▁placing ▁at ▁that ▁event ▁was ▁e ighth ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 1 . ▁ ▁Career ▁ ▁Early ▁career ▁and ▁college ▁Born ▁in ▁Victoria , ▁British ▁Columbia , ▁she ▁attended ▁Cla rem ont ▁Second ary ▁School ▁and ▁was ▁interested ▁in ▁sports , ▁taking ▁part ▁in ▁field ▁hockey ▁and ▁vol ley ball ▁while ▁there . ▁During ▁her ▁training ▁for ▁these ▁sports , ▁her ▁talent ▁for ▁running ▁was ▁recogn ised ▁by ▁her ▁teacher ▁and ▁he ▁encourag ed ▁her ▁to ▁become ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁school ' s ▁cross ▁country ▁running ▁team . ▁She ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁attend ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Victoria ▁and ▁competed ▁athlet ically ▁for ▁the ▁Victoria ▁Vik es ▁colleg iate ▁team ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 6 ▁and ▁from ▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁to ▁ 1 9 8 1 . ▁She ▁won ▁her ▁first ▁title ▁at ▁the ▁British ▁Columbia ▁Cross ▁Country ▁Championships ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 7 ▁and ▁the ▁ ▁Scott ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁win ▁at ▁that ▁competition ▁twice ▁more ▁during ▁her ▁period ▁at ▁college . ▁She ▁established ▁herself ▁among ▁her ▁nation ' s ▁best ▁distance ▁run ners ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁by ▁setting ▁a ▁Canadian ▁record ▁over ▁the ▁ 5 0 0 0 ▁metres , ▁running ▁a ▁time ▁of ▁ 1 6 : 2 9 . 6 ▁minutes . ▁ ▁Her ▁first ▁major ▁international ▁event ▁was ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁Commonwealth ▁Games ▁and ▁she ▁ran ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 5 0 0 ▁metres ▁( be ing ▁elimin ated ▁in ▁the ▁he ats ) ▁and ▁the ▁ 3