If you grew up in an unsure and chaotic household,
Have you ever felt like you have no clear vision of what path you'll take as you go on with your life?
If you said yes, isn't that scary?
Well, in today's video, we will talk about the inspiring life story of Lionel Sanders,
a drug addict transformed into an award-winning and well-known triathlete.
From rags to being one of the wealthiest triathletes in the world.
If you're pretty curious about how he reached such highs and achievements, well, you'd better
watch this video up to the end!
Welcome to Triathlon Global Insights, the motivation channel for all triathletes.
Don't forget to like and subscribe to our channel and press the bell icon to stay updated
with whats happening in the triathlon world.
We keep you updated on triathlon news, incredible races, training tips, and information about pro athletes.
Let’s get on to the basics: Lionel Sanders was born in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, on February 22, 1988.
He is a Canadian professional triathlete who won the ITU Long Distance Triathlon World Championships in 2017.
He attended the University of Windsor before moving to McMaster University in Hamilton,
This is where he raced cross country.
So, how did he become a legendary triathlete?
While growing up in Harrow, Ontario, Sanders was always an excellent athlete, a hamlet
of 3,000 people roughly an hour southeast of Detroit.
He was one of the greatest runners in the province, even if his heart wasn't in it.
Sanders and his lone high school buddy would sometimes cheat in practice by sprinting until
they were out of sight of their coaches and then strolling.
His parents and high school coach remember him running with one shoe in an Ontario championship
event in his sophomore year after losing one in the dirt less than a kilometer in.
Sanders finished in the top 30 after running through a forest and over stones.
Sanders had tried beer, cigarettes, and marijuana in high school when he enrolled at Windsor
University in 2006.
He was on the honor roll in his first year, which was a source of satisfaction since his
drug usage had risen.
He had resolved to experience ecstasy by his sophomore year of college.
Lionel Sanders had to poke himself to be sure he wasn't dreaming.
You got that right.
He had to poke himself.
The 27-year-old triathlete had just finished a 140.6-mile course at the Ironman World Championship
in Kona, Hawaii, a competition he had aspired to compete in since he began participating
in sports six years ago.
He characterized a race as "bigger than life," which finished with Sanders, enveloped in
his Canadian flag, crying as he greeted his family at the finish line.
Sanders was also unsure whether he would be able to finish the marathon.
It's easy to understand why given the life he led roughly ten years ago.
Sanders has always been regarded as a gifted athlete.
Sanders rode his bike everywhere in the tiny town of Harrow, Ontario, a habit he credits
with keeping him in shape at an early age.
In addition, Sanders remembers spending much of his boyhood swimming recreationally with
his buddies, thanks to his lakefront house.
Then he met Jason Hernandez, a precocious third-grader who had won almost every track
event offered at his primary school.
In every competition, Sanders outperformed everyone at his level.
By the time he reached high school, Sanders was regarded as one of Ontario's greatest runners.
He finished 10th in his district championship as a freshman, and he finished 10th in the
Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations steeple-chase competition as a junior.
Sanders, though, became dissatisfied almost as fast as he had gained success.
He soon found himself giving up jogging for good.
Instead, he began in what he felt was a downward spiral, hanging out with older people and
getting himself into circumstances he didn't want to be in.
Sanders opted to test marijuana in one of these circumstances.
Sanders may have been able to dodge the demands at Windsor University, where he would have
had to say still more "no's."
He was always proud of his ability to "push himself" in all he did—going "all-in" used
to imply a high degree of sports competition.
But in college, it had a different meaning.
Sanders was deluded even when he wasn't high.
He'd attempt to explain that a pterodactyl was residing in his attic.
And even the FBI was pursuing him. On top of that, his social life was non-existent.
Instead, Sanders spent restless nights in his brain practicing grocery store trips
he would enter the store, what goods on his list were in which aisles, how he would pay
at the checkout, and how he would get out as swiftly as possible.
He was on the verge of committing suicide.
Sanders, who was inebriated at the time, smashed his head against the glass of a friend's car
as they sped down a motorway, thinking that death was his only alternative.
Sadly, Sanders spent every single cent in his bank account on drugs, dropping out of
college after exhausting all of his student loans to fund his addiction.
He was so reliant on his dealer that he inquired if he would accept credit when he ran out of cash.
But something had to change.
Sanders chose to run again on November 5, 2009.
He was 40 pounds less than he had been two years before, and his complexion had ago
a ghostly white.
Sanders had finally "seen the light" after spending time at another of his customary
gatherings, this time sober.
Sanders went for his first run in over four years, three days later, believing that the
old habit would help him get rid of the bad ones.
Instead, Sanders chose to become an Ironman after browsing online for events to participate in.
He signed up for the 70.3-mile triathlon in Louisville the following summer.
Things began to shift gradually.
Finally, Sanders gathered enough money to join a gym and buy his bike.
Soon after, he started participating in duathlons and triathlons, and in August 2010, he completed
his first.
He earned the title of Ironman.
Sanders, on the other hand, began his journey by believing.
Sanders returned to the University of Windsor to compete in cross-country before relocating
to McMaster University, just south of Toronto.
Sanders made his professional debut at Muskoka 70.3 in 2013, finishing first in a field that
included Ironman great Andreas Raelert.,
he immediately established himself as a top competitor, winning 70.3 events in
Muncie, Indiana, Racine, Wisconsin, and Benton Harbor, Michigan.
Sanders battled his way from last out of the water to 14th after the bike leg at the 70.3
Championships in Mont Tremblant, Quebec.
After the run, he finished fourth, narrowly missing the podium, including Olympians Javier
Gomez and Jan Frodeno and world champion Tim Don.
He said that this was the beginning of what he thought would be his journey.
Sanders did pinch himself.
Nevertheless, the discomfort confirmed that he wasn't hallucinating.
He wasn't buzzed or hallucinating.
Instead, Sanders had completed the Ironman World Championship, and his initial disbelief
gradually gave way to a new rush of emotions.
Sanders was ecstatic.
He was overjoyed.
Sanders had risen from the depths of despair to accomplish what he had previously believed
was unattainable.
For the first time since his drug addiction, he felt thankful.
There was a period in Sanders' life when he didn't know what he wanted to do with his life.
Now that he was there, Sanders understood one thing for sure in a life full of unknowns:
He had no desire to depart.
"There were moments when I considered leaving, and others when I reverted to my old behaviors,"
Sanders said.
On the other hand, being in Kona was a monument to the strength of persistence.
Now I know I can do everything I set my mind to."
Sanders feels he is nowhere near the finish line, even though competing in Kona was a
goal he had aspired to realize for a long time.
He now has new goals and desires to achieve.
It is truly inspirational how Lionel Sanders overcame his obstacles and became one of the
most well-known triathletes today.
Aside from his past life story, let us now talk about the net worth of Lionel Sanders.
We now know Lionel Sanders is one of the wealthiest triathletes and the most popular.
According to Wikipedia, Forbes, and Business Insider, Lionel Sanders' net worth is estimated
to be $1.5 million.
Amazing right?!
What an inspiration.
If he can do it, you can do it too!
Who would've thought that he could be a millionaire, coming from being a drug addict?
If you find this video inspirational, you can leave a comment below.
Thank you for watching and staying with me up to the end!
You may like, subscribe, and press the notification bell so that you'll be updated on my next
upload!
Adios!