ATHLETE UPDATES

Please scroll down and read through these items carefully as there are items you will need to know for race weekend.

Please also check Facebook , Instagram and Twitter for new updates and announcements.

IMPORTANT COURSE NOTES

Toward the finish of your race, the section of trail leading to the Recreation Grounds is very narrow for a short section. Please keep to the far right (as runners may be passing you from behind that started in the longer races). If you are a slower runner we recommend single file through this section. It will widen significantly as you enter Sundance Road.
Start times: 10:30am for the Half Marathon and 10:35 for the 5k/10k
Staging – Half Marathoners can start lining up on Sundance Road after 10:15am, 5k and 10k please wait on the field or to the far end of S undance Road by the Horse Stables – You Start Later – Do not Start with the Half Marathon or you will be going the wrong way!
You will self-seed, please don’t start too far up the road if you are a slower runner!
Half Marathoners – when you start your race, if you are a slower runner please move briskly down Cave Ave (for 500m then turn left on Birch Drive) – the lead vehicle for the 5k/10k will be coming behind you.
Friendly reminder that no strollers or pets are permitted in the run
Your race number must be showing to start, and must be yours
Please race in the distance that you are registered for or you will really mess up the results

5k and 10k’ers

Please move quickly across the Bridge – we will need to open it soon after the start!
5k and 10k, you will share the same route until a split before the 2 kilometer mark at Caribou Street. It is well marked – 5k’s go straight, 10k’s turn left on Caribou Street
Slower 5k’s – As you near the end of your course, please Keep to the Right! The leaders in the 10k will be coming from behind and will be trying to pass you.

Half Marathoners

Remember that you must do 2 loops of the Loop at the end of Golf Course Road (5k per loop) before your run back
Slower 10k’ers, please keep to the right toward the end of your course, the Half Marathoners will be coming up from behind

WASHROOMS

Washrooms on race mornings are always busy and sometimes hard to find.

Here are some spots you can find washrooms:

Event Site (Banff Recreation Grounds):

Sundance Road (near start)
Beer Gardens
East End of Playing Field
Rec Grounds Pavilion
Playground Washrooms

Nearby:

Central Park Washrooms (corner of Bear St. and Buffalo St.) – Shuttle Bus Drop
Bow Avenue Washrooms (corner of Bow Ave and Wolf St.)
Wolf Street Washrooms (corner of Wolf St. and Banff Ave.)
The Fenlands Recreation Centre

More Information HERE

Please do not use bathrooms in local businesses and the Library on race morning.

RACE BIB PICK-UP

Please remember that you must pick your race bib up in advance of race day at one of the 4 designated pick-up areas in Calgary, Canmore and Banff.

Click HERE for the latest details on Race Bib Pick-Up.

NEED TO TRANSFER TO A DIFFERENT DISTANCE?

Yes, you CAN transfer to a different distance . There is a $5.00 transfer admin fee (and difference in race fee if you are transferring to a longer distance event).

Click HERE for the latest details on Distance Transfers

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Click HERE for the latest details on your Schedule of Events

VIRTUAL EVENT BAG - PLEASE READ!

Check out what's waiting for you inside your Virtual Event Bag! There is race information and amazing deals for the weekend, valuable coupons and fun activities for you and your family to check out!

Promos will continue to be added through race week, so please check back here closer to race day as well.

Check out your Virtual Event Bag - coming soon!

VOLUNTEERING - FAMILY AND FRIENDS NOT RUNNING?
We need your help!

Participants, we are in need of some help for volunteers at the event. Banff is a very small community (only 7500 people) so drawing volunteers for the many events held here is very challenging – we could use the help of your friends and family if they would like to pitch in!

Volunteers will receive:

The famous commemorative Melissa's Road Race long sleeve technical shirt!
A post-race beer or other beverage
Complimentary snacks
Over $5000 in draw prizes
Satisfaction of supporting the athletes and official event charities

If any of your friends or family are available to help us out, we would greatly appreciate that. Please contact: melsvolunteers@gmail.com

Or click here to sign up for a shift: Volunteer sign-up coming soon

REMINDER: RACE BIBS CAN NOT BE SOLD OR TRANSFERRED

Selling your race bib, or having another person use your bib in the event is strictly prohibited. This act may seem well intentioned but has many negative implications to the organizers and participants including liability, timing, results, awards and many other factors. Race bibs will only be given out to those who have registered for the event. If a registrant sells or gives away their race bib to another participant, that participant will be disqualified, and the registrant who sold/gave away their bib will not be allowed to participate in future events.

GEAR CHECK

Race day gear check is available for $5/participant (all proceeds donated to local charity). Spots are limited. Confirm your advanced gear check spot or learn more about the gear check HERE

MELISSA'S RACE SHIRTS

Melissa's Road Race is famous for it's race shirts! In fact it may be one of the most famous collections of race shirts in the world. Do you still have some of your Melissa's Road Race shirts? We encourage you to wear your favourite Mel's shirt or wear the new beautiful race shirt!

PARKS PASS

Your passport to adventure! Explore soaring peaks, turquoise lakes, delicious cuisine, and endless activities, across more than 6,000 square km of wilderness in Banff National Park alone, with your Parks Canada Pass. If you’re entering Banff National Park by personal vehicle, a park pass is required. We suggest purchasing your National Park Pass online prior to arrival for express entry into the park.

GET YOUR PASS HERE

MELISSA'S OFFICIAL POST RACE PARTY

Celebrate in Style after your run at Melissa's!

Free Event! The Official Post Race Party of Melissa's Road Race is downtown Banff at Melissa's Missteak on Saturday night!

The party will feature live music with recording artist, Shannon Smith. Her music is influenced by the poise and traditionalism of Lorrie Morgan, the showmanship and flare of Shania Twain and the strength of Sheryl Crow.

This is a free and un-ticketed event so get there early to ensure your spot.*

Dinner is available from the menu.
*Dinner reservations required or first come/first served
The party gets going at 6pm!

Melissa's Restaurant - 201 Banff Ave, Second Floor

Celebrate your race in style with your fellow runners.

See you there!

SHIRT PICK UP

Shirt Pick Up – You can pick up your shirt at the "Shirt Tent" before the race start on Saturday at the Expo if you would like to wear it for the run, or after if you would like to keep it fresh and clean for post-race relaxing. There is a ticket on your race bib to claim your race shirt.

FRIENDLY REMINDER - NO STROLLERS OR PETS

Banff National Park is a beautiful and unique location for a running event. However, this does present some challenges for the running course which is comprised of a combination of paved roads, paved and dirt trails, narrow sections, sharp turns and some curbs. For safety reasons, wheelchairs, baby joggers, strollers, Burleys, inline skates, bicycles, and pets can NOT be permitted on the course. Participants that bring any of the aforementioned items to the start line will not be permitted to start and will be disqualified. Thank you for understanding and respecting the safety of all participants in the event.

RACE BIB MUST BE VISIBLE AND YOURS

At the beginning of the race start, please make sure your race bib can be seen. The race officials must be able to see your race bib otherwise you will be stopped. Anyone running without a race bib will be removed from the race immediately. You must also run in the distance you have registered for unless you have officially transferred. And, please remember, you can only run with your bib, and in the distance you registered for, or everyone is affected. Thanks!

WILDLIFE PROTOCOL

Due to the unique character of Banff National Park, a wildlife interaction, although unlikely, could occur on the race route. The following are some resources you should review and may find helpful HERE

COURSE ETIQUETTE

Headphones on Course

Due to the event taking place in a National Park and the need for participants to be able to hear clear instructions from officials with regards to wildlife and other matters, the Event prohibits the use of these devices for the participant's safety and the safety of those around them. Over the ear/on the ear headphones are strictly prohibited and will result in disqualification. For earbud use, there is no risk of disqualification for simple use provided only one earbud is used, however, if a participant puts themselves or other participants at risk, directly or indirectly through the use of these items, the Event Organizers reserve the right to disqualify the participant.

Keeping to the Right on Trails and the Roads

Runners should be aware that there are narrow sections of the course on the Bow River Trails and at some other points on the course. Please stay on the far right side of the path/road and don’t run two abreast in narrow sections. This is especially important on the last 1 kilometer of the course with the 10K and Half Marathon runners approaching from behind. There is one short section on the trail heading into the recreation grounds where runners should stay single file if possible as the new trail does squeeze down at this point (there will be signs in this area). You should always stay to the far right side of the trail/road unless otherwise directed.

SHARE YOUR PICTURES ON SOCIAL MEDIA

We want to see your pictures and experiences - please share! We will have great prizes. The pictures are not judged, they are entered into a contest draw. Tag us on one of our event social media pages and also include the feed:

#melissasroadrace

@melissasroadrace

SUSTAINABILITY AT MELISSA'S

Hosting a sustainable event is high priority of Melissa's Road Race, and even more crucial given that the event takes place in Canada's first National Park. You can make a difference - here's how...

Traveling to Banff:

Use a Shuttle, Bus or other form of Mass Transportation
Carpool – Travel with friends, other runners, and family together in the same vehicle
Do you have access to an Electric Vehicle – Use it!
Flying? Try to book direct, non-stop flights. And choose airlines with modern efficient aircrafts and those that have sustainable programs

Here are some other ways to help protect the environment:

Reduce your waste and use the event waste sorting/recycling programs
When in Banff or Canmore, utilize Roam Transit on race weekend and the "Melissa's Express" on race morning!
Choose eco-friendly accommodations
Reduce energy consumption in your hotel room by turning off lights, heating, and air conditioning when not needed
Reuse towels and bed linens to minimize water and energy use
Choose local and organic food options to support sustainable agriculture and reduce food miles
Bring hydration systems for the race or use a reusable water bottle to refill at water stations rather than using single-use cups
Sort waste properly at the sorting stations at the event

By making small changes and conscious choices, you can help Melissa's Road Race make a significant impact on reducing carbon emissions and protecting our beautiful environment. Thank you for being part of the solution!

COURSE NUTRITION, HYDRATION AND WASTE

As per the direction of Parks Canada, the Melissa's Road Race does not offer any sport drink on the course. This is to reduce the potential of a wildlife interaction because sport drink, with its high sugar content, is an attractant to wildlife. If you feel you need calories on the course, please carry these with you responsibly and please DO NOT dump or discard any nutritional products or waste on the ground, it must be dumped into the waste bins.

GARBAGE ON COURSE - ***Important, please read…

During the run, ALL waste must be deposited at the nearest Aid Station. Participants CANNOT drop any waste (cups, gels, wrappers etc.) anywhere along the course (including KM markers or any other spots – even if you believe it will be found by organizers or see that others have done it). Aid Stations are located at least every 2-3km, and disposal bins will be located for you to drop your garbage. Any participant leaving waste along the course other than at the designated aid stations will be immediately disqualified and asked to leave the course. This is very important for wildlife protection and the safety of the participants and will be patrolled by monitors on bicycles and vehicles. Please remember that Littering in a National Park is an offence and can be fined under the National Parks Act, but more importantly, respect the environment and opportunity to run in this special place. Thank you

BYOB: BRING YOUR OWN WATER BOTTLE

Rather than just using the cups we will provide along the route, athletes are encouraged to bring their own water bottles on race day. There will be 6 aid stations along the route and volunteers are happy to assist with refilling bottles. It is one of the ways athletes can take an active role in being responsible and implementing the new sustainability programs in the event!

COURSE ACCESS/VIEWING

During the race, only participants with a race bib will be allowed on Golf Course Road, Tunnel Mountain Road, and Tunnel Mountain Drive. Please tell your friends and family not to drive, cycle or walk to these areas. These areas can be narrow and environmentally sensitive so for the safety of everyone please let everyone know not to travel to these sections of the course as they will be denied entry (tell them to sign up for the run next year to gain access!). The runners are best viewed at the Banff Recreation Grounds at the main race site or in town along Banff Ave (for the 5K/10K) for the start of the run.

You are welcome to bring signs and cheer, but marking streets or paths with chalk is prohibited in the National Park.

PARKING AND SHUTTLES

The Town of Banff is very limited with its parking opportunities and can get quite congested with traffic, especially with a large event such as Melissa’s so please read carefully below some options that will get you to the event on time and stress free.

***DO NOT TRY TO DRIVE TO THE START AREA OR ACROSS THE BANFF AVENUE BRIDGE – THERE IS NO PARKING OR DROP-OFF AREA AND THERE WILL BE LONG LINES TO GET BACK ACROSS THE BRIDGE***

Please read HERE for Parking and Shuttle info.

COURSE TIME LIMITS

What are the time limits for the courses?

The participant must make sufficient progress on the course that will allow them to complete the Event in line with timelines set by the Event Organizers. There will be certain cut-off times along the course based on this time at which time the course will re-open to vehicular traffic and participants may be asked to cease their participation in the Event. There is no official Walking division in the Event however walking is permitted provided the participant is on the pace to achieve the course time limit. It is recommended that if the participant is walking, that they keep a brisk pace and do not stop along the route. Those who finish outside of the time limit will not be recorded as official finishers and may not receive full on-course support from Aid Stations and traffic personnel.

The Time Limits are as follows:
5K: 1 hour and 15 minutes
10K: 2 hours
Half Marathon: 3 hours and 15 minutes (walkers are not permitted in the Half Marathon distance)
*Participants are requested to move briskly at the start of the event:

Half Marathoners – when you start your race, if you are a slower runner please move briskly down Cave Ave (for 500m then turn left on Birch Drive) – the lead vehicle for the 5k/10k will be coming behind you.
5k/10k – There are time-limited closures on the bridge and Banff Avenue (first 1500m of the run)

ACCOMMODATION

Still need a place to stay for the race? Thinking of making it a great weekend in the beautiful Rocky Mountains? Basecamp Resorts are the Official Hotels of the event and are offering special participant rates for race weekend. For more information and the discount code click HERE

CHECK OUT THE NEW COOL MERCHANDISE!

We have added some great new Melissa's Road Race merchandise this year, available exclusively to event participants only!

These items are limited and can be purchased through the Participant Store, along with the other event souvenirs, for pick-up at the event.

Get yours before they are gone! HERE

EVENT ARTWORK

Melissa’s Road Race is famous for its long-sleeved shirt featuring specially commissioned artwork. With the help of Canada House Gallery, each year an artist is selected who has a special connection to Banff National Park. Stay tuned for the announcement of the 2025 Artist!