Ten triathlons, 10 provinces, all in 16 weeks. That’s the challenge for one 34-year-old athlete from Toronto, who is doing it all for her mother.
Stephanie Fauquier works full time during the week, but now she doubles as an athlete on the weekends.
Recently, her mother Robin McLeod was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, and after two years of seeing her mom feeling isolated, Fauquier decided she wanted to raise awareness about Alzheimer’s.
“I wanted to race across the country to raise awareness to this disease. This is not just an Ontario issue; this is a Canada issue and what’s more Canadian than racing across the country.”
Now, Fauquier is in the midst of an across-Canada experience, where she hopes to compete in 10 triathlons, while working a full-time job and training.
And on Saturday, she spent the day in Saskatchewan at the beaches of Fort Qu’Appelle.
She started her races in Victora, B.C before making her way to Nova Scotia and then Alberta.
Fauquier finished in third place in Saskatchewan, leaving her with six more to go as she heads to Manitoba next weekend.
Of all the parts of triathlon, Fauquier said her time on the bike is what she enjoys the most.
“I absolutely love being on my bike,” she explained. “Riding around the lake, seeing the community – I love it. Every time I get on my bike, I find I learn a little bit more about the community I’m in.”
And while her mom might not be at all the races, she is in spirit.
On the inside of Fauquier’s uniform, she has a picture of her mother receiving an Order of Canada medal. One of the highest honours in the country.
“As a parent she is unbelievable. She has instilled in me a sense that I can achieve any goal I set, and I am so lucky I have had such a fantastic role model and I can’t imagine not doing something like this for her.”
The journey hasn’t been easy, something her father admires about her.
“At times we have a bit of a teary daughter late at night because there’s enormous pressure and she gets kind of overwhelmed at times but then in typical Steph fashion, she bounces back and she’s ready for the next day,” John Fauquier said about his daughter.
While the cross-country race is about raising awareness, Fauquier is also raising money for Alzheimer’s research. After only four races, she has raised over $230,000.
“The money is going to an endowment fund that we’re naming in my mom’s name,” she explained. “It’s going to the Tanz Centre at the University of Toronto and we will be funding lifesaving research for Alzheimer’s disease in perpetuity.”
For those looking to follow more of her journey and donate to the cause, you can do so at racewithsteph.com
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