MEC

Tell us... what’s your favourite thing about getting outside in the fall? 🍂

Ultra-running: maybe the only sport where jars of icing, instant noodles, salted potatoes and sour candies can all count as race fuel 🍬🍜

and ultra-runner Charles has spent years working his way from 50KM to 80KM to over 100KM distances and a big part of that journey has been learning how to fuel for the long haul.

His advice?
→ Start before you’re starving or thirsty. Staying on top of water, carbs and electrolytes can help reduce the strain on your GI system.
→ Train your stomach, too. Start with a moderate amount of carbs per hour and gradually build up as your body adapts.
→ Practice your fuelling strategy on long runs. Don’t wait until race day to find out a gel, drink mix or snack doesn’t agree with you.
→ Keep your options open. Gels and drink mixes aren’t the only way to fuel. Salted potatoes, candy and other carb-rich foods can all have a place in your strategy.

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach, and Charles’ strategy has evolved over the years with every training block and race.

Want to learn more about how he fuels for the long haul? Read Charles’ full story here: https://bit.ly/4ybBf7R?

Some of the best outdoor advice isn’t learned from a textbook. It’s passed down from a family member, picked up from a friend or shared by someone you met at the trailhead. The folks who spend day after day, season after season outside know a thing or two about getting out there safely and having fun.

In our spring/summer catalogue, we asked you to share their best piece of outdoor advice. Thousands of you answered, sharing lessons learned from time spent on trails, mountains, water and everywhere in between. Here’s a bit of what you had to say.

Turns out Canadians make some pretty great backcountry cuisine 🇨🇦 From breakfast at the trailhead to dinner after a very long day outside, we’ve got plenty of Canadian camp food to keep your adventure fuelled. Consider this your sign to eat local, even when “local” is several kilometres into the backcountry 🏕️ Shop Canadian brands here: https://bit.ly/44f445s

Welcome to Week 3 of Train for the Trails 🏃 This week, we’re training something else: your stomach.

Proper fuelling and hydration can make a big difference when you’re in it for the long run. Salomon ambassador and MEC member Sarah is here to break down the basics. Click the link for the full Week 3 rundown, including advice from a Registered Sports Dietitian and access to the free 4-week training guide. https://bit.ly/4iGVK7K

A few fuelling basics to get you started:

1️⃣ Before: Use the 2 hours before your run to top up your energy stores. Think higher carb, lower fibre and fat, and foods you already know your stomach tolerates.
2️⃣ During: Remember the big three: carbs + fluid + sodium. Your needs will depend on things like duration, intensity, temperature and your individual sweat rate.
3️⃣ After: Think carbs + protein to replenish energy stores and support muscle repair and recovery.
There’s no one-size-fits-all fuelling strategy. The goal is to train your gut, learn your needs and find what works for you.
4️⃣ Start small: If you’re currently taking in nothing on your runs, don’t suddenly jump to a high-carb fuelling strategy. Gradually increase your intake and give your gut time to adapt.
5️⃣ Practice: Training runs are where you figure out what your body tolerates. Race day is not the time to experiment with a brand-new fuelling strategy.

https://bit.ly/479umrL

Train for the Trails with MEC | Week 3: Nutrition and hydration strategies Join us in-store for a nationwide, 4-week training program packed w...

Sometimes the best adventures end horizontally, absolutely cooked, with the cold, hard ground suddenly feeling pretty comfortable 😮‍💨

For MEC members , .22 and friends, that adventure was North Shore Love: an attempt to connect some of the most prominent peaks on Vancouver’s North Shore in one continuous line. 100km with 6,500m of climbing and descending. Our knees hurt just thinking about it.

THE ROUTE 🏔️
Starting in Porteau Cove, the route linked Brunswick, Harvey, the Grouse Grind, Crown and Seymour before finishing in Deep Cove. If you’ve hiked even one of those peaks, you’re probably starting to understand the assignment.

They cut some elevation near the end and didn’t make it all the way up Seymour, but still finished with 100km in the legs. As Paul puts it: “Something left on the table for next year.”

THE POINT 💡
So, why do this in the first place? “Trail running has become very race focused, which is cool, but it’s nice to create other objectives that have less pressure and are more about adventuring with friends and working together towards a common goal.” And the community showed up. Friends brought snacks, joined for a few kilometres (or many) and offered high fives and hugs when they were needed most.
“Those little moments can give you such an energy boost, and they always inspire me to show up for others in the same way.”

To top it all off, the crew found a way to give back. They made North Shore Love T-shirts and donated the proceeds to North Shore Rescue, a humble thank-you to an organization that does so much for the community that gets outside here.

THE GEAR 🥾
A few of Paul’s MVPs for getting through 100km:
→ Fenix headlamp with enough battery to get through a full night
→ HOKA Speedgoat 7s he could trust for 24+ hours
→ Salomon pole quiver for quickly stashing his poles (and, apparently, “feeling like Legolas running through the forest.”)

Long days in the mountains, friends showing up for friends and a little something given back to the community that makes adventures like this safer. Nothing like it.