Competition has always been around me and I have always come out on top. For that I have to thank my faith in god, my family, my friends and my own self belief. MAKEACHAMP is here to help me overcome another obstacle, the financial ones. My life has seen many obstacles yet I would change nothing from those obstacles as it has made me the person I am today. Today I am driven, optimistic and hungry for success as a Duathlete, 2016 will be a memorable year.
My Early Beginnings
When I was a young girl I enjoyed playing a multitude of sports. I was busily exploring different sports, I was infamously nicknamed “Rabbit” and it has stuck to this day. It was cricket, tennis, hockey, basketball and then Triathlon for 3 years. However my first major medical obstacle had struck me at age 11 after I had collapsed after a biathlon race. This led to seven doctors and no real prognosis. Eventually, I was told I had three illnesses and that walking again was not going to happen. I became paralyzed due to a heart disease called rheumatic fever, my heart valve didn’t close.This message could've been life shattering or moral destroying. Well, let me tell you it was not either. Instead overcoming those issues make it more of an accomplishment.
My unwavering faith in God has helped me overcome so many different challenges, faith is a central part of me. I always ask for others around me to be safe, my family, my friends and everyone in my life. I ask God during a race to keep me and my fellow competitors safe as well. Without faith I don’t know where I would stand today. I love my job as a trainer at Virgin Active, working with people and making a difference in their lives, recovering from injury and making people healthy. My faith has helped me succeed in both the professional world and the sporting world.
My Training Regimen
My training is a crucial part of my success and I have to keep it disciplined to succeed, I have maintained a certain regimen for the last 3 years. My midday (11-1pm) training regimen allows me to never miss a training session. Tuesday is a track day and to be honest it was my least favourite but still I must persevere, and now I love track because I am faster, its all about the speed work. As competition dates draw closer I turn to Brick sessions (combination of running and cycling). The intensity increases and I need the best preparation possible. I want to do best I can in a race, there are no shortcuts or substitutes for hard work and discipline. Recovery is a crucial aspect during trainings, it provides a wonderful balance with brick session. I go to the sports physio, sports masseuse to help my body recover in times of high intensity. This allows me to be in the the best of shape before a race. Do the program and stick to it and have balance and structure, rest is important.
My Competitions and Goals
My first big test is the World Duathlon in Spain representing Triathlon South Africa in the category 30-34 years of age. After that, I have the SA Championships and if I make a podium there I will be able qualified to represent South Africa at the Long distance World Champs in Switzerland. All these places will provide unique challenges but it is nothing I cannot overcome. For me to become a world champion I am going to have to do it under nine hours. The challenge is on. I am never afraid of a good challenge, you can add altitude,wind and rain as natural obstacles but they are not going to stop me or slow me down. I have gone through too much and overcome many obstacles already that a good challenge is what i thrive on. My dream for this year ....to compete in both distances at world champs level
My goal as a duathlete is that if I can emulate Mark and Annie Lemmon and there career longevity and successes then I can say I have done very well for myself. Mark and Annie Lemmon have had an 11 year career and they can compete finish races in under 10 hours. I cannot thank them enough for introducing me to the sport I love. Representing Triathlon South Africa is a huge honor and an extra motivation to not let them or Western Province down.
I know that the future is filled with unknown situations and unpredictable events out of my control. I do have a few ideas in my that I would like to achieve. Firstly, I would be glad if I into that 80-85 years old category as my love for this sport has never diminished. Also, I know that giving back to the community is important. The charity Bumblebee helps young kids afford wheelchairs, something I feel personally close to. Also, another potential objective would be to become an elite athlete and take my sport to another level. However, I cannot leave my job and help the people that I do. So, a balance of my sport and my job could be a possibility.
With MAKEACHAMP, I hope to share my story and inspire across the world to overcome their challenges. Thanks to Stan Andrews’ I discovered sports crowdfunding for the first time and I hope to do the best I can. I am excited for 2016 and I want to make this a memorable year for everyone.
Check out my campaign here.
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