« Hein ? Hein? Hein? »
That’s pretty much the reaction Caroline Pomerleau had when her wife greeted her at the finish line of the Toronto marathon on Sunday to tell her that she was Canadian champion… in her first marathon ever . And after just seven weeks of training.
“In my greatest hopes, I could perhaps have hoped for a bronze medal, but that wasn’t really realistic,” says the Quebec resident on the line.
All in all, it was indeed realistic…and achievable.
Four days have passed since the exploit of Caroline Pomerleau, who took our call Thursday evening after her work day. The 28-year-old young woman is a physical education teacher at the Oraliste school for hearing-impaired children, in downtown Quebec.
“I haven’t recovered from my emotions yet! she exclaims. Looks like I’m starting to have the flu too, what with the fatigue and all. »
She still took the time to tell us everything in detail.
Former student-athlete of the Rouge et Or of Laval University in athletics, Caroline Pomerleau started running long distances three years ago. His wife, Anouka Tremblay, is his coach.
Last spring, the Quebecer was diagnosed with Achilles tendinopathy. She was therefore not able to train from the summer until September.
The Toronto Marathon, her first road marathon in her life, represented “practice” for Caroline Pomerleau. A kind of test, to see what she can do over this distance.
She went to the Ontario city with her wife, her mother and a few friends. “When I left for that weekend, I said, we’re having fun, this is our celebration weekend. Celebrating is in your attitude, she says dynamically. […] No matter what happens after the race, I’m enjoying my weekend, it’s going to be a great experience, I’m here to have fun. »
And that’s what she did. She had fun from start to finish; before, during and after the race. The videos posted on the couple’s TikTok account, which show the athlete with a smile on his face most of the time, prove this.
“[During the race] I was saying hellos, hearts and smiling. I had fun, but I still aimed for performance. I was ranked sixth before the race. […] I told Radio-Canada that I was aiming for the top 5. It was the reality, because there were two Olympians who were there. »
On the morning of the marathon, a fire alarm in the hotel forced the athlete to get up at 4:30 a.m. She went back to bed, then got up at 6 a.m., ready to tackle her day.
Pomerleau aimed for a time of 3 min 40 sec per kilometer, in order to cover the 42.195 km in 2 h 35 min. “I didn’t know if I was capable,” she says. I was wondering if I should do 2:37 or 2:38 anymore.”
She was indeed capable.
Pomerleau covered the first 21 kilometers, a distance to which she is accustomed, without any difficulty. A little further on, when his wife shouted her position in relation to the other Canadian women, the runner did not hear. She overtook men and women, several international runners, without really knowing where she was. There was still a kilometer to go when she saw, in the distance in front of her, Quebecer Anne-Marie Comeau, whom she knows well.
“I pick myself up in the last curve, 300 meters from the end. I see her, she is two steps from me. In my head, I didn’t know she was first. I had my own rhythm. I told myself I would stay there. »
That’s when something clicked.
“F*ck it, I’m going,” thought Caroline Pomerleau.
“I had energy in my legs. That’s it, bam! I go like an arrow, I overtake her. I tell myself: don’t slow down, don’t slow down. »
Pomerleau crossed the finish line in 2:34:44, seven seconds ahead of Comeau and more than a minute ahead of Olympian Dayna Pidhoresky.
“The race director puts the Canadian flag on my shoulders, Anouka tells me that I won. And then I realize what I just did. »
The organizers, who believed that victory would go to Anne-Marie Comeau, did not even have time to take out the banner…
By virtue of her victory, Caroline Pomerleau finds herself in the top 400 in the world. On Wednesday, she learned that a place in the top 200 would give her a slim chance of going to the Paris Olympics.
“I told everyone it was impossible, but in the end, it kind of is. But the chances are very low because I would have to get closer to the time of 2:26,” she explains.
Other factors also come into play, such as the results of other Canadian women. Either way, Pomerleau’s next goal is to run another marathon in Houston, Texas on January 14. She would like to finish it in 2:30.
His dream is to represent Canada at the World Championships one day. She prefers not to even think about the Olympic Games.
“It’s good to dream, but sometimes you have to be realistic. One step at a time. The Worlds within five years, I think it’s realistic! »
Let us remember, however, that she was hoping for a bronze medal in Toronto. So the unrealistic can quickly become… realistic.
