Half marathon with 123 pounds less

During the epidemic, a man from Quebec traded in sugar for running shoes. His new passion has made him lose 123 pounds and he runs the Lewis‌, the first marathon he runs on Sunday.

“I worked for a long time in a family pizzeria,” said 36-year-old Pedza Heleta. For lunch, this is Club Sandwich, for dinner, poutine and for dinner, another poutine! When I get home, I need some sugar. “

This attraction to fat and sugar, combined with a sedentary lifestyle, made him weigh 295 pounds, 1.75 m.

One day in February 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic began, Mr. Heleta was frustrated with the lack of breathing needed to play with his daughter and son, who are now 8 and 2 years old.

The man from Vanier decided to pick up his television set.

He started walking first because his weight prevented him from running.

“Even though it was snowing, even at -30 degrees, I was running,” he explained. People wondered what I was doing while walking in the storm. But I did not want to stop! To me, it was like doing a responsibility. “

60 km per week

Today, Mr. Heleta travels four times a week, 15 km. He also gave up sweets and poutines.

The road he traveled in 19 months prompted him to register for the Lewis Half Marathon on Sunday, where 3,000 runners covered 21.1 km on the banks of the St. Lawrence River.

This was not his long distance: in training, Mr. Heleta had already covered 26 km.

“I thought about signing up for a full marathon, but I thought it would be better to wait,” Heleta laughs. Maybe next year. “

As of Sunday, Mr Heleta was happy with the impact of weight loss on his health. Before running, he suffered from sleep apnea and had to take medication to lower his cholesterol levels.

All this was behind him, said the man who now works as a truck driver.

“The maneuver went on,” Heleta said. Often people tell me I don’t have time. But we can always find the time. “