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THE BEST TIME TO RUN
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JUNE 2013
GO BEYOND
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Transform Your Running

With Your Mind!
228
I Lost 47.5kg
A Mother of Three's
Amazing Turnaround
I SA
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O
T
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N
I
Y
TR
ER.
EACH OTaH
of 1997
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for the
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And then still run another 50km
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contents
Features
Comrades 2013
48 1 3 Ways To (or Not To)

Ruin Your Race
Avoid these pitfalls, and run your best
Comrades. By Lindsey Parry
58
I knew no-one would
take it away this time.
The inside story of Charl Mattheus
dramatic 1997 victory. By Mike Finch
81 Essential Race Gear

The right gear for surviving the long run.

PLUS: Stay chafe-free with these best
lubes. By Ryan Scott
Train Your Brain
39 F
ight to the Finish
A
year and a half ago she was in
66
hospital with a broken neck.

Now shes running ultras.
By Allister Arendse
72
Running on Air
The revolutionary breathing method
that can help you run better and
prevent injuries. By Budd Coates with
Claire Kowalchik
ON THE COVER
Burn
THE BEST TIME TO RUN (...And
More Fat!) p20
RUNNER'S WORLD
P30
P48
BEGINNERS
p24
A Better Way
To Breathe
The Simple
New Technique
to Run Easier
RADEs
cOMWA
Ys
RA
FOR THE
lONg RUN
TO AVOID THE
I LOsT 47.5kG
A mother of Three's
Amazing Turnaround
POWER-PAckED
sNAcks
+ DElICIOUS RECOVERY
mEAlS p34
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Runner Alwyn wears Mizuno

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Precision 13 shoes.
Photographer Igor Polzenhagen
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sPEcIA
TIAL
RAcE-DAY EsscEENGE
AR
EM
I sAW THsTROY
G TO DE R.
13
HE
UR TRYIN
EAcH OT
TO RUIN YO
OF 1997
THE DRAmA
RAcE
m!
GO BEYOND
THE MANTRA
P24
EXCLUSIVE
A SIMPLE 5-STEP
PLAN TO BUILD
STRONGER LEGS
TRANSFORm YOUR RUNNINg

WITH YOUR mIND!
228
P42
UP
IT WIll AlSO
INjURY-PROOF
YOUR KNEES!
P20
JUNE 2013
Simple Tweaks
to Boost
Motivation
HILLs
& HOW
JUNE 2013
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POWER
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Danny K, singer
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46 back of the pack
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w w w. r u n n e r s w o r l d.co. z a
RAVE RUN
Grahamstown
Photographs and Words Paul Greenway
Runner Terri-Lynn Penney
JUNE 2013
RAVE RUN
Grahamstown
JUNE 2013
Cradoc
k Stree
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t Str
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Ma
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Str
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Str
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ins
Rob
t
tree
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ren
Law
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nA
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ppe
eet
She
Str
cart
Cath
eet
Str
nkin
Do
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a
M
Road
Hillsview
Grey
Stree
t
R67
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tree
rt S
ufo
Bea
l St
Mil
St
gu
nta
t
Mo
nS
lso
Ne
St
se
Cha
St
reet
Grey St
Luc
as A
ven
ue
et
tre
ie S
Kow
in
wa
lds
Go
t
tree
et S
ers
Som
Omee
Cottage
t
tree
rt S
ufo
Bea
t
tree
tS
urs
Bath
t
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wS
me
holo
eet
Bart
Str
St
Hill
rt
ufo
Bea
et
tre
tS
rse
me
So
Grahamstown is steeped in history, from

academia to architecture. The firm
footing means you can run with your
head held high, taking in the sights.
Somerset Street roughly demarcates the
divide between campus (to the southwest) and town (to the north-east).
Dawdle past the Cathedral of Saint
Michael and Saint George, built between
1824 and 1830, which has the tallest
cathedral spire in South Africa. On
Somerset Street, turn left through
Drostdy Arch and up along Centenary
Walk. This used to be the old colonial
parade ground, but now leads you up to
the ivory tower of Rhodes main
administration building. Artillery Road
takes you through campus, then onwards
to a cardiac climb that ends at the 1820
Settlers Monument.
Its downhill from there, past the Old
Provost panopticon prison, then through
the botanical gardens. The gardens were
the first of their kind established by the
British in the Cape Colony, in 1853. Break
t
tree
tS
urs
Bath
Victoria Girls
High School
ue
ven
as A
Luc
et
Stre
uth
So
et
Stre
ert
Gilb
The Experience
eet
Str
Hill
t
tree
yS
ntle
Hu
ary
ten
Cen Walk
t
tree
eS
ws
Ho
eet
hStr
Hig
Spring Str
eet
eet
hStr
Hig
et
Stre
nce
Pri
eet
Str
New
Grahamstown
et
tre
ie S
Kow
The Greens
ad
Ro
ry
tille
Ar
Hamilton
Reservoir
Street
Knight
n
sL
Cole
d
Roa
illery
Art
t
tree
dS
lfre
ce A
Prin
Sprin
g Stre
et
eet
Str
Hill
et
Stre
uth
So
t
tree
dS
lfre
ce A
Prin
Village
Green
St
ican
Afr
glo
An
eet
Str
ican
Afr
t
tree
nS
Alle
t
tree
et S
ers
Som
et
tre
ft S
Cro
et
Stre
uth
So
King
Field
eet
Str
ican
Afr
Summer
Place
eet
rStr
ste
rce
Wo
eet
Str
ican
Afr
eet
Str
ican
Afr
eet
Str
Hill
t
tree
hS
mit
rris
eet
Ha
Str
an
rb
Du
eet
rStr
ste
rce
Wo
R350
eet
Str
ood
Caw
re
Ha
eet
Str
St
ing
Darl
Grahamstown
fast FACTS...
left down the brick path and over the

wooden bridge to reach Grey Street, then
back onto Somerset for an easy downhill
finish past the two Albany Museums.
GPS Locations
Somerset Street, New Street intersection:
3318.4090S; 2631.15.55E
Drostdy Arch on Somerset Street:
3318.4570S; 2631.18.73E
1820 Settlers Monument off Lucas Avenue:
3319.0655S; 26.3107.50E.
Best Time to Run

Any out-of-term time will afford quiet
streets. If the students are around, expect
much more activity, but seldom
congestion. Grahamstonians have never
heard of rush hour; though African Street
can get busy, as can Hill Street. But if you
wait only a few minutes, youll miss the
worst of the traffic.
Terrain
Mostly an easy road run with some paved
pathways and a few steps. Its difficult to go
anywhere in Grahamstown without finding a
hill, but this route draws in panoramic town
and campus views as well as historic
landmarks and points of interest. Take time to
stop, stretch and absorb if you can.
Refuel
The town is awash with great refuelling
stops, but dont punish yourself by not
going to Red Caf on High Street, for
their awesome light lunch options and
artistic atmosphere. Caf Delizzia and
Caf Dvine always deliver on fine food,
with great health options too.
Revelations, in Peppergrove Mall, is a
must for glorious coffee, and cakes from
heaven.
Configuration
The figure-of-eight configuration means that
you can enter anywhere along the route, but a
good place to start is next to the Drama
Department, at the entrance to the Rhodes
University campus. Or you could drive up to
the 1820 Settlers Monument, adjacent to
historic Fort Selwyn also a great place to
begin, but youll finish on a steep ascent. Take
in the views of the entire town as you catch
your breath.
Duration
The entire route is about 5.2km, with a town
loop of 2.2km and the campus circuit
(incorporating Fort Selwyn and the 1820
Settlers Monument) making up the rest.
w w w. runners w orld.co. z a
ONLINE
WWW.Runnersworld.co.ZA
June 2013
Training
Races and Places
Shoes and Gear
Injury Prevention
Motivation
Nutrition
Run the 2014

Comrades Marathon!
Are you inspired by the thousands of runners participating in
this years Comrades Marathon? Make 2014 your year.
Sign up to our free Comrades Novice Project and start
your journey to completing the ultimate human race.
www.comrades.runnersworld.co.za
Winter 5-Ks!
Shake off your winter cobwebs: run one of these 22

5km races taking place in June:
www.runnersworld.co.za/5km-june
Which of the
following is
your biggest
race pet peeve?
Walkers starting at the front. 33%, 153 Votes
Spitting and/or blowing noses. 22%, 102 Votes
Two or more runners clogging
15%, 70 Votes
up the road.
Nothing!
8%, 36 Votes
Runners who stop completely
7%, 34 Votes
at a water station.
Runners starting in the wrong
6%, 28 Votes
seeding chute.
Runners chatting on their
4%, 20 Votes
cell phones.
Runners who insist on chatting
3%, 13 Votes
to you/everyone.
Runners listening to music.
2%, 10 Votes
head online FOR MORE POLLS
Your Runners World at MyRunnersWorld!
Come chat, gossip, blog, banter, like, question, tweet, natter and more!
www.myrunnersworld.co.za
Online Banter
What do you
do with all your
medals?
Antionette Du Preez Hung
on a spear on the wall of our
braai area. From old to new.
Its such a wonderful feeling
to hang a new one and realise

it could be the last one, so Im
blessed every time I add one.
David Klasen At the start of
each year I remove the previous
years medals from my
bedroom cupboard door and tie
them together and put them
in our kist; then as the year
progresses I hang all my new
ones up after each race. They
motivate me and remind me of
what I am capable of doing.
Analia E Silva We have ours

in a drawer but know somebody
who puts all the ribbons from the
medals in a huge beer mug in the
bar. Something Id like to do too.
Tholakele Charmain Shandu
My first Comrades medal is
framed in my office with my
picture. Its great when people
walk in, sit down, look up and
say, Whos that? They cant
believe the glamorous woman in
high heels and power suit sitting
at the desk is the same one as

in the picture!
Maney Stellenboom I absolutely LOVE my medals. In fact,
I sometimes opt out of one race
for another if it means they are
handing out medals there.
Monica Strydom I donate lots
of my not so special ones to a
kids cancer project the kids
actually get a medal after a
chemo session, etc.
E-NEWSLETTER Get these exclusives and more in our free e-newsletter sign up at runnersworld.co.za
10
JUNE 2013
R u n n e r s W o r l d P r o m o t i o n
COMMENTARY
June 2013
WINNING LETTER
No Excuses
I often read of moms running with their babies and I admire them, but I have to add to that. Add a job,
three children (breastfeeding the baby every two hours) and an Ironman athlete husband. I have a busy
practice, two kids at home, oldest one in school and my husband claims the 5am slot daily to train.
I cannot go early morning because baby wants me when he wakes. Then its supper and chaos. So
where do I get time? I dont know, but somehow I manage at least 30-45km per week. I alternate the
baby and middle one in the pram. I made peace that I can no longer do sessions at the club and often go
9pm-10pm. So, to all the coach potatoes with a million excuses, beat that! LYN VAN WYK, via email
Yoga Runner
Fun run and

festivities for
ProNutro JAG
Runners
In March, 90 ProNutro JAG Runners
took part in the Jan van Riebeeck/
Boschendal Festival fun run.
The 7 kilometre race ended with a steep
uphill near Kloof Nek Road in Cape Town,
which was immensely challenging to a lot
of the runners. Despite the tough route the
ProNutro JAG Runners performed very well.
Our runners took first place in the boys and
girls category for primary and high school
children. The high school runners each won
a BlackBerry mobile phone and the primary
school runners each won a bicycle.
The children ended the day on a high by
joining in the fun at the festival after the
race. The race organisers provided each
child with various coupons. They had the
chance to attend a show by the Zip Zap
Circus, spray paint their hair, paint their
nails, buy toys and hats as well as play
various games.
We thank the organisers and sponsors
of the festival for their generosity in
supporting the ProNutro JAG Runners to
take part in this event and festival.
For more information contact us at

info@jagfoundation.org.za
I was drawn to your February edition as the 21km is my

favourite distance. The yoga article interested me as I
have been doing hot yoga in Morningside for the past few
months with fantastic results. I can touch my toes for the
first time in 30 years and my stride is a lot easier. I am
now alternating running and hot yoga and its working
like a dream. ANTONY BULLEN, via email
Fitter & Happier
I moved to Somerset West from the UK last year. Ive

always been into most ball sports, football, cricket
etc. After joining my fiance who is a Western
Province triathlete I have taken to running. So far Ive
done two 10km races, a road race in 40:56 and an
off-road run in 42:50. Thanks to every runner Ive
passed on the road. Ive become fitter, healthier and
happier! Thank you, South Africa. KEVIN
LAYTON, Somerset West
FACEBOOK (RunnersWorldSA)
After the initial painful, bone-jolting, musclethudding, blood-forcing 15 minutes I get what I call
a runners high. My body feels like a floating feather,
I see the road markings whiz by me as if I were a
speeding car, my breath slows down to mere little
mouthfuls and my mind is free, clear and of the
happy kind. Patric Kalous
At a marathon, about the 35km mark, feeling
rough & walking, some guys sucking beers in their
garden singing youre not going to make it, youre
not going to make it! After the initial shock I had to
laugh! Mary-Jane Suzette Kendall
I tend to take the articles from mags out and keep
them in flip files. Got some from years back!
Raymunde Mizon
TWITTER (@runnersworldza)
2 PBs in one week! Unbelievably happy! 10k and 21k
times improved! #rwrun Woohoo @YolandiStrydom
Worried my mag got lost in the post. Bought one,
got home, there it lay neatly in the packet! At least one
for home and work. @waldorunner
ONLINE (myrunnersworld.co.za)
Walkers need to start on the side or at the back.
Walking three abreast doesnt work. John
The Wally isnt a straightforward sprint anymore,
thats for sure. Adds spice to the 2nd lap! Mornay
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EDITORS
LETTER
The Most
Majestic Of
Them All
Remembering the Comrades battle of 1997
brings back memories of one of SAs greatest
runners. By Mike Finch
ithulele Sinqe was easily the most

majestic runner I have ever seen. He
was, quite simply, magnificent. A
tall man with a relaxed demeanour,
sinewy, racehorse-like quads of steel, and
lean calves that carried him forward in a
poetic and languid style that belied his
amazing speed.
I have watched many of the worlds
greatest athletes run, but Sinqes running
style remains etched in my head as the most
beautiful of them all. Like Ernie Els golf
swing, it was unique; one of a kind.
So, during my search for the story of the
1997 Comrades Marathon (see page 58), I was
reminded of how emotive that particular race
had been, with Sinqe, Nick Bester and Charl
Mattheus duking it out at the head of the field.
intrigue, passion, theatrics, and a classic

battle of contrasting strengths and weaknesses.
Sinqe, Bester and Mattheus were athletic
giants, but each was different. Bester was
powerfully built, and had a stride that
mimicked his state of mind strong and
deliberate. He wasnt a natural like Sinqe, but
the former triathlete had trained himself to be
a runner despite his relatively large size.
Mattheus was light and economical. It
was almost as if he tiptoed along the way, his
short, sharp strides matched by a strong
upright posture that made him the perfect
endurance runner.
Sinqe proved that fighting spirit

and pure class are commodities
that only rarely come together.
Our Editor-At-Large, Bruce Fordyce,
disagrees that it was the greatest race in
Comrades history; but to me, its the one that
will always remain imprinted on my mind. It
had all the ingredients of true sporting drama
But Sinqe was all class. He had a 2:08.04

marathon to his name, had won the Two
Oceans twice (in 1996 and 97), had run just
over an hour for the half marathon and had
proved himself a world-class 10 000m
Follow me on twitter @MikeFinchSA

16
JUNE 2013
runner. In 1997 he was dropped by Bester

and eventual winner Mattheus with 21km to
go up Cowies Hill, and looked set to drop out
of the top 10. But Sinqes pure speed helped
him to recover from ninth place in Westville
to a fighting fourth on the finish line.
And while Mattheus took the spoils of
victory, Sinqe proved that fighting spirit and
pure class are commodities that only rarely
come together. Even Mattheus agrees that
had Sinqe not been struggling with a
stomach ailment that day, the result might
well have been different.
In the attached picture I can be seen
watching the race from the top step of the
Imperial press truck (above, cooldrink in
hand), next to veteran Beeld newspaper
journalist Sarel van der Walt (right). It was
a privilege to witness a race like that from
the best seat in the house; and its still a
privilege to remember the beauty of the
runner who was Zithulele Sinqe*.
Zet, you are missed!
*Sinqe was killed in a car

accident in December 2011.
WArm-ups
18
JUNE 2013
Training 20
Break It Up
Body Shop 30
Fuel 32
PHOTOGRAPH BY GLEN MONTGOMERY
Ways to
Divide and
Conquer
1
Think short-term Resolving to
KEEP GOING
Short-term goals, interval
training, and manageable
distances will boost fitness and
keep you on track.
race a new distance or nab a PB can be

equally inspiring and intimidating. To avoid
psyching yourself out, zero in on easily
digestible daily, weekly, or monthly targets
(see page 24 for ideas) that will keep you on
track towards the ultimate goal.
Speed sessions Rather than doing
all of your runs as steady-state workouts,

mix in intervals several fast-paced segments
separated by recovery periods to boost your
speed and overall fitness.
Split it up Conquer a daunting

distance by dividing it into smaller, more
manageable pieces even if its just focusing
on running to the next tree.
I tell our runners to divide

the race into thirds. Run the
first part with your head, the
middle part with your
personality, and the last part
with your heart.
Mike Fanelli, a running coach
and two-time San Francisco Pacific Rim
Marathon winner
w w w. r u nners w orl d.co. z a
19
warm-ups
Training
Time It Right
How to schedule quality workouts precisely, to achieve your best results.
By Lisa Marshall
easoned runners know that long runs,

tempo runs, and speedwork are all
critical to improving performance. Whats
more challenging, perhaps, is scheduling
these sessions so you get the most out of
each effort. Its important to time your
workouts correctly, and a lot of runners do it
wrong, says Jason Fitzgerald, a certified
running coach and 2:39 marathoner. Getting
the right amount of rest between quality
workouts and before races helps the body
recover and adapt, while knowing the best
time of day to do certain runs can yield a
more productive session. Clearly, whenever
you can get out and run is when you should
run but if youve got options, heres how to
time everything just right.
Go long in the a.m.

One of the primary reasons to do a long run
is to improve fat-burning metabolism, says
Scott Fliegelman, an athletics coach and
founder of a running and triathlon fitness
business. So going for a long run after 10 to
12 hours of fasting and just a small pre-run
meal is a good way to coax your body into
burning fat for fuel. Morning is also the time
when both core body and ambient
temperature tend to be the lowest, so youre
less likely to overheat if you have to be out
there a while, says Shawn Youngstedt, PhD,
an associate professor at a university
department of exercise science. And because
most races happen in the a.m., its the logical
time for a dress rehearsal.
Run hard in the p.m.

A lot of data suggests that running
performance, specifically over shorter
durations, is superior in the late afternoon or
early evening, says Youngstedt. Indeed, in
his own research, Youngstedt found that
RUN
BETTER
Instead of resting after hard runs,
rest up before them. For example,
take the day before your long run
off, and run short and easy
the day after.
Targeting a half or full marathon? Do long runs at the same time of day that the race starts, to practise fuelling.
20
JUNE 2013
I l lu st r at i o n s b y Z o h a r L a z a r
ASK
THE
COACH
Good Planning
Plot key runs and plenty of rest over a two-week period

Beginner/
Intermediate
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Sun
WEEK
Tempo
Rest
Speed
Easy
Rest
Long run
Easy
GOAL SETTING
WEEK
Rest
Tempo
Rest
Easy
Speed
Rest
Long
run
Crosstrain
Tempo
Mediumlong easy
Speed
Rest
Long run
Easy
Tempo
Medium-long
easy
Speed
Crosstrain
Easy
Long run
Rest
Advanced
Lindsey parry
Mon
WEEK
WEEK
swimmers performing all-out in 200-metre

trials turned in considerably slower times in
morning sessions compared with afternoon
and evening sessions. Researchers have
found that muscle power, reaction time, and
aerobic capacity are all at their peak later in
the day. Core body temperature also rises in
the late afternoon, loosening up muscle
fibres, which might leave runners less
vulnerable to injury. Plus, Fliegelman says,
the days meals have replenished the
carbohydrate stores necessary to fuel quick
bursts at the track or the comfortably hard
effort of a tempo run. But if you cant swing
late-day speed sessions, do them when you
can, anyway: Theyre going to have the
same benefit for fitness and race preparation,
even if you might not be able to go as fast,
says Youngstedt.
Ive attempted a sub9:00 Comrades for

three years running, and have
failed each time. How do you
set an appropriate goal and
race plan?
Goal setting for Comrades isnt

difficult. The error most people
make: they decide what time
theyd like to run, and approach training
based on that. To set appropriate goals,
base your target on current ability.
For Comrades, the best predictor of
finishing time is marathon qualifying
time. For the majority of the field,
finishing the marathon between 3:00
and 4:30, you can predict your
Comrades time fairly closely by
multiplying your marathon time by 2.5.
But there are other factors to take
into account: this formula assumes you
did reasonable mileage, and didnt run
your marathon on a pancake-flat route.
To have a good chance of achieving
your 9:00 goal, you should be capable
of a 3:35 marathon on an undulating
route. You should also have run in the
region of 1 200-1 400km in training
from 1 Jan up to race day. If you are
slightly slower than 3:35 but can safely
complete 1 600-1 800km of training in
the same period without breaking
down, you may still reach your target.
But if you cant fulfil either of those
criteria, youre setting yourself up to fail.
The final ingredient is to set an
appropriate plan for race day. The
majority of the Comrades field will go
out too fast. If you are a borderline
sub-9 runner, going out too fast will
compromise your chance of success.
Stagger quality sessions

Different workouts tax different energy
systems. Which means you dont have to be
completely recovered from say, speedwork,
before doing a tempo run. Generally, most
runners can schedule dissimilar quality
sessions two to three days apart. The key is
to allow enough recovery time between
similar workouts. According to Olympic
marathoner Pete Pfitzinger, co-author of
Advanced Marathoning, seasoned runners
generally need a minimum of five days
between speed sessions, four days between
tempo runs, and four days between long
runs; less experienced runners may need five
to seven days between each. People
sometimes cram in too many quality
workouts, without enough rest in between,
says Fitzgerald. Their bodies are in a
constant state of borderline overtraining, so
they dont adapt and they dont improve.
If for some reason you must do two hard
workouts in a row, take two consecutive
recovery days cross-train, rest, and/or run
easy, says Pfitzinger (see chart above).
Take the long view for races

Its a gradual progression, over weeks and
months, where things get more difficult and
more race-specific, says Fitzgerald. Build in
a recovery week every three to four weeks,
and avoid burnout by scheduling no more
than four to six weeks of track sessions. Prior
to event day, do your final long run seven to
21 days out (depending on race length) and
your last race-specific speed workout four to
10 days out. The more experience you have
and the loftier your time goal, the closer to
race day you can do your final key runs, says
Fliegelman.
Lindsey Parry is a qualified biokineticist,

Two Oceans and Comrades silver medallist
and 2:48 marathoner.
Email him at lindsey@hpc.co.za.

21
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JUNE 2013
P h oto g r a p h S U P P L I E D
warm-ups
The Starting Line
BUDDY UP
A training partner
helps you push.
How many different types of

runs should I do in a week?
Rather than stress over trying to fit a
certain number of workouts into a single
week, try to do one of each of
the following over two
weeks: a long run to
build endurance; a
hilly run for strength;
a faster run to
improve speed; a
social run to keep
your mind engaged;
and a run where you
focus on form and drills.
(Say What?)
Mixing up your usual routine with just a few tweaks can make you
faster, stronger, and more motivated. By Jeff Galloway
lenty of runners lock into a running routine and rarely change it. And thats fine; just
getting out the door can bestow a sense of accomplishment and boost your mood. But
deviating from your standard practice can make you faster and stronger, and stoke your
motivation. When you start changing things up, its best to try one tweak at a time, so you
can see what works and what doesnt before moving on.
When you run easy

Do four to eight 30-second cadence drills over the
course of your run. Count the number of times your
right foot hits the ground; aim to increase that
number. Take low, quick steps. These drills will
increase your turnover, so you run more efficiently.
When you run hills

Try to sing a song (quietly). Climbing should never
get so hard that youre huffing and puffing and cant
talk (or sing).
When you run fast

Bring a friend. A buddy will boost your motivation
and morale, and help you push when it would be
more comfortable to give up. Dont compete with
24
JUNE 2013
each other, but dont let your mate off the hook,
either encourage each other to complete the days
goals.
When you run long

Take more frequent walk breaks. If you currently
do a ratio of one minute running and one minute
walking, reduce it to 45 seconds of running, one
minute walking. It will help you run further, minimise
soreness, and speed up recovery.
When you race

Make your first kay the slowest kay. Gradually
increase the pace; but every five minutes or so, slow
your speed for one minute, so you stay strong to the
finish.
Running rut
A state in which youre no longer improving as

a runner, or youre feeling unmotivated to run.
Ruts often occur after youve been doing the
same route, the same workout, and/or running
at the same speed repeatedly over time.
FACT or
FICTION?
I dont race, so I dont need
to mix up my workouts.
Fiction
While you can

maintain
fitness with your usual routine, at a certain
point youll reach a plateau. Even if you
dont care about going faster in a race,
varying the terrain, speed, and scenery of
workouts will promote better health, make
you a stronger, more well-rounded runner,
and keep you interested and motivated to
remain a runner for life.
P h o t o g ra p h b y G l e n M o n t g o m e r y ( h i l l r u n n e r) ; R u n n e r s Wo r l d S t o c k ( w o m e n r u n n i n g )
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warm-ups
Fast Lane
Take It Easy
Go All Out
Balancing Act
Training phases should dictate your recovery methods.
By Alex Hutchinson
ouve pounded the protein shake,

shivered in the ice bath, and mastered
the art of self-massage. Because you should
do everything you can to speed your
recovery from todays run, right? Maybe not.
How much recovery work you do depends
on how close race day is. When it comes to
their post-run routine, some elite runners
actually employ fewer recovery aids during
specific periods, in order to maximise their
training gains. Heres how this plays out
during a 16-week marathon build-up.
BASE PHASE (Weeks 16)

Training focus Building mileage
We tend to regard the effects of training stress
swelling, soreness, depleted glycogen stores as
negatives, and try to eliminate them as quickly as
possible. But they are also signals that tell your body
to repair and rebuild. If you hit the ice tub and pop pills
to stop swelling before it starts, your muscles may
not get the message to grow stronger.
Recovery plan Schedule a meal or a snack with at
least 10 grams of protein and 40 grams of carbs
within one to two hours of finishing a hard workout.
Get seven to nine hours of sleep and eat a balanced
diet. (Note: you should do all this no matter where
you are in your training!) Skip ice baths, the foam
roller, and anti-inflammatory pills when taken
regularly, they may actually slow recovery.
P h oto g r a p h S b y t h o m a s m ac d o n a l d
PREPARATION PHASE
(Weeks 712)
Training focus Hardest workouts and
longest runs
This is the trickiest time to balance stress and
recovery. Your hard days are hard, and your body
may need extra help to bounce back; but dont go
overboard. Elite coach Steve Magness tells his
athletes to take post-workout antioxidant
supplements during times of extra stress like the
first week of an altitude training block to help their
bodies adapt to the thin air. But once the week is
over, so is the pill-popping.
Recovery plan Have an ice bath after your hardest
speed workout, and wear compression socks for the
rest of the day after your long run. But avoid taking
anti-inflammatories unless you feel an injury
developing. As former marathon world champ Rob de

Castella says: A little pain never hurt anyone.
PEAK PHASE (Weeks 1316)

Training focus Getting ready to race
The rules change as you enter the final weeks before
the race, Magness says. Youve built all the fitness you
can; now theres nothing more important than resting,
and tending to your accumulated minor aches and
pains.
Recovery plan Deploy all the extras.
Take ice baths after every hard workout and long run; if
possible, schedule a weekly session with a massage
therapist who works regularly with runners. At
minimum, self-massage with foam rollers, sticks and
balls, to work out tightness. Be methodical in your
warm-up and cooldown (see Always Good, below).
Always
Good
Warm up and cool down to hasten healing
Warm up
Cool down
Jog Start at a shuffle, then accelerate over 10 to 20

minutes, so youre breathing hard at the end.
Go slow Jog easy for about five minutes until your

breathing is back to normal.
Stretch Do dynamic stretches, including high knees,

butt kicks, and walking lunges.
Get loose Shake out your legs and upper body with
several minutes of skipping and jumping jacks.
Stride Run four to six sprints lasting 10 to 15

seconds.
Keep moving Continue jogging easy for another five

to 15 minutes.
27
Plateaus get a bad rap, but they arent always

detrimental. When youre facing a
demanding period at work or experiencing a
major life change like moving or expanding
your family, why not happily let your
training idle in neutral? If you dont have
extra time for long runs or energy for
speedwork, keeping your running in
status-quo mode can keep you from
overextending yourself. A plateau is rarely
permanent, and it doesnt define you as a
runner, Brown says. It just indicates whats
going on with your training and perhaps
your life at a particular point in time.
Of course, sometimes a plateau isnt a
welcome break. If you really want to tackle a
new distance, set a personal record, or drop a
few kilos, the struggle to make headway
towards that goal can be frustrating. Brown
says that barring illness or injury two
major physical causes of stalled progress a
psychological barrier could be in your way.
Here are ways your brain can stall your
progress, and ways to fight back.
youre overtrained
Sure, overtraining is a physical condition,
but it can also be mental. It can happen
when your head ODs on running. Suppose,
for instance, you become so fixated on a race
goal that when youre not running youre
stretching, icing, foam rolling, blending
recovery smoothies, charting your mileage,
Tweeting about your runs, and plotting out
new routes. The mind needs downtime
from running, just like the body does, says
Chris Janzen, a mental conditioning coach
and founder of TriathleteMind.com. Its
hard to sustain that level of motivation for
long. When your life revolves around
running, you risk burnout.
head check
If training gets
overwhelming, take
your mind off running.
Reboot, Refresh
Not feeling it? Learn how to break through common mental barriers that
impede your training. By Jayme Moye
tuck in a rut, caught in a slump, stalled

whatever you want to call it, every
runner eventually reaches a period in their
training where their progress levels off.
Theres no way around it, plateaus are
inevitable and part of the training process,
says Jeffrey L. Brown, assistant clinical
28
JUNE 2013
professor in the department of psychiatry at

Harvard Medical School and co-author of
The Winners Brain. Thats because its
impossible for an athletic career to climb
only in a straight trajectory. Over the course
of a running life, there are natural peaks and
valleys and flat lines in between.
FEEL
BETTER
Hit a plateau? Dont dwell on it.
Consider it an opportunity to gain
feedback about whats working
and whats not in your
training.
P h oto g r a p h S b y G L E N M O N TG O M E RY
warm-ups
Mind + Body
break through Experts typically prescribe
R&R for overtrained athletes. Step back and
impose a running (and charting and
social-networking) sabbatical for a few days.
When you resume training, try to keep
perspective, and remind yourself that
running is just one element of your life,
Brown says. Do a workout at least once a
week that you dont time or track (go for a
fun run, or cross-train), and keep up with
other interests. Post social-media updates
that dont detail your workouts, and hang
out with friends who dont know how long a
marathon is and have zero interest in your
splits. Youll be a better runner for it, Janzen
says. Youll feel refreshed, and will have
more mental energy to put into your actual
running.
youre overwhelmed
Everyone has a threshold for whats
mentally manageable, and when your head
gets overwhelmed with too many tasks
balancing a fast-paced career, keeping up
with the kids, worrying about an ailing
relative you can hit the tipping point.
Overload usually leads to inertia: like a deer
in the headlights, you have so much to deal
with that you just freeze. Janzen says you
should think of your life in terms of units of
energy: If you have, say, 100 units per day,
where is it spent? A big deadline at work or
financial concerns can sap a high percentage
of those 100 units, leaving you with barely

enough to do an easy five kays, let alone
tackling hill repeats.
break through Be mindful of your tipping
point, Janzen says. If summer is your least
flexible time of the year, for example, dont
sign up for an autumn marathon that will
require a major time and energy commitment over your busy season. Pick a more
manageable time of year for demanding
training, or scale back your goal and opt for a
half marathon instead. If you are already in
the midst of training and feel more overwhelmed than motivated by your goal, break
your training to-dos into smaller tasks. Focus
your mental energy on tomorrows workout
only. Spend a few minutes thinking about it
what youre going to wear, when youre
going to do it, where youre going to do it,
Janzen says. Being forward-thinking and
making decisions about those small details
will give you a game plan, which will help
you feel in control and less overwhelmed.
youre overfocused
Runners are by nature dedicated, ambitious,
and results-oriented. But when you hold a
narrow definition of success run a 1:45 half
marathon or bust! youre in danger of
falling short of that goal, which can invite
feelings of self-doubt and worthlessness and
interfere with the ultimate goal of having a
healthy, happy running life. Becoming

obsessively fixated on just one goal can
backfire and destroy your motivation,
Janzen says. Even if you do succeed and,
say, run that 1:45, and thats been your
driving force for months or years, youre at
risk of suffering from post-major-event
let-down once youve hit that PB, if you
dont have another meaningful reason to
lace up.
break through Dont put all your eggs in
one basket: have multiple goals of varying
degrees of achievability. That way, if you
miss your most ambitious goal, you have
other more feasible ones still within reach.
Develop process goals not just outcome
goals. Instead of just focusing on setting a PB,
you could aim to not slow down in the final
kilometres of a long run, or to keep your
upper body tall as you climb hills. These
types of goals can be easier to focus on and
achieve, which will give you little nuggets of
success. Also, while outcome goals are
important, they shouldnt be the sole reason
you run, Brown says. If you dont have a
great workout or race, remind yourself of all
the positive things running gives you
better health, stress relief, the opportunity to
experience nature, bonding with running
partners. Focusing on those long-term
benefits can give you the motivation you
need to push on.
Check Yourself
Are you stuck in a rut, or have you found your groove?

happy where you are
--> You finish your runs feeling satisfied and
A GOOD PLACE?
Gauge your motivation
level to see if you need a
change in routine.
fulfilled.
--> Running for stress relief, improved mood,
or social time with friends drives you.
--> Youre coming off a period of intense
training and are taking time for casual,
off-the-clock running.
--> Getting out for a run is victory enough
right now; work and family life are too busy to
leave you time or energy to train more than you
are already.
--> Training hard for a race doesnt motivate
you or appeal to you.
kick-start, please!
--> Youre training as hard as ever, but arent

seeing performance gains.
--> Youre unmotivated to start and finish
your runs. You have to drag yourself out the

door, and then are tempted to turn back early.
--> You failed to reach a goal and dont know
what to do next.
--> Youve been running the same routes or
have been focused on the same goals for
months, or even years, and the routine is
growing stale.
--> A chronic injury is preventing you from
training as hard as youd like to.
Plateaus often hit in the autonomous phase of skill development when gains are smaller and harder to reach.

29
warm-ups
Body Shop
Know Squat?
Improve your running by putting a new
twist on an old move. By Deb Dellapena
he squat is a simple, classic exercise that should be

part of every runners routine. Thats because it
builds functional strength that carries over to
better running. Squats activate the glutes, hips,
hamstrings, quads, calves, and core muscles in a
bent-knee position, which builds running-specific
power to propel you forward, especially up hills.
Strengthening these muscles also guards against injuries
like runners knee and iliotibial-band syndrome. While
youre probably familiar with the basic squat, these
variations have big payoffs for runners, says physical
therapist Robert Gillanders, director of a running
performance programme. Deb Dellapena
overhead squat
Jump Squat
Split squat
Strengthens the glutes, plus your core

muscles
To do Lower down into a squat.
Then rise up as you extend your arms
and rotate your torso to your left. Return
to centre, lower down into a squat, rise
up, and rotate right. Alternate sides for
two sets of 15 reps. For a greater
challenge, hold a weight or medicine ball.
Works the glutes, quadriceps, and

core, while also stretching the back to
improve posture
To do Stand with feet shoulderwidth apart and hold a towel overhead,
hands wide. Tighten your abs and bring
your shoulder blades together as you
squat down. Return to standing, hands
still overhead. Do two sets of 15 reps.
Enhances power in the glutes, quads,

hamstrings, and calves to help you
charge hills and finish races with a
strong kick
To do Lower down into a squat
position, keeping your back straight.
Jump up quickly. Focus on landing softly
and avoid letting your knees collapse
together. Do two sets of 10 reps.
Builds muscular endurance to help

fight fatigue and maintain form on
long runs
To do Step forward with right leg.
Lower down so left knee hovers above
floor. Slowly raise back up (count of
3), and then slowly lower back down
(count of 3). After 15 reps, switch legs.
Do two sets on each leg.
Do it right, to
protect your knees
JUNE 2013
Maintain a tall torso with

shoulders back, chest out,
and gaze straight ahead.
Lower down until your

thighs are parallel to the
ground (no deeper).
Watch your knees: dont let

them extend past your toes
or collapse inward.
P h o t o g ra p h s b y th o mas macd ona ld
Targets glutes (a common weak spot)

To do Step your left foot out to your left
side. Bend your left knee and lower down into a
squat. Push off the floor with your left foot to
return to standing. Repeat on the right.
Continue alternating legs for two sets of 15 reps.
squat rotation
Good Form
30
Side Squat
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Stir-Fry Crazy
No recovery meal is better (or faster!) than sauted carbs and
protein. By Matthew Kadey
hen youre tired and hungry, the

quickest way to a perfect recovery
meal may be in a single pan: a wok. Stir-frying
is the easiest way to make a fast and nutritious
meal, says Grace Young, author of the
award-winning cookbook Stir-Frying to the
Skys Edge. The quick, high-heat cooking
preserves the flavour, texture, and nutrients of
the ingredients. Choose the right complex
carbohydrates and proteins, and a stir-fried
meal supplies everything runners need for
recovery. And your options arent limited to
Asian cuisine; you can use the technique to
incorporate flavours from around the globe.
These simple, healthy, and tasty recipes take

less than 40 minutes to make.
Shrimp Stir-Fry
With only 380 kilojoules in an 85-gram
serving, shrimp is an ideal protein for
runners watching their waistlines. Plus, its a
good source of vitamin D. Vitamin D helps
the body absorb bone-building calcium from
foods, says sports dietician Rebecca
Scritchfield. Jerk seasoning, sweet potatoes
(a leading source of vision-protecting
vitamin A), and black beans give this stir-fry
some Caribbean flair.
stir it up In a large bowl, toss 500g peeled

shrimp and 2 tablespoons jerk (or Cajun) seasoning.
Heat wok over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon
oil and the shrimp. Cook until it turns pink, about 3
minutes. Remove and set aside. Add 1 thinly sliced
sweet potato. Cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Stir
in one 425g tin drained black beans, 3 sliced garlic
cloves, 1 seeded and minced jalapeo pepper, and 2
sliced scallions. Stir-fry for 1 minute. Stir in shrimp
and 14 cup orange juice. Heat 30 seconds. Serve
garnished with coriander.
Sweet and Sour

Tofu Stir-Fry
Protein-rich tofu and carb-dense brown rice
make this Asian stir-fry ideal for repairing
muscles and re-stocking energy stores after a
run. A 2010 study found that compounds in
ginger may ease post-workout muscle pain
by dampening inflammation. Broccoli is rich
in vitamin K, which helps make a protein
critical to bone formation, says Scritchfield.
EAT
BETTER...
Choose low-sodium condiments
and broths, which still contain
plenty of sodium to help
rebalance electrolyte levels
after your run.
WINNING MIX
Vitamins, fibre, and
few kilojoules. Yay!
32
JUNE 2013
warm-ups
Fuel
stir it up In a small bowl, whisk 13 cup vegetable
broth, 2 tablespoons each rice vinegar and ketchup,
1 tablespoon each soy sauce and brown sugar, and
2 teaspoons Maizena. Set aside. Heat wok over
medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil and 1 diced
block firm tofu. Cook until tofu is browned, about 4
minutes, and transfer to a plate. Add 1 sliced red
pepper, 2 cups broccoli florets, 3 sliced green onions,
2 sliced garlic cloves, and 1 tablespoon sliced ginger.
Stir-fry for 1 minute, or until peppers are tender. Add
tofu, 1 cup pineapple chunks, and broth mixture to wok;
stir-fry for 1 minute more. Serve over brown rice.
Chickpea Spinach Stir-Fry

Chickpeas, a staple in Indian cuisine, are
loaded with B vitamins, iron, magnesium,
protein, carbs, and fibre (providing 11 grams
per cup). Spinach is one of the richest
sources of dietary nitrates a 2010 Swedish
study found these compounds may help
muscles work more efficiently.
stir it up Heat wok over medium-high heat.
Add 1 tablespoon oil, two 425g tins drained
chickpeas, 3 sliced garlic cloves, and 1 tablespoon
chopped fresh ginger. Stir-fry for 4 minutes. Add
1 tablespoon masala mix, 12 teaspoon turmeric, 14
teaspoon each cayenne pepper and salt. Cook for 1
minute. Stir in 1 bunch chopped spinach (about 6
cups) and heat until wilted. Stir in 2 cups halved
cherry tomatoes and juice of 12 a lemon. Heat for 30
seconds. Serve topped with a dollop of plain yoghurt.
peppers. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring often. Return

chicken to wok with spice mixture and 1 cubed mango;
heat for 1 minute. Spoon onto warmed tortilla wraps.
Serve with avocado and sour cream.
Pork, Sundried tomato,

and Asparagus Stir-Fry
A chewy, flavourful alternative to rice,
barley is rich in beta-glucan, an important
type of soluble fibre that helps lower bad
cholesterol. Pork tenderloin is lean,
reasonably priced, and well stocked with
thiamin, a B vitamin needed for proper
muscle, brain, and immune-system
functioning. Olives, sundried tomatoes, and
capers lend Mediterranean flavour.
stir it up Bring 1 cup pearled barley and 2 12
cups water to the boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, and
cook, covered, until tender, about 40 minutes. Heat
wok over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil
and 500g sliced pork tenderloin. Stir-fry pork until
no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Remove pork from
heat and set aside. Add 1 bunch chopped asparagus
and stir-fry until tender, about 3 minutes. Add 13
cup pitted and chopped calamata olives, 13 cup
sliced sundried tomatoes, 2 tablespoons capers,
2 sliced garlic cloves, and 14 teaspoon each salt,
pepper, and red chilli flakes. Cook for 1 minute.
Stir in pork, 1 cup flat-leaf parsley, and 2
tablespoons balsamic vinegar. Heat for 30 seconds.
Serve over barley.
Wok Way
Five rules for a tasty stir-fry

Get the right pan
A 35cm, carbon-steel wok with a
flat bottom is ideal, says Young. With use, the
wok develops a natural non-stick surface.
A 30cm stainless-steel skillet is a good
alternative, but avoid cheaper non-stick pans
many are not suited for high-heat cooking.
Use good oil
Young recommends using peanut,
canola, avocado, rice bran, or grapeseed oils,
which can stand up to
high-heat cooking.
Chicken Stir-Fry
wrap
The chicken breast in this
Latin-inspired dish delivers
lean, muscle-friendly protein
and niacin, a B vitamin.
Niacin is involved in
processing glycogen, which is
the main fuel for exercise,
says Scritchfield. Topping the
fajitas with creamy avocado
delivers a dose of heart-healthy
monounsaturated fat.
stir it up In a small bowl,
combine 1 teaspoon paprika and 12
teaspoon each garlic powder, onion
powder, cumin, salt, and black
pepper. Set aside. Heat wok over
medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon
oil (see Wok Way, right, to choose
the best oil) and 500g sliced,
skinless, boneless chicken breast.
Cook for 3 minutes, or until no longer
pink. Remove chicken from wok and
add thinly sliced red and yellow bell
P h oto g raphs b y N I C K F E R R A R I
Prep first
Stir-frying is a speedy process, so have your
ingredients ready to go. Slice meats and
vegetables into bite-sized, uniform pieces.
Cook in order
Start by cooking meats, then dense
vegetables (like carrots), followed by
delicate vegetables, such as leafy greens.
Sauces should go in last.
Keep it light
Too much food reduces the temperature of
the wok and the ingredients, making foods
soggy. Dont use more than 500g of meat.
Choose quick-cooking kinds, like chicken,
shrimp, scallops, pork tenderloin, or tofu, and
wait one minute before stirring to get better
browning. Stick to four cups of vegetables,
and stir them often to avoid burning.
WRAP THIS UP
Mango in wraps adds a sweet
kick and vitamin C.
www. r u n n e rsw o r l d.co. z a
33
warm-ups
Fridge Wisdom
Fast Snacks
Power Pop
Get three grams of
fibre (no butter).
34
hy snack? Research shows eating before a run may help boost speed and endurance at
the end of your workout. And when a full post-run meal isnt possible, a mini-meal
that supplies protein, carbs, and antioxidants can help repair muscles and ease inflammation.
Snacking is clever at other times, too eating a small portion of something that contains
protein a few hours before your main meal can help curb your appetite, prevent overeating,
and lower your overall kilojoule intake for the day. Plus, people who snack regularly have
better vitamin and mineral intake compared to people who dont. Feeling hungry yet? Try
one of these smart, healthy choices for all snackworthy scenarios.
efforts. You also need to keep kilojoules in check. Aim

for snacks with 800kJ or less, and 5-10g each of
protein and fibre, which will keep you feeling full
longer.
Best Bets
Dark chocolate bar containing nuts (830kJ,
7 grams fibre, 6 grams protein)
250ml chocolate milk and a small handful of
high-fibre cereal (800kJ, 4g fibre, 8g protein)
Pre-run Snacks
Late-night snacks
Your muscles and brain need carbohydrates to fuel

the distance. Avoid too much fat and protein, since
these nutrients may cause an upset stomach. Aim to
eat 400 to 1 300kJ (or 25 to 75g of carbs) 30
minutes to 2 hours before your run.
Best Bets
Medium banana drizzled with a teaspoon of honey
(620kJ, 39g carbs)
Whole-grain flour wrap rolled with 2 tablespoons
blueberry jam (960kJ, 48g carbs)
about 800 to 1 300kJ or about 50 to 75g carbs, 15g

protein, and a dose of anti-inflammatory
antioxidants.
Best Bets
150g Greek yoghurt with 1 cup sliced strawberries
(750kJ, 13g protein, plus the antioxidant ellagic acid,
which may calm sore muscles)
Two mozzarella cheese sticks, wholewheat
crackers, and a pear (1 300kJ, 15g protein, and a dose
of quercetin; this antioxidant supports immune
health, which is suppressed after tough runs)
Post-run Snacks
Weight-loss snacks
A quick post-run snack can provide carbs, protein, and

antioxidants to help kick-start your recovery. Aim for
Letting yourself get too hungry can lead to overeating

at your next meal, which wont help your weight-loss
JUNE 2013
A recent study showed that compared with snacking

in the afternoon, eating an evening snack can boost
levels of artery-clogging LDL cholesterol. If you want
something to satisfy that crunchy, salty, or sweet
craving, aim to keep it around 400kJ. Choose
higher-carbohydrate foods protein and fat take
longer to digest, which may make it more difficult to
fall asleep.
Best Bets
3 cups air-popped popcorn and zero-kilojoule
flavoured water (390kJ, 18g carbs)
1 peach (154kJ, 17g carbs)
1 cup blueberries sprinkled with 1 teaspoon sugar
(410kJ, 25g carbs)
P h o t o g ra p h b y t h o m a s m ac d o n a l d
Between-meal bites power your run, trim your waistline,

and speed recovery. By Dr Liz Applegate
JHB 39645
RACING FROM workouts
to wORK?
Grab an a.m. Oats for 11.90
Warm freshly cooked oats, served with

a delicious sweet apple topping.
Theres a breakfast for you
the athletes
palate
Quick & tasty dishes
for people on the go
Garlic Shrimp
with White Beans
and Tomatoes
Contributing chef Pam Anderson
whips up a protein-packed
skillet dish for an easy post-run,
weeknight dinner.
Shrimp is high in protein and selenium, a
mineral that aids recovery. If you use frozen
shrimp, save the liquid from thawing and
swop it for some chicken broth.
36
JUNE 2013
kg medium peeled and deveined shrimp/

prawns
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1
teaspoon paprika
3 garlic cloves, minced and divided
teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
1
bay leaf, broken into pieces
1 400g tin diced tomatoes, drained
1
tablespoon tomato paste
2 425g tins white beans, drained
1
cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
tablespoons oil, pepper flakes, bay leaf, and

remaining garlic. Cook till garlic is golden a
few seconds. Add tomatoes; cook till most of
the liquid evaporates, 2 minutes. Add tomato
paste; cook till tomato mixture darkens. Add
beans and broth; simmer till its a thick stew,
5 minutes. Stir in shrimp and parsley; cook till
heated through. Drizzle with remaining oil.
Serves 4.
nutrition data
kJ
1 825
Heat a large pan over medium-high heat.
Toss shrimp with 1 tablespoon oil and paprika.
Add shrimp to skillet; saut 1 to 2 minutes;
add half the garlic in the last few seconds of
cooking. Spoon shrimp into a bowl and set
aside. Return skillet to heat; add 2
carbs
37g
FIBRE
9g
pro
35g
FAT
17g
MEET THE CHEF
Pam Anderson
Cook, author... and runner.
P h oto g r a p h b y G r a n t c o r n e t t
clinically proven natural medicines
News, trends, and regular runners doing amazing things
human race
Fight to
the Finish
A year ago, she couldnt walk. Now shes back to
running ultras and getting faster.
Words: Allister Arendse
Photograph: Samantha Brauteseth
he Two Oceans Marathon was just

a few months away, and Helouise
Erasmus was in training. The
32-year-old occupational therapist
from Port Elizabeth was in the best shape of
her life, and was determined to run a
personal best at the ultra. She was
anticipating what it would feel like to cross
the finish line, to feel the weight of the
medal around her neck and to feel the
embrace of her running friends as they
congratulated her on a successful race.
39
HUMAN RACE
Helouise Erasmus
full circle
From broken neck to completing
Two Oceans with running buddy
Letitia Strauss Erasmus has
overcome the odds.
Then, in a split second, everything changed.

On 30 October 2011, she suffered a broken
neck from a head-on-collision while returning
home from an out-of-town wedding.
All she remembers is waking up with her
head on her boyfriends shoulder.
I could feel my neck was sore and my
right arm was badly injured. I went to
hospital and the trauma doctor diagnosed a
broken neck.
She spent two days in high care. While
there, she didnt know exactly what was
happening, but was thankful she could move
her limbs.
If it wasnt for running, I wouldnt have
made it, she says.
A few weeks before the accident, on
1 October 2011, she ran a personal best 4:36
marathon, and qualified for Comrades.
Then she ran the Two Oceans Half

Marathon later last year, and ran her first
marathon since the accident in December.
In January she set a new PB of 4:32 at the
Friendly City Marathon.
Erasmus has regained full movement, but
recalls feeling like a prisoner in her own
body at the time.
I remember the first time I wanted to get
off my bed. I never realised how much I
depended on the mechanical bed at the
hospital. I couldnt get myself up because my
stomach muscles werent strong enough.
That was difficult. I had lots of fun and games
If it wasnt for running,

I wouldnt have made it.
I knew I had done that. As a runner, I knew
how to work through pain. I drew on the
strength of running. I never thought I would
never be able to run again it never crossed
my mind. I just knew I would have to adjust
my goals a bit.
A month after the accident, she
underwent a neck fusion and spent two
months recovering before returning to work.
She ran her first 15km on 16 January last
year, about 10 weeks after the accident.
I returned slowly, but I was back, she says.
40
JUNE 2013
with that. I moved like a robot. It was

frustrating to not be able to do anything; but
I knew I was going to recover fully.
FINISH
Erasmus had a score to settle with the Two
Oceans ultra, as she had previously finished
after cut-off, in 2009.
This year she ran comfortably with friend
Letitia Strauss to finish in 6:33.
Two Oceans was a wonderful event. I still
dont know if I tripped or if someone tripped
me, but I fell within the first kilometre. I got

up again, because I didnt work that hard just
to go out of the race within one kilometre.
Passing the cut-off markers knowing there
was plenty of time left was a wonderful
experience. And coming onto the rugby field
knowing I did it was a great feeling.
Erasmus now turns her attention to
Comrades a race she has always wanted to
complete.
Although I didnt grow up in a running
household, I just always wanted to run
Comrades. I continually want to test my
boundaries. I was never a sporty person. And
school friends are still surprised that I run.
I do it to prove something to myself. To prove
that I am capable of more than I ever thought
possible. After the accident, I am so grateful
that I can still run.
P h oto g r a p h s c o u r t e sy E R A S M U S , J E T L I N E AC T I O N P H OTO
ASK THE
SPORTS
SCIENTIST
Because running isnt just

about string vests
Graveyard Jog
Q To avoid dodging traffic, I ran
through a public cemetery. I stayed on

the car path, but an angry caretaker told
me I was being disrespectful. This has
evoked controversy among my running
friends. Your take?
The flowers, the afterlife... did the dead not

run? Live fast, die young and leave a goodlooking corpse. As long as the cemetery was
open at either end and you werent hurdling
gates to get in, trampling on memorial
flowers or using crypts for steeplechase, I
dont see the problem. Does the caretaker
really think the dead give a hoot about how
fast or slow the living are moving? If you
were to take your chances with the traffic,
he would still have to deal with you
sooner, rather than later. And lets be
honest, everybody thinks theyre overworked cemetery caretakers included.
Dr ROSS TUCKER
Altitude
Factor
but for her part, shes well and truly run

them in now. By toe-jamming and sweating
them in, she has claimed them in the same
way you might lick a Magnum to stop your
sibling from lunging for a bite. Now, she
The simple answer is that there is

less oxygen available in the air.
Not less per se (its around 21%,
no matter where you are), but the relative
pressure of oxygen in the air is reduced
because the overall air pressure is lower.
That has knock-on effects for how oxygen
gets into the lungs, then into the blood,
and ultimately into the muscle and brain.
A potential limit exists at altitude,
because when our muscles are consuming
oxygen to power us through a fast-paced
10km race, we can find ourselves
demanding more than can be supplied.
The complexity arises because we
dont wait for this failed demand to slow
down. Its not as though we head out for
a run in Johannesburg and run happily at
our Cape Town pace until suddenly we
find ourselves gasping for air, having
pushed beyond the bodys capacity to
deliver oxygen to the muscle. The change
in performance happens early on.
Studies have shown that the
limitation exists in the brain. Our brains
are able to sense that less oxygen is
available, and they reduce the amount of
muscle we can activate. We slow down,
therefore, not because we run out of
oxygen but so that we wont.
This is a key shift in how we
understand fatigue. We are being
regulated by our brains. Theres no
miracle mind-over-matter that can
deceive us into running faster, because
the brain is still acting physiologically.
Only altitude adaptation which makes
the muscle more efficient, and the heart
and lungs more capable of meeting that
demand will do the trick.
By toejamming and
sweating them
in, she has
claimed them
in the same
way you might
lick a Magnum
to stop your
sibling from
lunging for a
bite.
needs to pay. Whether or not the R1199 is
full price or not, I dont know. As a friend,
you should probably discount them a little,
seeing as there must have been a reason you
werent using them in the first place.
Number Switch
Q A friend offered me her bib for a
sold-out race. Is it wrong to use her

number?
Shoe Woes
Q Can I tell a friend whos used my new
shoes for over a month when I said two

runs that she now owes me R1 199?
Yes, you can. Its your fault for throwing

your shoes around in the first place, so any
awkwardness, youve brought on yourself;
I l lu s t r at i o n b y J O S H C O C H R A N
Why do we run slower

at altitude? Louis P.
Race organisers say yes, because all the

emergency details, etc, are linked. But were
all smart arses and think that it would be
fine to run under the name of Cornelius
Mwavizo or Egbert September whenever
your homies cant make a run. I hate to
sound like my mother, but dont do it. If you
trip over a cat eye and hit your head itll take
longer for them to get hold of your loved
ones if youve done an illegal switcheroo.
Dr Ross Tucker has a BSc (Med) (Hons)

Exercise Science Degree and PhD from the
Sports Science Institute. Visit him at
www.sportsscientists.com

41
Fit Mama
The desire to set a good example for
her children helped this mother of
three lose 47.5kg through running
and healthy eating.
THE GAIN
I married at 22 and had my first daughter the
same year. With the pregnancy I gained 20
kilos. With your first pregnancy you eat for
two nobody ever tells you that, and its
only you gaining the weight. And when the
child is born the weight stays on! I found
that out the hard way. Our little girl was
only nine months when I found out I was
pregnant again. Sadly, we lost the child at
nine weeks. In 2009 we tried again and got
pregnant. Our little boy was born and I
THEN
116.5KG
NOW
69KG
Carine Grobler
28
Age
Home Town
Kuruman, Northern Cape

1.69m
Height
Occupation
Time Required
gained 20kg more. Im 1.69m so I was seriously overweight. Then big shock we
found out I was pregnant again! At our third
childs birth, our oldest was turning three.
THE WAKE-UP
I grew up in a healthy, sporty family so I
knew children need healthy food. It was easy
to control my daughters diet, but it started
getting tricky when she had a mind of her
own and wanted what I was eating. I realised
if I want what is best for my children I need
to live a healthier life. No more cookies and
custard for breakfast or ice cream for dinner.
Bookkeeper
18 months
THE SHAKE-UP
I started by walking 3km a day, as I was too
heavy to run. As I walked I started losing
weight, and loved it. Then slowly I started
running from one lamp post to the next. I
became fitter and lighter; the one lamp post
became two, then three. Slowly but surely
the distance became further and further.
THE REWARD
Today I can jog 15km per day. My weight is
69kg I lost 47.5. My little baby girl turned
two in February. Im still hoping to lose 4kg

in the next year. I start my workout at 5am
every morning. With three kids between two
and five years, early morning is the only me
time. My husband rewarded me with a home
gym. Once a week I run about 15km and
three times a week I run 6km in addition to
gym work this is how I get my day off to a
good start. I love all the inspiring stories in
the mag. I love to read about how others have
achieved their running and weight-loss goals.
Interview by Allister Arendse
Have you used running to lose weight and transform your life? Email us your story: rwedit@media24.com
42
JUNE 2013
P h oto g r a p h c o u r t e sy G R O B L E R
Runners World Promotion
Race Against
Blindness
win
a place on
the team a
amazing evt this
worth R25 ent,
Visit ww0w0. 0!
runnerswor
co.za! ld.
Sign up for the adventure of a lifetime and help prevent blindness

join ORBIS at the Great Ethiopian Run on 24 November 2013.
The Great Ethiopian Run is Africas biggest road race, and should
be on every runners bucket list. This 10km race was started in
2001 by legendary marathon runner Haile Gebrselassie, and is
known for its incredible vibe, as 36 000 runners race through the
streets of exotic Addis Ababa at the exceptional altitude of 2 300
metres above sea level. You can be part of this iconic race and help
prevent blindness, by signing up for the ORBIS team. International
sight-saving organisation ORBIS is on a mission to eliminate
preventable blindness throughout the world, and is hard at work
here in South Africa and in Ethiopia, doing exactly that. Last year
the team of ORBIS runners (from Ireland, UK and South Africa)
jointly raised over R500 000 while having an unforgettable long
weekend in Ethiopia.
Photographs by Marianne Schwankhart (main);

Mel Maclaine / ORBIS
When: Depart South Africa 21 November, return

25 November
Where: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
How much: R25 000
Race package includes: Economy return flights
(Johannesburg-Addis Ababa); four nights 4-star
accommodation; breakfasts and dinners; race entry
and kit; tour to the Entoto Mountains; goodie bag;
traditional Ethiopian meal; meeting with Haile
Gebrselassie.
Why: You will be raising money to improve paediatric
eye care services in South Africa so children do not
needlessly go blind.
Contact: Joni Watson on 021 447 7135 /
joni.watson@orbis.org.za
For more info: www.runnersworld.co.za or www.orbis.org.za/GER2013

Who is ORBIS? Since 1982 global not-for-profit ORBIS has worked in 90 countries, including South Africa, enhancing the skills of over 330 000 healthcare professionals, and helping to establish services that
have provided quality eye care to more than 23.3 million people. * ORBIS Africa is a registered South African Public Benefit Organisation and donations are tax deductible. For more info on how to join the fight
to save sight www.orbis.org.za / www.facebook.com/ORBIS-SA / @ORBISafrica #runORBIS.
PLANET RUNNER
By Nick Pawson
unleashed mongrels at their side. One of
these fine charity specials (a black, chowlooking thing, with fire in its eyes) charged
straight for me, and took a nice chomp on
my calf. Shocked, a little frightened and
definitely grumpy after having shaken off
another steep hill, I released a stream of
expletives at the male owner, who then
responded with a sheepish apology, in a
German accent.
NOVELTY
Once Bitten,
Trail Shy
A scenic trail run goes wrong as this runner gets tangled

with a pooch....
raining for my maiden Two Oceans

trail run (22km) was a pleasure. I live
in Hout Bay, and have the lions share
of trails in the South Peninsula right on my
doorstep. I also purchased a Slingsby map of
Hout Bay and Silvermine, to aid my
preparations and avoid the road less
travelled. Cant say Ive obeyed all the not
recommended pointers you know how it
is with men and maps.
Ive fallen in love with the Hectors Kloof
trail, which starts behind the Suikerbossie
venue and takes you all the way to the top of
Valley Road in a more-or-less contour
manner. The scenery is special the back of
the Twelve Apostles to your left, and
panoramic views of Hout Bay to the right,
through thick fynbos and fun, rocky terrain.
You pass a couple of river beds, too must be
a beaut in the rainy season.
The Orange Kloof trail near Chapmans
Peak is another favourite of mine, with
waterfall refreshment at the end, while the
Mitchells Road jeep track near Sandy Bay Nek
is a short but hassle-free route along the foot of
44
JUNE 2013
the Karbonkelberg (dont try the path at the

harbour end, rather turn back I attempted to
navigate my way through the un-navigable
last month to reach Lichtenstein Castle, and
cut my legs to shreds).
The Hout Bay pipe track is another
shortish, yet hilly jeep track; and its here
I didnt want to break my rhythm and chose

to continue running, trying to laugh off the
incident as an inevitable peril of the great
outdoors. But by the time I reached my car, I
was feeling resentful. Surely feral dogs are
not part of the trail runners package?! Half
the reason we take to the trails is to avoid
traffic and human interference dangers our
cycling cousins know only too well. Ive
avoided running areas on my map marked
personal security may be an issue here
where thereve been cases of mountain
muggings. Running with a partner is always
advised; but the spiritual experience of
tackling a trail solo, being one with nature
and being alone with your thoughts, is half
the novelty of running for me.
So, is trail running really the safer
alternative? I guess as with any solo
outing in South Africa you just need to
have your wits about you. Dog laws in this
country are so blurred; where dogs are
allowed, where they can poo, who cleans up
the poo, etc. I put the blame entirely on the
owners, and finished off my rant of runners
entitlement with a sharply-worded note,
which I placed underneath my German
friends windscreen wiper.
Fortunately the bite hadnt drawn blood,
Ive been looking out for

any loopy behaviour on my
part, or traces of foaming
at the mouth
that this story takes shape. It was the end of
February, and I was trying out this nifty trail
for the first time. I parked at the Hout Bay
end (you come out near Constantia Nek) and
got on my way. After turning at the Nek and
heading back, I saw a couple walking
towards me with a substantial pack of
so I didnt deem it necessary to have a tetanus

or rabies shot. Ive been looking out for any
loopy behaviour on my part, or traces of
foaming at the mouth, but all seems to be in
order. I was loopy way before this incident
when I entered the Two Oceans 22km trail
run which, in the end, I finished anyway.
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BACK OF THE PACK

By Bruce Pinnock
Spit Fire
The rules of spitting have
made us less than animals.
e are told we share over

90% of our DNA with
various members of the
animal world. But if this is
so, how come they dont have our bad habits?
For example, they dont spit in public.
I mean, have you noticed how much gobbing we humans do during a run? Now, if you
were out running with, say, a warthog, tail up,
on the road behind you, would you expect
him to contemptuously let fly a great gob of
spit onto the road as he passed you? Certainly
not warthogs, compared to humans, have
manners. Ever seen the animal worlds top
runner, the cheetah having done his 110
kays an hour across the Serengeti plains, only
to see his Sunday lunch escape express his
disappointment by spitting disgustedly down
the side of the nearest anthill? But our top
runners dont think twice.
This spitting compulsion, this appalling
need to recklessly eject fluids: when did it
become acceptable? We used to have notices
in trains and public places that proclaimed
(very pompously): Spitting is prohibited.
And we runners at the back have to wade
through all the gunge of those who have
passed before us
Just recently, I was next to this guy who
freely shared his personal lack of decent
hygiene habits with those around him.
Every few steps, he took great delight in the
distance he could propel mucus and saliva
mixed in equal proportions. And there was a
head-wind blowing Ugh.
A box of tissues, a portable

spittoon
Now, while I am not one of your fastidious,
holier-than-thou types who swallows rather
than spits, who carries a box of tissues, a
portable spittoon and a porta-potty
everywhere he goes, even I draw the line. I
mean, lets be reasonable. Eliminating
spitting altogether is probably not possible.
But does it have to be so excessive?! Perhaps
it could be limited
So what we need is a hero for example,
James Bond to save us from serial spitters.
You remember that first Bond Movie Dr
46
JUNE 2013
No? The Baddie enters Bonds bedroom

silently, and pulls out a silenced gun, and the
audience wants to yell, 007! Wake up, you
stupid git! But its too late. The Baddie
pumps several bullets into Bonds sleeping
form on the bed. Only, of course, Bond isnt
in the bed. Hes seated comfortably in an
armchair in a dark corner. And he raises his
own gun (a Walther PPK, nogal), and
laconically lets the Baddie know he should
drop his gun. Which the Baddie does. Bond
then proceeds to point out to him the error
of his ways, taking his time and acting ever
so casual, laying down his own gun as he
lights an overconfident cigarette
the immortal line (in his iconic rough

Glaswegian accent): Shorry. Youve had
your shicksh Which observation is
confirmed by the empty click of an out-ofammunition gun; and Bond is at liberty to
waste the Baddie with a couple of wellchosen shots. What a wonderful moment.
Sorry. Youve had your six

The point is, this is why we need Bond.
Imagine having him running at your side (in
dinner jacket and bow tie) and turning on
the gob-ball expectorator after he has let rip
half-a-dozen spitballs, to observe dryly,
Sorry. Youve had your six before
If Bond isnt available,

maybe we can get marshals to
keep count of how many spits
each runner has had
apparently forgetting that the Baddie is still
within reach of his dropped gun. (Again, the
movie audience gesticulates desperately to
the hero, to Watch out!) Too late. The
Baddie grabs up the neglected firearm,
turning the tables on Bond. Our hero,
however, is ahead of the game. Theres this
wonderful moment when Bond gets to say
terminating him.
If Bond isnt available, maybe we can get
marshals to keep count of how many spits
each runner has had, six being the
maximum allowed. And then give a
cautionary, Sorry. Youve had your six
before the ultimate termination, should he
attempt a seventh.
Runners World Promotion
Join the 2013

Runners World
Mizuno Strava
5km Challenge!
What?
Runners World and Mizuno have teamed up to

create 5km courses that our readers and club
runners can use to challenge each other. Were
using the Strava app to time the participants
its available as a free download for iPhone
and Android, and its compatible with Garmin.
WHERE?
The Cape Town course is LIVE on strava.com. Search for
it on strava.com Runners World / Mizuno Challenge
2013 (Cape Town) starting at the lighthouse in Mouille
Point. Courses in Durban and Johannesburg regions will
follow soon!
How do I enter?
Download Strava onto your device. Explore and find the
course you want to run, head to the start point, hit Start
Timing on the app, and GO!
Why are we doing this?

Runners from different clubs and regions can challenge
each other on the same course over a few months, track
their progress, and have fun!
What can I win?

The Runners World / Mizuno Strava Challenge King and
Queen with the fastest times on each of the regional
courses by our cut-off date in December (exact date to be
announced) will win major bragging rights and two pairs
of Mizuno running shoes each, worth R3 000! Think youre
not fast enough? All participants who run the 5km courses
across the country will be entered into a lucky draw; you
stand a chance to win the same fabulous Mizuno prize and
get your picture and write-up in Runners World!
FOR MORE INFO VISIT RUNNERSWORLD.CO.ZA
Comrades 2013
48
JUNE 2013
Youve survived
early mornings,
put in the
mileage,
followed the
training plans
to the letter,
and are set to
fire on all
cylinders come
Comrades
Marathon day.
But youre not
out of the
woods yet,
says Comrades
coach Lindsey
Parry.
13
WAYS
To
(...Or Not To)
Ruin
Your
Race

49
Comrades 2013
unning the Comrades Marathon is a daunting physical
challenge: Slap two marathons together, add on another 5km,
throw in some of the biggest hills in KZN and some hot and
humid weather, and theres little doubt that this race is one of
the toughest single-day running events in the world. So you
rarely find an unfit Comrades runner. Most of the entrants
lining up on 2 June will have spent hours on the road, had too
many too-early mornings, and will have sacrificed family and
social time just to make it to the start line. But Ive witnessed
many motivated and fit runners ruin their race day despite all
the training because of simple (and often avoidable) mistakes.
In compiling this list, Ive looked at why many prospective Comrades runners make
mistakes; and then I give you advice on how to prevent these potential disasters
happening to you. Avoid them, and all that hard work will reward you with the finish
you deserve come race day.
01
The Early
Peak
Why: Youve been training at high volumes

for two months, and after your pre-Comrades
long run five or six weeks before the big race,
you feel mentally ready. The lack of fear
driving you makes you a bit lazy; besides,
youre tapering, right? Wrong! Tapering too
soon makes you feel good too early: youll
50
JUNE 2013
run a race or two too fast, and stimulate your

body to a peak, two or three weeks before
you need it.
Prevent It: Keep training hard for another
three weeks; cut your weekend long run a bit,
but keep it to two to three hours for another
two weeks. With three weeks to go, cut
weekly mileage by 10-15%; and two weeks
out, a further 25%. In the last week, keep
ticking over with 20- to 30-minute easy jogs.
02
Miracle
Product
Syndrome
Why: We all want the fast fix. If a tablet or

rub can make you faster on race day then
why bother lacing up and training for the
rest of the year? Increasing VO2, or
threshold, and preventing cramp instantly
all very tempting. But if it sounds too good
to be true, it probably is, if you havent tried
it before in training.
In the years that Ive coached Comrades
athletes, drinking or eating something
untested on the day is one of the major
reasons many runners ruin their race day.
Fellow runners will even try and tempt you
with their special concoction, that will
guarantee you success on the day. Dont listen
to them; stick only to what you know, with no
exceptions what works for some, doesnt
always work for others. Ideally, use the same
products available at the water stations during
the race that will give you extra insurance.
04
Expo
Legs
try and recover...

Prevent It: Arrive in Durban as early as
you can, hang out at the expo for a bit on
Friday, and spend the rest of the weekend
ordering the family around. After the past
three months of training, you owe them big
time; but cash in here, for one last time.
If you arrive on Saturday: register early,
do one lap of the expo, and head back to
base camp. Your holiday only starts on
Monday.
Why: Its Durban, youre on holiday (kind

of), youre psyched up by anything
Comrades and in the shape of your life
its only natural to do laps of the expo to
soak up the atmosphere, while letting
everyone see how ready you are.
Downside: you start Comrades on sore and
tired legs. The Up run is not the place to
Prevent It: Simple: NOTHING NEW on race

day, OR in the days leading up to the race.
03
The Pasta
Overload
Why: Youve read The Lore of Running, and

heard from all the older experienced runners
that you must carbo-load; and you figure
the more you load, the more reserves youll
have on race day.
Prevent It: Youre preparing for a race that
lasts anything from 5:30 to 12 hours; no
matter how much carbo-loading you do, it
will only last you for a maximum of two
hours and all that stress for an extra 20 or
30 minutes doesnt seem worth it. Carboloading can increase body mass by three to
five kilograms, because youre cutting back
on exercise and eating an enormous number
of kilojoules. Every gram of carb stored
needs extra water, and any excess is stored as
fat not what you want for the Up run.
My advice is to avoid commerciallyavailable, high-glucose carbo-loaders, as
these can cause gastro-intestinal irritation.
The best pre-race carbo-loading tactic is to
stick to a good, balanced diet that youre
used to, and avoid foods high in lactose
and fat.

51
05
Youre Late
For The Start
Why: This is Comrades-speak; it means you

only arrived after 4:30am, so you have to
start at the back. This means an extra six
minutes on your race time, having to run
through 16 000 runners, and blowing your
race plan because you end up pushing too
hard, too early.
Prevent It: Get accommodation within
walking distance of the start, or get dropped
within walking distance before 4:30am. Most
52
JUNE 2013
experienced runners aim to be at the start by

4am that way, you reduce your own stress,
you soak up the atmosphere of the start, and
nothing distracts you from following your
pre-planned race strategy. While the Up run
Durban start is far easier to access than the
Pietermaritzburg Down run start, bear in
mind that there will still be 16 000 runners
and their families filling the streets.
If its cold, keep warm with an old (or
cheap) long-sleeve top that you can chuck
away once youve warmed up. Consider it a
donation to those needier than yourself, who
eagerly pick up discarded tops.
Comrades 2013
06
You
Bonk
Why: You have no idea how much energy is

required on race day. Even if you have a good
plan, after a while you just cant take any
more of the sweet stuff. A common mistake
is to miss out on the early water points,
because theyre too crowded and you think
youll be okay for the first couple of hours.
This will lead to low blood sugar, and finally
bonking or hitting the wall.
What follows is a cycle: you take in sugar,
you feel better, you crash again as your
muscles take up the energy even if youve

bought the myth that using low-GI products
will regulate blood sugar better and you
avoid the high-sugar drinks and gels,
sticking with your own product.
Prevent It: Take in small amounts of
energy, often and early. You will require
roughly 1g of carbohydrate per kilogram of
body mass per hour of exercise. This is
reduced as you move back in the field, but
its a good guide. You should take in a variety
of sources of carbohydrates during your
training runs so that you can spread the load
on race day this will prevent you being
unable to stomach anything in the final 30 to

40km.
If you do bonk, take in immediate sugar,
like Pepsi, a gel, or Energade; and chase it
with something more substantial, like
potatoes, crisps or biscuits. This will allow
you to meet the immediate demand and
know you have some more on the way. Be
sure to maintain a regular regime from there
on.
If you use low-GI products, you need to
take these at least 15 minutes before you
actually need them. Simply put, have a
rehearsed plan and stick to it. You need to
pre-load as you go.

53
Comrades 2013
07
You Miscalculate
Your Race Pace
Why: Youve made an emotional decision

about your race-day goals. This can happen
for several reasons: 1. You feel good during
the taper. 2. Your mates are all running a
certain time. 3. This is your first Up run.
Prevent It: Base your race goal on a
realistic pace that takes into account your
training over the past six months as well as
your performances over shorter distances,
from 21.1 to 50km. For example, if you ran
your marathon at 6:30 mins/km, you can
expect that pace to drop to 7 mins/km and
54
JUNE 2013
slower at Comrades, so dont try running

any faster.
Its critical to research the race profile
(although you shouldnt drive the route the
day before see Mistake No. 10), since this
will give you a healthy respect for the
Comrades. You do the major climbing
between 3km and 37km, and from 44km to
50km. Pushing too hard to keep to an
unrealistic pace here will mean disaster
further down the road. Be stingy with your
energy, and keep your pace easy and
controlled , especially over the first 30km.
08
You Drink
Too Much
Why: The media is full of advice about

avoiding the dangers of dehydration,
promising that if you do so, it will reduce
cramping and improve performance. But it
can also lead to a trip to the medical tent; in
a race with regular water points, drinking
too much can cause overhydration and a
life-threatening condition called
hyponatraemia.
Prevent It: You must certainly take in
fluids, as part of your race plan to replace lost
energy. Again, you need to work on this in
training; establish a routine that is
comfortable for you, and doesnt cause
bloating, stitches, or related issues. As a rule,
runners finishing in more than eight hours
shouldnt force themselves to drink to a
prescribed routine. Take in enough for energy
(250 to 400ml, depending on the individual);
and from there, drink only to thirst. This will
account for environmental conditions (hot vs.
cold), will prevent dehydration (youll drink
more if you need it), and importantly, will
prevent overhydration. There is little
scientific evidence to back the claim that
dehydration causes cramps or affects
performance: in fact, the most dehydrated
athletes in the field finish in the top 2%.
55
Comrades 2013
09
You Forget
To Lube
Why: If youre a first-time
Comrades runner, youll
never have run for as long
as you will on race day. You
also run through the heat
of the day, and as you sweat
and then cool down, you
leave abrasive, salty
deposits on armpits and
bum cheeks. Vests become
soaked and nipples chafe.
Prevent It: Use Vaseline
(or any sports lubricant)
liberally on toes, between
your bum cheeks, and on
the upper torso and
armpits. Cover the nipples
with plasters or lubricate
liberally. Vaseline will be
available along the route; at
the first feeling of chafe,
make sure you get extra, as
soon as possible.
You Drive
The Route
The Day Before
10
Why: Because as Bruce Fordyce and others

have said, it scares you into starting conservatively. In truth, youre going to cram into a
rental car (or a bus with no air-conditioning),
get stuck in traffic, get irritable, waste
valuable energy and mentally, give up,
because if it takes this long in a car...
Prevent It: Either check out the route a
good few days (or months) before, or dont
check it at all. Healthy respect for Comrades is
good; but not so close to race day. Now is the
time to be positive and believe you can
getting negative because youre nervous,
irritable, and squashed in a tin can thatll
skew your perspective. Rather take the virtual
tour at the Expo.
56
JUNE 2013
11
econd-Year
S
Syndrome
Why: 1. We have short memories. Youve

forgotten the hell that was Pinetown last
year, and only remember the glory of the
final two kays. 2. Youve only done the
Down run, and have no idea of the fatigue
youll experience in the second half of the
Up. As a result, you havent trained as hard,
believing youll survive on muscle memory
and good old vasbyt!
Prevent It: Its too late for this year; and
fortunately (and understandably), most
people only make this mistake once. On race
day you can compensate by walking more
than you would normally, and not worrying
about your finish time. The goal should be
just to get there! But remember, this requires
you to admit your mistake early.
P h oto g r a p h b y ? ? ?
12
You Start Walking
Too Late
Why: Youre too proud. You signed up to run
Comrades, not to walk it. You believe that you
should get as far as you can down the course as
fast as possible, to put time in the bag.
Prevent It: You may be surprised to hear
that a large number of silver medallists
achieve a sub-7:30 time on a walk/run
strategy. By walking early, you keep your
legs fresh for longer and keep a higher
average pace through the race. When
walking is on your terms, its easier to get
going again; but when youre walking out of
exhaustion, its tough to go back to running.
An important lesson I learnt from my
father, Trevor Parry a three-time
Comrades gold medallist is that you will
never be able to bank enough time in the
first half of a race to make up what you will
lose when it falls apart. Time in the bag is
the death of many runners, and especially
on the Comrades Up run.
13
Stopping
Why: Even though youre

surrounded by runners, every
one of them is in his or her own battle to
reach the finish. We often internalise this and
find excuses to stop like needing a
massage. Remember that a massage is
mostly your inner child seeking a
motherly touch; and a greeting stop is
just an excuse to avoid the pain of
moving forward. All these distractions
simply rob us of valuable time.
Prevent It: Make a promise to
yourself that you will not waste time:
You will walk, but you will not stop. A
thousand-odd runners fail to make the
cut-off on race day, every year; Id like
to ask each one of them: how much
time did you lose by stopping? 5, 15,
20 minutes? Every step must be a step
closer to the finish.
Fo l lo w Co m r a d e s c oac h
@ L i n d s e y Pa r ry ZA o n T w i t t e r , f o r
m o r e a dv i c e a n d r ac e- day t i p s .
57
toe to toe
In 1997, (from left) Zithulele
Sinqe, Nick Bester, and
eventual winner Charl
Mattheus produced one of
the most epic and emotional
races in Comrades history.
58
JUNE 2013
Comrades 2013
I knew
no-one
would
take it
away
this
time.
The 1997 Comrades Marathon was one of the most
dramatic in the modern-day history of the race. There
may have been faster times and closer finishes, but
Charl Mattheus emotional victory over rivals Nick Bester
and Zithulele Sinqe was a nail-biting sporting triumph that
captured the spirit of one of the worlds greatest ultras.
By Mike Finch
59
Comrades 2013
orry, just give

me a moment
Charl Mattheus voice
breaks on the line from
his home in Florida,
USA. He pauses for a
few seconds to regain
his composure. He has
cast his mind back 16
years, but the feelings
are still as powerful as
they were that day.
My emotions almost overtook me, he
finally manages to say. I can feel that exact
emotion right now its like it never left.
His voice trails away again as the
memories of Comrades 1997 filter back.
When I hit the grass of Kingsmead it
was like I was flying. The grass was so soft
after the hard tar, and it felt like I wasnt
even touching the ground. It was
unbelievable. I could almost taste it. I knew
no-one would take it away this time. I had
checked everything.
Mattheus victory in 5 hours 28 minutes
37 seconds may not have been a record time,
and it wasnt one of the closest finishes; but
after five years of agony, it was vindication
for Mattheus and his win produced one of
the most dramatic days in the races history.
In 1992 Mattheus had been stripped of
his Comrades title, after testing positive for a
banned substance contained in an over-thecounter cough mixture. The substance
60
JUNE 2013
phenylpropanolamine was later removed

from the banned list, as it was proven not to
aid performance.
But to the rest of the world, those were
just details. Branded a drug cheat, Mattheus
had been forced to live with that label for
half a decade, and only one thing would
provide restitution: another victory.
That feeling was there in 1995,
Mattheus says of being placed second
behind Shaun Meiklejohn. I could have
won that one but it just slipped away from
me. Second meant nothing in Comrades I
had to win it.
He came close again in 1996, finishing
fourth behind Nick Bester, Alexi Volgin and
eventual winner Dmitri Grishine. But a
top-five place wasnt going to be enough.
From those who saw the drama unfold up
close, this is the story of how Charl
Mattheus finally claimed his place in
Comrades history.
If Zet hadnt been sick,

he would have won.
In the build-up to the 1997 race, Mattheus
became obsessed with winning it again. He
spent half the year in Colorado, living at
high altitude, and only arrived in Durban
five days before the event, to ensure that the
effects of his training were maximised.
But in 1997 the field of contenders was
formidable. Meiklejohn; the powerful
Russian duo of Grishine and Volgin; 1991
winner, triathlete and nuggety strongman
Nick Bester; and a new face, the former SA
marathon champion Zithulele Sinqe, aka Zet
(who was killed in December 2011 in a car
accident).
bester bestest
Nick Bester (far right) was
the aggressor, but it was
Mattheus who dug deeper
in the final kilometres to
secure the victory he so
desperately needed to
erase the pain of his 1992
disqualification.
Mattheus: I had no choice but to win. Id

put so much investment in that race. It was
completely my life. Zet was a race giant. He
had tremendous speed, and he closed
impossible gaps on that day. But he had
stomach trouble, and had to visit the bushes
three times.
I think that we were lucky that day. If
Zet hadnt been sick, he would have won.
Bester, the muscular Afrikaner from
Pretoria, was equally aware of the threat that
Sinqe posed; but after his win in 1991, and
some near-misses, he wasnt going to let that
reputation ruin his fight for victory.
Bester: I was aggressive towards Zet, I
cant deny it. I wanted to nail him he was
the threat, as far as I was concerned. I had
P h oto g r a p h b y G E T T Y / G A L LO I M AG E S
spoken to the Lions rugby psychologist and I

had planned to dominate the race. I
imagined myself as a kamikaze pilot, and
that I had to get to Durban first to see my
children, otherwise the enemy would get
them. It didnt matter how much pain I had
to endure, and my mindset was simple: if I
die doing it, then I die.
True to form, 91 winner Bester exploded
from the start. Within the first 5km, he and
Sinqe were leading the race a rare position
for the big contenders so early on. Down
Polly Shorts, Mattheus remembers stopping
for a natural break down the hill, but still
clocking a 3:01 kilometre.
As they barrelled through halfway under
record pace, Sinqe had surged ahead only
to be caught by Bester on the tough climb up

Alverstone. Witnesses remember him
pumping the air and shouting, Another one
bites the dust! as he went past Sinqe on the
climb, and surged towards Hillcrest.
But Sinqe was wily, and onlookers watched
as he slowly reeled in the pumped-up Bester
on the descent into Hillcrest, measuring his
effort and exploiting that classy leg-speed.
Mattheus: I could see them ahead of me in
Hillcrest, but I felt nauseous, and my legs
were already tired. But I knew that I had to
catch them if I was to have any chance. I
finally did, but Nick was dominating
completely. He never allowed anyone to take
the lead. He was in total control, and I
didnt think I had any hope.

61
Comrades 2013
One Of The Great Races

by Bruce Fordyce, nine-time Comrades champion
very Comrades Marathon is

special, but there are some that
just stand out as extra-special.
The 1997 Down run was such a race.
It brought together three very exciting
runners in a battle that was to last
almost the entire 90 kilometres of the
race. It was a race where, truly, no
quarter was asked and none given, and
it left those of us who witnessed it
gasping in astonishment.
The race brought together three
main protagonists:
The first was the world-class
marathoner Zithulele Sinqe. Boasting a
2:08:04 best time, Sinqe remains the
fastest marathoner ever to race the
Comrades. In addition, his recent 3:07
Two Oceans win, in which he outsprinted Dmitri Grishine for the title,
showed that he was in great shape.
The second was former triathlete
Nick Bester, who was quietly confident;
after long training camps in Lesotho
and Dullstroom, he had declared
himself to be the fittest he had ever
been. A former winner, and boasting a
string of Comrades gold medals,
Bester believed he had the ability to
repeat his 1991 triumph.
Finally, there was Charl Mattheus.
Driven by an almost evangelical zeal to
heal the pain of his 1992
disqualification, Mattheus had been
living under a cloud since then, and his
second-place finish in 1995 proved that
he had the ability to win a Down run.
These three were not the only
contenders, of course, and Jaroslaw
Janicki, Shaun Meiklejohn, Dimitri
Grishine and Andrew Kelehe were four
past and future winners who were also
powerful adversaries.
It was going to be a race to savour,
and I was able to watch it from the best
possible vantage point: I was a
television commentator that year, and I
had the best seat in the house.
The race was fast and furious from
the gun, as runners tried to win both
the race and the enormous incentives
62
JUNE 2013
on offer for breaking the Down

record. I remember looking on
nervously and wondering how I would
commentate on the loss of my record.
Nick Bester describes the first few
kilometres as hectic, and approaching
the descent of Polly Shorts, he had to
rein himself in as he and Sinqe tested
Sinqe fell back, and Bester opened a

gap on second-placed Mattheus. But it
wasnt a telling gap, and every time
Bester appeared in the cameras lens,
the blurred figure of Mattheus could be
seen in the background.
My fellow commentators and the
cameramen burst into laughter when I
I remember being
astonished at the
speed he flew down
those four steep
kilometres.
each other. On the long climb up the
back of Inchanga, Mattheus threw
down the gauntlet and there were
plenty of takers.
The leaders swept through Drummond in 2:43:45, two minutes ahead
of record schedule. Quite simply, it was
breathtaking running. I refused to give
up my seat in the commentary booth,
because I wanted to both describe the
race and watch it on a bank of TV
monitors. The duelling continued all
the way to Fields Hill, and then it was
Besters turn to surge. I remember
being astonished at the speed he flew
down those four steep kilometres. He
was timed at 2:48 and 2:52 for two of
those. I told the television viewers that
this was a mistake; I had made the
same mistake in 1982, and my legs had
taken a terrible pounding.
Besters legs will be jelly in
Pinetown, I commented. He wont
be able to fight off the others if they
catch him.
I was to be proved both wrong and
right. Bester was caught, and the battle
raged all the way to Cowies Hill. There,
how we
reported it
In our special Comrades
Marathon Update
publications of the time,
former RW Editor Mike
Green was in awe of one
of the greatest races in
modern Comrades history.
craned my neck to see if Bester had

pulled further ahead on a bend. I could
crane my neck as much as I liked I was
only going to see what the camera and
television showed.
And then on the last downhill
stretch into Durban Mattheus struck.
He swept past Bester, and was gone.
Both men still ran strongly, but
Mattheus pulled away at almost 30
seconds a kilometre.
The spectre of the last few years
drove him on, and the cloud that had
hung over him was gone. He raced into
Kingsmead Stadium with a broad grin
on his face.
In the space of a few short minutes,
Bester, Kelehe and Sinqe followed him
across the finish line. It had been a
sensational race; and those of us who
witnessed it will never forget it.
Comrades:
The Greatest Races

by Bruce Fordyce
1986: As a contestant on the day, I have to

present a case for the 1986 Down run as the
greatest race. Along Harrison Flats a chasing
pack was running 3:25 mins/km in pursuit of
runaway leader Bob de la Motte. Eventually, only
Hoseah Tjale and me were left. The race was only
decided on 45th Cutting, and for the first time in
the history of Comrades, three runners broke the
5:30 barrier. Indeed, De la Motte broke the
course record, and still didnt win.
2001: This years Down run must surely
rank as one of the closest and most exciting
races ever. History records that Andrew Kelehe
won in the second fastest time ever 5:25
but Leonid Shvetsov (5:26), Vladimir Kotov
(5:27), and Alexei Volgin (5:27) were all on the
grass in the last 400 metres as Kelehe broke
the tape.
1957: Mercer Davies and Gerald Walsh ran
shoulder to shoulder for almost the entire
Down run before Davies pulled ahead in the
last few kilometres.
1998: Rae Bisschoff built up a big lead in this
Up Comrades that the Russians Valentina
Liakhova and Valentina Shatyayeva slowly
whittled away. Without a single backward
glance, Bisschoff turned into the stadium with
a 19-second lead to which she clung
desperately. I didnt look round, because there
was no point. I couldnt run any faster.
charger
Besters strongman tactics
helped him charge down
Fields Hill and open a
gap but in the end,
that may have cost him
a second title.
[From page 61] Locked in battle, they headed

towards the 4km descent of Fields Hill and
into the final 30km. Bester surged, his
powerful legs absorbing the pounding of the
steep downhill as he blasted consecutive
kilometres of 2:48 and 2:52 and pulled out a
gap of 150m. The pace was taking them to an
unofficial world best of 4:48 for 50 miles
(80km).
Mattheus: Only Nick Bester could have
done that. He was running according to his
heart rate, and it meant that he would have
to push harder on the downhills. I couldnt
have gone with him even if Id wanted to. I
just kept thinking: Wow, this guy is
incredible.
Bester: I didnt want to have a close race,
because of Zet. I wanted to get rid of Charl
1997: The 1997 race may be remembered for

the Bester/Mattheus/Sinqe battle; but the
ladies race was as exciting, and featured an
incredible duel between Ann Trason and Maria
Bak. Trason became only the second woman to
break 6 hours and just behind her, Maria Bak
missed the barrier by 28 seconds.
and Zet on Fields; but in retrospect, maybe

that was a mistake. It was suicidal.
Sarel, doen iets!

Both Mattheus and Sinqe eventually caught
Bester on the flats of Pinetown, but Sinqe,
still battling with a stomach problem, was
starting to suffer. On the climb up Cowies
Hill, unbelievably, Bester surged again,
trying to get rid of the shadow that was
Mattheus. It was too much for Sinqe; but
Mattheus clawed his way back, clinging to
the belief that if he could just stay in contact,
he still had a chance. Over the final 25km,
Bester continued to test Mattheus, surging
on the uphills only to find Mattheus still on
his heel. With less than 5km to go, they hit
the final climb of the day: Tollgate Bridge.
1931 and 1967: At the 1931 finish, only two

seconds separated Phil Masterton-Smith and
Noel Burree, in an incredible duel. No race
would ever be as exciting or as close again, it
was predicted until the 67 one-second finish
between Manie Kuhn and Tommie Malone.
W h i c h r ac e d o yo u t h i n k
wa s t h e g r e at e st C o m r a d e s
to dat e ? J o i n t h e d e b at e o n
w w w. r u n n e r s w o r l d.co. z a /
c o m r a d e s g r e at e st
63
Comrades 2013
Rivalry then beers!
Veteran journalist Sarel van der Walt remembers the drama of the
1997 Comrades, and the spirit of Comrades that followed
very time I drive past Tollgate in

Durban, Im taken back to the
Comrades of 1997. There, at the
bottom of Tollgate, was where Charl
Mattheus made his final break to end
Nick Besters challenge.
I can still clearly see Sharon Bester,
Nicks wife, crying next to the road, and
encouraging her husband to go with
Mattheus.
Bester tried, but couldnt keep up
with Mattheus, who had dug deep into
his reserves. Sharon was jumping up
and down.
Sarel, doen iets! (do something!),
Sharon shouted, as the press truck
passed her, a few metres ahead of the
two front runners.
What could I do? I was a journalist
witnessing one of the greatest races in
modern Comrades history; and despite
my long-time friendship with Bester, I
was there to report.
Nick was on his own, and almost
85km from Pietermaritzburg, Mattheus
had the better of him. It was an epic race.
I remember that the race had started
at quite a pace. It was still dark in Maritzburg when Bester and Zithulele Sinqe
moved into the leading bunch. The pace

was hectic. Mattheus wasnt far behind.
Zet (Sinqe) was the South African
marathon record holder (2:08:04), and
the man to beat. On the way to
Inchanga, Mattheus made his first
I saw the three of them on TV trying to

destroy each other. Now they sit here,
laughing and having a beer together.
break, with Bester, Zet and Dmitri
Grishine following.
The race was on.
Shortly after Drummond (halfway) it
was Bester who took the initiative, by
running hard up towards Bothas Hill.
Zet and Mattheus followed.
I can clearly remember the three of
them running through Hillcrest, with the
huge crowds next to the road cheering
them on. There was still the smell of
breakfast in the air.
Bester went flying down Fields Hill
outside Pinetown just like he had six
years earlier, when hed won.
Through Pinetown, Mattheus and
[From page 63] Mattheus: I remember Nick

putting in another hard effort up Tollgate.
But I ran a 3:10 kilometre myself up there. I
gave it my all. I just focused on trying to
stay in contact and maintain the gap.
During the build-up to the race [Star
reporter] Gary Trusler and I had had a
chat. Hed given me the nickname
Snowman, because of my training in
Colorado. I could hear him shouting it from
the press truck, and I could feel the cool air
of Colorado that had been my training
ground. I thought of that and dug deep. I
could see that Nick wasnt as strong any
more, and that I could win. Theres a picture
of me that I saw once where you can see the
pain on my face; there was no pleasure
Bester: When he overtook me, I knew I
was beaten. I kept on thinking that I
64
JUNE 2013
Zet kept contact with Bester, but Cowies

Hill (just outside Pinetown) proved to be
too much for Zet, and he started to
struggle.
From there on it was just Mattheus
and Bester.
They were running shoulder to

shoulder. Both knew how to win, and
neither gave an inch.
I thought Bester would be the
strongest (both physically and mentally)
over the last few kilometres, but
Mattheus proved me wrong with a
brilliant run. His training in the
mountains of Colarado had paid off.
A few days later, I went with Bester,
Mattheus and Zet to a development
clinic near Barberton in Mpumalanga.
Bester was the organiser.
We went to a school nearby and
played a soccer game against a local
school. We called our team the
shouldnt have gone down Fields and

Cowies as fast as I had. I had nothing left,
and I could feel that my legs were wobbly. I
remember hearing my wife shouting to
[Beeld reporter] Sarel van der Walt: Sarel,
doen iets! But I was done.
With less than 2.5km to go, Mattheus had
carved out a decisive gap, and with every
stride was pulling clear of the exhausted
Bester.
The gap grew as the crowds in Durban
central cheered Mattheus on, and with the
pressure of the chasing pack behind him, he
was able to check his pace.
Mattheus: I was holding back, and my
seconding team were telling me that I was
still pulling out 10 seconds every few
hundred metres. I remembered the pain of
1992, but I turned it around. I knew no-one
Comrades Fast XI!

Later that afternoon we had a few
beers in a pub in Barberton. The three
adversaries of the Comrades less than a
week before were enjoying themselves,
joking and laughing.
A local came up to me, and said hed
just realised that Comrades was a farce.
Why? I asked.
I saw the three of them on TV trying
to destroy each other. Now they sit here,
laughing and having a beer together,
the man said.
Thats the
wonderful thing about
Comrades, I replied.
On race day theyre
rivals, but in the
spirit of Comrades
they remain friends.
Is that not what
sport is about?
Sarel van der Walt is an assistant editor

of the Afrikaans daily newspaper Beeld.
Hes covered 22 Comrades from the press
truck since 1988, only missing three races
while in London as Media24 Newspapers
bureau chief (2003-2005).
would take this away.

In the end, Mattheus would be the only
one to break 5:30, with Bester coming in
second in 5:30.41, Pole Jaroslaw Janicki third
in 5:32.50; while Sinqe, amazingly, clawed
back from lying ninth in Westville to ending
fourth in 5:33.18.
In 1998, Mattheus would come back to
finish second behind Dmitri Grishine, before
his final finish in 2000, in 6:46.
Today, the 48-year-old Mattheus lives in
Florida with his wife Debbie and two
children. He is a doctoral candidate at the
College of Medicine at the University of
Florida but always a Comrades champion.
Mattheus: I still run around 15km a day,
and I plan to come out and do Comrades
again when Im 50. But I doubt it will ever
feel like it did that day in 1997.
floating on joy
Charl Mattheus crosses
the finish line in 1997,
vindicated; hed shown his
true talent, and become
one of the great Comrades
success stories.
65
Beyond
the
Mantra
Brain Training Special
The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a Heavn of Hell, a Hell of Heavn.

John Milton, Paradise Lost
Reciting positive
thoughts is fine;
but to really
run your best,
youve got to
shout down your
inner critic
By Michelle Hamilton
Photographs by
Dan Saelinger
66
JUNE 2013
As I approached kilometre 30 of the

marathon Id trained so hard for, feeling
exhausted, a voice whispered that this race
was not meant to be. I was pushing for a
3:30, a time Id been chasing for five years.
The temperature was cool. The course
barrelled downhill. Prime personal-best
conditions except for the words in my
head. Youve done your best, the voice said
in a calm, caring tone. I inhaled, pretending,
as I had many times before, that I wouldnt
listen. But when it said, its okay to slow
down I conceded, dropping to a shuffle,
finishing the race far off my goal time.
For years, Id clung to the idea that better
physical training would propel me through
these tough spots. But repeatedly, after solid
16-week training programmes filled with
long runs and race-pace kays, I succumbed to
doubts. After that last marathon, I finally
admitted that I didnt need another 30-kay
run; I needed to learn to talk back. Science
has confirmed that performance at the end
of an endurance event has as much to do
with psychology as physiology. Thinking is
a behaviour, and I set out to change mine.

Plenty of runners have boosted their
mental toughness using visualisation and
mantras. I experimented with one Yes, you
can! during a 10-K, and felt silly, not
motivated. In theory, mental training made
perfect sense: alter your thinking, and you
improve your results. But how, exactly, does
one rewire thoughts?
So when I began training for my next
race, a Comrades qualifier, I called Dean
Hebert, a certified mental-game coach and a
former 2:36 marathoner who specialises in
working with runners. In my test-the-waters
call, I told him about my habit of slowing in
the final kilometres. No-one expects
endurance to come naturally, he said, but
people think mental toughness does. Its a
big myth. You do not need more willpower.
You need to train the brain like you train the
body. This means practising mental skills
throughout training, not randomly tossing
in a mantra half-way up Polly Shorts. Mental
skills, like physical strength, develop over
time and with consistency.
Comrades 2013
<
Pessimism
is a runners
top mental
roadblock.
67
<
Fall off pace?

Dont panic.
View numbers
as helpful
feedback.
Every sports psychologist has his own

process. Heberts mimicked a coachs: initial
assessment, followed by a clear, written
action plan to use with a training plan, plus
bi-weekly emails and phone calls.
Completing the intake form was harmless,
but his summary of it was hard reading:
confidence is fragile, fears she is not as
tough as she thinks, and doesnt really
believe she can.
In short, I was a classic head case: a
negative-thinking, results-oriented runner.
Mentally tough athletes are positive
thinkers and process-oriented. If you focus
on results, you take yourself out of the now,
says Stan Beecham, PhD, a sports
psychologist for two elite running groups.
And its the now that allows for the results
later. He compares it to rugby: in the
pre-game huddle, a good coach wont tell his
team to go out and win; hell say, go out and
pass well, tackle hard. Those are the steps
that lead to scoring and winning. If
runners do the same, the results will come.
Being positive is just as critical. In a
recent study, pessimism ranked as runners
top mental roadblock. Negativity, whether
its worry or doubt, often leads to selfdefeating behaviours, including slowing
down, cutting a workout short, or dropping
out of a race. Its the self-fulfilling
prophecy, says Cindra S. Kamphoff, PhD,
director of a university centre for sport and
performance psychology. Mentally strong
runners dont go there. They use their
thoughts and their training to feed a belief in
themselves. This became my goal.
Focal Points
In order for mental training to be effective, it
must be individual; so my next task was to
set personal process goals, and determine a
focus tool. Process goals are the specific
physical and mental steps that lead to a
68
JUNE 2013
performance goal, like setting a PB, or

finishing a race without walking or
finishing Comrades within the cut-off. They
should be measurable, and should address
your weaknesses: practise five minutes of
visualisation daily (if you struggle seeing
yourself succeed); do weekly fast-finish runs
(if you slow down in the final stages of a
race); follow a training programme (if you
tend to skip workouts).
I was already doing fast-finish workouts,
but I sometimes cut them short, or let myself
slow down same as Id done in my
marathons. Yes! Hebert said. Thats it.
Your physical training is your mental
training. This is a key tenet in sports
psychology. What you do in training, you
will do on race day. So sticking to my
mileage and paces became a process goal.
Hebert added a second: score my workouts (8
out of 10 for completing eight kilometres of
a 10-kay run). Most sports psychologists
employ some form of record-keeping.
Beechams athletes mark workouts as wins
or losses. The process strips a single workout
of its power, showing you that you can have
a lousy run (a loss) but still have a strong
training week (filled with wins).
Next was selecting a focus tool a word,
phrase, or action that mutes destructive
chatter and keeps you in the moment. Some
people thrive on discomfort, thinking, Im
tough; I can push through this, Hebert says.
Others benefit from competition
visualising reeling in runners helps them
put pain aside. You have to learn what works
for you.
This can take time. One of Heberts
runners started listening to her breathing,
only to realise that the sound of heaving
lungs intensified her anxiety. Reflect on
what calms, motivates, or engages you, and
start there, Hebert suggests.
Craving silence, I opted to focus on my
Train Your Brain
Mental toughness requires practice

and consistency. Pair these tips
from coach Dean Hebert with any
training plan, to get your mind and
body in top racing shape.
--> Select a performance goal. Decide what
you want to achieve by the end of your training:
a particular finish time, completing your first
race, not walking mid-race.
--> ID your weaknesses. Are you negative
(you doubt your abilities and underrate your
goals)? Do you make mistakes you want to
correct (going out too fast, losing focus)?
--> Set process goals. Specific, measurable
actions you do every week to help you reach
your performance goal. E.g.: do one speed
session a week. Run a minimum of four days a
week. Finish long runs (no shaving off kays).
--> Develop focus tools. Words and actions
that help eliminate negativity, calm anxiety,
build confidence, and keep your mind on task.
E.g.: mantras (strong, cruise, do it); focusing
on your body (breath, footfalls) or environment
(sunrise, mountains); visualisation (see yourself passing others); positive self-talk (youre
doing fine, you can handle this). Use tools any
time you have negative thoughts, feel fatigue
or anxiety, or catch yourself falling off pace.
--> Sync it up. Train your brain as you train
your body. In a log, track your mileage and
times, as well as the self-talk and the
mental-training tools employed.
--> Practise, practise, practise. Repetition
and consistency are key to building mental
skills. Throughout training, review and adjust
process goals. Recognise negative thoughts;
re-focus by applying your focus tool.
--> Reinforce process goals. E.g.: if your
weakness has been slowing at the end, finish
the last 400m to 3km of every workout fast,
and write down what enabled you to do that.
--> Prep for race day. During your taper,
determine what youll wear and where youll
park; look up the weather; learn where the
water stations are. Completing these tasks
reduces pre-race anxiety.
--> Visualise executing your race plan.
Five minutes, every day, while you taper. See
yourself on the course, hitting your paces,
taking in fuel, responding to challenges with
your focus tool, and meeting your goal.
--> Stick with routine. The day before your
race, have the same meal you had before long
runs; race in the clothes and shoes you trained
in. Routine offers a sense of control that calms
nerves and boosts confidence.
Comrades 2013
Keeping Score
The value of rating your
workouts
Gauging your runs helps you focus on

your training as a whole, rather than
focusing on individual runs especially
ones that didnt go so well. If you
assess each workout and assign it a

score, youll be able to scan your log
and see mostly good days. It
disempowers the value of one workout
one poor run doesnt negate a week
of great training, says Stan Beecham,
PhD, sports psychologist for two
professional running teams. Beecham
recommends a win/loss scoring

method: if you hit your goal, its a win;
if you fall short or do more than
prescribed, its usually a loss. However,
if you back off pace or run fewer
kilometres for a good reason youre
recovering from the flu; youre on the
verge of injury the run can be called a
win, because youre being smart, not

lazy. Coach Dean Hebert uses a
scorecard, on which you record what
you did against your programme: If you
ran 8 out of 10 kilometres, youd give
yourself an 8 out of 10. You can
combine both scoring methods, as this
sample log shows.
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Workout
Rest
Easy 5km run:

Ran 5 of 5
kilometres at
easy pace
Speedwork:
Completed
workout,
running 4 out of
5 repeats on
pace
Easy 8km run:

Hectic pressure
at work and sick
kid at home
failed to run
10km tempo
run: Completed
workout at goal
pace
Cross-train:
Swam for 30,
not 60, minutes.
Shortened
workout to rest
sore legs for
long run.
Long run: Ran

15 out of 15
kilometres
Score
Win
5/5; Win
4/5; Win
0/5; Loss
10/10; Win
30/60; Win
15/15; Win
footfalls and elbows. The first time I used my

tools during a 16-kay run, when I felt tired
and grumpy the sluggishness lifted. On the
track, I listened to my feet and concentrated
on swinging my elbows smoothly when the
burn of 800s got to be too much (or I thought
it was too much. Semantics are important.
Its not splitting hairs, the psychologists say;
its changing what you believe).
Day after day, workout after workout,
every time I caught myself dwelling on
fatigue or launching into a conversation on
why I should turn around, instead I
concentrated on my feet and elbows. I held
pace. Even blew past a split or two. Heres
what surprised me: hard-wiring the mind is
as formulaic as anything else. If you take
action, results follow. Do speedwork; get
faster. Eat less; lose weight. Stop negative
thinking; punch through pain.
Unexpected things began to happen. My
motivation skyrocketed. I trained better, did
drills, more recovery runs, core work. Hebert
wasnt surprised. Strong workouts breed
confidence, hed said; and conversely, belief
in your ability can produce strong workouts.
I quickly came to love mental training.
All the positivity or at least the lack of
negativity proved seductive, and I
hungered for it. I started using form cues on
every run. Awareness built. One morning,
while ruminating on all Id rather do than
run, I pictured the golden mountains Id see
on the trail. By the time I was out the door, I

felt like running.
Critical Thinking
Still, I couldnt shake my preoccupation
with time. Six weeks into my training, I
worried that a string of 5:05 kilometres
wouldnt add up to my marathon goal time
(I needed to run 5:00s).
You dont control if you run 42km in
3:30, Hebert said on our check-in call. This
statement came as a shock, and delivered a
bit of panic. You only control the steps that
improve your chances of hitting that time,
from how well you train to whether you
take in fluids on race day.
In a race, what do you think when you
>
Mental skills,
like physical
strength,
develop over
time and
with consistency.
hit 4:50 a kay? Hebert asked.

I worry that Ill die.
5:10?
I doubt Ill reach my goal.
Notice theyre both negative?
Ah.
Why not look at numbers as feedback?
he said. 4:50 oh, Im on fire today. I better
pull back a bit. 5:10 good. Just a little
faster.
Reframing is key. When you seek the
positive, information becomes useful. What
did 5:05s tell me? That marathon pace would
require more effort. This was good to know.
That night, I went through my log,
marking each workout a win or loss
Beechams scoring method. If you think
Comrades 2013
every workout has to be good, or every split
exact, you waste energy recovering from the
disappointment, he said. But if you see a
few poor workouts or even a bad race as part
of the process, you can move on. When I
saw the 5:05 run in my log, another sports
psychology tenet took root: a strong inner
game can come only when youre honest
with yourself. The truth was, I could have
pushed harder; I just hadnt felt like it.
I marked the workout a loss, for lack of
effort. Admitting this was liberating.
Head Strong
Eight weeks before race day, I was eight kays
into a 12-kay tempo run when a lightning
rod of pain passed through my chest. Not
sure I can hold this. I locked into elbows-feet,
and in the quiet that ensued, the voice
returned: Yes, you can. The words surprised
me. I held on, hitting kilometre 10 a bit fast
(4:38), then kilometre 11 in a fatigue-bashing
4:29. I called Hebert and told him Id realised
that just because I felt crappy, it didnt mean
I was going to fall apart.
Write that down, he said, because
thats one of the best revelations youll ever
have. If you understand that you can run
well when tired, you change your
performance drastically.
In sport, fatigue is highly subjective. The
brain processes physical cues (chemical and
electrical signals from the muscles) and
environmental information (how we expect
to feel) and concludes, Thats it, Ive had
enough. But years of research shows that the
mind can override the body that fatigue,
more often than not, is a product of
perception rather than true physiological
depletion. Fatigue is simply a sign that you
need to put your mind on something
positive, Kamphoff says.
In a 2012 study, researchers pitted

cyclists against a computerised competitor
during two trials. For one, the cyclists were
told the opponent was riding at each cyclists
personal best pace, when, in fact, the rival
was going faster. In another test, they were
told their competitor was speedier than they
were. When the cyclists thought they were
facing a faster foe, they couldnt keep up
they doubted they could beat someone
quicker. But when they thought they were
evenly matched, they rose to the challenge.
The fitness must be there, but the mind
decides whether you access it or not.
During the first half of my training, the
benefits of mental training had become
apparent, but it wasnt until that 12-kay
tempo run that I truly believed in them. It
was like the magic of speedwork; you know
intervals can make you faster; but when they
do, it feels like a small miracle. Mental
training was no different.
Powered by a sense of confidence, the
second half of my training led to some of the
best workouts Id run in 20 years. My inner
dialogue became positive. I heard Heberts
voice re-focus, find the good in every run
and experimented with various power
words: calm, strong. For the taper, Hebert
assigned three tasks: read my training log to
see how much work Id done; visualise
punching through pain; finish every run
with a one-kay hard effort, no let-up, not a
centimetre short.
Still, doubt remained. What if I went out
too fast? What if I really couldnt hold pace?
What if I just wasnt tough enough? But my
mental skills kept progressing too. Two
weeks out, during the last few kays of a
tune-up 10-K, my self-talk was this: you have
more; make it burn. Me, seeking pain? Like I
said, a miracle. A mentally strong elite
<
Scoring
workouts helps
you accumulate
confidenceboosting
victories.
70
JUNE 2013
doesnt just know she can win, Beecham

says, she knows that winning will be hard.
Pressure Day
At the start of my Comrades qualifier, 1 800
of us moved along the course. Kilometre one:
4:55. Perfect. I fell into an easy rhythm,
taking in the green hills, the vineyards, the
soothing sound of feet on pavement. But
then I started looking for kilometre markers.
I worried I was too focused on the numbers,
too eager for the reassurance of a perfect
split. Then kilometre 15 came and went, as
did 16, 17, all on pace, yet still the anxiety
built. I slipped into feet-elbows, but the calm
didnt come.
At kilometre 24, panic threatened. I
needed to know: Would I do this? Kilometre
25 came in at 5:13. Just as I was leaning over
the cliff, the voice spoke: this kilometre. I
smiled, and responded. Thats right, all I
control is this kilometre. Kilometre 26: 4:41.
Too much. Just feedback. I arrived at
kilometre 32 eight seconds shy of goal pace.
A bit more. 4:53. Hold. But the seconds crept
on, 5:02, 5:06. Come on! I rounded the corner
to the finish, and passed my husband, who
looked at his watch, both of us wondering if
Id made it. I had, by a hair: 3:30:57.
Every runners mental-toughness journey
varies. One of Heberts athletes refined his
ability to focus in training, which led to the
revelation that he could catch runners in
front of him. One of Beechams learned to
untie her self-worth from her performance.
Others have found that simply becoming
more aware of their not-going-to-run excuses
helped them develop the discipline to get
out the door. For me, the process changed
the tone of my self-talk, enabling me to tap
into strength I feared wasnt there an
essential resource in the final stages of an
ultra like Comrades.
In our post-race analysis, I asked Hebert
about my lack of focus and confidence in the
middle kilometres. The longer youve
thought a certain way, the deeper the mental
grooves, he said. It takes time to change
those patterns.
Over the next while, all through my
Comrades build-up, I continued scoring
workouts and using focus tools. I smashed
my half-marathon PB and came dangerously
close to my 10-K PB, something I hadnt done
in nearly a decade. In a recent half marathon,
I ticked runner after runner off the list in the
final kays, cruising to another personal best.
The voice and me shouting together
Youve got this! all the way to the finish.
>
Years
of research
shows the mind
can override
the body.
71
Inhale Left
Exhale
Inhale Right
Exhale
Inhale Left
Exhale
[ Right ]
[ Left ]
[ Left ]
[ Right ]
[ Right ]
Photograph by
guido vitti
72
JUNE 2013
[ Left ]
Right
Right A i r
Left
Left
Right
...
R u n n i n g
On
A revolutionary
way to breathe
can help you
run better and
sidestep injury
[ Repeat ]
By
budd coates
with
claire kowalchik
73
breath master
Budd Coates coaches
employees at Rodale,
RWs parent company.
74
JUNE 2013
I continued to work on a rhythmic breathing

method of running while pursuing my masters degree
in physical education and exercise physiology, during
which time I trained for my second marathon. I
homed in on a five-step pattern for easy training and a
three-step cycle for faster running. I used the threestep pattern during that second marathon and ran an
incredibly even 2:33:29. Now I knew I could manage
my effort through rhythmic breathing with a great
deal of success. Since then, Ive taught this method to
the many runners Ive coached over the years. It can
work for you, too.
healthy steps
Rhythmic breathing can play a key role in
keeping you injury-free, as it has for me. But to
understand how that can happen, first consider some
of the stresses of running. When your foot hits the
ground, the force of impact equals two to three times
your body weight, and as research by Utahs Bramble
and Carrier showed, the impact stress is greatest when
your foot strikes the ground at the beginning of an
exhalation. This is because when you exhale, your
diaphragm and the muscles associated with the
diaphragm relax, creating less stability in your core.
Less stability at the time of greatest impact makes a
perfect storm for injury.
So always landing on the same foot at the
beginning of exhalation compounds the problem:
It causes one side of your body to continuously absorb
the greatest impact force of running, which causes it
to become increasingly worn down and vulnerable to
injury. Rhythmic breathing, on the other hand,
coordinates footstrike with inhalation and exhalation
in an odd/even pattern so that you will land
alternately on your right and left foot at the beginning
of every exhalation. This way, the impact stress of
running will be shared equally across both sides of
your body.
An analogy would be if you loaded a backpack
down with books, notebooks, and a laptop and then
slung it over your right shoulder. With all this weight
on one side of your body, youd be forced to
compensate physically, placing more stress on one
side of your back and hip. But if you were to slip that
same heavy backpack over both shoulders, the load
would be distributed evenly. Youd put your body in a
position to better manage that stress, and your back
would stay healthy.
It stands to reason that if one side of the body
relentlessly endures the greater impact stress, that
side will become worn down and vulnerable to
injury. Rhythmic breathing allows a slight rest to
both sides of the body from the greatest immediate
impact stress of running. But theres more to it than
P h oto g r a p h b y j o s h u a s i m p s o n
n my early days as a runner, I, like most, didnt give

any thought to my breathing. I took up the sport in
high school back in the 70s and as a senior on the
cross-country team, I won the individual league
championship, a good but not great accomplishment.
I continued to run when I went to university, where I
majored in physical education. We raced often, with
little time to recover; and as a consequence, I was
injured often. When injury constantly forces you to
take time off, you lose a lot of quality training time. As
renowned coach and exercise physiologist Jack
Daniels puts it, Its easier to stay fit than get fit.
I spent lots of time in the varsity physiology
building (there were no cross-training facilities) on
a Monarch test bike, pedalling away to maintain
my conditioning. Afterwards, I went digging into the
research to find a solution to my predicament.
Eventually I came across an article called Breath Play,
by Ian Jackson, a coach and distance runner, which
related breathing cycles with running cadence. Later
I found a study by Dennis Bramble, PhD, and David
Carrier, PhD, of the University of Utah, explaining
that the greatest impact stress of running occurs
when ones footstrike coincides with the beginning of
an exhalation. This means that if you begin to exhale
every time your left foot hits the ground, the left side
of your body will
continually suffer the
greatest running stress.
Hmm. My most
frequent injury was to
my left hip flexor. So I
began to think, what if I
could create a pattern
that coordinated
footstrike and breathing
such that I would land
alternately on my left
foot and then right foot
at the beginning of
every exhale? Perhaps I
could finally get
healthy. It was worth a
try.
I developed a pattern
of rhythmic breathing
and began using it
throughout my
university career. I ran
well enough in my final
year to earn my one and
only varsity accolade.
I also trained for and ran
my first marathon the
winter before
graduating from
university, and finished
in a respectable 2:52:45.
Inhale
[L]
[R]
Exhale
[L]
[R]
Inhale
[L]
[R]
Exhale
[L]
[R]
[L]
[R]
The singular point of all rhythmic breathing patterns is this:

Exhale on alternate footstrikes as you run.
a pattern of footstrikes, exhales, and inhales that
keeps you injury-free. Rhythmic breathing also
focuses your attention on your breath patterns and
opens the way for it to become the source of how you
train and race.
exhale stress
I l lu s t r at i o n s b y j o s h m c k i b l e
Attention to breathing has a long history

in Eastern philosophy. Dennis Lewis, a longtime
student of Taoism and other Eastern philosophies,
teaches breathing and leads workshops throughout
the United States. In his book, The Tao of Natural
Breathing, Lewis shares the following Taoist belief:
To breathe fully is to live fully, to manifest the
full range of power of our inborn potential for
vitality in everything that we sense, feel, think,
and do.
In Hinduism, yoga teaches pranayama breath
work. Prana means breath as a life-giving force:
the work of breathing draws life-giving force into the
body. And that work is accomplished through
diaphragmatic breathing, or belly breathing, which
means that as you inhale, you contract the diaphragm
fully to allow maximum volume in the thoracic
(chest) cavity for maximum expansion of the lungs
and maximum intake of air. Rhythmic breathing does
the same thing, drawing the breath the life force
into the body through controlled, focused
diaphragmatic breathing. Through rhythmic running
we breathe fully and, as the Taoist would say, realise
our vitality.
Rhythmic breathing also creates a pathway to a
deep centredness. Practitioners of every style of yoga,
martial arts, relaxation, and meditation use breath
work to connect mind, body, and spirit. In the martial
arts, this inner connection and centeredness allows
more immediate and precise control of the physical
body.
The same can be accomplished in running through

rhythmic breathing. You achieve centredness first by
focusing your mind on fitting your breathing to an
optimal footstrike pattern. Then your awareness of
breathing links mind and body and creates a smooth
pathway to gauging the effort of running. Rhythmic
breathing helps you feel your running, and that ability
to feel your running allows you immediate and
precise control.
Yoga teaches that controlling your breathing can
help you control your body and quiet your mind.
When we allow ourselves to become distracted by
trying to match our running effort to a pace weve
defined with numbers on a watch, we break that
mind/body connection. We open up a gap where
stress and tension can enter. And we create a
disturbance in the flow of running that hinders our
success and enjoyment. Rhythmic breathing is
calming, and awareness of breathing draws your focus
towards calm. It allows you to remain as relaxed as
possible, quieting any stress in the body that could
inhibit performance. And if you should feel a twinge
of tension or discomfort, you can mentally push it
out of the body as you exhale.
During moderate or long runs, rhythmic breathing
allows me to slide easily into an effort and pace at
which everything glides on autopilot. My breathing is
comfortable, my cadence is smooth and even, and the
rhythm of both combines for that harmonious
vibration with nature.
From the Belly

Before learning the rhythmic patterns that will
take your running to a new level, you must first
become a belly breather; that is, learn to breathe from
your diaphragm. When you inhale, your diaphragm
contracts and moves downwards, while muscles in
your chest contract to expand your rib cage, which

Breath Works
Rhythmic breathing
achieves in the
microcosm of
running the same
thing that a pattern
of hard/easy training
accomplishes in the
macrocosm. If you
run hard day after
day with no let-up,
you will become
injured. A relentless
regimen of hard
running leaves no
time for recovery.
It stands to reason
that if one side of
the body relentlessly
endures the greater
impact stress, that
side will become
worn down and
vulnerable to injury.
75
increases the volume in your chest cavity and draws

air into your lungs. Working your diaphragm to its
fullest potential allows your lungs to expand to their
greatest volume and fill with the largest amount of air,
which of course you need for your running. The more
air you inhale, the more oxygen is available to be
transferred through your circulatory system to your
working muscles. Many people underuse their
diaphragm, relying too much on their chest muscles
and therefore taking in less oxygen, which is so
important to energy production. The other downside
of breathing from your chest is that these muscles (the
intercostals) are smaller and will fatigue more quickly
than your diaphragm will. To rely less on your chest
muscles to breathe, youll want to train yourself to
breathe from your belly; that is, with your diaphragm.
Practice belly breathing both lying down and sitting
inhale? Your diaphragm and other breathing muscles

contract during inhalation, which brings stability to
your core. These same muscles relax during
exhalation, decreasing stability. With the goal of
injury prevention in mind, its best to hit the ground
more often when your body is at its most stable
during inhalation.
Lets start with a 5-count or 3:2 pattern of rhythmic
breathing, which will apply to most of your running.
Inhale for three steps and exhale for two. Practise first
on the floor:
1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet
flat on the floor.
2. Place your hand on your belly and make sure
that you are belly breathing.
3. Breathe through your nose and your mouth.
4. Inhale to the count of 3 and exhale to the count
Your foot strikes the ground at the beginning of

exhalation, when impact stress is the greatest and core
stability is lowest. Its the perfect storm for injury.
Breath Test
Do you breathe
from your
diaphragm? Lie
on your back, put
your hands on
your belly, and
breathe. If your
hands move up
and down, you are
using your
diaphragm. If your
hands remain still,
you will probably
notice that your
chest is moving
up and down,
which means you
are depending too
much on your
intercostals the
small muscles
that raise and
lower your upper
rib cage.
76
JUNE 2013
or standing, since you should be breathing

diaphragmatically at all times whether youre
running, sleeping, eating, or reading a book. Heres
how to learn the technique:
Lie down on your back.
Keep your upper chest and shoulders still.
Focus on raising your belly as you inhale.
Lower your belly as you exhale.
Inhale and exhale through both your nose and
your mouth.
establish a Pattern
many runners develop a 2:2 pattern of breathing,
meaning they inhale for two footstrikes and exhale
for two footstrikes. Some breathe in for three steps
and exhale for three steps. Both have the same result
your exhale is always on the same side. Breathing
patterns that extend the inhale will shift the point
of exhalation alternately from left to right or from
right to left, from one side of the body to the other.
The singular point of all rhythmic breathing
patterns is this: Exhale on alternate footstrikes as
you run. You never want to continually exhale on
the same foot.
The rhythmic breathing patterns I recommend call
for a longer inhale than exhale. Why the longer
of 2. You might count it this way:

in-2-3, out-2, in-2-3, out-2, and so forth.
5. Concentrate on a continuous breath as you
inhale over the 3 counts, and a continuous breath as
you exhale.
6. Once you become comfortable with the inhale/
exhale pattern, add foot taps to mimic walking steps.
When you feel confident that you have the 3:2
pattern down, take it for a walk. Inhale for three
steps, exhale for two, inhale for three steps, exhale for
two. Finally, of course, try out your rhythmic
breathing on a run inhaling for three footstrikes and
exhaling for two. A few key points: inhale and exhale
smoothly and continuously through both your nose
and mouth at the same time. If it seems difficult to
inhale over the full three strides, either inhale more
gradually or pick up your pace. And lastly, do not
listen to music while learning to breathe
rhythmically. The beats of the music will confuse the
heck out of you.
now go Faster
You will find that the 3:2 breathing pattern
works well when you are running at an easy to
moderate effort, which should make up the majority
of your running. Lets say, however, you are out for a
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Side stitches: Weve

all experienced those
annoying sharp
pains. Swedish
exercise physiologist
Finn Rost offered the
theory that when the
diaphragm moves
upward during
exhalation and
organs drop down
during footstrike, the
tension created
forces the diaphragm
into spasm. Owen
Anderson, PhD,
author of The
Science of Running,
supports this,
saying, Since the
diaphragm is in the
up position when
you are breathing
out... stitch chances
are maximised
when footstrike
and exhalation are
synchronised on one
side of the body.
Studies show that
the majority of
runners experience
stitches on their
right side. Become a
rhythmic runner
alternating your
exhalations so you
can avoid side
stitches altogether.
Find your Levels

on your next run, do some breath play, as Ian
Jackson would say. Start out in a 3:2 breathing pattern
at an easy effort your warm-up. This is a comfortable
pace at which you could converse easily with a
running partner. How does it feel? Notice the depth
and rate of your breathing. After 10 minutes, pick up

your pace just a bit to an effort that requires you to
breathe noticeably deeper while you continue to run
within the 3:2 breathing pattern. You should still be
able to talk with your running buddy, but youll be
glad for those periods in the conversation when you
get to just listen. Run at this pace for a few minutes
and tune into your body, feel your breathing your
lungs expanding, your belly rising.
Now pick up your pace even further while holding
the 3:2 breathing pattern. At this point, youll be
breathing about as deeply as you can, which makes
the effort uncomfortable. You are now experiencing a
difficult rhythmic breathing effort. And youd rather
not. So you convert to a 3-count, or 2:1, breathing
pattern inhaling for two steps and exhaling for one.
Youre taking more breaths per minute, in a pattern
that still distributes the impact stress equally across
both sides of your body. Notice that the effort of
breathing becomes comfortable again. You will be
able to talk a bit. Running will feel comfortably fast
again. Spend a few minutes at this pace and effort,
focusing on your breathing and on your body.
Now increase your pace, forcing deeper breathing.
You are running at a serious level that does
not allow you to talk. Up the pace again. You are
breathing about as deeply as you can, but the
difference is that you are also breathing about as fast
as you can. And, of course, your pace is much quicker.
You cant hold this effort for very long.
It might feel like you have nowhere else to go, but you
do to a pattern of 2-1-1-1, which allows you to
breathe faster. You switch to the following: Inhale for
two steps, exhale for one, inhale for one, exhale for
one; inhale for two steps, exhale for one, inhale for
one, exhale for one; and so forth. This is the effort you
will put forth for your kick at the end of a race. Or you
can use this to help you crest a steep hill during a race.
Once youve tested the 2-1-1-1 pattern, slow down,
ease up, and allow your breathing to return gradually
to a comfortable 3:2. The more you use rhythmic
breathing in training and racing, the easier and more
automatic it becomes.
As you use rhythmic breathing in your training
and racing and tune in to your breathing efforts and
paces, you will learn to run from within, in complete
harmony with your body. You will discover the
natural rhythms of your running, which will lead you
to improved performances but also to experience the
pure joy of running.
The Whole Story This article was adapted from Running on Air: The Revolutionary Way to Run Better by Breathing
Smarter, by Budd Coates and Claire Kowalchik (Rodale, 2013). The book teaches the reader how to use the principles
and methods of rhythmic breathing across all levels of effort. It includes training plans for distances from 5-K to the
marathon. Available at runnersworld.com/books or kalahari.com R167.
78
JUNE 2013
P h oto g r a p h b y t h o m a s m ac d o n a l d
Ditch the Stitches
comfortable eight-kay run and about midway you

come upon a hill. Because your muscles are working
harder, they need more oxygen. Your brain also signals
to your respiratory system that you need to breathe
faster and deeper. You reach a point running up the
hill when you can no longer comfortably inhale for
three steps and exhale for two. Its time to then switch
to a 3-count, or 2:1, rhythmic breathing pattern: Inhale
for two steps, exhale one, inhale two steps, exhale one.
Youre breathing faster, taking more breaths per
minute, and this odd-numbered breathing pattern will
continue to alternate the exhale from left foot to right,
dispersing the impact stress of running equally across
both sides of your body. Once youve crested the hill
and are running down the other side, you might
continue in this 2:1 pattern until your effort and
breathing have recovered and you slip back into your
3:2 cadence.
When you begin breathing rhythmically, its a good
idea to consciously monitor your breathing patterns,
although its not necessary to do so throughout your
entire run. Focus on your breathing when you start out,
evaluate your breathing as your effort changes such as
when you climb a hill and then simply check in at
random intervals to make sure that you havent fallen
into a 2:2 pattern. Over time, the 3:2 and 2:1 rhythmic
patterns will become automatic.
Not surprisingly, the 2:1 breathing pattern also
comes into play during speed training and racing. I
originally began to use rhythmic breathing as a way to
run injury-free. When I realised it was working with
easy and moderate runs, I was afraid to break away
from it during hard training workouts, and through
trial and error learned to follow a 5-count rhythmic
breathing pattern during an easy run or a long run and
a 3-count rhythm for interval training and racing.
Rhythmic breathing allowed me to complete my last
year of competitive varsity running with moderate
success. It would allow me to go on to qualify for four
Olympic Marathon Trials and to set a PB of 2:13:02.
[Tap. Click. Read.]

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gear
Long
Runner
by
RYAN SCOTT
From top to bottom, 11

gear essentials for
every long run.
P h oto g r a p h S b y J A M E S G A R AG H T Y
81
gear
In Vest
Club colours are the norm at Comrades. This

means you will most probably be wearing a vest of
sorts. Many clubs have options, from the racing
spaghetti-strings for the gold-medal aspirants, to
something a little more substantial for the rest of
us. Freeing the shoulders up, like this NB
Momentum Singlet R250 does, is preferable for
ease of movement up top; as is a cut to suit your
body shape, in a fabric that has a little stretch in it
to cope with being doused with water. The
Lightning Dry polyester wicks away both excess
water and perspiration, to help keep you
comfortable. Totalsports
Take Cover
Generally Comrades isnt a cold

run, but if the morning dawns
chilly and you need a comfortable
solution to the unexpected cold,
the Saucony PowerKnit LT Arm
Warmers R275 are lightweight
and fit firmly; and if the sun does
come out, they offer 50+ UV
protection. Rolling the arm
warmers down to the wrists is an
easy way to take a break from the
cover; and testers suggest cutting
out the tags, which may
compromise comfort.
The Athletes Foot
Good Timing
Its not worth getting too caught up in

timing calculations in this run, but having
simple split times available when going
through the various distance stations can
be helpful in pacing yourself; especially in
the first half of the race, when its advisable
to remain conservative. The Timex GTS
Tap Ironman R1 300 requires little effort,
with tap-screen functionality that feeds
back information on a large, easy-to-read
screen. And it includes a 150-lap memory
so you could, in theory, record splits for
every kilometre!
Totalsports
82
JUNE 2013
Inch by inch
Comfort and correct length in

shorts will go a long way towards
giving you peace of mind about
your choice of gear before you
settle into the challenge of this
iconic ultra. Club shorts are not
always the best choice, so match
your own bottoms with your club
vest. For this long distance,
testers decided on a mediumlength mens cut, like the adidas
Supernova 7-inch R450. The
high-quality, lightweight
ClimaLite fabric dries quickly, and
a panel insert with extra-soft
fabric at the lower spine seems to
provide an extra dimension to
your specific fit.
adidas Concept Stores
Cool Head
The morning of the race can be

a bit chilly, and the amount
of heat you lose through the
head might surprise you. Wearing
the Vivobarefoot Visor R190
at the start will save you some
heat loss, which means saving
energy, too. Once on the road,
its best to keep things light and
airy for later on, when the day is
bound to heat up.
Vivo Concept Stores
021 286 0010
Its Personal
When youre out there for such a

long day, the stress of the bright
sun on your eyes mounts up, so a
good piece of specialist eyewear
that youve used before and are
comfortable with, is a wise choice.
Oakley have a customised option
which can be delivered in 10 days.
Choose your own frame colour
scheme and lenses and have the
lenses engraved. Testers loved
the Oakley Radar R2 100
Sunglasshut
Shoe Options
Gold medallists (top 10 men & women) and Wally Hayward
medallists (sub-06:00) will be wearing shoes like the
Saucony Grid Type A R1 010. Only recommended for those
wholl be flying over the 87km with nothing but glory in mind.
The Grid Type A weighs under 160 grams, and is the ultimate
race shoe low to the ground, extremely responsive, and stays
grippy in the wet for fast, energetic toe-off. The Athletes Foot
Silver medallists (06:00:01 to sub-07:30) can look to a

shoe like the Nike Pegasus +29 R1 200 for good
breathability, old-school waffle pattern for grip, and enough
cushioning on the Zoom heel for a long 87km ride. The
Pegasus is a favourite because of its balance for many, it has
just enough cushioning over the longer distances. Sportsmans
Warehouse
Many of the Bronze medallists (09:00:01 to sub-11:00)

will be wearing the ever-popular Asics Gel Kayano 19
R1 700. The Kayano remains the shoe that those looking for a
luxurious ride flock to every time a new model comes out.
Comrades is guaranteed to remove the luxury component of
any shoe; but the Kayano will give some support to the many
mild over-pronators who feel they need a bit of help in this
area. Sportsmans Warehouse
Tosser
To stay warm at the start, you can

either stick with the South African
tradition of wearing a plastic
garbage bag, Tuffies R20 for 10,
that sticks to your skin, doesnt let
you breathe, and gets ripped on
every possible snag; or you can
wear an old long-sleeve top R0
that you are happy to toss at the
start. This way, instead of
someone having to clean up your
rubbish, you are donating a top to
someone waiting at the start who
needs it more than you do.
Back of your cupboard
Spray On
The easiest way to apply protective

sun lotion for a long day is to spray
on this SPF 40 Island Tribe Aero
Lotion R100. The spray has no
colour, rubs in clearly, dries
quickly, and is petroleum based
and run free. The spray is enriched
with vitamin E, and is non-irritant.
And you can spray it on in the dark
before you jump in the car on the
way to the start.
Totalsports
83
gear
Lube Up
Chafing can be a pain in the

nipples, inner thighs and bum
cheeks. We tested the best options
to help beat, and treat, the burn for
good...
Bennetts Baby
Bum Crme R39
Chafe operates best along with
moisture. If you can take the
moisture out of the equation, your
chances of steering clear of a rash
improve. Bennetts Baby Bum
Crme puts the barrier of its
water-repellent base between your
skin and moisture, to help keep the
skin dry. (But you still need to try
and keep whatevers causing the
friction to a minimum.) Clicks
Johnsons Hygiene
Powder R40
Runners are susceptible to skin
irritations caused by dampness,
as well as friction caused by
rubbing. A good option for every
run (and for shoes, post-run) is
Johnsons Hygiene Powder,
which also has a deodorising
aspect to it. Its best used
liberally, as a generous
application goes a long way and
doesnt cost too much.
Chemists
Vaseline Original R25

Everybody knows the go-to anti-chafe agent
good old Vas. Make sure yours is genuine
petroleum-based Vaseline, and apply it to
places where you didnt know you had places theres no such thing as too much lube. The
good thing is, no matter how much you put on it
wont harm your clothes, its easy on the skin,
and it doesnt have an odour. A cheap option
thats stood the test of time and miles.
Supermarkets and chemists
Body Glide R120

A versatile stick that can easily be applied anywhere
on the body; it combats the friction of rubbing to help
prevent the onset of chafe and blisters, too. Testers
noted that it was a clean option. The Body Glide is a
balm and uses no oils, but is made up of all sorts of
chemicals with long names, so its probably best to
use only when going the distance. Totalsports
Bepanthen R65
The solution to this biological conundrum of chafing takes
us to some strange places. Bepanthen is more usually
used for nappy rash, and for sore and cracked nipples.
Testers found it to be oily and thick, and most effective
for treatment rather than prevention. Clicks
84
JUNE 2013
P h oto g r a p h b y J A M E S G A R AG H T Y
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The price includes VAT but excludes postage and packaging.
Please allow a minimum of 12 working days for delivery from the date you placed your order. Offer valid while stocks last.
gear
1
Vivobarefoot
Evo Lite R1 200
NEW
STUFF
The Evo Lite is the fourth

generation of the Evo 250
grams, with just a 5mm layer of
cushioning. Though you may have
to apply plenty of patience to
adapt to a minimalist shoe like the
Evo Lite, you can get incredible
versatility from trail to road, with
sticky traction and great feel. Best
for those looking for a versatile
minimalist shoe.
www.vivobarefoot.co.za
New shoes on the block,

and body protection and
safety for peace of mind.
2
Physicool
Combination Pack R130
(500ml spray R155)
A stretchable, reusable bandage
that combines cooling,
compression, 360-degree
coverage and support. Most
inflammation-treating aids apply
cold to the damaged area but
Physicool draws heat out through
rapid evaporation to reduce
swelling and pain. Once youve
taken the bandage off, just
re-spray and store in the
resealable bag for next time.
www.ivohealth.co.za
3
Tornado 5-in-1
Pepper Spray R400
In addition to a belt clip, this item
includes a 4.5m pepper spray, a
bright strobe light to confuse
attackers and a 125-decibel alarm to
attract attention if you cant. The
idea is to stop an attack before it
starts. We wish we didnt need this
kind of gizmo, but safety first.
www.gettornado.co.za
4
BB Runner
GPS Watch R1 600
A new GPS watch now available in
SA, at a price point that will suit
those first-time users whod like to
try training with a GPS, but dont
want to pay through the nose. The
BB Runner also includes a
heart-rate monitor and has an
impressive 10-hour battery life with
GPS and HRM activated. Easy to
use for first-timers.
www.bb-runner.com/sa
1
6
5
Salomon S-Lab
Sense Ultra R2 200
The S-Lab Sense is the race-day
shoe: The Ultra gives you more
range, which is a good thing, given
the short lifespan of the Sense. The
shoe remains narrow in the
forefoot, and really lightweight (212
grams), plus it has a 4mm
heel-to-toe drop and it delivers
great performance. Best for those
looking for a high-performance trail
shoe, with long-distance trail races
and training in mind.
Salomon Concept Stores
6
Puma Bioweb Elite R1 300
Hot on the heels of Pumas new

adapative running Mobium comes
the Bioweb Elite. Elite here could
refer to those at the top end of the
mass scale, as the shoe is suited to
a heavier runner. The web caging
that wraps the shoe is included for
support, and the WebTech heel
wrap for cushioning on long runs.
Best for those looking for
maximum support and cushioning.
Puma 021 551 0832
86
JUNE 2013
To advertise in this
classified section, please contact...
Sharlene Smith
sharlene.smith@media24.com
083 583 1604
Thea Thomas
tthomas@weg.co.za
078 450 7771
NOW ONLINE
Map It!
Plot your trail route, measure the
elevation and calculate your kilojoules burnt.
www.myrunnersworld.co.za/cool-routes
gear
Shoe Test
Big
Seller
Brooks Adrenaline GTS R1 300
rooks is the biggest-selling running-shoe brand in the USA, and their biggest-selling
shoe, despite the continuing buzz around minimalist shoes, is the Adrenaline
testament to the fact that traditional running shoes still rule the marketplace. We
asked Brooks to suggest their most suitable shoe for Comrades runners, and the 320-gram
Adrenaline came up tops.
Feel The Road

A classic stability shoe, the GTS 13 (GTS
stands for Go-To Shoe) sports a medial
post that gets progressively firmer towards
the inside edge of the shoe, and other
features that help slow the inward roll of the
foot. Its soft enough that you can feel the
road surface below, says tester Chris
Eedes, who has run in every Adrenaline
model since the GTS 6, but theres enough
padding that you dont feel as though youre
running on concrete blocks.
Striking At Comrades
Most Comrades runners will probably be
heel-strikers. Brooks chose the GTS 13 shoe
as their perfect Comrades shoe for
pronators. We rate the caterpillar crash-pad
highly for heel cushioning, as it breaks the
Comrade
Brooks suggested
choice for SAs most
famous race.
heel-strike impact and allows a gentle

laydown of the foot and anticipates the
exaggerated roll to the instep of the
over-pronator. This is when the deep
grooves sculpted into the midsole foam help
the GTS 13 remain flexible, to help your foot
go through the strike with minimal
resistance.
Available from Sportsmans Warehouse,
The Sweat Shop
Groovy
Deep grooves for
flexibility.
Squash it
The caterpillar strikepad softens the footfall.
88
JUNE 2013
P H OTO G R A P H S B Y J A M E S G A R AG H T Y
NOW ONLINE
Diarise It!
Search by date, event type, distance or

province. Updated weekly, plus closing entry
notifications. Never miss another race!
www.runnersworld.co.za/race-calendar
TRAVEL LOG
June 2013
IN THE HOBBITS
FOOTSTEPS
Leap along single-tracks
through natural forest.
FEATURED RACE
Magical
Hogsback
Katberg Eco Trail Run.
By Lisa Nevitt
THE DETAILS
Date: Saturday 22 June
Venue: Katberg
Distance & time: 18km: 9am; 10km: 9:30am; 5km:
9:45am
Entry fee: 18km & 10km: R130; 5km: R100
Entries & registration: Pre-entries, available by
contacting liamv@katleisure.co.za, will close on 10
June, at 1pm. There will be limited entries on race day.
All entries will receive a race T-shirt.
Contact: Liam Victor 082 927 3395 / Sharon
Eldridge 083 284 3781
WHAT TO EXPECT
The 18km is a varied race, from rolling golf fairways,
to mountain ascents, on animal tracks and double
jeep tracks through the surrounding game reserve.
Along flat single track and double jeep track, the 10km
affords breathtaking views of the natural forest. The
5km is fast and flat. Walkers are welcome on the
10km and 5km distances.
FINISHED! NOW WHAT?

Medals will be awarded to all finishers. There will be
prizes for the top three finishers of the 18km & 10km.
Runners weary from winter trails can replenish at
these wholesome eateries
he Butterfly Bistro: Popular pizzas are chunky
T
chicken or beefy mushroom. 045 962 1326
Feathers Fine Food Restaurant: Local produce
cooked the old-fashioned way. 045 962 1369
Misty Mountain Coffee Barn: Teatime treats beside
a toasty-warm fire. 045 962 1335
WHERE TO STAY
Wake up to the sound of calling birds
90
JUNE 2013
Hotels
Kings Lodge Hotel: from R150 to R450.
045 962 1024
Arminel Hotel: from R700 to R1 050.
043 743 3433
Self-Catering
The Edge Mountain Retreat: from R400 to R1 400.
045 962 1159
Nibelheim Self Catering Cottage: R450.
045 962 1084
B&Bs & Guest Houses

Granny Mouse House: from R425 to R650.
045 962 1259
Nutwoods Park: from R495 to R690.
045 962 1043
Backpackers & Camping

Away with the Fairies: from R70 to R375.
045 962 1031
The Hobbiton: R110 (dormitory).
045 962 1193
WHAT ELSE TO DO
In Hogsback
Explore the fairy-tale village believed to have

inspired JRR Tolkiens The Lord of the Rings
For explorers
Cape Parrot; Knysna
Loerie; Hornbill;
Samango Monkeys;
Madonna & Child; The
Thirty-Nine Steps;
Swallowtail Falls; Bridal
Veil Falls; Tyume Falls;
Kettle Spout Falls;

cherry blossoms;
rhododendrons
For adventurers
Amatola Horse Trails;
walking; mountain
biking; croquet
For browsers
Attic Art Gallery;
Camelot Fairy Meander;
The Ecology Shrine by
Diana Graham; Mirrors
Photo Gallery & Crystal
Corner; Starways
Pottery; Misty
Mountain Candles
& Crafts;
The Sandcastle
And for
the adults
Happy Hogs Pub &
Restaurant
All the June running, multi-sport, adventure racing and orienteering race listings
race diary
Compiled by Lisa Nevitt (lisa.nevitt@media24.com)
WESTERN CAPE
21.1
Napier Half Marathon

Agulhas Vaardigheidskool (Napier High School), Steyn
Street, Napier, Bredasdorp; 21.1km & 10km: 8:30am; 4km
Fun Run: 8:45am; 25m Nappy Dash: 12pm
Tom Ambrose 082 978 1971 / 028 423 3465 / Engela
Ambrose 072 485 1398
SATURDAY 29 JUNE
5
Mamre Primary School, Mamre; 15km: 8am; 5km: 8:15am

Lesley Daniels 021 550 5225
SATURDAY 29 JUNE
SATURDAY 29 JUNE
4
10
Drakenstein Half Marathon
Allandale Correctional Centre; 21.1km: 8am; 5km:

8:15am
Basil Jantjies 082 045 5030
SOUTH-WEST DISTRICTS
SATURDAY 1 JUNE
Beaumont Primary School, Somerset West; 15km: 8am;

5km: 8:10am
Hans Hugo 072 290 8179
McDonalds (Garden Route), George; 10km & 4km Fun

Run: 8am
Danie 083 376 7414
SATURDAY 1 JUNE
GAUTENG
CENTRAL GAUTENG
10
UWC 10km Fast & Flat
No races scheduled for this period.
UWC Main Campus; 10km & 5km: 7:30am

Jerome Walters 073 157 1755
Steeple to Steeple 5km Fun Run, presented by

Outeniqua Harriers
NG Moederkerk, George; 5km Fun Run & Relay: 8am
Abrie de Swardt 072 348 1961
GAUTENG NORTH
SATURDAY 8 JUNE
THURSDAY 6 JUNE
5
15
Fine Food & Wine Spookhill 15km
McDonalds 2 McDonalds 10km & 4km Fun Run
WESTERN PROVINCE
21.1
15
Mamre 15km
Epilepsy SA, Knysna; 10km: 8am; 5km: 9am

Judi Kent 083 272 4430 / Sharifa Louw 079 517 1799
SATURDAY 15 JUNE
10
10
Knysna Marathon Club & Epilepsy SA 10km & 5km
BOLAND
4
SATURDAY 15 JUNE
SATURDAY 22 JUNE
10
5.5
10
15
Silver Oaks Crossing Race of Faith
Cape Town Corporate Games 4 Days
Silver Oaks Crossing, corner of Backstrom Boulevard &

Solomon Mahulanga Drive, Willow Acres; 15km Run/
Walk, & 10km: 7am; 5.5km: 7:10am; kiddies race (3-6yrs):
9:30am; 500m & 1km (7-10yrs): 9:45am
Western Province Cricket Club; 10km, 5km & 4 x

1600m: TBC
Cape Town Corporate Games 021 418 1966
(Mixed Terrain)
Daan du Toit 082 572 4169
EDS CHOICE
SOUTH-WEST
DISTRICTS
SATURDAY 15 JUNE
Garden Route Mall 10km & 5km Fun Run
Garden Route Mall, George
10km: 8am; 5km Fun Run: 9am
Danie 083 376 7414
Runners use this race to improve their
personal best the route is fast and flat,
surrounded by the majestic Outeniqua
Mountains. Walkers and wheelchair
users are also welcome. Pre-entries,
available at www.entrytime.com and at
local sports stores, will close on 10 June.
There will be no late entries. T-shirts will
be given to the first 200 entries.
Distance icons: Find events with your favourite distances quickly, using the key below.
09 km
1019 km
P H OTO G RA P H COURT ESY O F WONDERWORLD ST UD I OS
2029 km
SEARCH THE COMPLETE LIST OF RACES I N

SOU TH AFRICA : WWW. run n ersworld.
co. za/RACE-CALENDAR
30+ km

91
race diary
June 2013
EDS CHOICE
KWAZULU-NATAL
An undulating race, hugging the coastline

until the half-way mark, just metres away
from roaring waves and salty sea air. Head
inland to a hilly section flanked by sugar
cane, followed by a pleasant downhill to the
finish. Walkers are welcome.
MONDAY 17 JUNE
5
10
21.1
ACRW Winter Warmer

ACRW Clubhouse, Edenburgh Road, Clubview East,
Centurion; 21.1km, 10km & 5km: 7:30am
Bert vd Raad 082 922 6817
SATURDAY 22 JUNE
5
Take 5 Team Relay Pretoria

AFB Waterkloof, Pretoria; 5 x 5km & 3 x 5km: 8am
Event Office 012 460 9065
VAAL TRIANGLE
92
JUNE 2013
EASTERN CAPE
BORDER
EASTERN PROVINCE
SATURDAY 15 JUNE
5
10
The Transnet Family Race

Transnet Cuyler Manor Uitenhage Depot; 10km: 7am;
5km: 7:15am
Xolile 041 994 2472
FREE STATE
NORTH WEST
PROVINCE
CENTRAL NORTH WEST
SATURDAY 22 JUNE
5
10
Rassie Smith Memorial 10km

Cricket Club; 10km: 8am; 5km: 8:10am
Charles Wade 082 828 4357
NORTH WEST NORTH

P h o t o g ra p h s B y P h i l i p D a n i e l P h o t o g ra p h y R i v e r s i d e Pa r k Ta ke A S t e p Fo r
C h i l d re n C h a r i t y R o a d R a c e ; M o r n e O l i v i e r - P o w e ra d e S a r d i n e H a l f M a ra t h o n
SUNDAY 23 JUNE
Powerade Sardine Half Marathon
Douglas Mitchell Sport Grounds, Uvongo
21.1km: 6:30am; 10km & 5km: 6:40am;
2km Trail Run: 9am; Nappy Dash: 9:45am
Debbie 082 441 5370
www.southcoaststriders.co.za
EDS CHOICE
MPUMALANGA
SATURDAY 15 JUNE
Riverside Park Take a Step for Children
Charity Road Race
Riverside Park, R40, Nelspruit
10km: 7am; 3km Fun Run: 8am
Jo-Anne Wearne 082 259 4118
Grandparents, wheelchair-users and
moms with infants all took part at last
years event. The more the merrier! Both
distances are run within the Riverside
Park Precinct and include a section of the
Lowveld Botanical Garden. Medals will
be awarded to all finishers.

93
EDS CHOICE
TRAIL RUN
WESTERN PROVINCE
SATURDAY 8 JUNE
Wacky Wine Trail Run /
Vineyard Run/Walk /
Kids Run FANCY DRESS!!
Arabella, Ashton, Western Cape
16km: 9:30am; 6km: 10am; 2km: 11am
Mountain Runner Events info@
mountainrunner.co.za
www.mountainrunner.co.za
Dress up in your wackiest outfit and head up
into the hills for some true off-road running,
before returning through the vineyard. The 6km
race features wine-tasting at water tables, and
theres even a 2km for the kiddies. Afterwards,
settle in for an evening of wine-tasting, rugby
and live bands.
94
JUNE 2013
P H OTO G R A P H C O U R T E SY J AC Q U E S M A R A I S
race diary
June 2013
NORTHERN CAPE
GRIQUALAND WEST
SATURDAY 22 JUNE
10
21.1
AGW 21.1km Championship

Harts School, Gansbaan, Jan Kempdorp; 21.1km & 10km:
7am
Ferdie Nel 083 294 2640
NORTH WEST CAPE

KWAZULU-NATAL
SATURDAY 1 JUNE
5
10
Youth Run
Hoy Park, Durban; 10km & 5km: 9am
Dees Govender 031 312 9374
SUNDAY 2 JUNE
89
2013 Comrades Marathon

City Hall, Durban; 89km: 5:30am
Comrades Marathon Association 033 897 8650
www.comrades.com
SATURDAY 15 JUNE
5
10
Impendle 10km & 5km

Impendle New Sports Field (Village), Impendle;10km
Run/Walk: 8am; 5km Fun Run /Walk: 8:30am
Mthembeni Ndlela 033 996 0421 / 072 956 6838
SUNDAY 30 JUNE
10
21.1
Mondi Half Marathon & 10km Walk

Bay Hall, Richards Bay; 21.1km & 10km Walk: 7am
Petro Hardwick 071 355 7992
MPUMALANGA
TRAIL RUNNING
WEDNESDAY 5 JUNE
5
12
Maweni Night Run

Maweni Trail Centre (within the Cumberland Nature
Reserve, close to Pietermaritzburg); 12km, 8km & 5km:
TBC
Andrew Booth 082 603 4098
www.kzntrailrunning.co.za
FRIDAY 7 JUNE
6
Wacky Wine Twilight Run

Arabella, Ashton, Western Cape; 6km: 6:30pm
Mountain Runner Events info@mountainrunner.co.za
SATURDAY 8 JUNE
6
24
Arangieskop Trail Challenge

Robertson; 24km & 6km: 7:30am
Ugene Nel 082 658 3078
22
Old Fishermans Trail Challenge

Fish Hoek Beach; 22km: 8am
Claire Ashworth 082 553 3833
SEARCH THE COMPLETE LIST OF RACES I N

SOU TH AFRICA : WWW. run n ersworld.
co. za/RACE-CALENDAR

95
EDS CHOICE
TRAIL RUN
SOUTH-WEST
DISTRICTS
SATURDAY 1 JUNE
Fernskloof Trail Run,
presented by MediClinic
Fernskloof Wines, R407 (16km outside
of Prince Albert, towards Klaarstroom)
15km: 8am
Diederik le Grange 023 541 1702 / 083
709 6462
www.facebook.com/FernskloofWines
Fernskloof are hosting their maiden trail
run, consisting of splendid single tracks
that will take you to the remote slopes of
the Swartberg mountains. Expect punchy
climbs and descents, hairpin turns and
gnarly rocky sections this race is sure to
bring out the Rarmuri in you.
96
JUNE 2013
race diary
June 2013
7
14
Talbot Trail Run Series 1

Maweni Trail Centre (within the Cumberland Nature
Reserve, close to Pietermaritzburg); 14km & 7km: 7:30am
SUNDAY 9 JUNE
5.52
11
Gauteng Winter Trail Series 1 of 4

Groenkloof Nature Reserve, Pretoria, Gauteng; 11km:
9am; 5.52km: 9:15am
Tamryn Jupp 072 438 3242
www.trailseries.co.za
16
New Balance Table Mountain 16km

Constantia Nek, Cape Town; 16km: 8am
Charlotte Kettlewell 021 761 8887
www.vob.co.za
Arabella, Ashton , Western Cape; 8km & Kids Event: 9am

Mountain Runner Events info@mountainrunner.co.za
SUNDAY 16 JUNE
12

Hennops River, Centurion; 12km: 9am; 5km: 9:15am
20
Gauteng Winter Trail Series XL

Hennops River, Centurion; 20km: 8:30am
SATURDAY 22 JUNE
5
Saturday 1 June
Distance: 50km short course / 100km long course
Duration: 5-9 hours short course / 8-15 hours long course
Disciplines: trail running/trekking, MTB, paddling, basic
rope work, navigation
Team Format: 2s
Kaaimansgat, Western Cape
Chris Fisher 078 702 9178
Website: www.wcad.co.za
You always wear

white kit! Isnt this a
style error? And how do
you keep it so white in long
races? Sarah, Stanger
20
30
Kinetic Adventure
SUNDAY 23 JUNE
13.2
Saturday 8 June
NMMU, Saasveld, George, Western Cape
Main Event: 9km run, 24km MTB, 4km run
Lite Event: 4km run, 12km MTB, 2km run
Website: www.trisport.co.za
Sunday 30 June
NEIGHBOURING STATES
NAMIBIA
Segwati Game Ranch, Gauteng; 13.2km: 9am; 7.4km:

9:15am
ZIMBABWE
OUT @ Night Trail Run Series

Magnolia Restaurant, Casterbridge Lifestyle Centre,
White River, Mpumalanga; 8km & 4km: 6:30pm
Ash Winters 082 052 8393
SATURDAY 29 JUNE
14
Talbot Trail Run Series 2

Table Mountain, Pietermaritzburg; 14km & 7km: 7:30am
SUNDAY 30 JUNE
11.3

Pelindaba Nature Reserve, Gauteng; 11.3km: 9am; 6.9km:
9:15am
P h oto g r a p h COURTESY RACE ORGAN I SERS
When Salomon brought out

white gear, I changed from
multi-day to one-day races so
that I could keep my kit clean... Ha! Im
only joking. I ran a 250km multi-day
race at the end of 2011 in my white
EXO gear, but luckily a few of the
stages finished within a few hundred
metres of a river, so I could go and do
my laundry each afternoon. Looking
back now, it was probably a little risky
taking only one pair of white EXO
shorts into a multi-day race in Nepal
where 80% of the competitors had a
stomach bug!
I find international trail-running
clothing trends really interesting. In
Europe, where the sport of trail running
is really advanced, everyone has the
latest gear, and white EXO kit is a
major hit. I remember running my first
race in Europe and thinking I was at a
triathlon, there was so much lycra. In
the US, trail running is a lot more
conservative, and most runners wear
the traditional shorts-and-a-vest. Its
also very common for runners to run
without T-shirts on, and to grow big
beards! Asia seems to be following the
European trends and the tighter the
fit, the better. Southern hemisphere?
We combine the US and European
trends.
At the end of the day, the most
important thing is to have fun out
there on the trails, and wear what
makes you most comfortable.
MULTI-SPORT
FRIDAY 28 JUNE
Distance: 25km
Disciplines: MTB, trekking, kayaking, obstacle course,
orienteering
Team Format: 2s
Emmarentia, Johannesburg
Heidi Muller heidi@kineticgear.co.za
Website: www.kineticgear.co.za
5km trail run, 30km MTB, 2.5km trail run

Website: www.duathlon.co.za
6.9
Distances: 10km
Disciplines: road run, obstacles
Team Format: individuals and teams of 2
Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban
Shift Sport and Marketing, Gaby Nunes 011 022 0427
Website: www.shiftsm.co.za/jumpcitykzn
Blue Hills Estate Midrand, Gauteng
White is
right
Turbovite Jump City
Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve (close to Swellendam/

Heidelberg); 30km: 7:30am: 20km & 5km: 7:30am (23 June)
Ugene Nel 082 658 3078
RYAN SANDES
Saturday 22 June
Grootvadersbosch Trail Challenge 2 Days
7.4
ask
ryan
WCAD Series
Sunday 23 June
Wacky Wine Trail Run Rally
ADVENTURE RACING
For more info on Namibia events, contact Hazel Vermeulen

on +264 81 654 5979 or info@windhoekharriers.com
For more information on Zimbabwe events, please contact

Marc Pozzo at +263 4 748 389 or email marcp@zol.co.zw
BOTSWANA
ORIENTEERING
Sunday 9 June
RACO Middle CC6 Stirrup Glen, Johannesburg
PENOC Cross Country CC3 Klipdrift, Grabouw
Saturday 15 June
AR Club Middle CH3 Haenertsburg, Limpopo
Sunday 16 June
AR Club Long CH4 Haenertsburg, Limpopo
Ryan Sandes Hedgie is an awardwinning trail-running supremo, with race

wins too numerous to mention.
Sunday 30 June
RACO Long CC7 TBA, TBA
WALKING
97
IM A RUNNER
Danny K
Interview by
Allister Arendse
Ive always been intrigued by running. I
played soccer and rugby at school. Running was
always part of the training, but I never ran as a sport.
When I got out of school I tried running but

did too much too soon, and got injured. When Kabelo
started doing well in running, it motivated me to get
back into it.
Im excited to get out there.
without walking. And I achieved that.
My life is noisy. Im always around
Im working towards my first marathon,
people... Im constantly having to entertain people, so

running allows me to be alone. I love just being out
there by myself. I can think about my goals and my
future. Its my yoga, almost. I can think deeply about
my life while I run.
which I hope to run in the next six to eight months.
I run about five times a week. I make a point of it

at least four times a week, with a run at the weekend.
Two Oceans was my first half marathon. Its
Run Jozi, and I started training for that. That was my

first 10km.
the longest distance Ive ever run. I was so nervous.

I can stand on stage before thousands of people, but
that starting line of the 21-K... my heart was beating
out of my chest. It was a great feeling for me. I
enjoyed the nervousness. It took me outside my
comfort zone.
Ive got to the point now that I love
I wanted to enjoy the race. I didnt want to
running. I dont dread the thought any more.
get to 16 kays and then hit a wall. My goal was to run
Kabelo and I were invited to take part in
Ive learnt that running long distance

requires great patience. Ive had too many injuries, so
for me its about taking my time to build up gradually.
I do get recognised while running sometimes. I

run with a hat, so most of the time Im a little bit unrecognisable. During Two Oceans people did stop me, but
the thing with running is youre going too quickly to
stop and take a photo, so its just hi and bye.
I was listening to Swedish House Mafia,

David Guetta and other dance music while running
Two Oceans. Its gotta be loud to get my energy up.
G o to r unne r s w o r l d.c o. z a /
ima r unne r f o r the f u l l Q & A .
Danny Ks new album drops in September, with the first single, Brown Eyes, available on iTunes.
98
JUNE 2013
P h o t o g ra p h B y J e t l i n e A c t i o n P h o t o
Singer/songwriter
35, Johannesburg
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orPrevent
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back.
or migraines from holding you back.
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References: 1. Cox IM et al. Red blood cell Mg and chronic fatigue syndrome. Lancet 1991; 337:757-80. 2. Mauskop, A. Altura, B.M. Magnesium for Migrane. CNS Drugs (1998)
Find us on:
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9 (3), 185-190. 3.IMS data, March 2013, 4. Impact Rx data, March 2013. S0 Slow-Mag Tablets. Each enteric coated tablet contains magnesium chloride 535 mg (equivalent to
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Lancet 1991;
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Drugs (1998)
64 mgReferences:
elemental 1.
magnesium)
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Each capsule
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amino
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45 Magnesium
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Impact
March
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Tablets. Each enteric
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ForSlow-Mag
further information,refer
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mg Ltd.
elemental
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Slow-Mag
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Tel.mg(011)
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372-5252.
SM.04.13.007,
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and2588
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ReportFizzy.
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or +27
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Merck (Pty) Ltd. Reg. No. 1970/004059/07. 1 Friesland Drive, Longmeadow Business Estate South, Modderfontein,1645. Tel. (011) 372-5000, Fax. (011) 372-5252. SM.04.13.007,
Report adverse events to drugsafety@merck.co.za or +27 11 608 2588 (Fax line).

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THE BEST TIME TO RUN

Transform Your Running

Namibia (Tax incl)

And Fields and Bothas

48 1 3 Ways To (or Not To)

81 Essential Race Gear

Train Your Brain

hospital with a broken neck.

Namibia (Tax incl)

Runner Alwyn wears Mizuno

TRANSFORm YOUR RUNNINg

Call our hotline 0861 786 646

Grahamstown is steeped in history, from

left down the brick path and over the

Best Time to Run

Races and Places

Shoes and Gear

Run the 2014

Shake off your winter cobwebs: run one of these 22

head online FOR MORE POLLS

Your Runners World at MyRunnersWorld!

to hang a new one and realise

Analia E Silva We have ours

at the desk is the same one as

Fun run and

For more information contact us at

I was drawn to your February edition as the 21km is my

Fitter & Happier

I moved to Somerset West from the UK last year. Ive

Write to: Runners World, PO Box 16368,

advertising: contact details

Member of the Audit Bureau of Circulation

ithulele Sinqe was easily the most

intrigue, passion, theatrics, and a classic

Sinqe proved that fighting spirit

But Sinqe was all class. He had a 2:08.04

Follow me on twitter @MikeFinchSA

runner. In 1997 he was dropped by Bester

*Sinqe was killed in a car

PHOTOGRAPH BY GLEN MONTGOMERY

Think short-term Resolving to

race a new distance or nab a PB can be

Speed sessions Rather than doing

all of your runs as steady-state workouts,

Split it up Conquer a daunting

I tell our runners to divide

w w w. r u nners w orl d.co. z a

easoned runners know that long runs,

Go long in the a.m.

Run hard in the p.m.

Plot key runs and plenty of rest over a two-week period

swimmers performing all-out in 200-metre

Ive attempted a sub9:00 Comrades for

Goal setting for Comrades isnt

Stagger quality sessions

Take the long view for races

Lindsey Parry is a qualified biokineticist,

How many different types of

When you run easy

When you run hills

When you run fast

When you run long

When you race

A state in which youre no longer improving as

48 1 3 Ways To (or Not To)

Sinqe proved that fighting spirit

If it wasnt for running,