Elite competitor goes the distance

By Linda Jensen Times Contributor

Socrates said: “No man has the right to be an amateur in the matter of physical training. It is a shame for a man to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable.”
What lures Sonya (Hein) Elias to run at 4 a.m., finish a 61-kilometre (km) obstacle course, endure massive physical and mental conditions, steep technical terrain, climbing ropes, walls, axe or spear throwing, or carrying a 40-pound sandbag while running to the next obstacle?
When asked what inspires her, Elias doesn’t hesitate. “My Dad, Gerald Hein, is my inspiration.
“He has Parkinson’s, dementia, spinal issues and now resides in a long-term care facility. Like him, one day all of our choices can be taken away,” said Elias. “Still, dad’s the strongest person I know. He gets up every day and just keeps putting one foot in front of the other.”
Hein’s past struggles with sexuality and coming out in the ’80s, with acceptance and self-worth, although terrifying for him, has paved the way for others.
“He has shown me what I want in life. We need to give ourselves more value, more self-worth, more courage. I want to seize the day,” said Elias.
“Totally ordinary” is how Elias describes herself. Yet, she is a tenacious, resilient, elite Spartan obstacle course competitor who “loves challenges and running in the mountains.”
Raised in the Hussar area and living for the past two decades with her husband and family near Rosebud, she values human connection, community and social responsibility.
“A big part of the racing community is supporting each other,” she said. “I get to see strong women all the time. I have the best group of friends in this racing community. It’s a real family.”
Elias has always been active. She currently trains with OCRLabs Performance under coach Chad Budyk – a “mad genius”.
“We are a super tight group of racers now,” said Elias. “It has been a privilege for all of us. These X warrior events are pretty respectful towards women. A lot of the weights are the same as men and they expect a lot out of us.”
Yet despite her endurance, her body is regularly bruised by the obstacles.
Elias qualified for Spartan Worlds in 2017. Sporting a broken finger in the 26 km world event, she did 170 burpees and 4,000 metres of elevation. Windy and cold, Spartan “made us swim in a snow-making pond and do a full head dunk under a wall. I wanted to quit but that wasn’t an option. I cried at the finish line. What an honour to be at that venue and racing with all of the women I look up to.”
This year’s events included a 50 km Grizzly Ultramarathon and six-hour X Warrior Hurt Locker, winning both in the female team division, plus a six-hour Calgary Titan and multiple Spartan races.
“At this age, racing gives me a fountain of youth and a bit of control over my life,” said Elias. “It is empowering. I can carry a ton of groceries, I can lift heavy things, I can do things. I don’t buy into the notion that as women age, they should have a certain ability. With age, you have the wisdom and perspective that you didn’t have before. I intend to be some eccentric old lady in the gym with some crazy stories to tell.”
Although she’s lost races, Elias has also won friendships and respect, achieving the success that an elite athlete gets when she continually crosses the finish line.