Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2018 i Runner's World South Africa

 RAISE YOUR HAND IF A spectator gave you a boost during a race – if a funny sign made you smile, an ice lolly saved your soul at kilometre 32, a stranger’s high-five put more oomph in your steps. Now, keep it up if you’ve been a solid spectator yourself. Hand still up? It should be – and not only for a vague sense of race karma. Turns out, cheering for other people might actually help make you a better runner. “Hold on to that positivity and remember you deserve the same support from yourself.” The reason why is something psychologists call ‘self-efficacy by vicarious experiences’, a fancy way of saying you’re more likely to believe you can accomplish something when you see other people getting it done. “You think,…

Want to become more productive at work? Go for that lunchtime run. Physical activity increases work productivity, according to a recent US study. Following 6 500 adults over a three-year period, the study sought to assess the relationship between physical activity and limitations in the workplace caused by health issues. It found that a two per cent increase in physical activity led to a 30 per cent decrease in workplace limitations affecting performance – further proof that a healthy workforce is a better workforce. HAPPY TRAILS Looking to lower your blood pressure and boost your immune system? Head for a gentle walk or run in the forest. The Japanese practice of Shinrin-yoku (forest bathing) is now taking root in the West, with clubs offering forest bathing popping up across the…

Skating Squat Stand with legs just wider than hip-width apart. Send hips back to lower into a squat. Shift weight to right leg as you rise up to standing and extend left leg back, like you’re gliding on skates. Return to squat and repeat on opposite leg. Continue alternating for 60 seconds. WHAT IT DOES: Strengthens glutes and lengthens hip flexors Low Lunge Variation Start in a low lunge with right foot planted, knee bent, and left knee on the floor. Place palms flat on each side of right foot. Untuck left toes and lift left arm above head as you lean to right side. Hold for five deep breaths, then repeat on the opposite side. WHAT IT DOES: Strengthens quads and hips, lengthens psoas One-Legged Bridge Lift and Lower…

It’s an age-old scenario: the majority I of promising young women athletes compete at junior level, maybe even a little at university. Then comes marriage and children, and they stop running competitively altogether. Which is sad, because it means they never reach their full potential. But to 800m runner Mandie Brandt, life is about finding balance, without losing sight of your own goals. As she prepares to qualify for the next Olympics in Tokyo, the 35-year-old from Pretoria (now living in Cape Town) hopes to become living proof of that. She’s a five-time medallist (three-time silver medallist) in the 800m at the South African National Senior Track and Field Championships. She’s run PBs in the 800m, 1500m and 1000m, all within the last four years, and is a former South…

NAME: Heinrich Boonzaaier INSTA NAME: @heiniboonzaaier AGE: 39 HOMETOWN: Observatory, Cape Town OCCUPATION: Regional sales manager What phone do you use to take your Instagrams?\ iPhone 7 Where’s your favourite place to run? Anywhere along the coastline. My favourite route is along Victoria Road, from Camps Bay to Hout Bay. Tell us about your Insta name. I just kept it simple with my name, since it’s my personal account. What’s the story behind your top-three most-liked pics? Where did you take them, and why? Instagram 1: This photo was taken from Wally’s Cave on Lion’s Head, after a Friday-afternoon trail run with a good friend. I’d always wanted to see the cave, and this was my first time... taking a photo is a must from up there. Instagram 2: This…

Hill training, speed workouts, and long runs all play important roles in achieving a major running goal; but just as important, and often overlooked, is: conditioning your thinking for success. We spoke to experts on how to prepare mentally. CREATE POSITIVE ASSOCIATIONS “When I first started running, I wanted to bring awareness to things that felt good. I would think about the sun on my skin and the wind in my hair, and I’d listen to a podcast that would add extra enjoyment.” – Nir Eyal, behavioural designer and motivation expert REFRAME YOUR PERSPECTIVE “Call your training ‘practice’ even if it’s not an official practice, and even if you’re running alone. The idea of practice holds us accountable.” – Alexi Pappas, professional runner and filmmaker PLAN AHEAD “It will suck…

“We are a species that depends on each other,” says Nir Eyal, author of Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products (CreateSpace). “We’re meant to be part of a tribe, so our brains seek out rewards that make us feel accepted, important, attractive and included.” It’s no wonder social media has exploded. Tristan Harris, a critic of the tech industry who once worked for Google, says it’s this desire for social rewards that has made the pull-to-refresh function addictive. “Each time you’re swiping down, it’s like a slot machine,” Harris told The Guardian. “You don’t know what’s coming next.” Combine that with an addictive activity such as running, and you’ve got what Dr Daria J. Kuss, Course Leader MSc Cyberpsychology at Nottingham Trent University, calls ‘a very potent mix’. “Both running…

MEN’S JACKETS AND TOPS 1 Under Armour Sportstyle Windbreaker R1 599 Despite its fuller, loose cut and light weight, this scarlet jacket seals in warmth in wintry conditions. ArmourStorm technology has been used to create a textured, breathable, woven fabric that repels water, and both the hem and the cuffs are elasticated. Under Armour Brand House 021 201 1349 2 adidas TERREX Stockhorn Fleece Hoodie R1 999  adidas has done much to ensure this jacket stays put while you’re running. It has a body-hugging, athletic cut, cuffed sleeves, and a draw cord on the hem. It’s made with soft polar fleece; Pontetorto Technostretch fabric has insulation and moisture-wicking properties to keep you warm and dry; and 37.5 fabric technology uses activated carbon to cool you down – and because it…

POP QUIZ: You’ve agreed to lead a Sunday-morning group run for a buddy, even though you’ve been sick for a week with, erm, ‘GI distress’. You wake up feeling no better, sit on the toilet, and after finishing, stand up to see blood. Hmm. Do you: (A) text your mate, explain the situation, and apologise for having to bail; (B) drive to the group run, explain the situation, and apologise for not being able to join them; or (C) drink a glass of water, drive to the group run, and do 10km? This really happened to me recently, and I chose (C). What was I thinking? (Was I thinking?) Did I decide to run because I was in denial? Or because I didn’t want to let my friend down? And…

When Akani Simbine led Henricho Bruintjies home to win gold and silver for South Africa at the Commonwealth Games, it underlined the growing strength of SA as a sprinting nation. Simbine was one of the many South African medallists at the Gold Coast event; and although the Games are often referred to as the ‘B Olympics’, beating Jamaican Yohan Blake – the second-fastest man in history – was a major scalp for the two South Africans. After Blake was teased by countryman Usain Bolt for not winning, he blamed his ‘loss’ on stumbling out of the blocks. I’ve watched the replay at least 20 times, and it’s difficult to see what Blake means by ‘stumbling’. In fact, he starts better than Simbine, who runs a faster second 50m. Perhaps Yohan…

ANTHEM RICHMOND MARATHON AND HALF MARATHON 10 NOVEMBER, RICHMOND, USA Race organisers set up official ‘party zones’ to encourage concentrated and consistent crowd support. Look out for unofficial ‘aid stations’, where spectators supply beer, sweets, and fruit. MARATHON DU MÉDOC 8 SEPTEMBER, MÉDOC, FRANCE This rural race still attracts 100 000 spectators, thanks to its festive atmosphere (think wine, cheese, oysters, ice cream tastings, plus themed costumes). In other words: no, this will not be your next PB. ROUTE 66 MARATHON AND HALF MARATHON 18 NOVEMBER, TULSA, USA Basically one big block party, with all the jelly shots and beer your stomach and goal pace can handle. Opt for the extra 500m marathon detour, to run the world’s shortest ultra-marathon.…

THERE’S NO BETTER feeling than that moment during a run when everything just clicks – you’re in the zone, running at a speed that feels both light and powerful. You feel invincible, and completely absorbed in your potential. And there’s no quicker way to lose that feeling than to compare yourself to others and let the nagging thoughts creep in: I’m not as fit as he is. Why can’t I run as far as she can? I’m so slow, I shouldn’t even call this running. Instantly, your run morphs from an outlet that was once joyful and unscripted to a tedious chore with a storyline you didn’t write. You fall prey to others’ expectations, and risk living with a level of disappointment that might deter your individual progress. A similar…

TO EAT, OR NOT TO EAT? For runners heading out early in the a.m., that really is the question. And for the last few years, the answer has often been ‘don’t’. Forgoing food is a form of depleted training, and a tactic pro runners have been using for years to enhance their performance. The idea is simple: Start a run in a fasted or low-carb state. This way your muscles are already low on the crucial carbohydrate stores that supply energy, which forces your body to store more carbs in preparation for another run, and in turn, get better at burning fat. There’s one major problem, though. Running on empty is hard – so hard that in the past, researchers have seen very little evidence that it actually makes runners…

Irwin Swinny Age: 29 Home Town: Durban Height: 1.90m Occupation: Education manager Time Required: 3 Years Then: 138kg Now: 100kg THE WAKE-UP “Yeah, right,” guffawed my friends and family, when I announced I had given myself five years to train for and finish the Comrades. I had given them no reason to believe otherwise. I was ‘fat and fit’: all my life I had relied on my skills as a sportsman to compensate for my lack of fitness; and when it came to diet, I lacked discipline. Then, in 2013, I injured my ankle. During my two-month recovery, I piled on another 10kg. My wife and I were due to get married, and I knew I would struggle to find a suit that would fit me. THE SHAKE-UP Preparing my…

ON MY REGULAR RUNNING ROUTE I encounter an alarming number of running imposters, who threaten the very existence of us real runners. As though on the set of John Travolta’s Saturday Night Fever, they jig from side to side, lurch back and forth, and run round and round in dizzying circles. Every real runner knows that if you’re not moving forward – i.e. in the direction you’re supposed to be running – you’re not running at all. To find out how some folks get it wrong, I approached my running coach Sean Tait of Off the Mark Training, which is basically a Centre for Runners Who Can’t Run Good. It’s Tait’s job to kidnap these Promenade Pretenders when they least expect it, truss them up in a straitjacket so they…

PREPARE FOR IT Meticulously plan your route, outfit, and pre-run fuel in advance. As Olympian Alexi Pappas says, “I lay out my clothes the night before, because tomorrow starts tonight.” SCHEDULE IT Plug every training session into your Google Calendar, and put in the specifics as you would any meeting – where you’ll run, exactly how far and fast. And add in any other details that will coax more commitment (a motivational quote you love, a GIF of Ryan Sandes’ Western States win). PAY FOR IT Some people pay a coach (online or in person). Others put aside a set amount of money for each run (and use it to buy new shoes or a ‘reward’ once the stash gets big). When there’s money on the line, you’re more likely…

Divide the day You’ll lose steam if you stay on the sidelines from start to finish. “I cheer for a couple of hours, then play games on the grass or break for lunch,” says Fiona Chung, a senior student. “Track your friends who are running, and head back when they’re close.” Some larger races have apps that make it easy. Create a sign “A sign increases your interaction with the runners,” says Molly Hoyer, a senior student and res leader. Her residence makes around 500 signs to wave at the event every year. Not sure where to start? Hoyer suggests referencing the host town. “It gives locals pride in their city, while welcoming people from out of town.” Be personal For Hoyer, one-on-one interactions are what cheering is all about.…

DAY 1 › Eat normally during the day, including a carb-rich snack. Do a long interval workout after 5pm, such as 5:00 hard with 1:00 recovery, 4 to 8 times. Eat a dinner with few (or zero) carbs, and down a protein shake to avoid muscle loss. DAY 2 › Wake up and hit the road for a steady one-hour run before eating. (Some research shows enhanced fat burning kicks in after the hour mark.) Don’t expect to feel peppy. Have breakfast when you get back, and eat normally for the rest of the day.…

Don’t give too much away “Your shared GPS stats reveal a lot about you – where you live, what time of day you usually run, your favoured routes and when your house may be empty. Plus, you’re broadcasting that you’re carrying expensive gadgets. Avoid some of these by starting and stopping your GPS a few streets away from home.” Get some privacy “Adjust your privacy settings to filter who gets to see your posts. Settings change with platform updates, so review them regularly.” Don’t get lamped! “If you are compelled to share that mid-run snap while actually mid-run, stand still before you stare into the smartphone. Your accompanying caption will have far fewer confusing, possibly vulgar typos, and you won’t wind up playing the central role in a wildly popular…