When she completes the 10-kilometer distance at the Beneva Montreal Marathon on Saturday, Julie Châtelain will be able to say that the starting line for her event was much further away.
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“I come from far away. I’m rebuilding. I didn’t think it would take this long. I have after-effects in my body and I’m not in good shape yet,” explains the 40-year-old, who has lost her eyesight in recent years.
TOMA ICZKOVITS
In telling her story, three important words were spoken: persistence, determination and resilience. Since he is an avid runner, the events of spring 2019 abruptly slowed his training excursions.
“Between April 2019 and December 2020, I had seven eye surgeries. In the end the whole thing was taken away from me. I spent a year and a half recovering. “I lost all my muscle mass and had an anorexic body, even though I’m not,” she explains.
A judgment
Due to a congenital malformation, Julie Châtelain has always lived with very high myopia. However, around the age of 30, the situation worsened.
TOMA ICZKOVITS
“I had regular check-ups and was told I might be blind. I knew it when I was little. Then I was diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration. It felt like my eyes were aging. »
Despite frequent injections and multiple surgeries, reality hit him hard.
“My eye was so big that there was nothing left to do. They can’t operate on me anymore. It was horribly ugly. I currently also have a myopia of -35 in the other eye with parts of the visual field where it is dead,” she explains as calmly as possible.
To overcome the obstacles of daily life, Julie changed her habits as much as possible. Braille will soon be of great use for his work. “I have a cane, use adapted transport and am waiting to have a guide dog too. »
Still standing
Running has also become an ally. On Saturday she needs a guide on her left on the Montreal route.
Together, the two participants hold a rubber band several tens of centimeters long at each end. This system prevents sudden shocks. The marked route and the closed roads also benefit the athlete. The duo recently tried the experiment near Jarry Park and the result was pretty conclusive.
TOMA ICZKOVITS
“I don’t have a time goal. I spent a year and a half in bed. It’s simply about growing beyond yourself. This is important in my process. I like the feeling that I can still run. I don’t think I’ll sleep particularly well the night before! I’m not physically ready yet, but that won’t stop me. »
The 31st edition of the Beneva Montreal Marathon will take place from September 22nd to 24th, 2023. More than 20,000 participants are expected. On Sunday, runners for the half marathon and marathon will set off from the island of Sainte-Hélène to finish at the Olympic Stadium.