Joan roch is an author, photographer, journalist, speaker and ultra-marathoner. He got into running a few years ago, got involved in this community in a big way, and then took a break.
Last year, notably through his Percé-Montreal challenge and the publication of his book, he demonstrated that he had made a strong comeback in the field of running.
What prompted him to take a break, but above all, how did he regain a taste for racing? It is on these questions that we are studying with the athlete from Longueuil.
Daniel: First of all, what made you give up racing, an area where you were very involved?
Joan: I took a break at the start of 2016, when I was publishing my book. I was coming out of a super busy 2015: 6 ultra-marathons in 5 months, writing a book and promoting it. It was very exhausting physically, but especially psychologically.
Mental fatigue therefore set in, which had repercussions on my family, professional and personal life. So I knew I had to change something but I wasn't sure what. After about 6 months of questioning, I decided that a race break might be the solution. So it was one morning in May, overnight, that I stopped running without really knowing for how long.
I also took a break from social media because I wasn't sure what to say to people following me. I didn't even know what was happening to me so it was very difficult for me to openly disclose it. I opted for radio silence while I understood what was happening to me.
Daniel: Do you think the overload of training and competitions led to your break, like a kind ofoverdose?
Joan: No, it was really different actually. I do ultras not to perform but to get to know myself. When you run alone for hours on end, you face a lot of situations and your reactions to them allow you to grow as a person.
When I chained 6 ultras in 5 months, I had the impression of not learning anything more at the end. I found it so unfortunate to get involved so personally and financially so that in the end, I didn't learn anything at all. So I realized that I had discovered what I had to discover. We could therefore say that I stopped rather for fear of overdosing, precisely.
Daniel: Did you feel uneasy about your absence on social media during your break from running?
Joan: Absolutely! I would have liked to explain to people what was happening to me, but at the same time, it's difficult when you can't find the words and you don't understand what is happening to you yourself.
On the other hand, I wasn't experiencing a drama either: we're just talking about running after all!
It was after 6 months that I quietly started to find the words, but I was still missing pieces of the puzzle.
I finally wrote a text about my experience and the reaction of people has done me a lot of good. Indeed, it seems that what I was going through was quite common and it reassured me to know that I was not alone. It was at this point that the idea of writing a second book caught on from this experience.
Daniel: Did your involvement on social networks cause a certain pressure to run and perform which would have ultimately contributed to your stopping?
Joan: Yeah, especially in the first few months. I could even mention that my sudden stop was caused by the pressure precisely.
I really wanted to quit to the point where when I started over I didn't use a watch so as not to put pressure on myself and to give the wrong ideas to people following me on Strava.
Daniel: What motivated you to start running again?
Joan: You have to know, first and foremost, that I am mostly a utility runner since running is my means of transport to get to work.
So I started running again after 10 months off, mainly for utilitarian reasons. I was tired of cycling and even more of the metro. Putting on my running shoes again seemed like the only suitable option for me and I knew how it worked.
Once the muscle soreness stage was behind me, I was back in shape, but after about 6 months. The ascent was slow and not necessarily pleasant, but I much preferred this situation than setting foot in a metro.
Daniel: Did you start running again with a watch?
Joan: Yes, April 1, 2019, to be precise! But I ran for over two years without a watch! Since I was utility racing and knew my route by heart, I just didn't see the point of having it with me.
The form slowly returned and I began to feel like having indications of it. So that's what motivated me to wear it again.
Daniel: Did setting the Percé-Montreal goal help you regain your taste for racing?
Joan: Absolutely! No matter how hard I looked, I couldn't find any goal or event that made me want to push myself further.
It was after hearing about the Triple Crown, the cumulative of three ultra-marathons in the United States that you must complete in 2 months, that the click was made. At the time, I was convinced that I would learn something new about myself as a result of these events. This is what rekindled my motivation.
But the pandemic decided as much: the Triple Crown was therefore forced to cancel its events. Needless to say, I was disappointed: I was in superb shape and found it a waste not to enjoy it after working so hard.
So I fell back, like everyone else, on Quebec. I was curious to know the distance between Percé and Longueuil: 1080 km! It suited me! So I decided to embark on the adventure ... with 2 weeks notice!
Daniel: Did Percé-Montreal allow you to rediscover something that you couldn't find within 100 miles?
Joan: Absolutely! I also believe that the Triple Crown would have been a mistake, because in the end I would have just repeated what I was already doing.
Percé-Montreal allowed me to create my own event and to be the master of everything. I have achieved a lot and I believe it is the best thing that has ever happened to me.
Daniel: Do you have any advice for someone who has lost the taste for running but would like to start again?
Joan: It's not easy. It is often believed that simply registering for an event is the only solution, but no. I suggest you leave your watch behind and find yourself a course or some challenge that motivates you.
Daniel: What are your next projects?
Joan: I would love to run a really long distance over several months, like crossing a continent.
Otherwise, I will start writing a new book soon and it will keep me busy!
By the way, you can get my first 2 U booksltra-ordinary in all bookstores or on my website.
