Athlete Feature
Rochelle Johnston
Moncton, New Brunswick (on the east coast of Canada - about an 8 hour drive from Boston)
How did you become a runner?
I was introduced to running initially through soccer. I had a coach in high school who required us to be able to run 45 minutes at practice in order for us to be able to play on the team. I realized over time that I enjoyed the practices more than the actual games, because I loved running so much! I didn't run a lot in my first few years out of high school, but then rediscovered it near the end of university as a coping mechanism for my busy student-life. I signed up for my first official race ever - a marathon - in 2007, and have been hooked since! To date, I've run 17 marathons and countless other races.
What does a typical training day look like for you?
My training varies from day to day, depending on life demands with work and family commitments. I work full time as a hospital pharmacist, and I have a 6 year old son (Simon) who keeps me very busy! I am not a morning person, so I tend to prefer to run at lunchtime or later in the day. On workout days, my sister and I will often meet after work and tackle the miles together. I try to incorporate strength work into my schedule at least 3 times per week, but usually only for 15-30min blocks after my son is asleep.
Tell us about your journey and performance at the Canadian Championships.
This story starts all the way back in November of 2020!
I had been running throughout 2020 as a way of keeping fit and mentally processing the changing world around me as we navigated the first year of the pandemic. There were no races, and I was thrilled when I saw that the Marathon Project had a virtual option for a variety of distances. I needed motivation, so I signed up under Neely's team and committed to running both the 5k and the 10k virtual events. I went to my favorite half-mile loop on a Thursday morning in November, and after a proper warmup, ran 5k as fast as I could. My PB prior to this day was 19:08, and I was thrilled to see that I ran 37 seconds faster in 18:31.
In September of 2020, Moncton was set to host the 5k Canadian Championships, but the event was postponed due to the pandemic. It was postponed again in 2021, and then finally was rescheduled to be held in person in September of 2022. The qualifying time to enter the race was 18:30, which made me smile -- I was only one second off! I daydreamed about how cool it would be to line up with Canada's best, even though I'd be guaranteed to finish last, but I didn't pursue it further as I knew I was no longer in the kind of shape required to run the qualifying time (and I was still over the cut-off by one second).
In August, the elite athlete coordinator reached out to a friend and asked if any local runners had qualifying times that were under or hovering around the cutoff. They had hoped to round-out the field with some local New Brunswick athletes, and my name was presented as an option. The coordinator reached out to me, and I accepted the offer to run in the elite field. When I got the email back that I was included with the elite race, I literally burst into laughter and could not stop laughing all day. Me? Elite? On the same start line as Canadian Olympians and record holders? It just didn't feel like real life. By the time I was accepted into the field, it left me with just about a month to prepare for the race. I decided that I would do my best to get as fit as I could during that time, and enjoy the experience regardless. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity to line up with the best in the country in my hometown, and I was not going to pass that up!
Three weeks prior to the race, I tested positive for covid and it hit me very hard. I had every symptom and had to take 10 full days off running. I was able to return to short runs about
12 days before the race, and they were extremely difficult due to ongoing fatigue (it felt like my body's battery was completely drained) and reduced lung capacity + persistent cough. I debated scratching from the race, but I didn't want to let my ego get in the way of this once in a lifetime opportunity. One evening while I was on a quiet run in my neighborhood, I was analyzing my options and decided that I would run no matter what. This would be the perfect opportunity to show my son (who has a tendency to be competitive) that it is okay to lose, and it's okay to come in last sometimes. In addition, I laughed when I realized that even if I were in tip-top shape, I'd likely still finish in last place due to the high caliber athletes in the field. Whether I ran 19 minutes or 30 minutes -- wouldn't make much difference to my finishing place, so why not show up and soak up the experience?
The course was a flat stretch of pavement in downtown Moncton - one "big" loop and one "small" loop. Before the women's race, I was able to watch Ben Flanagan take a crack at the Canadian men's 5k road record -- he came up a few seconds short, but ran the fastest 5k ever run on Canadian soil in 13:38 -- it was very exciting to witness! I did a little warmup & some strides, and then lined up on the start line with the elite women. I listened to the announcer introduce all of the runners, and really felt proud to have been invited to run with this group of incredible women. I set myself in the back of the pack & sprinted off the start-line when the horn blew to start the race. We flew off the line at around a pace of 5:15/mile -- I held this for about 45 seconds before I eased off and ran by effort (still - pretty cool to at least start with the entire group). I ran by what I felt to be 5k effort & as hard as I could make my covid-recovering body run that day. Surprisingly, my breathing felt relaxed, but my legs/body just felt absolutely drained. While my breathing & effort felt appropriate, there was nothing I could do to will my legs to move any faster than they were moving for the remainder of the race.
Despite being healthily behind the entire field, I honestly felt like a celebrity out there! I was the only hometown runner from Moncton running in this race, and our local running community really showed up. I remember having the loudest cheers after we started and every time I crossed the group of spectators at the start & finish area. I've never felt such love directed specifically to me during a race before, and it was really special to experience. Family, friends, coworkers, neighbors, and running buddies all showed up to show their support, fully knowing that I would be the final finisher. It makes me tear up when I remember it.
Because I was so far behind the leaders, I got to cheer for them by name when they passed me on the other side of the road for both of the turns. I literally smiled the whole time, and had SO much fun! My finish time was 21:30, which was 3 minutes slower than my qualifier and 2 minutes behind the 2nd last finisher. Despite being so far behind the field, everyone waited at the finish area to cheer me in. It was incredible to hear my community's support so loud and clear, just for me.
Even if the time I ran wasn't what I feel what I am capable of, I am so incredibly proud that I set my ego aside and decided to run anyway. I hope that this experience will be a good example to discuss with my son for lessons in the future. We don't always have to BE our best to show up - the important thing is to DO your best no matter what cards you're handed and you can hold your head high & be proud that you gave it your all.
What's your proudest running moment?
My favorite event is the Cabot Trail Relay, which is a 24 hour relay race held on Cape Breton Island, where I grew up. I've been participating in this race with my Moncton team, which includes my brother and my sister, since 2013.
In 2018, I was assigned the "glory leg" -- the final leg of the race that finishes in the most epic finish-line shute. Our team was neck and neck with another team for the top mixed title, with only a couple of minutes separating first and second place in this division. I ran my heart out for the entire leg (which included a mountain!), and finished as the top female. My time also was the push that our team needed to take the top mixed team title, and clinched our win for this division. While it was incredibly special to finish this leg so strong, it meant the world to me that it also helped advance our team to this victory!
What’s next on your race calendar?
My race calendar is completely open at the moment -- I'm taking a few months to work on rebuilding fitness following a less-than-ideal year on the run. I've got my eyes set on a few marathons in 2023 (fingers crossed for Berlin!!), and hope to run the BAA 5k race during Boston Marathon weekend.
What’s your “why” when it comes to the daily grind?
For running specifically, my why is to be able to show up to life as my best self. I am a better & more well-rounded person when running and goal-setting are part of my routine. Running is where I process difficult emotions & situations, where I come up with my best ideas, and where I learn to truly pay attention and appreciate the world around me. The physical benefits and the finish lines are also pretty great, but my true "why" is that running helps me to become my truest & best self every day.
What advice would you like to share with the Get Running team?
My biggest piece of advice is to trust your coaches, and trust the process! Think about the big picture when it comes to your running -- I like Alexi Pappas' analogy of a sand-castle. Every run, every workout, every stride are all pieces of sand in a sandcastle. Individually, they don't look like much at all, but they come together over time to make something beautiful! Trust the process, stack those pieces of sand, and eventually you'll see the beautiful sand-castle you've created as you meet your running goals.
You can follow Rochelle on IG @Ro__Jo
