Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 98, September 2017 | Page 29

Promenade on my doorstep, so it made sense. But, I didn’t enjoy it much,
so I moved to road cycling,” she says. “However my diet was not great,
so I wasn’t seeing results. Even when I added trail running to my exercise
programme, the weight-loss wasn’t happening. Frustrated, I visited a
dietician. I went from eating three meals a day to eating five, and I adjusted
my portion sizes. That’s when I started seeing my weight drop at last,” she
says.
“In June 2015 I volunteered at the inaugural Ironman 70.3 Durban. I was
impressed by the athletes and I thought I would love to see if my body can
go the distance in a triathlon. Because I couldn’t swim well, I started lessons
with stroke correction a few months later. I was fortunate to have a swimming
instructor who competes in and trains others for triathlon. I set a lofty goal for
the year of my 35 th birthday: to do the Ironman Durban 70.3.”
Taking the Plunge
“It was nerve-wracking participating in my first multisport event at the 5150
Bela Bela Triathlon at Warmbaths in August 2016. I was so scared I would
be cut off during the swim leg. I had no confidence in the open water, even
though I had done a few sessions in the sea. Fear of being in the middle of
the water surrounded by lots of people swimming faster and better than me,
and not being able to touch the ground or a wall, terrified me. I didn’t sleep
the night before the race... but, I made it! I was incredibly proud to complete
that 5150 and win my first triathlon medal.”
“Then, I entered my first Ironman 70.3 event in Durban in June 2017 and,
having entered, there was no turning back! I enjoyed the training and became
far more confident when swimming in the ocean. The fears I had were no
more and I completed the race in a time of 7 hours, 58 minutes and 38
seconds,” she explains. “These days my training is no longer about weight-
loss. I found something I love doing; activities that make me happy. Training
for races and collecting medals are much more exciting goals.”
Planning is Key
A major part of Dumi’s transformation is nutrition. “I eat healthily because I
need to fuel my body with good, nutritious food to perform well while training
and in a race. I used to eat three meals a day, but I found that at times I
would get so hungry I would buy junk food to fill me up until I got home for
supper. Now I eat five smaller meals, so there’s no need to find unhealthy
fillers. I prepare my meals based on my training demand for the next day. On
weekends, I am not too strict. I love donuts, so I reserve those for weekends.
I also cut out juice and fizzy drinks. I drink a lot of water now. I train too hard
to be on a bad diet, as poor food affects my energy levels,” she says.
To others who dream of accomplishing a weight-loss or sporting goal, Dumi
says: “Have a plan and stick to it. Remove ‘I can’t’ and ‘I don’t have time’
from your vocabulary. I also find having a training buddy, or training with
a group or team, makes you disciplined even on days when you don’t feel
like training. You become accountable to your training partner this way. You
motivate each other and it becomes more fun. But most importantly, do
something that you love and enjoy, and I promise you, you will meet your
goals. You will see results. Focus on a healthy lifestyle every day. And never
underestimate the power of sleep or resting for a healthy mind and body, and
for peak performance in your training.”
Reaping the Rewards
Since starting training, Dumi is more energetic and more focused. “I now
look after my health more, as I know the consequences if I don’t. I’m doing
things that I never thought I was capable of. I am trail running in breathtaking
places that I never knew existed, and I have met incredible like-minded
individuals and made valuable friendships. I feel so much more confident and
it’s amazing to focus on something, see great results, and as a bonus, have
fun doing it!”
Dumi’s weeks currently include about 35km running, 160km cycling and 5km
of swimming, and she has her next big triathlon event line up: “I have entered
the 2018 Ironman 70.3 Dubai.” She now sports a leaner frame at 69kg, and
dramatically lower cholesterol levels, and she’s smashing old boundaries and
setting new goals for herself. She adds that her achievements have attracted the
support of friends, colleagues and family. “They are thrilled that in the process of
pushing my body to such limits, I have found new happiness and joy.”
“Making healthy choices should not be boring and frustrating. If it’s fun, you
are more likely to continue with it for a long time. Discovery Vitality has made
this healthy lifestyle more fun. I have Vitality Active Rewards and this pushes
me to train in order to meet my weekly targets. My team members and I
check up on each other achieving our targets, so it goes back to the idea of
accountability - you’re in it for the team. Diamond status rewards help a lot in
that you get cash back and discounts on many of the items that you need to
achieve your goals, such as training gear, fitness devices, healthy food, travel
discounts, gym memberships and so on. Added to this, the annual health
screening tests make you aware of your health status, and if you’re not within
healthy ranges for things like cholesterol, blood glucose and blood pressure,
you get a wake-up call to change your unhealthy habits.”
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