Participants in the Canal Corridor 100 Mile Endurance Run will run through the exceptionally beautiful Ohio & Erie Canalway in Northeast Ohio, starting and finishing in downtown Akron, Ohio.
The race is FAST, FLAT, SCENIC – suitable for anyone looking to complete their first 100 mile or 50 mile race, or any seasoned veterans looking to go after their 100 mile or 50 mile PR.
The Canal Corridor Endurance Run will be run on the Ohio & Erie Canalway as a race starting in Akron with out & back sections running north and then south from the main start/finish area. The final course map and description will be posted on our website, and will depend on permitting of all the jurisdictions that the course will run through. We are USATF certificated & sanctioned for our course.
The Canal Corridor 100 Mile is a qualifier for the Western States Endurance Run lottery!
50 Mile Distance Added!
We’re excited to add a 50 Mile distance to the Canal Corridor Endurance Run! Runners will have the choice between the “Front Half” 50 Mile starting in the morning at 7:00AM or the “Back Half” 50 Mile starting just before dark at 6:00PM!
This is the perfect option for those that want to still take part in the Canal Corridor Endurance Run fun, but not quite up for the full 100 Mile distance!
Course Description
The start/finish line is at Missing Falls Brewery in downtown Akron, OH (540 S Main St. Suite 112, Akron, OH 44311). The course runs along The Towpath Trail following the Ohio & Erie Canalway. The Towpath is a crushed limestone trail that occasionally yields to asphalt or concrete walkway. The course is roughly 70% crushed limestone to 30% asphalt.
FIRST 50 MILES AND THE “FRONT HALF” 50 MILE: The start is in downtown Akron, Ohio and will travel north on the Towpath for 25 mile before turning around and running 25 miles back to the starting area. This is the half way point for the 100 Mile race and the Front Half 50 Mile course.
SECOND 50 MILES AND THE “BACK HALF” 50 MILE: After the first 50 miles runners will head south on the Towpath for 25 miles before turning around and running back directly to Akron, OH to the finish line for the final 25 miles. This second half is also the Back Half 50 Mile course.
Elevation gain over the entire 100 Mile course is about 1500 feet total.
Elevation gain for the 50 Mile Front Half is approximately 950 feet.
Elevation gain for the 50 Mile Back Half is approximately 550 feet.
There are aid/water stations approximately every 4-6 miles throughout the course that alternate from staffed full aid stations to unstaffed water & gel stations. The full aid stations will be staffed by seasoned ultrarunners and will offer water, electrolyte drink and various food items including hot foods at night.
A National Heritage Area
The Ohio & Erie Canalway is a National Heritage Area — designated by Congress in 1996 — to help preserve and celebrate the rails, trails, landscapes, towns and sites that grew up along the first 110 miles of the canal that helped Ohio and our nation grow.
Annually, more than 2.5 million Americans find their way to the iconic 81+ mile Towpath Trail running through the heart of the Canalway. The historic Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad and the nationally designated America’s Byway offer alternate Canalway travel options through the National Heritage Area.
Whether birding, hiking, bicycling or traveling by horseback, trail, rail or Byway — the cultural, historic, recreational and natural resources of the Ohio & Erie Canalway add quite a bit to the quality of life in the counties of Cuyahoga, Summit, Stark and Tuscarawas in Northeastern Ohio.
Within our borders — stretching 110 miles from Cleveland to New Philadelphia — you’ll find the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, the County Park Districts of Cuyahoga, Summit, Stark and Tuscarawas Counties all working together with communities and organizations to restore, build and replenish the cultural, historical, natural and recreational resources of the region that collectively tell our story.
It’s been a source of economic strength for Ohio as well. Since receiving its National Heritage Area designation in 1996, the Ohio & Erie Canalway has leveraged upwards of $350 million in Federal, State, Local and Private investments throughout the region. Of that total, $85 million in leveraged investments have taken place along the Towpath Trail itself. In many respects, it’s an historic return on the $12 million in National Park Service funding that the Ohio & Erie Canalway Association has been awarded and is distributing through a combination of grants and technical assistance to regional partners.
The collaborative community spirit at the heart of every National Heritage Area remains the hallmark of Ohio & Erie Canalway programs and projects that continue to help Ohio and our nation grow.
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