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

Survival of the Fittest

It offers two distances, 35 km and 18 km, starting and finishing at the Capilano University campus.

Prepare for Survival of the Fittest

A plan built from your answers and your race date.

trail training plan

Survival of the Fittest is run in Squamish, in the Sea to Sky corridor of British Columbia. The start and finish sit on the Capilano University campus, formerly Quest University, where the trails climb straight into coastal rainforest over a mix of roots, rock and flowing singletrack.

The race is part of the Coast Mountain Trail Running series, and that sets the tone: a lean, trail-focused event with a strong local field and no road filler. Only two distances are offered, which keeps the choice simple, and the early May date places it near the start of the North American season, often on ground that is still wet from winter.

The formats

2 formats on the program.

Format	Distance	Vertical gain
35 km	22 mi	1,650 m
18 km	11 mi	900 m

Organizer information, checked on September 21, 2026 · trailrunning.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 November 16, 2026 and February 8, 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

November 16, 2026

→ February 8, 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 Survival of the Fittest in 2027?

Survival of the Fittest is run on Saturday, May 8, 2027 in Squamish. Date published by the organizer, checked on September 21, 2026.

What distances does Survival of the Fittest offer?

There are two options: a 35 km with 1,650 m of elevation gain, and an 18 km with 900 m. Both start from the Capilano University campus in Squamish and use the surrounding coastal forest trails.

What level do you need for Survival of the Fittest?

The 35 km asks for experience on technical trail and comfort with 1,650 m of climbing. The 18 km, at 900 m, is within reach of a regular runner who is used to trails and to hiking the steeper sections.

Other races

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

Anmore / Belcarra · CanadaTrail Diez Vista 50K Apr 10 It offers one distance, 50 km with 2,000 m of climbing, from White Pine Beach. Toronto · Canada10K Beneva Spring Run-Off 8K Apr 3 Part of the Canada Running Series, it offers a hilly 8K and 5K and marks its 50th edition. Hamilton · CanadaHalf marathon Around the Bay Road Race Apr 4 First run in 1894, it is North America's oldest road race, and its 30K remains the signature distance. 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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