Why I Started Running:
It all started in September 2013, I was getting closer to the dreaded 40 years old and I was about to start a second family. I decided to stay in shape to be able to spend healthy time with the upcoming kids, the choice was then made to run. Obviously, like many other leaving the couch behind, I had a hard time running a whole kilometer. But I kept at it, and the walking breaks on my 5k course were less and less frequent until they weren’t anymore. I signed up for local short distance races and, although I was in the back of the pack, I still enjoyed it.
My Favorite Moments / Biggest Accomplishments:
I wanted to register to Montreal 10km race, but the course was only downtown, and I needed a picture of myself on the Jacques-Cartier bridge. Only the full and the half were starting on the bridge. So, I did what any stupid newbie runner does, I signed up, trained badly, inconsistently, not stretching enough and showed up at the start line. I managed to finish, digging deep down, painfully. But so deeply happy. From then, I was terribly hooked. I was on cloud #9 for a whole week.
The months went by and I kept running small local races. My employer (Abbott) is one of the major 6 Marathon sponsor and well, they have sponsored spots in a few major marathons that they give away throughout the company via a draw. My name came out to run my first ever marathon in the Big Apple. November 2015, I was running the five boroughs New York City Marathon. I finished, drained, again, but the feeling of fulfilment was overwhelming. Over the next week, as I was still recovering and wearing my medal at work, I received the invitation to run Boston in April 2016, again from my employer. How could I ever have said no to such an amazing opportunity? I mean, I knew my karma was good but eh, that was freaking amazing. I ran the mythical course, overcame the heartbreak hill, did my personal best there, and I still had some gas in the tank. There is a side-story for me to this race, and my PB of 4:36 is kind of non-official. Also, running Boston without qualifying feels a little like cheating.. maybe that’s just me.
Besides my luck related to my work, I’m pretty ordinary, which is why I fit so well in the team. I am a generally low-profile dude, a little shy, not very outgoing, a husband, a dad of 3, software developer, owner of an old pickup truck, little house in the suburbs of Montreal, Canada, likes hockey, eh!. I run to stay in a relative shape. In such aspect, I don’t think I diverge much from the (running) average Joe. I committed to run at least one marathon per year until I’m 50; it forces me to remain active and to train otherwise, on race day, the course is kicking me hard. Sweat more in training, bleed less in battle. Oh, I make it through the 42 km because I’m stubborn as a donkey. I mean, last Spring, I ran a marathon (Cornwall) along the St-Lawrence River while the temperature was barely above the freezing point and the side winds were brutally hurting the ears and face. Some runners stopped at the halfway mark, but I kept going. At that moment, I wasn’t sure if anyone else had called it a day, so there was no way I’d be the only “mofo” to quit. Later, both legs said “we’re done” at 32km of the 42. My brain answered “STFU, the truck is 10 km this way, keep doing. There is one way for this to be over and it’s at the finish line”. I completed second to last, but I finished. 4 weeks later, I was half recovered/half trained and I showed up to run the Marathon in Ottawa, my slowest ever but, I crossed the finish line. Coming up, Chicago 2019.
I know I know, you’re not supposed to just somewhat train and go run a marathon, but it works for me. Okay, I need to give more details here. I do train, I run 3-4 times a week, I can go for 21 km on pretty much any given Sunday and be home and still useful for the rest of the day. I tends to runch for 8 km at work, 2-3 times a week, then I try to fit a decent long run over the week-end. Depending on weather and family activities. With young kids, 2 boys (4 and 2), life tends to get in the way of training but as I said once, I probably have a good generic for running doubled with a stubborn mind that makes me go through the hard time that I inflict on myself. I tend to miss a few too many long runs and I get to pay for it on race day.
Future Goals:
I’d like, some day, to run an ultra marathon. I think it might happen at the NYC 60 in Central Park. Not exactly sure on when but we’ll see how that goes. I am obviously chasing the Major six medal. If things go well, I’ll have completed the 3 American races by the end of 2019. I’ll hope to get into London, Tokyo and Berlin over the next few years. I also want to dip my feet into triathlon; I need to get my swimming in line because I am not fluent in speaking bubbles and without that, I can’t really find a rhythm and be able to last for miles.
I guess that’s it. Seems quite ordinary to me. I think I fit quite well in here.
Next races on calendar:
- Montreal Half Marathon: September 22
- Chicago Marathon: October 13