Athleticism unlike others- Julian van Wyk
Julian was recently selected to represent the KZN triathlon team and to participate in the South African Triathlon Championships which will be held in East London in March.
One of the most structurally developed and hardest working in the world of sports, the tri-athlete has to deal with both stamina and muscle development to be able to not only run for lengthy periods, but also swim and cycle.
Just perfecting their breathing is a major factor for the athlete.
Being a qualified Human Movements Scientist must be one of the reasons why tri-athlete, Julian van Wyk, excels in the sport.
“You have to learn how to condition yourself to develop the correct muscle structure and develop the right attitude. The training regimes are intense,” he explained.
Julian was recently selected to represent the KZN triathlon team and to participate in the South African Triathlon Championships which will be held in East London in March.
Looking at Julain’s training schedule, it becomes understandable why he was chosen.
“I run 80km a week, doing around 10km a day and a bit more over the weekend. I cycle three times a week and swim four times a week.,” he said.
“Each session averages 10km.”
He admitted that it was extremely hard work keeping up with his training schedule. “Sometimes you don’t know how you’re going to finish a race or get on with the training, but then you do, and you just get this burst of energy.”
His love for sports developed at a very young age; after watching his parents take on the Comrades Marathon, and constantly swimming, this led him not only to his career and study prospects, but also to his continued personal development in sports.
During his illustrious career, Julian has taken on the Midmar Mile, Chelmsford Challenge, Comrades Marathon, the Roof of Africa race, and a host of triathlon events.
“My favourite moment from all my races is possibly the Salomon Sky Run. We ran up to the highest peak in SA and it was just breath-taking.”
Currently, he is a teacher at Busy Bee Primary School, and stresses the importance of sports to the young pupils he has been charged with educating.
“I grew up always playing outside, and I think this has been very important to me. I think many people are too scared to try out sports, but the hardest part is just getting your foot out the door.”
Julian concluded with this sage piece of advice: “Stop concentrating so much on the latest technology and take-in the beauty of the world around you.”
