It’s 3am, I get up and inform Sarah that I will be leaving soon, the kids are deep asleep. I start getting dressed in my favorite racing outfit. Quick breakfast, check of the racing vest’s content. 330am Adrien and I meet outside and walk towards the Mont-Edouard shuttle bus that will take us to the 445am racing brief and 5am start.

The gear:

• Salomon Adv12 running vest with 2x500ml soft bottles. 1 spare bottle with water filter.
• Waterproof jacket
• Warm running hoodie
• beanie hat
• 2 headlamps (will come in handy)
• Leki ultratrail superlight carbon running poles (the most useful piece of kit for this event)
• gels, waffles, nuts, burrito
• compeed, survival blanket
• garmin inteach mini (in 20’ intervals tracking mode)

5am sharp the runners head for the Montagne Blanche following along the river. It is a beautiful morning, not raining for the first time in days. Nature is offering us a perfect weather day for racing. After 10 minutes of flat we start our first climb of the day, a 600m climb that will take around 2 hours and offer some of the most spectacular views of the event, overlooking the Saguenay Fjord, running on the top of Montagne Blanche.

Adrien and I cannot seem to find a matching racing pace. Our first experience of ultra racing together at Harricana in 2021 was unique, we settled into a pace that we managed to keep for 12 hours. Today is different, it is part of racing. I start picking up the pace slightly and head towards Église de l’Anse Saint Jean, our first aid station at around 13k. Sarah and the kids are there waiting. It is so uplifting to see them that I almost want to take a longer break. I fill up with fresh water eat a bit of food and I am off.

I will see Sarah, Oscar and Oriane another 2 times at 2 other aid stations. Each time it’s a huge mental boost seeing the kids so excited about the race but also puzzled at what daddy is doing. They run with me for a few meters after the aid station of Corsaire and call me one more time for kisses. 5 hours later, at the second stop at l’Eglise, after 64k of running, they cycle with me along the river. The perception of Time seems to slowly disappear and my focus turns to muddy trails, avoiding slides, rocks in the descents, remaining hydrated, steep climbs, pushing on poles to relieve the legs and amazing views of the fjord.

Life around me starts to move into the evening routine. I am still running and will be for many more hours. Runners are extremely spread out by now. I am pretty much on my own. One runner 5 minutes ahead, one 5 minutes behind. A bear cub crosses the path of the runner ahead, he is very concerned at the idea that the mother bear is around and waits to inform me. We run together for a few minutes. Night falls, headlamps come out.

The dark night has settled in. I am 18 hours into the run when I finally arrive at the Mont Edouard aid station. Diane and Alice are helping at the aid station and welcome me warmly. I change my clothes and put on dry running shoes for the final 4 hours of climbing and descending Mont Edouard. Alone in the night the mental takes a bit hit. I try breathing techniques to keep my focus on reaching the summit. It is the hardest part of the race so far. Mentally very tough, physically painful.

Close to the summit I run into Nicolas and Francis, his pacer, I ask to tag along. I am so relieved to have found such nice runner. We run together for the next 3 hours. Reach the final aid station of the Geant at the summit after zigzagging through the forest feeling lost at times. A hot bowl of ramen, a few chips and we are running back down to the finish line. We can hear the cheers of the organization team and volunteers who spend the night welcoming runners.

We have done it! 100k ultra with 4000m ascent. It was very tough, much tougher than I expected. But the 6 months of training and unwavering support of Sarah made this possible, it might seem as a one person pursuit but it really is a team and family effort. I am in one piece after 21 hours of running and proud to have accomplished one of my lifetime endurance goals.