Beauceron Simon Leblanc will undoubtedly deserve a triumphant reception when he performs in front of his students at Deux-Rives primary school in Saint-Georges. A reception that will bring back the emotions you had when you crossed the finish line in second place at the Beneva Montreal Marathon on Sunday.
“It exceeded my expectations, I am in seventh heaven to finish in second place, I couldn’t ask for anything better,” commented the teacher from Saint-Prosper in Beauce.
• Also read: Man had to receive a heart massage at the end of the half marathon
• Also read: Félix suffered from Down syndrome and won his race
The 32-year-old athlete struggled to hold back tears as he thought of the people in his village who had always supported him in his sporting career.
“The people of Beauce appreciate me very much, I bow to them because without them I would not be at the level I am at,” estimated the man who covered the 42.195 kilometers in 2 hours and 23 minutes. and 52 seconds.
Only Kenyan Felex Cheruiyot Rop (2:23.20) was ahead of him, while his compatriot Monicah Cheruto (2:53.47) took victory in the women’s event.
Just a 2nd marathon
The feat is not trivial for Leblanc, as he was only competing in his second marathon in his life after the one in Ottawa last May. Previously, he had been involved in athletics and triathlon at university level, among other things.
In addition to the people of his home region, he also praised the contribution of his roommate Stéphanie Filion, who in turn ran the half marathon in 1:29:18 hours, securing eighth place out of 3,073 women over this distance.
Stéphanie Filion and Simon Leblanc MARIO BEAUREGARD/AGENCE QMI
“Stéphanie is a person with a lot of enthusiasm, she has a lot of energy, you could say,” said Leblanc, who divides her life between Beauce, Quebec City and Mont Sainte-Anne. She’s often the one who kicks my ass on the way back from work so I can go for a run. And with her it’s never really an easy workout. You can’t go out and run 4 minutes and 30 seconds per mile just for fun. She is a roommate who gives energy and whose good mood is contagious.”
Inspire young people
Leblanc now hopes his finding will inspire younger people, including his students who teach advanced English to sixth grade. He is also involved in physical education classes and runs a running club.
“Elite sport can end up damaging the body, but above all it strengthens the mind,” he noted, admitting that he ran despite various injuries. It forces us to push our own boundaries. I did that today (Sunday), but so did several people who came here over the weekend to run, be it the 5K or the 42K. The person who ran a 10K for the first time is just as hot as the person who runs the marathon. The most important thing is to grow beyond yourself.”
An allusion to Félix
In this regard, we cannot ignore the performance of Félix Bégin-Hétu, who completed the 10km race on Saturday. The latter wore starting number 321 and also offered a lesson on inclusion as he suffers from Down syndrome.
Félix Bégin-Hétu (center) with his big brother Vincent and his father Sylvain. Benoît Rioux / Le Journal de Montréal
“I won my race,” Bégin-Hétu said proudly after running for more than 90 minutes alongside his father Sylvain and big brother Vincent.