On this, the last day of 2015.

Let me take this opportunity to reflect on the year that has been 2015. This year I have grown physically, emotionally and professionally. From earning my first pay cheque, to running my longest distance and most importantly remaining Injury free. I have ran more kilometres this year than any other year in my life. 

On the flip side though, I did less races this year and I did not reach some of the goals that I had set out for myself. Such is life though and we look to the new year to achieve new things and set more goals. 

My year started with excitement I was starting my first job at one of the biggest law firms in the country and I was very excited that I would be entering the corporate environment. I donned my suit and tie with pride and I made sure that I wore interesting colour combinations to the office so that I would brighten everybody's day and that they would remember me as that intern. That IT intern that dressed well, I should have been a lawyer... 

January consisted of a whole lot, of trying to be an office rat while also trying to run and enjoying being "independent". I also had my first taste of Nike Training Club. Also casual Friday is amazing! 

The following people were featured over the course of January and February: 

• Ipeleng Motuba
• BKS Reel Entertainment
• Andy Chan
• Marek Lavorenti
• Onthathile Ratshoafo
• Pixie Harlow
• Jupiter Desphy V
• Tina Araneta
• Dear Legs
• #INDIERUNNERTAKEOVER by Anna Hankings-Evans
• Nqabisa Ndodana
• Adrienne Knight
• #INDIERUNNERTAKEOVER by LeAnne Kerr
• Francine Askew
• Keilynn Hopkins
• Gabriela Delgadillo
• Tanya Kovarsky
• P I N K

Nike Run Club launched in July and I was sad that I could not be a pacer. I am a full time student and because of this I missed out on an awesome opportunity. As cold as it was in July, I continued running and managed to run 108.47 km. 

So Christmas is a few days away and to be honest I am not feeling the Christmas spirit. Is it because I am getting older and my stresses have increased ? I have no idea

All I know is that I am not going to be receiving any presents, but the gift of running is enough to leave a smile on my face :) 

Below is my wishlist for Christmas, starting from the head down... 

What would you like for Christmas?

1. Long Hair

Why do I want long hair??? I want that type of hair that swings from left to right to left again while I am running. I have seen it on white girls and they simply look effortless. 

Yep I want to look effortless when I run, at the moment I look like gravity is beating me, which it is most of the time. 

2. Jabra Sport Pulse Wireless 

Source: www.valencell.com

3. Nike Aeroloft Flash Vest 

Its shiny, it reflects. It is not easily available in South Africa but I want it and I will run with it :) 



4. Adidas Supernova Singlet

It is so hard to find a racer back singlet, so when I see one in the factory stores I buy it. They are becoming less and less popular as these running years go by and I want to have a lot of them. 




5. NikeLab Gyakusou Dri-FIT Long

Source: store.nike.com

6. Adidas Ultimate Fit Three-Quarter City Tights

Q. Tell us a little bit about who you are and what you do for a living?

I am 24 year old girl born and raised in JHB. I studied in CT for 4 years, and am now working at a digital marketing agency in JHB.

Q. How do you balance your exercise regime and your professional life?

I try to run 3-4 times a week. During the week I keep an hour open during any day for my runs. Normally I will run in the afternoon, but if work keeps me late I will make time and wake up and hour earlier to run sometime the next morning. 

Q. When and why did you start running?

I started running in 2010. I was in my first year at varsity and a friend of mine asked me to join her one evening and I thought why not. To be honest, I didn’t last 9 minutes. I was finished. Out of embarrassment of my lack of fitness I started making music-running goals. One run I would say “right, I’m running for 4 songs… then 6 songs…then 12 songs.” Eventually I was running without even counting the songs because the music just carried me.

Q. What motivates you to go out there, when you do not feel like it?

There are 2 things that motivate me. 1st, is the feeling after a run. That ‘post-run-high’ is a feeling like no other. The heart rate, the sweat and the oxygen all rushing through your body at once is incredible. 2nd, is my music. When I run to my music I go into another world full of adrenaline and endorphins. If I am grumpy, sad or stressed, a dose of running endorphins and music will bring me back to life. I think its important to have more than 1 motivation to run, simply because if you lose motivation of one thing, you have the motivation of the other to fall back on. 

Q. What is the longest distance you have ran?

23km.

Q. What gives you the confidence to run in the streets?

To be honest, I’ve never felt afraid of them.

Q. What do you think about the lack of exercise among the youth?

I think it is so sad. I don’t think children (or their parents) embrace their bodies’ capabilities and energy enough. 

Q. What was your best running experience?

One of my top moments was during a Night Race in Soweto in 2014. Towards the end of the run was a small road going downhill that was lit by 2 flickering street lamps. This road was surrounded by people’s homes. What I noticed as I ran downhill, was that each house had different colored curtains, that from the lighting inside the house, reflected different colors onto the road in front of me. What I saw and felt during those few minutes was something out of a movie. It was absolutely amazing. I was alone, with my music, running from color to color on the tar road. 

Q. What was your worst running experience?

During one of my long training runs for a half marathon, at the halfway mark going down a rock and gravel trail path at quite a pace, I fell. And I fell hard. My right food caught a tree root and I managed to cut both of my legs badly, and sprain my hand. The actual fall was not so bad, but running the rest of the route back home with blood and pain rushing to the cuts on my legs was horrendous. 

Q. How do you push through the pain?

This is such a good question. Because I actually don’t know.. I just do. This doesn’t mean I don’t listen to my body. If something is absolutely unbearable to run through, then I wont. But more often than not I will run through it. I will focus on my breathing, my strides, my foot landing... and adjust it accordingly to feel more comfortable. 

Q. What advice can you give somebody who wants to start running?

The amount of times I have heard people say “I want to start running”… and when I say, “So then start. Run with me?” They then say, “I’m not a runner though.” You don’t have to be a ‘born runner’ to start running. I certainly wasn’t. You just have to want it enough and believe in yourself enough to start. And when you do start, start slowly. Do routes, speeds, distances you are comfortable with, and slowly start pushing yourself further as you get stronger, because you will get stronger. 

Q. Which Social media sites are you on and how can one follow you?

You can follow my fitness & running journey on Instagram: @Beatsandbbg 

You can follow my workout/running playlists on 8tracks: JHBeats (8tracks/jhbeats.com)

My best running shoes is … Nike Lunarlon 6 

I love running because … with my music, it’s a space I get completely lost in.

Injury is… the most annoying handbrake on training/running.

My body is … a lot stronger than I give it credit for.

My running playlist has … EDM, Rave, House, Electro, Dubstep, Trap, Progressive house, Bigroom House, Vocal Trance on it..

I hate running when … there is a lightning storm in the distance.

Pain is … something you have to learn to both deal with and listen to.

The road … to a runner is like a blank canvas to an artist. 

Sweat is … something to be embraced. It’s your body’s way of saying “You are killing it! Keep going!”. Don’t ever be embarrassed to sweat.

In future, I would like to run … The Comrades. Just to know in my heart that I can.

Indie means … independence. I’ve always has this image of being free when I think of the word Indie. 

I do not like runners who … sprint in the beginning of a race, or sprint past your during a race, only to find them exhausted and walking shortly ahead of you. #SoUnnecessary #StopBeingThatKidWhoThinksPEisTheOlympics.

#RunRevolution

Firstly I would like to thank everybody who has tagged #RunRevolution on instagram, the number of tagged posts has now reached 10 000 :) 

Secondly I would like to showcase one of the fit ladies who make me smile everytime I see them on instagram. #Team5AM

Tell us a little bit about who you are and what you do for a living?

My name is Anathi Titi I am a final law student at NMMU. I am a very outspoken, adventureous person. Love the outdoors and I am a fitness fanatic

How do you balance your exercise regime and your professional life?

Well I wake up at 5 am everyday to go run and inbetween my lecture breaks I find time to go to the gym however when school is too demanding I give up gym but I always make sure never to miss my 5am runs.

When and why did you start running?

I started running in 2014. I didn't like my body & I hated the way clothes would fit in my body because I didn't have a waistline but 2 months into running it was no longer about weightloss I had fallen inlove with running.

What motivates you to go out there, when you do not feel like it?

I always think of the feeling of achievement I get when I am done running. The endorphins, the feeling of happiness i get from running and how I must not allow laziness to get the better of me because if I give in I will never get up and I go.

What is the longest distance you have ran?

21km

What gives you the confidence to run in the streets?

My speed I always feel sexiest when I run.

What do you think about the lack of exercise among the youth?

Lack? Well everyone around me seems to be active, if its not gym, its running or some other sports so Im mostly surrounded by people who workout. I see school kids carrying their sports bag everyday at the beach in PE everyone is running. I think my city is too active, to me I have not noticed any lack of exercise.

What was your best running experience?

2 Oceans Marathon 2015

What was your worst running experience?

My worst are always when I suffer from shin splints while on the road.

How do you push through the pain?

I ignore the pain but when its too much I stop and do shin splint exercises and pace down and I continue running.

What advice can you give somebody who wants to start running?

You must start small. 2km a daily until you can run that 2km without stopping to catch your breath or needing water and you continue being strong in that 2km. When you can run 2km without stopping move to 3km. Distance covered is not really importance what is importance is smaller runs that help you get stronger, help you with pace training and you will notice when you move to 5km you will have endurance..

Which Social media sites are you on and how can one follow you?

Instagram @blairsst

My best running shoes is ... New Balance

I love running becuase ... Endorphins

Injury is ... Injuries are temporary

My body is ... The best asset I own

My running playlist is ... motivational speeches by Les Brown & Eric Thomas

I hate running ... When its too hot

Pain is ... Temporary

The road ... My Gym

Sweat is ... Fat crying

In future, I would like to run ... A Full Marathon

I do not like runners who ... doubt themselves..

#RunRevolution

December my December, the sun is out and the countdown to the end of another year begins. This is the 1 month of the year when people lose their morals and do things they never thought they would do. 

What am I going to do differently this year? I am going to try my best to stay active this festive season and maybe lose a few kilo's. 

I will most probably be alone in this endeavour and when I run alone I run with music. I have selected a few South African house and hip hop tracks that I run to on a regular basis, because nobody makes the beat drop like our dj's. 

Click on the link to listen to these tracks and use them for your running playlist and listening pleasure. Happy December now lets run into 2016. 

1. In the city - Ralf Gum feat. Hugh Masekela

I like the beat of this track, I also like the lyrics of the track, everybody in Africa seems to be moving to Johannesburg. You should see how busy the streets are. Also this collaboration I would not have expected I mean Hugh Masekela is a jazz legend and Ralf gum is a house dj. In my head I was thinking where did they meet????? 

Source: http://ralfgum.com/ralf-gum-and-hugh-masekela-to-shoot-music-video/

2. Shut Up - Euphonik

This track gets my blood pumping. It was created by one of my favourite dj's. When Euphonik drops a beat I know I am jumping on a table. This specific track contains snippets of one of Julius Malema's speeches. He is one of our more controversial politician's, his nickname is Juju. Google him... 

Source: http://www.shazam.com/track/208886517/shut-up

3. Zimbiri - Alaska

Ah man, When ever I hear this track. I remember Loko going crazy on Big Brother Mzansi, I like it because of her. Maybe I might enter Big Brother in the near future. 

Source: http://theredish.com/img/alaska%20ft%20maphorisa

4. Woza Nana - Oskido feat. Heavy K

Oskido is one of the great legends in the SA music industry & Heavy K is a recent entertainer but he is already making waves. A classic story of hard work pays. 

Source: http://www.namibiansun.com/content/psst/oskido-missed-out-preaching

5. Shumaya - Dbn Nyts feat. Zinhle Ngidi & Trademark

This is probably the biggest drop of 2015. People lose their morals when this track plays, it gets the people off their chairs and on their dance floors. I play when I feel that I am going to slow. 

Source: http://kasilyrics.co.za/dbn-nyts-shumaya-lyrics/

6.    Izizwe(Point 5 remix) - Busi Mhlongo

One of my initial selections when I made the choice to start running to South African running music. The original artist was one of South Africa's greatest artists who passed away in 2010. There seems to be a trend to remix jazz music from the 70's, 80's and 90's, I guess this preserves the music of the original artist and in that way we never forget them. 

Source: http://www.music.org.za/artist.asp?id=95

7. Dance Again - Black Coffee feat. Nakhane Toure

The first time they played this track on radio, they played it twice. I remember I was drving back from varsity after a very long day. Who is Black Coffee? Probably the biggest DJ in South Africa at the moment. If you are lucky enough to be going to Coachella 2016 he will be playing there. Who is Nakhane Toure? My definition of a South African indie artist. There is even a dance challenge for this track, search #wedanceagainchallenge on instagram. 

Source: http://indamixworldwide.com/2015/09/04/black-coffee-feat-nakhane-toure-we-dance-again/

8. Nguwe Lo - Culoe De Song feat. Thandiswa Mazwai

I was at Constitutional hill, Boiler Room was having a free concert in collaboration with Ballantines. There was free alcohol, I had varsity the next day but I was there. Dancing to this song, that was my highlight for that evening. Also this has been in my running playlist. 

Source: http://www.residentadvisor.net/news.aspx?id=29153

9. iLife - Dj Sliqe feat. JR, Okmalumkoolkat, WTF

I go wild when I am driving and they play this song on the radio. I go BUCK as they say on the streets. I can't rap as fast and I can only squeeze in 2 words, but when I am running and this plays in my earphones. Hooo its game over for that run! 

Source: http://kasilyrics.co.za/dj-sliqe-ilife-lyrics-ft-jr/

10. Don't Let Go - Kent feat MO-T

My Last selection for this December. It makes me wanna go down. I use it as a warm up and cool down motivation. I take it slow when it plays in my ears. Basically Don't Let Go :) 

Source: http://www.banda9dades.net/2015/07/dj-kent-feat-mo-t-dont-let-go-extended.html

That is my Top 10 for December! 

Listen to the playlist HERE

Proudly South African Bangers that will get you running, search for them on apple music, spotify or any other music service that you use. Run with them and tell me how it went :) but other wise #kedecemberboss which means it's december BOSS. 



#RunRevolution