Manitoba woman completes first full marathon amidst journey to sobriety

One Manitoba woman shares her journey to sobriety, using fitness as a way to run away from a disease she suffered for many years.   

Samantha Powderhorn moved to Winnipeg from Tadoule Lake, or Sayisi Dene First Nation in Northern Manitoba in 2017. She was eight months pregnant, with four kids and homeless.

“I struggled with alcoholism, and it was a part of my life for the whole duration of my life,” explained Powderhorn.

Powderhorn said it became a major problem, completely overtaking her life and it was at that moment she decided to make a change.

“I became sober on Nov. 1, 2021, and then two weeks later, I started my fitness and health journey, and I started running.”

Powderhorn suffers from thyroid disease and says she gains weight easily. Before beginning her fitness journey, she was 254 pounds and knew she had to work hard to become healthy.

“I couldn’t run one minute. I was huffing and puffing. I was like, ‘whoa this is intense.’ But the strong, resilient person in me just wanted to go further and further. On April 15, 2021, I ran my first 2.1km straight,” she explained.

Powderhorn’s older brother and mentor Carl passed away in April of 2015. He was everything to her. Before he died, Powderhorn says he would always push her to lose weight and be fit – saying it took her to lose him to realize that. After finishing her first 2.1-kilometre run in 2021, she says something crazy happened.

“I had earbuds in my ears and a song came on. It was my late brother’s favourite song and at that moment, I knew he was there with me cheering me on and saying he was proud of me,” said Powderhorn. “Although he is gone, I’m so grateful that I have learned that and took that from him.”

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Powderhorn continues to run and each marathon carries a meaning. She recently completed her first full marathon in November in Churchill, Manitoba – becoming the first Sayisi Dene First Nation woman to run in the Polar Bear Marathon. She is sending a message to her home community of Tadoule Lake.

“We still have hope and for us to become a community again, in order for us to be strong, we have to love ourselves. In order to love ourselves, we have to be healthy, fit, sober and regain our culture and traditions back.”

As she continues her running journey, Powderhorn says her goal is to run in some of the bigger marathons such as Chicago and Boston.

“I really want my story to be heard and I really want to become that inspirational and motivational person for Indigenous communities out there.”