You spin me right round

Winter can bring winter blues to anyone and for runners the cold weather and often few dreary hours of daylight make getting out for a run difficult. Slipping on endless layers of clothing, checking the wind chill and snowy or icy footing makes Canadian winters a running challenge.

On a winter day in Ottawa Luc Desjardins braved not the cold but the daunting 104 laps needed to complete the indoor marathon he had signed up for.

Luc Desjardins
Luc is a 41 year-old Quebec runner, short in stature, with a ready smile and a fast turnover. He also brings a quick and steady flow of conversation on a run. I was signed up for another attempt to complete an indoor marathon despite a tough winter and creaky joints, but I was game. The morning dawned and I was on the line with Luc, a friend and a few crazy others.

Luc I did not meet until we really got rolling and settled into a pace that hovered at or just under 3-hour pace for the marathon. A friendly conversation (en francais) sprang up among three of us and we spent many laps in camaraderie.

I got 52 laps of Ottawa’s Louis Riel (400m indoor track) in before calling it a day and collecting my friend who also found 21k indoors was enough. Luc kept going and put in an impressive run of 3:05:42.57; a time that would qualify for the Boston marathon.

This is Luc’s story.

Luc says he has been a runner since the young age of 7 in 1980 and ran his first marathon in Montreal at the age of 16 in 3:30! He kept running and ran his best marathon at age 20 in 2:51.It has been many years since Luc was 20 and he is now an older though still fit, recently divorced runner.

What made you decide to run an indoor marathon?

“I decided to run the indoor marathon for personal reasons. It has been a bit more than a year since I have been dealing with leg problems stemming from my personal problems. I could hardly walk. I was depressed. Running has put me back on the right path. I have begun to live again. This race gave me back my confidence. In addition, a special shop (Jogx) (that also sponsored the race) approached me and asked me to manage their store in Quebec. I start in 2 weeks.”

What was the easiest and hardest part of running an indoor marathon?

“The easiest part for me in this marathon was the mental aspect. In the month of December I often ran on my treadmill. I often do 20km on the treadmill. Sometimes two times a day. I ran 666km in December. My biggest week was 182km. I push my limits. Nothing can stop my joy of running. I become at peace with myself and life.”

“The hardest part for me during the indoor race was not knowing my pace. I was missing my GPS and music.”

What are your goals for 2013?

“My goal in 2013 is a 100km race in Montreal (where Luc and I realized we met last year). I stopped at 70km (the author stopped at 50km). After 50km I was alone and without a watch. This time I want to finish regardless of time. I also plan to run with some friends.”

Luc spends his time when not racing training in St-Eustache which is near Laval and Montréal. When not on his feet he spends time with his four kids and his partner.

Braving winter is what makes us Canucks but it is always nice to put the shorts on for a run and not be on a treadmill! Run on Luc and good luck in 2013.

Do you have a running story worth sharing?

legsnlungs@hotmail.com

See you on the roads or in the blogosphere.

Indoor marathons in Canada

There are indoor track races in Canada but few indoor races of 10k or longer. In the past indoor races were the rage, with runners completing endless laps on wooden tracks with huge crowds watching the spectacle.

Steve Moisan – the brainchild behind the indoor race series in Montreal and Ottawa keeps expanding the series and it seems to keep improving and attracting more runners.

“Next year we will be present in at least 4 cities. We are going to Rimouski (east of Quebec), in addition of Ottawa, Montréal and Sherbrooke. I hope we then be able to raise more than 1000$ for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (amount raised for the past indoor races).”

To learn more contact Steve Moisan at Stevemoisan@yahoo.com