Sophie Holt

Finding Her Stride: The Steady Ascent of Sophie Holt

She joined the team to meet people. She stayed because she found something deeper — rhythm, resilience, and the quiet joy of progress.

When Sophie Holt laced up her running shoes for the first time at St. Mary’s University, it wasn’t just about competition. It was about connection. “I wanted to get involved in the university community,” she says. “To meet people, stay fit, and challenge myself.”

Running wasn’t her first love — swimming was. She grew up competing in the pool, chasing perfect technique and the discipline that comes with repetition. But when she stepped onto a track for the first time, something clicked. “In grade nine, I joined the school track and field team,” she says. “That was my first real race — my only goal was to finish with my head held high. That’s when I realized I could do more than just run fast. I could run with purpose.”

That sense of purpose has stayed with her ever since. “I learned that running, like swimming, isn’t just about speed,” she says. “It’s about technique, about refining how you move, breathe, and think. It’s about growing into yourself.”

Her proudest moment so far came at the Nose Hill Parkrun, where she set a personal best. “It wasn’t just the time that mattered,” Sophie says. “It was knowing that all the work — every practice, every piece of advice from coaches — had added up to something real. That race proved to me that consistency works.”

That mindset — patient, self-aware, and focused on progress — drives her every day. “There are good days and bad days,” she admits. “You can’t control everything, but you can always control your effort.” Her goals this season are simple but ambitious: “I want to improve my times, my technique, and my confidence. I want to learn how to pace myself properly — not just physically, but mentally.”

For Sophie, success starts in the mind. “If your mindset isn’t right, your performance won’t be either,” she says. “Running well is just as much mental as it is physical. It’s about finishing proud of what you gave, not fixating on the clock.”

That philosophy extends beyond competition, too. “Being part of this team helps me grow as a person,” she says. “I’ve always been a bit shy, but the St. Mary’s community has been so welcoming. It’s helped me step outside my comfort zone, build relationships, and find my place.”

Her advice to new runners sounds like something she’s earned the hard way:

“Don’t worry about how fast you start. Focus on finding a pace that challenges you without burning you out. The race is long — give yourself space to grow into it.”

In the end, Sophie Holt doesn’t define success by medals or standings. She defines it by effort — by the steady commitment to getting a little bit better every time she steps on the course.

She’s not chasing perfection; she’s chasing improvement. The kind that’s quiet, earned, and lasting — the kind that builds not just an athlete, but a person.