Taking a weight off her mind

Avid triathlete Yanee Mohamed Ali trains six days a week in cycling, swimming and running, and has participated in 40 local and overseas sports events, including last year's Ironman 70.3 in Bintan.

But just four years ago, the 37-year-old could not even jog more than 1km before throwing in the towel.

Weighed down by relationship woes, a lack of exercise and an unhealthy diet of fast food and instant noodles, the 1.6m-tall Yanee had packed on 21kg between 2001 and 2015 to tip the scales at 79kg.

Eating was a form of escape for Yanee due to her strained relationship with her former husband, who she divorced in 2017.

Determined to make changes to her lifestyle, she decided to embark on a weight-loss and fitness regimen.

"It came to a point where I really wanted to face reality and not run away," she said.

But the journey to healthier living was not easy, as her first attempt at a 2.4km run with her sister in early 2016 ended in dismay and embarrassment.

The run from her Tanah Merah home to East Coast Park was cut short after 1km as she struggled to get going.

"Carrying that weight - it was quite hard to run or even walk," said Yanee, a regional manager with a pharmaceutical company.

"I felt like my heart was jumping out of my body, my lungs were bursting."

The slog to complete 2.4km took her three painful months. Every week, she would attempt to run the distance two to three times to no success. She eventually started lifting weights in the gym to build muscle and overhauled her diet.

She added: "Over time, I managed to run 1km without dying. Then each week, I would increase 200m during each run. Finally, I managed to run 2.4km."

Her love for distance running began and after shedding almost 20kg that year, she took part in the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon and finished her first full marathon race in 5hr 15min.

With her confidence boosted by completing the 42.195km event, she took up cycling in 2017 and competed in duathlons, before moving on to swimming.

Despite her fear of water due to a near-drowning experience when she was a child, she took lessons from a coach and finished third in her first triathlon, the Singapore International Triathlon.

Yanee, who now weighs 62kg, has since participated in many duathlons and triathlons.

Her proudest achievement is the Ironman 70.3 Bintan, which she cites as a "turning point" as she overcame numerous fears.

She added: "To cycle that 90km on a road by myself without my friends and my coach - that is something that I am proud of. That one race addressed all my fears of water, the road, self esteem and body image."

Yanee is currently training for the OCBC Cycle at the Singapore Sports Hub on May 10, when she will participate in the non-competitive 42km Sportive Ride event for the second time.

"It is very rare that they close roads for cyclists and on the road we are at a disadvantage, so we enjoy OCBC Cycle as they value us cyclists and give us a good experience," she said.

Her sister, Azlin Mohamed Ali, who ran the first marathon with her in 2016, is happy to see how far her younger sibling has come.

The 45-year-old said: "To do a triathlon, you really have to train hard to get that kind of stamina.

"Her focus is very good - when she aims for something, she will go all the way. Her determination is my inspiration."