What is your history with sports and athletics?
Growing up as a child, I spent most of my time playing with neighborhood friends avoiding being at home as much as possible. Both my parents had come from very abusive homes and had become alcoholics. My household was very dysfunctional as my parents were working through their own childhood trauma. I suffered every type of abuse imaginable. We were very poor, there was constant fighting in my house and they divorced when I was 12 but both ended up with people who were also addicts.
By the time I was an adult I had become overweight and an alcoholic myself. The first sport I had ever played was in a beer baseball league. I was absolutely terrible! I had never played any type of sport. I hurt my back in my early 30’s and had to attend physical therapy everyday.
Through this process I was introduced to fitness and running. I absolutely loved the feeling of exercise and pushing myself physically. This was a very new concept for me at this point. Although I was drinking heavily by this time, I had managed to complete few half marathons. They were miserable. I had not trained properly and was so disappointed in myself.
At 47 years old, I had to face my demons and quit drinking. This was the best thing I have ever done. I turned to sport to help me in my recovery. I trained for a marathon properly and completed it. This time, I was actually proud of myself. I then completed a 200 km, two day cycle for cancer a month after my marathon. This was the hardest two days of my life. But I completed the cycle and have never felt so whole and full of pride.
Living most of my life in regret and shame this was a very unique, yet profoundly uplifting feeling.
Someone jokingly said to me that I was one sport away from a triathlon . So, I decided to take swim lessons. I knew how to swim, recreationally, but not competitively. I researched and found a swim club. Absolutely terrified, I walked into the pool to meet the coach at 5:30 am. I did not have a bathing cap nor goggles. Some lovely ladies lent me some. The coach asked me to get in the pool and swim a length. Halfway through that length he yelled at me to get out of the pool. I was horrified. I said to him that perhaps I should go elsewhere and take lessons first.
He said “F@#k that! You will learn more with me here in a month then any other place. I like you Lisa. You got balls. You came to a swim club, not knowing how to swim, without a cap nor goggles. Stick with me. You have the right spirit.” This moment remains to be the most proudest of moments in my life. I was terrified going in there that day. I fought with anxiety, with self doubt and my limiting beliefs. But I still went.
Now, I have completed one unofficial triathlon (stupid covid got in the way of training and races). I organized a two day cycle in memory of my friend who passed of cancer in 2019. With three team mates, we rode 245 km in two days in the summer of 2020, raising $3,000.00 for two charities.
I am currently training for my second marathon, in hopes of qualifying for the Boston Marathon. I am planning on doing an unofficial half ironman this summer and a full ironman summer of 2022. I can now swim 500 metres without stopping and train 6 days a week.
I have been sober since 2017 and am training to become a yoga instructor with the hopes of opening my own yoga studio. I will also be organizing the charity two day cycle again for my dear friend. I was the sloppiest and laziest of drunks. I am proof that absolutely anything is possible.
What do you enjoy most about being an athlete?
Challenging myself to the point of exhaustion, proving I can overcome the demons in my head.
I have met the most amazing people on my journey as an athlete. Being surrounded with so many inspirational people is my absolutely favorite thing about this. Being with individuals who believe in me and don’t judge but want to see me succeed.
I grew up believing I was worth nothing, that my lot in life was to be the town drunk. I am truly grateful and honored everyday to push myself and try to be like these awesome individuals.
And being able to run faster than my sons. Hahahahaha
What is you “why?”
I have two sons and a husband. They are my everything. They all had to endure my addiction for years. No child or husband should have to see their mother or wife act the way I did. I was trying the best that I knew how, but it came with consequences.
I had been given no skills to be an adult, let alone a mother. I use to daydream about being sober, wanting them to be proud of me, instead of ashamed or disappointed of me. My oldest son grew up to be an addictions counsellor and my youngest grew up as a drug addict, but is now in recovery. My addiction shaped their lives. I have a great deal of guilt over this but am beyond blessed that they have both grown up to become wonderful men. I could not be more proud of them They have both told me how proud they are of me, and I cannot express in words how meaningful that is to me. My husband has stayed by my side no matter how bad it got. He could have and perhaps should have walked away but always fiercely believed in me and saw something in me, that I could not.
I imagine everyday about completing an ironman and having them at the finish line. This is what keeps me going when I want to quit. My oldest is getting married this summer to a beautiful women. I couldn’t be happier, and knowing that my grandchildren will never meet drunk Lisa, but will only know me as a healthy athletic grandma. That I will be able to enjoy them and hopefully be a role model to them. These are the reasons I will achieve my goals.
What is your favorite training gear or equipment?
A swimming cap and goggles. Hahahaha
What’s next?
Marathon sub 4 hours, half ironman, full Ironman, become a yoga instructor.
Do you have any advice for someone interested in getting started?
BELIEVE YOU CAN!!!!!!!!!!!