Page 44 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 110

44 Issue #110 March 2022 www.sportsenergynews.com

Sports Presents Jim Riddell’s Sports Talk
Sports
Sports
Sports
e
s
w

e
w
Energy
Energy
N
N
Energy N e w s Presents
Energy Newss
Stories And More About The People In Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry with Area Senior Normand Fournier
School, Norm played on the football in 2 hr. 45min. 11sec. to improve on
team for 4 years at the junior and senior my previous marathon time. Here are
levels. In 1967 the SLHS Senior team, some facts, 7,970 qualified starters,
coached by Rick Forrester, became the 5,958 finished and my time was ranked
last team from Eastern Ontario to win the 1,115 overall, just an incredible statistic!
By Jim Riddell ALL EOSSA title defeating Kingston by As for the 1980 Boston Marathon, the
a score of 17-16, going undefeated the standards were lowered to times better
ornwall resident Normand Fournier whole season. than as indicated (MEN – 2:50 under
Chas played numerous sports locally 40, 3:10 over 40, and all WOMEN
but is best known as an elite long- Following high school, Norm enrolled 3:20) to reduce numbers and start time
distance runner. In the early years, Norm in the Assessment Administration adjustments. Quite different than what
lived on St. Felix Street, which at that Program at St. Lawrence College on the exists today AND the entry fee was just
time was part of Cornwall Township up advice of Leo Samson who worked at the FIVE BUCKS!”
until the 1957 amalgamation. Courtaulds local Assessment Office while assisting
Canada was a large employer at the time, Norm’s mother at the store. “While After 8 years of living in Toronto
and many city residents including both attending SLC, I played part of 2 years with the last 2 years working at Head
Norm’s mother and father worked there. for the SLC Roadrunners hockey team, Office, Norm made some career and life
“Our family then made a few moves until coached by Orval Tessier in year one changes when in June of 1980 he moved
my parents bought a grocery store with and Jack Haines the following season. In back to Cornwall. “Adjustments needed
apartments at the corner of First Street the winter of 1971-72, one of my hockey to be made with a new workplace and
East and Millville Avenue. My mother teammates, Ron Lalande, suggested old friends that now were either married
quit her job to become an apprentice I try broomball. I played in a local or had left town. What better way to put
butcher at the store with help from Leo industrial league on a team sponsored by matters at ease than going out on a daily
Samson.” the White House Hotel in St. Zotique. Photo Submitted run or bike ride, before or after work?
Also, my parents were billets for the There was no bike path in those days
The nearby Bob Turner Memorial Cornwall Royals – 1971/72 Memorial and one of my favorite routes was west
Center is where Norm began playing Cup Champions (Reg Pearson and Tony of Cumberland Street on the canal to
in Cornwall’s minor hockey, baseball, McCarthy) and 1972/73 (John Wensick) the power dam or then all the way along
lacrosse (Alexander Park) and - what a great experience!” train properly. During the summer of the dike to Combustion Engineering
Optimist’s football (Joe St. Denis Field) 1978 at a middle-distance training race (now Laframboise) and home through
programs. Other venues at the time were Graduating from SLC in 1972, Norm in Sunnybrook Park, the guy running the Riverdale subdivision. I’d also bike
the Courtaulds rink, which had dressing found employment in his field, working alongside of me turned out to be a former eastward to Boundary to Tyotown Road,
rooms, the Courtaulds baseball diamond, at the Metro Toronto Assessment Office. Cornwallite, Bert DeVries, a member of Purcell Road, or Rae Road and back to
and in the west end there was a baseball Continuing to play hockey was a bit of a the University of Toronto Track Club. A the city via the waterfront. Locally, I
field behind what was then West Front challenge as ice time was at a premium friendship evolved and whenever Bert also joined the Cornwall Cycle Club and
Public school. Norm describes himself which sometimes meant playing at 2 or would visit his parents in Cornwall, we the Seaway Runners Club.”
as not being a very gifted athlete as a 3 am. “I played a little bit of hockey, but would get together for a run. Bert also
youth, says that the encouragement and by the mid-70s, I was a little overweight ran The Great Raisin River Foot Race Preparing for the Labatt’s Toronto
support from his parents made it worth and on the advice of a doctor, I joined on a couple of occasions, which was a Marathon on October 5th, Norm used
giving sports a try. a fitness center, ski club, and even took part of the Williamstown Fair. area races like the Trenton HALF,
cooking classes at a nearby high school. Iroquois 10KM, Williamstown Fair, and
“In minor hockey or lacrosse, the At the gym, I ran with an older guy who In the fall of 1978, it was time to Lake Placid HALF or FULL Marathon
position played really never mattered had once ran the Boston Marathon. I give the marathon a second try. Norm in addition to his daily runs. Lake Placid,
and I was sometimes called upon to think that he may have seen potential in ran the Skylon Int’l Marathon with a in mid-September, offered 2 options, the
be the goalie. At 17 or 18, I played 2 me, so he helped and encouraged me.” time of 2 hours and 46 minutes and 13-mile half portion or the 26-mile full
years of Junior lacrosse and during one best of all, qualification to run the 1979 marathon distance. Advising the race
game in particular, the team needed a In 1977, Norm ran his first marathon, Boston Marathon which meant running director that he was using that race as a
keeper in Morrisburg and having played the Skylon International Marathon, through the winter months for a race training run and that he would be picked
in net a few games back in Bantam, I finishing in 3 hours and 22 minutes and on the 3rd Monday in April (Patriots’ up at the 20-mile mark, Norm completed
volunteered. We lost the game but the was uncertain about whether he would Day). Between working, being a ski his run in 1 hr. 59 minutes, taking 5th
guy’s appreciated it and over the next run another. “I got encouragement from instructor (North Toronto Ski Club) place in the marathon. The Lake Placid
2 years I found myself in the crease, some fellow runners from UTTC I had and training, come April, Norm was run turned out to be a good preparation
again.” met at the marathon, and I decided ready for it. “It wasn’t ideal weather
to take it seriously, join the club, and conditions, but I completed the course
While attending St. Lawrence High Continued on page 45