Innholdsfortegnelse for Nov/Dec 2022 i Runner's World South Africa

Mike F, Editor The Alps. Nothing quite gets the heart and mind racing than exploring these majestic mountains on foot. I once spent a week running on the trails around Chamonix. It just want to go back. Alana M, Creative Director For me, travel and running go hand in hand, so the list is endless. But a few years ago I saw a photoshoot for trail-running in Iceland. What could be better than the Northern Lights, waterfalls and volcanoes? Now if only I could score an entry to the Fire and Ice Ultra… Ryan S, Gear Ed Paris. First light. Down the middle of the Champs-Élysées and through the Arc de Triomphe, which is closed to motorised traffic one Sunday a month. Dave B, Chief Sub Anywhere I’ve never been.…

IN CYCLING, IT’S REFERRED TO AS ‘SOUPLESSE’, a French word that describes the fluidity and beauty of a smooth pedalling action. I’m not sure there is a word for it in running; but there are certainly plenty of examples of it. I’m a voyeur of sorts, when it comes to the running action of others. I love watching how other people run, from the grudgingly awkward to the fluidity of the elites. There is great beauty in both, strangely. I sometimes catch myself looking at my reflection in a shop window as I pass, eager to see my own form. (My style is almost always closer to ‘grudgingly awkward’, but it never prevents me from running, or from trying to improve it.) “I love watching how other people run, from the…

AS THE SUN STAYS OUT FOR LONGER EVERY DAY, here’s yet another reason to get outside and run: in a US National Health and Nutrition Survey, which involved almost 2 000 people aged 20-49, those with higher levels of vitamin D had a greater VO2 max than those with low levels. "Our study shows that higher levels of vitamin D are associated with better exercise capacity," said Dr Amr Marawan of Virginia Commonwealth University. "We also know from previous studies that vitamin D has positive effects on the heart and bones." Top up your vitamin D levels with a sensible amount of sun exposure, a supplement (not too much), or better still, lots of daytime running.…

Body Builders Our bones have a hard outer shell and a spongy bone matrix inside, which contains cells that build healthy bone tissue as well as removing old, damaged bone tissue. It’s vital for optimal bone health that we maintain this balance between the build-up and removal of bone tissue – throughout our running lives. Exercise Is Essential As runners, we keep our bodies healthy by doing what we love. Exercising itself is a great way to maintain good bone health, and prevent hip and spine fractures. But studies have shown that calcium can be lost through sweating. Though that’s a normal, healthy process, you should counteract this loss and protect your bones through supplementing. Even though you lose calcium after you exercise, you lose less if you ingest a…

You’re a runner. You’re healthy. You know the importance of good hygiene in daily life (use deodorant, don’t eat raw chicken, wash hands before performing surgery). And yet, dear runner, you’re not the paragon of personal cleanliness you think you are. Let us examine the filthy evidence, from a safe distance. 01. Sock shock Your socks go on your feet, which have 250 000 sweat glands between them. Those feet then go into shoes that should be fired into the sun (more on this in a minute). What do you think they smell like? Change your socks. 02. Fetid footwear Look at your running shoes. There are cartoon stink lines rippling up from them. Have you noticed how your other shoes and boots have jammed themselves into the corner of…

WANT TO RUN FASTER, STRONGER AND HEALTHIER? STRONG GLUTES ARE THE KEY TO POWERFUL, CONSISTENT RUNNING. That’s because this muscle group – composed of the gluteus maximus, medius and minimus – is the biggest in the body, and it’s not there just to look good in jeans. The glutes keep us standing upright, separating us humans from our hunched-over primate ancestors, and they power the body forward and uphill, says Dr Greg Grosicki, an assistant professor of kinesiology at Georgia Southern University in the US. In short, these muscles can help you run, and run fast. Research shows that runners can go harder when their backsides are built up. In fact, a small Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise study found the glutes of pro sprinters were 45% larger…

Easy Does It SIGNAL HILL (100-MILER, 100KM) This may be early on in the race, but the way you run the Signal Hill loop could decide how the rest of your day is going to go. Because it’s a relatively flattish and runnable section, the temptation is to get caught up in the excitement of the start and go out too hard. “The first 20km takes in around 1 000m of climbing; but because of the nature of the course, you don’t realise how much you’re working at that point,” says Munnik. The key to handling this section is to hold back as much as you can. The Belly Of The Beast TABLE MOUNTAIN (100-MILER, 100KM, 35KM) This is the Belly of the Beast, and how you manage the Table Mountain section…

Here are our favourites from 2022. RAD ROAD SHOES 1 BEST ROAD SHOE ADIDAS ADIZERO ADIOS PRO 3/R4 499 Looking back at 2022, and earlier, a timeline emerges of Adizero Adios Pro successes spanning more than two years. This year our PB-breaker and Shoe of the Year is the Pro 3, for its sensationally fast, yet plush and stable ride. The LightStrike Pro compound still makes up the bulk of the midsole, which has more volume than ever before, standing 39mm tall. This time round we see some interesting cut-outs, to save a few grams here and there; but with the expansion of the forefoot to a wider platform, stability has not been compromised. And the energy rods are still inserted into the LightStrike, but now extend a little further…

IF YOU’RE TRAINING FOR A SUMMER RACE in the spring, it can be hard to replicate the demands of running in the heat. Luckily, there’s an easier way to do so than jogging in a garbage bag in the sauna: soak in a nice hot post-run bath. UK researchers* tested six days of hot exercise versus six days of cool exercise plus a hot bath. The winner? The bath. A few caveats: the water temperature must be at least 40˚C, you should lie in it up to your neck, and you need to remain in it for 40 minutes. Lying in a hot bath for that amount of time isn’t actually quite as wonderful as it sounds, but console yourself with the knowledge that the benefits happen quickly, and stick…

Conquer your first marathon with ease with our newly-developed 16-week marathon plan, designed by qualified biokineticist, personal trainer and endurance coach Richard Woolrich. The programme consists of targeted strength and cardio workouts that use a gradual build-up to get you fit – and get you safely across that 42.2km finish line. Plus, you’ll get all the tips and tricks you need to finish strong, and in the best possible time. 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!…

WHEN I STARTED running, the goal was always to complete a big-name marathon the following year. Looking back, I wish I’d done what many runners do when starting out, and built a strong base at 5K and 10K. The 5K is challenging yet accessible. The race doesn’t take over your whole life, you build strength, power, speed and endurance. But guess what? The 10K does all that and more. You’ll build more stamina, which allows you to run for longer, and get fitter and more efficient. So smile and embrace the next phase of your running journey. Here are my tips on how to build from 5K to 10K. Increase your weekly running Try not to increase your overall running load by more than 10% each week – whether that’s…

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 only about three 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 out of the ordinary in Oz; and it’s not unusual for us in SA to face similar tough summer conditions. Even the UK had their hottest summer on record last year, and the thermometer hitting 34°C in June this year. 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…

HISTORY It’s all about the timing! How it all began. ROUTE + TIPS Expert advice on tackling the trails, section by section. GALLERY Visual inspiration. COURTNEY DAUWALTER INTERVIEW How one of the world’s leading endurance runners conquered UTCT. YOU SAID WHAT? Know the lingo to understand the community.…

I came to spectate at the 2019 UTCT, and it was so cool to be on the cheering side of it and be part of the community and the vibe. It just made me want to come back and run it. It was amazing to be able to run it the following year. There‘s so much variety on the course, and you’re right here in the city! The route just connects these amazing trail systems, and the trails are so accessible. It’s so awesome to be able to drop down to the beaches, run on top of the mountain and run through forests – in the same race. UTCT is a very difficult course. It’s relentless, pretty technical, really rocky and hot. I don’t like comparing the various races, but…

Most sports fans will know the story of how adidas and rival Puma started, as companies. Both exist now thanks to a split between brothers Adi Dassler and his brother Rudolf, in 1949. The brothers had started the Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik (Dassler Brothers Shoe Factory) when Adi was just 24 years old. They manufactured some of the first spiked running shoes, and helped people such as gold medallist Lina Radke win the 800m at the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics. At the controversial Berlin Olympics in 1936, Adi met up with legendary sprinter Jesse Owens, who apparently also raced in the Dassler running shoe, winning four gold medals. The evidence to prove Owens wore Dassler shoes in Berlin is a little unclear; but the great sprinter did eventually become an ambassador for…

HOW TO H Y DR ATE ON LONG RUNS As you log more weekend long runs to prepare for a big race or races, it’s more important than ever to fill up with fluids. The longer you run, the more crucial your hydration becomes. Dietician and nutritionist Angel Planells says proper hydration helps you: • Delay your physical fatigue and maintain performance, mental sharpness, agility, and reaction time; • Reduce the stress on your heart, which allows your lungs and muscles to perform at a high rate for an extended period of time; • Improve your body temperature regulation; and • Speed up recovery from your training sessions and competition. Remember to hydrate not only after your run, but also throughout to replace the fluids you lose, Planells says –…

RUNNING WATER There’s a global water crisis. Mina Guli wants to draw attention to it – by running over 600km a month. Marathons are tough. Multi-day races are tougher. But for some people, like water advocate Mina Guli, that’s just the beginning. In the lead-up to the United Nations Water Summit next year, Guli is grabbing the opportunity to give voice to the water crisis sweeping the world, and Africa in particular. Her RUN BLUE campaign inspires companies and connects people to take meaningful action on water in the lead-up to the first global United Nations (UN) water conference in almost 50 years, in New York on World Water Day, 22 March 2023. And how is she going to do it? By completing 200 marathons in the year-long journey to…

’Tis the season to be silly. Because the holidays are here to disrupt your life. There are too many tourists. (Perhaps you’re a tourist.) Or, school’s out, and the usual family pressures change. Too much food, lots to drink. Too hot. Crowds, lack of routine – maybe even summer illness (something we’ve become accustomed to). Staying fit and healthy over the early months of summer, paradoxically, can throw up a few challenges. Good intentions always follow the change in season, and many of us hit the ground running (literally) as we attempt to capitalise on the better weather to catch up on fitness that may have slipped over winter. But while the weather is improving – warmer mornings, lighter starts and longer days mean more training options – the period…