Off-season training for a half marathon has Santos flying in her final season with the Griffins

EDMONTON – Rian Santos is never one to back down from daunting challenges.

She was once a walk-on with the MacEwan Griffins women's hockey team.

"I definitely had a goal to make the team," said Santos of her mindset going through the 2021-22 preseason. "Lindsay (McAlpine, then head coach) kept me on my toes for a good month. Bringing my gear back and forth to the rink, I wasn't sure I could keep it there or what the vibe was, but I just took every practice and workout that she gave me and tried to make the most of it."

Obviously, the rest is history as Santos now has 95 career games under her belt, heading into Saturday's contest vs. Alberta (5 p.m., Downtown Community Arena, Canada West TV).

Her latest challenge that she took head on was last summer when she decided to run a half marathon. She spent the off-season training for the August Edmonton event.

"It was pretty daunting, to be honest," she said. "I wasn't as prepared as I would like to be. I started training when the season ended, but of course trying to get my hockey muscles to do running muscles was a spazz on the body. So, I had to take a little break there for a month and a half. In July was when I started running. I wasn't as serious about a training plan as I should have. Obviously, running it is amazing. The satisfaction and how good you feel after running it as one you can't really describe. It's pushing yourself as well as being an athlete; I really enjoyed that aspect of it."

Not only has that launched what will likely be her passion once her hockey career ends after this, her final university season, but it's also honed her fitness levels like none other. The difference on the ice is noticeable this season as Santos is quicker and has greater stamina. 

Heading into Saturday's contest, she leads the Griffins with 42 shots in 17 games.

"She's always been somebody who's been able to attack in short bursts," said Griffins head coach Chris Leeming. "In doing that, her endurance has improved significantly. Her actual hockey IQ and skill set is able to be expressed at a higher level now because she's more explosive, she can have those bursts for longer periods of time. 

"How that's show in her game is she can grab pucks and drive them into the O zone. She's a big proponent of us gaining the O zone with possession and she used it on the back check as well. I think she's having more fun with it overall in her game, too."

The next step to come is the offensive production as she has just a goal and an assist so far, despite the high shot volume.

"With more and more endurance I find myself in the O zone and am creating lots of opportunities get my shots off," said Santos. "That's only one half of the story, so hopefully the goals will come, but just trying to generate as much offence as I can for the team."

Nevertheless, what she's able to create continues to drive offensive chances for the Griffins.

"She's able to get to the hard areas of the ice, she has a low centre of gravity and she's able to drive pucks through defenders and put pucks on net for us, which is something we need," said Leeming. "I'm sure she's going to rewarded here eventually by it because the amount of times she creates those opportunities, one's bound to go in sooner or later. She's been pretty consistent with that since the beginning of the season and I'm proud of her for taking that next step in her game."