Happy Friday! I hope you’re keeping warm and dry where you are today. It’s snowing hard here in Red Deer and we’re under some sort of winter storm warning. Perfect reading weather!
Today I would like to introduce you to JP from Red Deer. He’s a regular with the Running Room group. Enjoy!
Name: Jean-Pierre (JP) Chasse
City: Red Deer
Profession: Engineering Technologist
Runner since: 2010
1. Why did you start running? What pushes you to keep going?
I started running on a dare basically. I decided to enter the Red Deer MS bike tour in 2009 and completed it. A co-worker and friend Peter said as a joke, biking is fine but you should get into running. He said he was joining the local “Runner’s Den” running group to train for Woody’s and said I should do it too. So I did and ran my first half-marathon race May long weekend 2010.
I just love running. The company and being in good shape is great. I also love race day. I always look forward to it.
2. What is your running/fitness routine for a typical week?
When I am training for a race, usually for a half, I like to follow a training guide, usually to a tee. I’ll run 4 times a week doing an LSD run on Sunday and then Tempos/Steady runs or hills, what ever the schedule says.
3. What does running mean to you?
It means a better diet, more sleep, feeling much better mentally and physically.
4. When did you have your first “a ha” running moment?
In 2010 running in Victoria (my 3rd half). Here I was at the 18K marker feeling good. Up till then, I was doing 10/1 (run/walk). After my last walk, I decided to go for it. I ran the last 3 kms flat out and ended up finishing with a PB (still my second best half marathon ever). I felt so good at the end of that race that I thought, I can do this. I decided to train for and run a marathon for my next race. It was a big ‘a ha’ moment for me, because when I ran my first half marathon I thought that if I could just complete 21.1K it would be enough for me.
5. How do you balance family with staying in shape? Supportive?
I run first thing after work before supper so evenings are free and Sunday mornings before anyone is up which leaves the rest of the day for family. My family, mostly my wife, is very supportive, although she finds me very boring these days. In bed by 9:30 p.m on Saturday nights to run Sunday morning is a far cry from going out and staying up late like we used to do. But still she’s always accompanies me to the races I sign up for and she evens comes out with me on some of my runs. She rides her bike and pretends to be my coach. We have great chats.
6. Best running memory? Tell us about it.
It has to be the half marathon I ran in Kelowna. I was in great shape (no pain anywhere). Race day was perfect, 8C at the start, sunny without a cloud in the sky and 10C at the finish with no wind. I ran a PB that day. Under 1:45, I couldn’t believe I had done that.
7. What has running taught you about yourself?
That I am very competitive and that I can accomplish what I set out to do.
8. Do you have any current running goals?
I just want one more race where everything falls into place. I would also love to run a full under 4 hours and I want to run an Ultra before I’m done. But the ultimate for me would be to complete and iron man.
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Thanks for reading and happy trails!