She had problems finding leaders who were motivating. Anyone
who reaches their goals can become a group leader.
In 1999, she began working for Weight Watchers and started
running and walking for recreation. "I
always knew there was a runner inside me. My
heart would beat faster when I saw people running. I thought,
'I can do that.' It was something that was inside of me."
There's losing weight and running or
walking, but there is a gigantic leap between that and running
a marathon or a triathlon. "I think it was just a progression,
setting goals. I reached my weight goal. Now I've reached
a professional goal where I could help people."
She needed to try something else and
began running with the Sudbury
Rocks!! Running Club.
She had her appendix out in March 2000 and then in June attempted
the Muskoka Sprint Triathlon (750m swim, 30k bike and 5k run)
with her friend, Donna Smrek, the manager of the Running Room
in Sudbury.
"It hurt so Bad," she laughed. "I'm a bit
of a drama queen. When I first walked up and saw the bikes,
it seemed like there were thousands. And all those athletes
who actually looked like athletes. I said 'Donna, what have
I got myself into?' She helped me get through the whole nervousness."
Lise wondered what she was doing. But, she decided to just
do it! She was the last person to finish and
the organizers tore the finish down as she crossed the line.
"I got through it. Next year it's going to be much better."
She had already thought ahead, figuring she'd get a new bike,
learn the gears and press on. She went on to race in Muskoka
again and then in Orillia.
It can be intimidating to see all the elite athletes, and
be the mother of two, wondering where she fits in to all of
this. But her goal was to finish and set a personal best time.
It's not about anyone else, only Lise, mother of two.
She shared her goals with friends and her groups at Weight
Watchers. "You've shared it with so many people, you
can't let them down. And I think that is what gives me that
extra little bit of motivation to get through."
She had been encouraging walkers, trying to get her people
to have a goal. But when she set up a hike to Killarney, of
the 11 people who promised to show, she was the only one who
made it.
"We need to set a goal. I said. 'I'm going to set something
up.' But you're going to have to pay money because if they
pay an entrance fee it makes a little more of a commitment."
Last year, she started Fitfriends, Doing it for me in 2003.
It was a 5k walk/run. She had 180 participants, 220 with volunteers.
Last weekend she held her 2004 event and 275 people showed
up to walk and run, plus volunteers.
It was tough organizing the events, especially this year,
as she and Smrek opened the Sudbury Running Room store and
Edwards had to learn to depend on others.The event was bigger
and she needed a committee where she could delegate. Vince
Perdue of the Sudbury Rocks!!
Running Club stepped in to
set up the course and officiate.
"I get a sense of accomplishment
when I help people. I know I've motivated them enough to come
out, do an event and help the community. I think helping the
community with the fitness aspect and giving to YWCA"s
Genevra House is a double win."
With Fitfriends main event over, Edwards
is planning to run the Niagara Marathon in October again.
There's also operating the store and spending time with her
children, Keisha and Terron, and their activities.
Edwards' heart still flutters when
she sees a runner. This time, she tells her kids "I can
beat that runner!" It's a new mind set the new athlete
has. After all, some of us weren't like this as youngsters,
coming to sport later in life, relying on coaches for support
and guidance. Then there's getting over the mind set that,
hey, I'm an athlete too.
Edward wishes people, the ordinary
types, could come out and see "what true athletes look
like."
She sees a place for everyone, for
the sleek elite athletes - and then the rest of us athletes
"The rest of us looking like we've
LIVED our lives."
