2025 Moose Mountain 42K

Everly giving Gavin a high-five at the finish line.
A high five from Everly at the finish line.

Race Information

Goals

Goal Description Completed?
A Crack the top 10 No
B Sub 5 Yes

Splits

Kilometer Time
1 5:54
2 6:01
3 5:55
4 6:08
5 7:50
6 7:41
7 10:05
8 10:44
9 7:38
10 6:33
11 8:18
12 8:08
13 11:00
14 10:25
15 7:02
16 4:48
17 4:37
18 5:50
19 5:12
20 6:15
21 5:22
22 5:22
23 5:42
24 5:33
25 5:45
26 6:05
27 5:27
28 7:46
29 8:54
30 9:35
31 6:35
32 7:38
33 6:24
34 7:31
35 7:46
36 9:32
37 11:08
38 8:02
39 6:30
40 7:40
41 7:45

Training

  • Plan: This race fell on week 10 of 16 for my Whitefish 50k training plan.
  • Equipment: Solomon Active Skin 8, Black Diamond Distance FLZ Carbon Trekking Poles, Garmin Forerunner 255s, and a mix of shoes (Brooks Catamount, Novablast 3, New Balance Rebel v4, Saucony Endorphin Speed 4).
  • Supplements: Huma Gels, Electrolyte Pills, & LMT
  • Total Training Milage: 740 km
  • Total Training Elevation: 2487 m
  • VO2 Max: 53.3 ml/kg/min

I was in week 10 of my 16-week training block for the Whitefish 50K. I had factored this race into the plan, treating it as a long run while also approaching it with an experimental mindset. My goal was to see how my body would respond to the distance while staying relaxed in Zone 2. Would I still have energy at the finish? How would I feel the next day? Would it reduce the usual pain?

Whatever the outcome, I felt primed and ready for the race.

Pre-race

  • Accommodations: Home.
  • Race Package: Pickup was at Born Brewing, and they had some great swag this year: a really nice Ceile hat and a pint glass with the race logo.
  • Dinner: Spaghetti.
  • Sleep: Pretty good, 7-8 hours.
  • Breakfast: Coffee, LMT, eggs, bagel with jam, and a cliff bar.
  • Travel to the Start Line: 30 minutes.
  • Strategy: High zone 2/low zone 3 for the first 30k and then reassess.

Just like last year, I treated myself to a couple of tall boys from Born Brewing when I picked up my race package. It was just light beer, so I doubt it had any impact on my sleep or performance the next day. Dam good beer, though.

Race

  • Start Time: 08:30 AM
  • Shoes: Brooks Catamount 3.
  • Watch: Garmin Forerunner 255s.
  • Apparel: Nike Flex 7" shorts, old Banff race t-shirt, Ciele running hat, Solomon Active Skin 8, and Oakley Frogskins.
  • Supplements: Huma gels and electrolyte pills.
  • Hydration: I went through 5-6 liters of water.
  • Aid Stations: Only stopped for water.
  • Potty Breaks: Nope, but I had tummy trouble.

It was a perfect race day—cool weather and legs that felt ready. At the start line, I ran into Matt Labine, which made me laugh; we had run together at Powderface the year before, so it was nice to see a familiar face.

The race kicked off at 8:30 a.m. and I kept my eyes glued to my heart rate. Anytime I crept into Zone 3, I eased off. I probably could have pushed harder, but I didn’t want to risk hitting the wall.

Surprisingly, I found myself passing people while staying in Zone 2 during the first 12–15K. A few runners pulled ahead on the steeper climbs, but I kept them in sight. Near the summit of Moose Mountain, I was shocked to see Labine already descending—absolutely flying, and it impressed the hell out of me.

Once I hit the descent, I stashed my poles and let gravity take over, sprinting down and overtaking runner after runner—including the ones who had passed me earlier. After Moose Packers, I didn’t see another racer for at least an hour.

Around the 35K mark, the 50K leader blew by me, and soon after I started spotting runners ahead. I managed to pass one, but he reeled me back in and snagged 10th overall.

It was also around then that the gels started turning my stomach. I felt waves of nausea and thought I might vomit, but I managed to hold steady.

Despite that rough patch, I kept pace and finished strong. Seeing my family—and Mark S.—at the finish line made it all worth it.

Post-race

  • Finish Time: 04:54:44
  • Average Pace: 7:12/km
  • Overall Placement: 11th of 53
  • Category Placement: 6th of 16
  • Recovery Meal: Mucho Burrito - the biggest burrito they had.

I ended up staying in Zone 2 for about 90% of the race, which makes me think I could have pushed a little harder on the easier sections. That said, this was the first race I truly enjoyed from start to finish.

Learning from both Vancouver and this race, I now realize that success requires more than just monitoring heart rate—I also need to dial in my in-race nutrition. I can’t survive on gels alone; real food is absolutely necessary for long efforts. Moving forward, I’ll start experimenting with different foods during training to find what works best for me.

Strava

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