I’m still feeling like I’d like to do something challenging before the end of running season. As I mentioned in last week’s post, I had plans earlier this summer to go for the fastest known time (FKT) for the Bruce Trail. At 900km in length, the Bruce Trail is the longest footpath in Canada. My friend Adam Burnett currently holds the FKT at a very impressive 9 days and 21 hours. The Bruce Trail FKT is at the top of my list and I’d still like to attempt it next year. I thought that I could get some experience by attempting smaller FKTs – 900km is a bigger bite that I can chew right now. I’ve included a short list of local, Ontario FKTs below. Although I haven’t made any firm plans, I’d love to attempt setting FKTs for these trails at some point.
La Cloche Trail
Distance: 78km
Vertical gain: 2,590m
Current FKT: 9h5m, unsupported by Ryan Atkins on 07/17/2020
Set in Killarney provincial park near Sudbury, Ontario, the La Cloche Silhouette Trail is known for its beautiful scenery and rugged terrain. I’ve been going to a family cottage on nearby Manitoulin Island ever since I was a kid and I love this area of Ontario. I’ve never been to the trail before but I can imagine that beating the current FKT of 9h5m will require a huge amount of effort and perfect conditions. The Killarney Outfitters website recommends that you take 7-10 days to hike the 78km loop.
Grand Valley Trail
Distance: 275km
Vertical gain: 2,560m
Current FKT: 3d11h56m, self-supported by Jamieson Hatt on 07/01/2019
The Grand Valley Trail follows the Grand River, starting in Alton, Ontario near Orangeville and finishing near Port Maitland. Alton is only a half hour drive from my home in Georgetown. I plan on checking out the trail in the next few weeks. The trail sounds beautiful, it runs through Caledon, Kitchener / Waterloo and then into the Niagara region, finishing at the shore of Lake Eerie.
Goderich to Guelph (G2G Rail Trail)
Distance: 130km
Vertical gain: 431m
Current FKT: 15h40m, supported by Jeremiah Sommer on 10/05/2019
The Goderich to Guelph (G2G) trail is another trail that I wasn’t aware of. It turns out that I’ve been pretty fixated on the Bruce Trail for the last few years. The Bruce Trail is only a 15 minute run from my house. The G2G trail essentially follows a straight line West from Guelph to Goderich. It passes through some beautiful country and ends at the East shore of Lake Huron. I can imagine that running in a straight line for 130km would be a real test of willpower.
