What’s next for one of Kelowna’s top athletes?

A local marathon runner, who has already made her mark on history, show no signs of stepping off the gas pedal in her already impressive athletic career.

She is eyeing the biggest sporting event in the world two years from now, the Paris Olympics.

Malindi Elmore, who already has two previous Olympic appearances under her belt, has also run the world’s biggest race, the Boston Marathon, as well as the Toronto Marathon very recently. It was at the Massachusetts event where she set a national record as the fastest ever Canadian woman.

“I’ve got some big goals ahead,” Elmore told Kelowna10 following a strength training workout. “I feel like I’m as healthy and fit as I’ve ever been and there’s no reason why I shouldn’t be running fast performances.”

The 42-year-old mother of two young children and cross-country coach at UBCO, is keeping the positive momentum going and plans to challenge for the record set by fellow Canadian Natasha Wodak last September.

She’s confident she will set a new personal best time in one of her upcoming races, which could be Houston in January or the world championships in Budapest next summer.

She was close to doing so at the Canadian Marathon Championships in Toronto earlier this month, her first marathon on home soil. Elmore took home the national women’s title at 2:25:14 and placed fourth in her gender overall.

“Toronto was great,” Elmore said. “It exceeded my expectations in terms of performance and then the city just put on such an amazing event.

"It was really special to run the streets of Toronto and have so many people out cheering. And of course, the first time in three years that we’ve had this kind of large event was really cool.”

Her goal ahead of the Waterfront Marathon was the title she claimed, the top Canadian women’s time. She started off by running a pace comparable to her personal best but lost some time on an uphill portion in the last seven kilometres and running against the wind.

Running alongside her in Toronto was a familiar face because he’s someone she coaches - Trevor Hofbauer.

Running a time of 2:11:00, 30-year-old Hofbauer earned his third Canadian men’s championship. Originally from Calgary, he now trains at UBCO and like his coach, he has lofty goals too.

“Together we’re both really, really keen to make the Paris Olympic team in less than two years,” Elmore said. “It’s really special to have someone in Kelowna with similar goals.”

“All my race plans and training plans for the next two years are based on what’s going to set for success in Paris.”