Live life without regrets

Name: Joanne Mak
Age: 45
Medical History: Plantar Fasciitis

Passionate in sports during her schooling years, Joanne was active in a swimming club and canoeing team. At the age of 19, she harboured a dream of conquering an Ironman triathlon after watching the Ironman World Championships that was held in Kona, Hawaii. However, her personal goal took a backseat when she became a mother and had to juggle between motherhood and work commitments.

�There was a period when my world only revolved between work and home. While being a mother is fulfilling, I felt like a frog in the well where I wasn�t experiencing or learning anything new.� she confessed. Her triathlon dream also suffered a blow in 2013, when she was diagnosed with Plantar Fasciitis (inflammation of the heel) which made running painful There was a silver lining, however, as she turned to cycling as a substitute for running, which proved to be the essential piece of puzzle for Joanne to embark on her triathlon dream.

The Turning Point

When Joanne�s children were more independent and her medical condition was under better control, she finally made up her mind at 38 years old, to pursue the triathlon dream that she had put off for almost 20 years.

Getting fit for a triathlon was no easy feat, as it demanded a lot of her time and commitment. Initially, Joanne also faced some resistance from her family, due to societal expectations of what an ideal mother should be � someone who should be focused on taking care of the family � but she remained undeterred.     

She began to fit her training schedule around her work and family duties. She would wake up at 4:30am to squeeze in a 40km ride in the morning before sending her children off to school. For her 10-20km runs, she would skip public transport after work and run home. Mindful of her body condition, Joanne made sure she had enough sleep by going to bed by 10:30pm every night. She admitted candidly that one perk she got out of intensive training was to be able to eat whatever she wanted without gaining weight, as she could burn off the excess calories easily.

Her efforts and dedication paid off within two years.   

Since turning 40, Joanne has conquered two Ironman races in Western Australia in 2015 and another in Germany in 2017. She also competed in the Powerman Duathlon World Championships in Switzerland in 2016 and in multiple half Ironman races, including 2019�s Ironman 70.3 World Championships in France. She has also qualified for 2020�s Ironman 70.3 World Championships in New Zealand which has been deferred to early 2021.  

�Initially, it was just about putting in the hard work to get through each race with less suffering. When my times started improving, my goal shifted to wanting to qualify for the Ironman 70.3 World Championships. It was a surreal experience cycling in the French Alps and racing amongst the professional triathletes and top age-groupers in the world last year!� she recalled fondly about her experience.

The Fitness Mantra

On what keeps her motivated, Joanne believes in setting personal goals and to work towards them consistently. She stressed that support is just as essential, as her training buddies give her the impetus to wake up early to train together. She is also thankful that her daughters have been very understanding about her goals, having inherited her passion for sports as well, which encourages her to stay committed and persevere.

�As a late starter to triathlon, my window is limited and I want to do what I still can for as long as possible so I can live life without regrets! I never dreamt I could qualify for the World Championships when I first started out, but with each target met, I dared to dream bigger. As important as family is, you have to live for yourself too.� she quipped.

Currently, Joanne trains between 11-17 hours regularly per week, rotating between cycling, running and swimming sessions. If you are interested to find out more about triathlon races, check out https://www.ironman.com/, https://trifactor.asia/ and https://www.metasport.com/.