Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 74, September 2015 | Seite 33

Dare To Tri

Ma

ANOTHER FANTASTIC

5 for 5150

Last month we introduced you to the Fabulous Five Dare to Tri novices being featured
in Modern Athlete ahead of the Standard Bank 5150 Bela Bela event, and this
month we reveal the second batch of Fantastic Five novices for the Standard Bank
5150 Ekurhuleni African Champs at Germiston Lake in November.
The Coach’s Corner
by DTT Coach Derick Marcisz
In recent weeks we’ve had improved weather in Gauteng, and that has seen some great weekend group
training sessions getting done! There have been new faces at the morning bike rides, which is really nice,
and just as enjoyable for me as a coach was seeing the noticeable improvement in all those that come to
the swim sessions.
At the time of writing, our DTT athletes were making final preparations for the 5150 Bela Bela on 22 August,
and we had 42 athletes entered, including our five selected novices. Looking ahead to 1 November, we have
the 5150 Ekurhuleni African Champs, and I would like to set a record for the number of DTT triathletes at an
event, so I am encouraging all DTT members to enter and take part. We have also selected our five featured
5150 Ekurhuleni novices – read about them below. Please join them for this event and let’s show off the
DTT colours in style!

Images: Courtesy athletes

MEET THE TEAM FOR EKURHULENI
Damian Murphy

Belinda Booyens Emanuel Kelly-Loulie Clemmy Walker

Jaryd Otto

I am a rather large man, with
bad knees from rugby and
footie in my youth. (I say
‘youth’ like 31 isn’t young,
but I’m not the kid I used
to be.) Running kills my
knees, and I’m overweight,
so carrying myself on a bike
is going to require loads of
effort. I haven’t swum in at
least 40 kilograms – that’s
how much weight I gained
since school – but I guess
that’s the point of Dare to Tri.
I challenge the coach and he
challenges me. Let’s see how
the next 12 weeks go.

Driving back from my third
Comrades this year, I said
to my husband, “I need to
find life after Comrades.” He
smiled and said, “Oh no, here
we go again…” I had watched
the 2015 Ironman SA from
my sofa and was in awe of
the finishers. And so on 1
July I started the Dare to Tri
programme. Running is all
I know, cycling is more of a
challenge, and swimming…
let’s just say it’s not a pretty
sight! My ultimate goal is Full
Ironman, and completing
5150 Germiston is my first
step. Training is not easy, but
I love the new challenge.

For those of you who haven’t
met coach Derick, you will
quickly realise he is a very
persuasive man! After a ‘few’
glasses of wine I found myself
entered into my first triathlon!
What? But my panic quickly
subsided when I realised that
coach also convinced me to join
the Dare to Tri training group.
Although I would consider
myself quite an athletic person,
completing a triathlon is a
daunting prospect for anyone!
Thus DTT and coach will be a
welcome source of support,
encouragement and inspiration!
I look forward to the challenge!

Ever since I first became aware
of the 5150 series three years
ago, the thought of becoming
a triathlete was a dream, but
relegated to the back of my
mind, not believing that it could
come true for me. Besides being
a relatively competent swimmer,
I detested running, and the
thought of spending hours
on a bicycle saddle so much
smaller than my Lay-Z Boy at
home did not excite me. That
has all changed dramatically
since joining Dare to Tri, and
while the thought of the 5150
in Germiston in November is still
daunting, I now have an entire
team supporting me!

Being more of a runner, I
decided on News Year’s Day that
this year I would take on a new
challenge. I entered my first
sprint tri event, then embarked
on my own training programme,
which in hindsight needed more
structure. I discovered this on
the very long, hot run at that
event! But the triathlon bug had
bitten. I love the variety that
the event offers, and was really
impressed how friendly and
supportive the other athletes
were, really encouraging us
newbies! I am turning 40 in
November and completing the
Germiston 5150 would be a
huge accomplishment for me!

WANT TO JOIN DARE TO TRI?
33
Go to https://daretotri.canbook.me/e/view/8916 and follow the prompts to register, or contact coach Derick Marcisz on [e-mail] or 082 777 7760.