For Kirsten Fleming, the electric anticipation at a race start line never loses its magic, even after participating in countless half-marathons and 10K runs over two decades.
From Journalism to Running Leadership
Kirsten Fleming began as Run Calgary's first paid employee more than ten years ago, though the organization's flagship event, the Calgary Marathon, dates back to 1963 as an entirely volunteer-run operation. Her career transition from journalism to running community leadership began unexpectedly during an interview with British billionaire Richard Branson in 2007.
While working for Citytv, Fleming secured a rare opportunity to interview Branson during his announcement that Calgary would host the 2008 Virgin music festival. As she adjusted her audio equipment, their conversation turned to her passion for running.
"I was telling him about how I was training for the Dubai Marathon," Fleming recalled. "I must have had a twinkle in my eye, because he said, 'well, you should do that; that seems like what's really making you excited.'"
Though it took several more years to make the career change, Fleming credits that conversation with planting the seed that would eventually grow into her flourishing role building Calgary's running community.
Evolution of a Running Relationship
As executive director of Run Calgary, Fleming's life became centered around the sport, though her personal relationship with running evolved significantly, especially after welcoming her son in 2022.
"Running can be quite isolating," Fleming acknowledged, noting that the solitary nature of the activity doesn't naturally facilitate conversation or social interaction. Between her professional responsibilities and family commitments, finding time for running requires creative scheduling.
"Especially at this stage in my life, I'm definitely just fitting my three- or five-kilometre runs into the nooks and crannies of my life," she explained. "Before bedtime, after bedtime for my little guy, before work or at lunch."
The Community Connection
Despite running's inherently individual nature, Fleming emphasizes that the true reward comes when community members gather for events. She describes race day as a collective victory lap where participants celebrate reaching the starting line together.
"I think of the race day experience as a victory lap, where we all come together, and just getting to the starting line is such a huge accomplishment," Fleming said. "And then you're just out there taking your victory lap all together."
The executive director still experiences pre-race jitters, even when she's not participating in the event herself. That palpable buzz moments before a race begins represents the culmination of community effort and individual dedication.
When the starting gun fires and the race commences, the isolation of training vanishes along with the nervous energy, replaced by the shared experience of Calgary's vibrant running community that Fleming has helped cultivate over the past decade.
