Thank you for your interest in the Canal Run. This is a truly great event with thousands of happy participants over the past 40-plus years. Below is all of the information you’ll need to know. If there’s anything you have questions about, contact us.
Weekend Schedule at a Glance
All times are Eastern Standard Time (EST)
Friday, July 14, 2023
- 3-8 p.m. - Registration and Bib Pickup - Registration and bib pickup at Quincy Green on Finlandia University's campus located at 435 Quincy Street in Hancock.
- 5-8 p.m. - Key Ingredients - The city of Hancock will be alive.
Saturday, July 15, 2023
- 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). 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. Strollers are welcome on the shuttles. Overflow parking is located across Michigan Street in the Gloria Dei Lutheran Church parking lot.
- 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 includes your bib and courtesy race swag will be available on Friday from 3-8 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 16. 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
- Half Marathon at Koskela Road
- 10-mile Bob Olson Memorial run at McLain State Park
- 5-mile run at High Point Road
- 5-mile walk at High Point Road
- 2-mile fun run/walk at Cemetery Road near Swedetown Creek
- Kids Dash
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. Overflow parking is located across Michigan Street in the Gloria Dei Lutheran Church parking lot. The last shuttle for each race will leave approximately 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. 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
Awards are given for the top three for each gender in each age category in each race. 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.
- Half Marathon: All half marathon finishers will receive a medal
- Female: 16-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-59, 60+
- Male: 16-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60+
- 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
- Female: 16 and under, 17-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70+
- Male: 16 and under, 17-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70+
- 5-mile Walk
- Female: 29 and under, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70+
- Male: 39 and under, 40-59, 60-69, 70+
Special note on age groups: Each year our organizing committee reviews the age group ranges for both genders. Our goal is to roughly equalize the number of racers in each age group (based on the previous year’s numbers) for fairness and to ensure competitive balance among all age groups.
As a result, some age groups are five-year spans and some are ten-year spans. Male and female age groups don’t necessarily match – in many ranges the number of male and female racers are not the same.
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.
Shirt Sizing and Availability
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- To guarantee you have a shirt in your race packet, be sure to register by June 16. If you register after that day, you will still get a shirt, we just can't guarantee you'll get it on race day.
- Unisex sizing chart
Course Map and Profiles
