125km
4220m D+

Athlete's Guide

In order for you to know everything about your race and to better prepare yourself, we have gathered all the important information in one simple guide.

You will find information about:

• services available at the aid stations
• information for your support crew
• dropbags
• on-site activities 
• and more!

Course Overview

Learn more about the course by reading the “Course overview“.

Weather

Charlevoix’s climate is cold and humid in September.

Furthermore, temperatures and precipitations can be extremely cold in the fall. It is therefore important to be vigilant to the risks of hypothermia.

• Seasonal averages:  minimum 3°C, maximum 15°C
• Sunrise: 5 h 15
• Sunset: 18 h 08

Required Equipment

To take part in these events, some basic materials and equipment are mandatory. However, it is important to note that the mandatory equipment is considered the absolute minimum required and that each athlete should adapt the contents of their bags to their own needs and capacities.

Mandatory Equipment

• COVID : Bottle of antiseptic product
• COVID : 2 masks or face coverings
• Minimum of 1 litre water supply
• Food supply (energy bars, gels, other)
• Whistle
• Working headlamp (recommendation: 200 lumens or more for the main light)
• Extra set of batteries, extra working headlamp or power bank (charger)
• Survival blanket, with minimum dimensions of 1,40m x 2m
• Jacket with hood to withstand inclement weather that includes a waterproof and breathable membrane (minimum suggested: 10,000 Schmerber). The jacket must have an attached hood (windbreakers will not be accepted)
• Long-sleeved mid-layer (arm warmers do not count as this midlayer)
• Gloves
• Warm hat (tuque )
• Reusable cup or container for food and liquid (e.g. soup) min 15 cl
• EpiPen (For those who may need it)
• Cell phone

Suggested Equipment

• Course map
• Bear bell
• Baseball cap, bandana or Buff® (for sun protection)
• Waterproof or windproof pants
• Allowed : Trekking poles and Earphones
• Prohibited : Animals 

Phone

Although there is no reliable service along most courses, the athlete can carry his phone with him. Text messages may be transmitted, depending on location.

Using the ONDAGO app, you can use your smartphone to navigate the different interactive maps of the UTHC. Even without cellular reception, you can see where you are along the race course of your choice as the application uses only your phone’s GPS. However, you must download the course maps BEFORE heading out to areas with poor cellular reception.

Download Ondago

Free Training Programs

United for Sports offers you free training programs of the 10K, 28K, 42K, 65K, 80K and 125K.

Produced by high-level athletes with experience in coaching, the programs are tailored to the course, distance and level of experience of the participants. The training programs of each event are therefore unique: they reflect the experience of each of the athletes and exceptional teamwork.

Download your free training program

Health and Doping

Événements Harricana has decided to set up the QUARTZ Event program to help protect your health and to contribute to doping-free sport. The program has neither the vocation nor the competence to replace anti-doping rules, but aims to enhance medical supervision before and during the competition.

The only source of information for the medical team regarding your state of health will be via the QUARTZ program. It is therefore very important to create an account to to signal any particular health conditions.

The QUARTZ Event program is carried out in collaboration with the International Trail Running Association (ITRA), Athletes for Transparency association (AFT) and Ultra Sports Science Foundation (USS); it is managed by a Health Commission composed solely of doctors. The Health Commission can go so far as to suggest to the race direction that a participant should be excluded from competition for health reasons.

Create a health space

Terms and Rules

• The Ultra-Trail Harricana (UTHC) has a zero tolerance policy for performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs). The UTHC reserves the right to require drug tests after the competition for all performance enhancing drugs on the World Anti-doping Agency’s list;
• Ensure your bib is worn on the front of the body and is visible at all times;
• Always remain on the marked trail;
• Pacers are not allowed;
• Always pick up your trash and dispose of it at the appropriate areas of the aid stations;
• Poles are allowed for distances of 42km and over;
• Cutoff times must be respected to avoid elimination;
• Mandatory equipment must be worn or carried at all times.

Download the Terms and Conditions

Read also the Health Guide For Athletes 2020 (COVID)

Frequently Asked Questions

Read our FAQ webpage to find many answers to your questions

Go to the FAQ page

Onsite Services

After the race, athletes will be offered a free gourmet meal featuring organic food from the Charlevoix region. A vegetarian meal will also be available.

Runners will be offered an excellent beer from the Microbrasserie Charlevoix or a refreshing bottle of GURU.

Aid Station Menus

All details concerning the menu offered at the different aid stations can be known HERE.

Dropbags

Only the athletes running the 125km event have access to a drop bag service during the race.

A “The North Face” bag will be given to you when you pick up your bib. You must clearly identify your TNF drop bag. The morning of the race, when you exit the shuttle bus, you will be able to leave the bag, identified with your name and bib number.The drop bag will be brought back to the Hautes- Gorges station. This drop bag will also be your finish bag so you should pack a towel and change of clothes. You should also pack enough clothes and equipment to spend a second night on the course.

Support Crews

The role of the support crew is to provide comfort, aid, equipment and food to its runner.

Support crews are only permitted at the Marmotte aid station, the Parc des Hautes-Gorges and Split aid stations. 

Read all details on the specific webpage

A race energized by Xact nutrition

Transportation to the Start

To know how to get to the start, please read the following page

Transportation to the Start

Event Color Number

Timing chips will be stuck to the bib. Your bib must be worn on the front of the body, always visible and on top of the outermost layer of clothing. If you choose to accompany your child on the short distances (when permitted), you must remove your bib to do so. 

• 125km Sienna brown 1-299
• 65km Yellow 6001-6500
• 42km Orchid Purple 4001-4500
• 28km Turquoise 2001-2999
• 10km Coral 1001-1500
• 5km Desjardins green 5001-5500
• 1km Cyan blue 500-999
• Bénévoles AccesConseil Light green

Dropping out and Getting Back

Should you choose to drop out of the race, or be required to end the race for medical reasons, it is important to signal your abandonment to the nearest aid station captain or to a first aider.

It is prohibited to quit the race and leave the course without signaling your abandonment to a member of the UTHC organisation. Every person abandoning the race must ensure that the race director has taken note of his bib number.

The bib numbers of the racers having abandoned will then be sent to the timing and results team. Once an athlete has signaled his desire to abandon the race, he will be taken in charge by the UTHC team to ensure he will be returned to the Mont Grand-Fonds event area.

Since many of the aid stations are difficult to reach, we ask that you be patient while transportation is arranged. This process can take some time and you may have to wait several minutes before being transported back to the Mont Grand-Fonds.

Timing and Online Results

Timing for all events is done by Sportstats. The results will be available live online HERE. Athletes and spectators can also follow the racers on this website. You can program live updates of your Twitter feed or Facebook wall through the Sportstats website.

After the race, you can also download your participation certificate through the Sportstats website. Your family and friends can follow your progress in realtime at those locations:

• Water station Morios
• Hautes Gorges
• Slit

Trail Markings

There will be pink flags every 250m and mileposts every kilometer, counting down the number of kilometers left.

Prohibited sections or passages will be marked with orange paint on the ground.

Finisher Gift

All athletes who finish the 125 km race within the 25-hour cutoff time will receive an engraved “125 km” Opinel. 

Need some inspiration?

The Ultra-Trail Harricana invites you to enter the world of several inspirational figures in the Quebecois, Canadian and international trail-running community. Listen to their race stories, their trail highlights, their juicy anecdotes, their vision and life philosophy, how they got started in this budding discipline and more!

You’ll learn everything you ever wanted to know about the life of these dedicated runners, and you’ll be inspired!

Listen to the “Free Your Wild Podcast”

** Follow the podcast with Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, Deezer or Sonos ! *