Wendell Lafave
Williamstown’s super star Wendell Lafave is still putting the little Glengarry town on the map. And he’s been doing it for most of his life, beginning with hockey and now as a representative in marathons that have taken him around the world.
Growing up in a small town meant that if you wanted to play hockey, you’d probably have to play outside on a pond, a river or on a make-shift rink, and with just about anyone you could find. Thankfully, Williamstown had just about enough boys to make two teams and Larocque’s Barber Shop on the corner had a backyard rink.
That was just the beginning for the all around athlete who believes that timing and location have everything to do with success.
Lafave became hooked on hockey when it was not yet organized. He would hitch-hike for miles just to plat a game, whether for or against Williamstown, Maxville, Long Sault, Moose Creek, Alexandria or Dalhousie. He played on the Char-Lan District High School team and won outstanding athlete of the year in 1969.
For 26 years he taught for the Upper Canada District School Board, and continued to play and coach hockey. But an ankle injury at the age of 35 left him immobile for close to six weeks and that’s what started his next round of athletics.
Lafave got himself and his ankle back on track by walking and then running. He enjoyed it so much, he decided to start competing. And in no small way… he ran the 1984 Montreal marathon and finished ahead of his predicted time.
He was hooked, but continued to train, teach, coach, and play hockey and that saw him capture several championships with the Williamstown Wings and Maxville No Stars.
He went on years later to compete in many more marathons, while playing golf, winning several titles as well. But his focus now is on running. He’s completed full marathons, while playing golf, winning several titles as well. But his focus now is on running. He’s completed full marathons in every Canadian province, every American state, in England, Ancient Greece and Chile.
In 2015, Lafave won the Cornwall Lions Club Runner of the Year. He is a Seven Continents Club finisher and an official member of the Marathon Globetrotters Club. He is a Six Star Finisher of the Abbott World Marathons and has won six time Runner of the Year for the Cornwall Multisport Club.
In 2019, Lafave has earned a pace in the "50 States Marathon Club" by completing all 50 states, twice! He is also a member of the North American "100 Marathon Club" with 167 marathons completed. He has completed all 10 provinces of Canada and is working on his 2nd round with 5 already done.
He is currently training for his upcoming marathons in Budapest, Hungary and the Loch Ness Marathon in Iverness, Scotland.
