RUNNING
Words: Elana Meyer | Photos: Elana Meyer & Sportograf, Cape Epic
Challenge yourself and expand your
LIMITS
Can you still remember the first time you got something right when you thought it was impossible?
Do you remember that great feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction? That WOW feeling that gave you the courage and belief that you would be able to do it again?
#39 | DO IT NOW Magazine • 1
Pushing the boundaries by climbing Mount Everest.
2 • DO IT NOW Magazine | #39
I can remember many moments where I had to take a deep breath and a leap of courage, but I did it.
I recall the first time I jumped over a stream and didn't land in the water. What a great feeling that was and this seemingly small accomplishment made me believe in myself, my capabilities. I also remember the first wave I bodysurfed in the rough waters of Gouritz and how it made me believe that I could do more. These moments of getting it right, usually after many attempts of trying, are the ones that I will never forget.
www.doitnow.co.za • 3
Over the years I have continued to push my own boundaries in running, and this mostly resulted in personal or even world records. But my biggest achievement is that
through all the highs and lows, I have learnt that it does not matter what the challenge is. As long as you have a strong belief that you can do anything you apply your mind to, you will succeed.
Finishing the Absa Cape Epic in 2012 was one of those amazing personal feats where I really expanded my comfort-zone barriers. Up until six months prior to taking part in the 'Untamed African Mountain Bike Race' in 2012, I had never even owned a bicycle. In addition, being in my mid 40s and taking up mountain biking for the first time made it doubly difficult. It was all new for me and I was way out of my comfort zone! All my life I have been used to running and the freedom of it. This new goal meant I would be attached to my bike by cleats, and getting used to this did not happen without a couple of nasty falls. I also had a tough time with the idea of having to look where you want to go on a bike as opposed to looking where you do not want to go when running. This too had some really bad consequences. With so many hurdles to overcome in such a short time, I decided to enlist some help and signed up for coaching and technical training with Spook Groenewald and Erica Green from Daisyway Coaching Systems. It made a world of difference, as it boosted my confidence in my abilities and ensured that I made it (in one piece) to the starting line. Lining up at the start of the (Epic) Prologue of my first-ever mountain bike race, it was not the endurance part of the actual race that scared me. It was the technical terrain we had to conquer to reach Lourensford after eight days of mountain biking, in which we would ascend double the height of Mount Everest. Those eight long and tough days were filled with many technical challenges for a rookie like me. I had plenty of falls and had to be stitched up, but I made it to the end and it was a huge personal victory. The feeling and sense of achievement was beyond anything I can describe, but it confirmed my belief that personal growth takes place when you enter the unknown and expand your boundaries. Every time I have done something outside of my comfort zone, I see what is possible and cannot imagine a life without it. • For more information, visit www.endurocad.co.za
4 • DO IT NOW Magazine | #39
Pushing the boundaries by taking part in the 2012 Absa Cape Epic.
www.doitnow.co.za • 5
Tips for a beginner mountain biker
• I always suggest, "Walk before you can run," and the same goes for mountain biking. Start riding a mountain bike on terrain you are comfortable with. • Get skilled up on the bike. There are many skills' clinics and great coaches around, it will be worth the investment! • Invest in good equipment. Apart from the bike, you need a proper cycling bib, and a good helmet and gloves. The rest of the equipment is optional. • Make sure your bike is set-up properly. • Always ride with someone. • If you want to be a mountain biker, the question is not if you are gonna fall, the question is just when. So be prepared. • Make sure you pull and push the pedal in a full circle. • Don’t ever leave the house without your helmet and gloves. • You can bike with a meal in your tummy, so fuel up before you leave for a long ride.
6 • DO IT NOW Magazine | #39