Brought to you by: www.nedbankrunningclub.co.za

Events

Wits 10 / 21.1 km 16 August 2015 Arthro Choice 5 / 10 / 21.1 km 23 August 2015 Wits 5 / 10 / 21.1km 30 August 2015 Fred Morrison 5 / 10 / 21.1 km 13 September 2015 Gerald Fox 5 / 10 / 21.1 km 20 September 2015 City To City 10 / 21.1 / 50km 27 September 2015

NRCCG August 2015 Newsletter

Note from the Chairman

Following on from my last two articles, which mainly covered the peaks of the SA long distance road running calendar, I found myself wondering.... what about the rest of us? The “mere mortals” of road running that have yet (if ever) to venture into the ultra-distance running world.

After reading up a little more on the benefits of running, I came across a very interesting study that suggested the advantages of a slightly more moderate running schedule may in fact outweigh those of the high intensity pace and extreme distance types of training. Although previous research has found that physically active people have at least a 30% lower risk of death compared with inactive people, the ideal "dose" of exercise remains uncertain.

So, to all the extremist fitness junkies out there, here's something to ponder the next time you lace up your racing shoes for that long, heart-pounding run: Taking it down a notch or two, settling into a leisurely jog rather than an all-out run, may actually be better for your health in the long term and that jogging may be just as good, and perhaps even better, than running when it comes to how long we live.

Noting that the most famous case of physically overdoing it involved the Athenian messenger Pheidippides, who dropped dead after running 26 miles from the battlefield of Marathon to shout the word "Nike!" or "victory," the researchers hypothesize that strenuous running can damage the heart over time.

The study is by no means the last word in the matter - the researchers themselves say the subject needs further investigation - but it may come as welcome news to those easygoing joggers who prefer shuffling along at modest speeds.

So, for all of those social runners out there, who run by the motto of “the faster I run, the faster I can get to the bar”, or “I only run so that I can eat more chocolate”..... take comfort in the fact that you may be doing your body a far greater service than your buddy who obsessively logs every mile in his diary, in preparation for his 10^th silver at Comrades! And keep in mind, success is not always measured in time and distance, but in the simplicity of getting out there on a regular basis, enjoying whatever it is that you personally get out of the sport and most importantly, having some fun!

Kindest regards,

Romy Menter

NRCCG Chairman

Congratulations!

A very hearty congratulations to our member of the month, Stephen Meijers.

We asked Stephen to share a little about his running and how he has progressed and altered his training during his running career. Here is a little of his story:

Albert Einstein said ‘Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result’….so why on earth do runners carry on running with such passion, dedication and commitment? I am not sure how many strides I have done on the bitumen and off road but it must be well over 10 million in my shortish running career. During the 14 odd years of running and last 7 years of more serious running, I have done in excess of; 200 half marathons, more than 120 marathons, 6 comrades and 4 washie 100 milers. Yup and still enjoying almost every run I do. So why is this running madness so addictive?

My introduction to running started about 14 years ago when lifestyle largely driven by extreme working hours was non-sustainable and I collapsed watching my son playing soccer. After awakening in hospital and having gone through a real scare it was time for a change. So out came the running shoes and so the jogging started…..For the first month or so I could manage about 2 km and a pace slower than 6m/k. But as time passed so things got easier and faster and longer and more enjoyable and soon the body had lost 10kg and I was eating slightly better….the bug had bitten.

For a couple of years I ran on temporary numbers, which was really wasted money so I decided to find the closest club between work and home and so my joining the Nedbank Running Club came to being. I ran my first marathon 7 years ago, Cape Town marathon. This was so daunting that in order to convince myself I could do it I did a training 42 two weeks prior to the marathon.

The ability to perform better was always a goal and in December 2014 I embarked on an intense training and nutrition programme with John Hamlett. Again my body went through a massive change. Lost the last of the excess fat and focused intensely on quality training. From 3 months prior to comrades the normal weekly training regime covered 200km, including at least 3 runs over 40km per week. The results based on the training and eating have been amazing and new goals are set for the years ahead.

On many occasions I am asked how do I still fit in even more of a hectic working commitment than ever before and train at the same time….it’s simple…if you want to achieve you will find the time to fit in everything…even if it means starting training at 4h30 in the morning and finishing night training at 10 in the evening. Is it sustainable….maybe not…but only time will tell. The time of the road gives me an amazing ability to think clearly, and many of the strategies at work are developed and contextualised whilst running.

I suppose the real drive to continue with this incredible sport is the social interaction I have with all different people of life. It is a sport that puts everyone on the same level going through the same pain and tiredness, no matter where or what you do in life….running is a humbling a leveling sport. I have met many great people on the road, done business deals on the road, and made long term fantastic friends from all warps of life.

So going forward sometime in the near future it will be time to give back to the sport and start helping and guiding novices to do their first marathon and comrades….I have taken out so much and allowed running to change my life and now have the dream of helping newbies to experience the same….

Happy Running!!!!

Stephen Meijers, Nedbank Running Club, Central Gauteng

Training Programs

The NRCCG is pleased to offer some training programs to those members who are interested in starting out or improving their running, whether you are a short distance runner or one who hopes to complete the ultra-distances, like the Comrades marathon.

For those who wish to work on their shorter distance, the 10km, 21km or 42km training programs will cater to all runners, regardless of your level:

http://dogreatthings.co.za/running/training-guides

For those who would like to attempt or improve their Comrades for a sub-12, sub-11 or Bill Rowan finish, the following program will be very useful to you:

http://comrades.runnersworld.co.za/comrades-marathon-training-programmes

Potjie Success

Our NRCCG team successfully defended its fish potjie winning title in the George Lea Park annual potjie competition, which was held on Saturday 18^th July. Ed Stoddard and Iain Ruickbie cooked up a yellow-tail storm under bright skies over a few beers. The event takes place every year in support of charities involved in the fight against rare diseases.

Congratulations to the team, we hope that your success continues over the coming years!

Spring Day Clean-up

The NRCCG will host a special spring day clean up on 5 September 2015 of George Lea Park and surrounds – we will run / walk the George Lea Park Time Trial route and clean up the streets in the process. Ice cold refreshments will be served afterwards. Details to follow.

Time Trials

Don’t forget to join us for our weekly time trials! They are held every Tuesday (Modderfontein Sports Complex) and Wednesday evening (George Lea Park). Start time is 17h45 until the end of August. From September we revert back to our summer start times of 17h30.

See you there!