"Having the will to do something makes anything possible."

In 2014, Discovery Health Medical Scheme member Chantel Rall completed her first full Ironman triathlon; just 26 months after she had been diagnosed with cervical cancer.

Chantel’s recovery was long and hard at times, but sheer strength of will pulled her through the toughest times. “It was all about small steps. Walking again. Going to the bathroom unaided. Lots went wrong, but I got through it. I refused to think about dying, only living; and that meant being active and keeping healthy.”

So, what made Chantel aim to compete in one of the most gruelling triathlon events on the sports calendar? “I’d always wanted to do an Ironman ultra event. But I’d never really had the motivation. When I found out about my diagnosis it dawned on me that perhaps I didn’t have as much time as I’d always thought. No one does. I needed to make a positive change and I had to live every second of my life to the full.”

Taking on the triathlon

For even the elite sportsperson, Ironman events are not for the faint hearted. The Ironman 70.3 involves a 1.8km sea swim, 90km cycle, and 21.1km run while the Ironman ultra consists of a 3.8km sea swim, 180km cycle, and 42.2km run. “No matter how exhausted I was from a long day at work, I did my best to muster up all the willpower I had and still train. I found that with exercise I became less stressed. By sweating out the day’s worries, exercise helped me feel happier. I got better at handling life’s day-to-day stressors.” Her hard work and dedication paid off. Chantel finished the 70.3 in seven hours; and finished the ultra in 16.5 hours.

Now, Chantel is training six days a week in preparation for her second Ironman in March this year. She envisions herself completing an Ironman event on every continent over the next few years. “I want to take my story with me and to be able to motivate people with cancer, including survivors, to show them that anything is possible.”

Triathlon is about more than swim/cycle/run

For Chantel, triathlon is about more than coming back from cancer. It’s about being and doing something extraordinary. But, it’s also about the fitness, the friends, the family, and the freedom that triathlon affords like no other sport. Most notable for Chantel is sharing a bond with her fellow Ironman athletes. “When you run on the promenade wearing your Ironman cap, and you run past another Ironman athlete, you don’t have to say anything; you both know. You know the sacrifices that come with that medal, the tears, the blood, the sweat, and the friendships,” she says. For her, the unspoken connection between all those athletes who have reached that finish line makes them like family, similar to the bond created between those who have survived cancer. “Having your ‘brothers’ with you makes the fight worth it,” she says, of both athletes and cancer survivors, “We all walked the same road. Same hardships. Same wins.”

What advice does Chantel have for aspiring triathletes? Train hard, give your best and have fun. She’s learned that you can achieve anything by believing in yourself: “Having the will to do something makes anything possible.”

“Life is too short to waste it on mediocre things. Dream big and make it happen! Live life to the full!”.

To follow Chantel’s future sporting endeavours, find her on twitter: @MissStarChanty