Thrilled Montreal runner fights back tears after beating marathon’s cut-off time

Montreal resident Jean-Luc Gauville came down with a case of the chicken pox the week before the Ottawa marathon. Unsure whether he was going to be able to finish, or even begin the race, the history professor at LaSalle College beat the cut-off time by 15 minutes.

“I’m surprised I managed to recover for this week so I’m very thrilled,” says Gauville.

RELATED: Photos: Ottawa race weekend from Canadian Running’s point of view.

Gauville, who finished the Ottawa marathon for the fifth time on May 29, says that running is helpful when dealing with the stress at work. He came in at the back of the pack finishing next to last in 6:45:36 but was just as satisfied as the other 4,300-plus participants who in front of him.

“This race was a hard one but I’m really lucky that people gave me support including two others who walked with me from the 36K-mark onward,” says Gauville as his son Jacob makes sure he gets some camera time too. “They kept my pace high which made a difference because I was scared I wouldn’t finish on time.”

The Ottawa marathon has a time limit of seven hours. The course opens up to traffic if finishers don’t complete the full 42.2K within the allotted time.

“It’s a beautiful marathon with medium difficulty and they take good care of us,” says Gauville of the Ottawa marathon on a day that was remembered for its hot and humid conditions.

RELATED: VIDEO: Must-see finish at the Ottawa 10K as women’s winner collapses.

Next year, Gauville hopes to complete the Ottawa marathon for the sixth time and lose 30 pounds in the process.