We took some time on our day off to chat with Joyce.
If you’ve been around ENDURrun for the past five years, you definitely know Joyce. She is the ball of lightning that is doing so many different things, and always with a smile. Here’s our interview:
Who are you?
My name is Joyce and I am the mother of Robert, one of the ultimate runners.
Do you look forward to ENDURrun every year?
YES!!! I work out my work schedule to make sure I can attend and be involved. I love the excitement, visiting with friends & watching all the athletes conquer the stages.
What do you do for Team Brouillette and what are your volunteer roles?
Besides being his #1 fan I drive, I’m at the start and finish line of each stage, take pictures, hand him his water & gels at different points in the race, (I’ve done a lot of running over the years) and of course hoot and holler. As a volunteer I try to help where ever I’m needed. I’ve prepared food, done clean up, water stations, set up/take down of tents, and gather the used cups and sponges.
Is it stressful at all?
There are minor moments of stress, but the whole week is so fun that those tiny moments fade quickly.
How many Stages have you been to / missed over the years?
I think I might have missed a couple the first year, but have been to all 7 stages the past 4 years.
How do you pronounce Brouillette?
LOL! Brewyet
Any funny or interesting anecdotes?
The race at Bechtel park this year was quite the adventure. (as I said previously, I do a lot of running) I was at the start line to give water/gels to Robert & Josh, running to get the discarded bottles, then running and backtracking to get to the 1st downhill path with sponges.
I’m not sure how many kms I did. It wasn’t til the last time that I figured out to drive over!!!
I also had the privilege of running in with Robert (heading to the finish line) for about 100m twice at Stage 7 (pictured above, from 2018).
What did you think when Rob got into running?
I was glad. High school can be a tough time for teens, but he chose to have a passion for running. He had lots of positive influences around him, the coaches, other athletes & friends.
What do you think about all his accomplishments?
I am proud of him. He has accomplished a lot, and because of that he has had the opportunity to take part in both the Vancouver & Calgary marathons for 2 yrs. Qualified for the Boston marathon 17x. He has worked very hard and stayed true to himself through the challenges of daily routines, workouts and training.
What’s next for you guys?
Fortunately for me, I will be going to Spain with Robert in September. He was awarded the trip from winning a previous race he competed in.