Southern Ontario runners to kick off summer with return of Reebok Ragnar Niagara relay

After a three-year hiatus, the Reebok Ragnar Niagara is returning to Canada with a running relay from Cobourg to Niagara Falls. Runners will head to the start line tomorrow. 

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The event is a multi-day continuous relay that will welcome some 200 teams (which translates to over two thousand participants) to southwestern Ontario. The first teams will depart from Cobourg, Ont. as early as 7:00 a.m. on Friday, May 19th and the fastest teams are expected to cross the finish line in Niagara Falls early on Saturday afternoon.

The relay covers approximately 300K in total with much of it running along the scenic shores of Lake Ontario.

As a continuous relay, one runner from each team (which total either 6 or 12 runners) is always running. Each team member runs three separate times (or six if your group entered as an ultra team) and covers approximately 25K (50K for the ultra). The race lasts over 36 hours meaning that it runs through the night. Runners ‘tag’ one another at set exchange points along the way and pass along a wearable baton from one runner to the next.

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Ragnar hosts more than a dozen road and trail relays throughout the United States. The first Canadian edition and only Ragnar relay outside the United States took place in 2013 and featured a similar route from Cobourg to Niagara Falls. The event was subsequently cancelled and is returning after a three-year break.

Those who enjoy this spring event on Canadian turf can look forward to another one come late-summer. A trail version, Ragnar Trail Cottage Country, is set to take place outside of Orillia, Ont. in September.