Two Oceans Ultra Marathon entries 2015

Online entries for the 2015 Two Oceans Ultra Marathon open at 10am on Wednesday, 29 October 2014. The 46th Ultra Marathon will take place on Easter Saturday, 4 April 2015, and the entry limit of 11 000 runners is once again expected to be reached. Entries for the popular Two Oceans Half Marathon are only opening from the 13 November or 19 November 2014 for general entries.

To qualify for participation in the Ultra Marathon, runners must have completed at least one full marathon (42.2km) after 1 July 2014 in under five hours. However, runners do not have to pre-qualify to enter and can submit their qualifying times at a later stage.

South African Ultra Marathon entrants are also required to belong to a registered running club and have a valid running licence. No temporary licences will be issued to Ultra Marathon runners.

All registration is happening online at www.twooceansmarathon.org.za and it’s suggested to pre-fill your application in advance:

Old Mutual’s R1 million challenge

In addition to the prize money that can be won by the Ultra Marathon winners, title sponsor Old Mutual has once again issued its R1 million challenge to the winning male and female runner who respectively breaks the record for the 56km Ultra Marathon in 2015.

The men’s record of 3:03:44 was set in 1988 by road running legend Thompson Magawana, while Frith van der Merwe set the women’s record a year later in 1989 when she ran 3:30:36.

The closest any runner has come since then is Zimbabwean Marko Mambo, who ran 3:05:39 in 2005, and who has won the race three times. Russian Olesya Nurgalieva ran the second fastest women’s time in 2008 when she crossed the finish line in 3:34:53.

This will be the 16th year that Old Mutual sponsors this prestigious road race.

Online queueing system introduced for Half Marathon entries

In an effort to alleviate pressure on the online entry system, and to give runners a fair chance to enter, the organisers are introducing an online queueing system as already used by the likes of Computicket and the Cape Town Cycle Tour. The Half Marathon is limited to 16 000 entries.

Blue and Light Blue Number holders may enter from 10am on 5 November 2014 (by invitation only). Runners with valid SA running club licences may enter from 10am on 13 November 2014. General entries will open at 10am on 19 November 2014.

Entries will be limited during these three entry waves to ensure that everyone gets a fair chance to secure their spot at the start line. Entries into the popular Trail Runs (10km & 22km) will open at 10am on 4 December 2014. Trail entries are limited and sold out within minutes in 2013, and it is expected to happen again this year. Entries to the Fun Runs that take place on Friday, 3 April 2014, will open on 24 November 2014 and close on 22 March 2015.

Runners can also join the online conversation using the #OMTOM2015 hashtag

Tsepo Ramonene – Not your average Olympia 2012 Marathon runner

Watch this Lesotho Olympic Runner Tsepo Ramonene’s Commercial

Tsepo Ramonene possesses the usual marathon runner’s physique, a modest height with a slight frame and no body fat to be seen. It’s no wonder he has to wear multiple layers of t-shirts and jackets to keep warm, winter in Lesotho can be bitterly cold. When you first meet Tsepo you soon get the sense that he will not be asking many questions. He is a very quiet and humble young man and after learning more about his situation and where he is coming from, you can see the reason for his timid persona.

When you asked Tsepo what he does, he simply replies, “I run”. Running is Tsepo’s life. Both his parents are unemployed. His dad receives a very small pension from working in the mines, but not enough to support the family. Tsepo is the sole breadwinner he feeds his family with the small winnings he earns from his races. His parents are proud of his achievements so far and they know when he goes to a race he will return with something.

The current marathon world record is 2h:03min. Tsepo’s personal best is 2h 16min, within Olympic qualification standard. This shows great talent and potential considering his age. At the age of 20 he has plenty years ahead of him to develop his talent. With the right support, coaching and nutrition Tsepo could be a world champion. Before a race he eats white bread with tea. His gradmother sometimes gives him R50 from her monthly pension which he uses to buy energy drink sachetts.

Tsepo’s wish is to finnish his schooling. He has only completed primary school. As his parents couldn’t afford to send him to high school which is about R1500 a year in Lesotho.

His dreams are to have a proper home and one day build a house for his family.

Tsepo will be competing in the London Olympic marathon.

Thanks to the Filmmaker Christian Denslow for emailing me about this inspiring video and all the best to

Lighthouse 10km Night Race 2012 in Mouille Point, Cape Town

I am happy to see that the Lighthouse Ten run is going to happen for the tenth time in 2012, as it was my first road race ever that I participated in in 2010.
The 10km Lighthouse run takes place on Wednesday, March 7th, 2012 along the Sea Point promenade at 6:15pm.

Runners are advised that the start and finish point has moved from the lighthouse to the lawns near Rocklands Beach, opposite the SABC studios in Beach Road.

The fast and flat route follows a 10km loop along the Sea Point promenade and is perfect for those wanting to post a personal best, or for those just looking for a fun evening jog or walk next to the ocean.
The event starts at 18h15 and participants can enter on the day from 16h45 onwards.  Entry costs R30 for licensed runners, R45 for unlicensed runners, while juniors will pay R15 if they have a licence and R25 if not.

This year’s medal depicts the lighthouse on Dassen Island and will be handed out to the first 2 000 participants.  There are also some great lucky draw prizes including a 32-inch flat screen TV.  Supporters, spectators and families are encouraged to bring a picnic, watch the sunset and enjoy the race.

Over 2000 runners are expected to complete the popular 10km run and collect this years medal. A refreshment tent and a live DJ will keep the spectators entertained as they cheer their loved ones along as the sun sets on the horizon.

Registration opens at 4:45pm on Wednesday, 7 March.

Costs:
licensed seniors R30
licensed juniors R15
unlicensed seniors R45
unlicensed juniors R25

RULES AND INFORMATION for the 2012 Lighthouse Ten Run

Deadline for Cape Town Marathon Entries approaching

The deadline for online entries for the Cape Town Marathon 2011 is fast approaching with Monday September 12 the cut-off date for pre-entries to the 42.2km and 10km races.

The Marathon, which takes place on Sunday 25 September, has a flat and fast 42.2km route which starts in Adderley Street at 06h30 and takes runners out to Rondebosch before looping back to the new Green Point Urban Park via Salt River, the Foreshore and the Sea Point promenade – showcasing Table Mountain, the ocean and many of the major attractions Cape Town has to offer.

The race has an extended 8-hour cut off time to give novice runners the opportunity to complete their first 42.2km race. There is also a 10km race which starts in Adderley Street at 06h30 and has a two hour cut-off, so walkers will have ample time to earn their medal.

The marathon is expected to attract quality runners as it is the only South African Olympic qualifier for London 2012. It is also a qualifier for the 2012 Comrades and Two Oceans marathons.

The prize money for the marathon winner is R25 000 followed by R15 000 for second and R12 500 for third place. In the 10km race the winner will receive R12 500 with the second runner winning R7 500 and third place R6250.

Besides the Marathon and 10km races on Sunday 25 September, the public can enter a 5 x 4.2km relay race aimed at clubs, companies and schools. The relay starts at the Green Point Urban Park at 14h30 on Heritage Day 24 September 2011. There is also a 5km fun run from 16h30 at the Urban Park on Heritage Day.

 “An event such as the Cape Town Marathon truly highlights the diversity and beauty of our city and its surrounds. We are looking forward to seeing this race go from strength to strength, not only as a race which attracts the world’s best, but also as an event that involves the people of Cape Town,” says Bulelwa Makalima-Ngewana, the managing director of the Cape Town Partnership.

“As Cape Town becomes increasingly pedestrianised and more accessible, the Cape Town Marathon reminds us that the best experience of our city can often be had on foot. We urge our citizens to show their support and encouragement for this year’s race.”

Runners can get registration details at the Green Point Urban Park tea room on Friday 23 September until 6pm for the Marathon and on Saturday 24 September for the 10km.

Runners should visit www.wpa.org.za for online entries, which close on Monday September 12.

Lighthouse 10km Night Race 2011 in Mouille Point, Cape Town

Running with gadgets – RunKeeper, iRun and more…

I did only start running when I realised that there are tech toys to help me doing so. I started in 2007 using Nike+iPod – but only started running more regular when I found out about the beauty of GPS based route trackers and installed RunKeeper on my iPhone in 2009 and now you can see most of my runs in public on their site. As there is a huge growth for these tools and many of my friends join the running sport and let me and the world know about it using RunKeeper aswell, I am sure there is more behind it and we’ll see a whole new generation of runners to join this sport, based on a paradigm shift that’s accelerating growth for social media tools that are surrounding us every day.

For every global trend there’s always at least one example of someone who overdoes it. For some million of runners who get hooked onto RunKeeper to keep track of their own performance there is one ‘crazy guy’ who puts it to extremes:

Enter Joseph Tame and his iRun. He makes his running success or failure 100% transparent to his internet followers with a setup that he describes himself:

“It features four iPhones on rotatable mounts, an iPad, an Android handset, three mobile wifi routers, a wind turbine (ok, so it’s a kid’s fan that turns around…), a 4-in-one atmospheric monitor, a heart monitor, a plastic doughnut and of course the very important satellite dish for high-speed data connectivity (cunningly crafted from a bird-feeding dish).

This technology will allow me to broadcast live video on two cameras (using either skype or FaceTime to a local studio for re-broadcast), send live location/pace/heart rate data via Runkeeper on the iPhone, transmit temperature, COx/humidity/noise levels via a custom-made Android app – and do all of this while looking incredibly cool.”

Running in cement shoes…

Running in cement shoes is not necessary the most comfortable thing to do. This is what I hat to experience today when I went past a warning sign onto a closed skywalk and had to run past a construction site where they just started plastering the exit of the bridge.

Here you can see the result. Running back to my starting point 3 km in cement shoes was hopefully a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me!

Adidas, Asics, Nike, Any shoe company here to trade a cemented pair against a new one? Shoe size UK 12 will do, message me for address

My first run – 2010 Lighthouse Run in Cape Town

After some not too serious training but a good amount of excitement today was finally the day. The Lighthouse Ten Run 2010 was happening and for me it meant that my random running was about to become somehow more serious, as I was now measured not against myself or some computer program on my Phone, but  ‘real’ people running next to me. Joining in was my ‘Sportsfreund’ Cecily, who followed my call for company on Facebook only a few days earlier.

Arriving early one hour prior to the scheduled start at 6.15pm was definitely a good idea, as it gave us great parking, no queues and time to chat to other fellow runners who told us about some of the processes with the archaic time measurement, though my only goal was to run the 10km in under one hour…

The run didn’t start on time, but was moved to the odd time of 6.22 to allow even the late birds to participate. Despite warnings from another friend to stand in front of the starterfield, we were just behind the middle of the field but everyone got moving quite quickly, so the delay for the last runners, before they could really start running shouldn’t be much more than two minutes, what I think is very reasonable for a run with much more than 1500 participants.

Race day was one of the hottest days and temperatures in Cape Town went up to 34°C I never found it to be a problem, as the sun was not burning too much anymore. The race itself was really beautiful and I could always manage my relaxed jogging speed of just under 6 minutes per km and did even manage a sprint for the last two kilometers, when I left Cecily behind. But see the Lighthouse run on Everytrail yourself that I recorded with my iPhone:

Only the last hundred-something meters were causing a big problem. Because so many runners arrived at the same time the congestion made people wait several minutes before they collected their finisher-number (mine was 932) and I’m interested to see how the organising club is going to tell us exactly what results we scored, as mine should’ve been somewhere between 56 and 57 minutes…

But this small problem that could be solved with a modern chip-based timing system and it did in no way destroy the beautiful experience that this run was for me – Thank you Atlantic Athletic Club Cape Town for organising such a wonderful event!

Men’s Health Lighthouse Ten Run 2010 in Mouille Point, Cape Town

I am very happy to find out that the Men’s Health Lighthouse Ten is going to happen again in 2010 as it was very difficult finding details on it.
The Men’s Health 10km Lighthouse run takes place on Wednesday, 3 March 2010 along the Sea Point promenade at 6:15pm.

The eight in a series of annual lighthouse races the 10km run starts at the Mouille Point Lighthouse in the direction of the V&A Waterfront. It then doubles back along the promenade toward Bantry Bay before returning to the finish at the Lighthouse.

Over 1800 runners are expected to complete the popular Men’s Health 10km run and collect this years “Hangklip 1960” medal. A refreshment tent and a live DJ will keep the spectators entertained as they cheer their loved ones along as the sun sets on the horizon.

Registration opens at 4:45pm on Wednesday, 3 March. Costs: licensed seniors (R25), licensed juniors (R15), unlicensed seniors (R40), unlicensed juniors (R25). The event is organised in conjunction with the Atlantic Athletic Club.

RULES AND INFORMATION for the 2010 Men’s Health Lighthouse Ten Run

1. Race starts and finishes at the Mouille Point Lighthouse, Beach Rd, between the V&A Waterfront and Sea Point.
2. Participants must be 15 years or older on race day.
3. Licensed club members must wear their 2010 licence numbers on the front and back of their vest.
4. Unlicensed participants must purchase a Temporary Licence at registration and wear this on the front of their upper garment.
5. In addition to overall (open) prizes, participants will only be eligible for an age category prize in the age category they enter. Corresponding numerical age category (J, 40, 50, 60) tags must be worn on the front and back of their club vest. Participants may enter the age category corresponding to their chronological age or any younger category down to senior.
6 Juniors (born 1991 or later) will count towards open team prizes, provided they wear club colours and J tags.
7 Club colours must be worn to qualify for team prizes.
8. Traffic officials and marshals must be obeyed at all times, failing which disqualification may follow.
9. There will be 3 water points on the course and Coke at the finish.
10. Race entry cards to be worn and be visible for the duration of the race.
11. Registration from 16h45 on day of race only.
12. Temporary licensed participants are eligible for age category prizes provided they enter the relevant age group, wear the appropriate age tags and provide proof of age.
13. Official cut off is 1 hour 30 minutes.
14. Prize giving will start at 19h45.
15. No seconding from a moving vehicle or bicycle will be permitted.
16. Each kilometre will be marked.
17. Results will be posted on the WPA website
18. Athletes enter entirely at their own risk. The organisers and sponsors are not responsible for any loss, damage or injury to participants.
19. Medals will be handed to the first 1800 finishers.
20. Tog bag facilities will be provided. Organisers will take reasonable care but will not be responsible for any loss. Do not leave valuables in your bag.

Runners wanted for WITS study on bone density

Runner.co.za was approached by Dr. Joanne McVeigh from Wits Medical School to call for South African runners to partake in a study looking at bone density in a variety of athletes. We hope that this call appeals to you and ask you to contact here if you’re interested in the study:

Are you training or straining?

Exercise, specifically the weight-bearing kind, is one of the best things we can do to help build and maintain healthy bones. Exercises, like running, walking and weight-lifting, put strain on the skeletal structure and our bones respond by supporting that stress.

Retired athletes have been shown to have an increased bone mass when compared to people who were not physically active in their youth. Recently, there has been evidence to show that competitive road cyclists are 7 times more likely to develop osteopenia of the spine when compared to runners. Osteopenia is the term indicating some bone loss. It is the precursor of osteoporosis, which is a high degree of bone loss.

Are you interested in finding out your bone mass?

We are running a research project which will assess the bone mineral density of male athletes participating in weight bearing (running and mountain biking) and non-weight bearing (swimming and road cycling) sports. We are researching whether the different types of physical activity have different effects on bone mineral density (bone strength).

We are looking for male athletes (runners, mountain bikers, road cyclists and swimmers), aged 18-29 and participating in their chosen sport for a minimum of 5 hours per week. If you choose to partake in our study, you will be asked to come into the Wits Medical School (Parktown, Johannesburg) for a visit lasting approximately one and a half hours. We will take some measurements and perform a Dual Energy X Ray Absorptiometry (DXA) scan on your bones where bone mineral density and body fat percentage will be measured. This scan provides valuable information regarding the status of your bone health and is worth over R2000. Your participation in this study will contribute to medical knowledge that may help us to establish whether athletes who participate in non-weight bearing sports are at risk for osteoporosis later on in life. You will not be paid to participate in this study but your transport costs will be reimbursed adequately. Our study has been approved by the board for Human Ethics at the University of the Witwatersrand.

For more information please contact Dr Joanne McVeigh: Jo-anne.McVeigh@wits.ac.za or 011 717 2154

Ryan Sandes reports from his Jungle Marathon 2009 victory

Ryan Sandes aka. the ‘desert runner‘, is currently not running in the hot dry deserts around the world, but has traded the deserts for the Amazon Jungle Stage Race. Ryan will be running the 2010 Comrades Marathon as a Celebrity entrant.

Here is a personal report by desert runner Ryan Sandes, how he’s doing in the Amazon! We will keep you informed as to his progress on this grueling race Jungle Update – Ryan’s Diary entries, in preparation for the start of the race.

I have been in Brazil (Alter do Chao) for a week now and I am slowly getting used to the heat and humidity. No one speaks English here and my Portuguese is non-existent. So I have had some interesting times, especially when it comes to eating out in restaurants. Basically I choose anything on the menu that is not too expensive and I hope for the best… Luckily I have not had to eat anything too dodgy yet! I took a bit of strain on my first few runs and I started to wonder if I had lost all my fitness on the two day journey to Brazil. It felt like running at high altitude and I could not get enough oxygen into my lungs. I seem to have adapted a bit better to the conditions now and I went on a run in the jungle two days ago which was awesome except for seeing one HUGE snake and getting bitten by a few hornets, Flip the hornet bites are sore…I thought I had been shot in the groin and butt! I very quickly thought to myself I would rather be running through the Amazon jungle counting hornet bites on my butt than sitting down at a desk counting how many toilets need to be ordered i.e. being a Quantity Surveyor. After my jungle run I did realize one thing and that is the Jungle Marathon is going to be probably the toughest race I have ever done. The accents are brutally steep with some really technical descents and you are continuously jumping and climbing over fallen trees. It is very humid under the jungle canopy and at times I felt claustrophobic. But I am really starting to get excited and apart from a bit of a glute / hamstring issue I am ampt to start the race now.

Jungle Marathon Day 1: WOW what an awesome run but probably the slowest and hardest 15km of my life. We started off and after 200m we already had a river crossing and straight after that it was into the jungle. I felt good and pushed the first leg and paid for it on the second and third legs… I bonked on the third leg and felt like I had no energy from the intense heat, but I pushed through to finish feeling good. The terrain consisted of hills, more hills and rivers and swamps. At one stage I was up to my chest in a swamp and the next minute I tripped and found myself fully submerged in black mud! I got over my fear of snakes very quickly and there were times when I would have been quite happy to be bitten and put out my misery :)! Otherwise all is good apart from a bit of a twisted ankle. Now for day 2 and more punishment but also more beauty. Our camps are in some of the most insane places I have ever seen in my life and the whole experience feels like a dream at times. The boat trip up the Amazon to the start of the race was awesome and waking up this morning was surreal except of course that I was about to start the hardest multi stage race of my life.

Jungle Marathon Day 2: The start this morning was delayed by two hours as the medic evacuation boats were not back from Santarem yet… Four people had to be evacuated yesterday from the heat and the harsh conditions took it toll on most competitors. Yesterday afternoon was like a scene out of a horror movie and people were dropping like flies…but the Jungle Marathon medics did a great job making sure everyone was looked after. We started off along the beach and then after a few hundred meters it was up into the jungle for the ‘swamp’ stage. It was not long before I was chest high in black mud, fending off ticks and human eating ants! I took it a lot easier today to start off with and felt good and then pushed the last stage a bit to open up a few minute gap on the second athlete. So all in all it was a good day at the office apart from two swollen ankles. Keeping it short and sweet so I can get back in my hammock.

Ryan completed the 24.5km stage in a record time of 2hours and 41 minutes. Ryan Won stages 1 and 2, and currently has a 10 minute lead over the second placed runner.

The third day (14th October 2009) was the longest stage so far: almost 38 km. The course combined the concentrated elevations of stage one with the swamp crossings of stage two. Although overcast early in the morning the sun soon came out and the humidity was so high that there some light rain in the afternoon. Before the competitors set off there was a reminder of the signs of dehydration and how to manage salt levels from the medical team. They then set off straight into the jungle The magic sandman has done it again – Ryan Sandes has won stage 3 of the 2009 Jungle Marathon. Ryan has built up his lead over 2nd place runner, Fredson de Silva Sousa Raimundo, of more than 24 minutes and has just under an hour lead over his arch rival Salvador Calvo Redondo. Ryan completed the 37km stage in 4hours and 57minutes. The Race Director’s assistant says that Ryan is in incredible spirits and feeling great

Jungle Marathon Day 3: I woke up this morning with sore ankles and thought OH NO, but today was the opposite of that. I started off today quite easy and then at the second check point I decided to push on a bit… it was a risky move as it is so hot and humid here that if you bomb out in the jungle you do so in style. It is really hard to pick yourself up again and it feels as if all your energy has been sucked out by a vacuum cleaner. The risk paid off and I finished the stage strong (37min ahead of second athlete) but a little tired and shaken from seeing three snakes. I remember climbing up a hill on all fours and seeing a set of eyes looking at me from a large hole in the ground. I would like to think it was a large lizard but I did not hang around to get a closer look. Thanks to everyone for the messages of support, they help me keep going when everything says stop! Off to the hammock…

On Day 4 (15th October 2009) is Ryan Sandes still in the lead after stage 4 of the 2009 Jungle Marathon with his arch nemesis Salvador Calvo Redondo still in 3rd place. He is getting mentally prepared for the long stage of 89km tomorrow.

Jungle Marathon Day 4 We started off today with a 200m swim across a river… faaak swimming with a pack is not so easy!! My heart-rate went through the roof from the swim and only 20min into the run did it get back to normal – respect to the ironmen. Today was quite a flat course and it was nice to be able to run at a constant pace the whole way. I ran most of the way with Mike Wolf of the North Face and we crossed the line together. It was a relief to get the stage out the way with no set backs and now for the long stage tomorrow – its going to be brutal! I am hoping to run the long stage with someone, maybe Mike as he has been ripping up the 50 and 100 milers in the States. It going to be a long slog but I will be taking it slow and steady and taking no chances… We start of the stage with another 250m swim and then 49km of jungle and 43km of trails! 49 competitors have dropped out of the race so far mainly to heat issues… so the rumble in the jungle has been hectic. My feet do not have any blisters (must be my shoes – Salomon S Labs!) except for a bust toe nail from kicking a few roots. My ankles have had a break the last two days and my legs feel good so I am ampt for one last big push tomorrow! Thanks to everyone for the messages – they are a huge boost! FINISHED THE JUNGLE MARATHON

Ryan Sandes has done the super impossible YET again and has won the 2009 Jungle Marathon – proving he has what it takes in the deserts and the jungles. Ryan’s overall time was 26 hrs 33 min with second place going to his nemesis Salvador Calvo Redondo – who was almost 2 hours behind Ryan in a total time of 28 hrs 49 min.

I have just crossed the finish line of the Jungle Marathon. I survived the Jungle!! It is an awesome feeling to win again and I am super stoked. The 2nd competitor (Salvador of Spain) was just under two and a half hours behind me and Mike from the States behind him. I ran the whole stage today with Mike and we took it quite easy, not that I could have gone any faster. My legs felt TIRED!!… and had no gas in them. Salvador passed us about half way and stormed on to finish about two minutes ahead of us. Running into Alter Do Chao was and insane and the town square was packed with people, journalists etc. I was handed an SA Flag a few hundred meters from the finish line and got instant goose bumps. I had trained really hard for this race and bust my balls in a few training session but I could finally see the rewards as the finish line was approaching. Crossing the finish line I felt my dream come true of winning the Jungle Marathon! So proud to be South African!!! I am off to drink some beer now – its been a month since I last had a beer:) Thanks to all for the message of support – I could have not done it without you! Thanks to my dream givers Salomon and ProNutro! And thanks to Hammer Nutrition and Oakley for their awesome product.

Day 6 Update – Rest Day I woke up this morning with competitors still crossing the finish line and felt really relived to have finished the long stage. The number of hammock’s in the camp are less than half from the start of the race and the number of casualties has reached more than 50%. Competitor’s feet are starting to look really sore and manky covered in a mass of blisters and most of the athletes in camp are hobbling around. Looking back it has been an awesome week, one of the hardest and most exciting of my life. I am super stoked with the way it has gone and my more focused training sessions since Namibia seem to have paid off. The bitter taste of Namibia is slowly starting to leave my mouth and my smash and a stock cube this morning tasted like ice cream and chocolate sauce. It is one last push tomorrow along the beach for 32km and then real food and lots of beer. I do not want to count my chickens before they hatch but it looks like I have this one in the bag. I have more than a 2 hour lead on my category (international) and a 45 min plus lead on the local guys from the Para region in a separate category. The Para guys are some great athletes but I think they may be a bit pissed off that an international guy is leading going into the last stage. My legs have felt great the whole race thanks to the help of Chris (Physio), Sally (Biokineticists) and Ian (Coach). A huge thanks to Salomon and ProNutro for making the race possible. My feet have not got one blister thanks to my Salomon S LABS!! Thanks to Hammer Nutrition for the fuel and Oakley for the eye wear. I lost my eye wear in a swamp on the second day so there must be a super cool anaconda floating around the jungle with a pair of Radars on! Thanks to Kelly for doing an awesome job at getting my results out there and updating my blog – I hope the spelling was not too bad. To everyone a huge thank you for all your support and messages, I have said it before but they kept me going for 7km with no water and feeling totally out of it. Back to the hammock now to rest up for tomorrow.

Thanks to Ryan Sandes for this awesome report from Brazil!

Bennie Badenhorst wins Mont-aux-Sources Ultra Marathon Challenge in 5:37 hours

SA’s Foremost Ultra-Marathon Swells Conservation Coffers
First Lady Places Third Overall In Full Field, Ideal Conditions

The seventeenth annual running of South Africa’s foremost ultra-marathon, the Mont-aux-Sources Challenge, took place in ideal conditions at Royal Natal National Park in the northern Drakensberg on September 12, 2009. Bennie Badenhorst of Hartebeespoort Marathon Club emerged as the victor in a time of 05hrs 37min 57sec. Filippo Faralla from Savages Athletic Club in Durban placed second in a time of 05hrs 37min 11sec while the first lady, Kerry Koen of Collegians Harriers in Pietermaritzburg, managed a very impressive third overall in a time of 05hrs 40min 39sec.

The race is organised through the Wild Series a partnership between the Wildlands Conservation Trust and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife. Wildlands CEO, Andrew Venter, said that the 2009 event was possibly one of the most successful in its history. “We had a full field of runners, and once again managed to raise several hundred thousand Rand towards conservation, adding to the more than R3 million that the race has raised in its history.”

While the Challenge is certainly not South Africa’s longest run, it is possibly its toughest, with runners having to climb, and then descend, some 1500m during the 50km course. Venter said the race is also arguably South Africa’s most picturesque, set in the backdrop of the spectacular Drakensberg Amphitheatre, part of the Ukhahlamba Drakensberg Park World Heritage Site.

According to Race Chairman Eduard Goosen of Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, the race’s success was due, once again, to main sponsors Bonitas Medical Aid and Powerade, a large contingent of volunteers and an enthusiastic field of athletes. “The race doesn’t offer the richest purse, but year after year we experience demand from a higher number of runners than we can accommodate in an environmentally protected area.” Interested parties can email montauxsources@yahoo.com for entry details.

5 Tips to Get You Up and Running When You Just Don’t Feel Like It

Some days you just can’t wait to get up and go running, especially if the sun is out, it’s a beautiful day and you got plenty of sleep. But what about those days when you’re tired, it’s cold out and you just don’t want to get out of bed period, let alone get out of bed to run? While there is no surefire cure for getting up (or failing to) on the wrong side of the bed, there are some ways that you can boost your motivation and get yourself up and moving even when you sure don’t feel like doing anything. Here are a few you can try:

1. Give yourself a light day. Just because you don’t feel like running 5 miles doesn’t mean you shouldn’t run at all. If you really aren’t up to going the distance, give yourself a half day or run a little slower than your normal pace. That way you’ll still be getting your workout in but you’ll also be giving yourself a little break. Knowing you don’t have to go as far can be a little incentive to get you up and dressed as well and may even let you sleep in a few extra minutes.
2. Find a buddy. Not running by yourself makes you accountable to more than just you when it comes to getting up and working out. If you plan on meeting a friend, neighbor or just a running buddy you’re more likely to feel guilty about bailing on your plans and will drag yourself out of bed and find the motivation to go out no matter what.
3. Supercharge your music. If you run with music, consider listening to your iPod or MP3 player before you even hit the track or road to run. Hearing those songs you associate with working out may help change your mindset and get you in the mood to work out. Keep in mind that your music choices are also important so create a playlist that makes you want to kick butt rather than sit on it.
4. Make a deal with yourself. Some days we all just need a little extra motivation and bargaining with yourself can be one way to do it. Tell yourself you’ll get up and run now, but that later you’ll enjoy some kind of indulgence, whether it’s a massage, a long hot bath or that slice of cheesecake you’ve been craving. The idea of an immediate reward may be just what you need to get moving.
5. Blaze a new trail. If you run the same way every single day it may be putting a serious damper on your motivation. Maybe all you need to get motivated about running is to take off to a different destination, perhaps one you’ve had in mind for some time but just never went out to do. The thought of new scenery and something more exciting than the usual may make running seem enticing enough to get you out of bed.

This post was contributed by Kelsey Allen, who writes about the nursing schools online. She welcomes your feedback at KelseyAllen1010 yahoo.com

The Table Mountain Challenge 2009

The Crazy Store Table Mountain Challenge 2009, a 35km trail run around Cape Town’s world-famous mountain, has been firmly established as one of South Africa’s premier off-road running events.

Both professional athletes and novice runners can enjoy the off-road course traversing the fynbos slopes of the Cape’s mythical mountain.

Either take on the full circumnavigation as a solo athlete, or enter a team of three for the individual legs of between 8 – 17km.

Along the way, competitors will run through indigenous forest, cross mountain streams and pass through the pristine Orange Kloof area, so don’t miss out!

The Table Mountain Challenge 2009 will kick off at 07h00 on September 12th, so make a note in your calendar right now. Competitors may either enter via email or can call +27 (0)21 424 4760 for more information. More news about the Table Mountain Challenge to follow soon here on runner.co.za

The Crazy Store Table Mountain Challenge:

Date: Saturday, 12 September 2008
Venue: Table Mountain
Location: Cape Town

Tips for Carbo-loading for Marathon runners

When training for endurance runs such as the Comrades Marathon it’s very important to make sure that not only your running strategy is on par, your nutrition is nearly as important and carbohydrate loading, commonly referred to as carbo-loading or carb-loading, is a strategy employed by many endurance athletes to maximize the storage of glycogen in the muscles.

What is carbo-loading?
Since the 1920’s, scientific studies have revealed the performance-enhancing properties of carbohydrate, especially before and during exercise. It has been shown that a relatively high carbohydrate intake delays the onset of fatigue during endurance events. Carbo-loading is a strategy involving changes to training and nutrition that can maximize muscle and liver glycogen (carbohydrate) stores prior to endurance competition. The extra supply of carbohydrate has been demonstrated to improve endurance exercise by allowing athletes to exercise at their optimal pace for a longer time. Anyone exercising for 90 minutes or longer is likely to benefit from carbo-loading.

Carbo-loading guidelines:

• Plan an exercise taper. Reduce your training load by 50 percent going into the last week before the event, and reduce it by another 50 percent over the last 3 days.
• Three days before the event, consume 7-10g of carbohydrate per kg body weight. For a 50kg athlete this means consuming 400-500g carbohydrate per day and for a 70kg athlete 560-700g carbohydrate per day (use the list below).
• Carbohydrate must form the bulk of all meals and snacks.
• Have smaller servings of protein foods at meals, so that you can leave more room for larger serves of carbohydrate foods.
• Sugar and sugary foods, including sports drinks, can provide a compact carbohydrate source.
• Be extra careful with your fat intake – save the calories for carbohydrates. Don’t get tricked with high-fat foods such as chocolate, ice-cream, rich desserts, and takeaways. These foods are a rich source of fat rather than carbohydrate and should be avoided.
• Be careful of getting carried away and don’t see this as an opportunity to ‘pig-out’.
• Over the final 24 hours you may wish to reduce your gastric contents so that you race feeling ‘light’. To do this, switch to lower fibre foods and make use of compact sugar foods. You may even like to use a liquid meal supplements or energy drinks to supply some of your carbohydrate needs.
• Drink plenty of fluids. You will need to be well-hydrated for a long event, especially in hot weather. It is a good idea to carry a water bottle around with you as a reminder.

List of foods containing 50g of carbohydrate:

• 3 slices of bread
• 10 crackers or 6 rice cakes
• 2 cups cereal or cooked porridge
• 3 weetbix
• 1 cup cooked rice/pasta/mieliemeal/couscous/samp
• 3 medium muffins
• 2-3 cereal bars
• 1 cup baked beans
• 3 cups peas/butternut/corn
• 3 medium potatoes/sweet potato or 1 cup mashed
• 3 medium pieces of fruit
• 3 tbsp raisins
• 500ml fruit juice
• 1L low-fat or skim milk
• 375ml low-fat flavoured drinking yoghurt
• 250ml fruit yoghurt
• 5 tbsp sugar
• 1 handful jelly babies
• 10 marshmallows
• 1-2 sports bars
• 500ml meal replacement drink (e.g Nutren Activ, Ensure)
• 800-1000ml sports drink
• 500ml cola or soft drink

Example meal plan for 70kg athlete aiming to carbo-load

• Breakfast: 3 cups cereal + 250ml low-fat milk
  1 medium banana
  250ml orange juice
• Snack: 1 medium muffin + jam
  500ml sports drink
• Lunch: 2 sandwiches (4 slices bread) + filling
  200ml low-fat drinking yoghurt
  340ml can soft drink
• Snack: banana smoothie (low-fat milk, banana, and honey)
  1 cereal bar
• Dinner: 2 cups pasta + 1 cup pasta sauce
  3 slices garlic bread
  2 glasses cordial
• Snack: 1 fruit bun + jam
  500ml sports drink
  (3380kcal, 590g carbohydrate, 125g protein, 60g fat)

Trail runners team up for AfricanX Trailrun 8-10 May 2009

South Africa’s top trail runners will team up in Kleinmond from 8-10 May 2009 to take on the action-packed three-day stage race, the ProNutro AfricanX Trailrun presented by New Balance.

The competition promises to be a tough challenge with some of the country’s top athletes already signed up for the action. Two of the top men’s teams to watch out for are Team Kanu, consisting of brothers Jacques and Mauritz Van Rensburg and Team ProNutro with Warren Peterson and Lieuwe Boonstra teaming up. According to Jacques, the trail running bug bit him four years ago. “I’ve been competing since the age of 13, but have only really taken to trail running in the last four years. My brother and I have a strong bond and work really well together as a team, so it only made sense for us to join forces. I love the idea of a three-day stage race, as I believe it will entice more competitors. I think a five-day stage race can in some instances be just too long for potential participants. It’s going to be great racing against Team ProNutro. Warren has been a top road runner for many years and the fact that Lieuwe recently placed first at the DUESOUTH XTERRA SA Championship speaks for itself. I’m sure they’ll give us tough resistance,” says van Rensburg.

According to Boonstra, he is very excited to take on the ProNutro AfricanX Trailrun. “A three-day stage race is great as it presents an exciting challenge in terms of duration. Warren and I have been training buddies for ages and it’s going to be awesome to be his team mate doing this extraordinary event. He loves the pain and does not like slowing down, so I’m convinced that he’ll be pushing really hard. He also really likes winning, which is perfect. I can’t wait to run with the Van Rensburg brothers. I think it’s going to be great fun, but also very tough and extremely competitive especially as the race progresses and we get closer to the finish line,” says Boonstra.

The ProNutro AfricanX Trailrun will see teams of two (male/female/mixed) battling it out on a route varying in distance between 25-35km each day. For the first time in South Africa, a trail running stage race will follow a clover leaf format, which means that runners will start and finish in Kleinmond on each of the three days. Their accommodation, meals and entertainment will remain in the same place for the duration of the race. The race village in Kleinmond will be a hive of activity with entertainment throughout the day, which makes the event ideally suited as a family breakaway. Family and friends will also be able to support the athletes at various vantage points along the route. Although the distances can be quite a challenge, the route will be laid out on jeep and single tracks that are running-friendly and will include magnificent views of the ocean, mountains and waterfalls. Teamwork will form an essential part of the race, as participants will have to rely on each other’s experience and expertise in order to complete the route.

For more information on the ProNutro AfricanX Trailrun please contact Stillwater Sport & Entertainment on (021) 883 – 2413

Runkeeper for iPhone

Runkeeper is a great App for your GPS enabled iPhone that allows you to track all your running, cycling and walking activities.

Here you can see a screenshot from my latest run, up on beautiful table mountain (ca. 1 km behind the Cableway ground station:

South African Ernst van Dyk wins Boston Marathon in his wheelchair

South African wheelchair athlete Ernst van Dyk won the Boston Marathon last Monday, 20 April, to continue a remarkable record of success in the prestigious race. It was his eighth win in nine years.

The Boston Herald, in its report on the race, appropriately headlined its story “Van Dyk an eighth wonder”. He won his first Boston Marathon in 2001 and since then has taken victory every year except for 2007, when he finished in third place.

His time of one hour, 33 minutes and 29 seconds was his slowest winning time yet – a long way off his amazing world record time of one hour, 18 minutes and 27 seconds in 2004 – but a strong headwind put paid to any thoughts of a fast race.

Equalled record

Van Dyk’s victory, nonetheless, pulled him level with Irishwoman Jean Driscoll’s record of eight victories in the Boston Marathon. Driscoll won the race from 1990 to 1996 and again in 2000.

He moved clear of his challengers after about five kilometres, but the ever increasing strength of the wind concerned the South African star, whose preparations for the race had been hampered by injuries, as well as by the birth of a daughter.

Van Dyk remained strong, however, and went on to claim victory by over three minutes over 2007 champion, Masazumi Soejima of Japan, who finished in one hour, 36 minutes and 57 seconds.

The Japanese star said after the race that he had been troubled by the wind, and vowed to put on weight so that he could challenge the heavier Van Dyk.

Schabort fourth

Spain’s Roger Paigbo Verdaguer finished 50 seconds later in 1:37:47, while former South African Krige Schabort, now an American citizen, was the top local racer, ending in fourth place in 1:38:06.

The 36-year-old Van Dyk, who won gold in the road race at the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games, says he will contest the Boston Marathon at least one more time; he wants to be the sole owner of the most victories in the history of the event.

Colleen De Reuck

Colleen de Reuck, who competed in three Olympic Games for South Africa, including the marathon in 1992 and 2000, before becoming an American citizen, excelled in the Masters division of the women’s marathon.

Now 45 years of age, De Reuck led the race until eight kilometres from the end. She eventually settled for eighth place in a time of 2:35:37, a minute and 13 seconds ahead of the second Masters’ finisher Alina Ivanova of Russia, who finished in tenth place.

Victory in the women’s race went to Kenya’s Salina Kosgei in 2:32:16. Ethiopia’s Dire Tune finished just a second behind her, while third place went to the USA’s Kara Goucher a further eight seconds back.

Deriba Merga of Ethiopia, fourth in the Beijing Olympics, captured the men’s title in 2:08:42. Kenya’s Daniel Rono finished in second place 50 seconds later, while Ryan Hall of the USA took third place eight seconds later.

Race history

The Boston Marathon is the world’s oldest annual marathon, having first been held in 1897, and it is also one of the world’s most famous races. It regularly attracts fields of about 20 000 competitors, but the record is almost double that at 38 000 in the centenary year of the race.

Wheelchair competition in the Boston Marathon began in 1975, when one entrant entered and completed the race.

Comrades Marathon at gamble?

Following the allegations on Friday 27 March 2009 by the Daily News that the Comrades Marathon may have to be scrapped this year, and the subsequent Official Press Release from the CMA the same day.

The CMA and KZNCU Management had fruitful discussions on Saturday 28 March 2009 in order to explore the various solutions for both parties, as how to best accommodate both events, namely the Comrades Marathon and the IPL fixtures. KZNCU will not be hosting a semi final and or final of the IPL tournament, the problem arose with regards to the regular IPL fixtures and the CMA requiring Sahara Kingsmead Stadium for a 3 week period for set up of the finish area prior to the 24 May 2009.

The outcome of the discussions was extremely positive. Both parties agreed to hold emergency talks with their respective clients and or suppliers on Monday 30 March 2009. The CMA is required to determine whether it would be possible to set up the finish area at the stadium within 3 days and what would be required of, and from the suppliers to make this possible. This would require a massive effort from the CMA suppliers, sponsors, contractors and volunteers. Discussions are currently underway with all role-players.

The CMA and KZNCU will be meeting during the course of this week to advise on their discussions, in order to determine a resolution whereby each party will be satisfied.

The manner in which this issue has been dealt with between CMA and KZNCU is testament to the excellent relationship that exists between the two organizations.

The media will be advised as to the outcome of the meetings as a matter of urgency.

Travel and run

Running as part of a vacation has seen strong growth in recent years. Individuals wanting to complete marathons in different cities, states, or countries can do so with the numerous marathons offered all over the world. Companies operate tours that take traveling marathoners around the globe.

Marathons are not the only option for running on a vacation – both endurance races and shorter distance runs are also possible. Run the World operates interesting culture/running tours to international destinations, and allows a traveller to run, but still soak in a large part of culture, which is often missed on a marathon trip.

What are the running habits? Do you run your home track or do you enjoy more running and getting to know new areas? What are your plans for the months coming up? Please comment. We will shortly start to profile the best runs around the world and specially here in South Africa