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Parisien Gilles

Gilles Parisien
Sport: Track & Field
Year Inducted: 2010

Some Hall of Famers begin competing in their sport at a very young age. Gilles Parisien discovered his, competitive running when he was an adult.

For the past 23 years, Gilles has been the face of running in Cornwall.

Gilles started his running career by running once around the block and like a famous movie character decided to keep running and hasn’t stopped.

He built his endurance to the point where he qualified for the World famous Boston Marathon 9 times, while he competed in 3 of the events. Gilles has run in 20 marathons.

Gilles has been the coach of the St. Lawrence College Cross Country team since 1997 even being named Coach of the Year in 2003.

He focused on distance running as a coach with the Cornwall Cougars Track & Field team.

Gilles’ served six years as President of the Seaway Valley Runners Association.

He was the Race Director for the Great Raisin River Footrace for 10 years until 2000.

Gilles was one of the organizers of the MS Run in Cornwall for seven years beginning in 2002.

He’s a former Vice President of the Cornwall MultiSport Club and is credited with bringing the Learn to Run program to Cornwall. The program has sold out in each of the past 5 years.

One of his newest timed conquests is snowshoe racing, which he has competed in since 2007. Gilles has introduced snowshoe clinics in Cornwall since 2008.

Gilles Parisien is being inducted into the Cornwall Sports Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2010.