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TRAIL Mail #11: Friday 03 June 2022
Sent to 9,747 readers

Jacky defines running's spirit.
Stupid people and ultras.
Gijima film has Zulu soul.
Which protein is healthiest?

     In this issue

  1. Trail Talk. Nothing can stop you. Stupid people.
  2. Your adventures. Trail Trophies with Bridgedale.
  3. Gear. First Ascent's X-Trail jacket winter buster.
  4. Races. 22 events in the next 30 days.
  5. News. New Salomon TV movie is from SA.
  6. Health. Is there a 'better' protein?
  7. Training. Maintaining fitness with limited time.
  8. Competitions. Win Bridgedale and SCARPA.

1. TRAIL TALK

Nothing can stop you
Jacky Hunt-Broersma has one of the most popular runner accounts on Twitter. A South African living in the USA, she lost her left leg to the rare cancer Ewing's sarcoma, a disease that mostly develops in bones, when she was 26. Now 21 years further on her journey, she is accomplishing physical feats that most runners would not attempt.

She says “You are not defined as a runner by what you look like, what clothes you wear, what pace or distance you run, but by your drive to be the best version of yourself.”

She told me: "
I was born and raised in Pretoria. Then moved to the Netherlands in 1998 and later the UK, and now live in beautiful Arizona, USA, which reminds us of SA. My dad still lives in SA, and so does my husband's family. We've been really lucky to travel. Working on some plans to run the Ultra-Trail Drakensberg 160km."

How cool! I thought I'd share that with you to start off this issue on a high note. Oh, and the following, for a smile...

Stupid people
I guess this tweet is exactly like Ricky Gervais saying outrageous things and getting away with them because he's a comedian who says outrageous things.

Lazarus Lake (real name
Gary Cantrell, and the personality who effectively powers the Barkley Marathons) can also get away with comments like the above, because that's how he rolls. He was referring to the Capital Backyard Ultra held in the States this week, which he's involved in.

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Thanks to Brooks, First Ascent, and Bridgedale for sponsoring this week's newsletter.

I hope you enjoy the rest of the read.

Keep warm and stay strong!

Deon Braun
TRAIL founder

2. YOUR ADVENTURES

Your #TrailTrophies photos.
Check out this week's Facebook post and share your own favourite pic from the weekend or during the week.


Thank you all for sharing your adventures in May. There were so many inspiring photos that it was very, very difficult to choose one that stood out, and I was equally sad that you couldn't all share the top spot.
 

  • (Above) Waheeb Slarmie took a striking and colourful shot at Saddle Rock with Lion's Head in view, welcoming the morning clouds. He and Fairuz Coe and Shafeeka Arendse accompanied him on "A round trip up Newlands Ravine and over via Oppelskop viewpoint around Kings blockhouse. At the top of the ravine, we made a turn at Pulpit Rock viewpoint. It's that little block of rocks that you can see from the southern suburbs between Devils Peak and the Table Top."
    (Unfortunately he entered another photo, which put him out of the running for the prize, as only one photo per person is accepted. Hopefully he'll have another photo with similar impact next time!)

  • (Below) Ian Hendry captured a sunrise, then wrote a great caption to capture what trail running means to him.

  • Margaretha Calitz took a cheeky photo below massive mountain peaks in the Drakensberg and mentioned dragons.

Thanks to Bridgedale for sponsoring this week's Trail Trophies. Check out their range at Cape Union Mart and look out for their next Trail Trophies photo competition on our Facebook page on 27 June.

Ian Hendry: "Too much time indoors and I get cabin fever. So on Sunday I decided to head out solo from Silverstar Casino to the Botanical Gardens. A pre-dawn early start ensured I was on the ridge as the sun started rising. It was spectacular!"

Margaretha Calitz said "I was feeling a bit crazy on day 2 of Giant's Cup Trail run (27/28 May). The dragons in the mighty Drakensberg just cannot be slain!"

And the winner is...
It was tough call, but the winner is Margaretha Calitz, for her zany selfie which conveys the dizzying heights of Drakensberg peaks towering above her. And she included dragons (because they're the Dragon's Mountains, after all) in her caption, which was sharp.

Margaretha wins four pairs of Bridgedale socks of her choice, worth R1,000.

The next opportunity to win Bridgedale socks worth R1,000 is Monday 27 June, so tune in to our Facebook page that morning.

Share one trail running pic that you took while training or racing in southern Africa this month and tell us a bit about it. Remember to include the where, what, who, when, why, and how in your caption to jazz it up.

About Bridgedale
Bridgedale's main factory is based in Ireland, but there is a factory in Cape Town that produces its socks under license for export globally.

The brand has been producing socks in Ireland for well over 100 years, with a workforce whose combined experience exceeds 800 years.

Bridgedale was also the first technical sock brand to introduce women-specific fits and features a lifetime guarantee against faults in workmanship and materials.

Buy Bridgedale at selected stockists, including Cape Union Mart.

3. GEAR

First Ascent X-Trail Jacket R1,699
Don't let foul weather keep you off the trails. Run cool, dry and protected in light rain conditions with the First Ascent X-Trail lightweight jacket. Its underarm ventilation maximises breathability when your body's temperature starts to rise.

It fits easily into a hydration pack, giving you total peace of mind on mountain runs. Reflective trims keep you visible during low light conditions, while the
volume control hood provides full range of movement and keeps out
the rain.

Tackle your next rainy mountain run with confidence in this trail essential.

Colours: Rusty Coral (Women), Yellow Submarine (Men)

4. RACES

View 22 events for the month ahead on our website now.

PROMOTED EVENTS 2022 Get listed


George Mountain Ultra Trail. Sat 18 Jun (WC)
10km, 25km, 42km, 60km, 100km. Cradock Pass. Top Garden Route mountain running through stunning indigenous forests and fynbos.
georgemut.run

GET LISTED

5. NEWS

Umuntu ngumuntu agabantu
The Salomon film Gijima is a poignant South African story about LIV2RUN runner Sinovuyo Ngcobo, told by South African filmmaker Dean Leslie to celebrate International Running Day.

Gijima (running time 14:39) was released on Wednesday. I'm sure you will be as moved as I was by the courage and humble determination of its young protagonist to overcome his many challenges.

The film features interviews with his mentors Ryan Sandes, Lindi Meyer, Phakamani Dladla, and Nkuleko Msomi, and includes footage from last year's Otter African Trail Run.

(Umuntu ngumuntu agabantu means 'a person is only a person because of other people' ie stay humble.)

Watch it now.

FEATURE YOUR NEWS

6. HEALTH

Animal versus plant protein. Is one healthier?
Protein has been a hot topic for a long time. Swedish scientist Jöns Jacob Berzelius only named it protein in 1838 although humans had been wondering about the so-called 'animal substance' they found in albumen, eggs, wheat gluten, among others.

But it's a fallacy that we need to eat animal products for protein.

Animals, including humans, cannot synthesise their own protein. We have to get it from plants. In recent years the debate has shifted to the differences between animal and plant proteins, and the pros and cons of the two.

The evidence is stacking up that plant protein is the better option for long-term health, especially metabolic and cardiovascular health.

NutritionFacts.org founder Dr Michael Greger says "In 2016, a landmark study was published out of Harvard, involving more than 100,000 men and women, that found that replacing animal protein with plant protein was associated with lower risk of dying prematurely. The worst seemed to be processed meat like bacon, as well as egg protein (the egg whites), but swapping in even just three per cent plant protein for any of the animal proteins: processed meat, unprocessed meat, chicken, fish, eggs, or dairy was associated with a significantly lower risk of arguably the most important endpoint of all, death."

Watch the video (or read the transcript, and scroll to the bottom for interesting reader comments).

7. TRAINING

Fitter in less time
Winter's here and shorter days mean adjusted schedules. Coach Mauritz Jansen van Rensburg gives you actionable ideas to maintain your fitness with a focus on speed, which will help you on longer distances too.

8. COMPETITIONS

Bridgedale Trail Run Socks
If you missed this week's Bridgedale giveaway on Facebook, be sure to enter the next one on Monday 27 June. You could be running in four pairs of Bridgedale worth R1,000!

Tune into TRAILza on Facebook every Monday for the freshest Trail Trophies adventures from the TRAIL family.

SCARPA Spin Ultra
If you're a runner doing longer distances, and want a cushioned but not stiff shoe, SCARPA has a potential solution for you. The Spin Ultra has a 6mm drop, which helps provide a stable ride. And its upper is built with micro-nubuck and mesh for superior protection on all types of terrain.

The Spin Ultra is valued at R3,199. There are four colourways available.

Enter now. A Twitter option has been added since the competition went live on 27 May. More options to follow, so check back on our website.

Note: A small number of people found our post and entered while we were still in test mode and not visible publicly, and these entries were removed when we reset the start date. Please go back to the entry widget and check that you do have your points you accrued.

THAT'S IT FOR NOW. HAPPY WEEKEND!

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