First time for everything
Mathieu Fleury, Ottawa Coun. for Rideau-Vanier, is one of five runners receiving coaching from Rob Watson, who was the top Canadian runner at both the Boston Marathon and the Ottawa Marathon in 2013. The 28-year-old spoke with the Ottawa Citizen’s Marie-Danielle Smith about his goals for the Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend and his 52 in 52 initiative.
Q Are you ready for your first marathon?
A I’m a runner. Every day I’ll run about 10 to 15 kilometres. My big fear is that I haven’t run a marathon. I’m comfortable running the half-marathon.
I’ll have to gauge how I feel, listen to my body and hopefully take it easy.
If I have to walk a bit, I will. For me, it’s more of a fun thing. It’s participating in the event rather than the actual results.
Q Why do you enjoy running?
A Running is a break. It allows me to discover different parts of the city. It’s an opportunity for me to relax, reflect, think, look at things, and maintain a good fitness level. That’s key for me: making sure there’s balance in political life. It’s a passion. You always want to do better.
Q What do you love about Ottawa Race Weekend?
A It’s a celebration of the sports culture in Ottawa. It’s 40 years in the making. It’s amazing to see the growth and attention the weekend brings for residents of Ottawa in even the past couple of years. It’s great that people come to the region and discover our city.
Q What is the 52 for 52 initiative?
A I’m a sports guy. I graduated from kinesiology at the University of Ottawa and have a master’s in sports management. The sports community knows me because it’s a small network in Ottawa. We wanted to raise the profile of local sports groups by creating a weekly video. We would go to the club, speak to the coach, athletes, administrators and have a conversation about where they’re at in their sport, how they’re performing, what are their goals, what are the opportunities and what are the challenges. Through that, we’ve been able to form the Ottawa Sport Council. It will be one voice for sports in our city.