Meet the 2024 Run Ottawa Otto’s Ottawa Power Crew!
Otto’s Ottawa Power Crew is a dedicated group of runners and walkers who share helpful training experiences, excitement about their upcoming Run Ottawa races, and details of their training including yummy food pics and recipes, cool routes, and more!
Run or walk with this year’s Otto’s Ottawa Power Crew at any or all of our upcoming events!
Check out our 2024 members below!
Alison Costa
Alison Costa has been running for as long as she can remember, starting off as a track sprinter in elementary school and all the way through university. She slowly began increasing her race distances and has now completed five marathons. She hopes to eventually complete all of the World Marathon Majors. Aside from the World Marathon Majors, she loves destination races and exploring new places through running.
For Costa, running is not just about the physical benefits, it also offers her a sense of community.
Stéphanie Eikenberry
Although having dabbled in running, Stephanie Eikenberry began actively racing in 2022, being inspired by her husband, who is a very active runner. Having gone through a long, and arduous health journey, she wanted to find an activity that would be beneficial to both her physical and mental health. But even more, she wanted to find a way to inspire others.
Over the last two years, her running has slowly improved, and her spirit and drive to get those around her moving has grown. She has loved getting to know the incredible running community in Ottawa.
Eikenberry is a middle of the pack runner, and although she has preferred shorter distance events in the past, she is slowly looking to complete a half marathon in the future.
Dustin Gavin
Dustin Gavin was born and raised in Prince Edward Island, where his lifelong affair with sports began. Running entered his life in 2002, years before he moved to Ottawa in 2008, but it wasn’t until 2012 that he ventured into marathon running.
Running is his solace, his mental escape. As the Somerset Runners‘ run lead, aiding fellow runners is his passion.
Stefanie Kotschwar
Stefanie Kotschwar started running in 2010 while doing a Masters in Plymouth, England as a way to be outside more often. She ran her first 10K race in 2010 and ran her first marathon in Berlin in 2015!
The same year she ran her first marathon, she also moved to Ottawa and has since discovered the great and varied Ottawa running community and has slowly been embracing running through the winter. Running is what helps keep her grounded and keeps her mind refreshed for her busy day job as a Registered Veterinary Technician.
Kotschwar is looking forward to sharing all the ups and downs of summer and fall running as a member of Otto’s Ottawa Power Crew.
Vivian Luk
Vivian Luk is a proud back of the pack runner who believes in maintaining a truly inclusive, accessible, and welcoming running community for all. She thrives on bringing people together, planning fun events for friends and family, and can often be found hanging out with her friends from the Arboretum Hill Club and Mill Street Milers.
During the 2024 racing season, Luk is training for the Ottawa 17K Challenge at Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend, a 15K trail race in July, and last but not least, her first full marathon in October.
Déborah Parent
Déborah Parent started running in her 20’s while transitioning from a student to an employee in the working world. She originally chose running to stay fit, but later realized how much of a positive impact it had on her mental health.
Parent is now a teacher, a military spouse, and a mom. Her life is both lovely, and challenging at the same time! Often her “me time” takes a back seat to her adult, work, and parenting responsibilities, but early morning runs are how she reclaims time for herself.
After 15 years of running, Parent is faster in her late 30’s and as a mom of 3, than she has ever been before.
Josué Thervil
Josué Thervil is an active father of two boys with an ever growing running shoe collection. He is an active member of the local running community and is the founder of Aylmer Run Crew. He prides himself in setting a healthy example for his two children by training for road races and triathlons year round.
He is looking forward to sharing his training over the summer and fall as a member of Otto’s Ottawa Power Crew!
Matthew Timms
“Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend was such a fun and inspiring weekend, I can’t wait to start training for the summer and fall!”
This summer Matt Timms has a few race goals. He is training for his first 5k race and hopefully a new 5k PB! He is also hoping to get in a lot of kms on the trails!
Timms can’t wait to meet more members of the Ottawa running community while having a fun summer and fall training block!
Winston To
Winston To moved to Ottawa in October 2020, after growing up in Hong Kong, Toronto and having lived in Australia and across Canada.
He started long distance running during the pandemic and completed his first road race in 2022 and has since completed two half marathons.
To loves to attend the different local running groups in Ottawa and getting the chance to meet new people. He also enjoys fitness, the outdoors, trying new things and going on adventures. He has played rugby in university, was on the National Development Team in skeleton, was the 2022 Canadian Open Men Beach Flags Champion in the sport of lifesaving and is the current President of Triathlon Ontario.