More than 1,000 runners braved the winter chill to participate in Ottawa’s only winter marathon, the Winterman, last Sunday.
This was the marathon’s second coldest year, according to organizers of the event. Yet the -16 degree weather didn’t deter the runners, who were prepared for the cold.
The marathon is an official Winterlude event and aims to help runners stay fit through the winter.
Pedneault adopted running six years ago as well, as a healthier way of commuting to work. He had heard of the new marathon and decided enter. He’s run every Winterman since.
Running an outdoor marathon in Ottawa during the winter does come with some risks. Luc Levesque, also a runner, froze his foot during last year’s marathon.
“Last year, a volunteer put salt on some ice patches on the road. I noticed it but during the race I was passing a slow runner and stepped on the slush. A few minutes later my left foot was frozen,” Levesque says.
But he didn’t let that ruin his race.
“There was pain but it didn’t matter. I wanted to finish it,” he says. “I was aiming for three hours 45 minutes but ended up only doing three hours 53 minutes. In the end, the frozen foot cost me eight minutes.”
Levesque still thinks it’s worth to run in the winter.
“Running in the winter is kind of an adventure. What I like about the Winterman is that provides a way to stay focused and prepare yourself for the spring marathons,” he says.
Lawrence Conway, Winterman’s race director, agrees.
“Running in the winter is a different experience, but still an enjoyable one. You have to take some precautions, of course, but it’s just as safe as running in the summer,” he says. “It’s tougher to go out during the winter. But once you’ve done the run you get a higher endorphin rush than after a summer run.”
For Levesque, the Winterman has turned winter running into an addiction.
“At the end of (last year’s) marathon I swore I’d never do it again. But apparently I didn’t learn my lesson because I’m back again this year,”