Phillipe Belanger, centre (black outfit), smashed through previous records at the 2019 Summit Run and now has his eyes set on the Boston Marathon. (Nigel Maxwell/paNOW Staff)

By Brady Bateman

Record Breaker

P.A. athlete breaks records, sets eye to world stage

Jun 17, 2019 | 5:00 PM

A Prince Albert based athlete has smashed previous records, while setting a blisteringly fast half marathon time at the city’s annual Summit Run.

Philippe Belanger only began running competitively in 2018, but during the 2019 Summit Run, Belanger was able to finish the men’s half marathon (21 km) with a time of 1:15:54, surpassing the previous record of 1:22:17 – a time difference of nearly seven minutes.

“In the running world seven minutes is quite substantial. In 2017 we had a runner complete the half marathon in an hour and 22 minutes. In 2016 we had someone run it in an hour and 27 minutes, so it tells you how much of a difference there really is,” Race director for the Summit Run, Lisa Evans said.

“It’s very exciting to provide an event in which people can bring forth and challenge themselves. These runners, whether it’s their first or hundredth run, they bring this amazing energy, and being able to provide the venue for them to step up and challenge themselves is very exciting.”

Belanger competed in the 2018 Summit Run, having been inspired by his mother who also has a running background. He trained for two months prior to the event and finished with a time of 1:38:33.

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“I’ve been running around 100 to 120 kilometres a week because I’ve been training for a marathon in Saskatoon, which was a Boston Marathon qualifier. I ended up qualifying for the Boston Marathon with a time of 2:51:12,” Belanger said.

“I was definitely excited to finish the Summit Run with such a good time. I had an hour and 15 minutes as the time I wanted in the back of my mind, so I was really happy that I actually finished right at that time that I wanted.”

Belanger said his transition from no race experience, to training daily, was quite significant and requires him to run great distances on a weekly basis as well as involving major changes to his diet and overall lifestyle.

“When I’m running, I’m pretty focused. All I’m trying to do is achieve a goal, and lower my time, I try to keep my mind off of other things,” Belanger said.

“I’m focusing on getting better and better every day and I’m hoping that next year I can get my time down to somewhere around an hour and five minutes for the half marathon.”

Belanger is now preparing for this upcoming September, when he can submit his recent qualifying time to the Boston Marathon, which takes place in April 2020.

“I might do another marathon in the meantime, I may be in Quebec or Toronto, but it all depends,” Belanger added.

“If you believe in yourself, stuff just kind of comes together. Anything is possible.”

The world record for men’s half marathons is 58:18, set by Abraham Kiptum in October 2018.

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Brady.bateman@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @TheDigitalBirdy