USAWA

This year’s winner of the USAWA Courage Award (women) is Lisa Gore. Lisa joined Clark’s Gym about two years ago and has been wreaking havoc on the USAWA’s record book ever since then. With 363 age / weight or all records, she now ranks #1 all time. In fact there are many events where she has the heaviest lift ever among the women. When Lisa was growing up, she worked on her dad’s pig farm. She’s served in the Army Reserve Nurse Corps, retiring as Major. She had a prior career teaching posing and competing in Figure Competitions and lifted weights since her mid 20’s, was obsessed with the strong female physique, then and lifted in the gym before it was fashionable for women. Always made fun of by friends for being naturally strong, but it was also beginning 2020 when she was diagnosed with a herniated disc, leg weakness and severe pain. She was told surgery or stem cells would be the treatment. Luckily she was last patient to get stem cells from a doctor in Las Vegas during Covid and began a long rehab with physical therapy, spinal alignment, and allowing the stem cells to work. Covid ended up being a blessing with less of a patient load, she worked through healing times. She thought she would never be able to return to heavy weights, scared to push her limits. 

In April 2024 Allison and Tony Lupo introduced her to the USAWA in and she became addicted to our brand of all-around lifting. She’s been a valued member of Clark’s gym and brings fun and inspiration to our group. Lifting has helped her recover and brought her back to lifting the ‘Popeye Weights’ at Clark’s Gym (see picture below).  Lisa has also struggled with some other health issues with Meniere’s which affects balance in the inner ear, and is affected by intracranial pressure that could be serious enough that if she’s not careful, she won’t be able to compete again.

Like everyone in our sport, hearing from your doctor that you should or can no longer compete whether it’s for two months or ever again hits us hard. Late last year and early this year, she was told she needed to take a break, with a bought of Vertigo that she hadn’t had for 10 years. There was no real time frame given for her to return. Passing balance training at MU, she slowly started making her way back into the gym early this summer with some light lifting. Her doctor made her lose weight and was still freaking out over the amount of weight she lifts. Lisa tried worked within her doctor’s recommendations and by the end of August has made it back to her old form. She still needs to be careful with her health (depending on the lift) – but she’s dealing with it with a smile and good humor. Lisa believes in tenacity and fortitude and personal excellence, never giving up. In her day job, she works at the MU hospital as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, has her DNAP, runs her own Medspa business, and is active in local politics. Congratulations to this years Courage Award Winner (Women) Dr. Lisa Gore!