Destination Race – the Fort Langley Winter Historic Half-Marathon

Fort Langley, B.C.

February 16, 2014

Events: Half-marathon, 10K, 5K, kids’ run (on the Saturday before the other events)

Entry cap: 1,500, total, for the half, 10K and 5K races

Founded: 2006

www.tryevents.ca

A 21.1K Tour of B.C. History

Combining sightseeing with stunning scenery, the Fort Langley Winter Historic half-marathon starts inside the gates of Fort Langley, B.C.’s National Historic Site of Canada. The half-marathon route travels through Fort Langley to a rolling section of farmlands with mountain views along a section of the Hudson Bay Company’s Telegraph Trail. The half-marathon and the 10K reach the Telegraph Trail around the halfway point of both of races.

A century-and-a-half ago, the Hudson’s Bay Company established a small post in Fort Langley to trade with the First Nations of the West Coast. The enterprise grew, evolved and influenced history, leading to the creation of the colony of British Columbia.

“The main attraction of the race for the participants is the historic experience,” says race director Mitchell Hudson. “Participants not only get to learn history of B.C., they also get to experience the fort’s atmosphere while creating their own history with their athletic accomplishment.”

A roaring campfire keeps runners warm at the finish, and the course stays open for four hours, leaving plenty of time for walkers and slower runners to cover the route. Now in its ninth year, the race is rapidly gaining in popularity. It’s capped at 1,500 participants for all distances, down from 2,000 in 2013.  Hudson says they would consider raising the cap, “but for right now we’re focused on increasing the participant experience every year.”