Event Calendar
Suffer on the Centennial
Race directed by: Trails of ‘Toba
Distances: 8km, 25km, 50km, 100km
Location: Centennial Trail in Whiteshell Provincial Park
For our 2024 edition a point to point 100km solo adventure and a 100km team relay! (2-6 people)
Putting together an amazing point to point route has been a dream of mine for a while now, having spent the last few summers scoping out the possibilities, 2024 is the year we are going to make it happen!
The route will take you from Rennie with the first half covering the burly 50km course of 2023. The route will then continue on the flowy, runnable TCT through West Hawk, Faloma, and Falcon Lake, then end with a loop past Top of the World at Falcon Trails!
This adventure will give you a little of everything the Whiteshell has to offer, from technical rocky and rooty single-track, granite slabs, boggy boreal forest, and super flowy runnable terrain with less than 1km of roads!
We are still working with Manitoba Parks and a few other stakeholders to finalize some details, but as of right now the dream is looking like a reality.
We will also have a 50km, 2 loop 25km and 8km, all ending at Falcon Trails Resort. These will be NEW courses for the 2024 event. Please see below for details!
Race info: https://trailsoftoba.com/suffer-on-centennial
Registration: Registration open (closes March 30)
Epic East Gate
Race Directed By: Race RMNP
Location: East Gate Riding Mountain National Park
Distances: 10 km, 25 km & 50 km
The Dauphin Rotary Club, working closely with Parks Canada, is excited to bring you Epic East Gate! The only ultra and trail running event to be held within the confines of Riding Mountain National Park. Beginning at the Historic East Gate just 15 minutes from Mcreary, Manitoba, the 50km figure 8 course and 25 KM single loop course, will have elevation gains of >1000M and >500M respectively and the 10 KM route along a lower Reeves Ravine out and back is a great introduction to trail running. For 25 and 50 km runners there are EPIC views from the iconic Little Bald Hill that will have you quickly forget that you are in the heart of the Prairies while the flowy, single track, technical descents of Upper Reeves Ravine will have you convinced you found a slice of big mountain running.
Race info: https://www.racermnp.ca/index.php/epic-east-gate/details
Registration: Open (Early bird pricing ends March 3)
Single Track Sunday
Save the date for our June Single Track Sunday
We’re excited to take you to a new trail this month!
Turtle's Back Trail Run
Race Directed By: Turtle Mountain Nordic Ski Club
Location: William’s Lake, Turtle Mountain Provincial Park, Boissevain MB
Distances: 1km, 5km, 8km, 16km
The folks of Turtle Mountain Nordic Club are excited to invite you to the first Turtle’s Back Trail Run and walk on June 15, 2024.
Whether you are new to running or a veteran of trail running, there is a distance for you! Challenge yourself on the iconic Turtle's Back climb and enjoy the 360-degree views of the prairie below before descending the summit to continue around William Lake.
This is a fundraising event for the Turtle Mountain Nordic Ski Club. It will be a great opportunity to bring together the cross country ski and trail running communities and showcase the great trails of Turtle Mountain.
Registration: Open
Trail Work Party
Join us for a work party!
We’re planning a trail work day on June 16, 2024. More details will come based on weather and trail conditions.
We’ll add a sign-up form to this page closer to the date for people to register.
We typically cover 10-12 km over 5-6 hours on the trail.
Activities can include sawing, lopping, and otherwise clearing deadfall and downed trees, sprucing up signage, and picking up trash.
Carpooling from Winnipeg will be arranged amongst those who RSVP by signing up. You must RSVP for this trail work event. Please complete this waiver if it’s your first time joining us for trail work in 2024 and email it to info@matr.ca before joining us.
DYK: MATR members earn UTofMB points for participating in trail work?
Groovy Granite
Race directed by: Adam Moore
Distances: 7km, 14km, 21km
Location: Granite Grooveout in Lac du Bonnet
The inaugural Groovy Granite race organized by Adam Moore happens June 23, 2024.
Situated on Treaty 1 territory, the course passes through Manitoba's scenic Lee River region at the historic AECL Underground Research Laboratory site. T
Run along the rim of a vast granite batholith, offering views of the Lee River, boreal forest, and Canadian shield. Challenge yourself on fast-flowing trails with technical sections and punchy climbs.
More information on the registration page.
Registration: Open
Birds Hill Trail Series - Aspen Dash
Race Directed by: On the Edge Running
Location: Birds Hill Provincial Park
Distance: 5k
The Birds Hill Trail Series is a summer, Thursday-evening, three-race series held at Birds Hill Provincial Park on Treaty 1 Land, just north of Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Race info: https://ontheedgerunning.com/home/birdshilltrailseries
Registration: TBA
Old Tom Backyard Ultra
Race Directed by: Old Tom Backyard Ultra
Location: Blumenort, MB
Distance: ?
Are you ready to find your limit and take on the challenge of the Old Tom Backyard? Join Manitoba's first and only Backyard Ultra for the ultimate endurance experience and push yourself further than you ever thought possible!
The Backyard Ultra is an ultramarathon where runners must run a yard (lap) of 4.167 miles (6.71kms) in less than one hour for as many hours as they can.
A new yard begins every hour, on the hour, until only one runner remains.
The last person standing is the winner with all other runners receiving a DNF [Did Not Finish].
Race info: https://www.oldtombackyard.com
Registration: SOLD OUT!
Grand Sand 15k
Race Directed by: On the Edge Running
Location: Lester Beach and Grand Beach Provincial Park
Distance: 15 km
Grand Sand 15k Trail Race is the vision of Cory and Anneke Funk who will be providing direction for this race and takes place on the beach and Trans-Canada Trail of Lester Beach as well as the cross country ski trails of Grand Beach Provincial Park.
Race info: https://ontheedgerunning.com/grand-sand-15k
Registration: TBA
Birds Hill Trail Series - Bluestem 13k
Race Directed by: On the Edge Running
Location: Birds Hill Provincial Park
Distance: 13k
The Birds Hill Trail Series is a summer, Thursday-evening, three-race series held at Birds Hill Provincial Park on Treaty 1 Land, just north of Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Race info: https://ontheedgerunning.com/home/birdshilltrailseries
Registration: TBA
Single Track Sunday
Save the date for our July Single Track Sunday
We’re heading to Spruce Woods Provincial park to bask in the hills of Westman.
We’ll meet at 9:30 am and aim to hit the trails around 9:45 am. Stay tuned for more route details.
Pack your own water/hydration and snacks for the trail. It can get HOT in Spruce Woods during the summer so make sure you’re carrying at least 1l of water (with electrolytes), if not more for our run. You should also plan to bring yourself some energy you can consume while on trail.
We plan to picnic at the trailhead after the run, so feel free to bring something to share with the group.
Hot Tip: Have a change of clothes and sandles for the post-run hangout. It can feel super nice to have a dry change of clothes for the drive home.
Rider vs Runner
Race Directed by: Jeff Bond
Location: Souris Riverbend WMA
Distance: 25 miles
For only the third time in Canada, a Rider vs Runner race at the scenic Souris Riverbend Wildlife Management Area will be held in cooperation with an Endurance Riding Event.
Runners compete against horse riders over a 25-mile course with river crossings, steep climbs, and descents, with approximately 2,000 feet of gain/loss.
Test your skills against fellow outdoor enthusiasts in a thrilling race through the scenic trails of the wildlife area. Don't miss out on the opportunity to push your limits and see who will come out on top - riders or runners! Lace-up your shoes for an unforgettable day of competition and fun.
The cost is $54.58, and the proceeds go to the Equestrian Club, which maintains the trails at this location.
There is camping there or at Jeff’s place.
Registration: Open
Birds Hill Trail Series - Esker 8k
Race Directed by: On the Edge Running
Location: Birds Hill Provincial Park
Distance: 8k
The Birds Hill Trail Series is a summer, Thursday-evening, three-race series held at Birds Hill Provincial Park on Treaty 1 Land, just north of Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Race info: https://ontheedgerunning.com/home/birdshilltrailseries
Registration: TBA
Prairie Goat VK
Race Directed by: Adam Moore
Location: Spring Hill Winter Park
Distance: More details to come, but this race challenges you to a verticle kilometre at Spring Hill… no small feat for prairie legs.
Registration: TBA
Single Track Sunday
Want to help us decide where to run in August? Send us an email with your trail recommendation!
We’ll meet at 9 am and do our welcome at 9:15 am. We’ll run once we’ve wrapped up announcements etc.!
Pack your own water/hydration and snacks for the trail and crew.
We’re planning to head for ice cream on the way home, and maybe jump in a body of water, so join us if you’re game.
Hot Tip: Have a change of clothes and warm boots for the post-run hangout. You can get chilled quickly in damp running clothes, particularly in cooler temperatures.
Race The North Face
Race Directed by: Trails of ‘Toba
Distances: 10km, 25km, 50km and 750m Kids Run!
The Brandon Hills are a well kept secret, with over 90% gnarly single-track and unrelenting hills, to long climbs up "The Spine" a 2.5km long ridge-line which rises above the forest giving absolutely stunning 360 degree views of the prairies below. This is all made possible by a massive glacier deposit which formed this area many years ago. Please note that The Spine is on private property and requires permission prior to accessing.
All three distances are challenging in their own rights with the 10km being a great introduction to true trail running (you know, rocky, rooty, climbing and descending all those fun things!). The 25km shows competitors all the Brandon Hills have to offer, including running The Spine, with it being a full loop of the area. The 50km Ultra is 2 loops so you know what kind of hurt is in when you take on round 2... the views are worth it, right?
Race info: https://trailsoftoba.com/race-the-north-face
Registration: Registration open (Early bird pricing till February 23, registration closes July 5)
Bellringer
Race Directed by: Boundary Trails Nordic Junior Development Team
Boundary Trails Nordic Junior Development (Ski) Team invites skiers, runners, hikers and bikers to an amazing single-track running/hiking race!
Some pretty awesome single-track trail awaits your feet at the second annual Bell Ringer 5-Hour Run/Hike.
The Shannondale Valley, just north of Thornhill, Manitoba, boasts some serious elevation to test your mind and body. With 100 meters of elevation per 4 KM loop, you will soon find yourself searching deep within only to find out that your bell has been rung!!
How many 4km loops can you complete in 5 hours?
Registration: May 5
Follow Boundary Trails Nordic Club on Facebook for updates.
Fat Ass Mantario Marathon Trail Run
Mantario Marathon
A 2-day, 63K, Self-Supported Mantario Trail Fat-Ass event (Walk - Run - Trek)
This is a Fat Ass event which means = no fee, no aid, no swag, no whining.
The Mantario Marathon is a 2-day, 63K, self-supported Mantario Trail run (Walk - Run - Trek)
Caddy Lake Trailhead to Big Whiteshell Trailhead. Camp Halfway at Moosehead Lake.
Annually, on the Last Full Weekend of September, since 1980.
Beaudry Fall Classic
Race Directed by: On the Edge Running
Location: Beaudry Provincial Park
Distances: 6, 12, 24, 48 hours
The Beaudry Fall Classic is a timed-loop trail race held at Beaudry Provincial Park, just west of Winnipeg, Manitoba. Each loop is about 5.1 km and participants can sign up for 6, 12, 24 & 48-hour solo options, as well as a new fun night run!
Race info: https://ontheedgerunning.com/home/beaudryfallclassic/
Registration: TBA
Pinawa Dam Trail Run
Race directed by: Wonder Athletes
Location: Pinawa Dam Provincial Park
Distances: 5km and 14km
Finish: Pinawa Golf Course #1 Willis Dr. Pinawa, Mb
Distance: 14 km & 5 km (suitable for runners & hikers)
Event Medal
Trail course marshals & first aid provided
Dogs are allowed in the trail run
Race info: https://wonderathletes.com/pinawa-dam-trail-run/
Registration: Open (via email).
Single Track Sundays
Singe Track Sunday with On The Edge Running
When: 9:00 am, be there at 8:45 am to find on street parking and get your layers adjusted
Where: City Seine River Run, Winnipeg
On The Edge Running is co-hosting our second ANNUAL totally in-Seine winter run on the Seine River.
We’ll start/end at the trail access on Eggerton Road at the end of Clonard Ave.
Please dress appropriately for the weather and effort. This could be real winter running!
After the run, we’ll head to Toews Fitness Studio for Christmas cookies thanks to the generosity of On The Edge Running race directors Joel Toews and Cory Funk! MATR will provide warm drinks (coffee & hot chocolate). Feel free to bake some cookies/treats for this!
Hot Tip: Have a change of clothes and shoes so you can change from damp/cold running clothes if you plan to hang out after the run and chat over coffee!
Trail Work Party
Join us for a work party!
Can you help us with trail work May 18, 2024?
Plan: Expect to cover ~6 kms over 4-6 hours of trail maintenance on the High Bay trail at Falcon Trails Resort
Trail work this month will focus on adding signage but can also include activities like clearing deadfall, trash clean-up, trimming around trail signage, etc.
Participants will be required to use hand tools like loppers and/or folding saws.
Participants should be able to carry a pack with their own water and snacks for the day and have the stamina to hike into the more remote areas of the trail MATR is responsible for.
We welcome four-legged friends on the trail under the following conditions: Any dogs must be leashed if you’re bringing them along, both for safety reasons (tools are dangerous) and to comply with leash laws requiring all pets to be on leash in provincial parks.
Carpooling from Winnipeg will be arranged among those who RSVP by signing up. You must RSVP for this trail work event. Please complete this waiver if this is your first time joining us for trail work in 2024 and email it to info@matr.ca before joining us.
DYK: MATR members earn UTofMB points for participating in trail work?
Single Track Saturday!
Single Track Saturday!
When: 10:00 am at the trailhead, 10:15 am welcome and run
Where: TransCanada Trail Stanley
Join us for a Single Track Saturday filled with good friends, good company, and great trails. This month we’re heading to the Stanley section of the Trans Canada Trail in Southern Manitoba, which promises to fun single track through the forest, with a splcy little climb for prairie legs and a few creaky creek-bottom crossings. Spring should be sprung and we can’t wait to see the bright green valley views with you.
We’re switching it up this month to a Saturday. With two big trail race events this month, we’re looking for the middle ground between the two, and shifting to a Saturday. We hope you’ll join us.
We have an approximately 7.7 km loop (gpx) for you, with a couple of extra detour options for those with a sense of adventure or looking for some bigger kilometres on the day.
We try to organize a carpool before each event to reduce the number of vehicles at trailheads and reduce our group emissions. If you’re interested in carpooling, please email us at info@matr.ca with your name and area of the city. We’ll try to connect people interested in carpooling in advance.
We love post run snacks! If the weather is nice a post-run parking lot snack party is the perfect way to cap off the run. Please feel free to bring snacks to share with the group.
Hot Tip: Have a change of clothes and shoes for the ride home. You can get chilled quickly in damp running clothes, particularly in cooler temperatures.
NOTE: This is a tentative date. Subject to change.
Oxbow 50
Directed by: On the Edge Running
Location: Spruce Woods Provincial Park
The route will begin by running to Cabin 3 using the Epinette Trails and returning to the trailhead parking lot where you will find the main aid station. After this, you will head south on the Trans-Canada Trail linking up with the Yellowquill Trails eventually making your way to the Yellowquill Trailhead Parking lot. Family, friends and crew are welcome to cheer you on from this area and provide support as needed. Additionally, there will be an Aid Station that you’ll pass twice on this section. You’ll return back to the start/finish area and then head out again to complete a second loop of the Yellowquill trails.
Race info: https://ontheedgerunning.com/home/oxbow50/
Registration: Open (Early birds pricing ends February 10, registration closes April 7)
Single Track Sundays
Single Track Sunday
When: 10:00 am at the trailhead, run by 10:15 am
Where: Wolf Ridge, Grand Beach Provincial Park - Meet at the Ancient Beaches trail head.
Join us for another Single Track Sunday of good friends, good company, and great trails. We’re heading back to Grand Beach Provincial Park for our April run again this year, as this trail usually offers the best conditions for shoulder season running. There could be a bit of snowpack left, but if it’s been mild and melty, the sandy, well-drained soil and rocky trails mean we can run on it without causing damage to the trail. Download the route for your watch! The official route is approximately 7.5 km. Run it as many times as you want!
Note: this year, we’re starting at the Ancient Beaches Trailhead, as the ski trails parking lot is currently closed. The Ancient Beaches trailhead has a small parking lot (please carpool to reduce congestion) as well as an outhouse. We’ll use the parking lot as our staging area, snack stops, etc). We’ll connect to the Wolf Ridge trail via the fun Ancient Beaches connector.
Bring some snacks to share! We’ll hang out at the trailhead after our run (there are a couple of picnic tables) and use the winter-warming huts if it’s cooler.
We try to organize a carpool before each event to reduce the number of vehicles at trailheads and reduce our group emissions. If you’re interested in carpooling, please email us at info@matr.ca with your name and area of the city. We’ll try to connect people interested in carpooling in advance.
Hot Tip: Have a change of clothes and shoes for the ride home.
NOTE: We’re all-weather people and run under all conditions. However, this event may be rescheduled if the road conditions make travelling unsafe on the day.
Trail Work Party
Join us for a work party!Can you help us with trail work May 18, 2024?
Plan: Expect to cover ~6 kms over 4-6 hours of trail maintenance on the High Bay trail at Falcon Trails Resort.
When: We'll kick off our day by meeting at the trailhead parking lot at 9:00 a.m., and the carpool meet-up in Winnipeg will be at 7 a.m.
Trail work this month will focus on adding signage but can also include things like clearing dead-fall, trash clean up, and trimming around trail signage, etc.
Participants will be required to use hand tools like loppers and/or folding saws.
Participants should be able to carry a pack with their own water and snacks for the day and have the stamina to hike into the more remote areas of the trail MATR is responsible for.
We welcome four-legged friends on the trail under the following conditions: If accompanying us, dogs must be leashed, both for safety reasons (tools are dangerous) and to comply with leash laws requiring all pets to be on leash in provincial parks.
Carpooling from Winnipeg will be arranged amongst those who RSVP by completing this form.
Please complete this waiver if it’s your first time joining us for trail work in 2024 and email it to info@matr.ca before joining us.
Carpooling from Winnipeg will be arranged among those who RSVP by signing up. You must RSVP for this trail work event. Please complete this waiver if this is your first time joining us for trail work in 2024 and email it to info@matr.ca before joining us.
DYK: MATR members earn UTofMB points for participating in trail work?
Single Track Sundays
Single Track Sunday
When: 10:00 am at the trailhead, run by 10:10ish.
Where: Tunnel Island, Kenora
Join us for a run around the magical trails of Tunnel Island in Kenora. We’re excited to have Shawna, MATR member and organizer of Lake of the Woods Adventure Group, co-leading this run!
We’ve picked an ~8km route for the day and will take you to all the best parts of Tunnel Island.
Pack your own water/hydration and snacks for the trail. If the group on the day is up for it, we’ll find somewhere to head for a snack afterward.
We try to organize a carpool before each event to reduce the number of vehicles at trailheads and reduce our group emissions. We like to meet by Big Sky Run Co. before leaving the city! We’ll leave at 7:45 am to make sure we get to the trailhead in Kenora with a bit of time to prep. Expect about 2 hours of driving plus any bathroom breaks you need on the way. There are no outhouses at the trailhead - you may want to stop at a gas station en route if you need a toilet break on your drive out.
Hot Tip: Have a change of clothes and shoes for the ride home. You can get chilled quickly in damp running clothes, particularly in cooler temperatures.
NOTE: We’re all-weather people and run under all conditions. However, this event may be rescheduled if the road conditions make travelling unsafe on the day.
Trail Work Party
Join us for a work party or Snowshoe Stomp
We’re planning a trail work day on March 9, 2024. More details will come based on weather and trail conditions in February.
Please RSVP if you’d like more details on our next event.
We typically cover 10-12 km over 5-6 hours on the trail.
Activities can include sawing, lopping, and otherwise clearing deadfall and downed trees, sprucing up signage, picking up trash, and as winter approaches we may opt to snowshoe pack trails in lieu of other work. MATR has a limited number of snowshoes we can lend to members who’d like to join us to trail stomp if they don’t own their own.
Carpooling from Winnipeg will be arranged amongst those who RSVP by signing up. You must RSVP for this trail work event. Please complete this waiver if it’s your first time joining us for trail work in 2024 and email it to info@matr.ca before joining us.
DYK: MATR members earn UTofMB points for participating in trail work?
Single Track Sundays
Single Track Sunday - Family Day
When: 10:00 am at the trailhead
Where: La Barriere Park
Join us for a family fun day in La Barrier Park. Bring yourself or your whole crew and run, walk, and play with us on the trails in La Barrier Park.
We’ll meet at 10 am and aim to hit the trails around 10:15 am. We’ll have route suggestions for trail runners of all ages. We’re planning a route that both big and small trail runners can enjoy in different configurations. We’ll run smaller loops today to keep the trail vibes high!
Pack your own water/hydration and snacks for the trail and crew.
We’ll host a bonfire and bring marshmallows for after the run. Feel free to bring some hot chocolate or warm drinks for yourselves for afterwards. Please bring marshmallow roasting sticks if you have them!
Hot Tip: Have a change of clothes and warm boots for the post-run hangout. You can get chilled quickly in damp running clothes, particularly in cooler temperatures.
NOTE: We’re all-weather people and run under all conditions. However, this event may be rescheduled if the road conditions make travelling unsafe on the day.
Single Track Sundays
Single Track Sunday
When: Meet at 9:00 am, run by 9:15 am
Where: Assiniboine Forest - Winnipeg
Join us for a city trail run on the single track in Assiniboine Forest - note this is a location change from our previously published plan.
We’ll take you on a 6km tour that brings you to the three old cars hidden in the forest, plus hits the marsh boardwalk and stops at the lookout point for a cartwheel break. Read more about the history and how cars ended up in the forest. You can run this loop once OR MORE! We’ll pre-mark the route with pink flagging tape to help all runners navigate through the single track.
We’re sure are excited to be co-hosting this run with SQUAD YWG.
Pack your own water/hydration and snacks for the trail.
For this run, we’ll meet at the parking lot for Assiniboine Forest at 3000 Grant Ave. Note, this is a small parking lot, that can be quite busy, especially on a nice day. Please plan to carpool with friends to the trailhead if you’re joining us!
Make Your Weekend MATR this weekend by joining us for all or part of the Deer Lodge Dash, along the Assiniboine River on Saturday, then meet us again on Sunday, to tour Assiniboine Forest.
As this is an urban trail run, we won’t have a carpool option.
Hot Tip: Have a change of clothes and shoes for the ride home. You can get chilled quickly in damp running clothes, particularly in cooler temperatures.
Deer Lodge Dash
Deer Lodge Dash Social Run & Potluck
When: February 24 between 8 am and 4 pm - If you want to start running at 8, you can arrive as early as 7:30 am to get ready.
Where: Deer Lodge Place - Winnipeg
Join us for a super special edition of our STS group runs, the Deer Lodge Dash (and potluck), hosted by MATR members Joanna and Aaron!
Joanna and Aaron would like to invite you out to their home and surrounding trails on Feb 24 for the Deer Lodge Dash. It's a perfect way to get in a longer distance training run in the winter and enjoy a beautiful part of our city. It will be based out of our home on Deer Lodge Place, across the Assiniboine River from Assiniboine Park.
The Idea
This is an informal get-together to encourage some mileage in a beautiful part of the city during a beautiful time of the year. We have done this a few times by ourselves during the pandemic when events were canceled but would love for others to join us!
This unofficial course will be open from 8:00 AM to 4:00 pm, but come at any time during the day. Run as many laps as you feel like completing at any pace you're feeling. The doors to the house will be open starting at 7:30 am. We will have coffee, hot chocolate, water, and a limited amount of snacks available for you at the front entrance of the house. There is enough room to bring a small bag of gear and nutrition inside for you to access in between laps, and a washroom that is shoes-on accessible!
We will host a potluck dinner following the end of the race, so please stick around (or come back) to join us for this.
Route
The route will be approximately 7 km. It will start at our front door and go down onto the adjacent bed of Truro Creek in Bruce Park, out onto the Assiniboine River, and then follow the north shoreline of the river eastward past the local community skating trails.
At St. James bridge the route will go up onto the road that passes under the Route 90 overpass and along Wolseley Ave West to the bike trail that leads to Omand's Park.
After a short loop along the bluff in Omand's Park, you'll cross the pedestrian bridge at the rail line and head east along Wellington Ave for a short sidewalk run until you can access the single track trails on the south shore of the Assiniboine River.
Once you arrive at the Assiniboine Park footbridge, you will cross the river on the ice underneath the bridge, and back to Truro Creek in Bruce Park where you can access the house. We will flag the route the night before and provide a .gpx file so that it is easy to follow.
The course follows a route that is reliably frozen over, and we have been running on it since Christmas. Note that many sections of the river are not completely frozen or have thin ice, so do not stray off the course where the flagging is. As a general rule of thumb, you should never tread off of a well-beaten track on the river.
Details
Where: 40 Deer Lodge Place.
Parking: On the street or in the Bruce Park parking lot about halfway between the house and Portage Ave.
Bring: Running gear and nutrition that you can leave in the house. We'll have hot drinks and some snacks. Bring a potluck dish for afterwards if you want to stay.
Group Run
We’ll kick off the day with a group run starting at 8 am for 2-3 loops. Come for a loop or two with us or stay for the full 8 hrs (8-4pm) and take advantage of the generosity of Aaron and Joanna. If you’re doing a loop with us in the morning, consider coming back for the potluck at 4pm. Bring a dish to share!
Make Your Weekend MATR this weekend by joining us for all or part of the Deer Lodge Dash, along the Assiniboine River on Saturday, then meet us again on Sunday, to tour Assiniboine Forest with our friends from SQUADWYG.
As this is an urban event, we won’t have a carpool option.
Hot Tip: Have a change of clothes and shoes for social time after you run. You can get chilled quickly in damp running clothes, particularly in cooler temperatures.
Manitoba Snowshoe Run
Directed by: Race RMNP
Location: Northgate Trails
Distance: 5 or 10 KM
Join Race RMNP us on February 19, 2024, on Louis Riel Day on the shores of Riding Mountain National Parks Clear Lake in Wasagaming, Manitoba! The new and improved Manitoba Snowshoe Run is a not-for-profit fundraising event designed to test your limits and keep you active this winter. All race day participants will have a 5km or 10km option and will receive some great race day swag and snacks. Don't worry; if you can't make the event, Race RMNP challenges you to try the virtual event.
Race website: https://www.racermnp.ca/index.php/manitoba-snowshoe-run/details
Registration: Open
Trail Work Party
Join us for a work party or Snowshoe Stomp
We’re planning a trail work day on February 17, 2024. More details will come based on weather and trail conditions in February.
Please RSVP if you’d like more details on our next event.
We typically cover 10-12 km over 5-6 hours on the trail.
Activities can include sawing, lopping, and otherwise clearing deadfall and downed trees, sprucing up signage, picking up trash, and as winter approaches we may opt to snowshoe pack trails in lieu of other work. MATR has a limited number of snowshoes we can lend to members who’d like to join us to trail stomp if they don’t own their own.
Carpooling from Winnipeg will be arranged amongst those who RSVP by signing up. You must RSVP for this trail work event. Please complete this waiver if it’s your first time joining us for trail work in 2024 and email it to info@matr.ca before joining us.
DYK: MATR members earn UTofMB points for participating in trail work?
Actif Epica
Directed by: Actif Epica
Location: St. Pierre-Jolys, Manitoba
Distances: Short (50K), Mid (115k) or Long (162k)
Overview: Actif Epica Ltd is a self-supported winter endurance event. It promotes health benefits associated with outdoor activity in icy temperatures, snowy and/or windswept trails and paths, and Celebrates Human Resilience.
Registration: OPEN
Race Website: https://actifepi.ca
Single Track Sundays
Single Track Sunday
When: Meet at 9:45 am, run by 10:00 am
Where: Lost Lake Trail, Whiteshell Provincial Park
Join us for a run in the Whiteshell!
Option 1: We’ll enjoy this 6.5 km out-and-back route that offers two lookouts over, wait for it, NOT Lost Lake, but West Hawk Lake.
Option 2: Continue from the lookout to the south, making this almost 12km out-and-back for runners wanting to see more of this boreal wonderland! Download the long route (gpx).
In an effort to minimize the number of vehicles travelling, we will be organizing a carpool leaving Big Sky Run Co. at 7:30 am. Please arrive by 7:20-ish if you’re able to carpool. Friends with vehicles with all-wheel drive or 4x4 vehicles who are willing to drive are welcome. There is limited parking at the trailhead, so we strongly encourage joining the carpool or arranging your own carpool with friends.
Hot Tip: Have a change of clothes and shoes for the ride home. You can get chilled quickly in damp running clothes, particularly in cooler temperatures. A thermos of something warm to drink afterward is also nice! Some groups may wish to stop in at the Nighthawk in West Hawk Lake on the way back to the city.
Frozen Falcon
Race directed by: On the Edge Running
Frozen Falcon is a winter, 8-hour, looped trail running race held at the Falcon Ridge Ski Slopes located at Falcon Trails Resort. The loop is 6.5ish km/4ish mile and follows the High Lake Multi-Use Trail. Have a fun time, pushing your limits to see how far you can go in 8-hours. Go hard for 1 hour, 3 hours, 6 hours or the whole time. Just do your best and have fun! Run 8 loops, equalling just over 50k in the 8-hours, will earn you the Frozen Falcon 50k Finisher toque!
This event has a registration cap of 60 participants.
Race website: https://ontheedgerunning.com/home/frozenfalcon/
Registration: Open (Only a few spots left!)
Banff Center Mountain Film Festival World Tour
MATR is excited to be a sponsor for the Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour presented by Alpine Club of Canada: Manitoba Section at the Centennial Concert Hall on February 3, 2024.
Stand on the highest peaks, ski the steepest slopes, and be a part of the gripping adventures waiting for you in this year’s Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour.
As part of our sponsorship, MATR will have a booth at the pre-show expo on the mezzanine. If you can help us at the event, let us know!
We’ll be giving away 2 tickets drawn from anyone who has a 2024 membership by January 1, 2024.
Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour
Please note: Some films are rated PG (not recommended for young children, coarse language).
Super Thanks Sunday @ Big Sky Run Co
STS @ Big Sky Run Co
Join us for an afternoon of fun and friendship with our friends at Big Sky Run Co!
The STS at Big Sky Run Co will include demo shoes from brands like Salomon that you can take for a test run with us as a group!
If you’d like to group run (in demo or your own shoes), meet us at Big Sky Run Co at noon to get suited up. We’ll head for a run at 12:30 and be out for about an hour.
If you’d like to skip the group run, stop by anytime between 1:30 pm and 4 pm to have the most fun mixing and mingling with the trail run community and snacking on some tasty treats. We hear there might be some sweet sales so you can stock up on essentials before the winter race season heats up in February.
The afternoon will feature:
very special pricing on many items in-store
food, drinks, and a chance to visit with us and with each other
lots of give-aways and draw prizes
generally a good vibe and a feel-good time in the shop on a day they are open just for you!
You MUST have a 2024 MATR membership to attend this event. We’ll send you an email invite if you have your membership!
If you don’t have yours yet, you can purchase it now.
Single Track Sundays
Single Track Sunday
When: 9:30 am at the trailhead
Where: Lake Minnewasta Trail, Morden
Join us for a wintery run around Lake Minneswata in Morden!
We have a great 8 km route that circumnavigates the lake, including passing through the golf course, which isn’t accessible in the summertime! The loops as options to that the high or low trail on both the north and south sides, so you can choose your own adventure with us. Run the loop once, or run it twice!
Pack your own water/hydration and snacks for the trail. We’ll head into Morden (possibly to Rendevouz Brewery, which we have on good authority will be open on Sunday afternoon - they make excellent craft beer if that’s your thing, or have a variety of other drink as well as a delicious menu of food) to warm up afterwards!
We try to organize a carpool before each event to reduce the number of vehicles at trailheads as well as reduce our group emissions. If you’re interested in carpooling, please email us at info@matr.ca with your name and area of the city. We’ll try to connect people interested in carpooling in advance.
Hot Tip: Have a change of clothes and shoes for the ride home. You can get chilled quickly in damp running clothes, particularly in cooler temperatures.
NOTE: We’re all-weather people and run under all conditions. However, this event may be rescheduled if the road conditions make travelling unsafe on the day.
Trail Work Party
Join us for a work party/snowshoe stomp
We’re planning a trail work day on January 20, 2024. We’ll cover the stretch between the Powerline and Rock Ridge access points.
Plan: Expect to cover ~12+ kms over 6-8 hours of trail maintenance.
Where: Meet us at the Alfred Hole Goose Sanctuary parking Lot
When: January 20, 9:00 am at the trailhead
We’ll shuttle some vehicles between access points to facilitate the through-hike.
You should be prepared for a 6-hour day (12 km hike) into the more remote and breathtaking areas of the trail that MATR is responsible for.
Activities can include sawing, lopping, and otherwise clearing deadfall and downed trees, sprucing up signage, and picking up trash. As winter approaches, we may opt to snowshoe pack trails in lieu of other work. MATR has a number of snowshoes we can lend to members who’d like to join us to trail stomp if they don’t own their own.
Don't forget to bring your own essentials, such as water, snacks, and any other items you might need to stay comfortable and fueled throughout the day. Keep in mind that hydration bladder straws freeze quickly in cold temperatures, so you want to plan to have water on you that doesn’t freeze.
Carpooling from Winnipeg will be arranged amongst those who RSVP by signing up. You must RSVP for this trail work event. Please complete this waiver if it’s your first time joining us for trail work in 2024 and email it to info@matr.ca before joining us.
We are planning this outing regardless of temperatures - dress for the weather (and effort) if you plan to join us. The outing will only be cancelled if inclement weather makes it unsafe to travel on highways on the day.
DYK: MATR members earn UTofMB points for participating in trail work?
Snowshoe Stomp
Join us for some trail stomping!
It finally snowed! And a lot! We’re going to host a trail stomp on the single track in Birds Hill Park on Saturday, January 13 to pack trail.
Start Time: 10:00 am from Nimowin Self-Guiding Trail parking lot
Plan: ~ 2-4 hours of trail packing as time and energy allow, hoping to cover ~10km of trail. We plan to go to stomp as much of the STS route we ran this fall to help pack the trail for fatbikers and trail runners.
We are planning this outing regardless of temperatures - dress for the weather (and effort) if you plan to join us.
If you can join us, let us know. It's also okay to wait until close to the date to decide whether you can join us!
Happy Stomping!
NOTE: We’re all-weather people and head out in all conditions. However, this event may be rescheduled if the road conditions make travelling unsafe on the day.
Single Track Sundays
Single Track Sunday
When: 9:30 am at the trailhead
Where: Stony Mountain Quarry Trails, Stony Mountain
Let’s run the Stony Mountain Quarry Trails this winter
The Fossil Ridge loop at Stony Mountain Quarry is approximately 2.6km. We’ll run it several times and explore some of the ways to crisscross around the quarry and on some of the single track on the edges.
Pack your own water/hydration and snacks for the trail.
We try to organize a carpool before each event to reduce the number of vehicles at trailheads and reduce our group emissions. If you’re interested in carpooling, please email us at info@matr.ca with your name and area of the city. We’ll try to connect people interested in carpooling in advance.
Hot Tip: Have a change of clothes and shoes for the ride home. You can get chilled quickly in damp running clothes, particularly in cooler temperatures. A thermos of something warm to drink afterwards is also nice on cold days.
NOTE: We’re all-weather people and run under all conditions. However, this event may be rescheduled if the road conditions make travelling unsafe on the day.
The Longest Night Run
Run or walk with us on the longest night of the year, December 21-22.
The Longest Night Run is a community vigil where we come together to remember those lost and to honour those struggling through difficult seasons in life.
This event is organized by Brent Manke, and MATR is hosting a satellite run in Winnipeg on December 21 at 7:30 pm for runners who can’t make it to Steinbach but want to support the event. This is a fundraising run in support of the Bethesda Foundation in 2023. Registration for the Winnipeg group run is $12. If cost is a barrier, please reach out to us. Please also consider an additional donation if you’re able. We also love the neck gaiter and hoodie to help stay warm on a cold night.
In Steinbach: Run package pickup and snacks will be available all night at The Public in Steinbach. Check out these routes starting from The Public you can cover.
In Winnipeg: We’ll start at 7:29 pm and head into the darkest night together for a group run on urban trails along Churchill Drive. We’ve picked a route that offers two distance options of about 5.5km or 12km route. Please check in with us at Chaeban (note location change!) between 6:45 pm and 7:25 pm to pick up your stickers and goodies for registration. All Winnipeg routes start and end at Chaeban Ice Cream. Please note, you will need a fully charged headlamp for this run! There are options to run on the wider walking path along Churchill Drive OR on the single track long the river. In either case, a headlamp is required. Optional visibility vests and/or chest lamps are also a great idea.
You can also choose to walk or run, alone or with friends or family, anywhere you are – for 30 minutes, 2 hours, 8 hours, or the whole night.
Registration is closed. You can still make a donation via the registration page.
Cost
Winnipeg
Everyone: $12
Steinbach
Adults: $10
Kids: $5
Registration includes
Participation in a memorable night of running, walking, and community
Sticker (and maybe some other goodies)
Snacks
Optional neck gaiter or hoodie for an additional fee
Proceeds supporting the Bethesda Foundation
Questions?
Find more details on the website: longestnightrun.com.
Email us at hello@longestnightrun.com.
We will face the darkness, together.
Single Track Sundays #10
Singe Track Sundays #10
When: 9:00 am, be there at 8:45 am to find on street parking and get your layers adjusted
Where: City Seine River Run, Winnipeg
On The Edge Running is co-hosting this totally in-Seine winter run on the Seine River… we hope! We need more freezing temps to actually run on the river, so do your winter dance, runners!
We’ll start/end at the trail access on Eggerton Road at the end of Clonard Ave. If the river doesn’t freeze, we’ll come up with a plan b!
Please dress appropriately for the weather and effort. This could be real winter running!
Pack your own water/hydration and snacks for the trail.
After the run, we’ll head to Toews Fitness Studio for Christmas cookies thanks to the generosity of On The Edge Running race directors Joel Toews and Cory Funk! MATR will provide warm drinks (coffee & hot chocolate). Feel free to bake some cookies/treats for this!
Hot Tip: Have a change of clothes and shoes so you can change from damp/cold running clothes if you plan to hang out after the run and chat over coffee!
Trail Work Party
WAIT! We don’t have any work to do!
We were planning a trail work day on December 9, 2023. More details to come based on weather and trail conditions in early December.
Due to the lack of snow in the Whiteshell and extensive clearing we've already undertaken on Centennial Trail, we're cancelling this event due to lack of WORK!
That's both really cool and also a bit sad since we were looking forward to seeing you on December 9! Save the Date for a December 30 snowshoe to end the year!
During trailwork days we typically cover 10-12 km over 5-6 hours on the trail.
Activities can include sawing, lopping, and otherwise clearing deadfall and downed trees, sprucing up signage, picking up trash, and as winter approaches we may opt to snowshoe pack trails in place of other work. MATR has a limited number of snowshoes we can lend to members who’d like to join us to trail stomp if they don’t own their own.
You must RSVP for trail work events. Please complete this waiver if it’s your first time joining us for trail work in 2023 and email it to info@matr.ca before joining us.
DYK: MATR members earn UTofMB points for participating in trail work?
Single Track Sundays #9
Super Special STS FAFFBMHM
When: 6:30 pm at The Forks
Where: Fat Ass Full Frosty Beaver Moon Half Marathon, Winnipeg
Okay, okay, we know this is technically a Saturday evening, but we’re super excited to have Flat Feats (Rheal Poirer), the original founder of the Fat Ass Full Frosty Beaver Moon Half Marathon, lead our STS this month! While we don’t usually need to sign up for our STS runs, please head to Flat Feat’s Eventbrite page to sign up. This event is FREE!
If you’ve never heard of the FAFFBMHM, you might be wondering what it is? It’s a (mostly) trail half marathon that follows the (single track) trails along the Seine and Red Rivers in Winnipeg.
This route is a half-marathon distance and appropriate for experienced runners who can handle up to 3 hours of winter running.
If you’re new to winter or trail running, we’ll guide an out-and-back route from The Forks to the end of the single track on the north side of the Seine River for a ~12km run. If you’d like to run a shorter distance, our suggested turnaround point is the end of the single track in Whittier Park for a 7.5km run.
You can also do this event as a relay team!
Suggested transition areas would be at the Archwood Community Centre (565 Guibault St) and the Bridge Drive Inn (766 Jubilee Ave). These areas are about 7km apart.
Please dress appropriately for the weather and effort. You’ll need a headlamp and/or chestlamp for this run, as the majority will take place after dark.
Pack your own water/hydration and snacks for the trail.
We’ll hang out at The Commons in The Forks Market after the run.
Hot Tip: Have a change of clothes and shoes for the ride home, as you can get cold quickly in damp running clothes, even inside.
Trail Work Day
Join us for a work party
We’re planning a trail work party on November 18, 2023. Your presence is crucial to the success of our trail work event. Throughout the day, we'll tackle various tasks, including clearing dead-fall, sprucing up the trail signage, tidying up trash, and more. You'll use hand tools like loppers and portable saws to make this happen.
We'll work from Turtle Rock access to Bear Lake access, with an out and back to Hanson's Creek bridge and beyond.
Plan: Expect to cover ~12+ kms over 6-8 hours of trail maintenance.
Where: Meet us Bear Lake trailhead parking lot Bear Lake Parking Lot Map
When: November 18, 9:00 am at the trailhead
Don't forget to bring your own essentials, such as water, snacks, sunscreen, and any other items you might need to stay comfortable and fueled throughout the day. You should be prepared for a 6-hour day (12 km hike) into the more remote and breathtaking areas of the trail that MATR is responsible for.
If we finish up the work portion of the day early, we may go for a short group run afterwards! Feel free to bring a change of running clothes and your trail runners! We also recommend having dry clothes and shoes to change into for the drive home, regardless of whether we have time to run.
For those interested in carpooling, we'll meet at 7 a.m in Winnipeg. Carpooling from Winnipeg will be arranged amongst those who RSVP by signing up. You must RSVP for this trail work event. Please complete this waiver if it’s your first time joining us for trail work in 2023 and email it to info@matr.ca before joining us.
We welcome four-legged friends on the trail under the following conditions: Any dogs must be leashed if accompanying us, both for safety reasons (tools are dangerous) and to comply with leash laws requiring all pets to be on leash in provincial parks.
NOTE: We’re all-weather people and run under all conditions, however, this event may be re-scheduled if the road conditions make it unsafe to travel on the day.
DYK: MATR members earn UTofMB points for participating in trail work? This will count toward 2024 points.
Single Track Sundays Pop Up
Who Run The World?
When: 9:00 am at the trailhead, we’ll aim to be running by 9:15 am
Where: *Update: We’ll meet at the Pope’s Hill parking lot on Festival Drive, Birds Hill Provincial Park
Manitoba has an incredible community of women trail runners, and to recognize this, we’re excited to host a women-only Single Track Sunday.
This is a great opportunity to try out trail running for the first time if you’ve thought about trying trail running but found it intimidating. We’ll take you on some twisty-turny single track, and soak in time together on the trail.
We’ve curated a route on the not-so-secret single track in the northeast corner of Birds Hill Provincial Park. If you’ve never run these trails, you’re in for a treat with sweet, winding single track featuring rocks and roots to test your footing. And possibly some snow!
We’ve come up with a route approximately 7.2 km (download GPX) long for runners to do as many or as few loops as they like. There are numerous social trails in this area, and it can be easy to get turned around so we’ll pre-mark out our route for the day with flagging tape at each junction (ON THE LEFT!).
Please dress appropriately for the weather and effort. If you need some guidelines on layering for colder weather runs, feel free to message us on social or email us at info@matr.ca.
Pack your own water/hydration and snacks for the trail. Depending on the weather, we may hang out for a bit post-run. Feel free to bring snacks or beverages to share afterwards. We’re hoping to host a bonfire for social chats after the run. If the weather is wet on the day, we’ll encourage runners to head down to The Village at Pine Ridge for some post-run chats and coffee.
Hot Tip: Have a change of clothes and shoes for the ride home, as it’s easy to get chilled in damp running clothes after your run. We recommend bringing snowpants and a parka - it might sound like overkill, but it will keep you warm after the energy your body spent running in the cooler temps!
Trails In Motion Film Fest & 2023UTofMB Awards Night
We're hosting the Trails In Motion 11 Film Tour with 5 great films from around the world. Join us for a night that celebrates trail running here at home and around the world.
We'll be celebrating a great season of trail work and races, by crowning the winners in our 2023 Ultimate Trails of Manitoba series and giving away great prizes. MATR members have been earning points for every local trail race they complete or volunteer at. Members also earn points by participating in trail work days with us.
Thank you to our sponsors
Pinawa Dam Trail Run
Start: Pinawa Dam Provincial Park: Provincial Rd. 502
Finish: Pinawa Golf Course #1 Willis Dr. Pinawa, Mb
Distance: 14 km & 5 km (suitable for runners & hikers)
Event Medal
Trail course marshals & first aid provided
Dogs are allowed in the trail run
Registration is open!
Race info and registration: https://wonderathletes.com/pinawa-dam-trail-run/
Single Track Sundays #8
Single Track Sunday
When: 9:30 am at the trailhead, we’ll aim to run by 9:45 am
Where: Not-so-secret Single Track, Birds Hill Provincial Park
Trailhead Meetup: Nimowin/Spruces Trailhead Parking lot (at the end of Nimowin Rd)
We’ve curated a route on the not-so-secret single track in the northeast corner of Birds Hill Provincial Park. If you’ve never run these trails, you’re in for a treat with sweet, winding single track featuring rocks and roots to test your footing.
This time, our loop is approximately 6.7km long, allowing runners to do as many or as few loops as they like. You can download the route here (.gpx). There are numerous social trails in this area, and it can be easy to get turned around, so we’ll pre-mark out our route for the day with flagging tape at each junction (ON THE LEFT!). Look for three pink pieces of flagging tape on trees and follow those!
Please dress appropriately for the weather and effort.
Pack your own water/hydration and snacks for the trail. Depending on the weather, we may hang out for a bit post-run. Feel free to bring snacks or beverages to share afterwards. If people are up for it, we may head down to The Village at Pine Ridge Hollow for a coffee or snack!
Hot Tip: Have a change of clothes and shoes for the ride home.