Daylight takes its full clearness and high luster, in my opinion, at the end of September. So I went to the Ahuntsic Park on a beautiful Friday late in the afternoon, because I particularly appreciate the oblique light that passes under the trees at this time of the year.

I noticed a group of young people running and thought that they would make a good subject for a collective portrait. The day was declining, but I did not dare interrupt them during their training. When I later noticed that they had slowed down and were stretching, I approached them, thinking they had finished their activitiy.

After a brief conversation, I took some pictures of Marie and Simon. I had just enough time to learn that they were both national caliber sprinters and they were training at the Club d'athlétisme Perfmax-Racing based at the Claude-Robillard Sports Complex. At this point of the conversation, they left me because their coaches had arrived. What I had witnessed earlier was only their preparation! I certainly would not have been able to keep up with them running to continue the discussion!

After a little research, I discovered that Simon is a competitive runner and that Marie is among the cream of junior sprinters in Québec. She is very close to the best in Canada on the distances of 100 and 200 meters. She currently tries to reach her maximum level of performance. Student in a CÉGEP, she would like to obtain a university scholarship, even if it means leaving for the USA. It seems that the best one can hope for in athletics in Quebec is the equivalent of tuition fees payment at Université de Sherbrooke.

We wish them both to be persistent in their efforts and to achieve their personal goals.