First and foremost, it is a great honor to be part of the Fast Trax / Asics Marathon project.  I can think of many talented female runners in the city of Edmonton that would be deserving of this opportunity and I wish to extend sincere thanks to Jack for including me in this fantastic venture.

People run for all kinds of reasons. I run to clear my mind. I run for solitude. I run because there are other passionate runners who not only believe in me but who teach me from their own experiences. I run to learn from the wisdom of others during partner or group runs. I run for that next hill, face the challenge, pushing past my limits. I am one of those crazy people who simply tie on a pair of running shoes and run.

I have been racing for 14 years.  During that time I have run 14 marathons, 5 ultra marathons, 3 half marathons, numerous relays, and shorter races ranging in distance from 8 km to 16 km. It is my passion for running that keeps me motivated and running strong.

As a young adult attending the U of A, I joined an evening fitness group at the Butterdome.  Being new to Edmonton, joining a health oriented group was a way to meet new people with similar interests.  Before the scheduled class several members of the fitness group would meet and run for approximately 50 minutes, at some point I was invited to tag along.  During conversations while on these runs I learned that several members were seasoned marathon runners.

I learned from my university fitness training days with marathon runners that group runs can be the most motivating because I am with people who have set commendable running goals and through training and discipline, have been able to surpass their expectations. It is from others that I learned many health tips, life ‘wisdom's’, great jokes, how to run through discomfort, and that a simple pleasure like tying ones shoes is a cheap way to meet interesting people. One day this fitness group invited me to join them on one of the marathon races, not as support, but as a fellow competitor.  I thought they were crazy! But since I was lacing up my running shoes anyway and I had a great support system, I set a goal to train for the Okanagan marathon. However I did swear to everyone that I would only run one. Running marathons wasn't normal in my mind. I didn’t know that running a marathon could end in a chase to the next one, and the next one after that.

After running the Kelowna marathon in 3:23, I decided I could do better. Why finish a goal of completing a marathon with a time I believed I could beat?  The decision was final; I was going to run just one more marathon.  Well, I keep telling myself to this day that I’m going to run just one more. My latest marathon in St. George was an incredible 2:53.  Although I was overjoyed, I was left feeling that I could run sub faster. As you may infer from my ‘track record’, I’m going to run just one more.

Somewhere in between the 14 marathons, I was introduced to trail running by good friend and ultra marathoner Gary Poliquin. Getting off the roads and onto trails generated an enriched running experience.  The introduction of “steep hills” and mountains created a new challenge.  The grueling climb to the top of a mountain only to see breathtaking views had me hooked on trail running.

After running the 50 km event at the Blackfoot Ultra for several years, I will challenge myself further and attempt to run the 50 mile event…but probably just this once!

As my running shoes hit the surface, I will continue to find new ways to challenge myself even further.  I really appreciate the support I receive from fellow runners and this newest support from Asics.