Ever considered doing the Ironman but believe that it is impossible because of your work and family commitments? Iza Trengove

This month's blog interviews three triathletes who cover both sides of the debate.

The first two are CCJ’s training partners, Orrie Basson and Paul Siebert. Orrie is a project manager and married with children. Paul Siebert runs his own marketing business and is also married with children. The third interviewee is professional triathlete Annah Wilkinson a chartered accountant and head of Absa’s Global Finance for the Coastal Regions Orrie Basson and Paul Siebert are two of the Johannesburg Country Club’s triathlon athletes who competed in this year’s Standard Bank Ironman African Championship race on Sunday 7 April 2019. The race which took place in Nelson Mandela Bay consists of a full marathon, 180km cycle and a 3.8 km swim in open water. It was a first for both athletes who ended in 10:45 and 10:50 respectively. Earlier this month I chatted to Orrie, a project manager at S I P and Paul, owner of iPoint Business Development.

What inspired you to enter for the ironman?

Orrie: I started doing triathlons because I was getting bored with running and wanted to do something that would improve my general fitness and health.

Paul: I did triathlons as a youngster and represented SA in the U19 world championships in 1996. After school I got married, started my own advertising company and had children. Last year my wife surprised me with an entry that I accepted gratefully.

How does one prepare for such a gruelling race? 

Orrie: The ironman is not something you can do overnight. One’s fitness levels and strength over at least one to two years to prevent injuries and condition one’s body. I have been doing ironman specific training since about October 2018. The first thing I did was get a proper training programme, employ a coach  and join a squad.

Paul: I joined the same squad. Orrie and I used a computer training programme called  MPG (micro programme generator). It designs a personalised programme for each athlete based on their performance history and data. It is linked to one’s sport watch and as one progresses the programme is adapted. Our coach was always available to answer questions about our progress and help us make decisions about whether to take a rest day or push through. The squad members supported each other and the camaraderie was amazing. Orrie and I have been training an average of 14 – 17 hours a week in all three disciplines since December.

What did your training involve?

Orrie: The training programme was structured in blocks of four weeks. We trained seven days a week and often twice or even three times a day for the first three weeks. We would, for example, run for three days and then change to swimming and cycling. This gave our bodies a chance to recover but remain active. Week four was the assessment and recovery week. This consisted of a recovery day and shorter intense sessions during which one’s progress was tested. Depending on the results the next month’s training programme was adapted. Some weeks I made gains and in others, I regressed. Luckily I was able to stick to about 90% of my programme.

Paul: Although we trained in a squad, each member had a tailored programme according to their fitness level. It was more about running, swimming or cycling for a certain duration and pace rather than covering a specific distance. Throughout the training, it was important to listen to our bodies and skip a session if we felt too exhausted. It helped to have an experienced coach who could help us make decisions about skipping a session or pushing through.

Did you follow a specific diet?

Orrie: When I started training for the Ironman I consulted a dietician who worked out a balanced diet that prescribed the quantity and variety of food I had to eat to perform at maximum level. I learnt how important one’s weight to power ratio is. If one carries excess weight one can’t perform at one’s peak. Eating correctly becomes very important especially when one does double or triple training sessions. Getting to know what works for one was a steep learning curve. I realized that a potato gives me much more energy than a slice of bread. I would typically drink Steri Stumpies and a banana during training sessions that were longer than one and a half hours.

Paul: It is important to fuel one’s body properly if one wants to perform at one’s peak. I followed a balanced diet that consisted of a cup of coffee and a banana before the first training session and immediately afterwards I would have a protein shake. Breakfast consisted of eggs and English muffins or avocado and for lunch, it was usually a pasta or tramezzini. The idea is to eat carbs and protein. At night I would have protein again and salad or veggies. In between I snacked on fruit. It is important to know how your body reacts to different types of food.

Did you take additional supplements?

Orrie: I took a multivitamin and slow mags regularly. Despite this I felt as if my body was going to crash in January. I decided to have a banana drip. That really saved me. Six weeks before the race I had another one.

Paul: I also took multivitamins regularly to build up my immunity. Unfortunately, I didn’t think it was necessary to take additional magnesium because I never had a problem with cramping. During the race I realized this was a mistake because I did, in fact, start cramping.

Did you battle with injuries?

Orrie: I was fortunate enough not to have any major injuries. However, I developed lower back pain earlier on, but it was sorted out after I started doing core exercises. I also changed my bike set up. If I enter again I will definitely include more core work. It helps prevent injuries and assists one’s body cope with extreme muscle stress.

Paul: A month before the race I developed runner’s knee. My physio gave me core and stretching exercises. I had to stop running for about two weeks, but I could still swim and cycle. Luckily my knee was sorted out before race day.

Did you take painkillers?

Paul: No, I didn’t want to mask  the pain. 

When did you start tapering  down?

Orrie: Two weeks before the race and a week before the race we did about half of our normal training. We focused on high intensity.

How did you control your stress?

Orrie: I found the training very stressful. It was extremely difficult to manage training, work and family. I didn’t think I’d be ready. Luckily our coach and some of the more experienced teammates continuously reassured me that I would be up to it if I put in the hours. On race day I felt fairly calm and decided to tackle it bit by bit and maintain a comfortable rhythm.

Paul: Developing an injury so close to the race and fearing that I might not be able to do it was extremely stressful and frustrating. Fortunately, on race day I felt confident and calm. I knew I had put in the time.

What advice do you have for inexperienced athletes?

Orrie: Ironman was a massive journey, not just an event. It was a huge learning curve to discover how one’s body can adapt under extreme stress. It was amazing to see how one progressed if one was prepared to do the distance. I can highly recommend joining a squad and getting a coach. A camaraderie developed between the members of the group. This helped one cope with self-doubt and extreme fatigue.

Paul: Joining a squad and getting a coach is crucial. The experienced guys in our group were always ready to share tips about when to eat and how to handle the change from one discipline to another. I do think one should start doing a few halves and build up if one is doing it for the first time.

Annah Wilkinson

Annah Wilkinson podiumed at the Ironman race in Nelson Mandela Bay earlier this month. She completed it in 8:43 and will represent South Africa at the World Championships in October.

She competed in the Ironman as professional athlete and in order to do this she qualified and registered as a professional athlete in 2016. This entitles her to compete against the world’s best triathletes in the  World Championships held annually in Kona, Hawaii in October. Despite her packed endurance training schedule Annah is also a registered Chartered Accountant and is currently head of Absa’s Global Finance for the Coastal Regions. She also completed a CFA recently. 

I started by asking her how she managed to balance work, her training and social life.

I don’t want to have a balanced life. I enjoy pushing things to extremes. Juggling everything takes the utmost discipline and time management. It’s really about making choices and opting to spend time on the things one feels passionate about.

Does the Women’s race differ from the men’s race?

No, they are exactly the same. What typically happens is that the professional men start first and a few minutes later the professional women. Then the amateur groups go in batches starting every ten seconds.

What has been your best time for the full Ironman?

My best time was this year when I completed the race in 8:43, but the swimming leg was cut short because of choppy waters, so I am unsure if it will be accepted. Prior to that my best time was 9:04.

Describe your typical programme.

I don’t have one. I trust my coach who decides what I do.

Although he is based in Europe we chat daily and then decide what my training programme should include. It all depends on my workload and how I feel. In the run up to the Ironman I do about 25 hours a week. This may include two to three hours which cover all three disciplines and more than one training session. Over weekends I often train more than six hours a day.

Do you also do gym workouts?

No, I don’t have time to go to the gym, but my coach ensures that the cycling, running or swimming sessions include strength and stretching exercises.

And your diet?

I don’t follow a particular diet, but I watch what I eat because it is very easy to reward oneself with food if one is training hard. I cannot afford to gain weight.

Do you take additional Vitamins?

Yes. If one trains hard, one depletes one’s body’s immune system. I have had gastro a few times this year and now take a probiotic, Vitamin D2 and magnesium daily.

Do you believe that one should test the limits?

I always regret not pushing the envelope even if it is not confirmed by data or numbers. Psychologically I want to feel I have pushed myself to the limit even if I don’t break a record.

What’s important is to know I had the strength and persistence to exceed the limits on that day. If I do what’s mentally possible I get over not

achieving my goal. One must accept that if one trains

consistently not every training session will be a diamond. Some will be rocks. Mentally one can’t exceed the limits if one doesn’t have a solid base. Showing up and training hard and consistently is what counts. The non-record days and the record days ultimately come together to build

up one’s armoury for the competition.

How do you keep your stress levels under control?

I tend to dread race day. My new coach helps me create a race plan which helps control my anxiety. I am now able to ignore whomever is on the starting line and focus on my own race. I try to execute my plan and control as much as I can. The unexpected happens and then one has to improvise. I have realized that magic only happens when one is in the race and racing next to the best in the world. It may also mean that one’s strategy goes out the window, but that is all part of making the Ironman such a wonderful race.


Next Month: Comrades tips from sport gurus