Chasing Dreams! Athlete Diary by Sponsored Track Athlete Maïté Bouchard

Hello everyone! My name is Maïté Bouchard (the challenge here is to be able to pronounce it correctly, as it is French!), a professional 800 m runner for Team Canada, en route to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

I’m a French Canadian who grew up in Sherbrooke, Québec, a small city in the beautiful Eastern Townships, where I still live and train year-round. Compared to most athletes, I started track pretty late in the game. At the end of high school I started out as a decent runner, but like most, was far from being considered elite. Since then, I’ve seen a pretty good progression, with consistent hard work & perseverance paying off after nearly eight years.

Looking back, being part of the varsity team for four years (2014-2018) left me with some of the most memorable experiences, on the track and with teammates, that I’ll never forget. It started in 2016 when I made my first national team for NACAC U23 in El Salvador, followed by a 2017 national title in the 4x400m relay and an individual national title in the 600 m indoor. The past two years have been exciting, as I set a new PR in the 800 m (2:01.25) last summer, which gave me the second-fastest time in the country for the 2018 season. One of my big highlights of the indoor season was breaking the provincial record in the 800 m indoor, which had dated back to 1984. This success, paired with coming off of the World Student Games (FISU) in Italy and the Pan American games in Lima, Peru, left me feeling blessed and honored to have had the opportunity to represent my country on the international stage. Having the occasion to do it twice in a short period is nothing short of amazing! Let’s just say the little girl that started running eight years ago is still surprised by where she is now.

Between training and racing, I’ve just completed my third year of medical school at Sherbrooke University. To say that I have a pretty busy life — between studying, training, family and friends — is certainly not an understatement! I try to be as balanced as possible in my life in order to focus on accomplishing great things on the track and at the hospital. One of my keys to success is all the different aspects that go into creating a healthy lifestyle, including my diet. I’m the kind of girl that enjoys eating and who’s always hungry. It is imperative to know that what I put in my body is 100% clean, healthy (we can make an exception for ice cream and cookies … haha) and tastes good (enjoying what you eat is a very important part!). That’s why I gravitated towards Klean Athlete^®. Their products are NSF Certified for Sport^®, taste good and are healthy. What more can I ask!

As a medical student and athlete, I have first-hand appreciation and have experienced the impact high-level sports can have on your body. That’s why smart recovery is just as important as training smart, enabling you to come back stronger after every session and competition. As athletes, I strongly believe that we have the duty to represent and advocate for our sport with honest and true values. Klean Athlete products give me the certainty and peace of mind that I’m doing my part to uphold these values. I’m really excited to join the Klean Athlete Team, and to share my experiences and how I use these products in my routine!

Stay updated and follow my journey toward the 2020 Olympics on Instagram @maitebouchard.

Keep chasing those dreams. You have it within you, and it will pay off in the end.

You can follow Maïté Bouchard on:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maitebouchard/