runner’s body (improved flexibility, range of motion, muscular strength) and mind (more focus, less stress), Pacheco developed Om Athlete, a class she teaches to help runners improve performance and prevent injury. “Yoga is the perfect recovery activity for runners,” Pacheco says. “It relieves soreness and tension in your hardworking muscles, and restores range of motion, so you can run better the next time you hit the road.” The poses form…

WAYDE VAN NIEKERK At the 2015 IAAF World Championships, Wayde van Niekerk did South Africa proud, winning the 400 metres. So imagine our excitement when we got our hands on the actual pair of adidas spikes he ran in! Let’s take a closer look at the shoes that won gold in 43.48 seconds. (And read our full interview with Van Niekerk – thanks for lending us your weapons, Wayde! – on p19.) adidas adiZero Prime Finesse R2 000 148g adidas Concept Stores 021 442 6200 148 GRAMS Such a lightweight shoe has the obvious benefit of being able to move freely around the track with the runner, and with the least resistance from gravity. A Pebax® plate in the middle of the outsole provides the strength needed to hold these…

Kara Goucher’s Kitchen Sink Pizza Wholewheat naan/roti flatbreads provide an easy, carb-rich base for a mix of grilled vegetables and chicken. Spaghetti with Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce Sun-dried tomatoes lend this sauce rich, intense flavour without having to cook for hours on the stove. Pizza Margherita with Make-Ahead Tomato Sauce Fresh mozzarella is naturally lower in fat than many hard cheeses, making it a good choice the night before a big run. Spaghetti Carbonara This classic Italian dish uses kitchen staples like eggs, onions, and a bit of bacon for flavour. Soba Noodles with Peanut-Sesame Sauce The no-cook sauce for this Asian-inspired dish takes just minutes to make, while soba noodles provide a break from traditional pasta. Pasta with Peas and Prosciutto Created by Runner’s World contributing chef Nate Appleman, this…

Since she embarked on a healthy diet and took up running in her 30s, Michele Bakker has lost 45 kilograms. But despite finishing Comrades and the Two Oceans ultra, and with a 2:04 half-marathon PB, she still weighs 89 kilograms – and try as she might to lose weight, she has reached a plateau. “I’ve had everything checked – my cholesterol, lungs, and even my eyesight, are all 100%,” she says. While Bakker is under no illusion that carrying extra weight doesn’t pose risk, she acknowledges the role that diet and exercise have played in offsetting the threat. “The idea that thin equals healthy is challenged at my local parkrun every Saturday,” she says firmly. “There are people of all sizes and shapes who can run.” The medical profession has…

We runners have a c o m p l i c a t e d relationship with portable toilets. We’re happy to see them before (and sometimes during and often after) a race, especially when we’ve been s h o tgunning li q ui d s a n d glucose. But that minute-plus (on average) we spend in their odoriferous confines tends to y ie l d s o m e memorable-and-not-in-a-good-way moments. However, instead of shaking your fist at them, we suggest cutting th e p o r t ab l e toilet some slack. Everything from the mysterious blue liquid to the height of t h e d r o p to the placement o f t h e u r i n a l has been studied…

Don’t get me wrong: I love dogs just as much as the next person. Dogs are loyal and loving; they make us better people. Most of the time. But try putting them on a leash, and all the hounds of hell break loose. When the annual Canine Canter invited us to “run with man’s best friend”, I have to say I wasn’t keen. Although running with Fido conjures up a dreamy picture – striding out, a noble red setter (or maybe even an exotic Russian wolfhound) trotting gaily by my side – the family dog couldn’t be further from this pooch profile. A somnolent mutt with over-active salivary glands, our mongrel Tony is part fat Labrador, part sloth, with a generous smattering of skunk in his genes. He has an…

RULES OF ENGAGEMENT I’m a friendly runner who says hello to other runners. But what’s the etiquette when you pass others multiple times on a loop? – NIGEL, Arniston There’s always one guy at the office who can’t seem to stop greeting you. In the elevator: “Hi, Nigel.” In the canteen: “Nigel, isn’t coffee AWESOME?” In the corridor, en route to the printer: “Howdy doody, Nige?” Peeing in the urinal next to yours, whispering: “N to the I to the G to the E to the L” And so on. While out running – especially if that’s on the same loop, over and over again – your likelihood of a similar encounter increases. Nod your head, raise your eyebrows in acknowledgement; and on occasion, you can share vital information, like:…

THE GREEK PHILOSOPHER ARISTOTLE SAID, “We are what we repeatedly do.” Runners would do well to remember that when considering go-to routes. The terrain we train on shapes our strengths and weaknesses, which is why smart racers make sure to log training runs that mimic their course’s grades. Hills use different muscle groups and movement patterns than flats, while rolling terrain requires your body to adjust to short bursts of uphill effort (and downhill recovery). When our runs always follow the same elevation profiles, we may develop imbalances that inhibit performance, says running coach and author Lynn Gray. “Runners always become better when they can develop a range of different skills and muscle groups,” she says. Here’s how to maximise the benefits of each terrain type – and how to…

Early in your running life, you have plenty of milestones to celebrate: the first time you make it around the block, or run-walk for 30 minutes, or complete a 5-K race. But to enjoy a healthy, lifelong relationship with running, you eventually must find ways to measure success that don’t involve going further or faster. Celebrate the first time – and every time – you’re able to do these things: GO ABOUT YOUR DAY POST-RUN Running can be tiring, even if you stick to a sensible run-walk plan. That’s why so many runners love coffee: bouncing back from a run can be half the battle, especially for newbies. Returning from a run feeling refreshed rather than depleted shows that you’re adapting to the stress of that distance and pace. ENJOY…

I run a sub-2-hour half marathon. What pacing plan should I follow for my first marathon? – TONY, Cape Town While it’s not an exact science, it is possible to use your half marathon to predict your marathon time. A goal time of between 4:12 and 4:15 is achievable, provided you’ve trained well, and have taken into consideration factors such as whether you ran your half at sea level or altitude, if the marathon will be run at sea level or altitude, and how the route profile compares to that of your half marathon. Due to the increase in oxygen at sea level, you’ll find you run three to five per cent faster over the same distance run at altitude – but the opposite is also true. Times run on…

JUST LIKE THEIR NAMESAKE OIL, olives are rich in monounsaturated fats that help protect your heart, and antioxidants that reduce inflammation. Different ripening and curing processes create varieties in a vast array of flavours and colours. “Olives may be small,” says 10-time marathoner Pam Anderson, “but their briny, piquant flavour brings ordinary ingredients to life.” She incorporates the fruit (yes!) into Mediterranean-inspired dishes, like pizzas and salads. Anderson’s latest cookbook, Three Many Cooks, is a memoir-with-recipes that she wrote with her two daughters. – YISHANE LEE SAVOURY SALAD Large, bright green olivesadd fruity flavour. 500 grams thin green beans, blanched6 green or pimiento- stuffed olives, sliced1 ½ ribs celery, diced small, plus ¼ cup celery leaves1 medium shallot or spring oinion, thinly sliced Zest and juice from ½ lemon2 tablespoons…

In this brand-new edition, updated to reflect current practices and research, you’ll find everything you need to know about: shoes and shoe selection, ‘over the counter’ treatments, orthotic techniques and materials, Piriformis Syndrome, chiropractic medicine and acupuncture, stretching techniques, nutrition and supplements, injuries suffered by minimalist runners, and issues specific to women, children and endurance runners. Go to FitShop.co.za  and click on Runner’s World…

At the 2015 Berlin Marathon, I noticed the leader’s insoles were jutting out of his shoes. How important are insoles? – KELLY, Drummond It would have been hard not to notice the bizarre sight of winner Eliud Kipchoge’s insoles, which had shifted out of place and were protruding outside of his shoes, and flapping around his ankles. Although he ended up running the fastest marathon time of the year, the Kenyan had to put up with painful blisters and cuts, caused by the insoles, for more than half of his race. Removing the insole is part of the process we go through when we test the shoes you see in the pages of Runner’s World. We do this for two reasons: to get a feel for the cushioning, and to…

Anytime you run longer than an hour, you should pack some fuel to power you through your workout. Energy gels and chews are a convenient choice, but sometimes you want something more substantial – and satisfying. These energy bars and balls are quick to make, really delicious, and offer a decent amount of energising carbs. HONEY ENERGY BARS MAKES 9 bars TOTAL TIME 30 minutes 2 large eggs3 tablespoons honey2 tablespoons canola oil2 teaspoons gratedorange zest2 cups granola2/3 cup roughly choppedwalnuts Preheat the oven to 190°C. Coat a 20-centimetre-square baking pan with cooking spray. In a bowl, lightly whisk the eggs. Whisk in the honey, oil, and zest. Stir in the granola and walnuts. Mix until thoroughly combined. Spread the mixture in the baking pan and bake for 15 minutes,…

THE BOY IS RUNNING HARD, his breathing loud and choppy. He sees his mother up ahead, standing at the spot on the asphalt path that marks the end of the lap. She’s looking at the stopwatch in her hand. If he beats his personal best, even by a second, practice will end and there might be a reward. An ice cream or a burger, maybe. If he’s slower, he’ll have to run around the park again. He hates those penalty runs, but at age 7, he doesn’t dare challenge his mother. She shouts, “Three minutes 34…35…36,” and each second declared propels him faster. When he finally reaches her, he collapses on the grass. Bits of twigs and dirt stick to his sweaty arms and legs as he rolls around on…

1940s During World War II, Long Beach Shipyards in California installed portables constructed of wood with modified metal 200-litre drums to save time for naval ship repairmen. 1950s Rise of the construction industry coincided with rise of independent suppliers of homemade, wooden portables that weighed up to 180 kilograms each (they’re now 72 to 77). 1960s After an eye-watering visit to a portable, Ken Holyoak (in the motor-home business) offered the unit’s owner a free drum of deodoriser. He was a pioneer in replacing subpar home disinfectants with an industry-specific portable-toilet smell solution. 1969 Woodstock was one of the first places outside commercial and industrial settings to use portable toilets. The concert had 5- to 6-metre wooden buildings with 10 stalls and a urinal room each (about one pot for…

EASTERN CAPE BORDER SATURDAY 14 NOVEMBER The Gonubie Coastal Challenge Gonubie Sports Club, Gonubie, Buffalo City; 21.1km Run/Walk: 6am; 10km Run/Walk: 6:30am Nico Sprong 084 508 4577 SATURDAY 28 NOVEMBER Kapaailand Half Marathon Ugie Build It, 15 Main Street, Ugie; 21.1km Run & Walk: 7am; 10km Walk: 7:15am Christiaan Kotze 084 512 1808 EASTERN PROVINCE SATURDAY 21 NOVEMBER Glendore Arms Two Views (previously known as 2 Views 10km Challenge & Fun Run) Glendore Arms Pub, corner of Victoria Drive and Genadendal Road, Port Elizabeth; 10km: 7am; 5km Fun Run: 7:15am Eusentha Pillay 084 665 0910 SATURDAY 28 NOVEMBER Malabar 10km Pollock Beach, Summerstrand Lifesaving Club, Port Elizabeth; 10km: 6:30am; 5km Fun Run: 6:45am Enquiries 083 564 4270 FREE STATE SATURDAY 7 NOVEMBER Engen Curie to Engen Crossing 15km & 5km…

I’ve known Michele Bakker for more than 10 years. We first met when I moved into the same complex she lived in, and decided to welcome myself with a big house party and invite some rowdy friends. Michele, my near neighbour, was not happy. She strolled over the following morning to ask why she hadn’t seen any notification of my party in her postbox. So our friendship didn’t start well. But it all changed when Michele realised I worked for Runner’s World, and I heard her inspiring story. Here was a person who had made a triumphant comeback, from being classified morbidly obese to running half marathons. She was a passionate runner, and had used running to change her world – not just by losing weight, but by changing her…

Why did you (and a number of other athletes) drop out of the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc ®  ? – PAUL, Tulbagh Trail running has exploded. There are more races, bigger mountains and greater competition than ever before. While having more opportunity is great for elite runners, racing too much can lead to burnout. A number of the runners I was racing with two to three years ago are currently burnt out, having suffered various medical problems, and can’t get their bodies to respond to training. The problem is that no major research has been done into how long it takes the average runner to recover from an ultra trail of 80 kilometres and up, let alone on the individual or on how hard they’ve been racing. It’s not uncommon…

Can you be fat and fit? – SARAH, Benoni If you take two people who have the same body mass index (BMI – mass relative to height), the person who exercises more has a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. Put differently, provided a person who has a very high BMI (classified as obese) is regularly active, their risk of disease and premature death is lower than that of a person with a normal BMI who does no exercise. So regular exercise decreases your risk of cardiovascular disease, regardless of your weight. In fact, for every 15 minutes of exercise a person does per day, their risk of death falls by about 4%. Exercise has been ‘demoted’, foolishly, by dietary evangelists who claim it’s ineffective for weight loss. But although it…

In the late 1880s, an Italian physiologist named Angelo Mosso made a curious observation: he tested the muscular endurance of two fellow professors before and after they administered oral exams, and found that after their mental efforts, their muscles tired more quickly. It was the first demonstration that mental fatigue affects physical performance – a lesson to remember, in the days leading up to a race. Just as you taper your mileage to rest your legs, you should also taper your mind. MIND POWER Maintaining your goal pace is like holding your finger close to a flame: you have to overcome your inclination to pull away from the discomfort. This ‘response inhibition’ is a mental skill you use in everyday life (when being polite to someone you don’t like, or…

Ultra-running sports podiatrist Austin Sedicum, who has his own practice, brings a toolbox stocked with these supplies to all his events, whether it’s a 5-K, 100-miler (160km), or Ironman triathlon. GINGER SWEETS Suck on one of these (available at specialist pharmacies) if you have a rough tummy. ELECTROLYTE TABLETS I opt for a brand that has a high potency per tablet. I generally use these any occasion I’m running more than three hours in the heat. LEFT SHELF ROAD ID Mostly used to identify you. But if you have an allergy or some other ailment that a medical team needs to know about, it’s a must-have. HEADLAMP You ever go into a port-a-loo at 5 in the morning? IPOD Sometimes I like music right from the start, but other times…

01/ TOMTOM BANDIT R5 800 The first TomTom camera in South Africa offers a unique way of real-time sharing. A built-in media server allows you to review footage instantly with the smartphone app. In editing mode, a firm shake of the smartphone instantly pulls a selection of frames to create a short movie, which can then be shared on the spot. FEATURES: Waterproof, up to 1080p60 capture, time lapse, single-burst images up to 16MP at 10/s. STAND-OUT FEATURE: Super-quick upload after an edit mash-up. Cape Union Mart 02/ SUUNTO SMART SENSOR BELT R890 Buying an expensive watch to measure and record your heart rate during your running efforts is no longer necessary. If you already have a smartphone, then a belt like this pairs with the Suunto Movescount app (free)…

If you've ever woken up early for a race or long run (and every runner does, eventually), you know how difficult it can be to eat well in the pre-dawn hours. Maybe you simply aren't hungry when you first get up. Or race nerves leave you feeling queasy. If you’re staying at a hotel (without your go-to foods readily available), you risk eating something that upsets your stomach. Happily, these quick breakfast ideas will fuel you up for a tough training run or race without weighing you down – and if you pack a few ingredients, you can even make some of these meals in a hotel room, too. ‘BAKED’ GRANOLA APPLES MAKES 4 servings TOTAL TIME 10 minutes 2 large crisp apples, such as Granny Smith, halved and cored…

After a tough morning run or race, it’s key to refuel with a combination of carbohydrates, which will replenish muscle glycogen, and protein to repair and rebuild muscle tissue. But that recovery doesn’t happen after just one meal. You need to continue to eat recovery-friendly foods throughout the day. Here’s how to fuel up after a morning run to ensure that your muscles are ready to go the next day. BREAKFAST SIMPLE OR STUFFED OMELETTES MAKES 2 servings TOTAL TIME 10 minutes 1 tablespoon butter4 large eggsPinch of saltPinch of white pepper Heat a 20-centimetre pan over medium heat. Add half the butter and swirl until melted and foamy. In a bowl, whisk the eggs until fully blended. Whisk in the salt and pepper. Pour half the egg mixture into…

“I was about to go, then I saw a snake at my feet. I ran out of the port-a-loo screaming, while still trying to pull my shorts up.” – ALEX AMEEN, VIA FACEBOOK “I was in line for a port-a-loo when the ‘friends’ of a man already using one turned it upside down after jamming the door shut. Suffice to say, the guy that emerged was not one to be near.” – PAUL SPARKS, VIA FACEBOOK “My running buddy came out of the port-a-loo and made a comment about how it was nice that they had a place for you to put your hat, gloves, etc, while you had a wee. I had to inform him the ‘holder’ was a urinal!” – BILL PRITCHETT, VIA FACEBOOK “At a triathlon last…