Cadence Laplante

The Heartbeat of the Course: The Rise of Cadence Laplante

She doesn’t just run for herself—she runs for everyone who helped her get here.

For Cadence Laplante, the story starts with soccer.

“I grew up playing striker,” she says. “Speed endurance was my thing—chasing down balls, pushing through fatigue. That’s where I first realized I loved the feeling of running.”

At first, cross country and track were just something she did on the side for her school. “I never really thought about pursuing it beyond that,” she says. But her parents saw something more. “They always believed in my potential,” she adds. “They decided to sign me up for a running club, just to see what might happen.”

What happened was everything.

In 2019, she joined the Okotoks Track and Cross Country Club (OTCC), where coaches Mark Toombs, Jayni Caldwell, and Richard Ellum became pivotal figures in her journey. “They saw something in me that I hadn’t seen yet,” she says. “They worked countless hours with me, and that’s when I completely fell in love with running.”

Fast forward a few years, and Cadence is no longer just a natural athlete—she’s a national qualifier, a provincial champion, and one of the faces of St. Mary’s University Lightning running.

Her proudest moments tell the story of a runner who learned to dig deep. “Qualifying for nationals in 2023–24 was huge for me,” she says. “Even better, our women’s team qualified too. That made it special—it wasn’t just about me, it was about all of us.”

And then came the 1000m indoor track provincials—a race that still gives her goosebumps. “I won gold by 0.003 seconds,” she laughs. “It came down to the photo finish. That was a wild moment I’ll never forget.”

But for Cadence, the medals are just the surface. The real work happens in the quiet—early mornings, late-night stretches, the mental grind no one sees. “Training can get tough,” she says. “On the hard days, I stay positive for my teammates, do breathing exercises, and remind myself that my future self will be proud of my present self if I just keep going.”

Success, for her, isn’t just personal. “It’s about seeing my teammates, coaches, and running friends reach their goals, too,” she says. “There’s nothing better than watching people you care about succeed.”

As a female athlete, Cadence finds strength in role models like Joan Benoit, Femke Bol, and Summer McIntosh. “Women in sport—it’s beautiful,” she says simply. “Every day I’m grateful for the chance to run and compete.”

And when she needs to turn the nerves into energy? “One Direction,” she grins. “Always. Doesn’t matter what song—you put them on, and I’ll start singing and dancing. Every single time.”

Cadence runs with heart, joy, and a deep sense of gratitude for the people and places that shaped her. She’s proof that speed isn’t just physical—it’s emotional. It’s the feeling of knowing where you came from, who you’re running for, and what you’ve still got left in the tank.

Because for Cadence Laplante, running has never just been about crossing the line. It’s about loving every step it takes to get there.

ng the way.