A Swift Current-raised athlete recently made the trip from Lethbridge to Vancouver to participate in Canada's biggest marathon and one of the top ranked marathon destinations in the world.
Kateryna de Klerk completed the 2025 BMO Vancouver Marathon on Sunday, May 4, supported by family, friends, and fellow runners.
The 21-year-old shared that she only began training for the 42 kilometre run in October and detailed that experience was unlike anything she'd done before.
"I wanted to stop so many times, I think it was probably the hardest thing I've ever done in my life, both mentally and physically," she said. "I just thought about my grandma at the end of the race, how happy I would be to see her cheering for me and all my hard work, pain, the days I didn't want to run but did, and the time I had to run in blizzards and wind."
With an official time of four hours, four minutes, and forty-three seconds, de Klerk was ranked 3,206 out of the overall 6,884 competitors, or 742 out of the 2,793 women who ran.
"I had a knee injury throughout my training, about two months ago I hurt my Iliol Tiibial band and so I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to do the marathon," she said, highlighting that prior to the injury she had hoped to complete the run under four hours, which she nearly accomplished.
The Vancouver Marathon has taken place on the first Sunday of each May since 1972, kicking off in Elizabeth Queen Park and continuing into picturesque city, mountain, and shoreline views.
"I'm not a runner, but I'm someone who is determined, passionate about the things that I love to do, and just crazy enough to sign myself up for a marathon," de Klerk added. "It's all a mental game, having the right mindset, and being able to push past your limits."