This is a guest post about Diane Palmason.
Diane was born in St. Catherine’s in 1938. In 1954 she represented Canada in the 200m at the Commonwealth Games in Vancouver, and was in the stands for the famous Miracle Mile. Women didn’t run longer distances in the 50’s, even though Diane suspected that was her strength. She didn’t race again until she did her first road race…a marathon in Ottawa in 1976. She was 38. As George Brose wrote, that was the beginning of a long and incredible, distance running career. It would lead Diane to competing internationally and holding every Canadian Masters record from 50m to 80 km. at one time or another. Diane ran 78 marathons and held world records at 400m and 800m.
Diane was also a coach, both in Colorado in the 90’s and Bellingham from 2001-2008. Even later in life, when Diane was on the track, she was the supportive coach.
In 2008 she moved to Comox and became a member of CVRR for the last stage of her career. In 2009 she improved her W70 World Record in the 400m and her Canadian record in the 200m. In 2010 at the B.C. Seniors Games in Courtenay, her team broke the Canadian W70 400m Canadian record. It was her last race on the track.
Diane was inducted into the Canadian Masters Athletics Hall of Fame in 2010.
Nobody who ran on the Vanier track 10-15 years ago, could fail to notice Diane’s strong and determined running style. Diane loved to run. She died on October 10, 2022.
