6. Toni Cavanagh

Age: 48
Home Town: Cape Town
Height: 1.58m
Occupation: Head of Development and co-founder, Virtual Learning Africa
Time Required: 11 months
Then: 83kg
Now: 66kg

THE WAKE-UP

In 2009, I was diagnosed with degenerative-disc disease and ankylosing spondylitis (a form of spinal arthritis). After months of crippling pain, I underwent surgery – a total disc replacement. Barely recovered in 2010, I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, and within a year presented with symptoms of multiple sclerosis.

My weight ballooned almost immediately, and my freedom of movement deteriorated to a fraction of what it was before. Nothing prepares you for the shock of learning that your life – as you’ve known and loved it – is about to change irrevocably.

THE SHAKE-UP

It wasn’t until a friend said in passing that he doesn’t like fat people – because, he said, they have no ambition and are weak (!) – that I decided I had to do something great. In September 2014, I made a commitment to run the Two Oceans Half Marathon. At the time, I’d never run further than 200 metres, didn’t even own a pair of running shoes, and suffered from a debilitating autoimmune disease. Even doctors told me I had a death wish. Accepting that what others thought was not my problem was a tough challenge to overcome.

I planned my training programmes meticulously around my chemo days, and stuck to a healthy, anti-inflammatory diet. When I headed out for my first 5-K walk, I battled; and I looked at my shadow on the pavement and thought, “Wow. You’re a big shadow.”

Undeterred, I downloaded a running app on my phone, monitored my performance, and started keeping a food diary. Sure enough, the weight started shifting, and I was run/walking for the first time in a long while. My inflammation was under control and I was free of pain. By the time I ran my first 10km race, I’d lost 7kg – but to me, it felt like a ton.

THE REWARD

Running has made me stronger and healthier; so much so that by September this year, I was in remission. In 11 months, I’ve run 20 races, ranging from the 10km to a full marathon. Throughout, I have never been injured. In learning I’m not that delicate after all, I’ve silenced my critics – and won back my life.

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