A Quebec ultra-marathon runner is preparing for a nearly 8,000-kilometre run from the most southern point of the United States to QuebecB次元官网网址檚 Gasp茅 Peninsula.

Joan Roch, 49, is known for running more than 1,000 kilometres from Perc茅, Que., on the eastern tip of Gasp茅, to Montreal in 2020.

Roch, who lives in the Montreal suburb of Longueuil, Que., said he plans to leave for Key West, Fla. on Feb. 23.

From there, he plans to follow the Appalachian mountain range to in Forillon National Park.

He said he plans to run an average of 52 kilometres a day in order to finish the run in five months.

The planned route, which will take him along the Florida Trail, the Appalachian Trail and the International Appalachian Trail, is 7,745 kilometres long, he said, B次元官网网址渂ut IB次元官网网址檒l probably get lost enough to reach 8,000 kilometres.B次元官网网址�

While some parts of Gasp茅 are particularly arduous, Roch said heB次元官网网址檚 more worried about Florida.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 flat, thereB次元官网网址檚 going to be heat, humidity, it will be swampy,B次元官网网址� said Roch, who has never been to the U.S. state. B次元官网网址淎ll these particularities donB次元官网网址檛 make the route reassuring, because I donB次元官网网址檛 know it at all.B次元官网网址�

And thatB次元官网网址檚 without mentioning the alligators, which he said worry him more than black bears.

Food will be the biggest challenge for Roch, who plans to travel lightly, using a tactic called fastpacking.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 going to have to eat 6,000 to 8,000 calories a day, and thatB次元官网网址檚 something I handled very poorly during the Perc茅-Montreal (run), I didnB次元官网网址檛 eat enough,B次元官网网址� he said.

Another challenge is not knowing how his body will adapt to running for such a long time.

B次元官网网址淭he big difficulty is that thereB次元官网网址檚 no way to train for this, you have to do it, because the adaptations will take place over several weeks,B次元官网网址� he said.

Roch, who turned 49 last month, said he wants to show that people can take on wild projects no matter their age.

B次元官网网址淵ou might think that IB次元官网网址檓 training non-stop. Yes, I train more than average, but IB次元官网网址檓 not an Olympic athlete, I have a full-time job, I have three children,B次元官网网址� said Roch, who works in information technology.

He said he believes that anyone could reach his level if they want.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 clearly not age thatB次元官网网址檚 a factor, itB次元官网网址檚 the will, the discipline to train every day,B次元官网网址� he said.

ThatB次元官网网址檚 the message of his two books, B次元官网网址淯ltra-ordinaire: Journal dB次元官网网址檜n coureurB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淯ltra-ordinaire 2: Odyss茅e dB次元官网网址檜n coureur.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淒espite an ordinary life, you can still add the extraordinary, the ultra, to your daily life,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚n my case, itB次元官网网址檚 running, but it doesnB次元官网网址檛 matter what you set out to accomplish.B次元官网网址�

RochB次元官网网址檚 spouse, Anne Genest, a well-known Quebec author, said sheB次元官网网址檚 an enthusiastic supporter of the run.

B次元官网网址淚 was immediately drawn to his project,B次元官网网址� said Genest, who is also an ultra-marathon runner and plans to join Roch for his first week in Florida.

B次元官网网址淥ur relationship works like that,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淓ach of us is fuelled by projects.B次元官网网址�

Johanna Pellus, The Canadian Press

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