BSG Energade Series #1 Roodeplaat Dam Pretoria

The morning of the race on Sunday just passed, after a long night of little sleep with heavy storms outside, we headed to the race. Weather looking rather miserable with cloud cover, we arrived at the event where like minded crazy people were up and also gearing up to race no matter the weather condition. Queuing to get my race chip and goody bag, I realized this was not a small event. Apparently sold out. So my first instinct was get in front for the swim and all will be okay.

 

Heading to transition with my bike and helmet, I had to remove my tri bars as they don’t have safety grips yet, then sending Aiden to the car to get tools to remove it with less than 20 minutes till briefing, we managed to make it in time and get in transition and set up. While heading for the water I was greeted by my fellow athlete Mnandi Weber (winner of her age group) and then it all sank in…its time to race.

Getting into the water was a bit of a mission as it was cold and green and slimy, but one minute to go, so lets get to the front and get going. I couldn’t hear much of what the announcer had to say and next thing off goes the gun away we are…Trying to break a gap to get into the lead, I found myself heading for the wrong boi now having to swim towards the wind to catch up and make up for lost time… Not impressed, however I was 6^th to exit the water after 10:51 which should be 9min…

Heading for transition, getting my bike and helmet and heading out to the track to mount our bikes and head out on the 20km route. The cycle part was my favorite part. My new bike – Nijma (Its Arabic for Star) was a dream to ride. Smooth ride, no hassles that I was stressed about, and about 5km into the cycle it started raining with lightening thunder and the harder it rained, the more I smiled…would be the day I decide to do my first road try…of course it had to rain. Out on the bike leg, I spent 44 minutes cycling, which was slow, as I can feel my body wants to go faster, but my legs are not yet strong enough. So training is in order and then we will take down some time.

Heading back to transition to dismount my bike and start off on the 5km run of which 2.5km was uphill with uneven ground and potholes and rain and rivers flowing down the road, the conditions were not that great, but bearable. I lost a lot of time on my run as I had a stitch that just wouldn’t go away and my feet were numb for some reason. So 36min is really slow for me.

All in all I finished the race in 1:31:52 which is now my bench mark for the next one. I am to shave off at least 15minutes on my triathlon time…This weekend I look forward to round #2 of the BSG Energade Triathlons. This time I am hoping for better weather, though I have to work the night before, so ill be tired before I even race. Either way, the race was well organized and a lot of fun. My first road triathlon in 13 years…about time I came out of retirement!

A big thanks goes out to my support team, Hawk and Aiden…and all my friends for all the crazy messages…

Gearing Up for Racing Season

Its almost summer time in South Africa however winter seems to just want to stay. I have not raced or trained much over the last few week - winter most definitely got the best of me. So since the AR race, its been pretty boring in the world of sport other than the odd Hockey game on the weekends - where i must add, i have been scoring some goals and and running fast with the occasional sprint on the field.

Besides that, i am a week away from a 10km run i have entered "Spar Ladies 10km Run"...I would like to race it, however i doubt i would survive with the little training i have behind me...so for the race, i am just going to run and giving it my best shot. The time i finish in, will be my bench mark for the season...one can only improve from there...


September is right around the corner - as well as the Joburg City Triathlon on the 25th of September - thinking of entering the race as my first step into the Triathlon Season, but need to get my road bike ready for then. By saying that, i am currently restoring an old road bike as a customized bike with special colors with meaning and will add ribbon stickers which all have meaning to them. My bike will be my drive to compete and become better for the reason that i can! The inspiration came from a recent loss of a friend as well as the loss of many friends in the last two years...some to Car accidents, others to heart attacks at the age of 28 and my dear old friend who was taken by storm from the undesirable disease with no cure...cancer.

People know the Pink Ribbon and the Red Ribbon meanings, but there is more than just those...Go research up the meanings of different color ribbons. Now i want my bike to have all the ribbon colors on as i figured i do multi-sport...and somehow want to do sport for all the different types of charities...but i have no idea how i will work around that...especially in South Africa where Triathlon is not really a top sport and sponsorships for this sport is almost impossible to receive. So the idea of ever becoming a full time athlete in South Africa if you don't make the public eye...is absolutely out of the question. But that doesn't mean i cant keep trying!

So next week i start training with a pro triathlete...Looking forward to getting tips and technique correction before October when the BSG Triathlon Series starts...Something to look forward to.

In the mean time i need to up my running distance from 10km next Saturday to 21km on the 18th of September at the City to City race with the all big one of 42km on the 6 November at the Sowetan Marathon and then not far from that date, the 94.7 Cycle Challenge ...ah...i can feel the fitness calling me. 

But for now this weekend is about getting my butt back into the saddle of things with some Mountain biking adventures and Kayaking exploring while attempting to relax a bit before Monday morning when i head back into my training sets of 2 sets per day 7 days a week. So bring on the summer and bring on the Multi-sport Season.

Kinetic Adventure Race 26th June 2011

Sorry for not updating in a while, been working most weekends or either been sick and have not raced.Although racing season is gaining upon me so fast, i need to get back into the shape of things.

On Sunday the 26^th June 2011, I participated in my first Kinetic Adventure Race ever with my team called Team LAVA. Team Lava entered two teams – a pair and original team of three. Not ready to race considering that I was sick and probably should not have raced, I headed to Glenburn Lodge in Muldersdrift to join my other 4 team members (Larry *Team Leader*, Vaughn, Grant, and Samantha). Because it was Grant, Myself and Sam’s first Adventure Race, we agreed to take it easy and enjoy the race and work on navigating together as a team of 5 instead of two teams, however once the race had started, the idea blew straight out of everyone’s minds. Larry is an avid competitor and will push you to race harder as personally I think he is a machine!

The race started with running around Glenburn Lodge to different Orientation Points and watching teams scattered everywhere, the excitement started fading when I noticed all the steep uphill’s or Slight Inclines as my friends would say…and being sick does not help at all. However we finished the track in no time and next headed out on our mountain bikes to tackle the 15km of cycling to different Check Points that were marked on our Google Maps that were handed to us at the start. The MTB section of the race was my downfall – hill after hill after hill…and I slowed my team down a lot, and at that point realized I should not have raced. My team would have been finished way ahead if it weren’t for me battling up the hills with breathing. And to top that, on the last 5km stretch, I pulled my calf muscle, delaying more time to stop and stretch it out. Luckily I didn’t pull it properly and managed to stretch it out and carry on racing. Parts of the track we literally could not cycle as the track was more of a single track/foot path along the side of the mountain, with loose rocks everywhere and cliff on your right side, however I quite enjoyed the view from that part of the race and realized why I do the things I do even when I am sick!

Heading back from the cycle and scanning in our barcodes, we headed out again for a trail run to tackle the 3^rd leg of the race where we ended up running up a single track alongside the mountain. Going up was easy, but coming down, my left knee decided it had had enough for the day. At this point our team split from 5 members to Vaughn and I pulling back to take it easy down the mountain to avoid further injury. Just minutes behind our other team members, we headed back to transition where we tackled the kayak part of the race.  I thought id dive in the river to cool off, but after feeling the water temperature, I thought it was a rather insane idea. Then the last stretch was an obstacle course which I stressed about with my right calf muscle heading for a serious pull, and my left knee as the point where I can no longer bend it, the adrenalin and thought of the finish line was pumping through my veins and I was over the obstacle course, faster than spider man. Finishing the race was the best part of the entire race as it was the first time I could stop and take a deep breath!!

The race was well organized with perfect OP and CP placing, and an absolute breathtaking venue. The staff were friendly and the crowd is just amazing…even though people mocked me hopping along…there is always a next time J So despite me being sick and my two injuries along the way, my team did sensationally well and I would do it again in a heart beat…So Cyndi, you have yourself an Adventure Racer tan, a pulled calf muscle, water on the knee, lost over 2000 calories, multiple cuts and bruises – but you are now an Endurance Racer!!!

Now that I know what the race holds out and what is expected of a racer, I have to say – watch out…Im coming to take my spot on Podium sometime in the near future!!

For now, im hopping along allowing my body to recover…will upload photos the minute I get them. Closing of to say well done to Team Lava and all the other Racing Teams, and to the Organizers for a spectacular event!!

Urban Ride - The Joburg Experience

So last week Tuesday I had a little taste of cycling with a bunch, but this bunch is no ordinary bunch. They my new mates who have a passion for nature and life from a different view with a sport called Adventure Racing. Something I have always wanted to take part in, only thing is to get a team of amped mates together to train and actually get this going was tougher than I thought as most of my mates are not the active sporty kind. However they found me training couple weeks ago on my mountain bike and asked me to join as they need more girls to enter a second team. So this is right up my street. Some of my mates are jealous and others think I am mad.

So a little taste of adventure racing – not a sport for the faint hearted! Girls who love hotels and getting their nails done, this is most definitely not for them. Adventure Racing consists of  5 Star View of the world, with accommodation in “sleeping bag – on the ground style” Food and Beverage is what ever you pack in your backpack considering it has to last you three days in hot sunny conditions, and you can enjoy the tranquil view while catching a tan, only a cyclers tan… 

Adventure racing is Mountain Biking, Trail Running, Paddling, Rope Work and my favorite which Im oh so good at, Navigation. Some are one day sprints such as the Kinetic Sprint Series, which I will be getting my fist taste of in June and others are over three days with teams of 3-4 where weather and nature challenge your mind to such a degree, they call it the “Snoopy Dog” if you start seeing things…hope I don’t get to wear the “Snoopy Dog” hehe.

So to get back to last week Tuesday with my real Joburg Experience and with the above said, you can imagine the kind of guys I have now met and joined. For training they decided we were to do and Urban Night Ride – so ready at 5.30 in the evening at the school we were off through crazy traffic in Edenvale, heading through Bedfordview towards Rocky Street… Now you can imagine – One girl and 5 Guys and here were headed on our MTB towards Rocky Street…Ok, we can do this I kept telling myself.

Once we were there, it was a case of doge this taxi and that car door and careful for pedestrians crossing and watch out for this bus and pot hole here and red light jumpers there and crazy as hell, but what a different experience. So from Rocky Street we headed towards the center of Joburg going passed the mines and Anglo and headed towards the Nelson Mandela Bridge. At this stage I was in my element with I can’t believe I am cycling through Joburg at Night seeing the world from a complete different view. Amazing doesn’t even describe it.

So anyways, we started heading back, passed the Constitutional hill where we found ourselves heading through a little doge part of Joburg I never thought I would ever pass on MY BIKE – NO! Hillbrow!! High populated density area with gangsters and probably one of the most dangerous places I would think to get stuck in for a girl…but here we were cycling as a tight bunch through Hillbrow. With my mind in full alerts and heart beating so fast, I took a nice deep breath, my mind was somewhere else – I mean here we are in this part of Joburg, and I’m thinking to myself how amazing this is, and wonder how many people have cycled this exact part of Joburg at night time…Not too many that’s for sure, but I was amazed at the lifestyle and the experience I cant even explain. 24 hour markets and liquor stores and party over here and people just everywhere and you hear them shouting “Tourist” now I am no stranger to Joburg, but I did feel like a tourist – this was incredible. The City of Joburg is so beautiful and I have to say that i will always be a Joburg girl.

So heading back through Yoeville and Bruma – we stopped for a little cool off at Mc Donald’s with ice cream and then tackled the icy cold winter wind back towards Edenvale, 38km later; I survived the Urban Night Ride. Huge smile on my face, and I couldn’t stop talking about how amazing that was. I won’t recommend you go by yourself, but if you have crazy mates like I have now, it’s worth everything in life.

On Good Friday my coach and I cycled from Edenvale to Emmarentia Dam and back. The amount of cyclists on the road in the morning and at all the little coffee shops, give’s a new meaning to Breakfast Runs. So it shouldn’t be “Think Bike” – how about “Think Bike – Think Bicycle”

Tonight we ride again – this time the same route as last week Tuesday only were extending the distance to Emmarentia Dam and back – so I am looking forward to a nice 50km ride experiencing Joburg and life with an open heart from the saddle. So bring on the flood of experiences and training.

"Its a Commitment - more than expected" 

Wildfire for Iron Man 2012

I have been reeled in mind body and soul to train for one of the toughest races known to man, and today I am blogging a spectacular race that takes place in all parts of the world including South Africa – Iron Man South Africa. In the last few months, the air I breathe has been for the love and passion I have for sport. I know that it’s not good to regret the past, but I wish I never took that 6 year gap in my life. But I know where I have been, I know where I am and I now know where I am going. I have taken up the James Dean philosophy – life is far too short to live with fear!

So while keeping updated with the performances of the top female athletes competing in the Iron Man SA, on my weekend off dedicated to doing nothing (Dolce Far Niente as the Italians would say)  I have to say that these ladies are machines. Leading with a 28min gap Chrissie Wellington took home first place and broke the record of Iron Man SA 2011. A real sports hero and a remarkable athlete! WOW!! So I have decided that next year I will be participating in the Half Iron Man and the Full Iron Man. Its extreme for me, but I find myself working out distances from Pretoria to Edenvale for cycling training and wanting to enter marathons over weekends. So call me crazy, but I am going for it and hope to excel at it as well.

So lately my life has become rather entertaining with balancing work, friends and training all in one. "Its impossible said pride, its risky said experience, its pointless said reason, give it a try whispered the heart!" With those golden words, anything is possible, look at Chrissie for example. She can do it, so can I! So watch out – call me wildfire – can’t stop me now! 

In the last few months, I have been training with a lady named Angie, who use to race Comrades Marathon, Two Oceans Marathons, completed several Cape Argus Races and Triathlons, and I respect her with all her achievements. She is training me up to run the marathon distances at professional pace and not sure why she is willing to help me, but I am glad someone believes in me! Not sure how, but she found me! With this said, I have signed up to join the Bedfordview Triathlete team to start training with them, and get me race ready for a few short triathlons coming up in September / October called the BSG Energade Series. I am going to do them all to the best of my ability. Like they say “Swim Strong / Cycle Fat / Run to Win” Luckily I have mastered the swimming discipline, but the cycle and run on the other hand need some attention. So none the less, I will be on par within the next 6 months of solid training.

There is no better feeling in the world than that feeling of blood rushing through your veins, wind passing your face, and the pure adrenalin of pace with the beating of your heart. It’s not a feeling just anyone can understand, because you have to experience it to understand the true sensation of it. Other people might think it’s a load of bull to get up at discrete hours of the morning to take on a few distances for a little personal time and fresh air, but then again, it’s their choice. I chose this! Or a better sense – It chose me!

My training table looks like this at the moment:

M – Swimming Afternoon 4km

T – Swimming 4km / Running 8km / Gym / Cycling

W – 1 hour Spinning / Gym / Zumba- For variety

T – Running 10km / Gym / Swim / 1 hour spin

F –  1 hour Spinning / Swimming / Gym

S – If I am not working – Swim / Cycle / Run or Racing one of the three

S – Racing one of the three / Hockey Match

Now how is that for a training timetable? It’s what I am doing at the moment. Over time all the distances are increasing and by September I will be doing Iron Man Distances. So exciting yet the thought is thrilling. Never imagined myself doing such distances and after watching yesterdays race and with some of my mates competing and coming in at remarkable times of 15 hours, that is absolutely fantastic and rewarding and these guys are real Iron Men. I look forward to taking up a name of becoming what a friend of mine used – Iron Man Contender! My faith is strong now, and its my time to shine. Give me 6 months and ill be on par and then watch as i grow over the next few years. 

I think the race is rather inspiring and many people think that it is absolute madness to put your body through such hell, but in the end, I am doing this for myself. My own achievement and even if I cross the finish line last, I know that with every step I take, I am one step closer to that dream. Besides, you only live once, and before I am too old and can’t jump over walls and do crazy stunts I do now, I will go for it no matter what! Wildfire on the loose!

So for the next few months I will be training for as mentioned before – BSG Energade Triathlon Series, 94.7 Cycle Challenge (Road and MTB Race) Upcoming Marathons and all the smaller races. I look forward to the events, as I have met so many great athletes over the last 3 months, and I they all behind me every step of the way. 

I hope this sort of helps inspire others to go out and live their dreams and that nothing is impossible. Here i am, just an ordinary person wanting to keep up with extraordinary people (Got that saying from a triathlete who followed me on Twitter, and its the most spectacular set of words.) You don't have to be the winner or the fastest athlete, you just need to be a competitor - you are already a star! 

To everyone who is supporting me over the next few months, i really appreciate it. Will keep you updated all the way. I have exactly one year to get my butt into Iron Man SA as a competitor - lets do this!

So see you at the race!

Be sure to say hi!

For now – Buonanotte (Good Night)

"A regular girl trying to keep up with extraordinary people"

Entered my first Triathlon in over 11 years this weekend that just passed - The triathlon was the last one of 4 series – off road triathlons called the Sasol Cross Triathlon. Now dating back to my last Triathlon I was roughly 10 years old and only training I ever received was swimming, and I once joined the runners at my school, but no one waited for me as I was slow, so I gave up training in running. My last race, can’t remember where it was, but I hated the race and the sport because my chain on my bike got stuck and I didn’t have the strength to get it right again and asking people to help, I got chirped left right and center that this is a race competition. So you can imagine the 11 year gap.

A friend of mine asked me in December to join her one morning for a swim set. I stopped swimming in 2005 after I spent most of my matric year in hospital with heart and chest problems.  I use to be one of the top athletes at the time with selection for the elite squad for the 2008 Olympics, and the doctors said I won’t be doing sports again at any competitive level. I stopped all sports as I couldn’t handle the fact that my dream got crushed. I didn’t want to know anything about swimming ever again. So here I was 6 years later, up early on December 22^{nd 2010} back in the pool swimming a not so easy set of 4km, but I missed my swimming beyond words.

That week I met a wonderful lady at the Gym (Angie) who asked if I was a runner, because I am apparently am built like a runner!  I must have missed that talent when they were handing it out. But besides that, she has been trying to get me to join the BCC running guys in the mornings. I did a great job at avoiding them, and two weeks ago, I had my Saturday off and she found me roaming the gym and said Tuesday she will see me for a run. During the last three months I have been training swimming and light gym workouts, and really keen to get back on my bike and get back into mountain biking socially J and every day I see the BCC Triathlete’s at the gym swimming and running and it struck me that I now wanted to start triathlons again, and for some reason the crazy idea of competing in the Half Iron Man in January. Where these ideas came from, no one knows. Despite the fact that I have still got my heart and chest conditions, I now have more will power than I have ever had. More like the saying that I won’t stop till it stops me! Wish I was not so naive when I was younger, then I would be a hell of a lot fitter and maybe have reached my goals.

Second on right Tyrone / Phillip / Shireen and Myself

I entered two open water swims this year, Germiston 1200m and the Makulu 1000m swim, where I placed in the top 5 at both. Was rather ecstatic that I still had it in me to be among the other swimmers who have been training and here I was 6 years later and still get recognized as a come back swimmer. The feeling was great and it was fantastic to see some ex-swimmers still competing like Tyrone Venter and Shireen Sapiro. The good old days! I use to win both these events back when I still swam. But getting back, I started training with the BCC runners in the mornings, and I quite enjoy it. I enjoy the fact that they inspire you and if you slow down, they come back and fetch you and that really built me up that Im now looking forward to entering a few road running races. Never thought in my life I would say such a thing. So after entering my first Triathlon in over 11 years and definitely my first off-road Triathlon (thank goodness I have some mounting biking skills) I managed to finish the race in a time I m alright with, but compared to the winners I am quite far off.

My experience of the race

Packed my gear and headed by myself to Abrahamsrust by the Vaal river on Sunday. Think I got heatstroke from Saturday working at an event all day in the sun. Was not feeling the greatest, but I arrived with triple beats in my heart and stress on my face. J Got my race number and timing chip and off I went to saddle up my bike, and a little out of it, I checked what everyone else had by their stations, and added what I had. But none the less, I had everything I needed and next thing I knew it was time to head to the water. With cold and miserable weather, you would expect the water to be a little warmer, but it was colder due to all the rain I guess. But once you’re in the water your body gets use to it, and soon it was comfortable. I found myself among top other athletes and I know I can get great start with my swim, but the rest – well that needs some work. 

  

So the race started and I got a good start, and ended up being the second lady out the water, seconds after Carla van Huysteen who is the former champion and the feeling was great, but I knew when the cycle and run came, I was done. Heading out on my bike, was not the easiest after the swim, but was entertaining to see the top guys pass and get stuck in the mud and bail, and before I knew it, I was with everyone bailing in the mud and running through swamps carrying my bike. Everyone passed me as I had no energy to try keep up. (its called unfitness) – the cycle was so much fun, I think I spent a little too much time out on the track. * My excuse for now* but heading back I found myself among the last bunch of athletes heading out for that lovely 6km run. And I must say I enjoyed it, ran and chatted with everyone, and cheered people on, because I needed that when I was 10. The last three kilometers was fun running in the rain and I guarantee that it only started raining because it’s the first time in years I’m competing in a Triathlon again and the closer I got to the finish, the more it poured and the more I smiled.

I know I am capable of a lot more and I have the courage to go out and do my best for myself. I have a lot of training cut out for me, but I have an awesome group of runners who want to help me get my running skills and distance up and soon Im joining the Triathlete’s (when I get my road bike – hopefully soon) in their training sessions

Met great people at the race who want to take credit if I make it to the top for encouraging me along the way. Hehe – thanks guys! I have a lot of people I respect and want to thank for getting me back into my sport and most of these people I only met recently but a big thanks to Sasol Cross Triathlon on a superb event, I enjoyed it so much, I will be back at every race next year (a lot more fitter and with training behind me).

 I look forward to heading up the ladder again and living in the fast lane again.

Bring on the races and bring on Half Iron Man in Jan!

That is my story - whats yours!! 

Chinese New Year 2011

While browsing through my photographs, I came across an event I attended not so long ago and thought I would share the event as for me it was a real treat to experience a Chinese New Year in Joburg (it is the year of the Rabbit after all - my Year!!)

Not sure if many people are familiar with the Nan Hua Buddhist temple in Bronkhorstspruit – but as said it is one of the largest Buddhist Temples in the Southern Hemisphere. No idea what I was in for as I was dragged out with some mates for the day to go for a road trip to the Buddhist Temple and there we were, among thousands of other people attending the event. On my way in, I bumped into Helen Zille (leader of the Democratic Alliance and former Mayor of Cape Town) only to find out that a lot of people form the government are invited to experience this event. 

So celebrating Chinese New year, we were breath taken by the temple design, the religious occurrences (remove your shoes before you enter the main temple, the dragon parades and all the festivities going on. Oh and I wont forget to mention the FOOD.  

The food ranged from Dumplings to Noodles to Spring-rolls and then also Tofu (and god that stuff smells like raw meat roosting in blood all day in the scorching sun at an abattoir.) We had Noodles for lunch and it was divine. 

All the corridors were infested with people with a Chinese market  (all made in China - so they say hehe) where you could break into your bank account to buy a sword and become a ninja or purchase a paper Chinese brolley (aka an umbrella) to protect you from the scorthcing sun or to look cool, or even buy some stones with meaning. Either way it was filled with excitment and things to buy, but i was lucky as i was already broke at the time - January you know! Will keep this in mind for next year. 

The temple also has a museum where you can walk through and read up on the traditional clothes and different Buddhist tribes and the clothes the Buddhist Monks wear. Really interesting information. Would love to share it all, but i have forgotten most of it. Alas - you will have to make a trip to go see for yourself. I will definitely be returning for every Chinese New Year from now on. Will be worth the road trip and you can take the family with you. So as the Chinese would say 新年快乐 (Xīnnián kuàilè) - Happy New Year. Bit late but what the hell. Next year ill be more clued up on the who is who and whats what at the event!

Some history on the Nan Hua Temple

In 1992, the Bronkhorstspruit City Council donated 6 hectares of land to the Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Order to be developed into a Chinese Buddhist, Cultural, and Educational Complex. Ven. Master Hsing Yun sent one of his long-time disciples, Ven. Master Hui Li, to build the Nan Hua Temple in Bronkhorstspruit, to attain these goals and promote Buddhism on the African continent.

95% of the construction materials come from local sources in South Africa, including the Chinese style concrete castings of the first floor balcony handrail, which where made in Pretoria.

There are five aims of the Nan Hua Temple:

1. Propagate Dharma: Teach the methods of the Buddha so that people my leave suffering behind and gain joy, to bring true joy to the sentient beings of Africa.

2. Sangha liberation: Educate local people to be monastics, planting the seeds of the Bodhi Way (path of wisdom) in Africa.

3. Ordination: To pass down the Buddhas' precepts for liberation and give refuge to both monastics and laity.

4. Translation of scriptures: To translate the Chinese Tripitaka (scriptures) into local languages to let Africans also have access to them.

5. Construct temples: To construct temples for laity and montastics to live in and practice Buddhism and give sentient beings a place for learning and practicing the Dharma

Inside the Main Temple

My Friend Sam and I

Noodles for Lunch

Sam / Robert / Debbi / Stuart / Myself

Personal Branding

Over the years I have been the silent one in a crowd of unknown people or more the observant type in familiar territories, but never been an introvert of such. Always the extrovert! I grew up being pulled down by my peers and though I seemed strong willed, I never really thought myself as “Good Enough” which has made a huge impact on my life, and made it more complicated than it seemed. Those two words “Good Enough” defines people and their personalities as well as their reactions, and no matter how much people in your life try tell you otherwise, you always tend to see the worst first.

However over the years I have become more carefree to what everyone really thinks and has to say about me, but the matter still stands, were all human and will get affected about it some time or later. But it has taken the last three years of my life with all the experiences I have had to go through in the last three years to realize that there should never be a moment in ones life that “Good Enough” should ever be tested. Since starting up my own company, I have leant that I need to be one step ahead and I build on my own name. In other word become my own brand! If you think about it, we already are our own brands with upgrades as time passes. Everyone has their own style, ways and ethics. And this year I aim to become a brand.

Mark me as a brand, but don’t limit it to clothing, appearance and knowledge as these all lead to an indelible impression that is uniquely distinguishable. Most of the famous people in the world are brands.  The term personal branding only came into discussion in 1997 by Tom Peters. Personal branding has continued to gain in popularity as a tool to manage reputation online, especially though social networking sites like Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter. So in essence as said before – were already brands but how far are you willing to expand your brand power. Get to know me as Cyndi Strydom or as Novateur.

4 Main Rules on Personal Branding

1. Always be searching for your next big opportunity. Your brand will impact your company’s brand for better or worse. Being proactive with your career is critical to your success because if you aren’t marketing your brand, no one will know about it. Be discovered with your brand!

2. Your brand will impact your company’s brand for better or worse. Your reputation can help or hurt your career and/or company, which means that you need to be smart about what impression you make on the world. Your digital trail of negative publicity might creep back up on you later in your career if you aren’t careful. Bring positivity into your everyday lifestyle and involve yourself with positive people and events. Build on your personality to save those relationships.

3. If you have talent and you put yourself out there, anything is possible. Not too many people go from being homeless to being on every national TV show. You have a shot of making it big if you give yourself a chance to do so. Find your talent and get people to recognize you for who you are.

4. Soft skills are becoming more important than hard skills. Over 66% of people feel that verbal communication skills are more important than technical knowledge at 60%. There’s so much competition for jobs that technical skills alone won’t get you hired anymore. Train yourself in your profession and start working on your networking / social skills to help you reach your goal.

So how does one stand out above the crowd to be discovered?

One of the biggest mistakes people make is that they either brand themselves just for the sake of doing it or that they fail to invest time in learning about what’s in their best interests. The key to success, and this isn’t revolutionary, is to be compensated based on your passion. In order to find your passion, you need a lot of time to think, and you need to do some research online to figure out what’s out there. It’s about finding out what you want to do for the rest of your life.

Your self-impression = How people perceive you

The next step is to get yourself known – with use of social networks and simple instruments of business cards. There are many ways to get out there for people to get to know you. Here are some examples of ways that can be used ( i have added my branding and company information as well to give an idea) 

1 Facebook – over 160million people are on Facebook, but none of them have branded themselves the right way. Keep away from other people in your profile picture, or vodka bottles and photos like that.My personal Facebook profile i try to keep strictly friend orientated than a company name as i believe that more my personal site and requires a privacy setting, however Novateur Eventz has its own site and that is strictly business orientated.

2 Twitter – Your Twitter profile should have an avatar – carved out of your Facebook or Linkedin profile picture. Use a distinctive background and create links to your blog / webpage and so on.My twitter page is a combination of Novateur Eventz and Cyndi Strydom as one. Personal as well as work orientated. Gives people more of an overview of who i am as well as the work load i receive.

3 Linkedin – a profile combined with a resume / cover letter / reference documents and more. Use it to create your own database or promote yourself in the working industry among other corporate networks.Novateur Eventz is on Linkedin, however i am still learning to use this application properly in order to receive its benefits.

4 Webpage / Blog – If you can accept to be criticized – then you can start your own blog or a basic front page. Use your name and explain who you are. Those who blog are higher ranked on the “to be found list” than other channels.Novateur Eventz are on the blog site, though i tend to keep my personal (Cyndi Strydom) blog more alive as after all i am the face of the company for the people who get to know us.

5 Portfolio - Make your own CD to showcase the work you have done which can help convince someone of your skills.Novateur has a CD / DVD which we offer clients, as well as a portfolio of our work.

6 Wardrobe -Your personal style is tangible and is extremely important for standing out from the crowd. Select clothing that best represents you because it will be viewable through your pictures/avatars online, as well as when you meet people in reality. My style is rather sporty as i am involved with different sports however i have the corporate look as well. I enjoy looking and dressing up classy and always want to look good any time of day.

7 Business card - It doesn’t matter if you’re a college student, CEO, or a consultant, everyone should have their own business card. My business card has all the basic information on it, and people are recognizing the background of it where ever i go. Once had a lady at an event say she lost the business card, however she recognized the background and liked it from another webpage back to mine. So this can be a powerful tool.

After you spend the time on these parts of your personal branding options, it’s time to showcase it to the world, especially your target audience. Work on your communication skills and get people to recognize you. It’s the most difficult part of personal branding, but once you get the hang of it, you will start to see the difference.

So for the people who don’t know who I am, here is a little info about myself in my own personal branding way.Or it can be read up on in this blog.

As seen already I am Cyndi Strydom, and I live in South Africa. I have my own company called Novateur Eventz and this is my brand. People Know Cyndi from Novateur, but not many people know Novateur Eventz as such. So Novateur can be found on Facebook or Linkedin or Myself as Cyndi Strydom on Twitter / Facebook / Linkedin and Blog. I am still in the stage of branding amongst the corporate world, and so far for 2011 this seems to work.

Once you have your branding toolkit organized and your target arranged, the only next step is simply to get out there. So keep an eye out for Novateur Eventz / Cyndi Strydom. Might just surprise you one day!

Joburg Fashion Week #2

So to get back to my expedition and excitement with the Joburg Fashion Week, let me just say this is an experience beyond words. So dating back to last Thursday evening, Claudia and I graciously made our way to Joburg city to Newtown where the show was being hosted in an old factory called the Bus Factory. 

Arriving at the event, we were escorted to our seats and along the way i vaguely flashed my eyes in different directions capturing picturesque moments of the audience fashion styles to only feel more comfortable in knowing I fitted right in with my classy little black number and heels that sparkled. Once seated the lights dimmed and from all directions models appeared in designs from student designers. Mostly captivating and unique designs however the styles were so gorgeous I found myself lost in a world of Fashion.

After a 30minute show, there was an interval while the models were preparing for the dedicated designer – Spero Vilioti collection. So starting to get more excited and already in the hype, Claudia and I mingled amongst the delegates and found ourselves discussing the outfits of different folks and in-between noticed some celebrities and former Miss South Africa’s while sipping away with a glass of wine. Not a moment too soon, we were all escorted back to our seats for the show to start. Lights dimmed and the spots came on lighting up the runway and so the show started with the designs of Spero Vilioti Couture. Breathtaking garments and flawless fashion, I was astounded and threw my ideas around with future items I can add to my fashion trend. Every design was stunning and the entire show was mind blowing with sense of class. During the show, as the models walked down the runway, there were shots of confetti falling from the ceiling creating a glamorizing glossy couture effect making the garments more beautiful and captivating. 

(Above in the photograph is me with Former Miss SA in 1997 Kerishnie Naiker and my Red Carpet Look)

An hour later the show was over, but my mind was going through every detail that had just occurred. The man behind the designs is an artist with little recognition I think, yet a much respected man. He is his own brand. Quite like that last part of the sentence. So I have some photographs that were captured the evening to show you what we experienced. All I have left to say is that I will not miss this event next year, and hope to get to go to more shows and also to join in on the

SA Fashion Week. Joburg Fashion Week Photo's

Joburg Fashion Week is an astounding event of world class couture with our local designers such as Abigail Betz, Spero Vilioti, David Tlale, Abigail Keats and more. Below is a link to a site where you can view all the other designers’ designs that were showcased at the Joburg Fashion Week. Hope you enjoy. 

(The photographs below were not taken by me - just here to show some of the designs) 

Spero Vilioti

Joburg Fashion Week Part #1

I have not blogged in a while. I do apologies for this, but the start of this year has been rather crazy with everything changing in terms of work (even work load) and general routines. However I will try my best to keep this updated as much as I can. Its like the book of life (Your life) exposed to the world who reads it. Rather a different sensation to know someone else reads your life story and at times they can relate or other times just break away from their own lives. Either way it’s fascinating.

So not to steer too far away and bore you with boredom, I have a little confession to make… I will be attending my fist ever elite Fashion show tomorrow night which is part of the Joburg Fashion Week. I would have loved to see the work of Abigail Betz, still remember when I was in school, she was on 3 Talk with Noleen, and that was where I sort of fist fell in love with Fashion. I mean I have always been this girl next door / tomboy girl with my sporty and casual outfits and secretly loved Fashion though it would never have seemed so. But there is light at the end of the tunnel as I have somehow managed to get my name on the exclusive list for the exclusive-show of the Abigail Betz couture later on this year. 

After I matriculated I started working in the corporate world where I was introduced to Jenni Button designs and since then I have started following fashion magazines such as my all time favorite Elle and keeping up to date with the trends though I never applied it to myself. Always thought I had to be a model to wear the fashion and never really classed myself as the model type or good enough to wear what’s in at the time.Though i walked the ramp once on a modeling course i enrolled in, wont say im cut out to be a model as such, however i somewhat wish i was.

None the less, I grew up fast and soon learned that I don’t have to be a model to wear or dress fashionably no, I could be just me and no matter what I wear it was fashionable at some point… okay not everything is fashionable. So steering away again, let me get back on track. I shall be going to the exclusive event tomorrow night to view the 2011 Autumn Range of Spero Vilioti’s collection, and I can’t describe in words how excited and thrilled I am to be going. I have seen some of his work on the web, but never in real life let alone on models strutting their stuff down the catwalk. So super excited I am indeed! Tickets to the David Tlale Couture show on the Nelson Mandela bridge went so fast i couldn't event get my hands on a set. So ill be missing the finale though i am working on my networks to get me in at the show - will let you know how that goes.Or even make my way to Abigail Keats show - seen some of her work and i must say i am rather impressed. So either way i am thrilled!

But for now ill be attending the Spero Vilioti show and After the show I will be attending an exclusive after party called “A Betz Affair” so maybe this will be my break to meet the famous SA designer Abigail Betz. Even more, Tamara Dey will be hosting the party, so this is my walk into attending my first elite event in the Fashion Industry.Kinda like a fairytale in candy land...Not quite!

So for the past few days I have been keeping up to date with what is happening at Joburg Fashion Week, and seen some photographs from other shows that took place last night at the official opening, and the only thing going through my head is “why did I not attend this sort of event sooner” hehe, but you learn as you grow and so you change and realize new opportunities as they arise.
So I am dedicating my 2011 to a year of Fashion and discovering myself! 

Sneak peak of what happened at last nights show and start to the Joburg Fashion Week!!
Joburg Fashion Week Day 1

So If I have not bored you yet with all this talk, I will keep you posted on how the evening goes tomorrow night. Excited to wear my new dress and show off a little being chic and fashionable in South Africa - you only live once hey. But for now a little sneak preview of what to expect. Enjoy!!
Joburg Fashion Week Launch 2011