Näak Ambassador Caroline Côté

ELITE ULTRA-RUNNER, Outdoor adventure filmmaker.

QC, Canada

CAROLINE'S FAVORITE FUEL

"I am lucky to be able to run when many people are physically unable to do so due to a disability."

FILMMAKER. DIRECTOR. ADVENTURER.
Caroline Côté is an adventure filmmaker and writer living in Montreal. Her main role during expeditions is to bring back images in order to present them to the public in a documentary format.What inspires her to do this work is to share inspiring stories. Her mission is to engage people to learn more about the subject of nature conservation and about surpassing oneself.

EXPEDITIONS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS

2014 - XP Antarctic (30 days of exploration of the Antarctic Peninsula and the Plateau with 5 other Quebecers in order to create the documentary Le Plateau) and carrying out the research conducted by Andrée-Anne Parent UQAM on the reactions of the human body subjected to a hostile environment and extreme conditions. Expedition supported by the Canadian Space Agency. Round trip by sailboat passing through Cape Horn for more than 10 days in total.

2015 - Ocean crossing between St-Malo, France and Quebec City with the crew of the sailing boat Atlas Océan Racing in 21 days and the renowned skipper George Leblanc.

2016 - Pull of the North Expedition, 2000km of canoeing on the Yukon River from its source to the Bering Sea through the towns and villages along the waterway to gather testimonials from the people of the Athabaskan community and learn more about a way of life directly related to the environment. 2 months paddling accompanied by 3 other team members.

2017 - Qamaniq Project, taking women to go beyond their limits in a context that takes them completely out of their comfort zone, in Kuururjuaq Park, with the goal of creating a documentary on this adventure of walking and running and bridging the relationship between Inuit and the people of southern Quebec.

2018 - A 2000 km crossing between the cities of Natashquan and Montreal on skis, foot and bicycle in order to take visuals for the Electron campaign put forward by the advertising agency LG2 and the Hydro Quebec company.

2019 - Expedition retracing the steps of Wally Herbert, trying a new access to the Antarctic Peninsula Plateau accompanied by an international team of 6 people. 30 days on the continent

2020 - Crossing the Chugach Glacier in Alaska (coming soon)

2021 - Crossing the Continental Sur glacier in Patagonia (coming soon)

Follow: https://www.caroline-cote.com

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

2019 WON Grand Raid Des Pyrénées Tour des Cirques 120K, France

2019 WON Les Traces Du Nord Basse-Terre 84.4km, Guadeloupe

2018 3RD PLACE TransMartinique 144K, Martinique

WHAT MOTIVATES YOU EVERY DAY TO TRAIN?

My biggest motivation to train is remembering that I am lucky to be able to run when many people are physically unable to do so due to a disability and also remembering that I can afford to take this time for myself when in some other cultures, things are quite different and sport is a luxury. Training also gives me a new energy that makes me feel good both mentally and physically. What also helps me to run is knowing that this activity affects others. Since I started training, my friends and family have started running too and it is very motivating for me to think about this during my activities.

DO YOU HAVE A PERSON WHO INSPIRES YOU?

Mathieu Blanchard, with whom I have had the pleasure of running with on several trails, animates me with a constant positive energy. He has a quiet strength related to the environment that inspires me to surpass myself and become a better person. Angeline Dazé, my mother who recently ran a 15 km run at the age of 65! Charlotte Qamaniq, a woman of whom I recently directed a trail running documentary on. She is a throat singer of Inuit descent and a mother of 2 children, who, despite having no running experience, ran a huge distance through Kuururjuaq Park in Northern Quebec.

WHAT ARE YOUR TIPS FOR NOT LOSING ENERGY DURING your races?

I eat little but very often in small doses. I eat natural food products and nothing is modified. I'm a big fan of coffee so I drink it halfway through to keep my focus even after a whole night in the forest running non-stop. I surround myself with a professional running team and friends to support me, who are the keys to my success. They cheer me up at every pit stop and give me a lot of mental support.

WHAT IS YOUR BEST RACING MEMORY?

My arrival in Piau after competing in the Tour des Cirques du Grand Raid Des Pyrénées 120km. This adventure is recounted in the documentary Beyond the Effort directed by Ben Bireault, now available on Amazon Prime. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LohcYLLRsf0

WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU LIKE TO DO AFTER A RACE?

Take off my shoes and go to the river or sea to recharge my batteries, meet up with friends who ran in the same race or completed another race, celebrate life with those I love over a good meal, and thank my partners for embarking on the great adventure with me.

What is your favorite music to surpass yourself in training?

Definitely the soundtrack of Le Dernier des Mohicans, the songs of the Breton band Birdy Nam Nam and those of Chet Faker including my favorite of all; Gold.

What is your favourite Näak product?

I love products with zero waste packaging such as the Choco Banana bar. Otherwise, the Mocha Hazelnut Ultra Energy Bar.

MORE ATHLETES

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Elite Ultra Runner

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