Sports as a couple: when bond rhymes with performance

Training as a couple, sharing the same goals, the same sacrifices, the same starting lines: good idea or not? For Caroline Pomerleau, the answer is clear. For several years, she has been building her athletic career and family life alongside her partner and coach, Anouka Tremblay. Together, they juggle busy schedules, parenting, and training, driven by the same conviction: moving forward together means going further.

A remarkable start

In the world of running, Caroline Pomerleau needs no introduction. In 2023, she made a lasting impression by becoming Canadian champion in her very first marathon. It was a sensational entry into the elite level of the sport!

The Quebec City native quickly established herself as an athlete to watch. At her side, her partner and coach, Anouka Tremblay, played a key role in supporting her rise to the top.

Balancing sports and family: finding the right balance

A year ago, Caroline and Anouka's lives took a new turn when they became mothers for the first time. It's an extraordinary adventure, but one that profoundly changes everyday life. Family responsibilities, full-time jobs, training plans, all of it.

Despite everything, the young mothers made a clear choice: to continue to preserve this space for self-improvement, support, and motivation that they both find in running. “In our schedule, we make a conscious choice to prioritize ourselves as athletes,” says Caroline.

On a daily basis, they take turns so that each can stick to her training plan. The runners have also added hiking to their arsenal, as a way to easily integrate their little one into their sporting activities. Recently, they also traded their gym membership for a home workout space. “It's a game changer, because we can do our strength training sessions while our daughter plays in her playpen or takes a nap,” explains the mother.

When the comeback doesn't go as planned

After pregnancy, the body also needs to rebuild itself. For Caroline, her postpartum training comeback was abruptly halted just as she was regaining her momentum. A sacral fracture forced her to remain sedentary for nearly three months.

For the long-distance runner and physical education teacher, this forced break was particularly difficult. “Mentally, it was tough,” she admits.

It is also in a challenge like this that the limitations of training as a pair can become apparent. “When you're together, you push each other and motivate each other,” she explains. When one of the partners has to stay on the sidelines, the dynamic changes. It's a challenge for the person who finds themselves deprived of their daily motivation, but also for the person who has to slow down and become a mere spectator.

“It's not easy to see the other person progressing and moving forward when you're at a standstill.”

Returning to the top after an ordeal

These days, Caroline is gradually resuming training. Week by week, her running volume is increasing. “I've finally started interval training again,” she says.

Still driven by the ambition to reach the highest peaks, the athlete is now moving forward with a more pragmatic approach. Before her injury, she dreamed of competing in the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. “I no longer have rose-colored glasses. I realize how demanding it is for an athlete who can't devote 100% of their time to their sport and has to work at the same time,” Caroline acknowledges.

Her immediate goal is more concrete: to wear a race number in the upcoming season, which starts in a few weeks. She wants to come back strong, healthy, and competitive.

Photo Credits: Nicolas Hallet