Sun, Mar 17, 2024The Sobriety House - Charity of the Event

The Thousands Island Triathlon, Duathlon, and Run is coming up on August 11th, 2024! This event has been going on since the 90s and is a favorite for many. 

The event is staged at beautiful Centeen Park, in Brockville. Participants swim over a sunken city, before doing an out-and-back bike ride, finished off by one of the best run courses we’ve ever seen. The Brockville tunnel is a must do for anyone in the region and this event is your only chance to race through it.

For 2024, we’ve elevating the event even more by working with our good friend Mike Devine, and The Sobriety House. We’ll be using this event to raise funds for their cause, and their members will be volunteering on race day. They’re excited to make your race-day experience everything that you hope for. 

With this new partnership, we wanted to introduce Mike and The Sobriety House. 

Meet Mike! 

I'm Mike Devine - a 40 years old born and raised in Ottawa, Canada. I am thankful to say that I will be celebrating 11 years sober this year after a 15 year battle with drugs and alcohol. I quickly realized that I needed to become sober or the lifestyle would kill me. 10 years ago I entered into treatment at The Sobriety House. They provided the tools and knowledge I needed to get and stay sober.

Meet The Sobriety House:

The Sobriety House is a short term program here in the Ottawa region. They have been around since 1979 and their primary purpose is to assist individuals through rehabilitation to live a life free from dependency on alcohol and/or drugs and help fight addiction. The Sobriety House runs off grants from the government and donations alone, which is why your support is so important. 

Mike’s Story: 

In sobriety, they suggest to replace one addiction with another; a healthy one. For me, I began to incorporate fitness into my life, as my healthy alternative. I was always athletic, playing hockey my whole life, but I started to look at health and fitness differently. Taking care of your body both mentally and physically is one of the most important things you can do for yourself. Before I knew it, I was training for marathons and duathlons.

How we came together:

I was introduced to Somersault by a good friend of mine. After doing my first event hosted by Somersault, I knew I wanted to be a part of this lifestyle. Somersault takes great pride in putting these events on, from the organizers to the volunteers, everyone involved makes every event leaving you with feeling that you’re looking forward to the next one. Winter, spring, summer and fall. They have an event for everyone. 

If you are new to endurance sports, or even just to fitness as a whole. My advice to would be to enjoy it as it comes. Push yourself when you are ready. It is not always about how fast you may be, but how much you enjoy the experience of what you are doing. 

Mike’s Advice: 

If you or someone you know are struggling with addiction, remember you are not alone. If you think the services of The Sobriety House could benefit you or others I suggest you make that call. As a sober athlete in recovery, I can promise you that a sober lifestyle is much better than a lifestyle in active addiction.

What else should I know?

For more information about The Sobriety House, visit their website at https://www.sobrietyhouse.ca/ or come chat with their members on Race Day! 

By signing up for the Thousand Islands Event, you’re already supporting their cause. You’re welcome to add an optional donation to the Sobriety House during your registration process but you can also support them by volunteering. Email Adam@somersault.ca if you’d like to donate your time on Race Day. Every hour that you volunteer will mean more funds send to the Sobriety House.