Simply stated, Glynis Sim is a running machine.
Running from a young age, she followed her sisters’ footsteps into the sport, and it wasn’t long before Glynis’ sisters started following her.
“I wanted to do what ever my sisters did,” says Sim.
The soft spoken and humble 17-year-old recently placed second at the Canadian Cross Country Championships Nov. 29 in Vancouver.
The championships were held at Jericho Beach.
In a field of 113 competitors from around the country in the youth women’s category, placing second was an impressive accomplishment that Sim very modestly acknowledges.
“I am proud of myself, but it’s just a race,” says Sim.
“I didn’t feel I had the best season leading up to the nationals, but I peaked at just the right time.”
In the final 800 metres, she moved up the pack from about fifth place and, in miraculous fashion, sprinted to a second-place finish.
“I had a little bit of energy left at the end and I just went for it.”
Sim qualified for the nationals by entering the B.C. Championships held in Abbotsford in October.
There she qualified for the provincial team, earning a spot to compete at the Nov. 29 event.
She competed in Vancouver both as a B.C. team member and as a Vernon Amateur Athletics club competitor.
Sim explains that because there is no established cross-country team in Salmon Arm, she usually trains on her own, and that is the reason she is associated with the Vernon Amateur Athletics club.
“Before my sisters moved away for university we would train together all the time.”
She says they were never very competitive with each other; instead they did all they could to support each other.
Last year Sim received a fitness and training schedule from a coach in Kamloops so she could remain competitive after having lost her training partners.
“Most times she trains on her own, which I think takes a fair bit of determination,” says Richard Sim, Glynis’ father.
She trains six days a week and varies her training between running and circuit training.
Sim mentioned the cross-country ski facilities in the area as a great place to practise in the winter.
“There are lots of great cross-country ski coaches here,” she adds, “and I can train all year round.”
In addition to finishing with a silver medal at nationals, Sim was also named by B.C. Athletics as the women’s cross-country runner of the year in the 16-17 age category.
“I am incredibly proud of her; she puts so much hard work into her running. It’s nice to see her be rewarded,” says Glynis’ father.
The Grade 11 student has already been approached by the University of British Columbia and Simon Fraser University about running at the university level on a scholarship.
“It would be a great honour to run for those schools, but I would like to run for a school in the States because the competition level is higher,” she says with a shy smile.
“I think to be part of a true team is what I look forward to most about running in university.”
Next season, she has her sights set on finishing in the top 10 again at the high school provincials.
In addition to her high school ventures, she wants to qualify for Team B.C. and compete again at the Canadian Cross Country Championships, which will be held in Ontario.
“The travel expenses to Ontario would be completely covered, which would be cool,” she says.
Sim says one of the greatest parts of running is that it can be done anywhere, and anyone can run.
“I mostly just run for myself, and I think I will always love it – even if I’m not as fast as I am now.”