My Hero

Meet my Hero, Keith Gribble. This 72-year-old gentleman is one of my personal training clients at Virgin Active. Don’t be fooled by his age, because this gentleman will put the most youngsters in the gym to shame if you see him do his pull-ups!

Meet my Hero, Keith Gribble

I am privileged enough to get to train Keith twice a week and have been amazed these past few months to see him progress in a way I didn’t think was still possible at his age. Keith is one the most determined and inspiring people, I have ever met. He has such a positive outlook on life and being around him is such a pleasure. He performs every exercise movement with so much control and focus - I am so privileged to be his trainer. He is very serious when it comes to doing exercises with the correct form, "It's all about the form," like he says.

However, Keith didn’t have a smooth journey to get to where he is today. About 10-years ago Keith was in a terrible cyclist accident where he broke almost every bone in his body. He had to get a knee replacement, as well as undergo several surgeries to get him back on his feet.

But this didn’t stop Keith.

When I first saw Keith on the gym floor, I could see that his posture wasn’t good due to compensations for previous injuries. His feet were always turned in and you could notice an imbalance. I started slowly instead of using the machines I used bands, lighter free-weights, balls and other functional fitness equipment. The results were amazing. Within only 3 months I could see a big change not only in his posture but also in his muscle definition and strength - imagine to still be able to do pull-ups at the age of 72! He comes to the gym 6 days a week and often walks there covering the distance of 5km from his house. He is definitely one of my biggest inspirations! I aspire to be like him, by still being active and healthy for the rest of my life.

If you read my previous post, Detour, you will see that I have had my share of obstacles and accidents to overcome. But If I look at this gentleman, I realize that it is all about how you perceive it and how hard you are willing to fight to get your life back. If you really want your fitness back - do the rehab and get in the pool!

I have been in so much pain and discomfort this past month, that I had to temporarily stop working. The doctors recommended going through the necessary medical testing/operation, so I can have a pain-free life again and be able to do what I love most. When I broke the bad news to Keith, he just smiled and said: “What do we do? WE NEVER EVER GIVE UP!”

I smiled back, with tears in my eyes, I promise I won't.

- Annie

DETOUR

The one moment I was on top of the mountain (literally) and the next moment I am rolling down on the other side falling flat on my face (figuratively!) 

At the beginning of the year, I invited you to be part of The next chapter of my life, Dream Chaser. Unfortunately, it looks like I skipped a chapter. This chapter came in unplanned and is not going to be an easy one to read.

New Year's Eve, I always sit down and write all my goals for the year. A new clean page filled with possibilities and opportunities! This year was no different, I sat down full of hope and expectation for what the year holds! For twelve years of my life, I have always started the year with a positive outlook with the hopes that this year it was going to turn around - this is going to be my year!

But unfortunately, for the past twelve years, it has never been a smooth ride. Since, I was an 11-year old girl, every year of my life, I have always either been sidetracked by an injury, illness or traumatic accident. We set goals and dream dreams but sometimes life knocks us down or in my case many times...

MAJOR SETBACKS: 2007-2019

2007-2008: I started struggling with my health. I stopped growing at the age of eleven, and experienced and started experiencing symptoms such as nausea, weakness, unexplained weight loss, cold hands and feet and fatigue. I was in the hospital for extended periods of times and saw a multitude of doctors all failing to tell me the real cause of my problems. I was often judged and rejected for the way I looked. People take one look at you and without knowing what you are really going through they put a label around your neck...and once it's been given it isn't easily taken away. I started running as a result of this, it was the only thing that made me feel free, I wasn't fast when I started - but it was my way of escaping pain and hurt. It made me feel strong when I was weak.

2009: Was in hospital for a total of more than 60 days.

Got attacked by a big dog - I had to get 45 stitches, an operation and still have scars on my left leg today.

2010: In the hospital for a whole month with a bladder infection. No running for more than 6 months.

2011: Fell off a bike, sustained a bad concussion and wasn't able to compete in the school's biggest athletic event of the year, as well as the provincial athletic competitions.

2012: My health, especially my gut, was so bad at this stage that I wasn't able to run much either.

2013: I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease and IBS. It was a big adjustment to completely change my diet and find out what my stomach can tolerate.

2014: My health was so bad that I was homeschooled my last year of school. I wasn't able to run much either.

I fell in a manhole without a lid and fracture both my ribs and sustained bad bone bruising and a knee injury. No running for 6 months.

2015: I was finally diagnosed with hypopituitarism. I was so thankful, but it was a big adjustment for my body to start taking the medications and at first, my body didn't respond as hoped.

Car accident 1 - Got hit by a pick-up truck while biking from practice. Torn my meniscus, had very bad bone bruising, sustained a concussion and hurt my lower back.

2016-2017: Never ran more than 3 consecutive months without stopping again due to my back injury.

2018: Car accident 2 - Rolled and totalled my brand new car I saved up to buy for years.

sustained another concussion and whiplash.

Stress fracture due to uneven and rapid growth in my right tibia.

An Uber slammed his door against my chest and I fell hard on the pavement straight on my back.

2019: Possible back operation...

In my previous post, Even if I fall, I will still fly again, I explained how my first race of the year ended due to my back injury. My back had enough. All the falls and accidents added up.

Nobody ever posts their failures. We only see a glimpse of exercises, workouts, races, pictures of victories, and smiling faces. We don't often see the struggles, the hurt, the pain and frustrations that go along with it.

I want to...

Connect and to relate to others that have been through the same pain and hurt that comes with an operation or injury that sidetracked you for weeks or months.

Share in the frustrations of those that had to go through unnecessary accidents.

Sympathize with those that love this sport and had to sit out for extended periods missing out on big events they trained hard for.

I am going to share something different with you for the next few months.

I am inviting you on a new journey, the chapter called DETOUR. I am going to share my rehab story. I will have to start from scratch. I am going to show you how I suffer, how I hurt and how I fail, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY HOW I GET BACK UP! I am not going to let my dreams go, I am simply taking a different route. It may be a long one, but I will be back and you better know that I won't...

NEVER EVER GIVING UP

- Annie

Don't let nobody tell you otherwise

Read Rivaldo Roberts, one of South Africa's leading 400m Hurdles athlete's story.

• 110M Youth and Junior Champion

• African Junior Bronze

• Third Fastest Time for any Junior in South Africa in 2015

I was a normal kid. Did sport when I was little, and I remember watching a program on SABC 3 that compared athletes to animals. Llewellyn Herbert was one of the athletes that they compared. I instantly fell in love with athletics and more specifically hurdles.

Never ran super fast, but I've always had the dream. I was going to make a team and no one was going to tell me otherwise.

Well, a lot of people told me otherwise. They said I will never make the team. MAYBE I will make the high school team, but if I make it, I will bench. Don't do track. "You're not good enough." "You're not strong enough." "You're not fast enough." I've heard it all!

I kept my head down and just kept grinding. I told my aunt. Listen: "I am going to Ukraine and no one is stopping me!!"

But...

My times didn't show and it was the qualifying year. On top of it allI, I had a back injury and couldn't run properly. One day the school got angry at me because of it and I just unleashed something I never even knew I had. After that I couldn't stopped. A burning feeling to prove people wrong. In only a month, I dropped my times with 1.4 sec. In a short sprint - THAT IS A LOT! Later I won national youth championships with a qualifying time for the world youths. I did it. I thought I proved them all wrong

I didn't

I finished 27th at the championships and prior to writing my story, I haven't mentioned it to anyone. A week before the champs I tore my hamstring. I couldn't even walk properly let alone run!

After world youths, I dropped my PB another 0.2 sec. I decided work for the following year and set my sights on Eugene to compete at the world juniors. I worked so hard. I was the favorite going into nationals, but I was running against the South African record holder. It was always going to be a tight race and I expected it. He dipped me at the end giving me silver and a new personal best. But missed junior qualification by 0.01 sec.

I was devastated.

But life goes on. That year I got selected for the Region V Games in Zimbabwe and placed 1st. A few months later I made the African junior team. Finally, the frustration paid off. Little did I know more frustration was coming my way. I pulled my hamstring before African champs, but I still ran a PB.

I knew I was in good the shape when African champs came. I went into the race as favourite to medal. I cruised through the heats in the second fastest time run by a junior in South Africa. My mind started to shift toward the South African Record. I knew I was only 0.15 from it. Our team managed a bronze in the 4x100 relay and had the medal ceremony just before my race. I rushed to the call room and didn't get to warm up. The wind was intense and it was blowing against us. It was recorded at 3.4m/s. I had a great start in that race but unfortunately, but I panicked and lost focus. It cost me gold and I had to settle for bronze.

Height started to play a role. I made the decision to switch events and I started with the 400H. The first offseason was horrible. Every day was painful and hard at the beginning. I suffered, but as time went on I improved so much and I will keep on improving. Every day there's a new challenge, but I believe strongly in my team and with their support I know I can reach the top of the ranks again.

- Rivaldo