Life is about more than just the numbers on the scale, and your body is capable of so much more. Yahoo’s #Fitspo of the Week series is dedicated to inspiring women and men in Singapore who lead healthy and active lifestyles. Have someone to recommend? Hit Cheryl over Instagram or Facebook.

Name: Ethel Lin Zhiyun (@ethelzylin)

Age: 34

Height: 1.63m

Weight: 52 kilo

Job: Lawyer

Situation: Attached

Diet: All inclusive diet – I love salads, pasta, meats and the occasional fast food meal.

Education: About 10 times, one to 1.5 hours of swimming, cycling, running and some strength training in the gym.

Q: You started being active at the age of 17.

A: Yes, I was on the Victoria Junior College (VJC) swimming team. It was a childhood dream and although I was a late starter I thought it was then or never. I started with 50m freestyle and breaststroke in my first year, then moved on to 800m freestyle and 200m in my second year when we realised I was better (or less bad) at longer distances.

How did you transition from swimming to triathlon?

I loved swimming and competitive sports and also loved running at the VJC. Triathlon seemed like a natural extension. Some parents had objections (as cycling on the road seemed dangerous to them) and I needed to find money to buy a bike, so I worked between A levels and university, saved up to buy the bike and brought it home.

When did you realise you wanted to compete in triathlon?

I loved the sport but from the very beginning I was attached to training, setting goals and working hard to be competitive in a sport. I was not very competitive in swimming because I started late and I didn’t have a natural speed. I found that I worked better in longer sets.

Even though I don’t know how to ride a road bike and it takes me over an hour to run 10km, this did not deter me from my desire and ambition to represent Singapore at the Southeast Asian Games.

You only started getting competitive in your young adulthood, what are some of the challenges you faced?

Of course, it is difficult to compete with people who have put so much effort into the sport from a young age. There is always a bit of a handicap in terms of technique, experience, etc. When I started swimming or even triathlon, many people said I had no chance. On the positive side, it always forces you to overcome disadvantages and not be limited by perceived obstacles.

What are the highlights of your triathlon career?

She competed in the women’s individual triathlon at the 2015 and 2019 Southeast Asian Games.

What are some of the lowest points?

It’s a constant iterative process of recovery with many ups and downs. One of the most disappointing experiences was collapsing about 1km from the finish line at the 2015 SEA Games, but I was at my fittest and most competitive at the time. I had taken nine months off work to train full-time for the Games, and going to the SEA Games had been a dream of mine since I was 17. I only made it to the national team in 2010 after graduating from law school.

Between 2007 and 2015, there was no triathlon event held in the Southeast Asian Games, so when the opportunity arose in 2015, I put my all into it and wanted to fulfill my childhood dream in the best way possible.

I had a good swim and was in sixth place coming out of the water, I caught up to fourth on the bike and then third in the run. I honestly don’t remember the last 5km of the run (it was a 10km run). The next thing I knew I was in the ambulance with no memory of the race and I was told I had collapsed in third place about 1km from the finish line.

How did you recover from this event physically and mentally?

I was heartbroken and disappointed that my SEA Games dream ended like this. It took me a while to process everything but I finally accepted that I did the best I could.

After that, I took a break from competitive sports and enjoyed the sport without pressure and expectations. But it is a process of continued growth. Four years later, when I participated in an Olympic distance race in Subic Bay, I felt myself warming up during the 10km run and for the first time in my life I was afraid that I would collapse again. This was something I had to fight within myself while training for the 2019 SEA Games.

Was your journey to SEA Games 2019 fueled by a desire to complete “unfinished business”?

I wouldn’t say that. 2015 wasn’t the most satisfying way to finish a journey that I had invested so much in, but I left it with everything I had and I’m proud of my journey. I didn’t want 2019 to be about “recovering” the 2015 result, so to speak. I made sure I was motivated by my love for the sport and believed I could go out again and create a race that I could be proud of.

How was the 2019 Southeast Asian Games for you?

Well, I finished fourth. To be honest, the road to the 2019 Games was much harder. I had a really busy schedule and didn’t have as much time as I wanted to prepare. I also struggled with injuries from 2015 to 2019 and couldn’t make consistent progress in training. I even had to compete with these injuries. So, to be able to overcome all these obstacles and finish the race at my best made my journey very meaningful.

I competed in the 2019 SEA Games with injuries. It meant a lot to me to grow and overcome every obstacle along the way to finish the race in the best way possible.

How do you combine your work as a lawyer with high performance training?

I think one of the most important things for me has been learning to accept and be comfortable with compromises and imperfections. I used to get stuck in a routine and try to complete everything in my training program to the last detail, and then give up when work didn’t allow it.

Over time, I learned to focus on doing everything I could during the day, which led to better consistency and sustainability in the long run. I would also get frustrated when I wasn’t doing as much as I wanted in my sports or career, but I learned to reframe my thinking to be grateful for each of them in my life and make the compromises necessary to make them work to the best of my limited ability.

What’s next?

I love sports and being active. It brings me so much joy and makes me a better and happier person in every way. I will try to continue doing that as much as I can.

When was your least confident moment?

To be honest I was a chubby kid, I loved my food and I didn’t feel very confident about my body. Sports helped me and it’s a continuous process and accepting and being proud of whatever the best version of yourself is today. I wanted to decline this interview because I didn’t feel fit enough or skinny enough but I decided to do it as part of the process and push myself.

Have you received any comments about your body?

When I was 17, a friend told me that if I were a little smaller, I would be considered “small and cute.” Then, as a triathlete, I was told that the same physique would help me generate enough power and be more competitive, especially on the bike.