Giroux competes in world duathlon championships, sets sights on Boston Marathon

AMHERST - Amherst's Paul Giroux proves that it's never too late to get competitive.
He began training when he was 50 and now, three years later, he recently returned from Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C., where he competed in the ITU Duathlon World Championships.
Giroux raced against 35 other athletes in the 50-54 age group and finished in 34th place with a time of 2:22:39.
The race has three stages, beginning with a 10-kilometre run, followed by a 40-kilometre bike ride and a five-kilometre run.
Giroux completed the first run in 51:16, the bike ride in 1:00:44 and the final run in 28:23.
The hardest part for Giroux was the second run.
"It's the hardest part because your legs are pretty tired by then," said Giroux. "You come off the bike where you used the front part of your legs, then you run, which uses the back of your legs. It's a tough transition to get the blood flowing to the back of your legs again. A lot of people cramp up."
The race attracted about 750 age group competitors and 150 elite racers.
Part of the race was run on the 1.5-mile loop, which is host to NASCAR Sprint Cup events.
"Part of the bike course was run on the race track, but most of it was on the road outside the grandstand," said Giroux.
Giroux said he used to ride his bike recreationally but decided to get serious about three years ago.
"In the summer I run in the morning, ride my bike to work and after work I train until it gets dark," said Giroux. "I train about 20 hours a week."
In the winter, he runs on a treadmill and puts his bike on trainer where he can ride in one spot.
"I do that until the weather improves," he said.
Giroux's next big challenge will be running a marathon in Myrtle Beach, S.C., in February.
"If I do well there, I will qualify for the Boston Marathon," said Giroux. "Running the Boston Marathon is one of my goals, one of the things I want to do."
Giroux attributes much of his success to the fact that he loves to ride his bike and likes to run.
"To be competitive you have to want to be active and stay active on a day-to-day basis," said Giroux. "It's hard to compete if you don't do it consistently. It's a lifestyle."
Giroux organized the 10-kilometre Cross Border Challenge held in July.
"I'm also thinking about holding a duathlon here," said Giroux. "This part of the province is not represented provincially at all. There's no duathlon event in this area so I'm very much thinking of putting an event on here."

dmathieson@amherstdaily.com