“Congratulations Claude Lagueux! […] You have earned a spot on the Canadian Age Group Team for the 2023 World Sprint & Relay Triathlon Championships.”
Posted at 5:00 a.m.
This excerpt is taken from a letter recently received by Mr. Lagueux. At the very top is the Triathlon Canada logo.
“I was so pissed off! exclaims the Bromontois at the end of the line. For two days, I said to myself: “It can’t be, it’s not me, it’s impossible!” I find it hard to believe it. I have no words. »
It’s that Mr. Lagueux is 70 years old. And his “crazy adventure”, as he calls it, only started a few years ago…
At 62, Mr. Lagueux retired and decided to start walking with his dog Gucci on the bike path behind his home. Out of curiosity, he tried to run, but after 20 meters he realized that he was not in good shape.
“So, I quietly started to train outside, in secret if you like, because it bothered me a little not to be in very good condition! »
PHOTO PROVIDED BY CLAUDE LAGUEUX
Claude Lagueux will participate in the next Sprint and Relay Triathlon World Championships.
One morning, he came across a report by The Press about a group of older people who practiced tennis, running or swimming. “It impressed me. I said, “There’s nothing impossible, I’ll get to it.” »
Gradually, Mr. Lagueux started running with Gucci. Then, he joined a cani-cross club – cross-country with a dog – until he took part in three competitions.
The septuagenarian then decided to run without his faithful companion. “Because there, we can no longer put the blame on the dog if we don’t perform well! »
Accompanied by his son-in-law Mario Foucault, he first covered 5 km. Then 10. After two years, Mr. Foucault, who had somehow become his coach, invited him to do the Montreal half-marathon with him.
“It was enough effort and preparation, remembers Mr. Lagueux. It took me a good year. It’s still not easy. I had to train regularly, but I did it with enthusiasm because I have a lot of fun in the process. »
From running to triathlon
A few weeks after his first half-marathon, Mr. Lagueux injured his ankle. Forced to stop running, he was “a bit unhappy”. So he tried swimming, then cycling; two sports that did not cause him pain. As he is not used to doing things by halves, he took part in various cycling competitions, such as the Gran Fondo des Cantons-de-l’Est.
Now that he cycled diligently and swam, Mr. Lagueux got back to his first passion, racing. “That’s when someone said to me, ‘Maybe you should do a triathlon!’ “, he relates in a sympathetic laugh.
Accompanied by his mentor Daniel Habel, Mr. Lagueux began a long preparation for the 2020 Montreal Spirit Triathlon. He showed great discipline. Mr. Habel also had to warn him not to push too hard to avoid injury.
In fact, Mr. Lagueux made all the rookie mistakes, he says. “When you do a triathlon like that, you have to have energy bars. Me, I had prepared a small lunch with a sandwich. Mario said to me: “Come on, you’re not going to have lunch. You’re going for a run. Take it all away!” »
Several times during the interview, the 70-year-old man repeats, as if to warn us, that he is “an amateur” and not “a real pro”. “But it amuses me, all that! “, he adds.
The letter
Over the past three years, Mr. Lagueux has completed three sprint triathlons and one Olympic. “I may be a bit slow, but that doesn’t bother me. I do it with pleasure,” he breathes.
On July 17, he decided to register for the Memphremagog triathlon, a qualifying race for the Canadian team. Mostly for fun, as usual. Except that he finally received the letter telling him that he can claim a place in the 70-74 age group for the next Sprint and Relay Triathlon World Championships, which will take place in Hamburg, Germany, from 13 to 16 July 2023.
“I feel like I’ve accomplished something, gotten somewhere. Often, it is said that a goal gives meaning to life. Me, I had an objective and it was to participate. »
PHOTO PROVIDED BY CLAUDE LAGUEUX
“Yes, it’s doable to play sports even if you’re 70,” says Claude Lagueux.
Mr. Lagueux confirmed his presence at the Worlds, after hesitating to take part due to various factors that came into play, such as costs and the preparation, which will be even greater than usual.
“At 70, I have to be careful not to hurt myself,” he recalls. […] I have to be constant, regular, that my distances and my concentration are there. I have a physical, psychological, technical and tactical preparation. »
By telling his story, Mr. Lagueux wishes above all to convey a message: “Yes, it is possible to play sports even if you are 70 years old. »
Moreover, when asked if he has other goals in sport, the septuagenarian laughs frankly and contagiously.
” Not really ! he exclaims. I started this so much for fun. I relied a lot on my intuition. I also have to respect my body, which has given me a lot over the past eight years. If I’m able to go up[aux Mondiaux], that would be amazing. But I didn’t see any further, except to stay healthy as long as possible. »
It all starts there, really.