A trail runner on a grassy ridge above a sea of clouds

Canadian Death Race

Its flagship course covers 118 km with 5,181 m of climbing, run solo or as a relay.

Prepare for Canadian Death Race

A plan built from your answers and your race date.

trail training plan

The race is run around Grande Cache, in the foothills of the Alberta Rockies. The route links summits and passes with long stretches of mountain trail, including exposed ground and technical descents. Late July can bring dry heat low down and cold rain higher up, sometimes within the same day, so conditions vary widely.

Two formats are offered: the 118 km ultra, with 5,181 m of climbing, run solo or as a relay team, and the Near Death Marathon over 42 km and 2,132 m. The field is capped at 1,000 runners, of whom 350 are solo entrants.

The formats

2 formats on the program.

Format	Distance	Vertical gain
Ultra (solo ou relais)	73 mi	5,181 m
Near Death Marathon	26 mi	2,132 m

Organizer information, checked on September 21, 2026 · sinistersports.ca

When to start

A build for this distance usually runs 12 to 24 weeks. Counted back from race day, that puts the start somewhere between February 8, 2027 and May 3, 2027.

These ranges are working conventions, not a research finding — no trial has compared plan lengths against each other. What matters more is that the plan was built for the weeks you actually have, rather than shrunk down from a longer one.

How to choose your start date

When to start

February 8, 2027

→ May 3, 2027

Worth reading before you enter

Races and distances Trail distances: what changes off the road Distance stops being the useful number. What decides a trail race is how long you are out, how much you climb, and how much the descents have wrecked your legs by the end. Read Training Eating and drinking: what’s proven, what isn’t This is where confident advice most often runs ahead of the evidence. Some of it is well tested. Some is opinion wearing a number. And one common habit can kill you. Read Races and distances When to start preparing your race Most plans fail before the first session, because the block started too late and everything had to be squeezed. Counting back from the date is the dullest and most useful thing you will do. Read

Questions

What is the date of Canadian Death Race in 2027?

Canadian Death Race is run on Saturday, July 31, 2027 in Grande Cache. Date published by the organizer, checked on September 21, 2026.

How hard is the Canadian Death Race?

The 118 km course with 5,181 m of climbing demands proven mountain ultra experience. The Near Death Marathon, at 42 km and 2,132 m, is more approachable but still needs a solid trail running base behind it.

Can you run the Canadian Death Race as a relay?

Yes. The 118 km distance can be tackled solo or split between relay teammates. Total capacity is set at 1,000 runners, with 350 of those places reserved for solo entrants on the long course.

Other races

This list keeps growing; it draws no line. A race that is missing is prepared for in exactly the same way.

Whistler · CanadaUltra Ultra Trail Whistler by UTMB Jun 25 It is the first UTMB World Series event staged in Canada, replacing the former Whistler Alpine Meadows. Crowsnest Pass · CanadaUltra Sinister 7 Ultra Jul 10 Its headline 100 mile course can be run solo or split across a relay team of up to seven runners. Squamish · CanadaUltra Squamish 50 Aug 14 It offers a 50 mile, a 50 km, a 23 km and the 50/50 double that combines both long distances. Your race is not here? Tell us about your race You can prepare for it all the same. Any race, anywhere, and even a goal without a race.

Your race is on the calendar. Your plan should be too.

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