Say Hello to LIT Multisport, a Free Club in Vancouver that Empowers and Supports Women in Training and in Life

JoyVIVA is thrilled to announce that we have teamed up with our friends from LIT (Ladies in Training) in a mutual effort to support and honour female athletes with big goals. Our history with LIT Multisport is rich... Angie Buonassisi (JoyVIVA founder and road bike racer ) and Jannah Wilson (LIT co-founder, CEO, director of the board, and program coordinator) ride bikes together and have been meeting up for years to train, race, and share the joys—and challenges—of endurance sports. This article is about the amazing team that brought the club to life, but don't forget to support their mission to keep the club free by buying their custom swim cap with 100% of proceeds going to LIT programming! The LIT Multisport club offers weekly track runs, social rides, pool sessions, and chances to simply chat and ask questions. Remember what it was like to be a newbie and need tips on how to fuel, avoid bonks and cramps, and prevent saddle sores? This is the place to ask all those questions. LIT has a supportive group of members who compete in a variety of multisport competitions; from trail running, to open water swim races, to Fondos, to Ironman events; with a wide spectrum of expertise and a whole lot of care for each other. LIT happened through the partnership between Jannah and fellow avid athlete Keely, Langford and they have had incredible success creating the free social group. Keely wears many hats as LIT co-founder, assistant director, board member, membership coordinator, and program coordinator. She is a proud science geek and environmentalist who loves the outdoors and loves teaching others about the wonders of nature, including kids at her job. She loves a challenge and is always keen to accompany anyone on whatever their adventure may be. She is a total people person and always puts everyone at ease with her care and compassion for others. Keely began triathlon a few years ago and loves the multisport community of so many inspiring, strong, supportive women. It was only natural that these two ladies' combined passion would develop into LIT Multisport, and we are so proud of their accomplishment. They have built a community of now over 70 women in the Metro Vancouver area, eagerly meeting up to train and support each other. The club is comprised of both newbies to marathon and triathlon veterans, and even new moms trying to balance their new families and training. Take Elle Johnston (Board member, event coordinator, website manager, and program coordinator) as an example: she and her husband Blake moved to Vancouver from Australia and soon became engrained in the Vancouver tri culture. Elle had completed numerous marathons and Ironmans before welcoming an adorable baby boy. She recently completed her first post-baby race, and has her sights on numerous others. She is incredibly strong, smart, and fast, yet humble at the same time. She has the ability to put others at ease, and encourages everyone along to help them reach their own goals. Also a key player on the team is Amanda Baxter—board member, social media coordinator, communications coordinator, and program coordinator. She grew up competing in swimming which makes her a force in the water. She is a swim coach and spin instructor on the side which makes her a force in triathlon, as well. She regularly qualifies for Olympic distance world championships, just for fun. She is an all around badass, and is passionate about everything she does! She is always open to any adventure you may throw her way—but mostly she instigates many of those incredible adventures!

What Makes LIT so Unique?

Quite impressively, LIT is free to join and their mission is to keep it that way. They fund their website, Slack channel, and social media efforts with fundraisers, such as selling branded (and super cute) swim caps. 100% of proceeds from swim cap sales go to the LIT community, and your purchase includes a free pack of Pomegranate Honey Stingers! Probably the biggest standout feature of the club is the culture—women supporting women in their shared goal of becoming stronger and better versions of themselves through sport. Plus, "balance" is key, and you can be sure that regular socials (and margaritas) are on the menu. As well, this savvy crew is an early adopter of the fabulous new social sport concept Flockbud, whose free app makes it easy to meet fellow training buddies. Checkout LIT's presence on Flockbud and sign up for the training sessions with ease. We are loving this idea and discovering new friends and workouts of our own!

How to Sign Up for and Connect with LIT Multisport

• Check out their website: www.litmultisport.com
• Follow them on Instagram @litmultisports
• Become friends on Facebook
• meet Jannah Wilson @jannahwil
• meet Elle Johnson @ellejohnston
• meet Amanda Baxter @abaxte
• Meet Keely Langford @cephalopodgeek
• meet friends to train with on @flockbud

Connect with Us

• Follow Angie's road bike racing adventures on Instagram @angiebuonassisivancouver
• Follow JoyVIVA on Instagram @joyvivawellness