For a few days, The newspaper will present to you the portraits of former glories of their sport who remain as passionate as ever, even if they have now reached the milestone in 70 or even 80 years.
Many cars with 165,000 km on the clock are only good for scrap. This is certainly not the case for Gilles Lamontagne, who continues to run and take part in competitions, he who blew out 81 candles in July.
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There are the less durable models and there are the unbreakable ones. It is to this second category of racing car that Mr. Lamontagne belongs, a racer before the Lord and for whom sneakers do not seem to see the end of the road.
Gilles Lamontagne now has more than 165,000 kilometers in the race to his odometer, at the age of 81. Met in the spring, he poses with his shoes that he has not finished using.
Photo Stevens Leblanc
Going to meet this tireless runner at home, near the Saint-Charles River in Quebec City, is an opportunity not only to discuss his passion, but also to measure the extent of his personal accomplishments.
Since he fell into the pot in 1978, Mr. Lamontagne has carefully kept a written record of all his competitions. He also accumulates each race outing in training, which allows him to affirm without the slightest doubt that the counter is at 165,000 km and that he is still driving.
“My motivation now is to stay healthy. It is also to motivate young people. There are several who follow me on Facebook and who tell me that I am a source of inspiration for them,” he said, with a smile on his face.
like a museum
Over time, Mr. Lamontagne’s home has become a kind of running Ali Baba’s cave. His countless commemorative medals and plaques and other memorabilia are prominently displayed there.
There is much to be proud of for this still active runner who boasts 589 competitions, including 229 marathons. Until 2014, he took part in the prestigious Boston Marathon.
In 2019, he participated in his last marathon in the streets of his city, Quebec. Since then, the pace has slowed, but he still makes sure to get out for a run a few times a week, including 15-18 km runs on Sundays.
Last season, he took part in two 5 km competitions, at Lac-Brome and in Thetford Mines.
“In Thetford, I finished 124e out of 148. At 80, I beat 24. It’s still not worse!” he joked in a burst of laughter.
No excuses
By the way, Mr. Lamontagne is proud to have introduced several people to running. A former neighbor, his nephew, his son and several others follow in the wake.
“My nephew tells me that he printed a picture of me and that when he doesn’t feel like going out for a run, he looks at my picture to motivate himself,” he said.
Moreover, ordinary mortals sometimes come to develop expertise in the art of dodging training. This is an attitude that Gilles Lamontagne deplores.
“It’s easy to say, ‘I don’t have time!’ Why first, when I run along the river, do I see women running with two young children in the stroller? If there are any who should run out of time, it is these women,” he argued.
Final in beauty
When he started his 229e marathon in Quebec, in October 2019, the imperturbable runner had promised himself that he would go to 230, to celebrate his 80th birthday.
The pandemic has slowed his momentum, but he does not prevent himself from running and he believes that his last marathon allowed him to finish in style on this legendary distance of 42.2 km.
“I really wanted to go to 230, but all the training volume for a marathon, it’s really not easy at my age. I prefer to still have fun running, that’s what matters most.
“At the end of my last marathon, there were around 30 people who embarked on the course towards the end to finish with me. Talk about a beautiful memory! Basically, I can’t ask for better.”
Gilles Lamontagne
- 80 years old
- Racing debut: 1978
- Personal best of 2:51:57 at the Montreal Marathon (1983)
- 33 participations in the Ottawa Marathon
- 20 participations in the Quebec City Marathon
- 9 participations in the Boston Marathon
- What keeps him passionate: “Even a little competition is good and I also like the social side. I can no longer count the number of beautiful encounters I have made during racing competitions.
- Tip for staying active: “It’s no secret, you have to kick your ass! It doesn’t tell us that all the time, but when you come back afterwards, it’s even more satisfying.”