Horacio Arruda: on the move, no matter how!

Dr. Arruda is riding his bike for a hike of a few kilometres alongside Pierre Lavoie.

20 June 2020 11: 35 am

Updated at 14h19

Horacio Arruda: on the move, no matter how!

Judith Desmeules

The Sun

“If I’m able to do it, you can do it too,” says Horacio Arruda, after riding his bike alongside Pierre Lavoie.

The national Director of public health has not too moved for the last few weeks, it has an pandemic to manage. His lack of form has not prevented from taking the start of the Grand défi Pierre Lavoie reinvented Saturday, at the university Institute of cardiology and respirology of Quebec.

“I’m not a cyclist at heart, I’m a guy that has a good bike!”

He showed himself to be honest, his riding season has not begun prior to Saturday, but cycling is a sport that he has always enjoyed. Of course, he was given a helping hand by offering him an electric bike. Attention! It will still push the pedals to make it move, make no mistake, it will be hot after the hike.

“It is important to move, we can all do it, we can all walk. It is able to keep physical health and mental health. The more health, the more our body is ready to cope with the virus”, he repeated on the starting line.

Horacio Arruda praised the ingenuity of Pierre Lavoie and his annual challenge revisited. “Its purpose is to make the world move, and he has adapted his concept. There is a way to do this in spite of the big stress of the COVID.”

Impossible to gather and ride as a group this year, but all Quebecers are invited to move during the end of the week and browse through the most kilometres possible. Walking, running, or cycling, all efforts count. Downloading the app 1 000 000 KM Together, it is possible to record the distance travelled. Pierre Lavoie hopes to reach a common goal of 1 000 000 kilometres.

Horacio Arruda is also addressed to young people before jetting off to the ferry to bike. “I beg you, to prevent certain diseases such as diabetes or obesity, do what you love. Not need to be an athlete, a good pair of running shoes and off we go!”

The déconfinement has certainly led to a decline in morale, Quebecers have less than budged since the last few weeks. While respecting hygiene (washing of hands, two meters high and covers-face), the message of Dr. Arruda is simple : move, regardless of the way in.

“It is necessary to go outside to take the air! It is important to return in the fall with a better moral to deal with what could be a second wave,”

Pierre Lavoie pedal Saguenay to Montreal until Sunday. He will meet personalities from the field of health on his journey.