In Montreal, the journalist Louis-Philippe Messier is mainly on the run, with his office in his backpack, looking for fascinating topics and people. He speaks to everyone and is interested in all areas of life in this city chronicle
Despite the freezing rain, a hundred runners gathered at the foot of Mount Royal on Monday morning to draw the numbers 2-0-2-3 together using GPS in the surrounding streets.
“I was planning to hit the gym this morning but this trip was a better symbol to start the year! Isabelle Champagne told me.
“It’s funny to see that it actually tracks the numbers with the GPS,” laughed Cartierville’s Sondy Jean-Baptiste.
His friend Jehu Sanon from Laval got up early for the event announced by Facebook group Course in Montreal.
“In order to clearly delimit certain numbers, you have to retrace your steps,” explains Laurent Caudrelier, the main organizer, of the distance of almost 13 km in the district.
“The upper part of the second 2 you have to ride back and forth completely, so the kilometers add up quickly. »
Fifth Edition
This is the fifth year that Mr. Caudrelier has ‘tracked’ the year in this way, but it is the first time he has publicly announced the invitation… and that it has attracted many people!
Screenshot provided by Laurent Caudrelier
The merged GPS track of all runners who ran number 2023 between streets Parc and Papineau on the sides and Saint-Joseph and Rachel above and below.
He chose the Plateau because of the (relatively) square geometry of the streets, which allows for numbers similar to those on a digital clock face between Avenue du Parc, Rue Papineau, Boulevard Saint-Joseph and, as “Etage”, Rue Rachel.
administration
“I finished the race making sure not to lose anyone,” Marilu Cruz, an organizer, told me.
At the back of the pack, she wished all passers-by a Happy New Year.
Photo Louis Philippe Messier
The success of the event led to a rush of runners to the crossings.
“I made sure things were going well at the intersections,” Natalia Calderone, who helped discipline the crowd, told me.
As it was a public holiday, the streets were unusually quiet.
Drivers honked their horns to encourage runners.
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