In South Africa there are more than 60 venues where you could run a parkrun in the beginning of 2016. If you belong to the medical aid Discovery you will earn 300 vitality points for this effort. It does not matter if you take 20 minutes or 59 minutes, you will earn the 300 points.

Coach Hansie

The fact of the matter is that you could stretch this 300 points and convert it to 600 points. You have to know the rules though to be able to do this. With parkrun it is easy. Provided that you have linked your parkrun profile to your Discovery membership this will be automatic. This means that you do not have to do anything after you have completed your parkrun to get the points.

two new runners with coach Hansie after their first 21 km relay race

To get to 600 points, this is what you have to do. You need a device like a running app that is linked to a smart phone or to a runner’s watch. This tool would need to be able to give the distance and you average pace for your workout and then of course also the length of your workout. Ideally if you could add heart rate to it you would easily be able to claim 1500 or 3000 points if you do a really long run at a good pace.

don’t stop your watch or smart phone app if you want more points

If you are a fast runner (well faster than 8 km per hour, so this is pretty average – a fast walk and a bit of a run), you need to exercise for at least 60 minutes. This means that you could run your parkrun in say 30 minutes (or 20 minutes if you are that fast) and you could then go for a slow walk or jog to complete your hour. What you should not do is to stop your watch or timing device after the parkrun. Do not switch it off or stop it – then it does not count. You could then walk another 3 km in 30 minutes or so to get to 8 km at least and 60 minutes at least. When you upload this time to Discovery Vitalitym you will be credited with 600 points for your whole effort and your 300 of parkrun will not reflect.

If you take 50 minutes or so to complete your parkrun you need to continue until you have covered 90 minutes. You also need to maintain a speed of at least 5 km per hour so that means that you need to cover at least 7,5 km in the 90 minutes. When you have  completed 90 minutes at this rate you will also get your 600 points.

This is the way to stretch your parkrun points.

If you have certain apps like Strava you could get this uploaded directly to Discovery Vitality, but if you use an app like Endomondo (very usefull free app) you will need to do a workaround by exporting your workout from Endomondo and then importing it with e.g. Strava or mapmyfitness. It will then be reflected. It is a bit more work, but certainly worth your while.

Please share your success stories with us. Who would not like to get 600 or 1500 points in stead of 300?

Africa Continental Worship & Prayer Assignment

Friday, 11 Dec 2015.

The purpose of this information: 

1. ​​​To inform the South African Prayer Ministries of the imminent Continental Worship and Prayer Assignment on the 11th of December 2015.
2. To ask for your partnership in mobilising prayer in South Africa and in the Continent where you have relationships.
3. To share our Prayer Strategy for South Africa given this assignment on the 11th of December 2015.

Prayer Strategy for South Africa given this assignment on the 11th of December 2015.

​​​1. Prophe​tic Act of Intercession at​ Cape Point, Cape Town. 

Based on this vision (below) and other revelations, a group of leaders and intercessors will perform a prophetic act in Cape Town at Cape Point on the 11th of December 2015 from 12h00 to 14h00 Sou​th African time zone (UTC+02:00) led by Baruch Maayan, a South African Born Messianic leader now based in Israel.

Kindly let us know if you would be able to join us on the 11th at Cape Point. 

2. ​​​​M​obilising prayer in the 9 Provinces ​of South Africa and in key strategic places and alters around the Nation

After consultation with some of the leaders, we believe that it will be ideal to organise prophetic intersession in all 9 provinces of South Africa.  (Strategy and prayer guidelines below)

Please let us know if you would are able to or would like to mobilise any prayer teams in the following strategic areas/alters or any other place not mentioned below:

1. ​Cape Agulhas
2. Table Mountain
3. Sea Point/waterfront ocean
4. Bloemfontein
5. Limpopo
6. SA Parliament, Cape Town
7. Freedom Park

Thank you again and we look forward to hearing from you.

Kind regards,

Maditshaba Kelebogile Moloko 

Direct Tel +27 (0)21 565 0066 l Switchboard +27 (0)21 565 0065 l Fax +27 (0)86 614 7173 l Mobile +27 (0)83 524 4266 l Email:   maditshaba@prowessinvestments.com

THE VISION

Vision of a Wave Across Africa Shaking Witchcraft and Idolatry and Bringing Increased Harvest
Received by Rick Ridings 10 November, 2015, Jerusalem, Succat Hallel (24/7 House of Prayer overlooking the Temple Mt.)

During a time of worship in Succat Hallel, I saw in a vision a spotlight on Africa. The borders of Africa were enclosed by a very high wall of witchcraft and idolatry.

Then I saw the Lord strike a staff into the waters of the ocean off of Cape Town, South Africa.   This produced a great wave of light that swept the whole continent from South Africa to Egypt.

As the wave progressed, there were earthquakes and shakings, and the enclosure wall of witchcraft started to crumble.   Witch doctors fell on their knees to repent and to worship Jesus.  Then idols began to fall down.

I then saw highways of dominoes going from various points of revival and harvest in other parts of Africa moving in the direction of Egypt. From the South, the dominoes were falling northward from countries such as South Africa and Mozambique.  From West Africa, the dominoes were falling eastward from places like Ghana, Burkino Faso, and Nigeria.   As these dominoes began to fall, there was a momentum of revival and harvest that moved through Uganda and Kenya northward up into Ethiopia, and then into Egypt.

When the wave of light, and the “dominoes” of harvest reached Egypt, huge, ancient idols of Egypt started to fall.  I saw the Lord, as described in Isaiah 19 “riding on a swift cloud” into Egypt.  Idols trembled and fell.  Then a red beam of occult light coming from the Great Pyramid (that the Lord had first shown me in a vision in 1991) was extinguished, and no longer exerted such influence over Egypt and the nations.

My sense was that this new level of breakthrough concerning witchcraft in Africa would travel from the African part of the “Isaiah 19 Highway” on into the Middle East, helping bring breakthrough against the witchcraft in the Middle East, thus furthering that harvest as well.

STRATEGY

• Invite and gather key intercessors and/or leaders to join you for a 2 hour worship and prayer meeting in your Nation (area).  Please feel free to pray at any strategic places or alters as the Lord leads you or guides you.  You can host this meeting in your Church, Prayer Alter or Home. You can invite as many people as possible to join you in praying.
• We recommend this worship and prayer meeting to take place from 12h00 to 14h00 South Africa time zone (UCT +2:00) to key into the prophetic act taking place in Cape Town, South Africa and so that we can be UNITED in prayer around the Continent and Israel as Intercessors/Leaders pray from different Countries (Matt.18:19-20). [The time of prayer (12h00 to 14h00) chosen is in line with the call to prayer by Paul Jonathan based in Nigeria who is leading a Continental Prayer Project themed: Spiritual highway of revival from Africa through the Middle East to Israel.Isaiah 19:23-25.
• (www.prayermobilisation555.org, +234 802 323 4167)] 

• We recommend spending a lot of time in praise and worship then followed by prayer, declarations and prophetic acts as the Lord leads.

• Please feel free to send us any feedback, revelations and confirmations after your worship and prayer meeting.

PRAYER GUIDELINES

We encourage you to pray as led by Holy Spirit.  We also recommend that the following scriptures or prayer points be covered during your session of worship and prayer.

• Give unto the Lord Praise, honour, worship and glory that is due to His holy name: Psalm 29:1-2, 2 Chronicles 20: 22-27, Revelations 4 , Revelations 19:1-8 and Psalm 95
• Psalm 29. Psalm 29:3 The voice of the LORD is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the LORD is upon many waters.
• Preparation and establishment of the Highway of holiness: Isaiah 62:10 and Isaiah 19:19-25.  Isaiah 19:23-25 23 In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria. The Assyrians will go to Egypt and the Egyptians to Assyria. The Egyptians and Assyrians will worship together. 24 In that day Israel will be the third, along with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing on the earth. 25 The Lord Almighty will bless them, saying, “Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria my handiwork, and Israel my inheritance.”]

• Lord, let the people of Africa know that you, Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.  1 King 18: 36 to 39.

• The time of harvest is at hand, the time is ripe! Revelations 14:15
• Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Psalm 122.  Psalm 122: 6-9 6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:    “May those who love you be secure. 7 May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels.”8 For the sake of my family and friends,     I will say, “Peace be within you.” 9 For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your prosperity.

Initiative supported by:​
Maditshaba Moloko, Cape Town, South Africa, Cape to Jerusalem House of Prayer for All Nations,  maditshaba@prowessinvestments.com, +2783524 4266

Rick Ridings, Succat Hallel, Jerusalem,Israel http://www.succathallel.com

Baruch Maayan, South Africa/Israel, Cape to Jerusalem Highway, maayanbmidbar@gmail.com

Ashley Cloete, South Africa, Friends from Abroad/All Nations International, cloete.ashrose@gmail.com

Pastor Tom Hess, Israel, Jerusalem House of Prayer for all Nations (JHOFAN), administration@jhopfan.org

Pastor Langton Gatsi, Zimbabwe, langtongatsi@gmail.com

Pastor John Mulinde, Uganda, wtmuganda@gmail.com

Paul Jonathan, Nigeria, Mobilising the Church in All Nations to Pray 24/7,info@prayermobilization555.org

Ayman Mikhail, Egypt, Elijah Generation Ministry, aymanhala@gmail.com

Refaat Benyamen, Egypt, Egypt prayer ministry,refaat.gendy@gmail.com

Prophet Laurette Mkati, South Africa, SA Prayer Movement for Change, saprayer4change@gmail.com

Bennie Mostert, South Africa, Jericho Walls International Prayer Network, watch@jwipn.com

Pastor Barry Isaacs, South Africa, Transformation Africa,  cpt.transformationafrica@telkomsa.net

This is Durbanville route for September 12, 2015

On June 15 and 16 a few athletes are going to complete the equivalent of Two Comrades Marathons and a parkrun (5km distance) and a few kilometers more. One or two may complete the whole route, but there will be “relay” runners as well. It will be 19 hours on day 1 and about 12 hours on day two – average speed of 6 km per hour.

Walkers could join the runners for fifteen minutes before the hour to walk with them and to encourage them and to pray for the City of Cape Town.

The run is a spiritual run in the first instance so it is not about the speed, but is is about touching the whole community of Cape Town. As Christians we want to stand for the rebuilding of all the communities of Cape Town and for fixing all the walls in our city. With our run we are calling all christians to unite to start this process of rebuilding and to take part in it.

Please join our here –  (or copy this link and paste in your browser).

Sgin up to help  -(or copy this link and paste in your browser).

Pray with us and build with us!

It goes against all conventional running wisdom. To achieve success in an Ultra Marathon you need to increase your weekly mileage generally, you need to do quite a few serious long runs and compete in a marathon or two just to get you ready for the distance. I was asking myself the question – will this new plan work? I was in my car waiting for the time to move a bit closer to the start before I wanted to leave to get to the start. I was parked about 500 meters from the start of the well known Two Oceans Ultra Marathon. I did not doubt that I would finish the race (I have allready done 14 of these journeys in the past), but I was wondering about the amount of strain that the body would take. Would this new plan work? Of course this new  plan was not my wisdom alone, but rather the application of work of Brian Mackenzie of Crossfit and Tim Ferriss (The Four Hour Body).

I left the car for the start of the race and managed to push through the excited crowd of athletes still waiting to get to a portable toilet or making their way to their starting pens. There are seeding blocks and I was on my way to block C. I managed to drop my tog bag at the truck collecting that. I had a delicious recovery shake in there that I filled with extra ice so that it could remain quite cold. Shortly after the finish I would grab this food – I was not sure how hungry I would be after the 56 km.

There were many faces in the C block, but there was such a calm confidence amongst most of the runners there. Many of the participants here have finished ten runs or more of this in the past. Then there were a few pretty excited new faces around. They qualified to start here as a result of a speedy finish in a qualifiying race. They were ready to go, eager for the gun that would signal the start of the race. Well we knew that there was enough time as the day would unfold to run a good race at a good pace. We shared a few jokes, but it was more nervous laughing than anything else. The real jokes would come later, after ten kilometers or so, when the pressure of the start is of and the struggle of what lies ahead was not real yet.

The gun sounded and we started moving, much like a cat that was stretching herself in the morning before getting to move on.  It was a crisp morning, but not too cold. A wave to the camera and then the long slog started. We did not leave as fast as the A block runners – they were out like the cheetah ready to pounce on the prey. The sheer amount of people lowered the pace considerably. After 18 minutes of so I settled in a comfortable pace only to realise about a kilometer or so later that it was too comfortable – about 30 seconds per lap slower than what I anticipated. I started to pick up the speed after 25 minutes or so and bumped into an old friend. We chatted for a few minutes until I started walking for my compulsory walk (1 minute every nine minutes). Ten minutes or so later I caught up with him again and we started talking about children and life. We chatted to such an extent that I missed a walk break or two. Then I slowed down again for a walk. At this time my average pace came to quite close where I wanted it to be and I was a bit more relaxed.

There were two aspects to my plan – the first was the preparation which I will come to in a minute or so and the second was the execution on the day. The plan was to push faster than the previous year in the first half and then to see if I could just hang in there for the second half which would be slower than the first half, but possibly still good enough for a fair time overall. So I went through the half marathon mark at about the time I wanted to do it and halfway mark in about 1 minute slower than I planned. I was amazed at the ease with which I tackled the early hills. I remember how I felt at that stage a year previously and my legs were much stronger running the hills.

So the first half was ten minutes faster than the previous year and the second half two minutes faster. Of course I did get tired. I reached the marathon mark 13 minutes later than I planned for and the full route 7 minutes slower than a fair time, but 27 minutes slower than what would have been an ideal time for me for the day. I was very tired at about 52 kilometers, but happy to have completed the full race. A bit better pacing (maybe 3-5 minutes slower at half way could have given a better end result, but his is of course pure guesswork now.

The big gamble I took was to run no signficant (long races or runs) in the time leading to the ultra marathon. I ran a marathon in the beginning of October and went through the marathon mark in this race about 20 minutes faster than that time. I ran a 15 km race and a 10 km race and 11 parkruns of 5 km each. Those were the extent of the long runs with one treadmill run of 26 kilometers as maximum long run distance.

What I did do, however, was to do strenghtening exercises. I did 100 squats, 100 lunges on each leg, 100 pushups and one plank per day ranging from one minute initially to three minutes later. I did this for 55 days in the training stopping with this about three weeks before race day.  I also did four times Tabata protocol for speed on a treadmill (20 seconds on and ten seconds of at my maximum speed for four minutes) and three Tabata leg press (four minutes of 20 seconds push and 10 seconds rest) sessions.

The other aspect that I have changed is my diet before the race and during the race. I have stopped carbo loading about two years ago as it always always made me feel sick and sluggish. I had to wean my body off the carbs.

During the race I had a mixture of two herbal “teas” to give me go in the beginning and I used this for the first 80 minutes. Then I switched to a mixture of an isotonic drink and a shake mix. I was consuming this over a 45 minute period.  Another isotonic drink followed about an hour later. I grabbed one mini potatoe with salt on it along the road and a mini bar one chocolate after I ate a socalled express bar which is a mixture of protein and good carbs and a bit of chocolate. I made use of the water supplied along the route. Total value of the nutrition throughout the race was 543 kcal with 117 gram of carbohydrates and 4,6 gram of protein. Breakfast before the race was 67 gram of protein, 33 gram of fat and 41,6 gram of carb totalling about 770 kcal. Breakfast was taken 2.5 hours before the start of the race.

At about 52 kilometers I took another herbal mix drink as I lost focus and almost felt a bit like hitting the wall, It never really happened, though. I picked up a Coke at the end of the race, but that can is still in my fridge as I am writing this blog.

So the big gamble was that I did not train the traditional way and in fact did only an average of 28,5 km per week for the almost 24 weeks from October 14 to the day before the race. The last twelve weeks the average was aroung 33 kilometers per week.

So what is the bottom line for endurance athletes? We do not know the formula yet, but it seems that you could probably half your mileage and still get excellent results provided that you do enough strength building and speed as well. This of course is bad news for those of you that would want to use running to spend more time away from home, but good news for those looking for good results, but less time on the road!

Let’s test this theory of Brian MacKenzie and Tim Ferris a bit more!

If you want to be part of an experiment, let me know …

winner 2015 – 7 minutes away from R1m prize money

Motlokoa Nkhabutlane of Lesotho – winner of 2015 Two Oceans. Could these techniques also make him faster? He needed to go 8 seconds per kilometer faster on average to claim the R1million for a person breaking the record.

Ten tips (and a bonus tip) to get a flatter stomach quickly

this is not your snack! This is what you want to take if you want to grow your stomach

 1. Don’t miss your snack (protein snack)!

No matter what, do not miss that snack. It’s important because it boosts metabolism and balances blood sugar. The lower you keep your blood sugar, the lower you keep your insulin, and insulin makes you store fat around your middle. Eating every three to four hours will keep your blood sugar even, but many people tend to go five or six hours between lunch and dinner without eating.”

—Natasha Turner, naturopathic doctor, author of The Hormone Diet

2. Do a plank (bridge) daily and increase the length (time) gradually

Planking will help build your deep inner core muscles that lay the groundwork for that six-pack look. As your abdominal muscles become stronger, your mid-section will tighten. Keep in mind, however, that in order to really get “six-pack” abs, you have to shed fat.

3. Cut all the white starch

This means no white bread or brown bread or rice, chips, pasta, pizza, potato (Tim Ferriss)

4. Use Alpha Lipoic Acid tablets before meals

“I began taking ALA for its impressive impact on glucose uptake and reduced triglyceride production. First and foremost, I wanted to increase muscular absorption of the calories (and supplements) I consumed, and ALA turned out to be the perfect force multiplier. More calories absorbed into muscle meant fewer calories deposited as fat and faster strength gains” Tim Ferriss

5. Eat enough protein daily – calculate your protein requirement and stick to it

Lack of protein makes you want to eat (almost) anything in sight – which may well be carbohydrates. The carbohydrates may be deposited as fat around the stomach.

6. Laugh more

“The best thing for your abs is laughing. Every time you laugh it strengthens your abs. If you start busting a gust, you are absolutely toning your abs.”

—Kristin McGee, Pilates expert

7. Avoid beer (and other alcoholic drinks)

A can of beer will give you about 150 Kcal and 13 grams of carbohydrates. A glass of red wine will give 125 kcal and less than 5 gram of carbohydrates. Do not drink alcoholic carbohydrates (or take a better option like red wine)

8. Don’t drink your fruit

A cup (240 ml) of orange juice only contains 110 kcal, but hidden in the glass is 25 gram of carbohydrates. The sugar content of the fruit juices will be high (21 gram for orange juice). Fruit juice is worse than beer in respect of carbohydrate content.

9. Don’t eat fruit

One cup of orange contains 17 gram of sugar and 85 kcal, but still 21 gram of carbohydrates. It is better to stay away from fruit totally and to get your vitamin and fiber requirements from other sources while you are progressing towards your flat stomach.

    10. Make legumes (pulses) a good portion of your food intake

You will absorb protein, complex carbohydrates and much needed fiber if you use these foods. One cup of cooked red kidney beans will provide about 40 grams of carbohydrates, 15 gram of protein and 13 gram of fiber. You will get 225 kcal of energy with this portion.

Bonus tip: Enhance your meal replacement shakes with eggs

A typical meal replacement shake will give about 18 grams of protein and 18 grams of carbohydrates. Two eggs in a blender with your favourite shake will give an extra 12 gram of protein and will add about 180 kcal to the kcal of a shake that will be around 210 for a total energy component of the shake of about 400. This is about the same as two cups of red kidney beans, but it will only be 18 grams of carbohydrates and not 80 grams! You will not even taste the raw eggs if you have a good shake!

there is a better way – put it in your meal replacement shake

Helpful links

benefits of planking

table of high starch foods

how to do a plank

test a new eating plan for three days

September in Cape Town is often still a cold month. Today 1 September 2014 is a glorious spring day. It is a day of new beginnings and new opportunities. Now in the Northern Hemisphere this day brings Autumn, so the mood is slightly different, but is does not matter where you are in the world, you need frequent 1 Septembers or 1st day of spring.

Many people will go into a frenzy of cleaning – the store room, the house, the garage. Everything should be clean and neat. You could tackle the cleaning by doing a little bit every day or then one huge energy blast where you take 24 hours or even 48 hours to clean what you want to clean. This depends on your energy levels. I always find that it is easy for me to take one bite and to finish the job. If I do a little bit here and a little bit there, I get demotivated. You need tofind out what works for you and then stick to it.

I have realised today that I also want to clean up my thinking. The way that I think plays a huge role in my actions. If I think that something is impossible then I would not even attempt to do it. It is much easier to clean up my desk than it is to clean up my thinking, but let me share something that I have learned quite a while ago. If you start writing on a piece of paper what you are thinking, then it is easier to change the thinking around. The thoughts are often hidden and they influence you and me. While they are only in the mind,we cannot challenge them. The plan works if you write it out or type it out. You write/type every thought that comes to your minds until you get to the possibility where your mind accepts that it can work. In this way you are starting to clean the mind.

Let me take an example

I Hansie Louw run a marathon (42,2 km) in 3h28 minutes.

thought: your last marathonwas 5:11 or so

thought: a year ago you ran a marathon of 4:11

thought: your best marathon was 3:44

thought: you ran a 5 km in 20:25 on the treadmill a week ago

thought: at that speed it gives a marathon of below 3 hours (2hr 53)

thought: ok, treadmill is easy … so add 30 seconds per km of pace … so this still leaves me with 3:15 minutes for the marathon

thought: ok I cannot run at that same pace the whole marathon, so let me add another 10 minutes to the total time – another 15 seconds per kilometer slower

thought: you know, maybe I can do that 3:28 marathon.

So from a sceptical: your last marathon was more than five hours to yes maybe I can do that 3:28 marathon is a change of thinking and creating a new possibility for myself – cleaning and improving my thinking.

From here I want to go and set the goal:

I Hansie Louw have put in place the correct training,eating and resting habits while testing my progress from time to time to run a comfortable 3hr28 marathon on day (e.g. 22 September 2015)

So, clean up your thinking and get great results.