Former local and decorated track and field athlete Rachael McIntosh has decided to hang up her running shoes.
McIntosh started her athletic career in her hometown Bridgewater, eventually moving to Calgary.
The 27-year-old has represented Canada on the world stage several times in Heptathlons, an event that consists of seven different disciplines combined and is completed over two days.
McIntosh was in the middle of one a few weeks ago when she came to the realization she wanted it to be her last.
“I didn’t even really make a conscious decision, I just kind of knew and it was really spooky and eerie, and I never really anticipated it would be a moment I didn’t pick,” says McIntosh. “I always thought I would say ‘this is when I’m done’ or ‘after this meet.’
She let people know at that meet and says she received a lot of support from fellow competitors and friends.
“I think my track and field career was a lot more successful in a lot of different ways I didn’t realize,” says McIntosh. “Although there were a few big bench marks I didn’t quite accomplish, I was really happy that they were there to remind me I had accomplished a lot more than I had realized.”
McIntosh says she once had aspirations to represent Canada at the Olympics.
She competed at World Juniors, Pan American Juniors, the FISU tournament, and more.
And McIntosh ended on a high note, saying this season was the best of her life.
She also recently created and launched a one-day camp in Bridgewater – Kin Camp.
It’s all about connecting young athletes with each other to help them grow and challenge one another.
“Just having a support team, that I don’t think everyone has at my age, I had hundreds of people over the years who I competed with, trained with, and just really grown up with so while I was still a track athlete I wanted to give that to a younger generation.”
She co-hosted the first camp with fellow athlete Sarah Taylor and says it was a success.
When asked what she’ll miss about track and field, she said the routine and traveling to compete, as well as seeing some friends.
McIntosh says she’s focusing on her job in marketing at an indoor ninja warrior obstacle course, where she first started as a sponsored athlete.
Contributed photo.
Story by Brittany Wentzell
Twitter: @BrittWentzell
