Roslyn Smith didn鈥檛 become a serious runner until she retired from the workforce in 2005. Since then, she has set a number of age-group records in the marathon and half marathon runs.
The 68-year-old Comox resident has twice run in the prestigious Boston Marathon. In 2009, she completed the course in 3:36:45, sixth fastest in her age group and second fastest for Canadian women 60-64 years. She bettered her time in 2011 with a 3:32:28 clocking 鈥� fastest among Canadian women 60-64.
Since 2015 when she clocked in at 3:39:35 in Victoria, Smith has held the Canadian record for women 65-69 years in the marathon. She also holds the half marathon mark in the same age bracket.
鈥淭he Victoria Marathon remains my favourite race along with the Island Series (a winter/spring race series),鈥� said Smith, president of the Comox Valley Road Runners, who competed in the Chicago Marathon in 2014.
Back in the mid- to late-1960s, running was a means of getting in shape for field hockey during Smith鈥檚 high school and university years in Halifax, N.S. Training involved a great deal of sprinting before team members were allowed to pick up their stick. In the 1970s, when ParticipACTION was in full swing, Smith recalls orienteering and cross-country skiing were gaining in popularity as she embarked on a teaching career in the Maritimes. Running became part of her regular regime in 1975, when she moved to Inuvik to teach Grades 7-12 physical education. Smith also competed in nordic skiing and road racing. At 33, she ran her first marathon in Whitehorse in 1981. Her time was 3:51.
鈥淚 really had no idea how to train,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 ran about one-and-a-half to two hours every other day. I was not aware of any training plans. I did very few marathons from 1981 to 2003, concentrating on half marathons instead.鈥�
台湾MM裸聊室 23 years later, she ran a personal best of 3:30:51 at the Royal Victoria Marathon in 2004.
鈥淚t seemed that I became more competitive as the years went by,鈥� she said.
Smith and her husband Bob Hauser moved to Comox in the fall of 2005. At 57, she could finally train year-round in ideal weather. She cross-trains by cycling in spring/summer and cross-country skiing in winter.
To date, she has run 23 marathons.
鈥淭he important thing is to remain healthy and injury-free, and working towards the smaller goals in getting to the bigger ones鈥︹��
These days, Smith limits herself to one marathon a year. She plans to next compete at the North Olympic Discovery Marathon in June 2018 in Port Angeles, Wash. The following year, when she will be in the 70-74 category, Smith and running buddy Tracy Kennett are considering either Boston or Chicago.
