On May 5, 72-year-old Régis Gagnon from Vaudreuil-Dorion achieved quite a feat: he completed the Toronto Marathon in 4 hours 34 minutes. Interview with this inspiring man, who still works 30 hours a week and keeps fit and healthy every day. 

By his own admission, Mr. Gagnon didn't run the marathon - a distance of 42 kilometers - overnight. “I started with the basics. Friends showed me how to run. You also need a good dose of self-confidence and good organization. You have to be disciplined, stick to your schedule and follow your coaches' instructions to the letter. I've also been able to count on the support of an exceptional coach, Claude David, at the Centre Multisports André-Chagnon, who recently received the Lieutenant-Governor's medal for seniors. He's been a great guide for me,” says the septuagenarian.

Régis Gagnon was also introduced to cycling by Michel Lacerte, a former physical education teacher at Cité-des-Jeunes high school.“We took part in several competitions together. Then he changed careers.As for me, I switched from cycling to running.I've always been very active physically.I've tried lots of sports in my life.It's gradual.You start with the first 5 km, then 10 km, then 21 km and finally 42.I was also inspired by my friends Nicolas and Chantal who, one day, arrived with a medal around their neck.” 

In his youth, Régis Gagnon ran with Alain Bordeleau, founding president of the P'tit Train du Nord marathon. “He, too, was a great motivator.”   

An unforgettable experience 

While friends and acquaintances of his will be taking part in marathons in Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver and even Boston this year, it was to Ontario's capital that Régis Gagnon decided to head by train on May 3. “I was ready, both in terms of my legs and my self-confidence. 

At his side was another of his guides: his wife Louise. “When we met, she wasn't into sports. Now, she follows me everywhere and does quite a lot of all the disciplines. As usual, she was at the finish line to encourage me and give me the push I needed to finish my marathon. She also took part in the half-marathon, which she ran in 2 hours 05 minutes. "

A lover of metaphors, Régis Gagnon compares his body, in preparation for a marathon, to a boat coming into port. “For it to be a success, everything has to be perfect. Whether it's the crew, the food or the sleep. It also takes experience, because you run into difficulties around kilometers 33-36.”

The most important thing? Having fun. “On marathon day, you meet lots of people from all over, you chat with other runners and you experience exceptional things. You can share your difficulties with them, because they understand you.”  

If he took the start on May 5, that might not have been the case. “I was injured three weeks before the start during a training session. I sprained my ankle. It was difficult to heal, but I was able to take the start as planned.” 

At 5:20 a.m. that day, Régis Gagnon boarded a public bus from Toronto to head 12 km down the road to the start of his race. “On the way, I talked to a homeless man. It was raining and 5 degrees. I admit I wondered at the time what I was doing there. Then I met two Mexicans waiting to get into a place to warm up. Then I met Laura, a French woman with whom I also chatted.”

What was his finest moment? “It's the encounters we make on site. It's worth more than the medal at the end. I hugged a little boy who was on the edge of the course. I still had 18 km to go. It was undoubtedly the end of the course that I did to the cheers and applause of the crowd, people I didn't know. There were still 3 km to go. We were running on a bike path with people on either side cheering us on. I clapped everyone's hands all the way to the finish line. My official time was 4 hours 34 minutes. If I hadn't taken my time at the end, I could have done 4h or 4h05, but I wouldn't have had such a great time.”  

For Mr. Gagnon, overcoming a marathon requires you to reach deep inside yourself. “It requires you to access emotions that are buried deep inside you, emotions that you sometimes access in your life during certain trials such as a separation or other event. You can reach the bottom of the barrel, but you can also climb out,” confides the father of three, who still works in the refrigeration sector alongside his son. 

To illustrate his point, he recalls an ordeal at the Boston Marathon in 2018. “This year, I had qualified to take part by clocking 3 hours 50 minutes at the Ottawa Marathon. I thought, why not take part? That day, it was really cold, windy and hailing. So much so, that at km 28, I had to go into a special room to warm up because I was shivering. I couldn't take my water bottle anymore because I was so cold. I had to drink hot water and be wrapped in a warm blanket. "

Nevertheless, he describes the experience as extraordinary. “There were 42 of us runners from Montreal who got on a bus together. By the end, everyone knew everyone else. We ran in rain and shine. The human body is truly an impressive machine. There's nothing to stop it. It gives you the energy you need at the right time, and allows you to persevere through thick and thin.”  

In addition to discovering beautiful landscapes during marathons, Régis Gagnon is always pleased by the encounters he makes along the way. “We don't forget the hugs exchanged, the warm verbal emotions we experience during the marathon.” 

Looking after yourself and others 

As well as keeping fit to see his grandchildren grow up, Régis Gagnon also does his bit for his fellow man. Every week, he visits a 98-year-old woman who lives in his Dorval home. “I took her on a Caribbean cruise in the past and we had a lot of fun. We left from Miami. I try to make her life more pleasant with the help of the women who look after them, Louise, Édith and Suzanne, thanks to whom she can remain at home.” 

Finally, what project will keep Régis Gagnon busy in the coming months? Bike rides, lots of bike rides. “I've joined the Club de course du Suroît and I'm planning to get back on my bike soon. I'd given it up a bit for running after an accident. I did a 40-kilometre ride today and that's just the beginning. I'd like to do a half-marathon on my bike soon.” 

As the owner of the world's greatest asset, health, Régis Gagnon hopes to have it for a long time to come, so that he can enjoy many more wonderful adventures. “You reap what you sow,” he concludes.