Race Guide

Thank you for your interest in the Canal Run. This is a truly great event with thousands of happy participants over the past 45-plus years. Below is all of the information you’ll need to know. If there’s anything you have questions about, don't hesitate to contact us.

Weekend Schedule at a Glance

All times are Eastern Standard Time (EST)

Friday, July 18, 2025

4-8 p.m. - Registration and Bib Pickup - Registration and bib pickup at Quincy Green located at 435 Quincy Street in Hancock.
5-8 p.m. - Key Ingredients - The city of Hancock will be alive with food and music

Saturday, July 19, 2025

6:00-8:45 a.m. - Bib Pick-Up - Bib pickup at the Church of the Resurrection, 900 Quincy St., 5 blocks from the finish line (also the Shuttle service location). Note that bibs are not picked up at the Finish Line on race day! There is no race-day registration.
6:00-8:45 a.m. - Shuttle service - Shuttle service will begin at 6:00 a.m. at the Church of the Resurrection, 900 Quincy St. (map), 5 blocks from the finish line. Please plan on boarding the shuttle to your race about an hour before your race is scheduled to start.
7:15 – 9:20 a.m. - Race Start Times
- 10 mile walk - 7:15 a.m.
- Half marathon - 7:30 a.m.
- 10 mile run (Bob Olson Memorial Run) - 8:00 a.m.
- 5 mile run - 8:50 a.m.
- 5 mile walk - 8:55 a.m.
- 2 mile fun run/walk - 9:20 a.m.
- Kids Dash - 10:30 a.m.

Bib and Packet Pick-Up

Race packets, which include your bib and courtesy race swag will be available on Friday from 4-8 p.m. on the Quincy Green lawn, 435 Quincy Street in Hancock.
Race packets will also be available Saturday morning at the Church of the Resurrection, 900 Quincy St, 5 blocks from the finish line from 6-8:45 a.m.
Bibs with timing chips on them will be provided in your race packet.
Race packets can be picked up by others.
Note: t-shirts will be guaranteed in your race packet to all racers who register before June 1. If you register after that day, you will still get a shirt, we just can't guarantee you'll get it on race day.

Race Day

Start Times and Locations

10-mile walk at McLain State Park
- 7:15 a.m.
Half Marathon at Koskela Road
- 7:30 a.m.
10-mile Bob Olson Memorial run at McLain State Park
- 8:00 a.m.
5-mile run at High Point Road
- 8:50 a.m.
5-mile walk at High Point Road
- 8:55 a.m.
2-mile fun run/walk at Cemetery Road near Swedetown Creek
- 9:20 a.m.
Kids Dash
- 10:30 a.m.

Shuttle Service

Shuttle service will be provided to all start locations from the Church of the Resurrection, 900 Quincy St (map), 5 blocks from the finish line. Shuttles will leave approximately every 15 minutes beginning at 6:00 a.m. Strollers are welcome on the shuttles. Overflow parking is located across Michigan Street in the Gloria Dei Lutheran Church parking lot. The last shuttle for each race will leave at the following times:

10 Mile Walk -6:30 a.m.
1/2 Marathon – 6:45 a.m.
10 Mile Bob Olson Run – 7:15 a.m.
5 Mile Run – 8:05 a.m.
5 Mile Walk – 8:10 a.m.
2 Mile Fun Run/Walk – 8:45 a.m.

Water Stops

Water Stops will be located every 2 miles along the course. See course map below for locations. Water, Gatorade and medical professionals will be provided at all water stops.

Restroom Facilities

Restroom facilities will be located at all race starts, the Finish Line, Saturday shuttle location, and along the course at the following Water Stops: Bear Lake (9 miles to go), High Point (5 miles to go) and Harrington Ridge (3 miles to go).

Canal Kids’ Dash

The Canal Run Kids' Dash is FREE for all kids or there is an option to pay $10 and receive a Canal Run t-shirt. The Dash takes place at 10:30 a.m., 1/4 a mile from the Canal Run Finish Line. Participants will start near Krist Oil and run down the racecourse 1/4 mile through the finish line chute. The event is not timed and there are no age limits. We encourage you to register prior to the event, but there will also be day of registration at the race start beginning at 10 a.m. The course is closed to traffic. All participants receive a Canal Kid’s Dash finisher’s medal!

5 Mile Run Waves

Wave starts will be provided for the 5-mile run. If you would like to be in the same wave as friends or family, be sure to enter the same pace per mile on your registration form. If left blank, waves will randomly be assigned.

Awards

Overall prizes for the top three for each gender will be given for the Half Marathon, 10 mile run and 5 mile run.

1st place winners will receive a free pair of shoes from Copper Country Running Company
2nd place winners will receive a $50 gift certificate to Copper Country Running Company
3rd place winners will receive a $25 gift certificate and hat to Level Up -Branded Apparel Specialists

Awards are given for the top three for each gender, in each age category, in each race. 1st, 2nd and 3rd place finishers will receive handcrafted medals designed by a local artist. Unique awards will be given to the overall fastest man and woman in each race. Awards can be picked up at the Timing Tent following the race. There will also be an award ceremony to announce the overall winners in each race at the following times:

9:45 a.m. - Overall winners for the Half Marathon, 10 Mile Run and 5 Mile Run
10:15 a.m. - Overall winners for the 10 Mile Walk and 5 Mile Walk

Each year the organizing committee holds extensive discussions about age groups and uses a formula to ensure fairness and relative standardization based on the number of registrants, and their age distribution, for a given race. Age groups are the same for both males and females. The 2024 age groups are:

Half Marathon: All half marathon finishers will receive a medal
- 16-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70+
10-mile Run
- 13-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60+
10-mile Walk
- 39 and under, 40-59, 60+
5-mile Run
- 16 and under, 17-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70+
5-mile Walk
- 39 and under, 40-59, 60+

The Canal Run is also proud to recognize all participants over the age of 75 with a Canal Run Legend Award for finishing their race!

Minimum Ages

We require people to be at least 16-years-old to compete in the half marathon, 13 to compete in the 10-mile-run and all of those under 10 must be accompanied by an adult for the five-mile run and two-mile fun run. There are no age requirements for walking events.

Half Marathon Cut-Off Times

The Half Marathon must be completed within 3 hours and 30 minutes (16:02 minute/mile pace). Racers are welcome to finish if their pace is slower, but an official time may not be recorded.

Clothing Bags

Please bring your own clothing bag if you wish to leave items at the race start. Bag tags will be provided. The bags will be transported to the finish line. The Canal Run is not responsible for lost items.

Safety Notes

Parking will not be available at the race starts. Shuttle service will be available near the Finish Line to transport racers to their starts. We strongly encourage racers to use the shuttle service due to safety concerns on the race course.
The use of headphones is strongly discouraged for the safety of our participants, as the racecourse is not closed to traffic.
Runners and walkers must stay on the left side of the road at all times, facing traffic.
The Event Alert System (EAS) communicates the status of course conditions to participants leading up to and on race day. The levels range from Low (green) to Moderate (yellow) to High (red) to Extreme (black) based on a variety of factors, including weather conditions. All participants should familiarize themselves with the Event Alert System prior to the race, remain alert for directions from race officials and announcers and take precautions to prepare properly for varying weather conditions on race day. Website communication during race week will inform participants of the current Event Alert System status and provide preparation tips based on advance weather forecasts.
- Current Alert Level — Green, Good Conditions.
- On race day, the current Event Alert System status will be communicated via announcements and color-coded flags at the race starts and at Aid Stations along the course.

Other Notes

To eliminate congestion at the finish line, walkers are asked to come through the finish line single file.
Those entering the walking events are not allowed to run and will be disqualified from the event if seen running. If you’d like to run an event but would like to walk some of it, please register for a running event.
Walking the entire half marathon or 10-mile run will not be permitted.
Lodging Discount
- For 2025, we've partnered with Holiday Inn Express of Houghton-Keweenaw to offer 15% off room rates between July 13 and 23. Book before July 3, 2025 to receive the discount through the Booking Link. Under the preference rate, select VIP.

Shirt Sizing and Availability

- To guarantee you have a shirt in your race packet, be sure to register by June 1. If you register after that day, you will still get a shirt, we just can't guarantee you'll get it on race day.
- Shirts are available in unisex or youth sizes
- Unisex sizing chart

Canal Run