Black Lung Ultra Marathon 2026

The Black Lung Ultra — part III — returns to Nordegg, Alberta on September 12, 2026. Organized by Coliseum Sports and Entertainment, this edition builds on previous runnings (the event is presented as “part III”) and keeps a strong local flavour rooted in Nordegg’s mining history.

The main event is a 62-kilometre ultra split into three flagged legs: Leg 1 (Coliseum Mountain) is 22.0 km, Leg 2 (“For the 29 in the Mine”) is 23.3 km, and Leg 3 (“Collieries Closer”) finishes with 14.9 km. The race starts at 07:00 from the Nordegg community hall; solo competitors run all three legs while teams of up to three can each take a single leg. A kids’ side event — the 1.7 km Minor Miners Coal Run through the historic Nordegg Collieries — is part of the weekend programming.

What distinguishes Black Lung is the combination of rugged mountain terrain, local history and a community-supported race hub. The course tackles Coliseum Mountain’s summit and ridge lines, honours the memory of the 29 miners on the middle leg, and finishes with a run through the Collieries. The Nordegg community hall acts as the main transition and aid hub, where runners find water, electrolytes (Cwench), Sun River Honey Gels, snacks, washrooms and post-race meals. Volunteers from the town staff checkpoints and highway crossings, giving the event a tight-knit, small-town atmosphere.

Entries for the 62 km solo and relay options are handled through the race’s online registration on Raceroster; interested runners should follow the race registration link to secure a spot.

- **Coliseum summit assault:** 22.0 km opening leg climbs Coliseum Mountain with 1,078 m of elevation gain on flagged trails.
- **Tribute-driven middle leg:** “For the 29 in the Mine” is a 23.3 km out-and-back style leg with 919 m of climb/loss that finishes back to town via rail trail.
- **Three-leg solo or team option:** 62 km total with soloists running all legs or teams of up to three, each running one leg.
- **Town-centre transition & aid:** Nordegg Community Hall serves as start/finish and main aid station offering water, electrolyte (Cwench), gels, snacks and post-race meals.
- **Historic Collieries finale:** The 14.9 km final leg routes runners past Nordegg’s historic Collieries with an evening start window and late cutoff.