Canton Half Marathon, 10K & 5K
Canton, TX
- Half Marathon, 10K, 5K
- Road (Paved)
- Official race website
ENJOY ALL THAT CANTON HAS TO OFFER! The Canton Half Marathon, 10K & 5K this year will be during our famous 1st Monday Trade Days at the World’s Largest Flea Market! You will be able to shop before and even after the race on Sunday morning. The race will start … MORE
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Pain didn't stop me
Overall I had a great time. For first time runners, the hills are not very steep, but the road is uneven and slopes to one side for most of the … MORE
Overall I had a great time. For first time runners, the hills are not very steep, but the road is uneven and slopes to one side for most of the race. Try to run as close to the center of the road as possible to avoid the worst of the sloped roadway.
Great small town race!
Although I'm not sure how long this race has been taking place, this is my second time to run the 10k, and I have to admit that I enjoyed this … MORE
Although I’m not sure how long this race has been taking place, this is my second time to run the 10k, and I have to admit that I enjoyed this experience even more than the first.
The Canton 10k takes place near the First Monday Trades Days grounds and throughout neighborhoods in the small town of Canton, Texas. I only live about 20 miles from Canton, so this race is very convenient for me, and I appreciate all the effort that goes into this event. The event organizers seem to be very organized and professional, and I really like the shirts and after-race food and offerings.
I do think the race experience could have been improved in two ways this year. First, the race organizers advertised an option for early packet pick-up on Friday night before the race this year, ending at 7:00 pm. I hit horrible traffic leaving work on Friday and was not able to get to the packet pick-up until 7:02 pm. At that point, all of the materials were already packed up, and I could not be helped (which was a little frustrating…they obviously started packing up well before 7:00 pm). I had also originally signed up for the half marathon and was interested in dropping down to the 10k; I also wanted to know what the time limit for the course(s) was. I could not find any information or answers to either of these questions online. To be fair, I also did not send an e-mail or attempt to reach someone to get these questions answered, but that kind of information would have been helpful in a FAQ or in the e-mail information that is sent prior to the race.
Beyond these minor frustrations, I really enjoyed my experience. There appeared to be about 100 runners participating in the 10k and half marathon (combined). The course is a bit hilly, but nothing horrible. There isn’t a ton of on-course support, but the folks who were present to hand out water or point the way were very encouraging and helpful. It was also very cold and windy the morning of the race, which may have impacted the turnout as well. Literally, there was a wind advisory in place, so the conditions were a bit brutal at times (but that’s certainly out of everyone’s control!).
Overall, I would certainly continue to sign up for and participate in this race, and I expect it to improve each year. If you’re from out-of-town, it’s unfortunate it doesn’t take place during a First Monday weekend, but I don’t believe the logistics make it possible for this to happen. Regardless, Canton is a charming small town with cute shops to explore and good restaurants to try pre- or post-race!
Great race!
This race is great! I came with another friend from Oklahoma. Shawn, the race director, kept everyone well informed through emails and social media posts. He also hosted a shake … MORE
This race is great! I came with another friend from Oklahoma. Shawn, the race director, kept everyone well informed through emails and social media posts. He also hosted a shake out run the evening before that he participated in. After the shake out run, we met back at The Kickin Mule for a meal, drinks, and drawings for gift cards and Trade Days gift bags. The next morning, Shawn made sure to greet us and check in after the race. The course was well marked, had lots of volunteers, water stations (with NUUN) were plenty and perfectly placed. The race even had Fanatic pacers and a RWB flag carrier. Runner perks included insulated swag bags, discounts to some of the area food vendors and free parking to attend the Trade Days. My favorite touch was the medals with the Canton water tower. I live in Canton, OK and we the same tower! I would definitely run this race again and recommend it to others!