TESTIMONY. At 81, this Breton came 1st in the New York marathon in his category

Le Langonnetais (Morbihan)Michel Melliarenne, finished 1^is in the 2021 New York Marathon, in the over 80 category.

“Football player in Langonnet then in New York”

“I was born in Leurven, in La Trinité-Langonnet, on October 26, 1940. I have had a passion for racing since the age of 10, but I first devoted myself to football, until the age of 40. First at the Entente Sportif de Langonnet, like several of my brothers, then at the Stade Breton in New York, where I emigrated in 1964 and where I worked in catering. »

“32 marathons since the age of 50”

“I started running when I was 50, to accompany my son Claude, himself a coach in a running club in New York. At the first marathon, 7 kilometers from the finish, I couldn’t take it anymore but I resisted and I reached my goal after three hours and thirty-six minutes. My best time so far! I was completely broken and told myself never again. But fifteen days later, I was already thinking about the next marathon. And since then, I have run 32, 27 in New York, including fourteen years in a row, four in Paris and one in Boston. »

« 1^is of the over 80s at the 2021 New York City Marathon »

“For my 80th birthday, the 2020 New York Marathon has been canceled due to the Covid. However, I trained for the following year, fearing until the last moment that it would be canceled. I was relieved at the starting line on November 7, 2021 and finished first in my category, the over 80s, in five hours and thirty-five minutes. I hope to participate again in 2022. When I live in Brittany, in Rosporden, part of the year, I continue to train. I even come to visit my brothers Maurice and Daniel, from Rosporden, Langonnet and Faouët, running on the greenway. »