Endurance Coaching
Rise together – that’s the slogan for Arete Endurance this year, and in my second season of coaching, its a fitting rallying cry. Its a pleasure to work with Greg Penner and many fine folks whom, while perhaps never gracing podiums in the races they enter, turn up day after day to the work in pursuit of their goals
Running History
I never considered myself an athlete growing up, and only dabbled in running throughout college and the early years of family life. For me, running was a simple post work 7km stress reliever. Fast-forward to today, where Ultras are common, and the idea of running a Boston-qualifying time is passe, clearly something has changed.
Looking back, my evolution as a runner has been a reflection of those around me. In the early days, it was a friend at Toastmasters who encouraged me that if I could run a 1/2 marathon, I could run a full marathon. And from there, into the trails, and so on. Moving back to Canada in 2017, I discovered Arete and the track sessions. This engagement led to a reframe of my understanding of what training was, and how running could be a communal experience. Through working together with Greg, 2021 was a year of PB in every distance from 5km to 50 miles, and this a the young age of 47!
My long-term passion has been working with people and seeing them break out of self-imposed paradigms that no longer serve them. I naturally see the big picture, and my IT training has honed the ability to dive down into the details while remaining aware of the overall context. As well, I have a natural curiosity about why things are they way they are, and a robust enthusiasm for life.
Through working with Greg, I’ve lived the results of his systems and know them to work. I love working with motivated people who know there’s more for them – more not just in terms of PRs, but in the whole of life. While this coaching focuses on the physical, the interplay with the complexities of life allows a broader and nuanced conversation to develop, one that impacts more than just the training programme.
While my speediest days are most likely behind me, I love staying fit enough so that our annual adventures (most recently R2R2R) can be enjoyed, not just endured. So I look forward to sharing the sweat and grit of the road and trail with everyone.
