February 2019 www.womanthismonth.com 22 PEOPLE | interview THE POWER OF THE MIND You mentioned starting competitive running late in life, what led you to this field of competition? Being diagnosed with osteoporosis. I had to lift weights, which in turn led to warm-ups in the form of running. From there on, I was hooked on the sport; the distance kept increasing and the goals got larger and far more challenging. Today I am a long-endurance athlete; in 2000, I could not run for three minutes in a row at 8km/hr without huffing and puffing. This past July, I finished a double ultra – 7.6km swim, 360km bike ride and 84.4km run in one continuous race, no sleep - in spite of multiple injuries. Do you feel at a disadvantage racing against more experienced athletes who started the sport at a much younger age? No, actually I feel at an advantage. I am the one better off with a brighter future, because my body is not as beaten up. I have not reached my peak yet, I can still improve while more experienced athletes may be already on the downhill. I give you an example: my husband started running at age 55, at age 69 he successfully finished his first Ironman 70.3. Since then he has participated in three Ironman 70.3 world championships and is again qualified for the 2019 edition, he will be 73. If you look at his results, his times have improved by 30 minutes each year, and he is moving up the ranks at each world championship. Why? because we each have a peak level and he has not yet reached his own. When you were diagnosed with osteoporosis, what gave you the strength, both mental and physical, to pursue your competitive dreams, even against advice? People in the face of adversity react differently. There are the ones who freak out and feel helpless and there are the ones who take action and feel hopeful. I am part of the latter group. Feeling optimistic helps alleviate pain and bad news. I am also someone who likes to take charge and be in control of my life. When I was diagnosed with osteoporosis I was not thinking about competitive dreams, I just was not going to surrender to a medical “verdict”. I felt it was my responsibility, not that of my doctors, to get healthy. I had choices, we always have choices. I chose what felt best for me, and listened to that inner voice which said “YOU CAN” even though my doctor was skeptical. My choice at the time was quite challenging but it turned out very rewarding, it led me to competitive sport, it shifted my focus to more positive things. Perhaps osteoporosis is the best thing that happened to me as it helped me discover the power of my mind and the joys of healthy living. Myrna Saliba, 62-year-old, medalwinning, ultra-athlete explains what motivates her to keep going despite multiple set-backs.
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