Calgary Marathon weekend adds 50K relay event for 2020 – Canadian Running Magazine

Registration is now open for the 56th running of the Scotiabank Calgary Marathon, which takes place on Sunday, May 31, 2020, and next year’s race weekend will offer an exciting new event: in addition to the very popular 50K ultra, which had 138 finishers in 2019, there will be a 50K relay, in which teams of two to four people can sign up to cover the distance together over four legs that vary from 7.8K to 18.6K. In addition, Roundup registrants (who race the 5K at noon after completing one of the other distances in the morning) will receive a special Roundup bib and swag item, and finishers’ medals for both events can be combined into one super-medal, introduced in 2019.

Race distances include the GoodLife Fitness 5K, the Jugo Juice 10K, the Centaur Subaru 21.1K, the Scotiabank Calgary Marathon 42.2K, the 50K Ultra, the 50K Relay and the Scotiabank Kids Marathon, as well as the Roundup, in which runners may race any of the Sunday morning distances in addition to the 5K, which starts at noon.

Feyera Dadi winning the 2018 Calgary Marathon. Photo: Scotiabank Calgary Marathon

“We launched this quietly last year, as it was something we heard from runners that they were doing already, running the 5K in addition to another distance at our race weekend,” says race director Kirsten Fleming, “and participants wanted it to be official. We didn’t realize how popular it would be, so we really formalized the program this year, streamlining the registration… and they get a special swag item in addition to their two medals (that fit together) and their two shirts. They will have special bibs that identify them to people and their own package pick up area, and some surprises and delights along the way.”

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Declaring Goal: I’m going for it. Training the last few months I’ve had one thing on my mind, breaking the long standing Canadian 50k record of 2:53:20 set by Andy Jones in 1991 in Houston, TX (coincidentally). Everything point towards this being attainable for me. While a lot of athletes are holding cards close to their chest right now and I have my speculations on how the race will play out, I’m going to run my own race. I will need a lot of things to go very right on Sunday morning to hit my “A” Goal but it’s exciting to throw it out there and build some much needed energy behind the attempt. Wearing a bib always makes me feel an extra power but wearing the Canada jersey is the ultimate. Record or no record I’ll run as strong as I can on the day ?? #TeamCanada #UltraRunning @altrarunning #ZeroLimits @polarglobal #Brasov50km #iau50kmworldchampionships

A post shared by Calum Neff (@calneff) on Aug 30, 2019 at 12:51pm PDT

The 50K relay reprises an event introduced for the race’s 50th anniversary in 2017, which was also Canada’s 150th birthday. It was called the Confederation 150K, and it was so popular that people have been asking ever since if the race was going to bring back a relay of some kind. Sign up with your bestie or get a team of three or four together (incuding yourself), soak up the vibes (and enjoy the snacks) at the Relay Transition Party Zones and collect some extra-special swag for 50K ultra participants.

The regular 50K has also been Canada’s national 50K championship since 2014, and many past podium finishers have gone on to represent Canada at the world 50K championships.