Plan F

I’ve been quite silent since my last post, after my despairing attempt at the Pandora 24 Ultra, where I could do nothing else than acknowledge the failures of my body and, ultimately, of some of the life choices I had made over recent years.

Dwelling on the past and having regrets are really not my thing, so I want to make this article a statement of what I want my life to get back to and what I will look forward to in the months to come.

I have a new plan. It involves getting my running back together. It places travel at the center of things again. It focuses on health, happiness and connection.

I call it Plan F.





Step 1. Break away.
I’ve cancelled any plans to run ultra distances until next season. Although it’s a heartbreaking decision for me, I have to be realistic and acknowledge that my body is not in any condition to run multiple hours without suffering damage. I also had to break away from life situations that were weighing me down, no matter how hard for me and others. In time, I hope my decisions prove to be the right ones.

Step 2. Back to basics.
I need to remember where I came from. I spent years trying to run and failing, until I discovered barefoot. After a little over 2 years of a barefoot regimen, for many different reasons, I went back to wearing shoes and I think my form degraded over time, which in part brought back my knee problem. I will get back to true barefoot and very minimal running for all my training, and only wear minimally-cushioned shoes for longer events and technical trail running.

Step3. Run. More. Better.
Even if I don’t have much access to trails in the heart of Montreal, I will capitalize on multiple occasions for running during my week, even if for very short distances. Among other things, I will emphasize on running commutes, which are a neat, fast, healthy way to go to and back from my office. I will be running more frequently, at more regular volumes, and building a better, stronger base from there.

Step 4. Bring back adventure.
I will relentlessly chase and avoid routine to the best of my ability. Weekends, week nights, hell, mid-day working days hold opportunity for adventure that I want to seize. The unknown, the unplanned, give me wings. There’s a flow I yearn to follow.

Step 5. Reconnect.
There are tons of people in my life I love profoundly. I need to spend more time with them. They feed my soul. They inspire me. They lift me up and show me how wonderful the world can be. They embody the change we all need. They are Humans in the best sense of the word, and they make me a very rich man.

So here you have it. These are the guidelines I will try to live by from now on.

To get my wings back.

To soar again.

To finally Run Free.