{"id":111979,"date":"2024-03-15T10:44:11","date_gmt":"2024-03-15T14:44:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/runningmagazine.ca\/?p=111979"},"modified":"2024-03-18T10:07:52","modified_gmt":"2024-03-18T14:07:52","slug":"boston-bound-gabriel-jarquins-quest-for-personal-bests-and-pride","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/runningmagazine.ca\/the-scene\/boston-bound-gabriel-jarquins-quest-for-personal-bests-and-pride\/","title":{"rendered":"Boston bound: Gabriel Jarquin’s quest for personal bests and pride"},"content":{"rendered":"

There’s something special about the Boston Marathon. Everyone who lines up on the Hopkinton start line has a story of how they got there and the sacrifices they’ve made. One of those stories belongs to Toronto’s Gabriel Jarquin<\/strong>, who will be lining up for his fourth Boston Marathon next month.<\/p>\n

For Jarquin, a HOKA Athlete Ambassador and a pillar of Toronto’s running and pride community, Boston holds a special place in his heart; he has even immortalized it with a tattoo. The allure of the course’s challenges and prestige continues to draw him back. “It’s really special,” Jarquin says. “It’s hard, and runners go there to take on a challenge and suffer.”<\/p>\n

\"Gabriel
HOKA Athlete Ambassador Gabriel Jarquin. Photo: Rayan Tace<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Reflecting on his previous races in Boston, Jarquin believes his knowledge and experience of the course can help him break his personal best of 2:39.35 from the 2023 Berlin Marathon. “I felt like I had more in the tank in Berlin, was afraid of hitting the wall but didn’t hit it,” says Jarquin. “In Berlin, you can just focus on pace; but with Boston, you have to be smart. Boston is more about effort than pace\u2013your pace will always change.”<\/p>\n

Coached by Jim Finlayson<\/strong><\/a>, who also mentors Canadian marathon record holder Cam Levins<\/strong><\/a>, Jarquin approaches his fourth Boston Marathon with a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of the course’s intricacies. “The first 30K is a warm-up; you want to feel comfortable when you hit the Newton hills,” he says. “The thing about Boston is that there are so many milestones; the Wellesley scream tunnel is emotional for me (at the halfway point). There I know people are cheering for me, and it helps with my mindset. In Boston, you gotta use your mind to your advantage.”<\/p>\n