Living Fully with Rheumatoid Arthritis:
Mareike’s Journey to the Half Ironman with the Craven Team
Mareike’s Journey to the Half Ironman with the Craven Team
Challenge
Managing pain, fatigue, and mobility limitations while staying active and rediscovering sport.
When Mareike Johnson moved to Saskatoon during the pandemic, she was struggling with severe back pain and a new diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis.
“I was in pain, I was tired, and I had mobility issues,” she recalls. “The medications weren’t working yet, and I wasn’t sure how much I’d be able to do.”
Her wife discovered Craven SPORT Services online, drawn to the clinic’s holistic approach to movement and recovery. That first step led to a multi-year journey through physiotherapy, strength training, and personalized coaching — one that ultimately helped Mareike complete a Half Ironman.
Background
Mareike began physiotherapy supporting her broader health goals. When her rheumatoid arthritis required modifications to her movement routine, she was introduced to Supervised Training, where coaches could adapt her exercises to protect her joints.
As Mareike’s treatment plan improved, so did her energy and confidence — leading her back toward the active lifestyle she’d missed.
Approach
With renewed motivation, Mareike joined Craven’s OnTrack Running Program in 2024 and quickly rediscovered her competitive side. She trained for three races, including a sprint triathlon, and decided to set her sights on a Half Ironman the following year.
She worked one-on-one with coach Brandi Venne, combining individualized training plans with
and occasional support from other Craven clinicians.
“Having Brandi as my coach and the whole Craven team behind me made all the difference,” Mareike says. “I knew I could push myself safely — and if something came up, I had expert advice all in one place.”
Because she had moved to Coronach, Saskatchewan, Mareike worked remotely with the Craven team, connecting via video, text, and data sharing through her Garmin watch. Brandi adjusted her workouts weekly based on fatigue, pain levels, and life demands.
“Remote coaching worked so well,” Mareike explains. “If I had a tough week or more pain, Brandi could modify my training right away. It made it possible for me to keep going.”
Outcome
In 2025, Mareike completed her first Half Ironman — a deeply emotional milestone that symbolized strength, resilience, and self-belief.
“There’s a documentary about Ironman athletes, and one story really stuck with me
— a competitor with cancer whose tri-suit carried a message of defiance and strength. For me, this race was my version of that moment — a way to say, ‘I can still live fully, despite RA.’”
If you’re living with a chronic condition or looking to rebuild strength safely, our integrated team can help you train, recover, and move with confidence.
Learn more about our coaching and training programs:
“Having Brandi as my coach and the whole Craven team behind me made all the difference.”
– Mareike Johnson
“Remote coaching worked so well. If I had a tough week, Brandi could modify my training right away.”
– Mareike Johnson
“For me, this race was a way to say,
‘I can still live fully, despite RA.”
– Mareike Johnson
Finding Her Stride Again: Returning to Running Postpartum with Coach Bruce Craven
Challenge
Returning to running postpartum while recognizing we don’t have the same time, flexibility or energy. After welcoming her son in May 2025, Andrea Hill returned to road racing just five-and-a-half months later — a milestone made possible through patience, smart training, and compassionate coaching.
Background
Bruce Craven has coached Andrea since 2021, helping her achieve personal bests (PBs) in distances from the 5K to the marathon.
Approach
In this latest chapter together Bruce regularly analyzed Andrea’s running metrics as she returned to training and checked in frequently, sometimes adjusting workouts on a daily basis to ensure she wasn’t overextending herself.
- Focussing on quality over volume (the first run-walks were at tempo pace or faster, a pace Bruce knew she could maintain good form in)
- Talking candidly about pelvic floor health and incorporating bite-sized strength exercises into Andrea’s days
- Trying new workouts so Andrea did not compare herself to before she had a baby
- Repeating workouts each week so she could see progress
- Setting realistic goals based on her fitness and how much time she had to train (training for a 5km race because could only only fit 20-30 minutes of work into a workout)
- Somewhat chaotic meetings while her son tried to grab the phone!
“I feel so lucky to be working with such a compassionate and experienced coach during a period where I sometimes feel like I’m relearning how my body works,” she adds. “Bruce not only knows me well as an athlete, but he’s also committed to staying up to date on best practices — even attending a postpartum exercise session at the American College of Sports Medicine conference just weeks before I started running again.”
Outcome
Andrea ran the 5K in the Great Big Cookie Run in October 2025 with a podium finish including 2nd overall and 1st in her age category! Now, as she moves into her off-season training, Bruce is helping to structure workouts and Andrea is looking forward to racing on the roads again in the spring!
If you’re ready to get back to running or want a training plan that adapts to your life, learn more about individualized coaching: https://cravensportservices.ca/training-services/personal-training-saskatoon/
“I feel lucky to be working with such a compassionate and experienced coach”
– Andrea Hill
“Bruce developed training plans that kept me motivated and injury free — while recognizing that I don’t have the same time or energy.”
– Andrea Hill
“Quality over volume. Realistic goals based on my fitness and how much time I have to train.”
– Andrea Hill