160km, in 22 hours and 49 minutes. No, you are not dreaming, this is the ultra marathon that Nicolas Danne, of French origin and Quebecer at heart, completed in his Montreal neighborhood, Villeray, on Saturday, March 24, 2020.

Like many endurance athletes at the moment, Nicolas has seen all his spring and summer races cancelled. Far from being discouraged, he wanted to take on a new challenge over an ultra distance to support a cause that is close to his heart.

Indeed, more than a personal feat, it is above all an act of great generosity. What could be better than wanting to help the healthcare personnel who are fighting every day against the current pandemic?

Thanks to his incredible performance and the solidarity that Nicolas managed to create, $4,366 has been raised to date for a goal of $5,000. If you wish to participate, it is still possible by making a donation here :
https://www.gofundme.com/f/160km-to-support-montreal-covid19

The whole Näak team is very proud to collaborate with Nicolas. Below, he gives you all his advice on hydration and nutrition during an ultra marathon based on his experience.

Näak : Where did the idea to do this challenge come from and what motivated you?

Nicolas Danne : The idea came to me when I saw the feat achieved by David Kilgore, an ON athlete from the US. Having all my family in France working in the medical field and relatives here, I wanted to help in my own way. To combine my passion for running with helping others in the medical field.

Näak : What was your preparation, your training?

Nicolas Danne : My training is daily I run an average of 80-120km per week, all that with the addition of cycling to cross training. The last week I ran very little to reserve energy for Saturday's big adventure!

Näak : What did you eat the week before your race?

Nicolas Danne : The week before the race, I was careful not to eat anything fried or too fatty. A lot of fruits and vegetables from 7 days to 4 days before and then I load up on pasta, rice, quinoa.

Näak : What did you eat on your run?

Nicolas Danne : During my run, I try to eat every 30 minutes at 300 calories per hour. Saturday it was hot, so I had to be careful with the salt intake as well. So I took a lot of salt capsules in the morning to anticipate the afternoon. Then it was Naak bars, pretzels, fruit compotes, because I'm still a big fan of semi-liquid when the race becomes long and the body had trouble eating. In the evening it was hot soup with salt to keep me warm.

Learn more on nutrition and sport in our article here!

"In ultramarathons, it's the head that takes precedence over the body. If the head won't, the body won't follow." Nicolas Danne

"I don't realize it yet. I'm not someone who likes the light, so I was even a little embarrassed to have so many messages and support. But I'm very proud to have done it and especially for this cause." Nicolas Danne