The best places to winter run

Almost every city in Canada has now experienced their first real snow, which means that winter running is officially underway. Especially if you’re a morning runner, finding a runable route before 8 a.m. can be a challenge. However, most cities make an effort to clear one of their paths, so if you know where to go, getting your miles in is entirely possible.

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Calgary

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Calgary is home to some of the best running in Canada and when it comes to winter time, this remains true. As an active city with one of the highest Canadian snowfall rates, it’s important that they’re on top of snow removal and thankfully they don’t neglect the paths.

One of the best spots to run during the snowy months is the Glenmore Reservoir. There’s ample parking available and a long loop that runs just shy of 16K.

Toronto

If you’re in Toronto, head down to the waterfront and run along the Martin Goodman Trail. The MGT, as it’s known to locals, is sometimes salted and plowed ahead of the roads. This is frustrating to drivers and super exciting for morning runners. The path runs for upwards of 30K so no matter how long you’ve got to run, this well-maintained surface has you covered.

Vancouver

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As one of the only cities in Canada with minimal snowfall, it still happens from time to time. If you find yourself in a west coast snowstorm, check out the Pacific Spirit Trail on the North Shore. The long, winding trail is well maintained and long enough to get biggest run done.

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Halifax

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This is a city that experiences a damp winter punctuated by devastating storms, so local runner have to seriously consider where they get their miles in. Point Pleasant Park is a good place to start. The park is one of the most popular marathon training locations on the east coast, so you’ll be sure to find fellow cold-weather runners.

Montreal

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If you’re running in Montreal, one of Canada’s winteriest cities, you’re probably going to need winter running shoes or Yak Traxs no matter where you’re training. Mount Royal is where most runners head, and while they don’t promise perfectly groomed paths, they’re pretty good.

The access from downtown is easy and it’s a great hill workout to get there. Once at the top, runners have access to just under 8K of running loops.