Marathon #4 in 2022 - Beneva Montreal Marathon 2022 -1st sub-4 hours Marathon (PR)

The 30th edition of the Montreal Marathon was held on the weekend of September 24 (10KM) and September 25 (21.1 KM & 42.2KM). The Beneva Montreal Marathon was my fourth full (42.2KM) Marathon in 2022 (Vancouver, Ottawa, Edmonton), and I ran a personal best of 3 hours 44 Minutes. I set a goal to break the fours time for a marathon in Montreal, and I achieved it. It was a tough process getting to the finish line as the picture below shows.

Over 10,000 runners participated in the 2022 Montreal Marathon with the start line at Espace 67 on Île Sainte-Hélène and the finish line at Olympic Stadium.

Lanre Dahunsi at the 2022 Beneva Montreal Marathon

Winners: Beneva Montreal Marathon 2022

Men

Gadisa Shumie (Ethiopia) – 2:09:25
Mousaab Hadout (Morocco) – 2:17:35
David Mutai (Kenyan-Canadian) – 2:22:21

Women

Mélanie DesAutels – 2:53:02
Andréanne Fortin – 2:54:15
Kamilla Pinter – 3:04:18

Running my first sub-fours time

The Montreal Marathon was a highlight of my running adventure as I ran a personal best which I intend to break even further in the coming months. I am aiming to participate in the Boston Marathon which has a qualifying time of 3hrs 05min 00sec for my age bracket. I ran 3hrs 44min 14sec, a personal record in the Montreal Marathon. My time is getting better, and I need to get it lower in the coming months through hard work, persistence, a great workout plan and restructuring my diet.

BMO Vancouver Marathon – 5:00:31.
Tartan Ottawa International Marathon – 4:37:39
Servus Edmonton Marathon – 4:00:20
Beneva Montreal Marathon 2022 – 3:44:14

Cross Training for the Marathons

I think one of the reasons that my time is improving is that I started cross-training for the Marathons earlier this year. I am preparing for my first triathlon in 2023, and therefore, I have been swimming and cycling a lot. I average 2 hours a day of swimming (14 hours a week) and 1 hour of cycling every day. The discipline and dedication to execute the cross-training have also helped me believe more in my capabilities and expanded my vision of what is possible.

You have got to ignore the naysayers

I participated in my first-ever marathon in 2013 in Accra, Ghana. I have heard a lot of cynical and sarcastic statements from both well-meaning friends and individuals that really don’t know what they are talking about. Statements such as what was your position, did you finish, and how can you be running for that long? Are you getting paid? What is the point? I used to take some of these questions and comments personally in the beginning, but with time, I have come to realize that most of them to know what they are talking about.

My strategy for dealing with the naysayers is: “Never explain: those that need it don’t matter, does that matter don’t need”. I just keep it moving, I know why am running the marathons and how it is helping me expand my vision of what is possible.