Setting the Scene (for QMT)

“In many ways, it feels like coming home, to come back to QMT.” 

Kelsey corrals Ralph, as she says this, blue Quebec Mega Trail banner behind her, next to four other panelists at last night’s opening reception. This afternoon, standing in the kitchen at our chalet, she added a little more, “I feel ready. I feel like myself. I believe what I’m saying about being here.”  

The atmosphere at the base of Mont-Sainte-Anne stabilizes the ground beneath our feet. It reminds us — in the conversations, shared stories, and genuine connection — of all that is working about our experience of trail running.

“I come for the atmosphere and the people involved, just as much as the trails…It’s the best kind of running, it’s the best kind of trail running, and I think we have something very special in east coast trail running that is represented at this race.” 

We’ve started saying that Kelsey is a “supported athlete” because we’re both regularly moved by the support that we get from people across the running community. Every pre-race story, finish line hug, streetside chat, Instagram follow, film screening ticket, notebook or art card purchase, newsletter subscription, or race registration makes all of this possible.

Kelsey is not paid to run and runs as a self-funded, independent athlete, but the product contributions we receive from Chance Running, Precision Nutrition, Fenix Lighting, our local running store BackTrails by the Radical Edge, and the brands that have sent us shoes as she looks for a new footwear partner, are each making racing a professional season more possible than it was the day before.  

Kelsey has had a successful start to the running season — 5th at Madeira Island Ultra Trail, 6th at Transgrancanaria, 1st (and a new course record) at Rompin’ Rockwood, and 3rd overall ranking in the World Trail Majors — and she’s running the 80km at QMT, in a deep field of Canadian women, who all believe that a top 3 finish, and a spot on the Canadian World Mountain and Trail Running Championship Team is possible.

All of it — the community, sponsorships, results, life choices — is up there in the clouds, and, for the moment, it’s all drifting by because it’s QMT, and it’s time to run.  

Follow the QMT-80 Live 

The 80km race starts at 5am ET on July 4, 2026 —  6am AT/6:30am NT. Kelsey is wearing bib 8256. There are lots of different races and we have many friends in the other distances, but if you’re looking for Kelsey, you’ll find her in the QMT-80. 

📝The best place to follow along is the “old-fashioned” way via the aid station tracking chart. Click here to follow live aid station splits. 

📹Kelsey’s crew will also be updating her Instagram page throughout the race. 

📺Watch the livestream (sort of). Kelsey’s race, the 80km, is the Canadian Championships, but it isn’t the core focus of the video livestream. The livestream will focus on the 135km race (as I write this, one of our Waybound teammates, Valerie Arsenault, is leading through the first aid station). The broadcasters (including our coach Jonathan van Geuns!), may share some updates from the 80km but don’t expect much, if any, coverage.

🎙️It’s not quite live, but Kelsey sat down with John Gay for an interview on the Shake Out Podcast by Canadian Running Magazine for their QMT preview episode.  

🎽There is a really strong contingent of Atlantic Canadian runners on course this weekend. One especially exciting runner to watch is 18 year old Cass Parsons from St. John’s, NL. Cass is running the Golden Trail World Series (GTWS) race on Sunday morning. The GTWS is a whole thing in trail running that we won’t explain in this newsletter, but suffice to say that it’s a big deal to have this race in Canada and for Cass to be racing.   

Crew Appreciations

• Stef (who just finished 2nd with 82km at the Sundial Circuit in Fredericton) and I will be crewing Kelsey this weekend at QMT.  

• Mitch, from the City of Fredericton, went above and beyond to make our Trails In Motion screening a success at the Odell Lodge. 

• Kaylee, Mary, and the team at BackTrails by the Radical Edge for presenting the Fredericton screening of Trails In Motion. 

• Adam, and Gary from the Lorneville Community Centre, and Sean from River and Trail helped us to make our Saint John screening come to life. Thank you to River and Trail for being our presenting sponsor.  

• Adam, Leah, and Blake gave us insight on the Split Rock to Five Fathom trail before we ran it for the first time this month. 

• Aaron, Madeline, Leslie, Jane, and Margot walked Ralph while we were adventuring on the Split Rock trail. 

• Drew, Matt, Stef and all the people who responded to a last minute request pre-QMT. 

• Campus Pharmacy for helping us out with our iron supplements, supporting Mines to Pines (more on that at the Mines to Pines Instagram next week) and for being the kind of people that you trust (and want to visit!). 

A Few More Notes:

• Registration for our race, Mines to Pines, closes in one week! Register here. 

• We released a trailer for Mines to Pines the documentary. Watch here. 

• East Coast Beast Coast, by Saint John Trail Running, was last week. Adam placed third in the men's race. 

• We really appreciated the depth of Mark Hemmings’ reflection about life, aging, and trail running in his documentary, “Fastest Known Time on the Fundy Footpath.” Watch here. 

• Kelsey is speaking at an event on July 8th at 6:30pm at BackTrails in Fredericton to introduce folks to Precision Nutrition. Learn more.  

• What we’re reading: Polar War: Submarines, Spies, and the Struggle for Power in a Melting Arctic and What Makes Olga Run? The Mystery of the 90-Something Track Star and What She Can Teach Us About Living Longer, Happier Lives