Roxy's Marathon
I’m Roxy! I am running a marathon to help support undergraduate students aspiring to join the space sector in Canada. Please read my story, which I hope will inspire you to take action and help me achieve my mission.
Click the link above to go to the Canadian Space Health Research Network's Donation Portal (hosted by the University of Calgary). Please specify this fundraising campaign in the "Comments" box.
April Update
Time is just flying by! It's finally spring in Ontario, which means it's time for trail running. I've signed up for a fun 25K trail race with my trail running friends called Conquer the Canuck on May 11th. If you're in the Cambridge area, come say hi!
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This month has been full of travel again, and my training suffered. I replaced running with swimming in the Indian Ocean to cool off during my week in the Maldives for two important space meetings: The annual Asia-Pacific Space Generation Workshop and the 2nd Space for Island Nations Conference (SINC). We discussed many important topics including how space can help protect island nations from the impacts of climate change and new ways that space could help save corals from mass bleaching events (note: conservationists in the Maldives have announced that 2024 will be another record-breaking year for coral bleaching). I learned a lot about Maldivian culture and their close connection to the stars. There are several unique constellations, shown on the slide below, that Maldivians used to navigate the seas. If you'd like to learn more or if you'd like to volunteer, visit the Maldives Space Research Organisation (MSRO)
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Total distance Apr 2024: 57.24K
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March Update
This month was filled with fun new running routes and furry running companions :) Pictured here are Kennedy the Duck Tolling Retriever and Leia the Havanese. They both love to run and encouraged me to get some extra miles in throughout the week.
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I am satisfied with the training volume this month and made up for the deficit in February. One of my new pairs of running shoes is nearly at the end of its life already, which means I may actually go through 4 pairs by the end of the year...
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On a different note, superstar ultra runner Camille Herron ran 901.76K in 6 straight days for the Lululemon FURTHER event, which is an astounding feat, and inspires me to push harder to reach my own running goals. Did you know that Camille is attempting to achieve a lifetime goal of running the distance between Earth and the Moon? That's 384,400 kilometres! Camille also studied space life sciences and had a dream of becoming an astronaut. I think we might get along pretty well if we ever met (I hope it happens one day).
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Total distance Mar 2024: 168.09K
February Update
It is always a good time when you get to run in a different country. A change of scenery can be so refreshing. I was lucky to be in Toulouse, France for two weeks this month for work. I managed to squeeze in a few runs through the clay-toned streets of “La Ville Rose” and along the Garonne river.
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The busy work schedule took a toll on my desired mileage, however, and I’m feeling like I lost a bit of my cardiovascular conditioning. The plan for March is to push a little bit beyond the original running plan and add 2-3 extra kilometers per week to catch up. Also, a lot more stretching!
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Total distance Feb 2024: 98.96K
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January Update
I am so thankful to those who donated to my campaign so far! Please continue to share the link and help me raise more. We’re still a long way from my fundraising goal. Also, if you have any burning questions for me, no matter what the topic, I’ll try to answer them in my next monthly update. Meanwhile, here’s a run-down of the past couple of months.
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In December, I did a fun challenge called the “12 Days of Run”, hosted by Lewiston Ultra Events. It starts with a 1K run on December 1st, then adds an additional kilometer with each successive day, until December 12th, for a total of 78K. I highly recommend checking out their other events too! In the summer I did their 16K Moose Mountain Trail Race in West Bragg Creek, AB and finished 6th in my division.
As most runners know, training in the winter can be challenging. The temperature from one week to the next has fluctuated by almost 30 degrees Celsius at times. Unfortunately, I lack the proper gear to run safely in really cold temps, so I chose to use the treadmill on a few occasions.
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I’ve had minor setbacks too. My old nemesis, shin splints, returned in early January and I’ve struggled to recover. That usually signifies my running shoes need to be retired, so I’m now the proud owner of two new pairs. Hopefully February will be shin pain-free!
Total distance Jan 2024: 118.33K