January 4, a group of runners arrived to the Toronto Track and Field Centre at York to run an indoor marathon for Run4RKids. The day could have been forgettable, if it wasn’t for Monika Kalici?ska, who broke the world record for the fastest indoor marathon run by a woman.
The 24-year old with a contagious smile admits to being both honoured and puzzled by the record. Kalici?ska was scheduled to run at the elite Metro PCS Dallas Marathon, which was cancelled because of an ice storm. So when her coach happened upon the Run4RKids marathon, he urged her to take part.
The recent St. Gregory’s University graduate was visiting her relatives in Toronto, staying just 12 kilometers from York.
“My coach said I could [break the world record], but I couldn’t believe it,” she says. “But I trust him. He knows what I can do.”
Kalici?ska met her current coach, Matt Aguero, who offered her an athletic scholarship to run for St. Gregory’s University, through Amerlink — a sport scholarship service in Europe. She did not disappoint, winning the 2013 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships in Marion, Indiana for her university.
“My goal for the next marathon is to beat my personal record. Next time, I’ll be faster.” Asked if she would like to compete in the Olympics, she laughs.
“It’s my dream,” she says. “It’d be nice.”
But for now, she’s headed to Wisconsin to start her master’s degree in business administration at Lakeland College and work as a graduate coach for the school’s track and field team.
“We’re so proud of her,” says Adrienne Leung, strategic planner at Addiction Free Youth. Proceeds from the Run4RKids marathon support school programs and workshops offered by Addiction Free Youth. “It was really
serendipitous. We’re thrilled Monika took part, and supports our fight against bullying and
addiction.”
Arya Khanal
Contributor
