Nine great late summer/early September races

This weekend features relay races, a national championship in Toronto and the Queen City Marathon

Dan Way September 4, 2018

B&O Yorkville Run — Andrea Seccafien takes the win over Sasha Gollish at the 2016 Canadian 5K Road Race Championships in Toronto.

Summer doesn’t officially end until Sept. 22, which means there are still two weeks before fall arrives. The road race season, however, starts to heat up this weekend with dozens of events taking place from coast to coast.

Friday, Sept. 7th

Klondike Trail of ’98 International Road Relay, Skagway, Alaska to Whitehorse, Yukon

First run in 1983, the Klondike Road Relay now features some 50 teams and over 1,200 participants from across the Pacific Northwest and beyond. The 175-kilometre race, from Skagway to Whitehorse, commemorates the determined folks of the Gold Rush era who climbed the famous White Pass to the Yukon over 100 years ago.

Saturday, Sept. 8th

Paradise Five and Dime 5/10K, Paradise, N.L.

Hosted by the Paradise Running Club and part of the NLAA High Performance Road Running Series, these races take place on a 5K out-and-back course that pass Three Island and Topsail Ponds.

The Toronto 5K, Ont.

A challenging loop course that features a fast descent at the start and a grueling uphill climb to the finish, the event also raises money for the SickKids Foundation.

Sunday, Sept. 9th

Saskatchewan Credit Unions Queen City Marathon, Regina, Sask.

The Queen City Marathon is the largest and most popular event in Saskatchewan’s provincial capital offering a race and a distance for everyone. All races start near the Conexus Arts Centre and run along the lake and around Wascana Park, one of Canada’s largest urban parks.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BYdnrZzB0_W/

Canmore Rocky Mountain Half Marathon, Canmore, Alta.

A contender for Alberta’s most beautiful running event. The half marathon follows a scenic route through woodlands, along mountain streams and through a historic mine site with stunning views of Rocky Mountain scenery.

B&O Yorkville Run/Canadian 5K Road Race Championships, Toronto

The boutique B&O Yorkville Run takes participants through Toronto’s upscale shopping neighbourhood and generally sells out. The event also hosts the Canadian 5K Championships and sees a wave of elite runners take on the fast but fair course followed by a mass participation race.

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Longboat Toronto Island Run, Toronto

The historic Toronto Island Run is the city’s oldest 10K event, celebrating 37 years in 2017. The flat and fast courses are run on a combination of roads, trails and boardwalk, taking participants on a complete and scenic tour of the Toronto Islands.

Hampton Five Miler, New Brunswick

Hosted by the Hampton River Runners, this annual 5 Mile (8K) road race is a family-friendly event that takes place late summer in Hampton, about 45 minutes from Saint John.