It's not my fault

L’obsession d'un coureur avec l’heure version française disponible ici

It’s not my fault. It’s never been my fault. I started out as your typical bookworm/geek and was quite content to remain so. The hardest exercise I had ever done as a kid is bike from Moncton to Shediac to go to the beach and “almost back” the same day.

It’s all Igor’s fault. November 1998… I’m 32 years old. He is telling me he signed up to run the New York City Marathon. I tell him he is crazy but I’ve never been to NYC so I follow thinking I’ll be there to see the city and to scream for 10 seconds “Go Igor Go”.

Now at the race expo where he picks up his race number, we see one of the runners, Sam Gadless. Sam is 90 years old. He is running the marathon with his son and grand-son. He says to anyone listening. “If I can complete a marathon, anyone can.” It’s all Sam’s fault. An idea begins to percolate in my brain. I dismiss it as insane.

At the pre-race meal, we hear the story of  Zoe Koplowitz. In 1998, Zoe’s completed at least 10 NYC marathons… all of them in last place. She completes the race on crutches. It takes her on average 30 hours to complete the 26 mile (42 km) race. Zoe lives with the challenges of multiple sclerosis and diabetes. It’s all Zoe’s fault. The idea is back.

Race day, I’m at mile 17. I’m seeing people walk, run stagger by. Finally I see Igor. He looks like hell. I scream… he sees me and his face lights up. I give him a high five he continues to jog up 5^th avenue with what appears to be a faster speed. I cut across Central Park to catch him at the finish line. I see people cross the finish line with the craziest look of elation and pain I have ever seen. Finally Igor crosses the line. He looks just the same as all these other folks… some kind of mix of pain and pleasure. It’s all their fault. This idea will not go away.

A few days later, I make it home. I see the park in front of my house. I put on my sneakers and shorts. It is 1 km around the park. I stop and walk 5 times but I make it around once. The next day, I only walk twice. The third… I jog around the park once… without stopping. I have no idea what to do next. It’s all Art Liberman’s fault. I found his website on “State of the Art Marathon Training”. Everything was in there. Next thing you know, I sign up and am accepted for the NYC marathon and in November 1999, I complete it. I complete 4 other marathons and after finally getting my sub 4 hour marathon in August 2001. I stop running.

June 2009… 8 years later I weight 215 pounds. It’s all Pascal’s fault. He’s been talking about doing the Montreal half-marathon. I’ve been giving him training advice, hints & websites to complete his goal. Next thing you know, I have my sneakers on and I’m training and complete the half-marathon in September. At the finish line, Pascal mentions the full marathon next year. It’s all his fault.

September 2010, my knee is hurt. I’ve over-trained. No marathon for me. I’ve been at rest for a few weeks. I see an article about “Étudiants dans la course” (Students on the run). Students from ‘problem’ schools have completed the 2010 Montreal Marathon. I email asking if they are doing again and next thing you know I’m a mentor training with the students to finish the 2011 Montreal Marathon. It’s all EDLC’s fault.

May 2011, a group of mentors are going to Ottawa to run the marathon. I still have doubts about being able to complete the Montreal Marathon so why not go to Ottawa? It’s all their fault. I finish the marathon all smiles and pain.

François mentions the crazy idea of doing an ULTRA marathon. Technically the definition of an ultra is any race above the 42.2 km. Now I’ve seen websites for 50 km races and thought well… that’s not a real ultra… 50 MILES (80 km) is a real ultra but that’s insane. I found a beautiful website announcing “The Limberlost Challenge” July 2011, 56 km … Hmmmm… 14 km more than a marathon… ok… that’s a good step.  “Hey François, look at this website.”   His answer, “Are we doing it?”  It’s all François’ fault.

The Limberlost describes itself at a “technical trail with rolling hills”. For those who do not speak trail runner, I have now learned that this translates to “Frikkin hard!!” or simply “Ouch!!” Next thing I know, the four comrades in sweat, Donald, François, Yves and I are on our way to Muskoka Ontario. We had no idea what we were in for. Well… except for Donald, but he kept quiet so we’d learn for ourselves. Boy did we ever. 

Yves finished 28 km in 3:58:07. Donald finished 56 km in 7:12:18. Somehow, 9 hours 30 minutes later, I finished the 56 km, just followed by François with just under 9 hours and 45.

I am now an Ultra Trail Runner and I just want to keep running new trails and new distances and it’s not my fault. 

Addendum: August 2011, Yves wanted to create a blog for his writings.  I told him it was so easy a dead jellyfish could do it so he shouldn't have too much trouble. He wanted me to help with blogging so I figured I might as well see if it's really that easy. Looks like it is... so it's all Yves' fault.