When I’m racing, there’s always a battle going on in my mind.
Doubt is usually the first opponent.
In the middle of a 3,000-meter race, the first half can feel brutal.
This is really hard. I don’t know if I can do this — those kinds of thoughts.
But as I get closer to the finish line, that feeling shifts to: Wait, this isn’t so bad. I can keep going.
Running is one of the most mentally demanding sports out there.
The key is staying focused—without letting the clock consume you.
On every track and cross-country team I’ve been part of, that focus has become a defining part of who I am.
I’ve been running competitively since fourth grade and haven’t stopped. While at the University of Memphis, I’ve broken school records and run personal bests I never imagined possible.
But more than anything, I’ve fallen even deeper in love with the sport.
Running isn’t always fun. Some days, getting out the door feels impossible.
And yet, through every tough run, it has built my resilience and created friendships I wouldn’t trade for anything.
Running in Canada
I grew up in Timmins, a small town in Ontario, Canada.
My running journey started in second grade when a local race had a kids’ division. A few friends and I signed up just for fun.
I didn’t win, but I finished in the top 20%, and something about that stuck with me.
At first, running was just an after-school activity with friends.
But my dad encouraged me to take it more seriously.
He’s the ultimate competitor—an avid runner who’s tackled marathons and even triathlons.
By third grade, I was running my first 5K at Disney World.
A year later, I joined a track club, and that’s when my competitive running career really took off.
I started traveling to Toronto for higher-level meets.
I was setting records and winning most of my races through middle school.
But high school was a reality check.
Suddenly, I wasn’t winning everything.
In southern Ontario, where the competition was deeper, I’d find myself finishing 40th or 50th in races.
Junior year changed everything.
I put in my best training block ever, logging more miles than I’d ever run in my life.
That’s when it finally clicked—I saw what it actually took to be great.
After running some of my best times that year, I started to realize that I could probably run for a college program at the DI level in the United States.
Once I started getting emails from coaches, I knew the next chapter was waiting.
Finding a Home in Memphis
When I visited Memphis, one thing stood out—the team’s camaraderie.
After two days with the guys, I already felt like I belonged.
That team culture mattered to me.
Running with people you trust creates a better environment and leads to better results.
That’s why I chose Memphis.
Looking back, I’ve loved every second of my time here.
I just think it’s an incredible place.
The sense of community is unmatched—when the Tigers or the Grizzlies are winning, it feels like the whole city is celebrating together.
As for my running career here, it’s been a rollercoaster.
I redshirted a season due to injury.
COVID-19 canceled some of my best opportunities.
But I also set the school record in the 3,000-meter race and the distance medley relay.
I even came heartbreakingly close to breaking the four-minute mile—just 0.01 seconds away.
A tenth of a second.
It stung, but it also fueled me.
Maybe one day, I’ll chase it again.
In indoor track, I broke my own school record in the 3,000, running 8:04.
That was a huge moment.
But I still believe I can crack the eight-minute barrier.
It all comes down to what I can do in my final outdoor season.
The Power of Running with Others
As I look ahead, I’m excited to finish my master’s degree in biomedical engineering.
I’ll be defending my thesis soon, and I can’t wait to take the next step—both academically and athletically.
Running at Memphis has given me so much. It’s built my mental resilience and shown me how far I can push myself.
When you’re logging 80 to 100 miles a week, your body and mind get tested. But it’s the people you run with who make all the difference.
Over the years, I’ve run with more than 30 teammates and lived with many of them. They’re my best friends, and I plan on keeping it that way for life.
The camaraderie that first drew me to Memphis is still what I love most about it.
My favorite memory will always be winning a medal and setting the school record in the distance medley relay.
Running and competing as a team means more than any individual performance.
Setting that record together made the achievement even sweeter.
It summed up my entire experience here.
Because when you’re running with others, the finish line feels that much closer.
