Ottawa Runner Continues to Break Records And Defy Age Special

Like fine wine, 59 year-old Paula Hickman of Ottawa, Ontario only gets better with age. Continually smashing national records, the intrepid Masters runner gears up for the 2009 racing season.

Ask any athlete about performance and the term, “PB“ (Personal Best), comes to mind. In the sport of running, PBs are celebrated amongst runners almost as much as records. Like many competitive runners, Ottawa resident, Paula Hickman, has chased goals and PBs. Unlike most runners, however, Hickman has set her PBs well into her 50s. Named the Female Ontario Masters Road Runner of 2008, the 59 year-old has posted some impressive results: - Canadian Masters Athletics Association (CMAA) record holder in the 55-59 age category for the half marathon (1:28:39) - Smashed the Canadian Masters W55 record by 5 minutes in the 2008 Around the Bay 30k (2:11:56) - Set the Canadian Masters W55 record in the 2008 ING Ottawa Marathon (3:11:29) - 2008 Ontario Masters W55 champion for the 5k with a blistering time of 19:49, breaking Molly Turner’s record of 20:01set in 1990 To put things into perspective, Hickman’s time of 3:11:29 is only just over a minute off the men’s qualifying standard for the Boston Marathon in the 18-34 age category (3:10). With race results even runners half her age would envy, Hickman is - to say the least - an anomaly. At first glance, Hickman does not give the impression of an athlete, let alone a fierce competitor and CMAA record holder. An engineer at Nortel, Hickman speaks quietly and does very little to call attention to herself. A horseback rider as a child and an avid squash player in her 20s, it never occurred to Hickman that running would become her sport. In 1986 - a year following the birth of her son, Nicholas - Hickman joined a running club and tried a half marathon for fun. She placed second woman overall. That year Hickman began a structured training regimen with a triathlon coach, introduced by her twin sister, Lynda. “Lynda and I would compete with each other quite often,” recalls Hickman. “I really miss having her push me.” With or without her training partner and closest rival, Hickman seems to be doing just fine. Over a five-year period, she has managed to shave off ten minutes from her marathon time. How does a full-time engineer in her late 50s do it, let alone find the time? “I can’t change [the economy] or my schedule at Nortel, but I can manage the free time I do have,” says Hickman. “My time is my time and I make the most of it.” Hickman insists there is no magic formula for her success, citing good nutrition and consistent training. In addition to the hard miles she logs as a distance runner, Hickman also completes two speed or interval sessions per week with her running club, the Ottawa Athletic Club Racing Team. Under the guidance of coach Ken Parker, Hickman and her team can be seen running gruelling mile intervals in Rockliffe Park, as well as sweating through intense track workouts at the Terry Fox Athletic Facility. Regular massage therapy and post-workout smoothies consisting of protein powder, milk, and frozen fruit help Hickman recover from her pounding lifestyle. Reflecting on her racing career, Hickman has only one regret. “Not running when I was younger is something that stands out,” she admits. “Recovery is quicker when you’re young, so you can race hard and do it again [within the next couple of days]. Of course, doing that subjects your body to wear and tear over the years.” Perhaps Hickman’s late start was not such a bad idea after all. As Hickman turns 60 within the next year, she has no plans to slow down. With national records in a new age category up for grabs, she says with a smile, “I’m going for it!”