ACCOMPLISHMENTS
WHAT MOTIVATES YOU EVERY DAY TO TRAIN?
Surpassing myself and the feeling of personal accomplishment. Training in general is a good way to maintain a balanced life. This allows me to "let go of my fool" outside of my work and my personal life. After training, I feel relaxed and my ideas are clearer. Competitions are also a huge source of motivation, allowing me to give myself benchmarks, beat my own records and lower the marks left by others before.
DO YOU HAVE A PERSON WHO INSPIRES YOU?
Charles-Philibert Thiboutot, Olympian (1500m Rio 2016). Charles is an athlete from my training group at the provincial high performance center in Quebec. He is the only athlete in our group to have participated in the Olympic Games. For myself and for many athletes in our group, he is another model to follow since we have the same coach: Félix-Antoine Lapointe. Charles is an athlete who gives 110% to training. His work ethic and motivation on and off the track are second to none. Currently, Charles holds many Quebec records and his name is on the top 10 of all time in Quebec for several distance races. He is a person who, through his performance and training intensity, is inspiring. He is an excellent Quebec model to follow.
WHAT ARE YOUR TIPS FOR NOT LOSING ENERGY DURING your races?
An important part of my performance in championships, competitions or during key training blocks is recovery. A good recovery is proof of everything. I do a lot of recovery exercises (stretching, foam roll, ice bath and others), so that I can recover as quickly as possible. A good part of my recovery is through sleep. Sleep is one of the major determinants of recovery. It is thanks to a good night of sleep and consistency in my recovery exercises that I base my preparation for championships. A healthy and balanced nutrition plan also adds to my key success factors.
WHAT IS YOUR BEST RACING MEMORY?
The first time I ran under 49 seconds in the 400m: 48.66 seconds to be exact. It was June 6, 2015 on the track of Laval University in Quebec. I still remember it as if it were yesterday. I was coming back from a month-long altitude training camp in Mammoth Lakes, California. I had just completed my first stopwatch in 1.50 over 800m two weeks earlier. I was in the form of the longest distance at the time, so I was very surprised to record this time of 48.66 and to achieve this personal record, crushing my old mark by almost 1 second. Many of my friends may think that running my first 800m under 1.50.00 would be my best race memory, but the fact remains that at the time, I was more prepared to make that time unlike the 400m, where it was a pleasant surprise. In addition, I have always had a lot more fun running at home in Quebec in front of my family and friends than outside. This is another reason why having stopped the stopwatch at 48 seconds 66 hundredths that evening in Quebec remains, to this day, my best racing memory.
WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU LIKE TO DO AFTER A RACE?
I go to the nearest trash can and…. I will let you guess! The 800m is the most difficult race in athletics; the body generates a lot of lactic acid. The last 100 meters of the race are extremely difficult. It is for this reason that as soon as I cross the finish line, I must take a few minutes before I regain my senses.
What is your music of the moment?
Drake: tootsie slide.
What is your favourite Näak product?
The Choco-Banana Ultra Energy Bar!
