Motivational speaker Pierre Beauregard visits École Saint Joseph

Now it’s not too often that I find a story so interesting that I decide to write about it. Usually, I cover and write stories that the editor as requested, but on Wednesday, October 18th, that’s exactly what happened

As I was picking up my kids from school I saw this odd-looking bicycle with a trailer attached with a sign on it. Thinking nothing of it collected the children and went home. The next day I picked up my daughter for lunch hour and there it is. That bicycle again.

Intrigued, I ask Principal Michel Lavergne, who responded, “oh, it’s Pierre Beauregard.” For some reason the name sounded familiar… Weeks before I had come across his website, thinking nothing of it. So now I’m really curious.

I returned with my daughter to school after lunch and had a brief chat with Mr. Beauregard and instantly his positivity and energy told me I needed to interview this guy. We set a time and location and we met later that afternoon at the Wawa Public Library.

So here I am recorder in hand thinking I’m going to ask a few questions 10 or 15 minutes max… Boy was I wrong! An hour later I concluded my chat with Pierre. So here it goes.

Pierre Beauregard is an Outdoors Consultant, Author, and Motivational speaker. And when i say motivational, I mean motivational!

Pierre comes from the Eastern Townships of Quebec, the community of Granby. Being a sports enthusiast, Beauregard decided at the age of 39 after seeing a 79-year-old contestant complete an Iron Man challenge, that he was going to try his hand at completing his own Iron Man challenge of 40 in 40 years. So his journey now begins in 2010.

In 2017, after developing his own approach and vision to his challenges, Pierre soon realized that his approach not only worked in competition, for also in life events. He decided to create a presentation for a small group of friends and family thinking they were going to convince him it was a bad idea. To his amazement, they told him not to stop. So a book, later named Always Winning (toujour gagnant) was written. The book and Presentation is available both in French and English.

Pierre explained that the Cazy Tour started with his desire to complete the 2023 Alaskan Iron Man Challenge. But in December 2022, it was canceled.

But Pierre’s mind was set – he was going to Alaska anyway to do his own challenge. Once in Juneau, he signed up for a smaller triathlon but actually completed the distance that would be covered in an Iron Man Challenge – first by swimming, then completing the biking and marathon portion. On the way home, he stopped speaking to schools and even doing house conferences, as he called it to those who wanted to listen.

So now here we are on the park bench outside the Wawa library and I’m basically getting a personal version of his motivational conference. I was kind of having a bad day at that point – you know life, mechanical troubles, etc; but within 15 minutes of speaking with Beauregard that all changed.

Now if i didn’t mention it already… he’s doing all of this on a bicycle, towing a trailer with all his gear! Alaska and back by bicycle (except for the ferry).

As we near the end of the chat, Pierre explains that École Secondaire Trillium in Chapleau has now booked his conference and that he is heading to Chapleau the next morning.

The following day around 10 am or so, I got a text from him, “I’m 115 km away broke down. Hitch-hiking to Chapleau”. Can you believe, with a smile and a positive attitude, he found a ride, completed his conference, got his trailer fixed, and was off to Sudbury?

Pierre truly enjoyed Wawa. The staff and students at both École Saint Joseph and École Secondaire Trillium (Chapleau). He even got to enjoy an Evening of Song at the library as local artist Don Charboneau and granddaughter Alex performed. The presentation in Wawa was made possible in part by Kyle and Kim at Superior Coast Outfitters who graciously donated a night’s stay at their ABNB.