Brave the lake in winter at night

The Starlit will take on a 32km course. It is the most demanding of the CRYO races. The only one of its kind, this crossing allows athletes who are up to the challenge to run in winter, in the dark, on magnificent lac St-Jean. The Starlit adventure begins just before sunset. Athletes take to the lake on a groomed, marked trail interspersed with refreshment points. In the middle of lac Saint-Jean, on the endless white lake, they’ll experience a change of scenery for sure.

It represents a major challenge, forcing participants to deal with nature, in the middle of the night, and to face up to the unpredictable. This event is aimed at hardened and experienced athletes who are used to running long distances and making a significant physical effort in a winter context, since the maximum time to complete the crossing will be reduced, passage times will be much more restrictive, and weather conditions can be challenging.

Athletes have a maximum of 4h45 to complete the race.

This event is aimed at runners who meet one of the following criteria:

• Have completed an ultra trail race (over 42.2km) within the last 2 years
• OR have completed a marathon in under 3h30
• OR have completed the Micro-CRYO in under 1h40
• OR have completed the SUNNY Traverse or the STARRY Traverse within the time limit set last year
• Important asset: winter running experience (micro-CRYO, polar trail, etc.)

Each participant is commited to raising $1,000 in donations for the On the Tip of the Toes Foundation, which helps young cancer patients regain their well-being by offering them the chance to take part in a therapeutic adventure expedition. Please note that fundraising is mandatory. Only participants who have completed 100% of their fundraising will be able to set off on February 22.

Are you ready to brave the night, the wind, the cold, the lake?

LOGISTICS

SUMMARY SCHEDULE

3:15 p.m. Shuttle bus departure (please note that shuttle buses are mandatory).

4:15 p.m. Departure of the Starlit.

MANDATORY EQUIPMENT

IMPORTANT: THE MANDATORY EQUIPMENT LIST IS THE SAME FOR ATHLETES PARTICIPATING IN THE STARLIT, THE MISHKUMI, OR THE EXPRESS. WEATHER CONDITIONS ON LAC ST-JEAN CAN CHANGE RAPIDLY, SO THIS EQUIPMENT COULD BE USEFUL AT ANY TIME!

We strongly recommend layering your clothing to help you adapt to varying weather conditions. To increase your visibility on the lake and make it easier for the CRYO race team to spot you, we encourage you to wear brightly colored clothing.

In addition to the clothing you’ll be wearing at the start, here is the list of mandatory equipment you must carry with you throughout the race:

• Cold-weather running shoes (trail or winter shoes) – No road or casual shoes are allowed;
• Long running pants;
• Running pack containing all mandatory equipment (see list below).

IN YOUR RUNNING PACK, WHICH YOU MUST KEEP WITH YOU THROUGHOUT THE RACE, YOU MUST HAVE THE FOLLOWING ADDITIONAL CLOTHING:

JACKETS:

• GORE-TEX jacket (providing windproof and waterproof protection; a simple windbreaker is insufficient);
• Insulated jacket that you will not wear at the start (down jackets are acceptable since you should not wear this while physically active), examples:✅ Thorium Hoody
  ✅ Cerium Hoody
  ⛔ Atom Hoody (this model does not provide sufficient protection)

SPARE CLOTHING:

• Extra gloves or mittens;
• Spare neck gaiter or tubular scarf;
• Spare hat;
• Spare socks.

EQUIPEMENT:

• Eye protection, alpine ski goggles recommended (the only option that doesn’t fog up);
• Fully charged cell phone (keep it as warm as possible with hand warmers);
• Survival blanket;
• Hand and foot warmers;
• Whistle;
• Reflective strips on your clothing;
• Reusable cup (to reduce waste, no cups are available at aid stations; you must bring your own bottles, cups, or container of choice);
• Headlamp with at least 100 lumens, fully charged (bring spare batteries or a second lamp);
• 2 lights (such as bike lights) in flashing mode (one on your pack and one on the front);
• Necessary medications (asthma inhaler, EpiPen, etc.);
• Health insurance card.

SUGGESTED EQUIPMENT

• Gaiters;
• Insulated liquid container;
• Running snowshoes (depending on trail conditions) – Athletes in the Traversée may leave a pair in their drop bag;
• Crampons (depending on trail conditions);
• Energy supplements;
• Full-face hood.

DROP BAG: Athletes in the Starlit  can drop off a clearly labeled bag (first name, last name, and race distance) with spare clothing and food at check-in and bib pick-up. Bags must not exceed a 20-liter capacity. Please ensure your bag is well-labeled. The bags will be available at aid station #3, with only 12 km left to go.