Canadian Sasha Gollish breaks 40+ indoor mile world record

On Feb. 27, at the Ontario Masters Championships in Toronto, the city’s own Sasha Gollish smashed the previous women’s 40+ mile world record of 4:44.81 by six seconds, taking it down to 4:38.73. (The record has yet to be ratified.)

Gollish, who turned 40 in December, ran a personal best indoor mile time to break the previous record held by U.S. distance runner Sonja Friend-Uhl, which was set in 2012. 

When Gollish was asked if being a world record holder has set in, she said, “not yet. “I am super satisfied with my result and ecstatic to be able to be competitive again on the track.”

Gollish, who has competed in events from the 800m to the marathon, represented Canada in the marathon at the 2019 World Championships in Doha. “I have switched my training up over the last two years and began focusing more on middle-distance running,” she says. “Sometimes you get can get so wrapped up in training, I’ve been focused on having fun.”

Something Gollish has added to her winter training in recent years is Nordic skiing. This activity is a popular cross-training exercise for many runners as it strengthens the core, quads and hamstrings without putting too much pressure on your joints. 

Gollish returned to running eight years ago, when she was 32, after taking a 12-year hiatus from the sport. But her love for running dates back to her childhood, running alongside her mom and sister annually at the Run For the Cure event. Two years into Gollish’s return, she won a bronze medal in the 1,500m at the 2015 Toronto Pan-AM Games. 

When asked about her ambitions for 2022, Gollish mentioned she just wants to continue having fun and pushing herself. 

posted Monday February 28th
by Marley Dickinson