For the past 25 years, Lisa has competed in the world’s toughest running endurance events, clocking up over 70,000km, racing everywhere from the Indian and Nepalese Himalayas, the outback of Australia, the Sahara, all over Europe, to the Gobi Desert. She has raced in the hottest place on earth: Death Valley, and has even done an illegal crossing in the Libyan Desert. An extreme expedition that took her years to recover from.
She has pushed her mind and body to the limits, staring down fears and dangers most of us would find insurmountable. She has had her fair share of successes and failures, but has used every one as an opportunity to learn something new and valuable. She is the master of resilience and tenacity, and has learnt many lessons along the way that she openly shares and uses to inspire and motivate.
But Lisa is more than an extreme athlete. She is a motivated business woman who has founded or co-founded seven companies in areas as diverse as documentary production to jewellery design and manufacturing, a hyperbaric oxygen therapy clinic, to mental toughness coaching and event management. She is well versed in the life of an entrepreneur! As well as running ultra marathons, she is also the author of two international best selling books: “Running Hot” and “Running to Extremes”, and has produced eight documentaries on her extreme adventures. She has hosted her own health and fitness television show, and is a regular in both magazines, newspapers and TV/radio media as well as being a columnist for Stuff.co.nz.
In 2008, Lisa was awarded with the prestigious title of Maori Sportswoman of the Year, and was also a finalist in the Next Magazine ‘Woman of the Year’ awards. She was a national champion, and New Zealand representative in 24 hour racing events, and has a number of podium places in renowned international races.
For all her successes, Lisa is a very down to earth and passionately caring person, someone of substance and character, who has had to overcome many obstacles in her personal life. Divorce, financial ruin at a young age, rebuilding life in a foreign country, the deep loss of two babies, and most recently, to supporting her mum after a brain damaging aneurysm, have given her the fight to go up against all odds and challenge the world. When the medical professionals told her there was no hope for her beloved mother, she fought. This is the topic of her third book: “Relentless”.
Lisa knows what it takes to overcome obstacles, to chase massive goals and to face your fears. She now lives to teach, coach and inspire people to reach their true potential through her speaking, programs, books, seminars and courses.
