An inspiration to us all

How many of us will admit to using age, gender or nationality as an excuse, or cite it as being a barrier impeding success? It’s probably something a lot of us do, perhaps subconsciously, in the same way that we often find reasons why we didn’t perform as well as we had planned, be it in everyday life or in sporting endeavors.

Myrna Saliba, a female Arab endurance athlete and triathlete in her 60s, is certainly not one of those people. Being a woman with so many accolades, we were keen to find out the ‘secret’ behind her success, despite all the perceived barriers that could have potentially held her back. The answer? There is no ‘secret’, but rather a love of outdoor sports that allow a special bond with family and friends, plus a hefty amount of dedication and self belief. Read on for one of the greatest doses of inspiration that you may possibly ever receive…

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Fouad and Myrna on the podium in Quebec, celebrating coming 1st and 2nd in their respective age groups

Have you always lived a healthy, outdoor lifestyle? If not, what lead to this change? How has this developed throughout the years?
In my childhood I was a tomboy; always playing outdoors and riding my bike. But then I got married young, and with marriage came the responsibility of a house and raising children. In 2000, I was diagnosed with Osteoporosis and had to warm up with running before my weight lifting sessions. Running was quite new to me, but in no time, I became an avid marathoner against my doctor’s advice (he thought I might break my frail bones due to the heavy impact). This only reinforced my resolve to run marathons, and so far I’ve completed over 20 marathons and a couple of ultras, let alone Ironman and double Ironman races. Thank God I haven’t broken any bones due to running.

What motivated you to get involved with triathlons, and when/where was your first event?
What sparked my interest in triathlons was a documentary about Ironman Busselton in Western Australia (IMWA). I told my husband I wanted to do an Ironman. He too had never heard of the sport so I explained to him and he giggled saying, “but honey, you don’t know how to swim!” I said I will learn, and I learned, just to do an Ironman. The only swimming stroke I have mastered up until this day is freestyle, because I am not a swimmer; I just need to swim to move on in the race. My first ever triathlon race was none other than that race; the IMWA in 2009.

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At one with nature and disconnecting from everyday life

“I do not consider myself a fully-fledged triathlete. I am just an endurance athlete with a lot of guts, patience and determination, setting out to conquer her athletic goals.”

What is it about endurance events that appeal to you?
Endurance events allow you to disconnect from mundane activities, to get in tune with yourself and to nurture your inner soul. You are closer to nature, and when those endorphins kick in, you are pumped up for hours to come. It is quite a refreshing and energetic feeling.

What do you consider to be your proudest achievement or moment?
Some of my proudest moments are in races I did not medal in, races where against all odds I finished a job no one believed I could do. Endurance races are long and unpredictable; you can be well trained physically but how you cope with what comes your way in a long race forges your proudest achievements. When you are at that start line, you have one goal and that is reaching the finish line. How you get to the finish line is between only you and your will to overcome obstacles, and that makes it so sweet, so personal and so special.

How does it feel to be so successful, particularly as a female and as an Arab? What do you hope your legacy is for future generations?
I would like to be remembered as a vivid example of the power of one’s mind. I would like to be a role model of discipline, of courage, and of believing in one’s self. I would like to tell every female out there in the GCC and the Arab world, and every Arab athlete of a certain age working hard towards their goals in sport to stay the course and to keep believing in themselves, even if no one believes in them. There are occasions when an older person’s results are far better than a younger competitor, and that catches the media’s attention and people applaud. We are grateful to be in the spotlight because we have a message to carry, but we don’t want people to praise us, we want people, especially the younger generation, to learn from us and follow in our footsteps.

Our Grandchildren are so excited to do what we do. It is really such a joy for us to be mentors and role models for these kids and to be able to share some precious sporty family moments with them. I wish all parents and grandparents can do the same with their youngsters, it’s a wonderful way of bonding and growing closer as a family.

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2km race at the 5Km Endurance race in Montreal

“What you do with your success, how you use it to give back to the sport community and how you help others reinforce their trust in their own capabilities is what matters most to me.” 

Mental strength can be equally as important as physical strength in endurance events. How do you cope when things get tough?
Mental strength is more important than physical strength; endurance sport is more about what’s between the ears than about what’s in the tank and how well you are physically prepared. When it gets tough, it becomes a mind game. Everyone has their own ways to handle such times. This cannot be taught; this is instinctive and based on who you are. One of the tricks I use to help myself keep moving forward is visualising the finish line. I lock that vision in my mind and I recall it in tough times. The finish line is where the journey ends, this is the only place where I am allowed to stop and call it a day. This is my way to pay respect for my hard work and my commitment to doing this sport!

What are your biggest challenges when training, and what do you find the most difficult discipline of a triathlon?
The most challenging for me is training on my own. I coach myself and I train 90% of the time alone, and that can be daunting. All disciplines are difficult when you are not particularly good at any one of them. I turned athlete by coincidence in 2000, but I try to see the positive aspect of things when I am racing and I tell myself that although I don’t have the experience and the exposure of those who started earlier in life, my body is less beaten up than theirs and that’s somehow an advantage.

How does nutrition play a role in your training and performance in competitions?
It plays a huge role. How many athletes including defending champions bonked because of nutrition issues while racing? They say the sport of triathlon is three disciplines; it is in fact five because if you don’t master the art of transition and rehearse your nutrition before, during and after a race, you will face serious issues which could damage your training and your race performance. How to achieve an ideal nutrition is a long discussion. There are different schools of thought, but the general consensus is that you cannot survive without carbohydrates in endurance sports. You need to try out in practice and weeks before race day. It is a bit of a tedious trial and error process since our bodies process food differently and what works for one may not work for another.

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Myrna with her grandchildren at the ITU race

Many people feel that they simply aren’t capable of achieving even half of what you’ve achieved. What would be your advice to them?
Anyone, young and old, can achieve what I achieved and probably more. I am not a superhero, I am simply someone with unsurpassable commitment to their dreams. I work hard to make them reality, and I know if anyone, especially the younger generation, can seriously and smartly commit to their goals, they will be as successful as I have been. I never give up on my dreams in spite of changing life circumstances and years passing by.
It may seem difficult in the beginning, but like anything else in life there is an adjustment to be made. The key is to be conservative and logical in your approach. You cannot ask your body to run for one hour if you have never ran before. My advice to any beginner is to learn the proper technique for any sport they do, and to work diligently even if it’s only for half an hour a day; it is far better than three hours a day and then skipping a couple of days. In my motivational speeches, I tell people this: “Believe in the power of your mind, know your inner self and discover your physical potential. Then…with a little bit of passion and a whole lot of determination, everything is within reach.”

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In South Africa


Interview by: Rachael Bruford

Photos supplied by: Myrna Saliba