Q: Talk about your first encounter with sports...

A: I was in fourth grade and I tried out for our school cross-country team, which probably ran about a mile and a half or two every day at lunch. I remember coming home and telling my parents that I must not be very good at running because when I did it, I got tired and out of breath. They told me that that's the way running is for everyone, even if you're good at it. Then I won my first race and I was hooked.

Q: What led or motivated you to play?

A: My parents were always active and particularly encouraged my sister and I to try running because they could see that it was something we were naturally inclined to do better in.

Q: In your hometown, what was the sports culture like for girls?

A: I'm lucky to live in a hometown (Hamilton, Ont.) where, at least in high school sports there is little division between interest in men's and women's sports. Teams and individuals got attention based on their skill levels and not their sex. Our school's women's basketball team happened to be phenomenal, so it ended up getting much more fan support and media attention than our men's. Luckily I am in a sport where men's and women's teams compete on the same days at the same location so the particular races that got the most attention were those with the most competitive individuals and outstanding performances.

Q: What has playing sports done for you?

A: Playing on sports has taught me a great deal. It keeps me motivated and focused in every aspect of my life. Incorporating intense training and school has taught me self-discipline and time management. I've made friendships that remain very important to me. And I've learned how to balance emotion with rationality, because in sports as in life, if you let either of these completely rule, then you risk instability on the one hand and over-rationalization on the other. The balance between listening to your heart and listening to your head is so important in track and life.

Q: At what point did you realize you wanted to go to an Ivy League school?

A: I debated a lot about what university to attend. I looked at schools and programs in both Canada and The States at Ivy and scholarship schools. Although running is important to me, academics have always been my priority and I wanted to train with like-minded individuals. While I didn't want to go to a scholarship school where people neglected their schoolwork to train, I didn't want to go to a school where people blew off practice to study. I wanted a school where people would find a way to do both. I found that balance here at Columbia.

Q: Is there a certain athlete you admire and why?

A: Although I do not have what most would consider "sports heroes" I have always admired my older sister both as an athlete and as a human being. She has supported me though all the ups and downs that competing in sports can bring and I have no doubt that without her encouragement, I would not be where I am today. She is also one of those extraordinary individuals who is completely unselfish in sport. As the captain of her cross-country team (the Guelph Gryphons - University of Guelph in Canada) she never begrudges a fine performance even if it means that someone who would not normally finish ahead of her does. She strives to not only do her best, but also bring out the best in others, which she has done not only with her team, but with me.

Q:What would you tell young girls who are interested in getting to where you are now?

A: It's a long road and it can be frustrating to tears but there are so many places sports can take you. Whether you want to be an Olympic athlete or a doctor, your participation in sports can be a springboard to get you wherever you want to go, teaching you things whose applications reach far beyond the playing field. If you want it, it's worth it.