Jacqueline Gareau The Only Canadian Woman to Win The Marathon

Jacqueline Gareau, Canadian Olympic Marathoner, only began running when she was 21. Ten years later, she is ranked among the world’s best female runners in the marathon, the ultimate test of human endurance.

Born March 10 1953 in l’Annonciation , into a family of seven children, Jacqueline was always independent and a perfectionist, without however, taking part in any sporting activities. Schooled in respiratory therapy, she was working at l’Hôtel-Dieu in , and it is this environment which led her to seek a better way to live. She stopped smoking, and fol- lowing the classic model of walking, jogging, running, she began walking to work, improv- ing her conditioning; then, she began jogging around Lafontaine Park and on Mount Royal. Cycling, cross-country skiing and swimming further helped her conditioning, which enabled her to run longer dis- tances, going from 2 miles a day to 10 miles and more. This took place in the seventies, the period in which running saw it’s greatest expansion. After having run for three years, she signed up for her first marathon, on île d’Orléans in 1977, finishing second with a time of three hours 44 minutes. The following year, she won this very race in less than three hours, 2:59:15 exactly. She won the women’s division of the National Capital Marathon in 1979, with a time of 2:47:58 and bettered that time in the Montreal International Marathon that same year, when the heat took a toll on the participants. Her time of 2:40:56 made Jacqueline an International class champion. One month later, she is invited to the New York Marathon where she finished third in a field of 1,500 runners, with a time of 2:39:04.

In April of 1980, Jacqueline took part in the most famous marathon of all, Boston, where she once again bettered her time, shattering the course record, with a 2:34:28. This is the third best time in the world. Everyone will remember the victory and controversy surrounding Rosie Ruiz, the cheater, who broke the tape and was declared the winner, receiving the medal which she would not surrender, even after being disqualified. This event would follow Jacqueline all her life, and she was much celebrated this year, on the twenty fifth anniversary of her Boston win..

Jacqueline won the respect and admiration of all by her understanding attitude, and her lack of resentment toward Rosie Ruiz. She returned to Boston in 1983 for a second place finish, be- hind the American -Samuelson, posting a 2:29:27. During the World Track and Field Championships in Finland, in August 1983, she placed fifth with a time of 2:32:35, and soon after, came second with a time of 2:31:36, in the Marathon of the Americas in , in October 1983.

On February 19 1984, Jacqueline began the year victoriously, winning the Interna- tional Marathon in the women’s division, with a time of 2:31:57. Thanks to this success, any- thing was possible for our great Canadian marathoner. However, a nagging injury in the spring prevented her from taking part in the National Championship in May, but her fifth place finish the previous year in the World Track and Field Championships, enabled her to qualify for the Canadian Olympic Team. With grit and determination, Jacqueline trains at high altitude in Colo- rado, to improve her conditioning. Despite all this, Jacqueline experienced the bitterest disap- pointment of her life, unable to finish the Olympic Marathon due to severe cramps in her calves. For Jacqueline, this failure will often serve her as a motivational tool to enable her to overcome obstacles in her life. Jacqueline continued to compete internationally until 1991. In 1987, she earned her first qualification for the 1988 Olympics with a win at the Montreal International Marathon, with a time of 2:32:50. Felled by repeated bouts of flu over the winter, she is unable to earn her second qualifying time at the Marathon, finishing sixth in 2:36:00. At the age of 38, still determined, she sets her ultimate sights on the 1992 Olympics, but as fate would have it, she becomes pregnant in December. The birth of Yannick, September 9 1992, will be Jacqueline’s sweetest victory.

Now 52, Jacqueline maintains her fitness by taking part in several sports, running, cycling, fitness walking, swimming and cross-country skiing. She likes to share her passion for this wonderful outdoor sport in nature, which brings her such satisfaction and the relaxation necessary to cope with life’s breakneck pace. She is beginning a new career as a massage therapist, and training consultant. She is also a motivational speaker.