A breathtaking setting in nature. Marathon P’tit Train du Nord is unique in the marathon world, point-to-point and surrounded by nature! THE Fall rendez-vous for the most experienced elite marathon runners as well as for amateur runners. Forty-two kilometers you will never forget. Oxygen, nature and adventure are awaiting you …
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A breathtaking setting in nature. Marathon P’tit Train du Nord is unique in the marathon world, point-to-point and surrounded by nature! THE Fall rendez-vous for the most experienced elite marathon runners as well as for amateur runners. Forty-two kilometers you will never forget. Oxygen, nature and adventure are awaiting you on the road of the pioneers. With a start in Val-David and finish in Saint-Jérôme, the course offers a breathtaking setting.
The course combines the picturesque diversity of the Laurentian forest, and performance potential thanks to its 220 meters (722 feet) gradual negative drop. The most beautiful bicycle path in the world allows the Marathon P’tit Train du Nord to become the most beautiful nature marathon course in the world!
Add to this its landscapes of a thousand colors and vegetation that in some places produces a corridor effect. Never has your concentration been so good.
THE ideal route to establish your best personal brand or to reach your coveted standards for the Boston and New York marathons.
The most beautiful bike path in the world is lined up to make the Marathon du P’tit Train du Nord the most beautiful nature marathon course in the world!
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Beautiful autumn trail run
I'll start with the good. The on trail fan support and refuel/water stations were awesome and well stocked. The packet pick up was slightly chaotic. It was in the back … MORE
I’ll start with the good. The on trail fan support and refuel/water stations were awesome and well stocked.
The packet pick up was slightly chaotic. It was in the back end of a sporting goods store. Lots of people already lined up at the opening of the second day bib pick up…. security… For some reason they really, really, really want to make sure it’s you running and then only registered runners on the course… when I picked up my bib, I offered my passport as I did not readily have my drivers license. They looked at it, verified that I am who I am, but would not provide my bib until I provided a DL with the ID with same address that I registered with. Slightly odd, given that passports are a bit harder to … cough, cough, hmm… replicate.
The next morning I arrived 45 minutes earlier than the timing they stated the buses would leave for my specific corral…. when it came down to it, they didn’t care which corral you were in, they just put you on the bus to get to the start line.. Three nice but overwhelmed ladies were looking at our previously issued green tag bracelet and then provided a yellow sticker to put on our bibs.
At the start line, most of the people, wanted/need to use a bathroom. The majority of the port-o-potties where 250m / 1/4 mi from where the drop off and there were lines as many could not get to the additional bathrooms until your corral number was called. They could have done a better job with putting the majority of the port-o-lets by the drop off…
Once you’re corral number is called…. they funnel you into a chokepoint area that lets at most two people get through AT THE START LINE… they had 3 security guards in black uniforms, checking green band, bib, sticker… it was unnecessary and if they chose to continue to do this, it should be done closer to the drop off so that a block of 100 plus runners who are ready to run have to sit and wait and get bunched up to check to make sure you’re a registered runner…
The path itself was beautiful with a lot of fall foliage! Due to the inherent chokepoint at the start… the trail was not packed and everyone spreadout.
At the finish line, it’s a nice scene with the old train station right there. I feel they get everyone through the finish line but then allow all the family/friends to greet runners inside of an area that is cramped as you’re trying to see where the after race snacks/drinks are. They had a great environment for the awaiting friends/families, but a bit too congested for runners to walk, cool down and replenish. If you like a straight line trail run, with good on course support, this is your race. The swag was decent: A nicely printed athletic T and medal celebrating fall in Quebec.
Gorgeous course and a superbly run event
My wife and I have run >150 marathons and ultras, and this instantly jumped to the top tier of our favorite races. The highlight is the beautiful course, a nice … MORE
My wife and I have run >150 marathons and ultras, and this instantly jumped to the top tier of our favorite races. The highlight is the beautiful course, a nice wide hard-packed trail with almost no turns, through the really beautiful north woods and by streams and hills, with fall colors, all of this going gently downhill to the finish. Most of the drop is in the first half, but still, the course is among the easier ones I have run on in order to BQ. In addition to the route and beauty of the course, the organization does a really nice job, and everything is run very smoothly and with no hickups. We already signed up for next year!
A note to runners and to the organizers: the cups used on the course have really small pours, so on a warmer day there may be insufficient fluid unless you remember to drink a couple of cups at each aid station. Perhaps they could use larger cups in future races? The only other odd bit is that at the end we had to wait in quite a line to retrieve the bags of food for refueling — these were being prepared in real time for each runner, which really slowed things down. It would be easier, perhaps, to simply have them all ready.
Overall, this is a great race, and I am so grateful to the organizers for putting this together and for treating us so well. We look forward to next year!
A Must do Canadian Marathon
I am on a mission to complete 1 Marathon in each 10 Canadian Provinces before I reach 50 years old in 4 years. This Marathon in Val David, Quebec is … MORE
I am on a mission to complete 1 Marathon in each 10 Canadian Provinces before I reach 50 years old in 4 years.
This Marathon in Val David, Quebec is a MUST DO!
It is a linear course which starts in Val David and you run on an old railroad trail now used for outdoor activities. It is also a Boston Qualifying course.
It is only in its 3rd Season and sells out very quickly for the Full and Half Marathon Race.
There was ample communication including leading up to the Marathon itself.
You get a detailed email at least 2 weeks before the race with all the pertinent info that you will need. i would suggest signing up for the bus to take you to the start line. That was very well organized. They gave you three places to park your vehicle all within distance of the finish line. I would suggest getting to the train station early to park, less walking to do after the run.
The start line was interesting. They did have a tent where people could wait and keep warm, lots of Port o Potties available. There were also little coffee shops around and people found other places to stay to keep warm. I just kept warming up as it was easier to climatized to the temperature and wait for the sun to rise and warm up the air.
Race package pick up was simple. The bag and tech t shirt were nice but the brochures put in the bag were just for advertising purposes.
The RUN ITSELF! because they cannot have too many people running at the same time, thus crowding the trail, the start is staggered according to what time you put to finish the Marathon and they really do “police this” which I thought was AWESOME! The course itself was beautiful! It really started going downhill right from the beginning but I really noticed it at km6 until km22 which is the half way point. From there, you start going somewhat flatter and start hearing the road noise.
Course support along the way was great! Lots of water stations, gatorade and also a JubeJube station. I was absolutely thrilled that they had not run out of water considering that the Half Marathoners and Most of the Marathoners had already passed through!
The finish line was great. They were there to greet you with your medal, there was even a guy standing at the 41.5km point to remind you show your bib as you cross the finish line.
They had the massage tent ready with lots of support so that you were not waiting long to see someone. And the goody table! Oh, it felt like getting hallowe’en candy! The assembly line was awesome and the volunteers were great.
All in all, this was a point to point Marathon and well worth doing
Beautiful scenery - and net downhill!
My husband was driving so we stayed in a motel in Val David (start line) and then he drove to meet me at the finish in Saint Gerome. This meant … MORE
My husband was driving so we stayed in a motel in Val David (start line) and then he drove to meet me at the finish in Saint Gerome. This meant that I could avoid the shuttle bus to the start line. There was in door (warm) space at the start line which was good because it was a cold morning.
This is a well organized race on a truly beautiful course. The trail is in great shape – fine gravel on a smooth, well packed surface. It passes though a few towns but mostly just nature. It is a point to point downhill course, but gentle enough that it wasn’t problematic for the legs.
We were started in 10 corrals, each 5 minutes apart so there runners were well spaced out over the course. It is probably not the ideal race for runners who feed on the energy of other runners and spectators. You do look forward to the great volunteers at each water station though! I appreciated people yelling out encouragement in English as well as French.
Overall, this was a great race. I ran a PB – and enjoyed doing it! There was lots of energy at the finish at the post-race food was great.
The only negatives are that the race shirt is made from completely unbreathable fabric which means I won’t ever wear it. Also, I would love to have had a photographer somewhere on the course. There was no shortage of scenic locations! They did post pictures at the finish line – although of the 3 pictures posted for me, I am not even in 2 of them and am way in the background of the 3rd picture. (Automatic camera I assume)
I would absolutely recommend this race. Register early though – it sells out fast.
Beautiful wooded path/trail Marathon
This was the inaugural year for this race. Run on a well known 200+ bike path in the Laurentians, north of Montreal. Once a railway path through the woods serving … MORE
This was the inaugural year for this race. Run on a well known 200+ bike path in the Laurentians, north of Montreal. Once a railway path through the woods serving the north, now gravel packed; point to point race, with a total downhill. Beautiful scenery, narrow path, amazing feel to this race. It sold out quickly because of the limited numbers given the lack of space on the course.
Most beautiful race I have ever run. Organizers did an amazing job. my only recommendations to the race officials is more porta pottys along the way, ( saw men and women emerging from the woods on the sides of the trail ). Also, would be nice if the medals were different for the half and full.