Lisa our CEO is delighted that her blog which encourages survivors of rape to take empowered first steps is in the Huffington Post. Thanks to Emily Jacob from Reconnected Life for providing Lisa and RSVP with this opportunity. Read Lisa’s blog below:

“The link between ultra-runs, any run over the 26.2 miles marathon distance and the empowerment of rape and sexual abuse survivors is not an obvious one. However, on September 3rd 2016 in Iceland when I crossed the finish line of the 155 mile ‘Fire and Ice‘ race one of the toughest multi terrain races in the world, that link was most definitely made, and not just because I was fundraising for RSVP and survivors’ services: www.localgiving.org/fundraising/fireandice

What you rely on and discover in a hard 6 day challenge like ‘Fire and Ice’ is your inner metal, the steel that makes up your core and determines what you are made of. It is your metal that helps keep you calm when inside you feel afraid as you traverse a mountain side in treacherous conditions, where there is not a vehicle, road or another living soul in sight. It is your metal that enables you to dig deep when your body has sprung an early surprise injury on you, meaning that you’ll be forced to approach the race differently and feel pain you hadn’t expected. It is your metal that enables you to stay positive even when the conditions are dire. It is your metal that keeps you in tune with your needs, ensuring you make the right decisions for you to provide strength to power you through. It is still your metal that keeps you centred, positive and hopeful despite the almighty challenge ahead.

And, beyond any doubt, metal is at the very centre of every rape and sexual abuse survivor I know, far more metal than it takes for an ultra-runner to complete any race. The metal survivors have enables them to find reserves within them when they thought their absolute limit had been reached and it renders survivors with capability, strength and resilience that they probably rarely give themselves credit for….

Lisa’s blog is continued here on Huffington Post.