VICTORIA - When Marisha Thompson stepped onto the track at the University of Washington a week ago, she had no idea she was about to set the fastest 3000-metre time by a Canadian university women's runner so far this season. In fact, a steeple chaser by trade, Thompson doesn't even consider herself a 3000m runner.
With a blazing fast time of 9:20.38, the first-year University of Victoria track athlete destroyed the U SPORTS auto qualifier time by 10 seconds, marking her first-ever U SPORTS track championship qualification and earning Under Armour Women's U SPORTS Athlete of the Week.
It's rare to see a rookie compete with the confidence and composure of a veteran athlete, posing the question, could this have been beginners' luck?
The resounding answer is no. Thompson is hardly a rookie, and this certainly wasn't a stroke of luck. While she may be in her first year of eligibility, calling her a rookie is merely a technicality.
Originally from Norwood, ON, Thompson began her post secondary career at Florida Atlantic University during the pandemic. That season, she earned 2020 Conference USA All-Conference in cross country and Conference USA Indoor Track Athlete of the Year. Due to the unusual circumstances surrounding that season, Thompson, along with everyone else, retained that year of eligibility.
On paper, she had an outstanding season; however, the reality behind the scenes told a different story. Pushing through pain with a heavy reliance on NSAIDs and grit, she trained and competed for months with what she believed to be a stress fracture. When her body eventually shut down, and her legs would no longer propel her, an MRI revealed a fully broken femur.
What followed was a hard lesson in the cost of overtraining and under-fueling.
With a broken leg forcing her to take a step back, Thompson decided to enter the university transfer portal in search of a program that could better support her physical and mental health. She landed at the University of Toledo under renowned track coach and former Canadian national team member Andrea Grove-McDonough.
After taking four months off to recover, Thompson progressively worked her way back to running, but her body wasn't done rebelling. This time, her hip was the culprit—a torn labrum, hip pincer, and cam lesion meant immediate major surgery and another season sidelined. As they started to pull back the curtain on her injuries, a few issues came to light, including under-eating and overtraining.
"The injuries were definitely caused by jumping into some pretty intense training as a Division I athlete combined with consistently under-fuelling. During the pandemic, I spent a lot of time on social media, and I read a lot of misinformation that made me believe thinner meant faster. Now we know that's totally the opposite, but I got stuck in that loop, and it's a mindset that's been difficult to unlearn and impossible to outrun," said Thompson.
Although her new coach remained encouraging and supportive throughout Thompson's recovery, the university ultimately decided to medically disqualify her. This decision ended her eligibility to compete for the University of Toledo, abruptly pausing her running career—a fate not uncommon at Division I schools.
While Thompon grappled with what to do next, she remained at Toledo, helping to assist and coach under the mentorship of Grove-McDonough. Itching to get back in the saddle, she began training with a competitive running club in Ann Arbor, Michigan, not too far from Toledo.
Unsure of her next steps, Thompson turned to Grove-McDonough for guidance, who encouraged her to explore the U SPORTS pathway in Canada. Drawing on her connection as a former Canadian national teammate of UVic head coach Hilary Stellingwerff, Grove-McDonough facilitated the introduction, and it wasn't long before Thompson made the move to Victoria—a decision that has since proven to be an excellent fit.
Upon arriving in Victoria, things were looking up for Thompson's return to competitive running. Little injuries began popping up despite her new positive outlook, and signs of Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs) persisted. While she continued to modify and cross-train alongside the team, Stellingwerff and sports physician, Dr. Martin decided the best path forward would be to refrain from competing that season.
Another disappointment, but one Thompson felt necessary as she continued to work towards becoming healthy enough to compete.
"We have a team supporting me here with Hilary [Stellingwerff], Dr. Martin, as well as a nutritionist and sports psychologist who all stay in communication. I still have good and bad weeks, but ultimately, through all these resources, we've put a good plan in place," said Thompson. "Hilary's been amazing, and she recognizes when I'm struggling without me even having to say anything and then modifies my training."
With the right support system, a renewed perspective on training, and her undeniable talent, Thompson is proving that perseverance pays off.
Last summer, she returned to the track, where she represented the Victoria Endurance Track Club in the 3000m steeplechase and 1500m at the Bell Track and Field Trials in Montreal, QC.
Building on that momentum, she helped the Vikes cross country team earn the 2024-25 Canada West banner and a bronze medal at the U SPORTS National Cross Country Championship, where she finished in ninth place overall, earning Second Team All-Canadian honours.
With the track season off to a great start, Thompson says she is feeling optimistic. "Of course, there are always little niggles here and there, but for the most part, I've been showing up healthy and excited to race, which is just as important."
Thompson hopes to continue building on the plan she has in place with her eyes set on one day, hopefully representing Canada on the world stage.
Her story is a testament to the power of persistence and the importance of prioritizing long-term health over short-term results. Now, she uses that story to give back to other varsity athletes through Vikes C.A.R.E.S, a peer-led group connecting athletes to recovery, empowerment, and support.
"It's great to be able to support other injured athletes so we've put on various activities. We're trying to expand it to more than just injured athletes; we also want to provide a way for athletes to come together and work on recovery, mindfulness, or just a place to talk."
