Roslyn Smith didn’t become a serious runner until she retired from the workforce in 2005. Since then, she has set a number of age-group records in the marathon and half marathon runs.
The 68-year-old Comox resident has twice run in the prestigious Boston Marathon. In 2009, she completed the course in 3:36:45, sixth fastest in her age group and second fastest for Canadian women 60-64 years. She bettered her time in 2011 with a 3:32:28 clocking — fastest among Canadian women 60-64.
Since 2015 when she clocked in at 3:39:35 in Victoria, Smith has held the Canadian record for women 65-69 years in the marathon. She also holds the half marathon mark in the same age bracket.
“The Victoria Marathon remains my favourite race along with the Island Series (a winter/spring race series),” said Smith, president of the Comox Valley Road Runners, who competed in the Chicago Marathon in 2014.
Back in the mid- to late-1960s, running was a means of getting in shape for field hockey during Smith’s high school and university years in Halifax, N.S. Training involved a great deal of sprinting before team members were allowed to pick up their stick. In the 1970s, when ParticipACTION was in full swing, Smith recalls orienteering and cross-country skiing were gaining in popularity as she embarked on a teaching career in the Maritimes. Running became part of her regular regime in 1975, when she moved to Inuvik to teach Grades 7-12 physical education. Smith also competed in nordic skiing and road racing. At 33, she ran her first marathon in Whitehorse in 1981. Her time was 3:51.
“I really had no idea how to train,” she said. “I ran about one-and-a-half to two hours every other day. I was not aware of any training plans. I did very few marathons from 1981 to 2003, concentrating on half marathons instead.”
Nearly 23 years later, she ran a personal best of 3:30:51 at the Royal Victoria Marathon in 2004.
“It seemed that I became more competitive as the years went by,” she said.
Smith and her husband Bob Hauser moved to Comox in the fall of 2005. At 57, she could finally train year-round in ideal weather. She cross-trains by cycling in spring/summer and cross-country skiing in winter.
To date, she has run 23 marathons.
“The important thing is to remain healthy and injury-free, and working towards the smaller goals in getting to the bigger ones…”
These days, Smith limits herself to one marathon a year. She plans to next compete at the North Olympic Discovery Marathon in June 2018 in Port Angeles, Wash. The following year, when she will be in the 70-74 category, Smith and running buddy Tracy Kennett are considering either Boston or Chicago.