Women in Motion

Sandy Jacobson

Sandy Jacobson is a multi-tasking wonder. Born and raised in Edmonton, Jacobson is married and has an 11-year-old son. And though it’s not often that you find competitive athletes on the world circuit holding down a job, Sandy works full time as a Campaign Administrator for The Steadward Centre for Personal & Physical Achievement at the University of Alberta. She has spent months away from her family access the best coaches and facilities, she has taken a leave of absence from her job and she has ----- In short, Jacobson has turned her life upside down to chase the Olympic dream.

In 2003 Sandy Jacobson set a personal best at the World Championships in Paris. Climbing from 51st back at the half way point, to 28th overall at the finish, Sandy set her personal best with a time of 2:33:51, leaving her a mere minute shy of having her ticket to Athens punched if she lived in any other country but Canada.

Seven months prior to the Canadian qualification deadline, the Canadian Olympic Committee’s (COC) COC set the Women’s Marathon standard at 2:28:14 … a time no female athlete in Canada has ever run and almost 10 minutes faster than the standard set by the IOC As a result, Canada did not send anyone in either the Men’s or Women’s Marathon Events to represent their country at the Olympic Games.

With representation from 210 countries, marathon is easily one of the most competitive sports in the world. Other sports such as synchronized swimming only have 36.

Though Sandy Jacobson did not make the 2004 Olympic cut, like any winner, she shows no signs of giving up. She’s picked herself up, dusted herself off and is continues training with her sights now set on the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

When did you start running?

You’re not going to believe this but at 19 I quit smoking and joined a local gym. I started lifting weights and doing cardio classes. I actually got into triathlon before I got into running, though it was a natural progression as running was my strongest of the three disciplines.

What do you enjoy about international competition?

The camaraderie in the sport (marathon) is fantastic. At this level marathon is really a small community. I have made friends from around the world. I have boarded with the Kenyan athletes at training camps, and have nothing but good things to say about all of the athletes that I have encountered.

It’s almost like you put on a mask, your game face. You don’t want to appear nervous, or to make other competitiors feel like thy have an upper hand. You want to give your best game. It’s funny because ordinarily I’m so friendly and outgoing and on race day I’m focused- almost like an actor or a different person.

What have you done to gain a competitive edge?

I have traveled the world in search of the

What advantage does training abroad give you?

Marathon is deceptive in that it gives the impression of being a single person sport. And true, on race day when you are running the course, it’s you and only you, that can pull it all together. But up and until that point, it helps to have the support and the guidance of a team supporting your training program. Most coaches seek out training camps around the world so that they cam improve their times and work on becoming the best.

I feel very fortunate to have been able to work with one of the best coaches in Italy. The mentality in Europe is so different than that of Canada of the US ... at least for marathon. If you want to run fast, you have to train fast. There is no magic or short cuts to be taken. When training in Italy I got to run with world-class athletes from around the globe that are always pushing me farther than I thought I could go. By the time you persevere through the training, the marathon is a piece of cake.

What do you feel makes a good runner?

The marathon is one of the most competitive sports in the world, bar none. If you want to be competitive you have to put in the time building your fitness to the point that you can be at the top.

What inspires you?

The Steadward Centre focuses on providing fitness, health & lifestyle programs and support for people with disability with the goal of enhancing their overall quality of life.