When Shikara Fahie, 27, ran her first half-marathon last year, she surprised herself. "I never thought of myself as being able to run a half marathon," she said. "So I said, why limit myself?" This year, the speech pathologist is making good on a bucket list promise she made to herself years ago — run a full marathon before she turns 30. When asked how she’d be feeling at the start line on Sunday, she replied, "there’ll be lots of excitement."
"I really hope I don’t have to go to the bathroom right away," she added with a chuckle. This weekend Fahie and 20,000 Calgarians will position themselves to do what many others abhor from the comfort their couches — run the 42-kilometre Servus Calgary Marathon. For those just ambitious but still building up their stamina and fitness, there are also the 21-km half marathon, and 10-km and five-km races. The shorter races will be held Saturday, while the half marathon and full marathon will occur on Sunday.
Postmedia spoke to some of the participants ready to sweat it on the streets this weekend. Here’s what they had to say.
Shikara Fahie, 27
Like many others, Fahie sought out running as a stress-reliever during the COVID-19 pandemic. "It was an escape for me," she said, during a time when everyone was forced to hole up inside. Over time, she began to set goals for herself when she laced up her sneakers. "I liked the idea of (trying) to run an 8k, a 10k, a 15k," she said. "And then I did my first half-marathon and that was just a lot of fun."
For someone who had only moved to Calgary four years ago, running also became a way to find new friends. Fahie found social success when she joined YYC Run Crew, a local running club that runs on Sunday mornings. "That’s just been a really amazing experience and I’ve just made so many friends through there. So that’s why I continue running," she said. While Fahie hasn’t followed a strict running plan in preparation for the marathon, she runs five times a week. "Usually a long run on Sundays, YYC Run Crew on Tuesdays and then I’ll add in other runs throughout the week," she said. "I’m either at the gym or running almost every day."
The evening following the marathon, she has a heels dance rehearsal that she is set to participate in, just hours after she finishes the race. "The scheduling is a little rough," she said. But she hopes to celebrate the end with a beer with her friends, many of whom will also be participating in the races throughout the weekend. "I’ll be there to cheer them on on Saturday," she said. "And hopefully they’re there on Sunday."
Roch Perdida, 29
Perdida can already predict what it’ll be like to stand at the start line of his race on Saturday and to run past the finish line amid the cheering spectators, volunteers and right to the snack table. "I call it the longest conversation that you have with yourself," he said. Saturday will be his third time running the 10-km race, ever since he took up running in 2020 and then went back to it after a prolonged break in 2024.
