WILLIAMSTOWN, Ontario – Williamstown`s Wendell Lafave, also known as the Marathon Man, is on a new journey to Banff on June 19.
Wendell Lafave, an extraordinary marathon runner with 153 marathons to his credit and is not letting his journey end just yet. Wendell started this journey in 1977, at the age of 29 when he was looking through a magazine at the Summerheights Golf Links and noticed an ad for a marathon taking place in Ottawa. Since then, Wendell has ran marathons on all of the continents, and earned six medals from competing in the Berlin, New York City, London, Chicago, Boston and Tokyo marathons. Few can claim they`ve achieved this, but fewer can claim they’ve had an Abbott medal hung around their neck.
The Abbott World Marathon Majors medal is issued to runners who have completed in the six major marathons that include, Boston, New York City, Berlin, London, Chicago and Tokyo. Lafave is now one of the 3,083 people to have earned this medal.
“I felt quiet accomplishment honestly,” noted Wendall Lafave about achieving the Abbott medal. “Whether it’s a good day or bad day once you finish the race you get a great relief and the feeling of the adrenaline drip.”
Wendell plans on adding his number of marathons by almost 50. “I would like to get to at least 200 marathons but at 68 years old, it does take a toll on the body.” He will be participating in a marathon in Cornwall in the next two weeks and also has many plans for future marathons, this includes going to Banff this summer on June 19, 2018.
Until then, Lafave will be taking a little break. “I am taking a little break because not too long ago I ran 3 marathons in 3 weeks,” said Lafave. “I went to Tokyo for four to five days and ran a marathon, then I went to Spain, ran a marathon and then I ran another marathon after I was in Spain.”
