Running in Canada

How can you summarize 10 million square kilometers in just a few lines? Quite a challenge! Canada 🍁 is indeed the second largest country in the world, right after Russia. Its maple leaf is a symbol that stands out easily. But why the maple leaf? Because the tree and its numerous species are incredibly widespread in Canada. You'll get to taste the marvelous maple syrup as soon as you arrive in Toronto or Montreal. Channel your inner Jacques Cartier ⛵️ as you head towards the New World. In the 15th century, this French navigator 🇫🇷 was on the trail of this legendary land, first discovering Newfoundland, the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the Magdalen Islands, and Prince Edward Island—all must-visit locations if you cross the Atlantic. The Gulf of St. Lawrence boasts the world's largest estuary, St. Lawrence River, which flows towards the cities of Quebec City and Montreal, both still predominantly French-speaking. Be warned, you might want to settle down once you start exploring. With only 38 million inhabitants spread across such a vast territory, there's plenty of space! The Quebec province is one of Canada's ten provinces. Dive into its immense forests 🌲 and the banks of the St. Lawrence River. In Ontario, cities like Niagara Falls, Toronto, and Ottawa are worth visiting. The iconic Niagara Falls is a must-see on your roadmap, right? ... Take note ⚠️, the capital of Canada is Ottawa, not Toronto. Toronto remains a super megapolis to visit, where you'll meet people from all over the world 🌍! In the land of groundhogs, another symbol of the country, there's no time to sleep! Other noteworthy provinces include Newfoundland and Labrador, a windy, wild land bordered by icebergs 🥶... The Province of Alberta, known for its large glacial lakes and snow-capped mountains. The Banff and Jasper National Parks, connected by the legendary Icefields Parkway, offer stunning stops. You'll encounter a host of animals, some legendary: Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, antelopes, cougars 🐅, rattlesnakes 🐍, hummingbirds... Talk about escaping the ordinary! Surrounded by three oceans, after traversing plains, lakes, forests 🌲 and mountains ⛰, you can relax by the seaside, either on the east or west coast. Why not on the beaches of British Columbia facing the Pacific? Vancouver, a film city, awaits your talent. Known for its high quality of life, this city is not to be missed. Lastly, let's not forget the Yukon province where you can enjoy the midnight sun ☀️ in summer and the northern lights 🌅 in winter. The nature here is unbelievably beautiful in this far western part of the country, bordering the American territory of Alaska 🇺🇸.

Whew 😅. So much to choose from when running in Canada with all these vast, beautiful areas... To get started, find the race calendar for Canada: Trail, walking, half-marathon or marathon... Let's start with a city race, and not just any: the Vancouver Marathon, which offers several race formats, including a marathon relay. In the east, the country's flagship event, the Ottawa Marathon, is open to the whole family with kid and junior courses and shorter distances, in addition to the classic half-marathon and marathon. It's a great way to combine family vacations and running! In Quebec, the aptly named Chute Du Diable is a trail race with diverse landscapes: you'll be running through forests, along the banks of the St. Lawrence, and over mountains, all part of the UTMB® World Series! Choose your distance: short trail, long trail, or ultra trail... In such a wild country, we have to mention one of the toughest races in the world: the trail Yukon Arctic Ultra. Held in the freezing cold 🥶, sometimes at -30 degrees, and over insane distances, it's an event for the truly tough! How many races do you know that take place over several days and span over 600 kilometers self-supported? For the really tough ones... More accessible, the Toronto Marathon even considers walkers with an urban race that lets you enjoy the magnificent setting of the country's largest city and its remarkable landmarks.

Attache ta tuque means "get ready" in Quebecois...