Pretoria - June 2021

TOP TIPS
for those starting their running journey
In 1976, Bruce Fordyce was a young
student at Wits University in Joburg,
and against a background of the
country being in the grip of apartheid,
isolated from the rest of the world
and with revolution in the air, decided
he needed to take control of his
life and give himself a purpose. He
challenged himself to run SA’s most
famous long-distance race, the 90km
Comrades Marathon. A gruelling race,
and one he would go on to win five
years later, and eight more times after
that, too, arguably making him one of
the greatest Comrades runners in the
history of the race.
He went on to win so much more …
the famous London to Brighton three
times, setting the world record in 1983
which stood for more than 30 years, the
100km Challenge race in Stellenbosch
in 1989 (another world record!), the
State President’s Gold Award for Sport
from Nelson Mandela in 1997. He’s also
launched the Parkrun concept in SA
– with close on 200 Saturday morning
5km free timed runs and more than
one million registered members.
Bruce still runs – although now with
a dodgy knee, saying he estimates
he’s run well over 200 000km in his
life. His latest achievement … Winged
Messenger – a guide, written in the
first person, aimed at other keen
runners, but specifically novices, which
includes his personal 1976/77 training
diary (right from his very first jog
around the Wits rugby field on June
8, 1976) as well as anecdotes from the
time he spent training for that first race.
10 tips from the king of Comrades, Bruce Fordyce
1 CONSISTENCY: Nothing improves our running more than consistent regular
running. Regular running, (more than four times a week) builds a wonderful
foundation from which to build even greater fitness.
2 QUALITY: Always choose quality over quantity. While (L.S.D) long slow distance
still helps, really sharp fitness is improved by running faster or by running hilly
courses. Try and run a speed or hill session at least once a week.
3 LOGBOOK: Keep a logbook/training diary. I started recording my running
from the first day (a 10-minute jog around the Wits university rugby fields, June
8th 1976). Logbooks serve as a wonderful source of reference, and a source of
guidance for the future.
4 COACH: Once we start to get serious, it is advisable to find a reliable and
trustworthy coach. I have one regret from my early running days and that is that I
was self-coached. I made too many mistakes. A coach would have helped a lot.
5 INJURIES: Every runner gets injured from time to time. It takes great maturity
to admit that we are injured and that our aching calf muscle is not just a minor
niggle. Confront an injury head-on and find a good doctor or physiotherapist to
help correct the problem.
6 DESPERATELYKEENTITIS: Understand that injuries are not mysterious ‘acts of
God’. They don’t just happen. We get injured because we push our bodies too
hard. We catch an enthusiasm disease which I have named ‘desperatelykeentitis’.
This enthusiasm drives us to do too much, too soon, too fast and too frequently.
The only cure for desperatelykeentitis is to try and blunt the enthusiasm. Creating
a fit runner takes time and patience, rather like the process of creating a really
fine wine.
7 REST: For many runners, rest is a four-letter swear word. But rest and recovery
are the stepping stones to increased fitness. Never be afraid to have an easy day
or even to take a day off running
8 GOOD SHOES: We runners are fortunate in that our sport is relatively cheap.
However, it is worth investing in a good pair of running shoes. For the correct
advice I always go to a specialist running store. I may pay a little extra but
the advice I receive is invaluable.
9 TRAIN WITH FRIENDS: Our sport is a social sport and we need the company of
friends. And besides, shared discipline is a lot easier than individual discipline.
10 DON’T OVERRACE: Training builds our fitness, racing breaks us down. Too
many of us want to run marathons and long-distance races as often as possible.
The world’s most successful champions are very selective in their racing. They
choose two or three major races a year and peak specifically for those events.
Win a signed copy of Winged Messenger
The mistakes. The successes. The progress and journey towards that first
Comrades Marathon. Winged Messenger is a training guide and a fascinating
glimpse into the life of Bruce Fordyce. You can buy the book for R220 on
brucefusion.com, Amazon and Goodreads, or win one! We’ve got three
signed copies to give away. Simply hotfoot it over to Get It Pretoria Magazine
Facebook page, find the post and tag a training friend in the comments section.
Entries close 30 June.
June 21 Get It Magazine 15