DHS OLD BOYS ATHLETIC CLUB
JULY 2016
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http://dhsoldIes.webs.com/ JULY 2016
ISSUE 27
AUGUST BIRTHDAYS!!! RUNNING CALENDAR 2016
GETTING TO KNOW OUR MEMBERS—SEAN DE GROOT
AKA THE GROUSE
DHS OLD BOYS ATHLETIC CLUB
JULY 2016
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CONTENT
2. Editors Note
3-4. Feature Runner—S de Groot
5. Oldies at Rhodes
6. DHS School 150th Programme
8. A little of everything
9. Why some Run suck!
10. Running Calendar
11. Birthdays & Every Issue
Front cover photo from: Sean de Groot
EDITORS NOTE
Hello Oldies,
So we past the middle of the year and the
chill in the air will hopefully come to an end
soon…
July sees another time Trial at Westville this
month, and DHS Oldies is looking awesome
as ever in the League. I do however believe
that we need to get our Senior men to Time Trials, come on
boys!! If you below 40, get your racing shoes on and come to
time trials!!
Keep in mind that Time Trials is a fun way of training and get-
ting to know the members of the club. The idea of time trials is
to train yourself to be a better runner and not necessary al-
ways run the fastest, flattest route and get your personal
best. Its hanging in over a tough route, pushing yourself be-
yond what you think you are capable of and seeing how far
you can last; this is what builds mental toughness and physical
running fitness.
It presents a perfect opportunity to test and improve your run-
ning times.
Hope you all have an awesome month further, and look out
for our August edition… August is women’s month and we will
be celebrating our women!!
Happy Reading!!
Tonya “The Passionate Runner-Who does not Run”
OLDIES AT Rhodes!!!
Getting to
know a little
more about
The Grouse!
Why some
runs suck!
DHS OLD BOYS ATHLETIC CLUB
JULY 2016
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Sean de Groot – “The
Famous Grouse”. Long
standing club mem-
ber, barfly, outrageous
flirt and club racon-
teur. To me sport is all
about the camarade-
rie and relationships it
creates so although
over the years I have
set myself goals and
compete furiously
(mostly against my
own mind), it is the so-
cial side of it that is most important to me. In a
choice between 10km, and a few beers and talking
rubbish, I’d prefer both but if I had to choose one
the beers would win. Staunchly patriotic and proud
Durban High School Old Boy and DHS Oldies mem-
ber. I have been around the DHS Old Boys club as a
whole since childhood and also played cricket, rug-
by and hockey for the main club. Served as main
club president from 2011 to 2012 before dissolution
of that entity. Long time member of the running sec-
tion and served on committee from 2003-2011 (as
chairman from 2005 – 2011). Outside of club activi-
ties (which since a couple of hip operations are now
restricted to very short runs, headlining the walkers
at time trial league and social duties) have a wife
and two kids to keep me busy, am a “foodie”, love
all sports and still play a bit of golf and action crick-
et.
When did you join DHS Old Boys Athletic
Club? Joined the running section in 2000
when I decided to make a comeback to
road running after a break of eight years
after my first two Comrades. The running
section wasn’t around for those first two. I
have always been a passionate DHS Old
Boys member and when a running section
opened there was simply no other choice.
I am now very proud of the fact that Old-
ies (besides being the last standing sport-
ing section of what was DHS Old Boys
Club) has grown to be a great running
club that serves a much wider North Dur-
ban community.
FEATURED RUNNER—JULY 2016
SEAN DE GROOT AKA THE GROUSE
What do you think is the biggest misconception
about the sport or runners in general?
That we are anti-social creatures and that it is a
totally individual sport. Nothing could be further
from the truth at all levels! The road running com-
munity is just that (a community) and everyone is
keen to impart knowledge to each other and
help each other out. Training runs happen in
packs, races have large buses and runners feed
off each other and draw strength from each oth-
er. Then just walk into the bar at any club after
their weekly run or time trial and try tell me those
people are anti-social!
What in the world motivates you to run long dis-
tances?
Sense of routine the training gives you in this hec-
tic world, challenge, sense of achievement when
you accomplish things you never thought you
could.
What is your preparation/routine for a marathon?
Two days before a little 3km “loosener” and a big
steak that night. Then pretty normal diet with slight
increase in carbs the day before.
Number of marathons you have run:
Total: Lost count! Think it sits at 29
Comrades: 11
2 Oceans: 4
When was your first
marathon?
1990
How many hours
do you train/run a
week? Now only
about 1 :) But
back in the day
about 10-15
DHS OLD BOYS ATHLETIC CLUB
JULY 2016
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Most memorable race?
There are so many good memories… The ones that
stand out are probably sharing my closest running
mate Paul Venter’s 10th Comrades with him
(besides the occasion we had a great run); my
green number run in 2008; finishing Two Oceans on
a stunning Cape day in a
big club 5.55 bus; my per-
sonal best marathon at In-
dian Ocean Marathon
(now Deloittes) where I had
a dream day and ran 3.29;
and funnily enough the
very last marathon I ran – I
“retired” from distance stuff
after my last Comrades in
2009 and was then persuaded to “come out of
retirement” by some work mates who were novic-
es to shepherd them through the PMB marathon in
2014. I told them I’d get them to the 32km mark on
track for a 4.30 then they would most likely drop
me. It ended up the other way round! I tried to
cajole them through and eventually they told me
to go and ended up running a 4.33 with negative
splits and feeling great! Paul Venter still owes me a
Britannia Curry for beating his marathon time that
year…
The race you would like to forget –Sounds clichéd
but none. Every bad day on the road outdoors in
our climate is still a learning experience and better
than a good day in many parts of the world. Worst
I have felt was Umgeni Water Marathon around
Midmar Dam in 2006. Hot, terrible route and felt
shattered from the half way mark.
What do you find to be the most rewarding thing
about running?
Those things I mentioned under what motivates
me. Camaraderie, sense of accomplishment and
conquering your mind and surprising yourself in the
process.
If I didn't run…..I would
Do what I do now! J Walk, golf, action cricket,
functional training, and most importantly making
sure the beers are cold in the pub when the rest of
the peeps get in from their run.
I can't run without….
A cap! I tend to be out there for quite a while so
the bald pip would get fried
How many days after a marathon do you usually
start running again?
Four
What injuries are you susceptible to?
I was blessed not to get injured much
at all throughout my career. Seeming-
ly it was all just sneaking up on me
and the pain came after I stopped in
the form of arthritic impingements in
hips that required surgery…. but seri-
ously do not think running caused
that (merely aggravated a bit) so
wouldn’t change a thing.
What are the top three “little things”
that you do to prevent injury?
Don’t run that fast!! J Seriously, run within your
means, stretch a little, rest properly after hard ses-
sions and listen to your body as opposed to being
a slave to some little electronic gadget on your
wrist.
What do you do if you not running?
Eat, drink, and be merry
What other sports do you participate in?
Golf, action cricket, used to play cricket and
hockey
Do you take part in any races or marathons after
Comrades?
Yes, often used to train for one half marathon or
marathon in second half of year to keep things
going
What to you eat and drink while running?
Coke, water, Gu and on Comrades day some-
thing solid like a Marmite sandwich for lunch
Any advice you can give to other runners and
those who want to take up running?
Don’t do it alone! Join a club or a group, listen to
those around you
and don’t get
sucked into com-
peting with others
at the beginning.
Set yourself goals,
take baby steps
and you will be
amazed at the
speed of your
progress.
DHS OLD BOYS ATHLETIC CLUB
JULY 2016
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We had four Oldies running the
Rhodes Ultra run this month.
With a starting temperature of –9
degrees, it takes a special kind of
someone to do this event. That is why I take my hat of to a
true legend of this race Guillaume Nel, who has now complet-
ed his 20th Rhodes Ultra, what an epic achievement!! Con-
gratulations Guillaume, Oldies is super proud of you!
Well Done Kim Jackson, Paul Stewart, Ryan Warren and Guillaume Nel for all finishing!!
OLDIES AT RHODES
DHS OLD BOYS ATHLETIC CLUB
JULY 2016
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DHS OLD BOYS ATHLETIC CLUB
JULY 2016
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DHS OLD BOYS ATHLETIC CLUB
JULY 2016
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ADVERTISE IN OUR NEWSLETTER Members can advertise in the newsletter at the cost of R500 per year. These funds would go towards the Year End Func-tion. Advertising would be on a monthly basis in the news letter as well as on our website, with a link to the advertisers website.
If you would like to advertise, please contact us at [email protected]
TELL US ABOUT IT
Do you have any you
would like to share with
us or have included in
the Oldies Newsletter…
Lets us know at
dhsoldies.running@gmail
.com
Durban Runner is our official kit supplier, Durban Runner
cnr of Windermere and Venice Road
CONTACT PERSON: Justin Hand
TEL: 031 312 6486 or 084 599 5991
Congratulations to Sam Wilson and Devon Trew on
their engagement!! We wish you all the happiness and love on your new adventure
together!!
DHS OLD BOYS ATHLETIC CLUB
JULY 2016
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Why Some Runs Just Suck Every runner has bad days, but do you know why? ByEmily Abbate
PHOTOGRAPH BY ANTONIO GUILLEM It’s 6:23 a.m. The alarm’s already gone off, you’re out of the confines of your bed, and you're ready to hit the pavement running, chasing the sunrise. Despite looking forward to striding along streaking light beams, you feel off. Tired. No more than 400 meters in, you realize that this just isn’t your day. A crappy run. A run that makes you angry you schlepped out of bed and laced up in the first place. You want to be home. You want it to be over. You want to pretend it never hap-pened. Sound familiar? Hey, you’re not alone. While you may think that a bad run is just in your mind, turns out there are loads of reasons for feeling subpar. We caught up with S10 Training and Nike+ Run Club Coach Joe Hold-er to help us shed some light on the situation. According to Holder, there are three major reasons why that run feels like the pits: You’re not recovered: Exercise, no matter if you’re lift-ing weights or tackling a six-miler, can make your mus-cles sore. That soreness is a result of the hard work you’re putting in, generally a byproduct of the small tears in the muscle surrounding connective tissue. Not to wor-ry: They’re normal, but they also require rest. “A lot of the adaptations and improvement come in re-covery, which a lot of people don’t take seriously enough,” says Holder. “They think the workout as just a vignette and they try to close it off, not realizing how the other hours of the day impact the recovery process.” Do yourself a favor and think bigger picture. The best-case scenario? Studies suggest giving your muscles an average of 48 hours in between workouts of the same muscle group to prevent injury. During that time, think of alternative ways to aid in recovery. Fuel properly with these better protein sources, and don’t be afraid to make friends with a foam roller(trust us, it won’t bite). You’re not warmed up: “A lot of people don’t take into
consideration the need to warm up,”
says Holder. “You need a lot of, especially for run-ning, proper nervous system activation, get your body and brain ready to run. If you just go out and run—you’ll get into a bit of a funk.” So, what’s a proper warmup include? Aim to use a string of movements that wake up the posterior chain, including knee hugs, quad pulls, leg scoops, glute kickback, and table tops. You’re only running: Sure, running may be your second love (behindcookies, we’re sure), but that doesn’t mean your body doesn’t crave an alternative form of fitness.
More: Runner’s High Is a Lot Like Pot “If you just constantly work the same thing, not only will your improvements diminish, but you won’t get recovery as well,” says Holder. “If you just constantly do base aerobic runs, your body has adapted official-ly. It’s time to incorporate that speed, whether you realize it or not, you’ll be working a different energy system. You’ll see a better improvement, including your aerobic efficiency improve too as you incorpo-rate speed into your workouts.” So what’s a runner to do? Do not force it. It’s super critical for you to under-stand that some days aren’t going to be your best days, and that’s just fine. (Get this: running just five minutes a day can better your life expectancy.) “Realize it for what it is and shift your perspective,” says Holder. “Say you’re out there already and you’re in a funk, treat it as a recovery run, treat it as a form run, treat it as something where you’re getting some work out of it. Often times if you push through when you’re not really feeling it, it can be detrimental. [Remember] you’re getting some activity done, that’s better than none. Let it happen, treat it for what it is.”
DHS OLD BOYS ATHLETIC CLUB
JULY 2016
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DHS OLDIES CALENDAR AUGUST & SEPTEMBER 2016
AUGUST SEPTEMBER
DAY EVENT DAY EVENT
1 Mon 1 Thurs
2 Tues 2 Fri
3 Wed Wednesday Run 3 Sat
4 Thurs 4 Sun
5 Fri 5 Mon
6 Sat Longest Day 12-hour Track 6 Tue
7 Sun Three Falls Trail Run 7 Wed
Wednesday Run
Maritzburg SPAR Women's
8 Mon 8 Thu
9 Tue Women's Day 9 Fri
10 Wed Wednesday Run 10 Sat
11 Thu 11 Sun SAPS Heritage Challenge
12 Fri 12 Mon
13 Sat 13 Tue
14 Sun Supa Mama Savage 14 Wed
Wednesday Run
Marriott Dargle Trail Festival Run
15 Mon 15 Thu
16 Tue 16 Fri
17 Wed Durban Runner/GU TT Queens-
burgh 17 Sat
18 Thu 18 Sun Cape Town Marathon
19 Fri 19 Mon
20 Sat SHF Capital Climb Challenge 20 Tue
21 Sun 21 Wed Durban Runner/GU TT Sydenham
22 Mon 22 Thu
23 Tue 23 Fri
24 Wed 24 Sat Heritage Day
25 Thu 25 Sun
26 Fri 26 Mon
27 Sat 27 Tue
28 Sun Mandela Day Marathon 28 Wed Wednesday Run
29 Mon 29 Thu
30 Tue 30 Fri Schools Close
31 Wed
DHS OLD BOYS ATHLETIC CLUB
JULY 2016
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CLUB KIT
Club Kit is available from Durban Runner, on the corner of Windermere
and Venice Road. Justin Hand 084 599 5991
CHAIRPERSON
Mr Steve (Mudman) Thornton
0827779353
[email protected] VICE CHAIRMAN & CAPTAIN
Roger Westbrook 0827650505
VICE CAPTAIN
Gavin Goodwin - 0823383686
COMMITTEE MEMBERS
LADIES CAPTAIN
Verlie “Buzz” Briscoe 0824437668
TREASURER/ACCOUNTANT
Paul Forbes 0827869862
[email protected] COMMUNICATIONS & REGISTRATION
Tonya Swiegers 0824563672 [email protected]
ADDITIONAL COMMITTEE MEMBERS Cavin Noah - 082 375 8130 [email protected] Justin Fuller - 083 788 8543 [email protected] Karl Wilhelm— 079 694 3737
EVENT DATE
PREDICATIONS EVENING 18.05.2016
ACHES & PAINS PARTY 30.05.2016
Happy Birthday to the following Members and Friends… Have an incredible birthday and may the year ahead be filled with many blessing!!
BIRTHDAYS
EVENTS COMING UP
TIME TRIAL DATES
EVENT DATE
Queensburgh 17.08.2016
Sydenham 21.09.2016
Hillcrest 20.10.2016
PDAC (Final) 17.11.2016
DATE NAME
1
Debbie Kitto
Harmonie Sheahan
Ralf Paps
2 Louise Rautenbach
3
Greg Sasson
David Meek
5 Michelle Berchowitz
10
Candice Herbst
Karl Wilhelm
13 Guy Hankinson
15 Max Oliva
Byron Field
17 Cindy Wells
18 Janine De Gouveia
19 Richard Cliff
20
Paul Eichert
Steve Thornton
21 Izanne janse van Rensburg
22
Delwynne Angel
Dylan Cowan
Richard Wynne-Cole
23 Dayn Mamet
26
Raymond Scott
Paul (JP) Stewart
Shaun de la Porta
29 Petros Msani
30 Willian Mphakathi
31 Justin Fuller
Meghan Swan