Eden Dubuc
Eden Dubuc was no longer able to walk after suffering a serious Achilles tendon injury. He defied medical predictions by training to eventually compete in an ultra race in Martinique. PHOTO PROVIDED BY EDEN DUBUC
46 years old – South Shore of Montreal
Inventor and industrial designer
· TransMartinique 2023
For what?
“Four months before the race, the decision was made on a whim to accompany his accomplice and complete an extreme test.”
After emergency surgery to repair his Achilles heel in December 2019, doctors warned Eden Dubuc that he would never be able to walk or play hockey again. It was very little to know this persistent man who was determined to lie the predictions.
But a stupid accident during a family trip to Costa Rica changed his life at the age of 42: During a wild game of table tennis, he slipped on a puddle of soft drinks on the floor.
“Let’s just say it wasn’t my moment of glory,” says the industrial designer and inventor, laughing heartily as he tells his story to the Journal. It was really bad luck.”
Wonderful plan
He followed his instincts and decided to pursue his passions and began working with expert rehabilitation plans. Not without making his situation worse and experiencing other frustrations.
But as the pandemic continued for months, he managed to keep his head above water and regain mobility in his foot. And he could walk again.
Less than three years after his surgery, he put on his sneakers for two endurance events in Quebec. He took part in the Quebec Mégatrail and ran 80 km on the routes of Charlevoix. He then responded easily with 65km on the Harricana Ultratrail.
Then there was another setback last summer when he lost his job at General Electric after 25 years of service. However, the shock opens his eyes and he decides to prepare late four months later for an extreme endurance test to accompany a friend.
The TransMartinique. A super challenging 130km trail race on the small French island of the Antilles. The fastest riders benefit from optimal track conditions through the mountains, the jungle and the beaches. The middle of the peloton suffers more from the oppressive heat of the tropics.
The Transmartinique endurance race is said to place a high strain on the human body due to the climatic conditions and the routes. Participants climb mountains, navigate jungle trails and circle beaches. PHOTO PROVIDED BY EDEN DUBUC
Total exploration
“I really wanted to do extreme racing. I found out about the test. The photos were so beautiful. “So I hired a trainer to help me with my nutrition, energy management and training,” he says, before recapping his grueling 40-hour and 45-minute experience.
“You start running at midnight when it's 28°C. When you climb into the mountains it gets wet and unsettled. You reach the summit of Mount Pelee at almost 1400 m and it hardly snows. Martinique is all around you. I didn't expect that at all.
“And you go down into the jungle, the sugar cane and banana plantations, both feet in the mud under the palm trees,” he continues passionately. You pace up and down so often. They also walk along the beach. The sun is burning, it's hot. But it’s the best experience because you get to explore the whole island and see so many different landscapes.”
Eden Dubuc was no longer able to walk after suffering a serious Achilles tendon injury. He defied medical predictions by training to eventually compete in an ultra race in Martinique. PHOTO PROVIDED BY EDEN DUBUC
“Few Power nap»
However, a similar long-distance race presents some challenges. Among other things, avoid tearing your Achilles tendon again on bumpy paths. He also learned to manage his energy reserves and adapt. The 46-year-old runner also says he slept 15 minutes in 48 hours and revised his goals. He believed he could reach the finish line in 36 hours.
Eden Dubuc stayed with his racing partner Catherine Dion throughout the TransMartinique event. Quebecers take advantage of a rare break to grab a few bites during the more than 130 km journey. PHOTO PROVIDED BY EDEN DUBUC
“We notice that we are not punctual at all. You need to know how to control your body and its boundaries and let go of fleeting times. You have to stay humble, keep going and persevere, explains the man who never thought of giving up.
This extreme ordeal not only thwarted the doctors' predictions made four years earlier on Christmas Day, but also allowed him to think rationally and be happier. Contrary to all medical predictions that came in at the end of 2019, he runs and plays hockey every week.
140 kilometers later they reach Club Med
The picture says more than a thousand words. After crossing the finish line after 133km and almost 41 hours of intense, dirty and sticky effort, Eden Dubuc and Catherine Dion added a short kilometer to check in at the counter of… Club Med!
As a bonus, not just anyone. One of the most beautiful in the Caribbean. They definitely needed the white sandy beach and the turquoise sea to relax and unwind.
The village of Club Med Les Boucaniers on Martinique in the West Indies. Screenshot CLUBMED.CA
“That was planned. We had to seize the moment and the place,” says Dubuc.
“But what wasn’t planned was arriving dirty, covered in mud and completely exhausted,” he laughs. People were shocked when they saw us. Holidaymakers came with our medal around their necks to congratulate us on passing the exam. Others appeared haughty or showed disgust.”
The two athletes didn't bother each other either. After all, they had paid for their stay.
Eden Dubuc was no longer able to walk after suffering a serious Achilles tendon injury. He defied medical predictions by training to eventually compete in an ultra race in Martinique with his racing partner Catherine Dion. PHOTO PROVIDED BY EDEN DUBUC
It took Dubuc three weeks to recover from one of the world's toughest events, which left many participants injured. The success rate is around 70%.
He returned to his Pelicans running club in Montreal to end the year in style and stop his clock at 1,800 km in 2023. This is the distance between Montreal and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
Not bad for a guy who wasn't supposed to be running anymore.