Conquer The Canuck 2026

Conquer the Canuck returns to Shades Mills Conservation Area in Cambridge on May 9, 2026. Organized by the Conquer the Canuck race team, the event has been running since at least 2003 and has grown into a staple spring trail challenge for southern Ontario runners. The race weekend centres on a single-day schedule of timed and loop events on trails through a mature hardwood forest.

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The event offers multiple ways to race: a 12-hour individual option and a 12-hour relay, plus set-distance races at 50 km, 25 km and 12.5 km. Start times begin early, with the 12-hour individual and relay fields off at 7:00 a.m., the 50 km at 7:30 a.m., the 25 km at 8:00 a.m. and the 12.5 km at 8:30 a.m. Relay teams may include up to four members; one person registers the team and provides sign-up codes for teammates. Race kits are available at 6:00 a.m. on race day and chip timing records finish times for all events.

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What sets Conquer the Canuck apart is its measured 6.25 km single-loop course and its community focus. The loop winds through well-maintained trails with a mix of surfaces — gravel, groomed grass, chip wood, dirt and a short rooty/rocky section — and carries roughly 93 metres of elevation per lap. The race operates with two aid stations (Start/Finish plus a halfway station), encourages a cupless approach to reduce waste, and lets participants stash coolers at the start for personal nutrition. Conquer the Canuck also donates to local causes: proceeds support KidsAbility and Grand River Conservation Authority trail maintenance, and volunteers — including high school students — play a visible role on race day.

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Registration is open through Race Roster and closes at midnight on May 3, 2026. Runners can transfer bibs to another participant up to five days before the race if plans change.

• Start and finish near the shelter closest to the boat launch at Shades Mills Conservation Area
• Single 6.25 km loop through mature hardwood forest
• Mixed terrain: gravel, groomed grass, rooty/rocky sections, chip wood and dirt trails
• Approximate elevation gain of 93 metres per loop
• Two aid stations: one at Start/Finish and one roughly halfway around the loop; participants may leave coolers at Start/Finish

• Measured single-loop course: 6.25 km loop designed so runners rarely double back, ideal for lap-based 12-hour efforts
• Varied trail surfaces: Approximately 1 km gravel, 1.1 km groomed grass, 1.5 km chip wood, 2 km dirt and a 500 m rooty/rocky section
• 12-hour relay option: Teams up to four members compete to cover the greatest distance in a 12-hour window; one person registers the whole team
• Community and charity focus: Event benefits KidsAbility and GRCA trail maintenance and relies on local volunteers
• Cupless race initiative: Two aid stations on course with a policy asking runners to bring their own cup; coolers permitted at Start/Finish