Colin Wallace, coach of the UBC Okanagan Heat Cross Country Running team is leaving his post as head coach in order to pursue a post-doc at UBC in Vancouver.
He'll be researching how to test for concussions during sporting events. Wallace has coached the team since 2015, but also raced for the Heat team as a student.
John Machuga is stepping up to coach the team. He's been a running coach for kids for many years in the Okanagan.
Wallace and Machuga stopped by KelownaNow to chat about the Heat's success at Nationals and their love for running. They even embraced the rapid firing round of questions.
Have a listen!
The Heat had a strong team this year, with a national championship win in the CCAA Sports division.
Congrats to @UBCOHeat Women's Cross Country team who just won the @CCAAsportsACSC #CCAAccr2016 national championship. V. Fagan finished 4th pic.twitter.com/HViLR9OOdm
— UBCO Heat (@UBCOHeat) November 12, 2016
On top of winning a national championship, female Heat runner, Veronika Fagan, was also named Outstanding Female Athlete of the Year at this year's UBCO Athletic Awards Banquet.
Wallace's final event with his Heat runners involves a fundraiser on July 23rd for Foundry Kelowna, the youth mental health service that's coming to Kelowna.
L'Alpe de Grand Blanc is a 60-kilometre road bike race running from East Kelowna and uphill to Big White.
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