3 MARATHONS IN 22 DAYS: THE INS AND OUTS

One marathon is 42.2 km. I ran my first marathon in 2018, and my second in 2019. I managed to stay active during the pandemic, but didn’t run any additional races; the longest distance I ran post-2019 was 15 km.

Over a 22-day period in September and October of this year, I ran three marathons to promote a philanthropic cause that is near and dear to my heart.

Running three marathons (a total of 126.6 km) within this time period was ambitious (and a little crazy), but I was convinced I could achieve my goal if I had an appropriate plan and sufficient support. Hiring Phaedra Kennedy (coach PK for short) to be my coach in November of 2021 was the turning point where I solidified my ambitions into reality.

GETTING READY, ONE STEP AT A TIME

In the month preceding the first race in this trilogy, my life could be summarized in four words: run, work, eat, and sleep. I ran hills under the pouring rain and spent my Saturdays running twice a day. I kept reminding myself of the purpose of the project: pushing my physical and mental limits to raise money for eye disease research.

My year in numbers:

- 240 hours of running for a total distance of 2,100 km🏃🏻‍♀️

- 70+ hours of weightlifting 🏋🏻

- 50+ hours of yoga 🧘🏻

The year flew by, and my first race day arrived in the blink of an eye. After all that work, I felt ready to tackle this challenge.

MONTRÉAL, SEPTEMBER 25, 2022 – MARATHON #1

My alarm rang at 4:00 AM. Time to get up! I couldn’t believe this day had arrived. I was excited and optimistic.

My pace was faster than I planned for the first 10 km but it felt comfortable. 20 km in, I was really tempted to speed-up and try to run a personal best (PB). I had to constantly remind myself to slow down if I wanted to be able to run the most difficult marathon of the three only one week later. I slowly and comfortably crossed the 20 km, 30 km and 40 km checkpoints with a big smile on my face. I gave it a last push, and just like that, the first marathon was in the books.

I was so happy. Happy I successfully completed the first one, and even happier that I was able to do so while still feeling good, and confident that I could recover quickly in time for the next one. It was now time to eat a big meal and head to Québec City!

Final time: 5 hours 9 minutes

QUÉBEC CITY, OCTOBER 2, 2022 - MARATHON #2

The first two marathons I completed back in 2018 and 2019 were both in Quebec City. I knew what to expect: hills, more hills, and pain. I must admit that despite the course difficulty, Quebec City was the marathon I was most excited to complete (especially since all my friends were there to support me).

8:15 am - Start time! I was all smiles and pumped up.

Here comes the big hill just past the 12 km mark; easy breezy. Just keep moving forward, I told myself.

From the 10th km to the 20th, I had so much fun! The weather was perfect, the ambiance was great, and the city was beautiful. Seeing my friends and family cheer me on gave me a boost of energy and I felt blessed to be alive and have them in my life.

At the 22 km mark, I started hitting a wall. My internal dialogue went into overdrive. “How the hell am I going to finish this? I’m just halfway there! Maybe I can walk a little. No, you’re not walking, but you can slow down”. I slowed down, but I never walked or stopped.

Three km later, I was still going but the time was passing by so slowly. For approximately 5 km, there was absolutely no one around me. I was mentally tired. My father started running a little bit with me and said: “They are talking about you on the radio right now in Montreal!” That’s all I needed to keep going. I set a goal for myself, and I told people about my goal. I am going to achieve that goal.

It was a struggle until the end (as you can see from the photos). The support I received made all the difference.

Quebec was (by far) my favorite marathon of the three. Crossing that finish line also meant the hardest part of the challenge was behind me.

Final time: 5 hours 13 minutes

TORONTO, OCTOBER 16, 2022 - MARATHON #3

Winning formula for recovery: one massage, one physiotherapy appointment, a big meal, and lots of sleep!

I was nervous the night before. I couldn't believe it was the last one. Part of me just couldn’t wait to get it done and over with. The next morning, my alarm rang at 4:00 am. Time to get up! No more stress, just excitement. I found my starting position in the crowd of runners, turned on my music and got ready. I wanted to finish strong.

The atmosphere was great; I could feel the energy from everyone at the cheer stations. At the 10 km mark, the sun was peeking through the clouds and coach PK was cheering me on from the sidelines. This gave me a big boost of energy!

I eased into the next 10 km with the help of my family members who were cheering me on (they flew to Toronto from Quebec to support me during my last race). Then my legs started burning; I was getting tired. I also remembered that the wall I hit exactly two weeks before was hitting once again at the exact same time. Thinking about this didn't help me; the marathon was getting harder and harder.

Between the 20th and 28th km I was torn between deciding to make a porta-potty pitstop or pushing through until the end without drinking more water. Obviously, the latter was not a smart idea, so I chose the first option. I was soon ready for a fresh start to finish on a good note.

Running on flat ground and in a straight line might be easier than hills and turns, but at this point, I felt bored, tired, and ready for this gruelling experience to be over. I started focusing on my breath, and this helped me find a positive mindset once again.

Only one km to go, and my sister is there next to me, yelling at the top of her lungs: “You can do it! You are almost there!” I just wanted to be done NOW. She helped me find my last reserve of strength and energy to accelerate and cross the finish line. Marathon #3 was DONE!

Final time: 5 hours 6 minutes

What an adventure! Running long distances is not always fun; at times, it is painful and discouraging. However, regardless of how hard it feels, it is so gratifying once you cross the finish line.

Those marathons felt different than my first attempts at long-distance running. I am proud of all the time, work, and energy I dedicated to this project. I was especially proud of my discipline in preparation for this challenge. Raising money for the Eye Disease Foundation was an incredible source of motivation on a daily basis.

SUPPORT IS EVERYTHING

Coach PK: thank you for building my training program and supporting me from start to finish.

When I registered for the three races, I thought my body would be falling apart by the end of the project. Not only did I not get injured throughout the process, but I actually feel stronger and better than ever before.

Thank you!

To all my friends and family who came to cheer me on: you are the reason I accomplished my goal. Your energy and love meant the world to me during my races. This project was a good reminder of how lucky and blessed I am to have you all in my life.

Finally, to everyone who contributed to the project with a donation and encouragement, thank you! My proudest accomplishment is not the marathons. I was able to get out of my comfort zone and raise awareness for a cause that is important to me. This generosity and support is what warms my heart the most.

Stay tuned, we will announce the amount raised for the Eye Disease Foundation at the end of November!