Leah Goldstein - No Limits: The Powerful True Story of Leah Goldstein: World Kickboxing Champion, Israeli Undercover Police and Cycling Champion

No Limits

Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication

Goldstein, Leah, author

No limits : an autobiography / Leah Goldstein ; with Lori Moger.

Issued in print and electronic formats.
ISBN 978-1-77141-112-7 (pbk.).--ISBN 978-1-77141-113-4 (html)

1. Goldstein, Leah. 2. Women cyclists--Canada--Biography. 3. Women cyclists--Israel--Biography.4.Womenmartial artists--Canada--Biography. 5.Policewomen--Israel--Biography.6.Women athletes--Canada--Biography. 7. Women athletes--Israel--Biography. I. Moger, Lori, author II. Title.

GV1051.G65A3 2015 796.6092

C2015-901406-9
C2015-901407-7

The powerful true story of Leah Goldstein: World Kickboxing Champion, Israeli Undercover Police and Cycling Champion.

Leah Goldstein
with
Lori Friend Moger

First Published in Canada 2015 by Influence Publishing

Copyright Leah Goldstein
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the publisher. This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publishers prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

Editor: Nina Shoroplova
Assistant Editor: Susan Kehoe
Production Editor: Jennifer Kaleta
Typeset: Greg Salisbury
Portrait Photographers: Jeff Bassett, Heath Fletcher
Cover photographer: Dina Goldstein
Book Cover Design: Liz Stanley

DISCLAIMER: This is a work of non-fiction. The names of some individuals in this book have been changed. This is a personal story. The activities in this book are not described for the purposes of recommending them to the reader. Readers of this publication agree that neither Leah Goldstein, nor her publisher will be held responsible or liable for damages that may be alleged or resulting directly or indirectly from their use of this publication. All external links are provided as a resource only and are not guaranteed to remain active for any length of time. Neither the publisher nor the author can be held accountable for the information provided by, or actions resulting from accessing these resources.

From Leah:
For my grandmother, Frieda, who always told me to never use the words I wish.

From Lori:
For Cam and Halle whom I hope always know that life is just an adventure.

I always knew Leah Goldstein was hardcore but this book takes any notion I had to a whole other level. This is an incredible story of a life lived from the heart of a champion. Leah shows that nothing is impossible and I just cannot believe she is real. If you want to be inspired and realize there is nothing standing between you and your dreams, read this book.
Clara Hughes, O.C.
6-Time Olympic Medalist

Leahs incredible story will have you questioning everything you thought you knew about human potential. Her life elevates all of us, and forces a new definition of the word limit! A must read for all of us who dare to dream big .
George Thomas Race Across America Finish Line Announcer, Race Across Oregon, Double Trouble, Ring of Fire Director and The Natchez Trace 444 Director

I couldnt put this book down. Leah Goldstein tells an incredibly compelling story of how she came to be a champion athlete. No Limits is a fascinating look at extreme motivation and guts.
Joe Friel Cofounder of Training Peaks and Author of The Triatheletes Training Bible.

No Limits is a fascinating and informative true story that takes you on a journey into the heart and mind of a champion athlete to reveal how she was able to conquer challenges that could have crushed her spirit. Leahs lessons and honest writing show you how to go the extra mile in your sport and life.
Dr. Jim Afremow
Ph.D., Author of The Champions Mind: How Great Athletes Think, Train, and Thrive

In my life as a speaker, I get the opportunity to listen to many other professionals trying to motivate and inspire their audiences. Intentional Thinking and Aligning Your Inner Energy are hot topics right now, as most people seem to want to find a switch or an easy button that will turn their lives around. Its not as though I dont believe that those things have some effect, but they all seem to discount the main cause of success. That awful four-letter word that generationally we seem to be forgetting how to do: work. Work! By nature, however, humans are attracted to passive goal-setting and habits. Thats whats in our DNA.

Doesnt it sound much easier to write what you want on your bathroom mirror, rather than actually going out and getting it done? Trust me, if you put an escalator in the middle of Kenya, where some of the fiercest and fittest human warriors still reside, they would use it. Maasai warriors hunt hyenas and can jump four feet in the air, but they would still use the escalator. Why?

Its in our genes. Were supposed to conserve energy when possible, expending only when absolutely necessary. And up until about a hundred years ago, it was very necessary. People worked, physically. At their jobs and at home, people burned their calories in an effort to live. Now, surrounded by dishwashers and low-maintenance yards, we kick back and enjoy the stillness that technology offers. Could it be that this sedation has spilled over into our spirit, our dreams, and our character?

I think a worthwhile life requires movementphysically, mentally, spiritually. Our belief systems and values need exercise, challenges, and change. Competing in ultra-distance cycling allowed me to test all of these things, while offering up eleven long days of uninterrupted reflection of my life. I tend to be extreme by nature, so Im not suggesting everyone head out and start jogging across Texas. But I believe we are all greater human beings when we seek situations that stretch our minds, bodies, and souls. After all, its the only way to truly discover whats possible.

The 3,000-mile Race Across America (RAAM, the M left in there for America) lures the crazy/brave (its a fine line) crowd, those people who simply must test their limits in order to feel alive. I entered for many reasons, including that one. I had only two goals in mind: 1. To win; and 2. To break the record. The race is insanely expensive and requires a full year of training and logistical preparations.

Each solo rider needs two follow vehicles, several bikes, spare parts, tools, lots of clothes, coolers, packaged food, and a diverse crew. My parents tagged along for the trip in their own vehicle, plus my friend Janessa acted as crew chief, handling much of the planning. Another friend, Lori helped with much of the prep work too, and brought aboard her sister, Connie (a triathlete from Michigan) and her buddy, Rob (a paramedic). My long-time friend Ed, who had served as our mechanic when I rode for the Canadian National Team, agreed to come along to take care of the bicycles, as did Sean, a young guy who worked on my gear in my new hometown of Vernon, British Columbia (B.C.).

We rented a minivan as our follow car, the vehicle allowed to leapfrog me throughout the race (and follow right behind me at night, providing safety and more light). Two crewmembers would work an eight-hour shift in the car, handing me bottles of liquid and food, fixing bike problems, helping me to the bathroom, and navigating the thousands of turns on route. The rest of the crew rode in my dads RV and prepped food, planned potential rest points, and slept.