Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 94, May 2017 | Page 33

P E T S Y B P STE Some of our 9to5 athletes in action at the recent KPMG Sunmile event in Johannesburg, (from left to right) Lauren Smithers, Pamela Burgess, Justine Mouton, Wendy Case and Pippa Gadney #9to5 Challenge When Wendy Case came sprinting into the home straight of her final 1km time trial of the 9to5 Programme in March, we knew she had smashed her previous time, but we didn’t know the extent of her journey to get there. – BY JEANNIE JORDAAN, 9TO5 COACH W endy had gained a significant amount of weight over the years and was then diagnosed with the auto-immune disease Hashimoto’s, which affects the thyroid, as a result of many years of bad eating, high stress levels and then several failed IVF cycles. Her hormones were completely out of sync and her body was suffering for it. This really showed in her work as a Puppy Raiser for SA Guide Dogs: Just taking the energetic pups for walks left her out of breath, and feeling deflated that she couldn’t get through a walk with the little things that made her so happy. With the big 50 just around the corner, Wendy realised she was functioning on a fraction of her potential and losing her sense of self-worth in the process, and she knew she needed to change her lifestyle if she wanted to stop the downward spiral of her body. FIRST STEPS Wendy started by working with a personal trainer and doing full body strengthening. She changed some of her eating habits and lost 4kg over 18 months, but found it disheartening to see such slow progress. It was only when she went to see an endocrinologist that her body stopped fighting her. That’s because Wendy’s endocrine system was so compromised that it needed help, and by taking essential medication and changing her diet to mostly paleo eating, she was finally on the right track. Knowing full well that the scale doesn’t always reflect the real changes in one’s body, Wendy took before and after photos and measurements to keep track of her progress. She set a goal of weighing 65kg and her reward when she reached that goal was to have a sexy makeover photo shoot. “Knowing how I wanted to look for the shoot was a great motivator,” says Wendy, but she adds that doing the shoot was the most vulnerable she had ever felt in her life. “Luckily, the shoot was professionally done and once we got started, I didn’t feel too weird, and I love the results, although I still struggle to believe it’s me in those pictures!” WANTING MORE However, Wendy’s journey was not complete. “Even though I had attained my goal, I knew I could do more, and when my friend Justine Mouton told me about the 9to5 Programme that she was on, it piqued my interest, as she was looking amazing. Her face was glowing with health, her eyes were sparkling, she had lost weight, and she had so much energy. I remember thinking, I want to feel like that too, there must be something to this running thing, so let me give it a shot.” Wendy goes on to explain, “The 9to5 Programme has helped me develop discipline to train on my own, and a stamina that makes me feel energised when I run regularly. I’ve always relied heavily on a trainer to kick my bum into action, so if the trainer was sick or on holiday, I’d take the day off, or even the week! On this programme I accomplished things I never imagined possible.” And the proof is definitely in the proverbial pudding. In eight weeks Wendy managed to improve her 1km time by 65 seconds, going down from 5:55 to 4:50. She also managed to lose more weight, her body shape changed, and for the first time in her life, she was able to fit on a pair of long boots, which in the past wouldn’t fit over her calves. LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCE When asked if she has learnt anything from being on the programme, Wendy smiles and says, “I learnt that I am pretty competitive. I never knew that about myself before. Doing speed work up the hills against some of the other guys, and beating them to the top, was certainly proof of that. And I loved the feeling.” In terms of memorable moments on the 9to5 Programme, Wendy says “Number one was definitely beating my 1km time by 65 seconds and having the team applaud me as I pushed myself to my absolute limit. And second was improving my Lonehill parkrun time from 44 minutes to 32 minutes in five weeks. It was exhilarating running across that finish line – I really did punch the air, much to everyone’s amusement! It is an incredibly beautiful gift to know that you achieved more than you could have ever imagined.” SIGN UP TODAY One of Wendy’s makeover photo shoot pics If you can’t imagine doing a 5km, let alone a 10km, then you should also sign up for the 9to5 Programme and we’ll help you achieve what you never thought possible, step by step. Go to www.modernathlete.co.za/page/9-to-5-challenge or e-mail [email protected] for more info. 33