In his first marathon, Thomas Fafard set a Quebec record, placed in the top 10, and beat one of the best distance runners in the United States of the last decade.
Fafard looked strong and relaxed on a sun-drenched Sunday morning in Chandler, Arizona, covering 26.5 miles in two hours, 10 minutes, 29 seconds to finish sixth out of 50 finishers in the second installment of Project Marathon and his first since December 2020.
His time was almost four minutes faster than Alain Bordeleau's provincial mark of 2:14.18 at the 1984 Olympic Trials in Ottawa.
He is ranked eighth among Canadian male runners and third fastest. in history among Canadian men in their marathon debut.
“Our goal was 2:12 or faster,” Coach Fafarda. Felix-Antoine Lapointe told CBC Sports from Arizona. “He was running 2:09 until 38 kilometers, but the last few kilometers were more difficult, but normal for a marathon, especially the first one. It was a good debut.”
Cam Levins and Ben Preisner are the only Canadians to run faster to start their marathon careers. Levins, the national record holder, clocked 2:09:25 in Toronto, beating 43-year-old Canadian Jerome Drayton's 2019 record by 44 seconds. Preisner ran 2:10:17 in his first marathon project in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
On Sunday, Fafard, along with his parents and partner also attending the race, was feeling good at the start of the race and, given the favorable weather, decided to run at group pace and finish in 2:10, with an eye on the provincial mark.
“[Breaking it by] almost four minutes, that means a lot. I'm very happy,” Fafard told CBC Sports after a post-race dinner of chicken wings and a bottle of beer. He added that having a support group on the track was special and motivating.
“[My parents] We were also in Paris [for the 2024 Olympics] and my father usually travels a lot to see me race,” Fafard said. “Overall, the experience was amazing. [on Sunday]”
“I kept telling myself to keep pushing.”
Fafard said his legs began to tire at the 33km mark, which he attributed to a lack of distance running and experience. But he believed he needed to stay close to eventual winner J.P. Flavin of Toms River, New Jersey, over the 35km course to set the Quebec record.
“That was the main goal,” Fafard said. “My legs felt heavy, but I was confident that I could finish. I kept telling myself to keep training.”
Fafard also kept an eye on his watch and was not too far behind the pace in the final kilometers.
“It was just new territory. I've never run more than 33 kilometers,” he said. “At that moment it was a new feeling [physically] and everything is new,” he said. “I told myself that it was probably normal that everyone felt the same way.”
Fafard, who turned 27 on December 6, finished 26 seconds ahead of American Paul Chelimo, who was seventh. The 35-year-old from Colorado Springs, Colorado, is a two-time Olympic medalist in the 5,000 meters.
Flavin won the men's pro race in 2:09:18 after running the 2024 Chicago Marathon in 2:12:34. He also has back-to-back top 20 finishes at the Boston Marathon. On Sunday, he defeated Turner Wiley of Issaquah, Wash., by 19 seconds.
The versatile Fafard, originally from Repentigny, Quebec, has mostly competed in 5,000-mile races in recent years but has established himself well in road racing.
Last November, he was seventh at the BAA Boston Half Marathon with a personal best of 62 minutes, 17 seconds. Since 2019, Fafard has also competed in cross-country races, as well as 5K and 10K road races.
He turned to the marathon in search of his next challenge after reaching the final of the men's Olympic 5000m in Paris, where he finished 22nd.
Nobbs, Broatch, crack, top 15
Three more Canadians completed the men's pro race on Sunday.
Vancouver native Thomas Nobbs was 11th in 2:12:27, nearly three minutes off his personal best. In October, he won the Toronto Waterfront Half Marathon in 63:28.
Thomas Broatch, also of Vancouver, was 14th (2:13:43). His personal best is 2:10:35 from last January in Houston, where he was eighth this year and seventh in 2024. won Canadian Marathon Championships 2023.
Thomas Toth, a 34-year-old runner from Boston, finished 29th on Sunday in 2:17:00 and has run PB in two of his last three marathons.
Rachel Hannah was best canadian among elite women's runners in Chandler. Her time of 2:41:49 was good for 16th place.
Two months ago, the 39-year-old Port Elgin, Ont., native stopped the clock in 2:33:47 in Toronto to win her first Canadian marathon championship.
Vancouver's Emily Andrews finished 17th out of 25 finishers (2:43:03) and Calgary running coach Lynn Klassen finished 20th (2:45:26).
