Making A Runner

Every experienced runner knows that when the going gets tough you better be on top of your mental game! But mental strength is often only something that comes along with years of experience and some tough lessons learnt. But mental gains can be trained and with developing the right habits, it could be the key to unlocking not only your best performance, but your perception of satisfaction too. It all starts with deciding what kind of runner you want to be… That’s where our guest today comes in, Giovanni Bianco, Mental Performance Coach and All-American Triathlete, helps us master our mental game. We chat: Give Giovanni a follow on Social Media @giovannimentalperformance and feel free to reach out to him if you are in need of a mental coach that knows how to get the best out of his athletes. We hope you enjoyed the show!

In a modern society that thrives on comfort, choosing to run and push the boundaries on performance is inherently uncomfortable. It's going beyond what's normal and as athletes, our nutrition should reflect that... Unfortunately this is often not the case and nutrition is an afterthought, second to training. But they are not actually separate things, they go hand in hand in finding hormonal homeostasis - balance - which is reflected back to us in our ability to maintain or improve our performance. Today's episode takes a closer look at the effect that fuelling has on hormones and as a result our training. Our guest, Annie Bothma, a certified Master Sports Nutritionist, Running Coach and Professional Athlete helps unpack: This is the kind of episode that you can return to time and time again and learn something new every time. As Annie mentions, if you suspect that a loved one or training buddy is suffering the consequences of poor nutrition or any of the concepts discussed in this episode, please encourage them to seek professional help! We cannot do this sport without taking care of our health. If you'd like to reach out to Annie, find her at: https://www.anniesathletes.org/ and to learn more about her journey as an athlete and professional, we encourage you to follow her blog too - https://www.anniebothma.com/ Feel free to reach out to us at anytime on socials: https://www.instagram.com/makingarunner?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

We bring to you another deep dive with one of our favourite guests on the show, Dr Martin Khoury is not your average Chiropractor. His inquisitive nature and steadfast pursuit for answers make for an excellent combination in solving the puzzling problems that people present with - and give us the opportunity to bring you an even better conversation. Not only is he mega-smart, he also has an extensive running CV to boast. Today we chat strictly to problems surrounding the knee, one of the most commonly injured areas for runners. We talk through some unconventional theories about why people present with maladies in the first place and how the body tells a story through its biomechanical patterns…if we’re able to tune in and read the signs, we may be able to interpret and prevent some of the injuries that otherwise take us by surprise. Our conversation addresses: We hope that today's episode gave you the insight you need to tackle any current and future knee injuries. If you have any questions feel free to reach out on info@makingarunner.com or give us a follow on our socials @makingarunner and don't forget to review and share with your running buddy.

"We have to learn to bend before we break,"... What started out as a finish line conversation after a particularly gruelling marathon (in one of Durban's finest displays of humidity), resulted in what you'll hear today. With those words, Jordy nudged us towards a reality that few are prepared to acknowledge, and ultimately forced the question to be asked: what are the limits of endurance? Today is a deep dive and exploration into the human body and how it responds to endurance training with a special focus on HORMONES! Thanks to Jordy's personal experience in covering ultra-distances and his medical training as a doctor, he is able to break down and help us understand how to tread the fine line between exercise being a helpful tool in the pursuit of health and longevity and when we may be short changing ourself and pushing boundaries at the potential risk of, serious and irreparable damage... Today we learn about: As you'll hear, Jordy is a master of his craft, both on 'the field' and in the office, he is also a fantastic story teller and will have you rethinking your 'why' when it comes to running - which is always a great idea to revisit and realign with. We hope that today's conversation leaves you feeling both inspired and empowered about your running and your health. Let us know if you enjoyed this 2 part conversation and make sure to share with a running buddy so that we can ensure that we are all able to run stronger for longer. Enjoy!

Returning to the start line of The Total Sports Two Ocean Marathon this year we have Irvette van Zyl "aka The other South African in the ladies elite field", as Irvette jokingly recalls the 2022 race and how Gerda pipped her in the last 3km to take the win and break the course record. In today's conversation - our most candid and authentic one to date (our apologies for all of the audio blips) - we hear about the past two years of injuries, and challenges that she's faced in her fight back up to the top. With her incredible CV of experience in road running and the insights gained within the period of struggle, she was our top pick for a single episode on the TTOM and why it remains Africa's finest ultra-marathon. We chat: Need more info? Remember that in Season 2 (2023) we covered a 6 episode series on the Total Sports Two Oceans - feel free to go back and re listen to the magic from all our previous Two Oceans experts. All the best for this years race! Want to connect with us? Feel free to pop us an email on info@makingarunner.com or follow us on social media @makingarunner on Instagram or Facebook.

"We have to learn to bend before we break,"... What started out as a finish line conversation after a particularly gruelling marathon (in one of Durban's finest displays of humidity), resulted in what you'll hear today. With those words, Jordy nudged us towards a reality that few are prepared to acknowledge, and ultimately forced the question to be asked: what are the limits of endurance? Today is a deep dive and exploration into the human body and how it responds to endurance training. Thanks to Jordy's personal experience in covering ultra-distances and his medical training as a doctor, he is able to break down and help us understand how to tread the fine line between exercise being a helpful tool in the pursuit of health and longevity and when we may be short changing ourself and pushing boundaries at the potential risk of, serious and irreparable damage... Today we learn about: As you'll hear, Jordy is a master of his craft, both on 'the field' and in the office, he is also a fantastic story teller and will have you rethinking your 'why' when it comes to running - which is always a great idea to revisit and realign with. We hope that today's conversation leaves you feeling both inspired and empowered about your running and your health. Look out for Part 2 coming soon...(date tbc).

To take a quote directly from today's conversation, "Shoes shoes shoes shoes shoeees! And then you need to pick one?". How? And where do you even start? It comes as no surprise to you that the running shoe market is flooded with options and with the latest technological improvements; carbon plates, foam on foam on foam, stack height, heel drops and a plethora of specs to consider before you even get to brand or colour way preferences, it can feel like an impossible maze to work your way through to find the right fit... That's why when you find someone with the knowledgable, experience and knack for people that Mr Nicholas Rupanga posses, you easily become a return customer and readily pass on the details of The Shoe Doctor. In this episode we chat to him about: If you're new to running or simply need to get in the know as far as running shoes go, this is the episode for you! Find Nicolas on IG https://www.instagram.com/rupanga_n_g?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw== and if you find yourself in the mother city, make sure to pay him a visit https://thesweatshop.co.za/pages/cape-town where he will happily see to your every shoe need - he'll even take you out for a run! Enjoy!

In the Jan/Feb 2024 issue of the Runners World Magazine, Community Track Club was officially dubbed the 'Coolest Running Club in South Africa', which is quite the statement! As we've discussed many times on the pod in the past, the social running scene has swept the country by storm, but there is one club that puts on a show like no other. If you go in search of a 'diabolical workout' + vibezzzz and a GOOD TIME we must agree that CTC is indeed the place to be! Co-founded by today's guest, Erin Groll and S3|E5's guest, Mike Obery, CTC's monthly meets draw a field of 300+ community members from the mother city at large and surrounding suburbs, but what makes this such a fantastic spectacle of running? Well we find out in todays delightful conversation with Erin. We chat: Community Track Club is for everyone Make sure to join the next meet happening in Stellenbosch on the 14th of March - visit https://www.instagram.com/communitytrackclub?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw== for more details. Enjoy!

A little look into our lives lately if you will; in this episode we chat about:

In this conversation we chat to local running legend, coach and founder of MustLoveHills RunCrew, Michael Obery. Mikey has a larger-than-life infectious energy about him and a deep rooted sense of community which has been instrumental in helping him establish one of the coolest Cape Town-based run clubs to emerge from the 'social' running scene, which has swept the country by storm. Through his reputation as a talented runner, coach, and his work with top brands such as ASICS, where he is a Frontrunner, he has contributed to the growth of the sport and created a space of belonging for all who share in the passion for lacing up and hitting the streets - especially those who love sending it up a hill or around an oval track (more about Community Track Club in episodes to come)... Today we chat to him about: A lekker episode, with one of SA's lekkerste runners brought to you straight from the Mother City. Enjoy!

Name a road race to hail from the humble African continent that has stood the test of time, a world war and an international outbreak of disease? There is only but one ultra-marathon distance that since it's inception, has captured the hearts of fearless athletes and enthusiastic spectators alike, with its unfailing traditions and numbers that grow larger with each passing year, made up of people who have travelled from all corners or the globe to be immersed, if just for one day, in the magic that is The Comrades Marathon. You can imagine that such a race means EVERYTHING to the custodians that ensure that it keeps on going. The custodians being our nation and her people; the legends of the race who continue to inspire the hopefuls, from the green numbers to the novices, the seconders, cheerleaders, club captains, sponsors and TV crews...Comrades would not be the race that it is today if not for the camaraderie that it has encouraged and upheld as it's core value for more than a century and counting. Any person who accepts the job to be the 'Chief Jogger' of this momentous race must have some serious backbone, guts, grit and then some...well, she does and she's got the legs too! In this episode we chat to the newly appointed Race & Operations Manager of The Comrades Marathon Association (CMA), Ann Ashworth, who you may recognise as the female winner of the 2018 Ultimate Human Race. In our conversation we chat about: For any one who has been touched by the magic of Comrades or hopes to be some day, this episode should be one of interest as we look to welcome a new era, while upholding the legend, of The Ultimate Human Race. If you've enjoyed this episode, please leave a review or share it with a running buddy. Happy listening.

You've heard it said time and time again, "runners should be doing strength training". We know you've heard it from us in just about every episode, but we've never given you an in-depth explanation for WHY and HOW, well not until now... Welcome to the official DEEP DIVE into Strength Training, a discussion topic long overdue and we couldn't think of a better guest to guide us through this relatively simple but often misunderstood and much overlooked element of Making GREAT Runners. In this episode, Ant Clark, a dear friend, respected ex-colleague and current Sport Science and High Performance PhD student at Leeds Beckett University (UK) answers all the question you've had about strength training for runners, and those you didn't even know needed asking. In this conversation you'll learn about: This episode is truly a stand out in our work thus far and one that we believe every runner should listen to, at least once! Links: A view of the 74 y/o triathletes leg https://www.bettermovement.org/blog/2012/use-or-lose-looks-like The benefits of skipping: https://www.instagram.com/p/C0YyWvFNuTq/?igsh=MWI5OGRranJxNzNlOA==

When last did you ask yourself "why do I run"? Maybe it started as a way to lose a few kilo's or meet new people? Or maybe you find it to be the best way to clear your head and manage stress? Now consider for a moment that the reason you run had very little to do with what it does for you, personally, but rather enabled real change, access to resources and opportunity for your family, community or better yet an entire generation and those that follow... This is the reality of becoming a professional athlete for South African people who are born into disadvantaged communities. This is the reality of our guest today and there is no one whom we've met who carries the weight of these responsibilities with more pride, JOY and humility than The Pitbull - Nkosikhona Mhlakwana. In this conversation we learn more about Nkosikhona, who has made a major impact on the South African running scene since his debut as a young boy under the mentorship of Prodigal Khumalo to his major recent accolades of a top 6 finish at the Comrades Marathon and a 2nd Place at Two Oceans. We talk to him about: being coachable. This episode is sure to leave you feeling inspired and will leave with a whole new perspective of the word Pitbull.

What happens when you find a bunch of lekker people who like to run fast and socialise over coffee or a cold one afterwards? You create a club centred around all of the above and take to the streets! In today's conversation we chat to founder of The Social Runners Club, Adam Lipschitz, who is setting the pace and redefining how we look at the stuffy old club model - the vest can stay though... Adam is a self confessed busy-body/businessman or as Davey puts it, "a bonafide hustler". Adams sharp wit and know how for what people want - a place to meet, relate to one another and stay fit - saw the inception and rise of The Social Runners Club, which you may recognise as those dudes handing out Chicken Licken at the finish line of KZN local races. But there's more to the story and far more to Adam... Until recently Adam has "flown under the cloak of mystery', another pearler from Davey, and got sh!t done. He made a few big splashes on the athletics scene in his school and varsity years running fantastic times and showing signs of world level elite talent. He notably ran a 28:27 10 000m and 61 minute 21km in 2021 opening up amazing opportunities of pacing some Big City Marathons around the world over the last few years. In 2023 Adam shifted focus towards the Marathon distance and after a not-so-ideal training block, managed to run a marathon debut of 2:13:01 (the 3rd fastest time by a South African runner at that distance in 2023) at the 2023 Valencia Marathon as an unsigned, SOCIAL RUNNER. Despite not achieving his original goal of an Olympic qualifier (2:08), he was able to show yet again what an incredibly talented runner he is and will hopefully get another shot in the early stages of 2024 at qualifying to represent South Africa at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Make no mistake, he's adamant he'll get there but as he casually remarks, if he weren't able to run fast, he'd be happy with just lacing up and hitting the road with his friends. So in this conversation we unpack: If you enjoyed our conversation, make sure to leave us a review on your favourite streaming platform.

Let's face it, menopause and menopausal women more specifically, don't have the greatest reputation. Hot, sweaty, grumpy and sometimes "hysteric women", is the first and sometimes the only thing that people know or associate with menopause. This is quite alarming because menopause is as unavoidable as puberty, it is the second drastic hormonal shift that every woman (who has the privilege of aging) will experience at some point in her later adult years, starting typically from mid-40ies - early 50ies. However, if more people saw and understood menopause for what it is, we'd understand that it is vital to do everything we can to make sure that we arrive to our menopausal years well, because there are a multitude of changes that come along with menopause that impact the way that we are able to train and perform as runners. In this episode Shona helps us understand: Shona is part of a small group of people who see, understand and is actively working on the problem of lack of or misinformation about menopause. She will soon be publishing a book (by way of the same name) that speaks specifically to the "Menopausal Runner". Shona's experience and expertise in the subject matter really blew us away. Everyone can benefit from giving this conversation a listen. For more recourses from Shona and the Coach Parry team you can visit: https://coachparry.com/comrades-strength-training/?via=nic&who=mar&utm_campaign=content_marketing&utm_medium=audio&utm_source=podcast&utm_content=Making%20a%20Runner&utm_term=Comrades%20Nov%202023

It's been a while since we had a good old chin wag. This episode is reminiscent of Making a Runners' early days with all of the Nic and Davey banter that you've come to know and love. The conversation covers all of 2023's highlights and forecasts to where MAR is headed in the future. Enjoy the lighter side (wink wink) with this episode.

Breathing - a fundamental, automated process that we don't give much thought to until we decide to wade back into the waters of fitness after a period of inactivity or attempt a maximal effort, then we are suddenly reminded by burning lungs and constricted chest. This sensation tends to get the better of us and makes it hard to proceed - let's face it, it feels kak, especially for newbie runners. We're told it gets easier or do we just get better? In this episode we take a deep dive into breathing and the multifaceted ways that we can use our breath to make running a much easier and enjoyable experience! Our guest, Dr. Lawrence van Lingen, a Chiropractor by trade and human physiology and performance boffin by experience, helps us make sense of seemingly complex concepts like: For more recourses or to connect with Lawrence, find him at https://www.innerunner.com/ Enjoy!

Breathing - a fundamental, automated process that we don't give much thought to until we decide to wade back into the waters of fitness after a period of inactivity or attempt a maximal effort, then we are suddenly reminded by burning lungs and constricted chest. This sensation tends to get the better of us and makes it hard to proceed - let's face it, it feels kak, especially for newbie runners. We're told it gets easier or do we just get better? In this episode we take a deep dive into breathing and the multifaceted ways that we can use our breath to make running a much easier and enjoyable experience! Our guest, Dr. Lawrence van Lingen, a Chiropractor by trade and human physiology and performance boffin by experience, helps us make sense of seemingly complex concepts like: this one was a wow moment Although much was covered there is still so much more that could've been discussed - this is a fascinating topic! If you'd like to connect with Lawrence, find him at https://www.innerunner.com/about-us or give him a follow https://www.instagram.com/lawrencevanlingen/ Let us know what you thought of the episode and what you'd like us to cover next. Enjoy!

If you've clicked on this episode, you're clearly Comrades curious, a dangerous thing to be because the likelihood of you entering after listening is very high, if not a guarantee. In today's conversation Coach Lindsey Parry, aka. Coach Parry. aka. The Comrades Coach, lays out a road map to running the Comrades Marathon that we believe anyone can reliably follow to reach the ultimate destination, the Comrades finish line! Boasting a running CV that spans over 40 years, Coach Parry has learnt a thing or two along the way, he goes into great detail about sharing this knowledge and has earned himself the reputation of helping athletes achieve the seemingly impossible - a 90km footrace. Coach Parry's approach is calculated and confident, during the course of the conversation he helps us unpack some of the biggest and most daunting factors that athletes encounter during training for and running a race of this magnitude. We cover: 11:40 How to approach training over the festive season. 18:27 Is it worth chasing a better batch seeding? Risk vs. reward. 20:42 To run or not run Two Oceans Marathon in the build up? 31:47 A breakdown of different run walk strategies from Finishers to Silver Medalists. 37:07 Is running the Comrades Route Tester a make or break? 40:30 Deciding on the right goal finish time. 46:30 How to handle sickness and/or injury during training and when it's NOT OKAY to keep running. 54:50 How to avoid the temptation of "goal inflation" ie. not overshooting the mark. 57:12 The specifics of training for the up run, zooming in on the importance of and the right approach to quality hill work. 01:01:01 STRENGTH TRAINING (it's in caps for a reason). Find the resources mentioned in the conversation here: https://coachparry.com/comrades-strength-training/?via=nic&who=mar&utm_campaign=content_marketing&utm_medium=audio&utm_source=podcast&utm_content=Making%20a%20Runner&utm_term=Comrades%20Nov%202023 01:07:45 Understanding why it's important to learn how to run at slower paces when training for Comrades and how this will affect your race. 01:10:28 How to mentally prepare for "possibly the toughest thing you've ever put your body through" This is an epic conversation, we are grateful to and inspired by Coach Parry, we hope you will be too. To find out more information about Coach Parry give him a follow on socials or visit https://coachparry.com/?via=nic to enquire about coaching and access other free online Comrades resources. Enjoy!

Welcome to a brand new segment of MAR! As the name suggest, in this episode we take deeper look at the lower leg; what job it does to perform the action of running, why it gets injured and how to navigate pain. We couldn't have chosen a better guest to help us unpack the subject. Martin is one of the best health care professionals of our time, his inquisitive nature and steadfast pursuit for answers in solving the puzzles of problems that people present with make for an excellent combination. Not only is he mega-smart, he also has an extensive running CV to boast. In this conversation we cover: 03:32 Martin brings a unique perspective to health care. 06:43 Running as a physically demanding sport and why injuries happen. 9:45 the difference between pace injuries and volume injuries. 19:21 The nature of tendons and tendous injuries. 22:13 Developing running maturity, tuning into body sensations and injury grading. 36:40 Managing calf strains. 41:47 Achilles injury and warning signs explained. 45:55 How eccentric load tendons heal. 51:22 Unpacking "shin splints". 55:23 Connecting to our deep muscles; awareness is key. If you have ever struggled with pain and injury of the lower keg or would like to make sure you never do, this is a great place to start. Enjoy!