Gina Grain

Strength & Conditioning Spec

Qualifications | Experience

Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology (BSc - Kin)

Certified Strength & Conditioning Coach (CSCS)

Canadian Olympian (track cycling)

Bio

Gina was born in Montreal, Quebec and moved out to Kelowna, B.C when she was 10years old. Living just minutes from a local ski mountain, Gina became involved with downhill skiing and very soon started downhill ski racing. She was also heavily involved with playing ice hockey, and you would find her playing road hockey until after dark. A life changing moment happened on the hill and 2 weeks later playing senior high school basketball when she tore the ACL in both of her knees. After numerous knee surgeries, hours on the stationary bike and years in the gym, Gina decided to borrow a friend's mountain bike when she was attending college.

"I came home dirty and happy. Caked with mud and dripping with sweat...and, wearing the biggest perma-smile that I had felt in a long time. That was where my love for cycling began..."

Since that life changing moment in Grade 11, Gina made golden lemonade out of lemons. During her first few years of university, she was on the varsity rowing team at Okanagan College University. Gina got her first cycling race license as a beginner in 1995 and immediately set her mind on representing Canada at the Olympic Games in cycling. And, that is what she did.

Throughout her time attending University to obtain a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology you would find her working, studying or training. After university, you would find her working as an Exercise Therapist/Kinesiologist and Personal trainer...and of course training and racing.

Gina's first love was in mountain bike racing where she rode her way to the BC Provincial Team and further to the Pro-Elite Canadian circuit where she would consistently place top 5 in the Canada Cups

As Gina developed, her true strengths began to shine on the road as she was training. If a training race ever came down to a sprint finish, you would see her if not at the front, then very close to it. In year 2000 somebody noticed Gina's ability, and she was invited to join a professional road cycling team in the US for 2001. This saw the end of her mountain bike career and onto being the lead road sprinter for her new road team.

It was 4 years later, in 2004, that Grain's lemonade became golden. Gina began to emerge as one of the top road sprinters in the world and would see her crowned as National Champion. Gina's efforts, victories and consistent podium finishes brought Grain to win the US PRO TOUR CHAMPIONSHIPS on the road overall, as well as the overall winner of the sprinter's jersey competition in the US Women's Prestige Series.

That same year, Gina fell into that same spontaneous moment that brought her to the mountain bike 10 years earlier: she borrowed a friends' track bike. This time, she went on to win the National Championships 4 months after trying the track for the first time...the next Olympics was only 4 years away.