Innholdsfortegnelse for Nov/Dec 2019 i Runner's World South Africa

NARROW FEET Foot sliding around inside your shoe? This lacing system tightens the shoe more than the usual techniques, giving you a snug feel so you can get on with your run. TINGLY TOES Experience pins and needles in your toes while running? Miss out the bottom eyelets to increase blood circulation to your feet and relieve pressure. WIDE FEET This lacing method loosens the entire shoe, especially around the midfoot, and gives your feet more space. This can also be useful for runners with high arches. THIN ANKLES The loops at the top of this lacing system pull the foot tighter around the ankle, giving you a more compact feel. Particularly useful on uneven terrain.…

Lacing your shoes differently can help relieve pressure in the affected area. Try this to free up your big toe: 1 / Thread one end of the lace down through the eyelet next to your big toe. Pull the end of that lace up to the top eyelet on the opposite side, bringing the lace through to the outside. Leave just enough slack at the top to tie a bow. 2 / Take the other end of the lace straight across toward the outside of the shoe, down through the eyelet, then diagonally up toward the inside of the shoe. 3 / Repeat until all of the eyelets are laced. 4 / Tie in a bow.…

Getting Back On The Horse Flex from RockBand / R240 Injury rehab. Once you can run again after injury, it’s easy to get lazy – or forgetful – about putting in the rehabilitation effort. We’re finding this band really handy; just pick it up, and put the muscles around the knee to work anywhere, in the office, the gym or at home. The ready-made loop to secure your foot keeps the band from slipping, and the marked lengths are great indicators for varying the resistance. Eatlean High-Protein Cheese / R99 for 350g For many people, the most difficult food to cut out of a low-fat diet is cheese. A new import from Cheshire with third-generation family love behind it not only has an extremely low fat…

Caroline Pule Insta Name: @caroline_pule Age: 29 Hometown: Tygervalley, Cape Town Occupation: Medical scientist, founder of the Caroline Pule Science and Literacy Foundation What phone do you use to take your Instagrams ? iPhone 10X Where’s your favourite place to run? Camps Bay Drive way, which connects Table Mountain, Lion’s Head and Signal Hill. The scenery is beautiful (nature, mountains and the ocean), less destruction from cars and fewer traffic lights, and good hills to work on endurance and strength. Tell us about your Insta name. I decided to use my real name, as its own brand and for my followers. Because I’m somewhat of a public figure – through my research career (medical scientist), running (ASICSFrontRunnerZA), fitness inspiration (gym fanatic and kickboxing), philanthropy (my foundation and motivational speaking), travelling…

Male Athlete of the Year STEPHEN MOKOKA They say dynamite comes in small packages; that’s definitely the case with Stephen Mokoka. The Pretoria-based athlete, who runs in the colours of Boxer Athletics Club, finished third earlier this year in the prestigious Lake Biwa International Marathon, in a world-class time of 2:07:38 – after winning the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon six months earlier, setting a new course record. After taking his ninth national title at the South African Half Marathon Championships in July this year – in a quick 60:57 – Mokoka was starting to show great form early into his build-up to the World Championships Marathon in Doha, where he would be representing South Africa. It paid off: he finished an incredible fifth, in brutally hot conditions. The South African…

1. Find a common cause Virtual races benefit from a big idea to get runners excited. Base your run on a special day, or align it with a charitable cause. 2. Go big on the bling In the virtual racing world, medals matter. Don’t be afraid to go big and bold. 3. Use a trusted site Opt for an established registration site such as Eventbrite, so people know it can be trusted. 4. Drum up interest Utilise social media to create a buzz around your event.…

We’ve all heard that athletes peak in their late 20s and early 30s, and then it’s all downhill. But that’s based on dated data collected decades ago, explains Iñigo San Millán, PhD, associate research professor in Human Physiology and Nutrition at the University of Colorado. “We have to look at ageing differently now,” he says. When scientists studied track athletes aged 50 to 85, they found only a small decline in performance – less than 2 per cent – between the ages of 50 and 75. After 75, that decline grew to just 8 per cent per year – more pronounced, but still not show-stopping. In fact, in 2004, Ed Whitlock, a 73-year-old Canadian, ran a record-setting 2:54:48 marathon, which beat the winning time at the first modern Olympic marathon…

The Landmarks The marathon route takes in most of Soweto’s historical and cultural landmarks, including: ● Water Sisulu Square; ● Kliptown, which in June 1955 was the place where the Congress of the People adopted the Freedom Charter; ● Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital; ● Vilakazi Street, including the former homes of Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu; ● The Hector Pieterson Memorial in Orlando West; ● Morris Isaacson School, which played an important role in the Soweto Uprising of 1976; ● Winne Madikizela-Mandela’s former home; and ● The Jabulani Hostels. Venue The race starts and finishes at the calabash-shaped FNB Stadium, which hosted the final of the FIFA Soccer World Cup in 2010. Volunteers The event will have 2 000 marshals on the day, including 1 600 seconded from local athletics…

1 HOKA ONE ONE RINCON PRICE: R2 300 | TYPE: Road W EIGH T : 218g | DROP: 5mm AS THE CLIFTON GAINED WEIGHT with each version and became a daily trainer, Hoka built the Rincon to fill the lightweight hole in the line. It has the same stack heights as the Clifton – 29mm in the heel, 24mm in the forefoot, according to Hoka – and should fit like that everyday trainer. It uses a lightweight reinforced mesh that locks your foot in place. With the emphasis for this shoe being ‘lightweight’ and ‘soft’, Hoka used its tried-and-true EVA compound. That means you get a surprisingly thick slab of foam underfoot, but won’t pay the weight penalty typical of cushy, soft shoes. On top of that the sole is…

BY THE TIME YOU READ THIS, you and the world will know whether or not great Kenyan marathoner Eliud Kipchoge broke the two-hour marathon mark in Vienna – in a contrived, commercial campaign called the Ineos 1:59. In my recent ‘Science of Sport’ podcast with Professor Ross Tucker we delved into the shoe tech, the pacing strategy, the use of drafting and the course… all of which were set up optimally to give Kipchoge the best chance of cracking the 120-minute mark. But it matters little to me whether or not he succeeded. Just two weeks prior, 37-year-old Kenenisa Bekele missed the ‘real’ world record by two seconds – on a legitimate course, without pacesetters, in front of a Berlin crowd. Yes, he was wearing the controversial carbon footplate Nike…

WE ALL KNOW that building a stronger core is important, but what about stronger breathing muscles? A new study1 suggests ‘respiratory muscle training’ (RMT) can significantly improve your aerobic capacity. The study followed two groups – one did six weeks of RMT, the other did none – who performed a 20km time trial at the start of the study and at the end. The RMT group showed a 1.4 per cent improvement in their 20km time – that’s the equivalent of 75 seconds, in a run lasting 90 minutes – while the other group showed no improvement. There are several types of respiratory-training equipment (see Try This, above left) that provide training advice and measurable results. If you’re looking to blow away the competition, it could be worth the investment.…

A major new study1 reaffirms the importance of aerobic fitness as a protection against cancer. Looking at the data from nearly 50 000 patients aged between 40 and 70, researchers found that those in the fittest group were 77 per cent less likely to be diagnosed with lung cancer and 61 per cent less likely to be diagnosed with colorectal cancer. And even if they were diagnosed with one of the cancers, their fitness meant they were significantly less likely to die of the illness than those in the least-fit group. 20 Extra years brisk walkers (6.5km/h) are likely to live compared with slow walkers.2 TRY THIS HEART CHECK A portable ECG monitor is a smart, increasingly pocket-friendly device that offers clinical-grade electrocardiogram readouts. It can serve as an excellent…

Leukotape While better-known brands tend to get most of the blister-fighting headlines, in the ultramarathon world, Leukotape is used by those in the know. Put this zinc oxide adhesive tape over any blisters, and crack on – after all, it’s only 80km to the finish line. Build Those Bones If you thought osteoporosis only affected older people, here’s a worrying stat: one in four young men and women are at risk of the condition, which weakens bones. A recent study1 found 28 per cent of men and 26 per cent of women tested had osteopenia, a condition that occurs before osteoporosis develops. What can you do to combat this? Stress your bones. Running helps, as does skipping; but for A-grade bone density, you should be lifting weights at least twice…

“I painted the skin with nail polish so it would kind of look like a nail.” “I wear sandals, and use the sight of a missing toenail as a conversation starter – I’m a socially awkward guy.” “Saved it in a jar, as a trophy to the kays. (I know, )” “Wore sandals anyway, and then would shout loudly at children as they walked out of my classroom door, ‘OUCH, you stepped on my foot! Look what you did!’ and point to my black toenail. #meanteacherjoke”…

1. Try to take a pic on live mode (iPhones have this feature, and some Samsung Android phones, I’m not sure about other brands), and take at least five pictures. Then select the best one. 2. Background matters. Ensure it forms part of the story you want to tell, then set the focus setting; and try taking shots as close as possible rather than zooming, as sometimes the quality of the picture is affected. 3. Lastly, lighting. In every location where you take a picture, provided there is sun, there will always be the other side that looks dark and not clear. So basically, what you need to do is use the sun or sunset to enhance your lighting.…

Some might wonder why Glenrose Xaba would be labelled ‘up-and-coming’, seeing as earlier this year, the tiny Boxer Athletics Club runner won her third national title over 10 000m on the track. But it was her venture into the longer distances that’s gained the attention of legends such as Elana van Zyl and Colleen de Reuck, who see the potential for great things in Xaba’s future. Running her debut half marathon at this year’s South African Half Marathon Championships, Xaba took the national title in a quick 1:11:09. Joining her training partner – men’s winner Stephen Mokoka – on the top step of the podium, Xaba reminisced about her invite to a training camp hosted by Van Zyl two years before. “Elana gave us some talks, and we did strength…

SIX OLD MEN gather for a run in the mountains outside State College, Pennsylvania. ‘Old’, of course, is a relative term. If you’re 25, 60 seems ancient. If you’re 55, 60 is the new 50. But by any measure, these runners shuffling down the mountain in the morning mist qualify as old . They are grey-haired, hunched over a bit, creaky in the knees, a little hard of hearing – everything you’d expect from people who came of age when the Beatles crossed Abbey Road. They are ‘The Old Men of the Mountains’. But you’d be wrong to call them elderly. They’re runners, after all, members of an 80-kilometre relay team that’s famous in these parts of the Allegheny Mountains in Centre County. The youngest runner, ‘the kid’, recently turned…

There’s no more vivid image of the heat’s impact on running performance than Scotsman Callum Hawkins’ dramatic collapse at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. Hawkins was leading the marathon by two minutes, with less than five kays to go, when he collapsed with heat exhaustion. On Australia’s Gold Coast, where the race was held, temperatures had tipped over 30°C. That’s not unheard of for South African runners, but with summers getting hotter worldwide and temperature records being broken everywhere you look, it’s getting more and more likely we’ll face ever tougher summer conditions. In winter, we imagine running in the summer sun as an idyllic affair; in reality, every step can be a sweaty effort – it leaves you fatigued, increases your recovery time, and affects the intensity and volume of…

“For me, it’s the vibe. The people of Soweto come out and support the runners. I love the course. It’s the only race in the Central Gauteng calendar that’s a single-lap marathon. “When I first ran the marathon I finished in six hours, and I did experience water issues. But for the past five years it’s been much better. “I’m sentimental about Soweto. I’ve told myself, I’ll always do Soweto.” – Sibongile Radebe, Randburg, 7-time marathon finisher “As long as my feet can carry me, I will do the Soweto Marathon. I feel I must support what happens in my backyard. “The Soweto Marathon is good preparation for Two Oceans and the Comrades Marathon. It is an early qualifier for those two races.” – Khumo Bojanyane, Zonkizizwe Athletic Club, 3-time…

THE QUESTION What was your most ‘rookie’ running error? Wore brand-new, never-run-in clothes to my first half! – Heather Tilton Doing a marathon as my first race. – Simphiwe Zale Drinking too much water before and after my warmest-weather race. If you’re going to sweat a lot, you need to drink a lot... right? Flushed out my electrolytes. Took a few days to recover. – Sandy Valois Was told to wear my socks for 3 days before the race (not the modern protective socks)... suffice it to say, my feet were bleeding through both shoes. – Gearóid Ó Mhuiris Wearing a new brand of shoe that I had only run a parkrun in, then tackling a 37km mountain trail. In untested shoes. Needless to say, blisters on my blisters, and…

Deep Breath The Powerbreathe K1, (import only, powerbreathe. com) is a handheld device designed to strengthen your breathing muscles by making it harder to inhale. It also provides feedback on how you’re doing and offers different levels of intensity to test you as you build your breathing power. 2 Spending at least two hours a week in nature may be the crucial threshold for promoting health and well-being, according to a new study.2 Chill Gets Axed Some brrr-illiant news for runners who don’t enjoy an ice bath (that’s all of us, isn’t it?). New research from Maastricht University in the Netherlands found these sub-zero plunges may limit your fitness gains. The results showed ice baths slowed the incorporation of recovery protein into new muscle.…

Want to improve your running performance? Start speaking to yourself in the second person. New research from Bangor University, Wales, has found that participants who addressed themselves internally using ‘you’ statements fared better in a 10K time trail than those who used ‘I’ statements. So go for ‘You can do this’ rather than ‘I can do this.’ Why does it work? Lead researcher Dr James Hardy says, "It promotes clearer thinking, better choices and enhanced performance."…

SOUTH AFRICA HAS a proud road-running history, and the backbone of organised groups of runners is undoubtedly the long-standing running clubs of Johannesburg. We’re focusing on one of the stalwarts: a club which officially began their Jozi club runs in 1977, but one which – if you look a little closer – started way back in 1888, with its origins in Kimberly. We spoke to Pirates Running Club chairman David Case, to find out how this venerable institution is positioned for the future of running in SA. QUICKER THAN OTHER CLUBS Often, you can pick up the energy coming from a club. It’s not always easy to define or classify with a label, but when it comes to Pirates there’s a tangible pride exuding from the brightly-coloured, skull-and-crossbones-adorned vests worn…

Bee “We asked runners to run for 22  minutes in memory of the 22 who died in the Manchester attacks,” explains founder Susan Wheatcroft. Spitfire “A popular choice raising  funds for the RAF Benevolent Fund,” says Wheatcroft. “A new medal has been launched for 2019.” Unicorn “A firm favourite with people of all ages and abilities,” says Wheatcroft. Golden Ticket “A 5K or 10K event. It bagged entrants a super-cool medal which opens up to reveal a secret Virtual Runner ticket.” L ove Running “A quirky medal that comes complete with a removable pin badge.”…