Melissa’s Road Race

WHEN: Sept. 22 WHY YOU SHOULD GO: For a Rocky Mountain adventure Melissa’s is celebrating its 39th anniversary in 2018, making it one of the oldest pure half-marathons in the country. It also now offers a 5k and 10k, but the 21k is the premier event. The race is one of the few permitted to take place within Banff National Park. Because of this, it’s strictly capped: 4,500 participants overall, with 1,500 in the half. It’s a big race in a relatively intimate and fragile location. Runners are sure to see some wildlife along with the grand, mountainous vistas, after leaving town to tour around before heading back to the finish.

Keep in mind that Banff sits at about 1, 400 m, so Melissa’s Road Race will be a challenging effort, as the mild altitude makes distance running tough. But it’s worth travelling to in advance in order to acclimatize a bit, and enjoy one of Canada’s most stunning national parks.