Holly Pinto

Island born and born to run

“Holly, here. If you review your stats you’ll see that I often make the top in my age group. I’m not bragging; I am the Top Slowest, that is.

I know I would make a great North Island ambassador because my motto, “Slow and still smiling!” is encouraging for other racers on the route. While the series brings some of the best and fastest, where I run in the line-up people are running for the fun community, to maintain a healthy life, and to achieve personal goals.”

According to Holly, having a cheerleader, a smile and a “you got this” at the back of the pack is in her opinion one of the most important places in the flow of racing.

“While I pull in almost last place my kids rave I “won” the race because I crossed the finish line doing my best. I know other runners “win” this way too. I love this about the series, the community of inclusiveness. The only requirement is you must love running.” 

Season 2024 Holly will be smiling through the series with her fellow competitors enjoying the views of those wild turkeys and farm antiquities.

“It would bring me a runners-high level of joy to share my experience even more loudly as the Back of the Pack ambassador. (Can we trademark that? Kidding!)

Holly is a  30-something (a lady never tells her age) mama to five kids, who are her biggest fans. Her husband is a member of the RCMP and his shift work has helped her learn to love running at any time and in any weather condition because shift work waits for no one. She works in a barbershop in Port Alberni, where you better believe she talks about running (the Island Series included) – all. day. long. Island born and raised she can be found hiking among trees and sipping americanos at the beach with her training partner Winnie, the Chocolate Labrador Retriever. 

See you at the finish line, 

Holly