03: QMT 2025 Starts In 3, 2, 1...
Introduction
I close my eyes and I’m dancing — with the wild and technical paths that weave along the Mestachibo Trail. I traverse up, down, and around the mountains from Charlevoix to Mont-Sainte-Anne. When I move through the forest my mind is free. I flow with the trails. Running is meditation and when I’m out here I’m connected to place, people, and purpose. -KH
It’s QMT Race Day!
We’re back at Quebec Mega Trail — a race with more memories than I can share. In 2019, QMT gave me my first chance to run as an elite athlete in the QMT-110 and gave Adam his introduction to ultra-crewing (QMT stuck with me even though I DNF’d the race that year!). I fell in love with the trails and sense of community at the race and have returned each year since 2022 (always with family and friends along for the journey). When we learned that the QMT-80km was going to double as the Canadian Trail Running Championships we decided to focus on this shorter, faster, but still super tough race — both Adam and I are running the 80km.
QMT is a marker in time and in a race season. It invites me to feel a deep sense of gratitude and love for the people who have been a part of my running journey over the years. We’re heading to this race on the back of a number of local and regional races, where we’ve felt love and energy during our own races and also had the great joy of witnessing and supporting friends and strangers fall in love with the trails.
-KH
Follow QMT Live
There will be live video coverage of the race all day Saturday, mostly following athletes in the 135km event but you may see other races highlighted as well. Results will also be updated live as runners pass through checkpoints, and you’ll be able to track our progress that way throughout the day here (Kelsey is bib #8245, Adam is bib #8181).
You can also tune into our Instagram (Kelsey / Adam) for updates throughout the weekend.
Who else is running / who are we following?
50km: Rudy Affandi (Oromocto, NB), Amanda Bartlett (Fredericton, NB), Sarah Bergeron-Larouche (Saint-Ferréol-les-Neiges, QC - Norda Trail Team), Mark Campbell (Saint John, NB), Tanya Joy (St. John’s, NL), Amii-Grace Peczek (Saint John, NB)
80km: Kathy Adams (Gatineau, QC, originally from NL), Savannah Awde (Fredericton, NB), Alec Freeman (Halifax, NS), Dan Greenway (Outer Cove, NL), Jackson Jones (Saint John, NB), Dean Mercer (Saint John, NB), Jenny Quilty (Chiliwack, BC - Norda Trail Team)
135km: Geneviève Asselin-Demers (Montréal, QC), Cody Cooper (Saint John, NB), Bethany MacFarlane (Woodstock, NB), Emilie Mann (BC), Dawson Mossman (Fredericton, NB), Joe Stewart (Halifax, NS)
Race Results: May and June
In the last two months, we’ve traveled to regional races to participate, volunteer, and cheer at the finish lines. It’s special to have so many races to go to in our region and so many friends-who-are-like-family that support and inspire us.
03.05.25 | Hanwell Hammering 10km | Hanwell, NB: This was my first ever race win (51:43)! There was never a guarantee that I’d win any race, ever, so this was pretty special. I made a little move about 2km into the race and then just trusted my training. In the last 1km I slowed my mind down and appreciated the moment. -AF
11.05.25 | Fredericton Marathon | Fredericton, NB: Along the marathon route I heard my name more than I thought was possible in a place that I’ve lived for such a short period of time. I placed 46th overall (25th in my division) in a time of 3:10:15. I loved the road training that I got to do because it gave me a clear sense of progress and was less time consuming than ultra-training! -AF
11.04.25 | Fredericton Elite 5km | Fredericton, NB: It was the first year for the Athletics Canada Road Race Label Elite 5km, and exciting to have this event attract top talent from across the maritimes. I was thrilled to qualify for the race two weeks before and ran a 5K PR in 18:23, surrounded by cheers from friends along the downtown route. It was a taste of running short and fast, and a fun goal between longer races to build some spring speed -KH
17.05.25 | Wharfbound 19km | Saint Andrews, NB: A race that’s almost entirely on the ocean floor? Sign me up! My coastal Newfoundland heart was so happy rock-hopping and seaweed-skipping along the course. I loved the wharf-ladder finish line, and I crossed first in the women’s race in 01:34:47 - KH
24.05.25 | Rompin Rockwood 25km & 50km | Saint John, NB: There’s nothing like a cool and rainy day to get trail runners talking about how “all weather is good weather when you’re on the trails!” There are two notorious climbs at the end of this race that get me asking questions about the meaning of all things life and running, no matter how well trained I feel. I finished 10th in the 25km (02:43:18) and Kelsey won the women’s race (05:21:30). -AF
14.06.25 | Gaspesia 25km & 55km | Percé, QC: This was my second and Kelsey’s fourth year traveling to Percé to race at Ultra Trail Gaspesia. This year I finished 9th in the 25km (3:05:13) and Kelsey set a new course record while winning the 55km (5:50:55). The highlight of our weekend was staying out at aid stations until sunrise cheering on friends from New Brunswick and Quebec. -AF
28.06.25 | East Coast Beast Coast 8km | Saint John, NB: The ECBC race, hosted by Saint John Trail Running, kicked off what we called a weekend running retreat (we booked a motel between Saturday and Sunday races to watch Western States Endurance Run coverage, soak our feet, nap, and eat sandwiches). With the downpour of rain at the start of the race, the trails were muddy but the energy was high. We both had goals to run steady and stay upright, and ran together for a good portion of the race (I could hear Adam’s “wooo’s” and knew he wasn’t far behind). I won the women’s race (38:57), and Adam was next across the finish line in third place in the men’s race (40:19). ECBC was the first trail race for many of the SJTR intro to trail running participants — it was a highlight to run and cheer with you! -KH/AF
29.06.25 | Herring Run 10km & 20km | Mascarene, NB: We love the grassroots energy at this race hosted by Bryan and Sadie Gagner on their family homestead. It truly has it all: beautiful coastal trails, locally-sourced post-race potluck luncheon, hand drawn bibs, and a Topsail Canvas pouch for every participant and volunteer. I came first in the 20km (1:55:09) and Adam landed on the podium again in third place for the 10km (57:02). The toughest race of the weekend was the kids’ run, where I had the honour of donning a Winnie the Pooh suit and getting chased around by the next generation of trail runners. -KH
Crew Appreciations
Our friends Hilary, Stephen, and Stef are joining us for a third year in a row at QMT. They’ve arrived with freezies, snacks, coolers, ice, and good cheer. They’re ready to meet us at the two crewable aid stations on the 80km route. It’s Stephen’s birthday on Saturday so send your birthday love his way!
Sarah, James, Mark, and Amber (and Hank the dog) from Saint John Trail Running (SJTR) are supporting many New Brunswick runners at QMT this weekend. They’re raising the profile of New Brunswick running and giving all of us a sense of team out there. We’re excited to see them at aid stations and the start/finish line.
Melissa Allen is a registered dietician and a member of the team at the Canadian Sport Institute Atlantic in Nova Scotia. Her advice on nutrition has influenced our training and race fueling plans. She has inspired us to take ourselves seriously as athletes.
Jerry Pugh and Kelli-Nicole Croucher are members of our trail running community in Fredericton and they made a big impression on us at last month’s Ultra Trail Gaspesia. They started out their day crewing for Kelli-Nicole’s partner Steven, but soon found themselves crewing for a whole collection of folks from New Brunswick. We spent the night and early morning with them at aid stations (ask Jerry about Adam’s 3am charcuterie).
Sharing Some Love
In my nutrition coaching session with Melissa Allen last month, she encouraged me to think of myself as an athlete. I used to joke that our household was “an athlete and an amateur” but after talking with Melissa, I know that we’ve pretty much always been a two athlete household. As I embrace the word “athlete” a world of things that didn’t feel like they were for me has started to open up — fuel like an athlete, race like an athlete, sleep like an athlete, etc. Many of us have a tendency to look out at the next fastest runner or person in our communities and think something like, “until I’m like them, I’m just a [insert whatever word you use].” Sometimes this can hold us back from getting what we want and need. I’ve been involved in sport for my whole life and yet this is really the first time that my body and mind are able to accept that I’m an athlete. The point isn’t that I’ve become an athlete because I’m faster or stronger, I’ve been one all along. To anyone struggling with a question of belonging, identity, or belief — in sport or in life — know that we’re here for whatever you are right now and also for whatever might feel just a bit too scary to be. When you’re ready, I hope the world keeps opening up for you. -AF
