One Rising Star

“Some of the best days are the unplanned ones.” While staying in Nice, I woke up one morning and decided it was the perfect day for a little adventure. Without much planning, I hopped on the train and headed to Monaco, ready to see where the day would take me. The journey was very spontaneous; one moment I was in France, and the next I was stepping into a completely different country. That’s the beauty of Europe! I started my day exploring the Prince’s Palace and wandering through the charming streets of Le Rocher’s old town while taking in the views from up high. From there, I made my way down to Port Hercule, strolling along the harbour and admiring the yachts before climbing up to Monte Carlo Square and the iconic casino. A pricey lunch in a fancy cafe followed (as expected), but it was all part of the Monaco experience I guess.  I wrapped up the day with a walk through the very elaborate Christmas market, soaking in the festive atmosphere before making my way back to the train ...

“Rester, c’est exister… mais voyager, c’est vivre.” My time in France began in Paris, where I met up with my parents for a few days of exploring the city. I couldn’t wait to finally use my  Canadian  French and take in all the iconic sights , such as the Eiffel Tower, l’Arc de Triomphe, Champs-Élysées, and Notre Dame. Wandering the city on foot, soaking up its energy, and sharing those moments with my parents made it especially meaningful. The trip also included hockey, with a short visit to Cergy to watch my brother play an away game before we hopped on the train to Bordeaux, where he currently lives and plays professional ice hockey. There, we caught a home game, watched an away match on the big screen at La Cage, a Québec-roots restaurant that felt like a little taste of Canada, toured the city, and spent Christmas with his family. Of course, I did find my way into a little CrossFit box too to do a couple workouts. Bordeaux was cold, but festive, and I loved how walkable it...

  “Some moments are soft in pace, but solid in memory.” A few days in London felt like the perfect way to begin my winter travels.  Reconnecting with friends I hadn’t seen in a few years, reminiscing about the good old Dubai days, sharing favourite memories, and laughing until our cheeks hurt made the short stop incredibly special. It was one of those easy, unhurried breaks where every moment felt light, warm, and full of joy. The city itself was glowing with Christmas magic. Twinkling lights, festive decorations everywhere, and relaxed strolls past decorated homes, Big Ben, the London Eye, Christmas markets, Covent Garden, and charming streets and corners brought the season to life. A truly beautiful way to kick off the holiday travels.

“The Only Bad Run Is the One That Didn’t Happen.” Last week, I signed up for one final 10km race for the year. I was excited to experience a new location in Dubai and a fresh route. There’s always a little extra motivation running somewhere different, and I was genuinely looking forward to seeing another part of the city. Not long after the start of the race though, it became clear to me that things weren’t quite right. I had a feeling early on that we were running too far in one direction, and by the time I reached 5km, it was obvious. Like many others, I turned around and headed back toward the finish line. I learned later on, after the race was complete, that the signs on the course had been removed, and many runners, myself included, kept going in the wrong direction. The race was a huge mental battle. Confusion crept in early, and running while knowing the distance might not add up properly made pacing very challenging. It was disappointing crossing the finish line knowing I didn’...

“The strongest commitments are the ones you make to yourself.” November was all about fitness in Dubai with the DXB 30x30 Fitness Challenge. Despite my heavy workload, some stressful moments, a bit of illness, which all lead to some very inconsistent training and a dip in motivation and discipline, it became a month where I reminded myself that showing up is everything. I kicked off the month making a return to the Dubai running scene with a 10km race on the 1st, snagging 2nd place in my age group. It felt amazing to be back on the start line, surrounded by the buzz of the running community. Two weeks later, I tackled a 15km race. Leading up to it, I had been under the weather and barely trained, but somehow, I crossed the line and was awarded 1st place in my age group. It was a huge reminder that consistency is great, but determination counts too. I wrapped up the month with a 21km run, earning 4th place in my age group, and while I didn’t hit any personal records, it felt incredible ...

“There is no better feeling than making yourself proud.” Someone recently asked me, “What’s something small that always makes you smile?” At first, I had no idea how to answer. But after sitting with the question for a bit, I realized something: the thing that never fails to make me smile is doing something I once thought I couldn’t do. There’s a special kind of joy in surprising yourself; whether it’s traveling alone, surviving a brutal workout, or pulling yourself back up after hitting one of life’s low points. My strength, especially the kind that shows up when things get hard, never stops making me proud. This weekend, my inner strength showed up again. I had a 15 km race on my calendar, and to be honest, the timing wasn’t great. I’d been sick for a few days, hadn’t exercised, struggled with consistent sleep, and had been enduring a stressful workload. Not exactly ideal race prep. Even on race morning, I wasn’t sure if or how my body would hold up; I took some meds, sipped warm tea...

  “The beauty of running is in its simplicity; just you, your breath, and the road ahead.” After a long hiatus, I finally made my return to the Dubai running race scene! When I first lived here between 2012 and 2017, I took part in many road races and absolutely loved the local running community. Even after moving to Vietnam, I kept the momentum going for a while, completing a few 10km, 21km and even a full marathon, especially in my first year there. But as I got more into CrossFit in 2018, running gradually took a back seat. Since then, I’ve continued to run, but without the same structure, purpose, or goals I once had. That all changed a couple of months ago when I decided to reignite my running spark and even joined a few run club sessions. I’ll be honest; those group runs have really pushed me out of my comfort zone! I’ve always loved a nice, long, slow run, but short and speedy intervals? Not so much. Still, being surrounded by people who share a similar mindset, who challeng...

 “It’s not about escaping your thoughts; it’s about moving through them.” Mental health is something I care very deeply about. Just like many others out there, I’ve experienced some dark moments; times filled with anxiety, stress, spiraling thoughts, self-doubt, and a lack of confidence. And while I still experience ups and downs, I’ve learned that movement, and the people who ‘walk’ beside me, help me rise up, time and time again. Movement, for me, isn’t just about fitness. It’s a way to remind myself of what I’m capable of. When I push through a tough workout or do something I didn’t think I could, it builds more than strength, it builds belief. Every extra rep, round, or kg on the barbell, along with that constant push forward…it all becomes proof that I can do hard things, even when my mind tells me otherwise. In those moments, my thoughts quiet. The noise fades. It’s just effort, breath, and presence, and that’s often all I need to reset. With that, what truly helps to keep me...

 “Have you ever stopped and thought: “Wow. I prayed for this. It’s here. It’s happening.”? I recently received a message from an  old student from my very first school in Canada. It was a simple note, but it sparked reflection in me about where I’ve come from and everything that’s happened over the last 15–20 years. At my age, I often look around and see many of the people ( my age ) settling down; getting married, having kids, buying homes ( A dream for many, especially women. ). And sometimes, I can’t help but  ask myself: what am I doing with my life? However, that message from my former student reminded me of something I often forget: I’ve already been living a dream. When I left my first teaching job in Canada, it was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever made. I absolutely loved my students, and together we had built a really special bond. But at that time, I had a dream to travel the world; to immerse myself in different cultures and to learn from people whose li...

"Momentum doesn’t just return; you rebuild it, one choice at a time." Before summer began, I was feeling a little low. The tipping point came when I found out my HYROX competition partner’s visa had been denied, meaning we wouldn’t be able to compete at the HYROX World Championships in Chicago. Deep down, I knew it wasn’t the end of the world, but I was still pretty bummed. I thrive when I have a goal, something to work toward, and for nearly two months, I’d been all-in. That training gave me momentum, purpose and energy. When that goal disappeared, so did my drive. Suddenly, my energy shifted in the wrong direction. I slipped into autopilot, stuck in the routine of daily life, work, and thought patterns that were becoming more and more negative. Social media didn’t help. It felt like everyone else was out there doing so much, and I had nothing exciting happening. I would catch myself comparing and as my thoughts spiraled, my body started responding, and not in a good way. Th...

“ The successful warrior is the average (wo)man , with laser-like focus. ” Life’s been feeling a little dull lately, but there’s one thing keeping me fired up; the experience of a lifetime is just around the corner. In just four weeks, I’ll be heading to Chicago to compete in the Hyrox World Championships, and I’m locked in. For many competitive and athletic kids, the dream is to make it to the Olympics or stand on a world championship stage in their sport. While Hyrox may not be the Olympics, for me, this is kind of that moment. This is my ‘world stage’; I can’t wait to soak it all in and add it to the list of things I’m proud of. This idea sort of started on my 40th birthday this year. While most people celebrate with a party and cake or a getaway, I made a wild choice: I booked my place in the Hyrox World Championships with my doubles partner. Bold? Definitely. Crazy? Probably. Worth it? Without a doubt. The last time I pushed myself this hard was back in 2019 when I trained for a C...

“You don’t have to be perfect, just prepared enough to wing it!” I competed in Hyrox this weekend, and while I’m proud of the outcome ( 1st place in our age category (40–49) for the women’s pro doubles division ), I’ve been having mixed feelings about my personal performance. Truthfully, things didn’t quite unfold the way I’d visualized them in the lead-up, and I wasn’t as sharp as I’d hoped to be on race day. I also worked out two days before (S hould’ve known better!) , so my legs were still feeling it. That said, my partner and I still pulled off the win, which speaks volumes about the work we’ve each been putting in individually. It was exciting ( and a little intimidating ) to compete alongside some big-name CrossFitters in the region, but we held our own and that felt pretty good! Over the past few months, I’ve been consistent and disciplined with my training. Thankfully, I stayed healthy this time around, unlike last year, which already felt like a small victory. But, I didn’t ...