Where are you from?

US citizen, born in Paris, France and currently living in Montreal, Canada.

Current P.R.

Two 2:58 marathons in the past two years

Typical pace

Training 5:45 to 8:45 per mile (intervals to recovery run pace)

Racing 5:45 to 6:45 per mile (5K to 42K pace)

Pacing 3:45 to 4:45 marathons

Number of marathons

15

Occupation

Project Manager

Favorite marathon

Albany, NY for its fast course, size, and great organization

Hobbies

Outdoors activities: road and trail running, x-c skiing and roller skiing, road and trail biking, lake swimming, triathlons, and hiking with my family and friends.

Favorite Running Food

Cliff Bars after the long run or on the bike, breakfast pita bread with almond butter and home-made wild blueberry jam before going out

What are you reading now?

“Mastering the marathon” from Don Fink

Who do you train with?

My wife, my x-c skiing and running friends and my dog

Personal goals

Run sub 3 hours marathons in my 40s

Begin trail marathoning

A quotation you like…

Jean de la Fontaine: “Rien ne sert de courir, il faut partir à point”. Slow and steady wins the race.

Why do you run?

It’s a life-long commitment to health and fitness.  Along with healthy habits, running is keeping us in great shape allowing us to enjoy life stress-free to its fullest.

Describe your best marathon memory.

The 2011 Mohawk Hudson River marathon was a great experience.  We were taken care of from pre-race logistics at the hotel lobby to the post-race recovery activities.  We were able to get to the starting line in the best conditions possible.  Wood fires at the start helped us to warm up.  This was an opportunity to meet other runners; like this gentleman from NJ: we quickly discovered we had similar race objectives and plans.  We were able to run the first 20 miles together.  While the last 6 miles of every marathon are the hardest, the unusual heat last year was challenging.  We adapted our pace to the rising temp and slowed down. Finishing another sub 3 marathon, with the support of my family and friends, was a real accomplishment.  Our focus was now on recovery with the help of a lot of healthy food available and massages provided at the finish line. Race volunteers had our bags ready with tents to change in.  What a day!

Why do you pace?

Pacing is an opportunity to share experiences. We are lifelong learners, learning from each other’s successes and failures.  We have 26 miles to put our passion for endurance sports to the test.

Tell us your best pacing experience.

Pacing my wife to achieve her personal best in 2002 at the Bar Harbor ME marathon.  She was hoping for a 4:30 marathon.  We finished together in 4:29.  I documented her accomplishment taking pictures during the journey.  Another great marathon memory.

Why should someone run in your pace group?

Whether you want to qualify for the Boston marathon, set a personal best, or simply want to share your experience: let’s do it together. Pacing is a proven approach to maximize your chances to achieving your marathon goal.  I am committed to cross the finish line no less than one minute before and no more than the exact pace time.  We will adapt our pace to the terrain, slowing down going up hills and loosening up going down hills. I am committed to run an even pace from the first mile to the last one, making sure all our splits are called out to the pace group.

Any tips for runners about to join your group?

I run marathons for the journey, not for the finish time.  I like all the benefits of training with my family and friends, each of the 26 miles on the big day, as well as post-marathon celebrations.  I recommend you listen to your body during that long training period, the event, and the month after your marathon.  Adapt your plans based on what your body is telling you. Start visualizing your perfect race: are you well rested at the start, running tall, feeling strong and focused on your realistic objective? Then decide which pace group might help you realize your dream.

Anything else you’d like to share?

 I am training for my first trail marathon in Chamonix, France (French Alps).  This will be my first 26.2 miles where the finish time is less important than adapting the pace, considering an overall elevation gain of more than 8,000 ft, and elevation loss of almost 5,000 ft. Pacing on the hiking trails is very important so I can reach the finish line.  It will be a great learning experience to share.

What philanthropic activities do you have?

We rode our bikes to raise awareness and money for the American Lung Association and Multiple Sclerosis in Maine for many years.  What a great way to help.