2024 Moose Mountain 29K

Gavin running down Moose Mountain.
Thanks to Alan Lam for the great photos.

Race Information

Goals

Goal Description Completed?
A Crack the top 10 No
B Have fun Yes

Splits

Kilometer Time
1 5:21
2 5:41
3 5:35
4 5:48
5 6:55
6 6:41
7 9:22
8 10:22
9 6:41
10 6:09
11 7:48
12 7:53
13 11:04
14 10:24
15 6:19
16 4:41
17 4:31
18 5:45
19 5:07
20 5:48
21 5:42
22 5:41
22 5:41
23 5:29
24 4:57
25 5:37
26 5:56
27 5:15
28 6:30
29 6:38

Training

  • Plan: My only plan for this one was to increase mileage and add in mountain miles.
  • Shoes: Brooks Cascadia.
  • Watch: Garmin Vivo Activ 4.
  • Apparel: Nike Flex 7" shorts, OC running hat, Solomon Active Skin 8, Black Diamond Distance FLZ Carbon Trekking Poles, and Oakley Holbrooks.
  • Supplements: Huma Gels, Stinger Waffles, Stinger gummies, and LMT.

I was feeling confident and in great shape, but there was a two-month gap between Powderface and Moose Mountain. And during those two months… well, it was summer — full of beer, burgers, and hot dogs. I still ran every day, but I definitely wasn’t in peak condition, especially for a mountain run.

I did a few mountain runs leading up to the race. I ran Mount Allan solo and it nearly killed me - it took ten days to recover from that one.

Pre-race

  • Accommodations: Home.
  • Race Package: Pickup was at Born Brewing. Wasn't a fan of the race shirt.
  • Dinner: Can't recall.
  • Sleep: Pretty good, 7-8 hours.
  • Breakfast: Eggs, oatmeal, and a banana.
  • Travel to the Start Line: 30 minutes.
  • Strategy: I spent a lot of time looking at the course map and trying to figure out a strategy. My plan was to take my time going up the mountain and then turn on the jets for the descent.

Race package pickup was at a brewery, and while I was there, I figured I might as well sample the product. One thing led to another, and I walked out with a pack to bring home. That night, I shared them with my neighbor, and by the time I went to bed, I was feeling a little tipsy. Sometime in the middle of the night, I was jolted awake by my wife and daughter — a wild storm had rolled into town. Thunder, lightning, heavy wind — the whole works. When I finally got up in the morning, I was groggy, underslept, and just a little hung over. Not exactly the ideal start before a mountain race.

Race

  • Start Time: 08:30 AM
  • Shoes: Brooks Cascadia.
  • Watch: Garmin Vivo Activ 4.
  • Apparel: Nike Flex 7" shorts, old Banff race t-shirt, Ciele running hat, Solomon Active Skin 8, and Oakley Holbrooks.
  • Supplements: (3) Huma Gels and LMT.
  • Hydration: (2) 500ml flasks. One was filled with LMT.
  • Aid Stations: Didn't stop at the aid stations.
  • Potty Breaks: Nope, but I had tummy trouble.

The race kicked off at 8:30 a.m. with around 200 runners at the start line. Almost immediately, I found myself drifting away from my plan. I was pushing too hard, too early. I kept an eye on my heart rate — I was deep in Zone 3 when I was hoping to stay in Zone 2 for the first hour. By the time we reached the base of the mountain, I was in the middle of a group that felt way too fast for me. But there was this pressure — self-imposed, probably — to keep up. There were five of us, leapfrogging each other as we climbed. When someone walked, we all walked. When someone ran, we all ran. It was like an unspoken agreement. As we reached the peak, hurricane-force winds slammed into us. It took the breath right out of me. I was wearing shorts and a t-shirt, and it felt like I’d jumped into an icy lake. My nose was leaking badly, but thankfully, the mustache caught most of it, so I let it run. At the turnaround point, I was still feeling good. I high-fived a volunteer, got a little burst of energy, and started pushing the pace on the descent. That was the plan: hammer the downhill. And I did — for 2 or 3 fast, sketchy kilometers. One misstep and I would've been toast. When I hit a flat section, I pulled out a gel, but it was nearly frozen solid. I had to take my time getting it down. After that, I cruised past the aid station without stopping. That’s when my stomach turned. I felt like I was going to shit myself — and of course, it was during a downhill stretch, so I couldn’t even relax into the pace. Eventually, that sensation faded… only to be replaced by the urge to puke. Then came the wall — hard — at the 25 km mark. My mind was screaming “Go! Go!” but my body wouldn’t cooperate. I was sitting in 10th or 11th, but a handful of runners passed me in that final stretch. I eventually crossed the finish line alone, exhausted, and incredibly thirsty.

Post-race

  • Finish Time: 03:06:00
  • Average Pace: 6:39/km
  • Overall Placement: 16th of 85
  • Category Placement: 4th of 13
  • Recovery Meal: Tuna sandwich.

I didn’t feel great after crossing the finish line. I managed to drink two glasses of water, then stumbled my way back to the truck. Nausea hit hard, and I started feeling really cold. My heart rate was still through the roof and wouldn’t settle down. I tried to eat, but it was a struggle — it took me nearly an hour just to get through a sandwich. After a hot shower, I finally started to feel human again.

If there’s one thing I took away from this race, it’s that I can handle these longer distances — but I need to dial in my nutrition. I simply didn’t take in enough calories during the race, and it caught up with me hard. Fueling properly isn’t optional at this level — it’s essential.

Strava

Made with a new (slightly modified by me) race report generator created by /u/herumph.