All through high school I was known as an athlete, but more than that I was known as a runner. I was on the Cross-Country and Track Teams, and every other sport that had running I was recruited for. In my graduating year book my peers said I was most likely to be an Olympian! In grade 10 I joined the University of Toronto Track and Field Club and from there I never looked back. It’s been a journey of ups and down, a journey where I have taken periods of time off, I have been a varsity athlete, a club athlete, a supporter, but this fall will make my 20th anniversary with UTTC.

I want to be one of Canada’s top middle distance runners. I want to chase after my Olympic dream, I want to stand on the line at world championships, I want to represent Canada. To do that I need to set myself up for success. I was leading your average life: I had completed my post-secondary education and was working full-time as an engineering consultant. To be the best version of my running self I knew I had to give up working full-time, I had to focus on training. Most people think of training of the time you spend on the track and in the gym, but it is so much more than that. It’s all the physiotherapy, massage, nutritional consultations, appointments, the time spent in the basement doing my own self-therapy, plus the time needed to rest and properly recover. Training is anywhere from 4 to 8 hours of my day!

I, an effort to continue to help support myself, I have entered into an Engineering Education PhD at the University of Toronto. In addition, I still maintain some hours as an independent engineering consultant. While I do this to help pay the bills, I also want to focus more on running and training.

So far 2015 has been the most exciting year of racing and training of my life. On January 1st down at a training camp in Florida I started my year with a personal best in the 800m at the end of a really tough workout; I knew we are the right path for the year. All through the winter I ran with the University of Toronto Varsity Blues and helped lead the women’s team to a Canadian University Championships banner; I medaled in all 4 individual middle distance events and helped the 4x800m relay to top the podium. I know there is so much more to come. I will continue to believe in myself. I will continue to work hard. I will continue to push boundaries in training. I will be the best version of my running self.