Former pro cyclist, new father says race ‘my hardest by far’
The fastest Canadian in Boston is a Quebec federal prosecutor who ran his first marathon 11 months ago.
Philippe Viau-Dupuis, 32, completed the Boston Marathon in just 2 hours, 21 minutes and 16 seconds Monday. He battled strong headwinds, rain and cold — not to mention fierce competition from the world’s fastest marathoners — to place 23rd overall.
The Star caught up with the victorious Montrealer, who is a new dad, on the phone just hours after he crossed the finish line.
First of all, congratulations! How are you feeling?
I’m feeling tired, of course. But I’m feeling great actually. The time was not what I was looking for — the conditions were really, really hard today. Regardless of the tough conditions, it’s a major accomplishment for me. It’s a good feeling.
What was going through your head when you crossed the finish line?
I was relieved. It’s my third marathon. It was my hardest by far.
How did you get into marathon running?
I used to be a professional cyclist and I quit the sport when I got into university. I started to run a little bit with my girlfriend because she was in a running club. I got hooked. If you’re a competitive guy like me, you want to improve. It’s a sport that allows you to be on a good level, but still be able to
have a family and full-time work.
Were you thinking about the 2013 Boston bombing today?
Of course. There are so many people with “Boston strong” signs. You get reminded of it every single step, pretty much. The crowd is so loud. It’s a strong feeling. You don’t get that feeling in another race around the world.
What did you do for the rest of the day?
(My friends and I) went to a restaurant to grab a beer. Just refuelling. And food of course — shrimp tacos — but the beer was the most important part of the meal. It was a welldeserved beer. Right now I’m in a car going back to Montreal.
I see the top five Canadian male finishers were all from Quebec.
Are you serious? (Those are) very good stats. In Montreal, there are so many people who want to do Boston. It’s only five hours away from us, so it’s not a long drive.
What does it mean to you to be the fastest Canadian in Boston?
It’s overwhelming. I was not even thinking about it at the start. It’s the icing on the cake.