2025/2026 MRA AMBASSADOR PROGRAM

 

Are you the one?

We are building our Ambassador Team and are looking for people who are committed to working with us to promote the Manitoba Runners’ Association.

Announcing our MRA Ambassadors for 2025/2026!

 

Pamela Cusicanqui

1. How long have you been running?
I have been running for over 8 years.

2. What or who got you into running?
I started running during one of the most challenging times in my life. I was battling depression, anxiety, and felt drained of the energy I needed to care for my children. I knew I had to find a way to overcome it, and running became my lifeline. It gave me peace, strength, and the energy I desperately needed. Running didn’t just help me—it transformed my life.

3. Where are you from (where did you grow up)?
I am from La Paz, Bolivia, a city surrounded by breathtaking mountains. I lived there my entire life until three and a half years ago when my family and I decided to make Winnipeg our new home.

4. Your preference of type of running and distance?
I’ve had the privilege of exploring different types of running: road, trail, and even skyrunning (running at elevations above 2,000 meters). While I deeply enjoy them all, my heart is drawn to long distances—from marathons to 100 km ultratrails. There’s something profoundly empowering about pushing your limits over those distances.

5. Favorite MRA event?
My favorite events are the Suffer on Centennial and the Manitoba Marathon. Each holds a special place in my heart for the challenges they bring and the community they foster.

6. Favorite running season and why?
Summer is my favorite running season. The long, sunlit days allow me to start my runs early in the morning, filling my day with energy and purpose.

7. Two hobbies?
Reading and dancing. Both feed my soul in different ways—one through quiet introspection and the other through joyful movement.

Daria Weiss

  1. How long have you have been running? 
    I started running in the 90s and had many long breaks in-between. I did a couple of half marathons in 2008/09 for the first time but then fell off the wagon yet again. I rekindled my relationship with running in January 2022.
  2. What or who got you into running? 
    Initially, it was just another way to try and lose weight in my long weightloss journey. I was never good at team sports, I’m anything but coordinated, and running was something I could do on my own. My reintroduction in 2022 was with a friend of mine. I had been doing strength training and I was staying with her on a work trip. She was going out for a run and asked if I wanted to join her. It was like duck to water, I was able to run her route with no issues. I started to train for my first marathon at the end of 2022 – I heard a statistic about 80% of people regaining weight and it terrified me. I didn’t want to be that statistic. Now I don’t train out of fear, I train because it aligns with my values of experiencing life’s adventures. 
  3. Where you are from (where did you grow up)? 
    I was born in England, grew up in Winnipeg and spent 10 years living in the US (that’s actually where I started running). I moved back to Winnipeg when all hell broke loose after 911. Many Winnipeggers who’ve never left don’t appreciate what we have here. One of those things are friendly runners – you don’t realize how friendly we are until you travel and say hi to other runners who don’t aknowledge you. Weird – right?
  4. Your preference of type of running (road/trail/track for example) and distance? 
    I guess my preference is road running, see earlier comment about not being coordinated – I’d be dammaged for sure on trail runs! Although the other day I ran into a pole on a road run, so maybe I should be bubble wrapped. As for distance, hmmmmm, not really sure. I like the comraderie when training for 1/2 marathons and marathons – suddenly you’ve run a whole bunch of miles, but you feel like you’ve been out socializing with friends without the after affects of a night out drinking. 
  5. Favorite MRA event? 
    I don’t have a favorite – I would say any event where I’m with my Quads of Fury group is my favorite. I discovered running with a community and am hooked. If my arm is twisted, it would be the WPS – it was the very first half marathon I ran in 2008. It was the first one I re-ran in 2022 and shaved more than an hour off my time from my 2008 experience. 
  6. Favorite running season and why? 
    Hands down fall – I love the SMELL of fall, I wish I could bottle it up. As crazy as it sounds, I also like winter running….except for the start of a run, but once you are warmed up it’s refreshing. 
  7. Two hobbies? 
    I love hiking while traveling. I often travel on my own and have been known to get lost on my hikes (I seem to miss signs). Ask me about the time I got lost on top of a mountain in Scotland at night. I also love to scuba dive, it’s so relaxing. 

Shirley Ramos

  1. How long have you have been running?
    I have been running since 2010 when I was encouraged to join my first relay race with my cousins for the MB Marathon Relay Race. This relay race was my gateway into running, as I fell in love with road running shortly after. I became a more avid runner shortly after I had my first child in 2012 as a way to maintain my fitness in my new role as a mom. It is around this time when I delved into the half marathon and marathon world. 
  1. What or who got you into running?
    My cousins initially got me into running when I started doing relay races with them. While I primarily ran solo for many many years, I joined the Winnipeg Run Club for my first weekend group run in 2017; and have met so many of my now close friends through this running community. Immersing myself in this run group made me aware of so many races and running events within and outside of MB and my friends through run club are the ones who encouraged me to seek some of these new adventures. I focused on the half marathon and full marathon distances between 2012-2018; explored the shorter distances of 5k and 10k in early 2023; and shortly fell in love with track in the summer of 2023.
    I started my World Majors Marathon journey in 2019, fell in love with trail running in 2020 during the pandemic, and most recently fell in love with track running in 2023 when I first dabbled in it with some friends. You can say I have fallen with all types of running and all sorts of distances. 
  1.  Where are you from (where did you grow up)?
    I was born and raised in Winnipeg and have lived in Winnipeg my entire life.
  1. Favorite MRA event?
    Hands down my favourite MRA event is the MRA track club; and I have been participating in that for the past few years. A close second would be the Patrick Riddell Series, as they offer a great tune up for my spring races and I love that there are consecutive back-to-back races for the entire month of April.
  1. Favorite running season and why?
    I love training through all the seasons, most likely because I enjoy racing all year round in general. I run through all the seasons outdoors and indoors. Plus it keeps me engaged with my running peers and the running community all year round.
  2. Two hobbies?
    I love travelling; so I will find any reason to go to different parts of the world, hence I do quite a bit of runcations (combining my love of running and travel). Another hobby I enjoy (when I have time) is baking and doing craft projects. 

Andrew Ferguson

  1. How long have you have been running?
    8 years
  2. What or who got you into running?
    I got into running with a friend who was training for a half marathon
  3. Where you are from (where did you grow up)?
    I’m a Winnipeger born and raised
  4. Your preference of type of running (road/trail/track for example) and distance?
    I prefer road and trail running, on the road I love racing a 5km and on the trail any distance is great. 
  5. Favorite MRA event?
    My favorite MRA event is Headingley Run For Wishes 
  6. Favorite running season and why?
    For sure summer, you can just get out the door and run
  7. Two hobbies?
    My two hobbies are: cooking and learning new languages

Mike Cook

  1. How long have you have been running?
    I ran competitively for my high school in the 400 and 800 meters. Then I seldom ran when I was in university, getting married, raising a family, maybe 1 nite per week. I restarted regular running in 2001 doing Half marathons. In 2012 I started running FULL marathons. My favourite race. I now run 4 x/ week.

  2. What or who got you into running?
    I was a fast runner as a kid. My mom had been a competitive runner in high school. I carried the tradition on.

  3. Where are you from (where did you grow up)?
    The core of Winnipeg, Arlington street.

  4. Your preference of type of running (road/trail/track for example) and distance?
    I love Full marathons. I also do Halfs. I have done a few Ultras as well. All road running with speed training on a local high school track.
  5. Favorite MRA event?
    Manitoba Marathon, the largest mass participation sport in Manitoba.

  6. Favorite running season and why?
    Fall. I hate humidity.
  7. Two hobbies?
    Cycling and Boardwork.

Bo Huang

My name is Bo Huang. I came to Canada from China about 25 years ago. I discovered the passion for running about 9 years ago when our daughter wanted to do a 10km race with us together at Manitoba Marathon. I have taken running more seriously since Covid and I have finished 15 full marathon races and qualified for Boston Marathon multiple times. So far, I have run 4 world major marathons, Boston Marathon, New York City Marathon, Berlin Marathon and Chicago Marathon.

I love trail running as well as road running and my favorite running season is in the fall when you see all trees turn into yellow and red. I have run countless local races in different distances, but my favorite distance is still marathon because I enjoy the experience when you are in the pain cave and you will have to dig more in to get out. I have completed a couple of 50km trail races as well.

Running not only keeps me healthy physically and mentally, but also teaches me determination, persistence, courage, consistency, and resilience!

I am super excited be an MRA Ambassador. We promote, motivate, and support a heathy, fun, and fit lifestyle for people of all ages and abilities through the sport of running. We serve the community by encouraging individuals to pursue their best potential and achieve their optimum goals. I am happy to keep moving, sharing, and inspiring. I would be very happy to make a difference in sparking the interests and flames of running for beginners and helping the experienced runners setting up goals to push themselves and reach their potentials while at the same time establishing a lifelong friendship and building a strong running community so that we all become better versions of ourselves!

 

 

The MRA is committed to fostering equity, diversity and inclusivity in the running community.

Our MRA Ambassadors will be making a difference by inspiring and empowering others to achieve their goals and live a healthier lifestyle!

 

**MRA Board Members & Staff are not eligible to become MRA Ambassadors**