Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 94, May 2017 | Page 33
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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.
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