April / May 2007

 INDEX

CHAIRMAN’S CHIRP                                 FROM THE SCRIBE’S DESK

CROSS COUNTRY LADIES                       INTEREST COLUMN’S

WALKERS                                                  

LADIES CORNER                                     

TRACK AND FIELD                                   

FIXTURES

CROSS COUNTRY LADIES

 XC Report May 2007

Hello ladies,

We have had 2 league events so far & I am extremely happy with the turnout at both.  It was very pleasing to have some new people running XC for PDAC. Sindy, Shelly, Katie, Emma & also Ann Weedon who although not new to XC is new to us!  They all appeared to enjoy it and will be back they say!

At Toti we had both Emma & Tessa in the junior race over 4kms who both ran well.  In our race which includes all ladies over 19 & which is now over 6kms we had a good crowd.  Both Kerry & Janine seem to have gone into a different league & were so far in front I couldn’t even see them despite having a very good run myself!  Sindy enjoyed her first run there despite having just done 2 Oceans the previous week! The course was very pleasant & the race very well organized.  I must say that I quite enjoyed running the 6kms instead of 4.  What do other people think?  (I know what you think Lise)!  It seems that the veteran ladies in other provinces are still running 4kms!!!  I am busy investigating why we should be different!   

The 2^nd event was at the University of Natal & although I personally had a shocker, on a good day I’m sure I would have really enjoyed it!  It was a bit different from other courses we have done at that venue & quite tough.  We had a very good turnout.  Lise led PDAC home and I’m afraid thereafter the positions are a bit foggy but hopefully the results will be forthcoming at the next event.  I must thank you all for turning out, it was very impressive!  Many thanks to Sheree for sponsoring us lovely fleeces (See Photo on the website)! They are too beautiful!  Thanks to Lyn for sending a bottle of Sherry to keep us warm afterwards & thanks to all who brought champagne & contributed towards the soup & helped put up the tent and take it down etc….

I am confident that we will go on to have a wonderful cross country season. I believe we have another 2 new ladies attending the league on Saturday at Collegians.  Hopefully I will be able to include results for the next newsletter.

All for now

June

Contact details.  Home 261 7170

Work 260 1259

Cell 082 421 3037

watsonj@ukzn.ac.za

Offer of XC training:

Harold has very kindly offered XC training for those interested it will take place on the following days:

Two sessions a week, Mon & Thur, at Lahee Park @ 16:00hrs

One session at Lahee Park @ 08:00 hrs on Saturday morning, if there is sufficient interest.

Speed endurance sessions will be conducted on Tue and Wed afternoons at KP stadium.( these are optional, but beneficial)  

If you are interested please contact Harold on 082-4942618 or  swanharold@gmail.com    

Quote of the Month

If winning isn't everything, why do they keep score? 
- Vince Lombardi

PDAC WEBSITE

 The PDAC website address is:

www.pdac.co.za

Please send your contributions to:

              webmaster@pdac.co.za

WALKING……………….

Our annual awards evening was held at RJ’s on the 20^th April – congratulations to all our prize winners for your wonderful achievements.

The 21^st April saw KZNA host the KZN 50km Race Walk Championships which incorporated a 30km walk. Two very brave PDAC walkers (Michelle & Gay) participated in the 30km walk – which was 2km lap along NMR avenue – the camber was terrible to say the least and with only a few entries the race must have been very boring as you had to walk alone most of the time – well Michelle finished with blistered heels in a fantastic time of 4hrs13.55mins – she was hoping to finish within 4hrs30mins – so well done!! Gay retired after completing 16kms – was going extremely well but as she had not done ANY training for the walk decided rather bale than end up injured – a real brave lady!!

Welcome to Lisa Esterhuyse who has joined the PDAC walkers – wishing you an injury free year ahead and may you achieve all your personal goals. Nicky welcome back after a long absence due to injuries – let 2007 be an injury free year!!!  Well done to Dawn for keeping the PDAC flag flying high up front - always placed in the top 3 in her age group – QBHarriers loss and our gain.

Highway Interclub time trial league – what can I say – you are simply the best! – PDAC are lying 2 points behind Highway walkers  after just 2 league races– this is great!!!! To think in 2003 we entered our first walking team at Forest – never dreamed we could ever get this close to Highway - we now have 3 to 4 teams every meeting. With our mean machines up front and the foot sloggers at the rear PDAC walkers have become a force to be reckoned with.

At the beginning of the year we had a few males join our club as walkers and to date have not seen them at races??? There are good few 10km races coming up why not come along and do at least one.

Remember those shoes were made for Walking………………………….

Lyn 084 4172162  

To all our Comrade runners – VASBYT!!! Good luck and hope you achieve your personal goals.

Track and Field

Citius, Altius, Fortius

It is so long since our last newsletter, I regard it necessary to allay a rumor that I may be leaving PDAC, following an invitation to join an opposition club as their sprint/middle distance coach. Yes, I was made an attractive offer, including a retainer.  On receipt of this offer, I had very mixed feelings. I was both flattered, but deeply hurt at the same time, by the recognition of my skills by other clubs, but not my own. After much deliberation, I had to ask myself, do I have a value at PDAC.

Needles to say, I declined the offer and stay loyal to my club, after all I've been here 15years or more. Although, I've since been told, that if you want loyalty, you go get yourself a dog.  All I ask in return is please don't dampen my spirit or my passion for my sport. However, greater support would be appreciated. It seems so long ago since the beginning of the season, but our young athletes began where they left off last year. 

The first meeting on the 19 Jan, Courtney Rigby and Paige Saunders won SILVER & BRONZE respectively. At the same event, Emma Stringer, a newcomer to the team, suffered a baptism of fire in her first serious track race. Competing in a combined 1500m race, Emma had to contend with two well experienced athletes in Tannith Maxwell and Shannon Clarke. With much to learn in middle distance racing, Emma ran a creditable third place. She will only turn seventeen this year.

At the second meeting, held on the 27Jan, the positions were reversed. Paige won silver and Courtney, bronze in the Youth women’s 100m. They also finished first and second in the 200m.  Weather conditions were extremely hot and humid, bordering in the dangerous. Emma, running in the 800m event, this time in her proper age group, took the lead halfway through the first lap but the effects of having to stand in the blazing sun for the best part of an hour got to her. Emma hung on bravely to finish third.

At the KZN Senior & Masters Championships, Jean won Gold in both the 800m and 1500m. At the age of 81, just participating, was an accomplishment in itself. Jean has to be admired for her dedication and perseverance, two very important attributes required of any good athlete. From now until August, when the new season begins, all training is about strength development, fun and trying out new training methods.

STOP PRESS: Jean Foster has just returned from Bloemfontein Championships with THREE medals. Details of which to follow.

Until next time, Coach Harold

Beware complacency.  Muggers on the prowl again in Lahee Park . Last Friday (11 May), at eight o'clock in the morning, Kim and I were mugged whilst training.  I was lucky, losing only a cell phone. Kim lost everything.

Until next time, have a good day.

Harold

LADIES CORNER

I can’t believe it … I was going to start this newsletter with “Happy New Year …!” and then I realized that we’re in May already!  We already have 3 time trial leagues under our (reflector) belts, Two Oceans done and dusted and with Comrades around the corner again, I’m sure you’re all feeling like I do … like a hamster on a wheel!

Comrades – 17 June 2007

All I can say is:  GOOD LUCK!!!  I hope all of you reach your goal (and the finish line …) and have a stunning day.  The following bold and brave (and slighty dilly) ladies have entered:

Jolene Delport (novice)

Janine Engels

Jandi Hallett

Karen Grant

Sam Hibbert

Sheree Kirsten

Sindy Kreutzner (novice)

Katie Roberts

Teresa Scott  

UPCOMING EVENTS  

Forest 10km (incorporating KZN 10km Champs) – 03/06/2007:  

A well organized run on a relatively flat course to assess your pace (or lack thereof!)  

Spar Ladies 10km – 24/06/2007:  

This run needs no introduction but this year there’s a new incentive.  For the last couple of years there has been a “Breakfast Prize” for the first 10 ladies over the line from a non-professional club.  P.D.A.C. has won this both last year and the year before.  Now there is an added incentive:  In order to encourage clubs to enter as many of their ladies possible, they are now having a club competition where, based on points, the ladies can win money for their club (1^st club – R7500, 2^nd – R5000 and 3^rd – R2500).

Come on ladies!  Let’s see what we can do I realize this event is sometimes a bit of a pain … it’s 1 week after Comrades and you have to brave the masses but with our very capable PDAC-men manning the start and with the new “ceded” area for club runners it hasn’t been that bad of late.  And if these incentives can’t convince you just think of the breakfast roll we get at the end cooked by our men!                                     

21 km S.A. Champs – 01/07/2007 – hosted in Durban

Go and rub shoulders with the fast and famous S.A runners!  This will be an open race with the provincial runners getting a ceded start.  This will probably be run from Kings Park so prepare for a fast and flat course.  

LADIES LEAGUE TIME TRIALS  

The third league was run on Tuesday, 15/05/07 at Pinetown Boys High.  The good news is that after league 2 (at PDAC) we’re still leading the Super league!!!!  The results of league 3 still have to be finalized to see where on the log we’ll be … hopefully still first.  Although we don’t have the quickest team on the night anymore we’re still leading thanks to mass participation.  Thank you, thank you, thank you … To those of you still not running – please make an effort!  The rival clubs are giving it their all to beat us.  WE NEED YOU!!! (AND you get a t-shirt ;-)  

For the time trial results, go to our website.  If you do not have internet, give me a call and I will get the results to you.

Next league:  26/07/07 at 18:00 at Chiltern (nice course!)  Drop me a line if you need directions or have transport hassles.   

Ladies Weekend – t.b.a.

We will once again embark on our annual training weekend in 2007.  Location and date will be announced at a later stage (once this hamster’s wheel slows down a bit …)

GENERAL

Do you feel your training is going nowhere slowly?  Have your times stayed the same the last couple of years?  Do you need variety in your training?  Good news:  we’re still doing speed work on Tuesday evenings from about 4:30 on the field at the club.  It is very informal and done at your own pace.  If you need more specialized training advice we’ll point you in the right direction.  If you want more info, drop me or Sam a line.  

I have not included the ladies race     results in this newsletter as it is accessible   on our website (www.pdac.co.za).  If you do not have access to internet and would like the results of a specific race, please give me a call and I will try and get these on hardcopy.    

QUOTABLE QUOTES:

“My goal in life is to be as good of a person as my dog already thinks I am.”  

“If you can’t be kind at least have the decency to be vague.”

“I am a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it.” 

Your Captain-in-Training

Lise

Lise:  (031) 701 4038

            plumbcare@mweb.co.za

Sam:  (031) 7021383

          samh@absamail.co.za

FROM THE SCRIBES DESK

 Hi all

Well it has been a good few months since the last newsletter and while we (the committee) have tried to commit to sending out a newsletter to you the members bi-monthly time just seems to disappear. There is always so much going on in and around the club with races to organise as well as the annual prize giving event and many other goings on that are arranged by various club captains and committee members.

I have tried to add some informative content to the newsletter but if anyone has any other ideas or thoughts that they would like to contribute please don’t hesitate to give me a shout, as I have said before this is your club and your newsletter so the more contributions made the better it is for everyone.

On a final note, good luck to all those attempting Comrades this year…may all you times be realised!!

Scribe in training

Greg “Ice” Anderson

webmaster@pdac.co.za

For the Walkers….

Besides a good pair of walking shoes, what else might you need to dedicate yourself to a regular walking program?
by Maggie Spilner

Besides a good pair of walking shoes, what else might you need to dedicate yourself to a regular walking program? Actually, not much. Of course, you can always find stuff to buy -- more gear, more gadgets -- and some of it is lots of fun. But if you're a beginning walker, most of what you need you probably already own. And what you don't own you should be able to buy relatively inexpensively.

Extra Protection for Your Soles
When I was a teenager, socks were completely uncool. My friends and I wouldn't have been caught dead in them. Now I can't fathom wearing my walking shoes without them.

Next to your shoes, your socks are your most important piece of walking gear. A lousy pair of socks can make a great pair of shoes feel absolutely awful. On the other hand, an okay pair of shoes can feel a lot more tolerable when they're worn over a fantastic pair of socks.

The sock market has exploded in the past 10 years, beginning with a brand called Thorlo. As far as I know, Thorlo was the first company to realize that since human feet lose their fatty padding as they get older, folks would appreciate a little cushioning in their socks. Thorlo walking socks are thick and luxurious, with extra padding in the ball and heel. You feel as if you're walking on a cloud, provided your walking shoes are big enough to accommodate all that fluff. Otherwise, you just feel cramped.

Like any good athletic sock, Thorlo walking socks are synthetic. They wick away sweat from your feet, dry quickly, and retain their shape, softness, and resiliency. As a rule, socks made from synthetic fabrics are best. A little cotton is okay, but all-cotton socks get soggy, lose their shape and softness, and wear through faster.

These days, Thorlo has lots of company in the walking-sock category. Many stores carry dizzying displays of socks in all brands, colors, sizes, and styles. Some are thick; some are thin. Some support your arch; others pad your bunion. Many footwear manufacturers offer socks bearing the same brand names as their shoes.

My suggestion is to try a variety of brands and styles until you find one that you really like. Then buy a whole bunch, so you always have a clean pair waiting for you. Nothing feels better than slipping on fresh, soft, padded socks first thing in the morning.When you're going for a long walk -- say, more than 6.4 km -- you may want to carry an extra pair of socks with you. Then if your feet get hot or wet, just change socks. You'll feel totally refreshed and revitalized.

In Clothing, Comfort Beats Fashion
Now that you have your feet properly attired, what about the rest of you? Let the temperature outside be your guide when you're deciding what to wear.

For warm-weather walking, you need a pair of comfortable shorts that won't ride up the inside of your legs. I prefer stretch shorts, like those worn for cycling. On top, a T-shirt is fine. I like the kinds that are cotton-polyester blends. They're softer than 100 percent cotton shirts, and they don't shrink.

Everyone owns T-shirts these days. As you become more involved in walking and attend events or races, you'll get more Ts than you know what to do with. I had 20 of mine made into a beautiful memory quilt that hangs in my bedroom.

For cooler weather, sweatpants or stretch pants are great. Choose a fabric that breathes and wicks away sweat, such as Lycra spandex. Make sure that your pants allow for a full range of motion. Avoid those that are too tight around the waist. You need to breathe. On top, you may want a long-sleeved T-shirt and a lightweight jacket, depending on the temperature.

A Heads-Up for Good Posture
To complete your walking outfit, you'll want to have a hat, a visor, or a pair of sunglasses. It's not just to protect your eyes from the glare of the sun or to save your skin from wrinkles -- though those are nice bonuses. When the sun is shining brightly, many people tilt their heads forward to avoid a glare directly in their eyes. Walking in that position creates extra strain in the neck and upper back.

What's more, looking down at the ground is more likely to leave you feeling down. When you wear a hat, a visor, or sunglasses, you keep your chin up, literally and figuratively.

The Perfect Pack for Perambulating

When you're walking, you want to be able to swing your arms freely. For this reason, you really shouldn't carry anything, not even a water bottle or a cassette player. But you may have a few items -- your house or car keys, money, medication, or tissues -- that you want to keep with you. That's when a fanny pack can come in handy.

Hanging loosely around your waist, a fanny pack is wonderful. I own about five, and I always wear one when I'm traveling to hold my money and my glasses. It helps me avoid what I call purse-strap posture, when I hunch one of my shoulders to hang on to my purse strap.

Some fanny packs are designed to accommodate water bottles. In fact, L.L. Bean makes one that holds two bottles.

When fanny(bum) packs first became popular, they were worn behind the body, over the fanny(bum) (hence their name). I still prefer that placement when I'm walking briskly. But when I'm shopping or traveling, I wear the pack on the front of my body. It's more secure and more accessible in that position.

If you're going for a walk and you don't need to carry more than a key and your ID (which you should always have with you), you might be able to make do with a wrist wallet. Some styles are made from terry cloth, with Velcro closures that secure around your wrist. These wallets are useful if your workout wear doesn't have any pockets.

For the Hardworking Heart...
With all the technological advances now taking place, the day will come when you can buy endless varieties of devices to track not only your pace but also your heart rate, your respiration rate, and maybe even your blood sugar level while you walk. But unless you have a specific health problem that requires you to constantly monitor your vital signs, such features certainly aren't necessary.

These high-tech gadgets might be helpful for someone who is recovering from a heart attack or who has a heart problem, for example. But if you're a beginning walker who is otherwise healthy, simple pulse-taking techniques should provide all the monitoring you need.

That said, if you'd like to bump your fitness level up a notch or two, or if you want to burn more calories while you walk, a heart monitor can be a great tool to help you along. You can set the monitor to beep as soon as you drop below your target heart rate range, alerting you to pick up your pace. Likewise, if you exceed the high end of your range, the monitor will beep to let you know that you're pushing too hard, which only tires you out more quickly.

Some heart monitors fit on a finger; others are strapped around the chest or fitted into a special bra. Basic models begin at R799 and are available in sporting goods/fitness equipment stores, health clubs, and some department stores.

An athlete cannot run with money in his pockets.  He must run with hope in his heart and dreams in his head- Emil Zatopek