Gabriela Stafford, a third-year student at Vic, has just finished an extremely successful season with the UofT Varsity Blues. The Strand sat down with her to discuss her goals, tips, and some of her favourite running spots on campus!
Tell us about your most recent season with the Blues. Where were you this summer?
I was all over the place! I raced in California twice, Boston, Guelph, Windsor, and London, Ontario. One of the highlights of my season was 1500m Night in London where I ran [one] second off of Olympic Standard [Time]. But the most exciting trip I took was to Gwangju, South Korea, where I won a silver medal for Canada in the 1500m at the World University Championships.
How were you able to manage your time between Vic One and being a varsity athlete? And how did Vic One affect your first–year experience at Vic?
You just learn to develop very good time management skills! “Don’t procrastinate” is the name of the game for a student athlete. I really loved Vic One, because it made the experience of being a first-year at UofT a little less intimidating. I really got to know my classmates and my professors in the smaller classroom. Vic One definitely helped me transition from high school to university.
Would you recommend participating in varsity or recreational sports to first–year students? I definitely would! I’ve had nothing but positive experiences as a Varsity Blue. Your team really becomes your family and your support group. If you love a certain sport, find a way to do it, whether that be in an intramural or as a varsity athlete. You won’t regret it! But I’m also really biased here, because I love running. If you’re someone who doesn’t have that same passion for a sport, then maybe joining a team isn’t the best idea. The key here is just to get involved in something that you love and [that] brings you a sense of fulfillment. If that’s not sports, then it could be the arts, or community service, or any club at UofT.
What are your favourite running routes around Vic? Do you have any secret spots you would recommend to first years that enjoy running?
All my favourite running spots are a couple of kilometers away from the busier part of downtown. There is this great trail system that you can enter from the Rosedale area (Roxborough and Mount Pleasant.) It connects Mount Pleasant Cemetery, the Beltline Trail, the Brickworks, Crothers Wood, the Don River Trail, and I think even Sunnybrook—but I don’t usually run that far! Another favourite of mine is Cedarvale, which is close to St. Clair and Spadina. The cross country team does a lot of workouts in that park.
Tips for running outside in the winter?
You definitely have to layer. I usually wear a thin quick-dry long sleeve to wick away the sweat, a sweater to keep me warm, and a windbreaker to, well, block those arctic winds! For my legs I usually just wear thermal running tights, but for those Arctic Vortex runs I will also wear rain pants to block the wind. Unfortunately, you’re probably going to be a little cold for the first five minutes of your run, but you should warm up if you’re dressed properly!
Do you run outside all year round, or do you typically stop at a certain time of year and begin indoor training?
In November: the cross-country season ends and the indoor track season begins, so we take our interval workouts from the trails outside to the fieldhouse at the AC. But we still do our easy runs outside, even in the winter.
Favourite Burwash meal after a run?
That’s a tough one… Probably fajitas… with three glasses of chocolate milk. Mm! They really need to get bigger glasses at Burwash, haha!
What’s your routine after a run at Vic?
It depends on the time of day! But usually I’ll do some stretching, take a shower, and get something to eat at Burwash!
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