MONTREAL -- Joan Roch is well-known to many Montrealers, even if they don’t know his name.

His passion for running is what’s made him a local legend. Roch runs to work downtown every day from the South Shore, over the bridge -- even in winter, when he keeps wearing his running shorts.

Like many people, Roch had an event cancelled in the pandemic, but unlike most people, the event he had cancelled was an ultra-marathon that he'd been training for all year.

Unwilling to stay home, he decided he would take this summer's theme of "rediscovering Quebec" to a new level and do his own ultra-marathon close to home.

Starting next week, Roch will run from Percé to Montreal, 1,100 kilometres in total. He predicts that it will take about nine days.

Watch the video above to see what Roch hopes to accomplish.