Bromont 80k, fourth finish in 2025!

 

October 18, 2025 was my fourth 80 finish at the Bromont Ultra, my 6th attempt (2 DNFs, one in 2018, one in 2023, both on VERY rainy days). My first 55 was in 2016, and my second 55 was in 2019, after a training injury that required I cut back on the race distance.

 

This year's training was weird, I trained very hard from January to April for the Ile Ste. Helene Half, took a break in May for vacation, and then got back to work after that. It was a very hot summer which I find difficult, and then in August I got a flu/cold that made long runs or tough workouts difficult. I managed to get a few long trail efforts done, but nothing more than 28kms or 4 hours.

                                  

Honestly, after last year where the last 20kms were dragged down by some intense toe pain, I wasn't even sure if I wanted to race the 80 again. I didn't sign up until June! But better to have a spot than to be on the outside, right?

 

This year felt different from others. I was in pretty good shape, but I wasn't raring to go for big Back to Back weekends, and even a 10k on the road seemed like hard work. No matter, Bromont is a different energy, you take your gels and drink your water and go one step after the other.

 

 

 

I was experimenting in training with homemade gels. Commercial stuff has become so expensive, who really wants to spend 20-40 dollars for a several hour run? Doesn't make sense! Mixing your own is pretty easy but I never got quite the consistency I wanted in time for Bromont. I had tried the Naak hydrogels, with 25g of carbs and they are neutral flavoured  (a little sweet) and they go down easy, no need really for water. No caffeine also. This was something I really wanted to emphasize this year, as caffeine-free a run as possible. In previous years I'd be taking a GU Roctane or so every hour, so by the end of the race I've had anywhere between the equivalent of 20-25 Nespressos...by the end of the race I'd be wired, and my stomach would be a bit hollowed out. So a week before the race I ordered 24 of the Naak gels and decided that I'd take some solid food as well, where available.

Shoes!! Last year the ON Cloudsurfers were fun to run in but after 50 or so kilometres my second toes got so banged up they both turned blue and fell of exactly 30 days after the race. They were so painful when I picked up Sophie at 63kms that I couldn't run. So I knew I wanted to do the 80 again but I had to solve the shoe issue. I had tried on some New Balance Hierro v9 trail shoes in the summer, but I wasn't ready to commit. I wound up ordering the La Sportiva Prodigio Pro that EVERYONE was raving about and yes, they are a great shoe. I ordered one size up as is recommended, but I think that was a smidge too big. The arch of my foot hit in just the wrong place and the ball of my right foot was getting a little strained.

 

I also found a pair of Norda 001 on Facebook Marketplace half a size up ($75, great price!) that were actually very nice! But the pair I bought just didn't feel right for an 80k.

 

Finally I went back to Boutique Endurance where I had tried the New Balance, and I got a pair there. Sadly, they were BRIGHT NEON GREEN, not the muted olive shade of the original pair I had tried. Didn't matter, when a shoe "feels like home" get it!

The weather was looking good! We had experienced a very dry August and September, so I was worried that the rain would come and never stop for October, but that wasn't the case. There was a bit of rain preceding the 18th, but just enough to keep the dust down.

 

In the two weeks preceding the race I became VERY germ paranoid! I am normally pretty cavalier about germs but in 2018, that cold ruined my big day, and after the cold I got at our company Christmas party in 2024 which was no joke I wasn't going to take any chances! I stayed away from people as much as possible, rested and ate well.

On Thursday the 16th I decided to carb load! I never do that. So I ate little bowls of pasta all day long. By the end of Thursday I was sick of pasta, so on the Friday I turned to bagels, which I enjoy more. It's funny, overeating carbs which I typically try to avoid, made my head spin and made my sleep very troubled! But I was committed!

 

Friday afternoon, I drove to Bromont with my gear, my Nespresso machine and some pods, and a few bagels. I had somehow managed to get a one-night stay at Studiotel Bromont which is my all-time favorite place to stay in Bromont. Parking is right in front of your door, so efficient, and there is a little kitchen!

 

Bib pickup was super efficient, I got to visit with the directors, the coordinator and the co-founder. If I don't get a selfie with Gilles Poulin it's a bad year! Such a nice guy, and his ten years of running the race has done so much for so many. He was the only one at the finish in 2021 because of the pandemic. He retired from actively managing the race, which I'm sure is a huge relief for him, but he's still around. It wouldn't be the same without him!

 

I went to sleep just after 9pm, woke up a bit, then managed to sleep some more until about 6am. My race began at 9am. I was a little worried about getting parking at the base camp so I arrived around 730 which was perfect. Having Base Camp inside a real building is a nice change from the tents of yesteryear.

 

Honestly not much to say about the actual race. The carb loading seemed to make a big difference in my early race energy! Huge improvements in the flow of the racers this year. Only 80 and 160k racers on course on Saturday, which was GREAT. After the 27km water stop, I was jogging on the gravel road chatting with another fellow when all of a sudden my ankle turned inwards, sharply! It felt sprained! What?? On the road? I must have stepped on a rock or something...I stopped and tightened my laces A LOT, no way I was stopping for this!

The P7 aide station (36km) used to get two visits per runner and this year after climbing the ski hill and noodling around the the range up there, we were directed down to Lake Bromont and there was a full aide station at 50kms! This change really improved the logistics at P7, as it was kind of chaotic there last year. 

 

Because of my half marathon training and the strength training that I was more committed to this year, my posture and core were stronger than ever, and the road running sections (and some climbing sections) were faster than ever! I hit about 5 PBs for Strava segments, which I was trying to do on road sections, but I was surprised that I did better on climbs.

 

Once past Lake Bromont it's pretty straight ahead, cross the road, up the hill, up some more, into the forest, out onto the grassy ridge with the AMAZING night view and then back down to the pavilion through the dark forest. Then over to Bromont ski hill to pick up David, my very eager pacer and friend!

 

David has never participated in an ultra  and so was having a blast enjoying the vibe of the aide stations and base camp. He was super happy to drive to Bromont and accompany me on a 16.5km night run with some very difficult climbs in the dark! Off we went chatting like it was any other long run. He made sure to grab my poles from me when I was fueling, and I kept apologizing for walking so much, but he was just content to be out on the adventure!

 

We finally got to the base of Lieutenant Dan, formally known as La Pretensieuse. It is a very steep, long, technical climb that on the old course was somewhere around the 10km mark in the race. The last two years it has been at the 75km mark! So quite the challenge! My personal best for that in daylight is about 23 minutes. Last year was 36 minutes and this year was 40 minutes! I had no shame in taking lots of breathers! Once Dan was done, I breathed a sigh of relief..but wait! The course design made for a very technical descent for a lot of the last 5k! Wow, didn't remember that from previous years, but David and I gabbed our way down and ran to the finish line at 12:59:33am...it was very quiet but a few volunteers were cheering! I was very happy - I cut 44 minutes off last year. Mostly by not taking off my shoes or dawdling at aide stations. Also being faster everywhere (obviously).

So this year's Big Win was having the right shoes! One little blister on my second left toe (normal), but zero black toes, and the only sore spot was on top from Lace Bite, having cinched those suckers down big time.

I used my trekking poles A LOT, so my triceps were a bit sore for a day or three after the race.

 

My legs and ankles were swollen until about Thursday, pretty normal I guess.

 

So I am now super keen to go back at it next year, as a 65-year old! Bring it on!