Mountain Go-Getter :: Michelle Marie :: @mchellemarie

This is a personal blog to help me record and share my adventures. I hope you enjoy! Opinions are all my own.

micherunning-2

I’m an outdoors kind of woman. I’m a skier, endurance runner, trekker, climber, cyclist, diver, paddler, and more recently – kiteboarder. I’m not a pro at any one thing; I just love being outdoors, doing almost anything active. My heart and sanity is in the mountains.

Educated at the University of Calgary, I earned a Bachelor of Commerce with a major in Marketing. After university I lived in Australia for 7 months; occasionally in a van called Doom; occasionally in hostels; and occasionally in a tent while trekking through Western Australia. Following my time in Australia I traveled to Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore while simultaneously learning how to scuba dive, surf and paddle.

Upon my return to Canada I decided to put my academic skills to work and took an exciting position as the Marketing Coordinator for an event production company in the food and beverage industry. Through opportunities in that company I sharpened my social web and content creation skills, and learned a lot about wine through WSET training (OK, maybe I drank a bottle or two, as well…). Concurrently, I revisited my old love of skiing, embarking on the journey and certifications for backcountry adventures. I also decided to take up rock climbing and ultra trail running, which have since been the source of great passion (and great dismay).

Itchy feet and a desire to explore caused me to undertake the greatest adventure of my life in 2015; a solo, self-supported trek across the Great Himalaya Trail in Nepal. While the expedition didn’t go exactly as planned, I learned a lot about myself, a different culture, and still managed to get in a pile of trekking.

Returning once again to Canada after 6 months including a brief scuba diving trip in the Philippines, I regained a position with my previous employer; this time working as an Event Coordinator dealing mainly with wine, beer and spirits agencies. This takes us to current day, where I work in Calgary, embracing mountain sports at every possible opportunity and challenging myself to new and exciting exploits such as learning to kiteboard.

My next grand adventure will be one of a different sort, as I plan to move to British Columbia and re-enter academia. Taking a 180 degree turn on my previous education and work experience, I’ve been accepted to study at the West Coast College of Massage Therapy. Over a two year program I intend to intend to gain the skills needed for a fulfilling career in helping others. One that I can eventually take with me to small mountain towns, or around the world.

Always an adventure. MM.