Left to right: Outrun Addiction President Vanessa Smith and Vice President Lissa Rivera.
Photo credit: Kara Favaloro of SorrisoPhotography
ENFIELD — Nine years ago, when friends Vanessa Smith and Lissa Rivera came up with this idea of creating a race locally in Enfield, they didn’t realize how large it was going to be.
With their nonprofit Outrun Addiction, they host a yearly 5K Run/Walk event to spread awareness and to remind those affected that they are not alone.
Outrun Addiction raises funds for other nonprofits such as Alex’s Army, Today I Matter and TriCircle. As well as giving out college scholarships to local Enfield High students who have been affected by addiction within their life. Last year, Outrun Addiction expanded to Pelham, New Hampshire and they’re in the process of a third location for next year.
“Our vision was to have a small local race,” said Rivera. “We’ve definitely surpassed our vision. Every year we’re growing and adding more to it. Now, we’ve expanded into another state so we’re beyond what we could’ve imagined what we wanted this small local event to be. The family and community support that we have is great and amazing.”
Smith added, “Part of our vision was creating a space for people that can relate. People who have lost loved ones can come together, grieve together, support one another & meet folks that they can talk to and build a community.”
Smith and Rivera are both children of addicts and saw the hardship associated with it. Growing up, Rivera’s life was filled with dysfunction that she didn’t recognize at the time. Instability and unhealthy patterns became her normal, and she carried those into adulthood. Because of that, she found herself in a relationship with an addict, repeating a cycle that felt familiar rather than healthy. Everything began to change when Rivera became involved in an addiction awareness group and grew in her relationship with Jesus. Through both, her eyes were opened to what addiction truly is and how deeply it affects the entire family. Rivera said her faith gave her clarity, strength and the courage to face those patterns and choose a different path. That transformation led Rivera to involve her children, making sure they have the awareness, guidance, and foundation in faith that she didn’t have, so they don’t follow the same path.
“Growing up as children of addicts is complex,” said Rivera. “It can build resilience, but it also normalizes unhealthy behavior. Breaking that cycle takes awareness, intention, and faith. Now, having my kids involved helps them recognize the patterns and gives them an opportunity for a healthy future.”
For Smith, growing up as a child of an addict felt like growing up faster than she should have. At times, Smith said it felt isolating because a lot of what she experienced wasn’t talked about openly, as if she, her mother and brother were the only ones going through it. At the same time, Smith got to see firsthand that addiction doesn’t just affect one person, it affects the entire family including the children. That perspective is really what drives the work she and Rivera are doing now.
“For today’s youth, I think the biggest thing is letting them know they’re not alone and that their circumstances doesn’t define their future,” Smith said. “If anything, they can use their experiences as strength. We’re trying to show that there is hope and letting them know they’re not alone, because that’s something I wish I knew more growing up.”
She went on to say, “Addiction is a disease. It affects everybody and it’s around all of us, but the huge reward is to give back to those who are in families that have addiction.”
Smith and Rivera knew each other through mutual friends since they were in middle school but became friends through starting Outrun Addiction. Smith is a runner and was looking for a race in town but found nothing close by. She reached out to Rivera who was involved in an addiction awareness group. They put their minds together and thought a 5K would be a great idea. The first year, they had 250 participants and their highest number so far is 760. Now, Smith and Rivera’s mission for this year’s 5K Run/Walk that will take place on Sept. 19 at the Enfield Education Annex is to reach 1,000 participants. They want to continue increasing the scholarships they’re able to offer, and get even more involved in the community, especially with the youth. They’ve also started talking more about how they can potentially get involved with sober homes and expand their support there.
“It’s truly a blessing to be in this position,” said Rivera. “Right now, we’re focused on taking in all the growth and appreciating where we are in this moment.”
To learn more information, go to outrunaddiction.org. You can also register for the 5K event on Sept. 19. For questions, email OA5K@outrunaddiction.org.
