By Michael Boriero
Sébastien Roulier, a pediatrician and ultramarathon runner in Sherbrooke, set a new mark in the Guinness Book of World Records this weekend when he ran 185.5 km over a 24-hour period while pushing people with reduced mobility.
Roulier set off on his record-breaking run on Sept. 24 at 2 p.m., where he jogged the 3.5 km distance around Lac des Nations a total of 53 times while pushing a kartus, a modified wheelchair for elderly folks and people with disabilities.
The previous record was 161.6 km. However, while Roulier’s challenge was based on setting a new record, his true goal was to shed some light on social inclusion. He told The Record that a lot of people with reduced mobility suffered this year due to the pandemic.
“As a runner, when I’m doing this activity, I’m creating a bond with the person I’m pushing, we chat, we discuss different things, I get to know them, and we talk about anything. I’d say the main goal is to promote social inclusion with people who live with mobility difficulties,” he said.
Roulier is also a member of Sherbrooke Shared Runs, a group that meets once a week to connect runners and people with reduced mobility. He has experience pushing a kartus, and he has close ties to the community. He wanted everyone to be involved in his challenge.
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