One Rising Star

“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...