Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 140, April 2021 Apr 2021 | Page 35

Time for Tough Decisions
TRAIL RUNNING
Juan let the more experienced Eric lead some of the really technical sections consider them if the timing is good , and they don ’ t clash with road events . In that case I will ask Nick and co at the Nedbank club if they will give me the go-ahead ,” says Juan .
Keeping an eye on the second-placed challengers on day three
“ I think it will be interesting to see if any of the roadies that entered AFRICANX do actually move over to trail and try to make a go of it . Perhaps some of the youngsters may run with it , and I think that over shorter trails they will be competitive , but the only way to know if they will be able to compete on the longer , more technical trails , is for somebody to go and take the trail runners on .”
For Juan , though , the long-term focus will definitely go back to preparing for the Comrades in 2022 , as he says it has been his dream since primary school to win it . “ I can remember waking up in the dark to watch the Comrades start , then my Dad and I would go for a run , and when we got back we would
put him out until 2016 , when he ran two races and once again called it quits for the season . A further two operations on his knee followed , before the final operation at the end of 2016 . “ I now had six screws in my knee , and the whole of 2017 was all about rehab . It was then that I decided that I would work towards racing Comrades . I knew there was no point in doing the traditional gradual transition from track to shorter road distances and then up to ultras , as I had lost too much time already , so I took the leap and decided 2019 was the year I would make my Comrades debut .”
Understandably , Juan admits that his knee issue is never far from his mind . “ I had five knee operations , and it cost me my career . While I have made peace with it , I cannot help but think what could have been ... You only get one opportunity in this sport , and I think my best years were taken from me . Not living up to my track potential does bug me , to a degree , but by the same token , the constant stress of having to deal with countless knee operations and having to come back every time has made me a stronger and more resilient person . I feel this will help me in my attempt on Comrades .”
Juan in his 1500m prime , competing for Central Gauteng at the SA Champs continue watching the rest of the day . But I don ’ t just want to run Comrades , I have always wanted to be competitive .”
“ In 2017 I entered , but didn ’ t really plan to run , as I was still recovering from surgery . Then in 2019 I put in a huge effort to run it , but in the middle of March my knee gave in . Straight after that I started training with Nick , and he helped me adjust both my training and outlook . He cut my training to one running session a day , whereas in the past I did two , and incorporated a lot of cross-training in my programme – more than running – which has really helped me . I haven ’ t had a niggle since starting with Nick , whereas before that I couldn ’ t get through four weeks without a niggle . Training with Nick has a been a huge blessing , and the only downside was Comrades getting cancelled two years in a row .”
Time for Tough Decisions
As a result of the revised training regime , Juan was in fine form in early 2020 , and really looking forward to that year ’ s Comrades . He had done well in the Dis- Chem Half Marathon in January 2020 , then stepped up to the 50km distance at Om Die Dam in March , going past the marathon distance for the first time and
35