The BIG Ask...

Hello Friends & Family,

Do you live a life with passion? Do you live a life with compassion? What is the difference anyway? “Passion” means to have compelling emotion or devotion, while “compassion” means to be merciful. In other words, you could say that to live a life of passion a person should show devotion to others by having mercy or compassion to others in need.

It is with these words that I humbly approach you and/or your company for support.

This June, I will embark on a journey of human strength and determination. My eyes are set on finishing the “Ultimate Human Race” also known as the Comrades Marathon. This year’s grueling 89.5km event is particularly difficult because it is an “up” year, meaning the race is run uphill from Durban (sea level) to Pietermaritzburg (atop the South African plateau).  I will be running this race in support of The Compassionate Life Foundation (www.james127.org) and its “Feed a Family” project.

I have been working as Secretary of The Compassionate Life Foundation, a registered 501(c)(3) charity, for nearly 6 years. It is the sole reason for my existence in Cape Town, South Africa and ultimately my work at e.TV and eNCA as Chief Meteorologist (a long story for another day).

CLF’s mission statement is as follows:

Compassionate Life is a non-denominational Foundation seeking to be God’s hands and feet showing love and compassion to the poor and needy people of the world. Partnering with those whom God directs us to who are already on the front lines fighting the war on poverty, disease, and spiritual emptiness, with a special focus on caring for Orphans and Widows.

My work within CLF is done with passion and compassion, but the longstanding benefits to the poor and needy far outweigh any personal gain I have ever received. I’ve seen purpose and direction restored to the vulnerable people of both Swaziland and South Africa through the direct work of this foundation. Won’t you consider partnering with me to help extend CLF’s potential?

If your located within South Africa, here’s how to make your donation (accepted directly through www.james127.org using PayPal or by sending check/cash to): 

ATTN: Derek Van Dam 

e.TV Longkloof Studios, 

1 Darters Rd. Gardens, 

Cape Town, South Africa. 

If your located within the USA (or elsewhere), here’s how to make your tax-deductible donation (accepted directly through www.james127.org using PayPal or by sending check/cash to):  

Compassionate Life Foundation

P.O. Box 510 

Swartz Creek, MI 48473 

USA

Please make checks payable to “The Compassionate Life Foundation”: 

1)      Donate per successful km run during Comrades Marathon ($1 USD/10 ZAR per km)

2)      A once off donation of your choice

100% of your donations will be used in the following way:

1)      ‘Feed a Family’ Maize Planting – CLF is committed to plowing and planting Maize Fields for El Shaddai Children’s Home and the 50 vulnerable families’ we serve in Swaziland and South Africa.

2)      ‘Feed a Family’ Food Fund - Feed a family by providing food packages consisting of fruit, vegetables, rice, beans, soup, salt, sugar, oil, and soap. Food will be delivered to families’ homes as the need arises throughout the year!

As race day draws nearer (2 June, 2013), my nerves continue to build; but it is the faces of the world’s vulnerable children that motivate me to complete this goal. Thank you for considering supporting this unique adventure.  Monetary donations in exchange for corporate advertising will be considered on a case by case basis.

Sincerely,

Derek Van Dam

I am an Ultra Marathon Runner!

What a feeling! My Two Oceans Ultra Marathon goal is complete! The nerves were racing the night before as the weather called for very windy conditions. For anyone who knows Cape Town, wind can make or break any outdoor event (including a 56km Ultra marathon). Here's a video of Tara (my girlfriend) and I starting the race together:



I wanted to share a couple of photos with you before, during and after the race:

Starting Line excitement

Part of the "Comrades Crazies" crew

Running up beautiful Champans Peak

Stormy Hout Bay

Very Very Windy! 

Can you see the wind-swept waves on the water?

The Sentinel

Tara finishing her 2nd Two Oceans Ultra Marathon!

I am an Ultra Marathon Runner now! 

Tara happy to be done! 

#HC couple coming through...

Reaching the finish line is a great feeling!

Video Weather Forecast for Two Oceans Marathon

Good luck runners! See you out there!

Derek

Whatever the Weather, We Run!

As a meteorologist, I incessantly look at weather charts and climate information to determine my forecasts. When I am involved in a particular event that is weather dependent, I become fanatical with the weather outlook. Cape Town is a special place for a weatherman. Mother Nature has a tendency of simply not caring what Derek Van Dam has to say on his e.TV & eNCA weather bulletins (forgive me for speaking in the 3rd person).  Since weather forecasting is an "educated guess" (yes, I may have just been the first meteorologist to admit that to you) I thought I would share my forecast for this Saturday's Two Oceans Marathon and also share with you how I come to the conclusions that I do.

When looking at weather charts, it is critical to consider surface, mid and upper level variables to help formulate an accurate forecast. With that said, I am going to focus on a few of the most important variables for race day. First of which is temperature; undoubtedly one of those "make or break" variables for runners, especially if it is too hot. The parameter that I pay close attention to is the 850mb (+/- 1500m altitude) temperature and wind speed. This helps me look for cold or hot air advection (fancy weatherman talk for "movement of air masses") within an area and it also helps identify stable and unstable air masses. Here's an example of this variable across South Africa, valid for 2pm on race day:

Next, I will focus on wind. Often in Cape Town, we sacrifice one extreme for another. If its not hot, then there's a good chance the SE'r could pump. I investigate this weather variable by looking closely at the Mean Sea Level Pressure (MSLP) over the Southwestern Cape Peninsula. This is a surface based variable that can tell me if there will be a "pressure squeeze" over the peninsula and whether the high & low pressure systems are positioned in such a way that stronger winds will begin to form. Here is an example of this variable valid for 2pm on race day:

Next, I want to determine if there will be cloud on the day. This is done primarily by a variable known as 700mb (+/- 3000m altitude) Relative Humidity. It can be inferred (of course, this is not always true) that clouds form around this altitude. If you want to see if cloud is going to be present on a particular day, then you can see how saturated that level of the atmosphere is using Relative Humidity. Here's an example of that variable valid for 2pm on race day:

And lastly...let's see if rain will be present on race day. For this, I look to a variable known as the "Quantitative Precipitation Forecast" or "Q.P.F." This is part of  a numeric model that determines precipitation maximum and minimums. Here is an example of Q.P.F. valid for a 24-hour period from midnight Saturday to Midnight Sunday (notice there is no colouring over Cape Town-which represents dry weather):

Now that I've filled your brain to the max with weather terminology and information, its about time for my official weather forecast for the Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon. Without further adieu, here you are:

Start of Race (6am/6:30am): Dry with cloud on the mountains. Fresh SE wind gusting between 25-35 km/h. Temperature of 15 degrees Celsius.

Finish/Midday (11-2pm): Windy (Fresh SE between 30-40 km/h) & dry with partly cloudy skies. High temp: 22 Degrees Celsius.

Enjoy everyone. I hope to see you out there. I'll cheer you on if you cheer me on!

Yours in Weather,

Derek Van Dam

Staring Two Oceans Ultra-Marathon in the Face

3 Marathons down and I'm feeling fit, strong and the healthiest I have ever been in my life. I am running 4-5 times a week and am attempting to have a few 80-90 km weeks under my belt before Two Oceans Ultra Marathon at the end of March and certainly leading up to Comrades this June. 

Sacrifices have been made, but am always happy to do so if it means a healthier body. I must say, having to explain to your friends that you cant join them on a Friday night for a party or "get together" because you have a race at 5 am the next morning...is a little rough. Thankfully, I have understanding friends that keep me motivated and always inquire about how my training is going.

Adidas has allowed me to sample some of their new running technology, namely their Boost Running shoe. It has this "Tech-fit" feature to the material around the top of your foot. Was skeptical at first because its a tighter fit than usual, but I was informed that this was perfectly normal. So, I gave them a go and am seriously impressed. So much that I am considering changing my running shoe leading up to the Two Oceans Ultra. For any seasoned runner, you'll know that changing shoes 3 weeks prior to a big race is simply a BIG deal. So yeah, Adidas Boost shoes are that good.

Lastly, I wanted to share something that I am very proud of. That is, I broke my personal best marathon time by 15 minutes recently! I ran the Cape Peninsula Marathon in 4 hours 8 minutes. Here's to breaking the 4-hour barrier on my next marathon!

Happy running everyone! See you on the Promenade.

DVD

Eco-Tourism: Being a Tourist in Your Own City

I've always aspired to be "a tourist in my own city." At one stage, this aspiration included taking the classic red, double-decker bus for for a stroll around the Cape Peninsula. There is so much history to Cape Town that I unknowingly take for granted every day. Ignorantly walking along Adderley Street without understanding it's significance during the days of slave-trading, or glancing past Cape Town's oldest church nestled between two sky-rises that curved their architecture to ensure no damage was done to the historic building.

Well, my aspiration became a reality this week, but in a completely different way than I have ever imagined. I'm talking about EcoTourism and it's taking centre stage across cities all over the globe, including Cape Town. And I'm pretty stoked to be writing about too because it was physically demanding and informative at the same time. A great combination if you ask me!

Run Cape Town is an organization that was introduced to me last week. Here's what they have to offer according to their Facebook Fan Page (which I've linked to above):

"Run Cape Town offers personalised and individual guided running tours through the streets and neighbourhoods of Cape Town, with an accredited Western Cape Tourist Guide. We welcome anyone who would like to continue their usual training program, or who just wants to run for pleasure through the city streets: a dynamic, safe, healthy and fun way to explore this vibrant place."

Skeptical at what it could offer me, I decided to try it out. Here's a peek into our wonderful run this past Wednesday evening:

This was taken while running along the picturesque cobble-stoned  roads of the BoKaap (formerly known as the Malay Quarter). An area rich in history and known for its Cape Malay culture.

We ran in front of City Hall in Cape Town, the site of Nelson Mandela's first public speech after being released from prison on February 11, 1990.

Here we are learning about the significance of the Company Gardens, Jan Van Riebeeck and the Dutch East India Trading Company.

I highly recommend this service to anyone interested in running and exploring parts of a city you've never seen or understood. Give it a try in The Mother City by emailing Phillipa from "Run Cape Town" at runcapetown@gmail.com

Up next...Cape Peninsula Marathon on Sunday, 17 February. 42 days until the Two Oceans Ultra Marathon and 107 days until "The Ultimate Human Race," the Comrades Ultra Marathon.

Happy running everyone! Keep your eye on the prize!

~Derek Van Dam~

Running in "The Mother City"

Look, I know I'm going to get a lot of flack from people reading this post, claiming that Cape Town is the most beautiful place on earth to run. But hear me out.


There is something extremely special about Table Mountain. It's energy, it's orange glow when the morning sun first reaches its peaks, its mezmorizing rock formations, its majestic waterfalls and of course, its seemingly endless running/biking trails. My mornings are not complete until I have stepped foot on this magical mountain (which happens to be the new 7th Natural Wonder of the World). Watching "The Mother City" come alive in the mornings is equivalent to the strongest cup of coffee you've ever tasted at Vida. It's powerful, it makes you aware of your surroundings and most importantly, it prepares you for your day ahead.


I absolutely love Cape Town. But the fact that I get to run in this city everyday, considering people travel from all corners of the world just to visit this place, is simply mind-blowing. My favourite morning run is a 18km thigh-burner that takes me past the old Block House, along Taffelberg Rd and past the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway and back into the city where I live. The views from the top are spectacular and very unique. One that not many people have seen before.

Here's a pic of my morning run on Table Mountain Today.


Whatever your "Table Mountain run" happens to be...be proud of the place you run in. Make it your own. Consider it special and never take its beauty for granted. South Africa has some immensly beautiful locations. Get out there and make it happen!


#myjourney @adidasZA


Derek Van Dam

Running With a Mans Best Friend

Have you ever been let down by your running partner not pitching on that morning run you’ve had planned for days? Ever been discouraged enough not to run?

If you’ve answered “yes” to these questions, chances are you don’t own dogs.

Have you ever been woken up by a slobbery smooch and a slight nudge to get out of bed as soon as possible (and no, I’m not talking about your significant other waking you up with a wet kiss)? Have you ever ran until exhaustion and then decided to expel more energy by running again?

If you’ve answered “yes” to any of these questions, chances are you have a “man’s best friend” waiting for you at home as you read this article. Great! That’s the first step to a successful and healthy lifestyle.

Maybe that’s a bit of an overstatement but all dog owners out there know that they are without a doubt, the best running partner you could ever have. They’re never late. They always pitch. They stick with you no matter what your speed. They love the rain and the wind. They are always keen for a run. If you’re tired, they will push you to run further.

I have two wonderful Viszlas (Hungarian Pointer dogs) named Balou and Ruby. They are fantastic running partners. I took them on a sneaky after-work sunset run on the Pipe Trail in Cape Town the other evening. It was that perfect summer’s night. Not a breath of wind. The ocean glistened with perfection. And it was warm! I absolutely love these nights when the sun sets so late that getting a run in after work is no problem. I struggle to find a better way to spend my evening than being active with my dogs in the outdoors, in the most beautiful city on this planet.

Running in Cape Town is such a privilege, I think some of us forget that. Where else can you get world-class views and a bustling metropolis in a 1-km radius? I can think of only a handful of cities that I have visited that match that criteria.

So, if you want to take you're running to a new level. If you never want to be let down on that next run. Consider getting yourself a dog that will love you unconditionally and will run with you no matter what. As a runner, it may be the best decision you ever make, especially if you need a little motivation on the road.

All the best with your training!

Derek Van Dam

#myjourney

@adidasZA

To Run or Not to Run

I came home from visiting my family in America over the holiday season. To my delight, it was a cold and snowy Christmas for me. Of course, I have been training very hard leading up to my overseas trip and I didn't want to "miss a stride" (no pun intended-sorry) while traveling, so I kept running in the frigid temperatures and snow.

This proved to be a costly mistake for me. I came back to South Africa to the worst Flu I have ever had. Fever, aches, body pains, shivers and a terrible cough. This even kept me from work...and if you ask any of my colleagues, you will know that I rarely take sick leave. South Africa's got to know its weather forecast! ;-)

Well, this led me to a dilemma that I have never faced before. I was scheduled to run the "Bay-to_Bay" 30km race (Camps Bay to Hout Bay and back) last Sunday with my girlfriend. We are a competitive couple, so this added a lot of pressure on me to actually run the race. My doctor strongly advised against running with such a low immune system (even though I was starting to feel better on race day). He informed me that I could put unnecessary strain on your heart if you overdo you exercise routine too soon after a major sickness. 

It was tough call, but I took my doctors advice and decided not to run. I now have adopted the "neck-check test" (which has not been proven by any medical community mind you). This theory involves diagnosing your own symptoms before you make the call to run a race or not. Here's how it works according to Mindy Solkin, who is the Owner and Head Coach of The Running Center^TM

"If your symptoms are "above the neck"… runny or stuffy nose, sneezing or sore throat, a little easy running probably won't do any harm and, in fact, might even help. Exercise releases adrenaline, also called epinephrine, a natural decongestant, which may explain why a run seems to clear nasal passages. Whether you choose to run indoors or out, monitor your body for any symptoms such as dizziness, nausea or profuse sweating and STOP RUNNING if any of these symptoms occur. If, on the other hand, you have "below the neck" symptoms… fever, fatigue, muscle aches, vomiting, diarrhea, chills, sweats, swollen glands or a hacking cough, then this indicates that you probably have a virus. Running under these conditions increases dehydration and can lead to more serious problems, so DO NOT RUN."

I figure there are several races for me to compete in but I have only one heart/immune system. I think I will take the doctors advice on this one.

Happy running everyone! See you at Sea Point Pools at 5:30pm on Thursday 10 January for our first AdiActive run of the year.

Derek

Running in the depths of winter

I'm no stranger to running in the cold winter months in the USA. This is something that I grew up with. But I am convinced that my blood has thinned since moving to South Africa. What used to be shorts and t-shirt weather for me is now winter-coat, scarf and gloves weather for this American-African (didn't know those existed, did you?? ). 

This trip to the good ol' USA was no different. I have come home to do some work for my company and of course, see my wonderful family. While here, we got hit with a mega-snowstorm. I'm accustom to snow. I mean, I come from a winter-wonderland in Michigan. But this was different. 1/2 meter of snow in 24 hours! Check out these photos:

Trying to keep fit in these conditions is quite the challenge. None-the-less, I managed to lace up my new Adidas adizero Boston shoes and went to explore the town of Madison, Wisconsin. 

Here's my run:

It really was such a treat to experience the snow again. And of course, being a weatherman, I managed to get pretty excited watching all the white stuff pile up on the city streets. 

Anyway, I am looking forward to running in the warmth of Cape Town once again. But of course, I don't want to leave family and friends so I will cherish my time home. Have a blessed Christmas & New Years everyone. Don't forget the real reason for the season, Christ our Saviour. 

Derek