Näak Ambassador Dayna Pidhoresky

« Ultimately, we don't learn when things are going well. We learn when things aren't going well, and you're got to turn pressure into growth and development. »

I grew up in Tecumseh, Ontario and it was at school that my teacher suggested I join the cross country team. I'm not sure what made me lace up my shoes and go train, but as soon as I agreed to join the team, my dad made sure I trained every day. This work ethic that was instilled in me from the beginning taught me that if I was going to commit to something, I had to put in the work.

Throughout elementary and high school I continued to run and was fortunate to be guided by some very talented coaches at the time. But my interest has always been in a variety of sports, including soccer, figure skating, gymnastics, and even badminton.

Despite the incredible running program and skilled coaches, I spent the majority of my college running seasons injured, while sneaking in a few decent races along the way. My last year of college was a breakthrough though, I placed 6th at the OUA cross country championships and made the 2nd team All-Canadian at the CIS championships. It was an exciting way to end my university eligibility.

Shortly after graduating from the University of Windsor with an Honours degree in Biology and Psychology, I was unsure if I should continue my education... Then in 2010, I won the Detroit Free Press Half Marathon with a personal best time of 1:13:15. My doubts about my half marathon performance were erased when I placed 2nd at the Canadian Cross Country Championships a few months later. From then on, my decision was made: I wanted to dedicate myself to running.

Today I am a professional road runner living and training in Vancouver, BC. My main event is the long distance marathon, but I also run road races. I am coached by my husband Josh Seifarth and together we have two cats (who are not the best of friends). I love to get outside in nature, run, and take pictures.

My main competitive accomplishments: I am a 10 times national medalist in events ranging from cross-country to 42.2 km on the road, I am a 4 times 30 km Around the Bay champion. I was a member of the 2017 IAAF World Championships Canadian Team (marathon) and I won the 2019 Canadian Olympic Trials Champion at the Toronto Waterfront Marathon with a time of 2:29:03. If you want to know more about my background click here.

My future plans in competition: I have been named to the Canadian Olympic team for the upcoming Tokyo Olympic Games.