Calgary runner Maria Zambrano sets Canadian record at half marathon in Victoria
Calgary runner Maria Zambrano set a new Canadian women's record Sunday.
Zambrano ran the Royal Victoria Half Marathon in 1:18:16, besting the previous time for women aged 50-54 by 1:38 seconds.
In an interview with CTV News, Zambrano said the combination of a long lead time, sea-level race and a great atmosphere made Victoria a record-breaker for her.
"Since I registered for the race back in June, I had the idea that it was possible to break the record in Victoria," she said in an email. "I knew the course because I ran it in 2016 and being at sea level, I felt I had a better chance to make it happen. Also, I ran the Calgary half marathon Sept 19 (I ran 1:20:05) and it gave me confidence that I could beat the record."
"When I started the race in Victoria, I started to push the pace from the beginning and it was great to have other people to run with," she added. "I was happily surprised to see the clock as I approached the finish line showing 1:18. Because I didn't look at my watch during the race, I just ran how I felt, having done the training to know the feel of the pace I should be running."
That prompted a series of congratulatory comments on the Facebook page of the Calgary Roadrunners Club, as Zambrano is also a regular participant and two-time winner of the Calgary Marathon (in 2000 and 2014).
"Congratulations Maria Zambrano, smashing the women's Canadian 50 -54 age group record for the Half Marathon in Victoria this morning," said a commenter from Gord's Running Store. "Running 1:18:16 dropping the previous record by 1:38 seconds. IMPRESSIVE RUNNING."
Sunday was also Zambrano's 51st birthday. The record-setting time added to an impressive year for Zambrano: she has set two Alberta and two Canadian running records in 2021.
Road racing has played another significant role in Zambrano's life: according to an article in Impact Magazine, she met her husband Steven Tober at a race in Colombia.
Thousands of runners participated Sunday in Victoria, running in both the half-marathon and the 8K, which kicked off at staggered start times to make for a safer gathering.
Calgary runner Maria Zambrano set a new Canadian record for women aged 50-59 at the Royal Victoria Half Marathon Sunday (File photo courtesy Twitter/RoyalVictoriaMarathon)
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.