Training for Triathlons, Trusting Herself, and Starting a New Business After 50 with Lisa Alfano

“When I hit 50, I realized that there were so many things that I wanted to do and I didn't even realize that I wanted to do them. And by just verbalizing to my trainer that I've always wanted to do a triathlon, I never really realized I wanted to do it until I said it to him. Just opened up this whole I guess it opened up the mindset that just, you know, life is too short. It's fleeting.” - Lisa Alfano

I recently chatted with my friend and first-ever client Lisa Alfano on the podcast, about the leaps she has taken in her life and you really can do anything you put your mind to!

At age 57, she started to surf and train for longer triathlons, and now she has launched her own business. It's called Tri2Surf. And it supports women who are 50 plus who want to rediscover their active selves, their power and passion. 🏄‍♀️

We talk about her transition from triathlete to business owner, and how coaching has given her the accountability she needs to make big shifts in her life.

Lisa’s First Crossroads Moment at Age 50

“There was a pivotal moment in my life when I realized, I wasn't in a place that was really very healthy and it wasn't right for me, for a variety of reasons. And so I joined the gym. I was pretty sedentary, which is really not my M.O., so to speak. I was always active and it was just a few years lull for whatever reason. So I joined the gym and the trainer that they gave me was a triathlete.

And so we started training every week and I kept on saying, I want to be a triathlete, I want to do a triathlon. And I had never taken that step, but when I met Ken, he just got me on the path to doing a triathlon. So I started training and that was the pivotal moment for me. That was the year I was 50 and I did my first triathlon and it was amazing and probably one of the scariest things I've ever done!

It showed me that I had a lot more strength in me than I ever gave myself credit for. When someone holds me accountable and pushes me, I'm able to live up to that or live up to the potential I have in myself. And that's what happened. I realized that I could do anything. It wasn't just about the race. It was really giving myself a sense of peace and also to know I could follow up with my commitments.”

How Coaching Helped Lisa Achieve Her Goals

Having a coach is not about being spoon-fed the answers, it’s about having someone who can guide you on your journey as you take some big leaps, and figure out your next steps. For Lisa, this is how having a coach has helped her get where she is now:

➡ Habit Building

“I had exercises and references books to read about how to build a habit, how to create a habit, how to sustain it.”

➡ Accountability

“The key piece was being with you on a consistent basis. And holding myself accountable. Because there was so much that I wanted to do. I had all of these ideas and I couldn't get them down into something solid and really reflecting, analyzing and talking about my vision.”

➡ Your ‘Ideal’ Day Exercise

“The pivotal piece for me, that I go back to it all the time, is to write down what your ideal day is. I look back at that and it has changed a little bit. That exercise, to me, has laid the foundation for everything. Like I said, I go back to all the time, like, am I trying to live my ideal day? And right now? No. And what can I do to get there?”

The exercise Lisa is referring to is one I use with all my clients, and it is about writing a narrative. It can be a one-page piece of paper about what you would do during your ideal day from start to finish. You can get right down into the little details of:

👚 What are you wearing that day?

👩🏼‍🤝‍👩🏻 Who are you with?

🥐 What are you having for breakfast?

🌙 How do you end your day?

🌃 What do you do in the evening?

It is a simple, but very powerful exercise, that I would recommend for anyone who is working out their next steps.

Safety Nets for Big Changes

A big part of taking a leap is that they are risky and they are scary. And so one of the things I really try to help my clients do is to think about how can they create some safety within that risk. Lisa shares what she has put in place as she sets up her own business:

👉 “I have I own a house and I will be getting a roommate to help pay for the mortgage because that will help decrease the angst around money. And when I travel, I'll have someone here as well to help pay some of the bills.”

👉 “I also have a financial advisor that I have been talking to the past few years, and we're going to have a conversation in January to lay out a budget which is really scary because I've never lived on a budget before.”

“But it's not just the finances, the money itself. It's really my relationship around money that has to change, because right now I've lived a certain lifestyle and it is going to change.”

Lisa’s Vision And Passion For Fitness And Health For Women 50+

“My vision is to have a community, a safe, embracing, empowering community of women who are there for each other and for themselves, to really reclaim their active lives right through claim their active selves. I want to help get folks moving, have a supportive environment to lean on each other about their fears and trepidations and challenges.

I believe that there's such a strong mind-body connection that once your body gets moving, that mindset just becomes, more censored. I have a vision of this really bold, empowered, resilient community of women that talks about anything and everything and then include that active life as part of that.”

Do The Things That Bring You Joy - Don’t Wait!

Before we finished our interview, I asked Lisa what she would say to anyone who is considering taking a big leap in their life - this is what she had to say:

“Be kind to yourself if you have this passion or calling or desire to do something.

Think about it and do it.

Don't wait.

And I'm speaking to myself here as well.

Don't give yourself excuses about why not. Think about why you are stronger than you give yourself credit for. And reach out for support. The thing that helped me the most is to be open about some of the struggles that I've had, and talk about it with a coach, about what it is that I want and then have someone help guide you along the way. Reach out to folks that are in your community, that are in support, and do the things that brings you joy.

If you have a desire to do something and you have the ability and capability and the privilege to do so, don't put it off. Because you're fulfilling something that's really deep into your soul... These leaps brought who I was to life, and I was really in my authentic self.”

You can listen to the full podcast episode here, and if you’d like to know more about Lisa Alfano’s business, then check out her website: www.tri2surf.com