SSISA Blog

SSISA Marketing and Media Manager and Sports Scientist, Kathy Mc Quaide-Little, is currently attending the 2012 “Be Active” Congress in Sydney, Australia. The congress incorporates the Australian Conference of Science and Medicine in Sport and the National Sports Injury Prevention Conference, under the banner of “be active 2012″.

Here are some insights Kathy gained on day one:

In the 70′s – the benefits of vigorous exercise were so evident from the 20-year Sans Francisco Longshoreman study and this study was one that greatly influenced physical activity recommendations at the time.

25 years later – research study findings made it clear that moderate-intensity physical activity could provide most of these health benefits, previously thought to be the exclusive domain of vigorous physical activity and physical activity recommendations changed.

More recently – physiologists and researchers are finding that with declining physical activity levels – recommendations for even light physical activity levels are advisable if this is all people are prepared to do.

Certainly moderate intensity exercise can provide additional benefits – but in the interest of having people at least do SOME activity – the benefits of light physical activity are receiving more attention.

Come 2012- there is now a massive move towards decreasing sedentary behaviour – since not only are people not doing enough physical activity – they are also stuck behind screens of all forms all day- and other sedentary behaviour which introduces even more health risks. How times have changed! 200 000 years ago – our primitive ancestors were doing the equivalent of 32km’s of walking a day… now we can’t even fit in 30 minutes or 3km of walking a day. We have had to lower the bar so much in terms of what physical activity we do whilst we are still encouraging people to accumulate 150mins of PA per week – we are also just trying to get sedentary people to stand up and walk a few steps every day.

Our bodies are designed to move and if we want to function optimally – we should be engaging in plenty of physical activity every day. Instead – our so-called technological advances are ensuring that in a sense – we are regressing and slowly “killing” ourselves….or at very least – reducing our potential. A sad state of affairs… let’s hope SA can start to tackle this global problem!

Darling Harbour - the setting for Be Active 2012!

Kathy with Karim Kahn (right) and Craig from the Australian Institute of Sport (left)

There’s this scene in the new Avengers movie where the superheroes, after much skop, skiet and donder annihilate a massive spaceship. A collective sigh of relief and smug glances all round yeeeaaahh, we did it! And then…they look up…and find dozens of these spaceships now floating above. Right. So much for a tea break then.

So as per my cinematic intro, my spaceships = crunches. Of which there are so many variations it just ain’t fair: 90 degree, straight leg, ankle taps. When Jessica shows us some of these exercises for the first time, we laugh. Yeah right – you want me to do whaaat? Please be joking! But she never jokes, our Jess. And then once we’ve hunkered down and actually attempted it, realisation dawns again: I can do this and am doing it! I’m reminded here of our first psychology session with Dr. Clinton Gahwiler. To sum up very briefly, he spoke to us about how we have two levels of stored knowledge: 1) what we have been ‘conditioned’ to know as fact and 2) what we learn as ‘new’ which in turn challenges pre-existing facts. Gradually we come to replace the former with the latter where appropriate. It’s how I can’t becomes oh look, I can. And hear me now, bear witness to my mental realignment: I can crunch the hell out a 60 second rep! (with my luck Jess will be reading this and in class the next time this will magically stretch to 90 seconds – cue evil chuckling).

It’s nearing the end of week 4 which is halfway through the Healthy Weight programme. Much progress has been made. Weight has been lost – I’m 1.7 kg down! The class intensity has gradually increased and we’ve now graduated from the vast open space of the Blue Floor to the pleasant frenzy of the SSISA Fitness & Wellness Centre. Said my classmate Sianne of the spiffy machines: ‘They look like Transformers!’ We are put through our paces on the toning circuit and it suddenly feels like we’re the cool kids who are finally allowed to stay up with the adults and watch TV past 8pm. In between reps on the machines, Jessica commands a lap or 3 around the track and 5 minute intervals on a cardio machine of our choice. At first I battled with what initially seemed like a cut-&-paste approach to filling up the hour of exercise. Surely one goes to the gym and plonks down on a bicyle or treadmill and cruise at a moderate level for 20 mins? But after 2 weeks of exercising this way I doff my hat to this approach. If using average fluid loss (i.e. sweat) per exercise session as a gauge of effectiveness then I dare you to play spot the difference: delicate daubing of the forehead here and there every now and then gets replaced by rivulets of perspiration that demand to be mopped up every nanosecond. It’s not pretty. But it’s clearly working (see boastful weight-loss figure above) so best not tamper with the routine and let it continue its fabulous run.

Onward and downhill as I enter the second half of the programme. The key test for me now is to see if I can sustain the momentum and translate all this hard work into further weight-loss but more importantly, further entrench these ‘new’ principles of nutrition and exercise into life-long habits. Here’s to new habits!

The Cinnabon stares at me. I glare back at it. No pastry in the history of patisserie has ever been this scrutinised. I take an obligatory whiff and the cinnamony aroma packs a pretty punch. Not cool, person who bought this Cinnabon and innocently placed it in the fridge. Not cool.

It’s the end of week 2 on the programme and I’ve come to a startling realisation. It kicked in during lap number 4 around the track: I’m running. Consistently, continuously, with no major discomfort or strain. Barring my crunches-related anxiety in the first week, my body has thankfully adapted well to the gradual increase in exercise in all its gloriously sweaty forms: heart-pumping aerobics, frenzied cycle spinning, paced jogging and Rambo-esque stair climbing, complemented by measured doses of strength conditioning and dusted off with languid sets of stretches. By no means am I now harbouring wistful intentions of entering Ironman, oh no. I’m just pleased that I’m now willingly able to accomplish the aforementioned exercises that I would’ve dismissed as impossible a few short weeks ago. That said though, there’s still a way to go and from here on the ante can and will surely be upped (if my class instructor Jessica is reading this, please don’t be getting any ideas!).

As indicated by the Cinnabon standoff, my real obstacles thus far have been the other two components: nutrition and mental well-being. And this is where the Healthy Weight Programme has really come into its own. Because while it’s fantastic to be soaking up all this exercise, I’m not going to get much further than the next corner if my mind isn’t aligned with my physical efforts. During the introductory seminar we are initiated deeper into understanding the how’s and why’s of weight loss. A trove of information is disseminated by the psychologist, dietician and biokineticist and I come away with a huge sense of relief. ‘It’s going to be OK!’ shouts my sub-conscious. What I took away from the seminar is that being overweight or unhealthy is not the be all and end all. There are means and methods to achieving these goals BUT (and yes, this demands capitalization) it doesn’t come without a harmonious existence between all 3: mind, body and nutrition. So after much cartoonish dithering, I eventually did have that Cinnabon. But in applying what I’ve learnt, I didn’t let this momentary lapse drag me down. I acknowledged it for what it was and the next morning picked myself right up again with a healthy breakfast. Think of it as a mental realignment. I must be doing something right because I’m officially down half a kilogram in week 2 – yay!

We’re not a chatty group us, the Six Thirty PM Evening class, but where appropriate we deliver witty one-liners to rival an episode of Two & A Half Men. After Jessica explained a complex arrangement of exercise stations that would be the focus of our class that evening, my fellow classmate Sianne piped up with Savannah-dry concern, ‘Have you not had a good weekend?’

Bring on week 3!

There are moments in life when reality will hit you faster than it takes Usain Bolt to earn his next medal. I had one such moment about a month ago. I was diagnosed with severe insulin resistance. It’s the phase before diabetes, so essentially, I am pre-diabetic. My doctor’s words to me were: ‘You’re standing at diabetes’ door. Please don’t walk through. Turn your lifestyle around and run the hell away.’ Yes ma’am!

Enter SSISA’s ‘Healthy Weight Programme’. Notice how it’s not called the ‘Fad Diet and Magical Pills While I Continue To Be Entirely Sedentary Programme’? Yeah, we’ve all been there. The Healthy Weight (HW) Programme is designed to help you lose weight while improving fitness levels, with a focus on exercise, nutrition and well-being. Ok, that doesn’t sound totally unbearable. Maybe I can do this (?!) *insert a bit of doubt here*

During the initial fitness assessment the Biokineticist measures the crap outta me: blood pressure, cholesterol, height, weight, flexibility, crunches. He jovially explains each test and the importance of all this pre-testing and how it will assess my current fitness & health indicators, to be compared again at the end of the programme. All of which I have to ask him to repeat afterwards because honestly, about 10 seconds into crunches my brain shuts down – flooded as it is with messages of PAIN from my abdomen. I knew I was out of shape, but this much? Shoot me now!

A visit with the dietician comes next and I plod down the corridor to her office. This is it – she’s going to chastise and reduce my diet to nothing more than a postage-stamp sized piece of chicken with a carrot perched precariously on top. The walls of her office, I gloomily surmise, would be adorned with tasteful artworks.

But no! She is patient and knowledgeable in explaining the importance of a healthy, balanced diet. Even the much maligned potato gets a favourable mention and is included as an option on the customised meal plan she draws up for me.

And then I’m back to undertake Week 1 of 8. The class is small and we are unaware that we are already all friends, united by our common goal. The class instructor Jessica is defiantly against the stereotype of a militant fitness instructor and delivers her fitness commands with a smile as opposed to barking at us. I like her except when she uses that filthy word, ‘crunches.’ Then I hate her and curse her and start dreaming up ways to make her suffer and th – oh look, 30 seconds are over, no more crunches, yay! Until the next session.

I’ve completed my first week and so far so very good. Though I can’t promise that crunches and I will ever share more than a platonic relationship, I’m already seeing some early benefits. Meal options and snacks are considered with a lot more thought than previously. The stairs vs. elevator debate no longer gets fought. There’s still some way to go and I look forward to sharing this journey with you.

I write this letter as my inflight information chart shows our position to be directly over Chennai, India, making our way to Dubai . We will stop over there for a few hours and make the final leg of the journey to Cape Town.  All in all the flying time will be 30 hours. New Zealand is a long way away!

I return having seen 6 games – two quarter finals, two semi’s, the third place play off, and the final.  Between games I was able to travel by car, with various stopovers, up most of the North Island between Wellington and Auckland, and a flight down to the extreme South Island,  spending a few days in the indescribably beautiful towns of Queenstown and Arrowtown.  I have principally been on tour with executives of the Macsteel group, generous and active sponsors of the life skills programme at SSISA.

New Zealand, along with Wales, and perhaps some of the South Sea islands, are probably the only countries that can call rugby their true national sport. This nation truly embraced this tournament, and it truly seemed like a “stadium of 4 million people”.  They delivered a great World Cup and the big bonus to them came at the end with the All Black victory in the final.

To ponder briefly on the rugby I witnessed. The Welsh vs Ireland game was probably the best display of rugby I witnessed in these few weeks. The SA vs Australia game goes down in history as ” the game we should have won “.  Wales vs France is a scrappy affair of 14 against 15 men.  The  All Blacks turn on their best display of the tournament against Australia and they make (almost) the grave error of starting to plan the victory parade. The third place playoff (the game nobody really wants to play) goes to Australia, and the final is an epic, if not scintillating struggle, that almost produces a result that would have been the biggest upset in recent sporting history.

Everybody, including myself had written off the French. They played constructive, well planned rugby, limiting the amount of possession for the  All Blacks. Their defense was aggressive in the Springbok mould and at times it seemed  if the All  Blacks were without plan or structure. Great teams do what they have to do to win, and in the end New Zealand did hold the victory parade, which was in itself a tremendous spectacle.

Make  no mistake, it is difficult to be a continuously enthusiastic supporter, without a team! My heart went out to the countless supporters from South Arica, many of whom would have made great sacrifices to get to New Zealand, and some arriving even after the Boks had left. Most of the Bok supporters probably backed the All Blacks (especially against Australia), but it was always tinged with the regret of what might have been.  However, the Boks’ supporters for me were the ” People of the Tournament” - in number, attitude and behaviour.

Perhaps the only negative of our trip, but I suppose a dose of reality,  was the unruly, drunken behaviour of some of the youth on the streets after the final. The experience walking back down the Fanwalk  did not leave the impression of joyous chaos as it should have, but of an unusual aggressive and intimidating nature that surprised myself and our small party of South Africans, but this was fortunately restricted to a small minority of the people.

I don’t know if I will be back in New  Zealand again.  I hope so. I have memories of predominantly friendly people living in a small,  beautiful, clean and green  land with water everywhere. They have, in a year of major disasters in that country, staged a very successful World Cup and they (The Team and the Nation)  will experience  the  power of sport and the fruits of victory. May they use this wisely…

Morné

By Kathleen Mc Quaide–Little (SSISA, Marketing and Media Manager)

With this being your fourth week of training for the 6km MOVE for Your Health race on 6 November 2011, we hope you are feeling strong and much fitter than a month ago! Of course – you now need to now keep up your physically active lifestyle if you want to be your own hero! School playgrounds can be a great place to stay fit and many schools have implemented novel ideas to make their learners into healthy and fit heroes!

Here are just a few ideas for educators or learners to use in their schools (from Woolworths “Making the Difference” educational material – available for Grade 4 learners).

1. Activity bin

Why not have an Activity Bin in the classroom filled with skipping ropes, soccer and tennis balls, tennis-set bats, Frisbees etc. to use during break time? The class rep can be in charge of seeing that the items are returned.

2. Skipping rope circuit

All you need here is a small square of concrete where learners alternate skipping 20 jumps with:

• 10 mini-press-ups
• 10 sit-ups  10 burpies
• 10 high knee runs and 10 lunges

This circuit will only take a few minutes, but gives learners a quick effective mini-workout. Educators could develop a star-system for learners each time they do the mini-circuit.

3. 1km Health Track The 1km walk circuit track makes exercise easily accessible to learners.

How to set it up:

1. Measure out, design and develop a 1km track (or even a 500m course) around the school grounds.

2. The track should include 5 stations spaced every 100 – 200m where learners can do a variety of exercises such as 1 minute of mini-press-ups, sit-ups, skipping rope, hula-hoop swinging, lunges, squats and high-knee running.

3. In between the 5 stations, the learners can hop, skip, jump, walk or run (any forward movement) that takes them to the next station.

4. The warm-up must be done before starting the track and stretches can be done at the last station.

5. The objective of the track will be to encourage learners to complete as many kilometres as they can each week.

6. A log chart in the classroom can track each learner’s accumulated kilometres and suitable rewards and certificates can be issued in the class but even at school assemblies.

WEEK 4 training: Monday 17 October – Sunday 23 October 2011

• Warm-up: 10 min WALK EVERY SESSION
• Monday: 8 minute jog/ 2 minute walk x 1; 3 minute jog/ 2 minute walk x 2
• Tuesday: Rest
• Wednesday: 10 minute jog / 2 minute walk x1; 3 min jog/ 2 min walk x 2
• Thursday: Rest
• Friday: 15 minute jog / 2 minute walk x 1; 3 minute jog / 2 minute walk x 2
• Saturday: Rest
• Sunday: BRISK 30 minute walk

Join us on Sunday 6 November for – the MySchool Move for Your Health Landmarks 6km Fun Walk/Run. This whole campaign and event is a joint initiative of the Sports Science Institute of South Africa (SSISA), Western Province Cricket Club Running Section, Woolworths, MySchool, Let’s Play and the City of Cape Town – so we will all be there to cheer you on. Don’t forget the School’s Mass Participation Competition – where Woolworths and ADT are providing R32 000 worth of prize money for schools with the highest percentage of learners taking part, as well as the school with the outright highest number of learners standing a chance to win 1 of 5 R1000 Sportsmans’ Warehouse vouchers. Visit www.ssisa.com for all the details and why not join our Facebook page to stay ahead of the pack.

Content from HWB Communications (Pty) Ltd. on behalf of ADT Security and Kathleen Mc Quaide-Little (SSISA, Marketing and Media Manager)

Exercising, playing and being active is a very important part of a healthy upbringing for young children and teens, but the challenge for many working parents is making time to spend with their children on the sports field where they are in a secure environment.

The MySchool Move For Your Health 6km Fun Walk/ Run which takes place on Sunday, 6 November 2011, forms part of the ADT/Woolworths Landmark Challenge and is the perfect opportunity for the family to participate in a fun-filled event that not only brings home the message of healthy living and regular exercise, but offers the family a fun day in a safe environment.

Remember to check that you and your children are aware of the following tips whilst outdoors:

• Youngsters should never exercise alone, always take a friend or go with an adult.
• Consider taking your dog along on your run, or take them to the park for a game of Frisbee or catch.
• Never engage in conversation with strangers while you are out exercising.
• Never consider a ride home or refreshments from a stranger, no matter how tired you are.
• Plan your route beforehand and make sure someone at home knows when you will be back.
• Always wear the correct safety gear for your sport, such as a helmet if you are on your bike or reflective running gear when you go for a jog.
• Avoid exercising in quiet areas, and always make sure that you exercise when it is light outside.
• Never exercise with earphones – you might not hear oncoming traffic, or someone following you.
• Keep a cell phone on hand and keep pepper spray in your pocket.
• Always report suspicious behaviour or strangers lurking around your school, church or community sports fields to a responsible adult.

“By instilling these safety tips in your children” (and following them as adults), “you can be assured that they will keep a level head in any eventuality,” says Rob Dale, Regional Managing Director of ADT Security Western Cape.

Now on to the vital training programme that will get you in peak shape for the 6km run come 6 November!

WEEK 3: SIMPLE STEPS TO JOGGING 6KM IN 6-WEEKS Monday 10 October – Sunday 16 October 2011

• Warm-up: 10 minute walk at the start of every session
• Monday: (5 minute jog /2 minute walk) x 1 (3 minute jog /2 minute walk) x 3
• Tuesday: Rest
• Wednesday: (6 minute jog / 2 minute walk) x 1 (3 min jog / 2 min walk) x 3
• Thursday: Rest
• Friday:  (6 minute jog / 2 minute walk) x 1 (4 minute jog / 2 minute walk) x 2
• Saturday: Rest
• Sunday: BRISK 30 minute walk

Join us on Sunday 6 November for – the MySchool Move for Your Health Landmarks 6km Fun Walk/Run. This whole campaign and event is a joint initiative of the Sports Science Institute of South Africa (SSISA), Western Province Cricket Club Running Section, Woolworths, MySchool, Let’s Play and the City of Cape Town – so we will all be there to cheer you on. Don’t forget the School’s Mass Participation Competition – where Woolworths and ADT are providing R32 000 worth of prize money for schools with the highest percentage of learners taking part, as well as the school with the outright highest number of learners standing a chance to win 1 of 5 R1000 Sportsmans’ Warehouse vouchers. Visit www.ssisa.com for all the details and why not join our Facebook page to stay ahead of the pack.

By Kathleen Mc Quaide–Little (Sports Scientist, Marketing and Media Manager, SSISA)Dietary info provided by registered dietitians, Maryke van Zyl (Woolworths) and Shelly Meltzer and Associates (SSISA)

With just over five weeks to go until you do your Move for Your Health 6km run (see details below) – we hope you are giving your body the right fuel! Kids often seem to make poor food choices especially when faced with unhealthy options that look so appetising. Yet if we want to be healthy – eating a balanced diet is a vital part of the equation. Let’s make sure that our kids get healthy food at school by making their lunchboxes exciting and appealing.

Vital ingredients for a lunch-box should include:

• Energy sustaining carbohydrate rich foods – with a focus on fiber and micronutrient rich options like seed bread, whole wheat pitas, – crackers, corn, left over pasta or brown rice.
• Body building proteins – these can be packed individually (chicken strips or boiled egg); added to sandwiches (lean cold meats, tuna mayonnaise or left over mince meat); or added to pasta (left over chicken or fish).
• Low-fat dairy and dairy alternatives such as yoghurts, flavoured milk and soy products.   At least one fruit
• A bottle of fluid – water being the preferred choice
• Small portions if healthy fats such as hummus, peanut butter, mashed avocado pear, nuts and seeds.

Practical tips:

• Keep your lunchbox fun and exciting! Add variety by using different types of bread, dried fresh sliced fruit and varying textures and flavours.
• Plan ahead of time, so you have all you need to pack exciting lunch-boxes.
• Be snack wise! Pack healthy snack options (e.g. flavoured rice cakes, mini seed bars, mini packets of biltong, mixed nuts and dried fruit strips or bars)
• Sneak in fruit and veg by adding it to sandwiches and pasta salads.
• To increase the kids appeal for water, mix it with a bit of fruit juice or crushed fresh fruit like berries, freeze it and by break time, your child will have a healthy fruit slush as a break time drink!

Now with all the right energy to energise your training – let’s get cracking with week 2 of our training to run 6km!

Monday 3 October – Sunday 9 October 2011

• Warm-up: 15 minute walk every session
• Monday: 4 minute jog/ 2 minute walk x 5
• Tuesday: Rest
• Wednesday: 4 minute jog/ 2 minute walk x 5
• Thursday: Rest
• Friday: 5 minute jog/ 2 minute walk x 1; 3 minute jog/ 2 minute walk x 3
• Saturday: Rest
• Sunday: BRISK 30 minute walk

Join us on Sunday 6 November for – the MySchool Move for Your Health Landmarks 6km Fun Walk/Run. This whole campaign and event is a joint initiative of the Sports Science Institute of South Africa (SSISA), Western Province Cricket Club Running Section, Woolworths, MySchool, Let’s Play and the City of Cape Town – so we will all be there to cheer you on. Don’t forget the School’s Mass Participation Competition – where Woolworths and ADT are providing R32 000 worth of prize money for schools with the highest percentage of learners taking part, as well as the school with the outright highest number of learners standing a chance to win 1 of 5 R1000 Sportsmans’ Warehouse vouchers. Visit www.ssisa.com for all the details and why not join our Facebook page to stay ahead of the pack.

By Kathleen Mc Quaide-Little (Sports Scientist and Marketing and Media Manager, SSISA)

Last week – we introduced readers to a great goal for which to train – the “MySchool Move for Your Health 6km Fun Walk/Run” which is part of the Landmarks event on 6 November 2011. This week – we are kicking off with the first week of training guidelines . The six-week build up – forms part of the World Health Organisation’s “Move for Health” global campaign which strives to make people all over the world – fitter and healthier. We encourage all readers to become their own heroes as they realise a goal they thought impossible. Each week – we will also give you some practical tips on changes you can make in your life, home, school and environment that support your new HERO status. The focus this week is on your home!

Here are some practical tips to ensure that you and your kids accumulate (at least) 30 minutes of moderate physical activity almost every day (it can be done in 10 – 15 minute chunks).

• Paste ideas of 10 – 15 minute exercise options with your kids on the fridge door.• Teach your kids basic skills (cycling, hitting a ball with a bat, swimming), practise with them and encourage them.
• Create exercise opportunities at home – swings, gymnastic bars, a place to skip rope, roller blade or ride their bikes.
• Make weekends active by walking at the beach or in the forest or mountains, cycling, playing cricket, throwing a Frisbee or playing bat and ball in the park.
• Plan active holidays that include hiking, cycling, swimming, paddling etc.
• Choose an event the family can train towards – and of course our 6km fun run/walk is an obvious choice!

WEEK 1: SIMPLE STEPS TO JOGGING 6KM IN 6-WEEKS Monday 26 September-2 October2011

• Warm-up: 15 minute walk at the start of every session
• Monday: (2 minute jog/ 2 minute walk) x6
• Tuesday: Rest
• Wednesday: (3 minute jog/ 2 minute walk) x 5
• Thursday: Rest
• Friday:  (3 minute jog/2 minute walk) x5
• Saturday: Rest
• Sunday: BRISK 20 minute walk

Follow this programme AND then diarise Sunday 6 November –the MySchool Move for Your Health Landmarks 6km Fun Walk/Run. This whole campaign and event is a joint initiative of the Sports Science Institute of South Africa (SSISA), Western Province Cricket Club Running Section, Woolworths, MySchool, Let’s Play and the City of Cape Town – so we will all be there to cheer you on. Don’t forget the School’s Mass Participation Competition – where Woolworths and ADT are providing R32 000 worth of prize money for schools with the highest percentage of learners taking part, as well as the school with the outright highest number of learners participating standing a chance to win one of the five R1000 Sportsmans’ Warehouse Vouchers that are up for grabs. Visit www.ssisa.com for all the details and join our Facebook page to stay ahead of the pack.

By Kathleen Mc Quaide-Little (Sports Scientist and Marketing and Media Manager, SSISA)

Just over a year ago – we were bursting at the seams with excitement, patriotism, passion and admiration for our Bafana Bafana heroes, as they tackled top class teams in the 2010 FIFA World Cup.  In 2011, all our attention is on our “Bokke” ‘who are facing their first World Cup Rugby match against Wales in Wellington this weekend. It is wonderful for us to have sporting heroes – icons who motivate and inspire us.

But it’s important to remember that whilst most of them are genetically gifted to perform at the highest level, they have also sacrificed much and toiled away for years, doing grueling training sessions to accomplish this top level of performance.  Sheer hard work and determination have helped to make them heroes.  WE CAN ALSO BE HEROES – OUR OWN HEROES – if we throw some dedication and commitment at the cause. It is exactly this theme that Tim Noakes, Professor of Exercise Science and Sports Medicine at UCT, marathon runner, mentor, researcher, and hero wrote about in a popular magazine article. In fact – we are going to borrow this theme – “Being Your Own Hero”- for the next 7 weeks, as we help you on your way to achieving what you thought was impossible.

Noakes points out that anyone can be a hero if they get off the couch, put one foot in front of the other, and start working towards your impossible goal.  He adds – “it was in running that I learnt that, if I was prepared to work very hard, I could achieve something I never thought possible. That’s when I realized I could become my own hero.”   In 1973, Noakes completed his first Comrades Marathon (89km), in 6h49, at a pace he was unable to run even one kilometer, just 2 years prior to this. “I touched heaven that day, “he says.  “That Comrades, for me, was like winning a gold medal at the Olympics or playing for South Africa.  I couldn’t have done anything better”.

And that just sums it up beautifully. As the author of the article said “Heroism is not the measure of what other people do.  Heroism is daring to do it yourself”.  “The way to begin”, says Noakes, “is to take action. You can’t be a hero sitting on the couch!  You have to go out and do something, however small”.

The Sports Science Institute of SA (SSISA), wants YOU to dare yourself  to achieve something special and we are about to make it a whole lot easier for you! We will provide you with a goal to aim for, as well as useful training advice to get you there.  The goal is the “MySchool Move for Your Health 6km Fun Walk/Run” which is part of the Landmarks event on 6 November 2011. So why not be part of the World Health Organisation’s “Move for Health” global campaign which strives to make people all over the world – fitter and healthier, as they become their own heroes.   Weekly, for 6 consecutive  weeks, the eleven community papers will publish a  training programme and tips, prepared by experts at the Sports Science Institute of SA, which will  help you lead a HERO’S life!  Adults and kids – cut these out and follow the walking/running programme that will enable you to run 6km in 6 weeks time. On Sunday 6 November 2011– you can put into practice, all your training. The campaign and event is a joint initiative of the SSISA, WP Cricket Club Running Section, Woolworths, MySchool, ADT, Let’s Play and the City of Cape Town – so we will all be there to cheer you on. What’s more, we have organised a School’s Mass Participation Competition and Woolworths’ Making the Difference school programme and ADT are providing R32 000 worth of prize money for schools with the highest percentage of learners taking part. There will also be R5 000 worth of Sportsman’s Warehouse vouchers for the five schools with the outright highest number of learners. Make sure your school knows about the competition (www.ssisa.com) and start the training programme in next week’s issue.