Innholdsfortegnelse for Sep/Oct 2022 i Runner's World South Africa

Mike F, Editor Pretty much anything by Angels & Airwaves. They’re my ‘go to’ pump-me-up band when I need something for an up tempo session. Alana M, Creative Director Animus Vox by The Glitch Mob. Nothing gets me to do proper intervals quite like this song. Ryan S, Gear Ed Fire Water Burn by Bloodhound Gang. The build-up is great, and energising without being too manic. Dave B, Chief Sub Ready To Go by Republica, Surfing With The Alien by Joe Satriani, Corrosive Juices by Beat Bizarre… anything that makes me get up and move, or carry on when I want to stop. Paul G, Sales Dani California by Red Hot Chili Peppers. I sing it so loudly & terribly, I chase would-be muggers away… Miki R, Online Big in…

WE ALL KNOW THAT EATING better can increase longevity – but a new study, published in the journal PLOS Medicine, suggests the life-lengthening properties of an optimal diet may be even bigger than previously thought. If you started eating an optimal diet at age 20, you could add 10 to 13 years to your life, researchers found. If, instead, your twenties were a blur of late-night takeaways and one-too-manys, don’t despair. Begin an optimal diet aged 60 and you’ll still gain eight to nine years. So, what is an optimal diet? The researchers suggest that, compared with a standard western diet, it’s one with an increased amount of fish, legumes, whole grains, nuts, fruit and veg, as well as less red and processed meat and fewer sugar-sweetened drinks and refined…

THE SKILL OF RUNNING ‘by feel’ isn’t reserved for Olympians. We feel our effort level every time we run, though we might not pay much attention to it. But developing it will be of great benefit to you in the long term. It’s why runners do race-pace runs. They want to get used to a pace, to know what their body does, what the leg turnover feels like and how far they can push it before their body says nope. But you need to learn how your body reacts to different paces first. Here are a few pointers. 01 Gauge your breathing A great way to start is to think about your breathing and how much it correlates to effort. I’d been running for a few years, but due to…

South African runner Tim Stones has been deaf since birth; and yet Stones learned to play the piano and sing in the choir when he was a child. Today, with the help of hearing aids and a cochlear implant, he composes music and can play by ear. He has also completed 25 marathons and 25 ultras, all without being able to hear the starting gun, the crowds or the runners around him. That might seem to make for a bleak race, but Stones insists that it gives him room to hear his own thoughts, and that he runs to a never-ending stream of internal tunes. Here, Stones, 42, discusses how music became one of the greatest forces for good in his running life. RW: Why did you start running? TS:…

IF YOU’RE MORE night owl than early bird, good news: a recent study* suggests evening exercise is more potent than morning workouts for improving metabolic health. Looking at high-fat diets and overweight men, the research discovered that evening workouts mitigated the effects of a fatty diet, while morning exercise did not. After five days of a high-fat diet and daily exercise, the late-day movers showed lower cholesterol levels and better blood-sugar control than the morning movers. Both groups became fitter; but if improving metabolic health and blood-sugar control are your aims, maybe save that run for later.…

YOU MAY THINK slinging heavy weights doesn’t scream 'fast on your feet'; but kettlebells can complement your running routine in many ways – making you stronger, speedier, and more powerful. Strength training in general gives runners an edge and keeps you healthy. “Many running injuries can result from muscular imbalances, which can often be aided with strength training,” says Whitney Biaggi, trainer and kettlebell/running coach. Plus, the stronger your muscles are, the easier it is to handle the demands of kay after kay. You could use dumbbells and resistance bands to build strength, but kettlebells have unique benefits for cross-training runners. 2019 research in the Journal of Human Kinetics shows it improves aerobic capacity (or how efficiently you use oxygen) as well as power and strength, leading to better fitness and…

THE SPORTS SCIENTIST TRAINING WITH THE FACTS Are you Team Head or Team Knees? When I began running in high school, I was forced by my very first coach to put my hands on my head, and stand tall, when recovering from hard track interval sessions. My default previously had been to bend over, put my hands on my knees, and take 10 to 20 seconds’ worth of deep breaths – and then get ready for the next repeat. But no, said the coach. “Open the lungs!” Which happens when your hands are on your head. You shouldn’t bend over, because that achieves exactly the opposite. “Bending down also shows weakness. Stand tall,” was another of his motivations. I remember doing this; I instantly felt worse than when I was…

Distance running has its hazards. We expect the sore knees and the tight hips; we navigate the early mornings and figure out something for the surplus of race T-shirts. But on top of all of that, I’m dealing with something uncomfortably personal. Thanks to running, I’m navigating the world’s silliest identity crisis. Here’s the deal: I must run to music, and I start off every long run like the indie rock guy I consider myself to be. “An open road and a new Arcade Fire album,” I tell myself in kilometre one. And that works… for about 20 minutes. Then the endorphins start and my mood lifts and my fingers make decisions my conscious brain might not condone. I click away from the cool bands, and I call forth the…

It happens to the most seasoned and unnaturally enthusiastic runners: every now and then, you simply run out of gas. Your chest is burning, your motivation is flagging, there’s a shortcut home right there, you want to sit down like a normal person. To get over that hump, I keep an emergency playlist filled with songs guaranteed to put the wind back in my sails. Next time you find yourself in need of motivation, deploy one of these… ‘AS’, STEVIE WONDER ▸ A classic from Stevie’s untouchable streak in the 1970s. This one starts nice and smooth, and then builds, and then builds some more, and then you’re pounding the pavement harder and more happily than ever. Warning: it’s seven minutes long, so pace yourself. ‘CONSTRUCTIVE SUMMER’, THE HOLD STEADY ▸ Any…

I WAS A TEENAGER DURING THE GREATEST DECADE IN MUSIC HISTORY – THE 80S. And from Duran Duran to U2 and Nik Kershaw, I still attempt to relive some of my misspent youth with 80s playlists that I scrounge off iTunes and Spotify. Often I even find myself adding some of my old 80s favourites to the more modern music on my ‘Current’ playlist, which changes continually as I grow tired of songs that have been on heavy rotation, add newer ones, and sometimes reload an old favourite. Quite frankly, I struggle to get excited about the current crop of hip hop, rap-heavy music that seems to be the diet of the new generation. But each to their own. Music is undeniably a strong motivator for me, and running with…

NEWS, VIEWS, TRENDS and ORDINARY RUNNERS doing EXTRAORDINARY THINGS During the first weeks of the 2020 Covid lockdown, a Gauteng provincial official asked Schalk Bezuidenhout to assist in keeping people entertained, and to share the message to stay positive with his followers. His hilarious antics and perspective quickly gained momentum, becoming a highlight for many in those tough times. Runner’s World’s Ryan Scott pinned the comedian down for a chat – and found that running has always played a role in his life. Runner’s World: We saw some running action on your Instagram handle recently. Is this a new thing for you, or do you label yourself a runner already? • SCHALK BEZUIDENHOUT: Jaaa… I think ‘jogger’ is more accurate! Because I run almost every day, but I definitely don’t…

DAY 1 Perform a hard running session that you know you’ll do frequently. This might be a track interval session, or perhaps a hard 5km park run, or some hill repeats. Anything that you know gets your heart rate right up to near its maximum level. As soon as you finish, take note of your heart rate, or hit your watch’s lap marker. Then stand with your legs shoulder-width apart, bend at the waist and rest your hands on your knees, elbows bent, for one minute. Then note your heart rate, or hit the lap marker a second time. Your heart-rate recovery figure is the difference between your heart rate at the end of the run, and at the end of the one-minute recovery. If you’re doing an interval session,…

Nine running superstars share their favorite hype songs. Add them to your playlists for a hit of high-speed magic. – Matthew Huff ‘DON’T STOP BELIEVIN’’, BY JOURNEY. I listen to music during my long runs! My playlist is pretty much 80s all the way. – Tanith Maxwell, SA Olympian ‘INTO THE MYSTIC’, BY VAN MORRISON. I had a theme tune for every important race… rock classical, reggae, etc. Everything from Van Morrison to Pachelbel’s ‘Canon in D’, Bob Marley’s ‘Exodus’, Elgar’s ‘Nimrod’, the Beatles’ Abbey Road. But mostly its about pumping up before I run – never during my run. Never use headphones or buds while running, or you will die! – Bruce Fordyce, running legend and nine-time Comrades Marathon winner. ‘MEMORIES’, BY DAVID GUETTA. I don’t listen to music while I’m…

“Over time, the songs absorb bits of my life, making years’ worth of memories accessible at any time.” My single-song routine and my running career started together in the summer of 2003. I was 19, and I hoped Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Thunder Road’ would inspire my unathletic body to keep repeating the 800 metres from my mom’s house to the main road and back. I was teaching myself how to run using the run/walk method, and I reckoned if the song could get me through the first couple of minutes of the run part, it could get me through the next (and the next and the next). Every time the song hit its glissando (the key swipe) at the 3:50 mark – “It’s a town full of losers and I’m pulling…

START TODAY WHAT YOU’LL GET: • Expert 16-week workout plan • Gym-free strength workouts • Easy-to-follow instructions • Online support and motivation The plan is suitable for men and women of all ages and body types, and you can start it at any time. Don't miss out! Visit full-marathon.runnersworld.co.za and sign up now!…