PJ’ S PIECE
LETTERS
Have Your SAY
Got something on your mind that you want to share, a burning question you want answered, or a good story to tell? Then send it to letters @ modernathlete. co. za and add a pic if you can.( Note that these letters may have been shortened due to space limitations.)
WINNING LETTER
SHOE EXPERTS EVERYWHERE …
down for a few metres and then boldly pronounce that they have deduced that the newbie must buy shoe X. Just like that …
I’ ve noticed that most times they do not check the wear pattern on the newbie’ s shoes, nor do they ask basic questions about any knee, shin, ITB or plantar pain, and usually they forget to even ask the newbie what type of running he or she intends to do. No, they just watch the newbie run for five or six metres and suddenly they know the answer. And more often than not, they recommend a shoe( or brand) they themselves run in!
I’ m not saying that these veterans are wrong, or that they don’ t know what they’ re talking about, but I do find it hard to accept that they can just make instantaneous assessments, when my experience with podiatrists, physios, kinesiologists and biomechanists, as well as respected shoe retailers, involved much more detailed testing and evaluation. So my advice to newbies is not to just accept the first bit of advice you get. A second opinion never hurts. – SJ, Johannesburg
One thing I have noticed at my club is that there are some runners who really think they know it all, especially when it comes to running shoes. When a newbie runner arrives at the club and asks these‘ veterans’ for advice about buying shoes, they invariably tell the newbie to run up and
I can remember experiencing the exact same thing 20 years ago when I started running and joined my club. Since then I have written a fair number of shoe reviews, and yet I still do not feel qualified to look at a runner and recommend a specific shoe just like that. – Ed.
LOVING PJ’ S PIECE
I am really inspired by the column in Modern Athlete written by PJ Moses. What I like about his writing is that he is down to earth and writes from personal experience. In the February 2018 edition, he talks about the challenges we all face when we have to go for a run, like allowing our social
PJ’ S PIECE
By PJ Moses
PROMISES VS GOALS
ow many of us start each year by making all kinds of promises to ourselves, many of which never become a reality? I used to do the same thing, until I
Hrealised that I was setting myself up for failure! I was not setting goals and I was not planning properly. All I was doing was making vague promises that, if I was totally honest with myself, I was not intending to keep.
Let us say you promise yourself that you are going to lose weight … How much weight do you want to lose? How will you go about it? What targets have you set to check the progress you have made? When you are contemplating life-changing decisions, I would advise against being spontaneous. Sit down and set yourself realistic, reachable goals. Make them daily targets to create good habits, and visualise success, then chase it down every day.
Every decision should be thought out, and every step backwards should be remedied immediately with a step forwards. Every wrong turn should be coursecorrected immediately to keep you on the path to your destination. If you know you need a run today, then do not make excuses about being busy, or moan that life is not playing along with your training schedule. Get out there, even if it’ s just for a gentle 3km.
Sometimes you need a break, but we know when a break is really needed, and when we are just being lazy. Be honest with yourself, and work on a better you with every moment you are given. Think about it constantly. In the car, in the lift, in the bus or train, think about it while you’ re making food for your family. Do crunches before you go to bed. Do sit-ups when you get up in the morning. Do push-ups before you jump in the shower.
You’ ve got the same amount of time that Bill Gates, Richard Branson and Elon Musk have. Your potential is always in reach, but you must put in the effort to reach for it before it slips away. There is only one you, so be resolute about achieving your goals and go fulfill your promise!
life, work or family issues to sabotage our goals. That’ s why I always encourage newer runners to go for a run, even if you have to borrow your neighbour’ s furry friend for a 3km dog-jog, because both of you will get rid of any stress and the health benefits are superb. Lovely articles by all the other writers as well. Thanks, Sean, for your great team. – Franklin Smith, Cape Town
Thanks, Franklin, nice to be appreciated. I love PJ’ s writing just as much... that’ s why I offered him a column in the first place. – Ed.
Images: Courtesy Trad Cruikshank
Images: Fotolia & courtesy PJ Moses
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: PJ is a former Cape Flats gangster who took up running, and writing about it, when he turned his back on that dangerous lifestyle in order to set a better example for his two young sons.
LITTER OF A DIFFERENT KIND
My partner and I are relatively new to running and have grown to love it. We started out with parkrun initially and have since progressed to road running, and joining a club as well. On reflection, however, our greatest reservation and misgivings of the sport concern litter, but of a different nature... Spitting, gobbing and gwelling!
We have yet to compete in a road race where we’ ve not had to duck, side-step, jump, brake or back-track to avoid an airborne‘ green one.’ Ironically, we have not experienced this at club runs and time trials, nor at parkrun. One can’ t expect race marshals to control this, but should it not receive as much media focus for being uncool as other types of littering? – Clive Duncan, via e-mail
I have to agree with you Clive. I find spitting unsavoury, not to mention unhygienic, and hope your letter gets that message through to more runners. – Ed.
SALUTE THE BUS DRIVERS
I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all the bus drivers or official pacesetters. It really takes effort and responsibility. This year I tried my luck to be one of the bus drivers at Comrades – I did not write the time on my flag, but my target was sub-11h00. In my mind was that I have Green Number 34522, with 12 Comrades finishes, so now I can be a bus driver, but on race day, everyone was asking,“ What bus is this?” I then started to realise how people really rely on buses, especially novices, and dropping people would be a disaster.
Images: iStock, Sean Falconer, & courtesy Jabulani Sigege, Maria Bendana
6 ISSUE 104 MARCH 2018 / www. modernathlete. co. za