Cochranite Susanne McArthur placed first for female runners at Melissa's Road Race a couple of weeks ago in Banff, despite, she said, what the website tells you.
Cochranite Susanne McArthur placed first for female runners at Melissa's Road Race a couple of weeks ago in Banff, despite, she said, what the website tells you.
"It feels great - I've been working really hard and I feel that finally some of my hard work is paying off," McArthur said.
The local kindergarten teacher said she was surprised that she was the fastest runner in the 10 km division with a running time of 41 minutes and 24 seconds, considering the annual race attracted approximately 4,500 runners this year.
According to the online race stats, McArthur is not listed as the first place female runner for the Melissa's Road Race due to a discrepancy. McArthur believes there were a couple other runners who signed up for the 10 km race, but instead only ran the 5 km, making the other runners times lower.
"There was a mistake in the results, so I was kind of robbed of my moment of glory to go up, but it was still a good event," McArthur said.
"I love running - you make friends, I like the challenge, I love being active, I love setting goals for myself and it kind of keeps me sane."
The full time kindergarten teacher and mother of two said she has been consistently training since her second child. Running 60 to 80 kilometres a week, McArthur does her training on local Cochrane trails.
"I love all trails - I run all my miles around Cochrane. You are running so much you got to keep the variety up," McArthur said.
Running since high school, McArthur said it was an activity she got into because she liked being motivated. In the past year, McArthur said she has run a few smaller, low key races and a Calgary marathon in June, but this was her first big win since getting back into running.
"It was a good event - it was really nice and beautiful," McArthur said.
Living in Cochrane for the past five years with her husband and children, McArthur said she could not imagine living anywhere else.
"We are loving it here. We came to settle down and raise a family - it is a great place for bringing up our two kids," McArthur explained.
"For someone who likes to bike and run, you couldn't ask for a better place."
