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(Posted
12:30 p.m., Oct. 10)
Orléans runner places second in Fall Colours Marathon
By Fred Sherwin
Orléans Online
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 Orléans
resident Stephane Montpetit came in second in the
Fall Colours Marathon on Sunday in a time of 3:14:27.
Fred Sherwin/Photo
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Orleans
runner Stephane Montpetit went into Sunday's Ottawa Fall
Colours Marathon in Cumberland hoping to qualify for the
Boston Marathon for a fourth time.
His
goal was to complete the 42.2 km course in under three
hours and 15 minutes which is the current qualifying time
for his age group for the 2019 race in Boston. (Qualifying
for next year's Boston Marathon, which will be run on
April 15, was closed on Sept. 16 of this year.)
Montpetit
completed the Fall Colours course in 3:14:27, 33 seconds
below the qualifying standard. Unfortunately, that still
might not be good enough.
Because
so many people try to qualify for the Boston Marathon
and the number of entries is limited to 30,000 from year
to year, the qualifying time can end up being much lower.
The
qualifying standard for next year's Boston Marathon ended
up being 3:11:37, three minutes and 23 seconds below the
established standard. The actual qualifying standard for
the 2016 Boston Marathon was 3:12.51.
Based
on what ended up being the qualifying standard the past
two years, Montpetit's 3:14:27 wouldn't be good enough.
That's why he plans to try and lower his time in next
year's Ottawa Capital Marathon.
"I'm
sure I can go lower, it just depends on the conditions,�
says Montpetit.
Sunday's
conditions for the Fall Colours event were less than ideal.
Although the 23-degree temperature was near perfect, the
strong winds were not, making the first stages of the
hilly course a real challenge.
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An
enthusiastic group of youngsters jump out to a
quick start in the Turkey Trot at the Fall Colours
Race event at the Cumberland Heritage Village Museum
on Sunday. Fred Sherwin/Photo
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The
race winner, Jesse Knockleby from Arnprior, was hoping
to finish the course in under three hours, the winds ultimately
prevented him from doing so and he ended missing his goal
by 11 seconds. Still, he managed to qualify for both the
Boston Marathon and the Canadian Armed Forces Marathon
which is run in conjunction with the National Capital
event.
Sunday's
top female competitor was Elizabeth O'Regan from William's
Bay who completed the course in 3:38.08. Orléans resident
Linda Houle-Robert was 28 minutes behind in eighth place,
but she came first in the 45-49 age group.
Other
local runners who did well include Tom Meed who finished
27 over-all and third in the 40-44 age group, and Carole
Hutchison who was the ninth place female finisher and
came third in the 40-44 age group for her gender. Montpetit
didn't start running until he was well into his 30s. His
wife bought him a Runner's Room Marathon Clinic membership
for the National Capital Marathon for Christmas, the year
their son was born.
"I
remember in the first session I finished dead last over
seven kilometres. By the end of the clinic I was among
the top runners and I ended up running a 3:45 that year,
after training for only five months and I've run in 12
marathons since including three Boston Marathons in 2012,
2014 and 2016,� says Montpetit, who ran cross country
when he went to Garneau High School in the 80s.
"When
I went to university I totally stopped running for about
15 years until our first son was born.�
Montpetit's
ultimate goal is to beat his personal best times from
when he was in high school more than 25 years ago
"To
be honest I'm getting close,� said Montpetit.
Besides
the marathon, runners at the Ottawa Fall Colours Races
could choose to take part in the half-marathon, 10K, 5K
or 3K. A 1K Turkey Trot is also run for children 10 and
under, making the Fall Colours Races a true family event.
The
half-marathon was won by Patrick Saunders from Rockland.
Marie-H�l�ne Gravel from Orléans was the top female, finishing
in 10th place overall.
Nicholas
Schwass from the small town of Tara near the Bruce Peninsula,
won the 10K in a time of 36 minutes and 22 seconds. Navan
resident Brian Cane won the 5K, and Philippe Summers from
Glen Robertson, Ontario won the 3K.
(This
story was made possible thanks to the generous support of
our local business partners.)
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THE OTTAWA SCHOOL OF THEATRE presents an all ages production of Treasure Island in the Richcraft Theatre at the Shenkman Arts Centre. Showtimes Thursday, April 18 and Friday, April 19 at 6:30 p.m. and Saturday, April 20 and Sunday, April 21 at 1:30 p.m. Tickets $20 for adults. Students and youth 25 and under $10. To purchase visit 
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TAPROOM 260 presents The Underground live from 8-11 p.m. at 260 Centrum Blvd. For more information visit 
CLASSIC PIANO RECITAL – Orléans pianist Emily Hou will be performing works by Chopin, Mozart, Rachmaninov and Liszt at Kanata United Church as part os the Beaverbrook Community Concert Series. The recital will start promptly at 3 p.m. Kanata United Church is located at 33 Leacock Dr. in Kanata. For more information visit 
THE ORLÉANS BREWING CO. Trivia Night from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Call (613) 834-9005 to reserve your spot. The Orléans Brewing Co. is located at 4380 Innes Rd. near the Innes Road McDonalds.
