They will run this Sunday the New York Marathon. Coming from the four corners of Brittany, these sportsmen met Friday night for a joint meal served by the BZH-New York association. Atmosphere.
Bretons' words, they promised to wait for Sunday to celebrate. It is not the desire they lack, however, on Friday night, their flags and umbrella gwenn ha already deployed, to drink even when they arrived, often for the first time, in the Big Apple where they put their shoes and swimsuits on for the big day. Because, of course, it is not every day that comes to run the New York marathon.
Heal the cousins
But at this historic moment for the participants, the time is water for the most seasoned and the beer still drip for the happy fans. To recharge the batteries and stand together, appointment was given to the appeal of the association BZH-New York at a restaurant half Lyonnais, half Belle-Ilois in the middle of Manhattan. Between country pâté, beautiful pasta with carbonara and chocolate sausage or crème brûlée, Armel Joly, runner himself, intends to look after his cousins on this side of the Atlantic at his OCabanon table.
From Rennes to Saint-Nicolas-du-Pelem
And how not to understand it. They came from all over Brittany. From Rennes, Quimper, Châteaulin, Arradon, Ploemeur but also small towns like Baye, near Quimperlé, Pommerit-Jaudy and Saint-Nicolas-du-Pelem in Côtes-d'Armor, or Plonéis, Combrit and Ergué-Gabéric in Finistère, each recalling not without pride if necessary to his neighbor his commune of origin, all in a room packed with customers with strong American accent. In the middle of one of their long tables, Fred wearing a black cap sewn with a thick "Breizh" of white thread, does not know where to turn. And for good reason. This Quimpérois of fifty years has managed the feat of bringing with him twenty riders all ready to fight on the legendary course.
"Run for a dream"
"We've created an association called Running for a Dream," says the veteran marathoner. It was a year ago. Its vocation is to encourage people to move especially after a certain age. We know how much immobility can have serious consequences for health. "We were inspired by the National Breath Foundation created by Dr. Jean-Jacques Larzul in Finistere and designed to fight sedentariness," continues his real name, Frédéric Thomas for whom it is the 16th marathon that he will run for the first time in New York. A happiness that the Finistérien wanted to share with his family by bringing back in his luggage his son, Florent, twenty-seven years, for which it will be the 2nd marathon after Dublin l Last year, his daughter, Olivia, fourteen, and two of her brothers, Gilles and Léonel.
A mayor among the supporters
Failing to swallow the kilometers, Gilles Thomas did not hesitate to come and support his brother with his mayor's scarf. "I am the elected of a small town of 500 inhabitants, Plussulien, near Guingamp, in the Côtes-d'Armor, has fun admirer which is also the first trip to the country of Uncle Sam after having undergone a heart transplant which he did very well. We clung to the club like Bernies, joking, happy, Frederic's brother, the scarf, this time, from Guingamp around his neck. It's impressive, we take a lot of eyes since we arrived. We are also very motivated because we want to do the Barathon, 42 bars instead of 42 kilometers. We have already done six where we allow ourselves to drink coffee. "
"My father will stay with me"
Still in Quimper's group, another happy dad. At fifty-four, Didier Le Goff, champion of bitumen, ranked 69th with a time of 2:32 at the 2002 edition, wants to achieve another dream, that of starting with his daughter, Fanny, for whom it will be the first marathon. "My father will stay with me, " said the twenty-three-year-old girl. I am a sports teacher in Paris. I did a lot of cross and semi. He thinks I can finish it in 3:15. We'll see. He's going to coach me. "
"Our twenty years of marriage"
On the big table next door, wise, discreet and in love as in the first day, Jacky and Valerie Michard, from Reguiny, Morbihan, are also very happy to be part of the expedition. "I won my participation through a draw, said, delighted, Jacky with his smiling supporter for whom New York is also a total discovery. It is not easy to prepare for this race in such a city. We walk a lot. It is taking and tiring and we also came to celebrate my 50th birthday and our twenty years of marriage. So, we will enjoy it. "
"To us Irish pubs"
Finishing his chocolate sausage, at fifty-one years old, the veteran French champion, Patrick Brelivet, left Châteaulin this week to begin his 32nd marathon in the city that never sleeps. "It's great, exclaims the one who has always completed its 42.195 km in less than 2 hours 30. We have pain in the neck by dint of looking in the air. The oldest of the band, Michel Calvez, sixty-six, will be in his 13th test. "We will especially have fun and after that, we will let go. To us the Irish pubs, advance, very serious, behind his mustache, the seasoned athlete. It remains to not miss the plane as it has happened to us. "