Altynay Trofimchuk, a member of our PWG, has a warm smile and a positive outlook. She came to Vancouver one year ago from St. Petersburg, Russia, because she could see the opportunities here in Canada—and she hasn’t been disappointed.
Altynay enjoys the PWG for career and leadership training and for networking with other women. She says that she finds so much inspiration from the other women in the group. “You have a chance to listen to other people and their successes. You hear about their problems and how they got there,” she said. “A lot of [the women] are very inspirational. You hear about how they advanced in their careers and started their own businesses. I find everybody to be very supportive and friendly.”
Though she finds inspiration in the stories of others, Altynay is an inspiring women herself. She was the recipient of a PWG Inspiration Award for completing her first half-marathon. When she was asked how it felt crossing the finish line of the BMO Half-Marathon she said, “I was so tired at that moment. The last three kilometers were so difficult for me, I was just happy after that, that I survived. But when I had time to relax I felt happy and my body felt good. I’m happy that I finished.”
Altynay wasn’t always a runner. “I hated running, I would get out of breath quickly, I couldn’t run very far and it would hurt.” Her solution was to start slowly, stay focused and to build up little by little every day. “I think you have to do it slowly,” she said. “If you can run one kilometer you just have to do it. It takes time and you must do it slowly, but you just have to try and try and you will get there.” Now, running is a lifestyle for Altynay and something that she enjoys. “When you run you have time to think. It’s a nice feeling. You see where you started and where you are now,” she said.
Altynay will be giving back by raising money and running with the Dress for Success team in the Scotiabank Half- Marathon Charity Challenge on June 25th. She has some great tips for her Dress for Success Vancouver teammates and any aspiring runners:
Start with a small distance
Find a running partner
Go at a comfortable pace
Make sure you have good running shoes
But, she says that when running a half-marathon, the most important thing is to be prepared. “It’s very important to be trained. You should be ready to do something. If you are trained, I find it’s enjoyable.”
Running has taught Altynay so much. She takes the lessons that she has learned from running and applies them to her professional life: Start slowly, and keep going. “If something doesn’t work out the way you want it to you don’t need to be discouraged just keep trying.” And, try new things. “It’s a great achievement because when you are able to accomplish something like this — something you’ve never done before you feel very proud of yourself,” she said.
Please join Altynay to run in the Scotiabank Half-Marathon or walk the 5K on June 25th. You can also donate and support our team to help us achieve our goal and to empower more women like Altynay through our programs. Find more information on our events page.
