Great Strides
Shared Runs of Quebec
An innovative program in Quebec is providing opportunities for runners and people with physical challenges to share the joy of running and to feel part of a tight-knit community, with the help of a special wheelchair developed in that province by engineer and entrepreneur Philip Oligny.
The Courses Partagées (Shared Runs) began in Sherbrooke in 2016 as a series of regular outings during which runners push outdoor enthusiasts with physical challenges in the Kartus wheelchair, designed for running, with a front wheel that turns for easy manoeuverability – like a jogging stroller, but capable of carrying an adult. In 2018, another group started up in Quebec City.
At the designated meeting spot, runners and riders of all ages and backgrounds are matched up and set off running together. “I never miss one,” says Danielle Harvey, who has enjoyed her rides in the Kartus chair from the beginning. “For me, it’s all about speed. The faster, the better!”
The Quebec City group purchased five Kartus chairs, which took a considerable amount of hard work and fundraising support from the local community, since it’s a high-tech piece of equipment priced at $4,000.
Members of the organizing committee also reached out to local not-for-profit organizations working with people with reduced mobility to spread the word about Quebec Shared Runs. Through mutual connections, word-of-mouth and social media, attendance at the weekly runs slowly grew. Participants now hail from all over the city, some using their own mobility scooters, others pre-booking adapted transport to get to the meeting point. When more than five runners show up, they take turns pushing the strollers, swapping every 20 to 25 minutes. Sometimes there are two runners for each chair.
In 2019, several running duos even took part in the Quebec City marathon events, some completing a 5k race, others participating in the 10k and one duo completing the half-marathon. The organization hopes to be able to join in more organized races again as races resume post-pandemic. “It’s all about breaking isolation,” says Catherine Carrière, a runner and member of the organizing committee in Quebec City. “But for me, it was also about giving a purpose to my running.”
People of all running abilities are welcome, and if a runner is struggling on a hill, for example, others will step in to help, with two people pushing together. “Hills can be a bit of work, both going up and coming down,” says Carrière.
The Quebec City group is now in its third year. Gatineau was added to the list in 2020, and outings are planned for Montreal as well. If you’re based in Quebec and would like to share in the fun, check out the Courses Partagées de Québec Facebook page for more information and the schedule.