Moving from the urban bustle of Mexico City, when Thompson Rivers University (TRU) alum Martha Márquez Ortiz (BTM ’13) first arrived in Kamloops to attend university, she couldn’t have imagined she would one day be navigating technical trails and regularly defying gravity as a professional mountain biker.
Back home, leisure time often meant restaurants and nightlife. Living in Kamloops, she found herself hiking, floating down the river, snowboarding — and downhill mountain biking. Kamloops provided a gateway to the outdoors and TRU opened doors to new career possibilities.
“If I could go back in time, I would experience the TRU and Kamloops journey all over again without a second thought,” she said, adding that being introduced to mountain biking changed everything. She quit smoking, cut down on partying, started making healthier food choices and lost a substantial amount of weight.
But during that first ride on the backside of Peterson Creek, she was only thinking about one thing — survival.
“I honestly thought I was going to die, riding down on a hardtail with almost no front suspension. But from that day on, something shifted in me. Despite the fear, or maybe because of it, I knew I wanted to try it again — and that’s how it all began.”
A few weeks later, fueled by nerves and adrenalin, Márquez entered a downhill race — and it didn’t end well. After crashing hard and feeling the sting of defeat, she vowed she’d never race again. She got back on a bike a few months later, but it would take nearly a decade for her to return to competition.
Márquez moved back to Mexico in 2016, and when a friend encouraged her to enter a local race a few years later “just for fun,” she agreed. To her surprise, she finished third.
“The feeling of being on a podium, watching the crowd cheer for you, it lit something inside me,” she said.
From there, her success picked up speed. In 2021, she earned second place nationally on Mexico’s downhill circuit and began attracting sponsorships. Today, she rides for Pivot Cycles, an Arizona-based company known for its high-performance mountain bikes, as well as several other sponsors.
She says lessons learned in the tourism program at TRU proved invaluable when she began organizing and working at mountain biking events — roles that continue to lead her to sponsorship opportunities and allow her to act as a mentor for other women entering the sport.
Finding direction at TRU
The youngest of 11 children, Márquez came to Kamloops to study in 2009 after her older sister, Verónica, paved the way a year earlier, enrolling at TRU through an agency that specialized in helping international students. Following her sister’s lead, Márquez decided to do the same. What she found was a supportive community and unexpected opportunities.
At TRU, Márquez enrolled in the Bachelor of Tourism Management program, initially thinking it would lead to a career in the hotel industry. But thanks to engaged faculty and advisors, she learned there were many more career options to explore.
“I had no idea that event planning or human resources could be part of tourism,” she says. “But at TRU, everyone was so helpful, and it really sparked something in me. They showed me how I could enhance my degree with a diploma in events and conventions and a minor in human resources. It completely reshaped my career path.”
Today, Márquez works remotely, giving her the flexibility to travel for competitions and events. While her work isn’t related to tourism, as an ambassador for her sport, she constantly utilizes the skills she developed at TRU.
“Without TRU offering the opportunity to combine the BTM with the diploma, I probably wouldn’t have become involved in the event industry the way I am now,” she said. “I want to keep growing the girls’ MTB community — encouraging more women to race, join events and simply get out there. It’s all about pushing past comfort zones and discovering what we’re capable of together.”
Advice for the next generation
When asked what advice she’d give current TRU students and new alumni, especially those exploring unconventional paths, Márquez doesn’t hesitate.
“Never close yourself off to any opportunity — always explore, because you never know who you’ll meet or where it might lead. Think about your strengths and what you truly enjoy and try to find a passion that keeps you motivated every day. Be open to new cultures and new people, because the world is all about connections, networking and exposing yourself to different experiences. Let people see you, because you never know who’s watching. And most importantly, always stay honest and true to yourself — good things will follow.”
