A week after 性视界传媒鈥檚 Dawn Alison won her pro bodybuilding card, she said the reality has yet to completely sink in.

It鈥檚 a dream she鈥檚 been pursuing for more than 30 years.

鈥淚鈥檒l just be driving down the road and be like, 鈥極h my god. I鈥檓 a pro athlete,鈥欌�� she said excitedly in an interview with the Now-Leader.

On July 1, Alison won two IFBB (International Federation of Body Building) Pro Cards at the Canadian Bodybuilding Nationals in Edmonton, AB.

鈥淚 got this dream when I was 19 years old and I鈥檓 going to be 53 in November,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 worked it out and I鈥檝e tried to get my pro card 21 times.鈥�

She recalled a flood of emotions on stage after her win.

鈥淚 started crying and feeling like I was losing it on stage, as I was walking off, I could feel this well of emotions coming up in me,鈥� she said. 鈥淣ot only happiness and joy but just relief.鈥�

Alison called the cards 鈥済olden eggs鈥� in Canada, because so few are given out compared to the U.S.

鈥淚n women鈥檚 bodybuilding there鈥檚 one or two a year given out in this country,鈥� she explained. 鈥淓ven total pro cards in Canada, probably about 20 pro cards for the entire country for all the classes of men and women. Whereas the States give away over 50 pro cards at each competition, and they have nine shows. In Canada we have two 鈥� one drug tested and one not. So it鈥檚 a lot tougher in Canada.鈥�

She said the road to reach her dream has been a difficult one. On her path to the pro stage, she鈥檚 come back from drug addiction, dealt with two broken marriages, and has undergone nine major surgeries.

鈥淪ometimes you feel like, am I really on the right path?鈥�

Alison said something told her she was.

Though, she revealed she almost threw in the towel last year.

鈥淚 really thought, 鈥楽hould I just hang it up?鈥� But something told me to just keep going. You have to take your licks. Just because you don鈥檛 get what you want, you don鈥檛 quit.鈥�

She chuckled as she recalled a B.C. judge once telling her she didn鈥檛 have what it takes to make it to the top.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 have the bone structure, right?鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檇 love to see that judge now.

鈥淚 never gave up on my dream, no matter what,鈥� she added. 鈥淎nd really, I can鈥檛 believe that after all I鈥檝e been through that I鈥檓 still alive at my age because I鈥檝e live my life wild and hard and fast. But I鈥檝e always said God was keeping me around for a reason.鈥�

Alison laughed as she recalled being a 19-year-old horse trainer from Canada before meeting her first husband, powerlifting legend Doug Young.

She said Young, who has won multiple world powerlifting championships, was the reason she embarked on her lifelong journey into the world of bodybuilding.

鈥淗e鈥檚 the one that saw it in me,鈥� she said. 鈥淗e took me under his wing and taught me everything. He changed my whole life.鈥�

Young has passed away, but Alison said she felt him at the competition.

鈥淗e was with me, he鈥檚 always with me.鈥�

So, once one reaches the goal they鈥檝e been chasing for 30 years, what鈥檚 next?

Alison said her sights are already set on a pro competition in Tampa, Florida next month.

鈥淭o me it鈥檚 about going out on that stage,鈥� she said. 鈥淥nce I step out on that pro stage, I鈥檒l know I鈥檝e made it.鈥�

Alison runs a bodybuilding business in Newton with her current husband Brandon Best.

He couldn鈥檛 be more proud of his wife.

鈥淪he is a testament to perseverance and determination,鈥� said Best. 鈥淭his culminates a lifelong dream, 30-plus years in the making, a story that has been full of many highs and lows, struggle and adversity. But through it all, she has held steadfast to her goal and now, finally, has been rewarded.鈥�

amy.reid@ surreynowleader.com