Sticks n' Stones Trail Race 2026

We are proud to announce that this event is sanctioned by Athletics Ontario.

We are thrilled to announce that we are partnering with La Sportiva for all of our events this year. Not only will La Sportiva be at our races with their demo fleet of shoes to try but they will also be giving away 2 pairs of shoes!

We are also now working with a new, LOCAL, nutrition company called THN Labs. They are generously providing each runner with gels in their race kit as well as gels available at our aid stations. The gels contain only 4 ingredients: maple syrup, tahini, sea salt, and rowanberry extract. For more information on the product, click on their logo below:

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS FOR THE 2026 EVENT.

This race is in support of "Oceana Canada".

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

All race distances will run a beautiful 5.3k looped course around the lake at Christie Lake Conservation Area. To view a map of the course, click here. The route is rolling, fast, and runnable. The trail surface consists primarily of dirt and is non-technical.

- 5k racers will complete the loop x1 (this course is actually 5.3km)

- 10k racers will complete the loop x2 (this course is actually 10.6km)

- 25k racers will complete the loop x5 (this course is actually 26.5km)

- 50k SOLO racers will complete the loop x10 (this course is actually 53km)

- 50k RELAY racers will complete the loop x10 (you may have up to 5 racers on your team)

Note the cutoff for the 50k race is 8 hours. If you think you will need more time we will be offering an early start option at 8am. You do not need to register for the early start; just show up ready to run!

For the 50k RELAY - the 5k loop exchange zones will be clearly marked and situated at the start/finish area.

There will be 2 aid stations each loop - One at the start/finish and the other at the 2.5k mark.

The aid stations will have water, electrolyte drinks, pop, fruit, and sweet & salty snacks.

Please note all Happy Trails Racing events are cup-less so you will need to have a collapsible cup or bottle to fill at the aid stations.

Check out the following video:

RACE REGISTRATION & KIT PICK-UP:

Race kit pick-up will be held at the Beach Pavilion on-site at Christie Lake Conservation Area:

October 10th from 7:30am - race start.

Participants in the 5k, 10k, 25k and 50k RELAY will receive a Stick n' Stones Trail Race toque. SOLO participants in the 50k will receive a Sticks n' Stones Trail Race Hoodie. Hoodies are available for purchase for the 5k, 10k, 25k and 50k RELAY participants at the time of registration for $35. Please ensure you indicate your size if you are acquiring a hoodie.

Please note: the hoodie and toque shown are from 2019. Our 2026 hoodie will be different.

PARKING:

Your registration fee includes the parking costs. Spectators will be required to pay to get into the park.

RACE START TIMES:

25k, 50k, and 50k relay participants will start at 9:00am.

5k & 10k participants will start at 10:00am.

Aid Stations:

There will be 2 aid stations on the course; one at the 2km point in the loop and the other is 3km later at the start/finish of each loop. The aid station are cup-less, so please bring a cup or bottle to use during the race.

Runners can expect the usual ultra staples- water, electrolyte drink, PB & J, sweet and salty snacks and some other yummy suprises.

Pacers:

Sorry, pacers are not permitted in any of the events. If you feel that you will need a pacer, for safety reasons, please contact the Race Director before registering. Participants over the age of 65 can have a pacer if they wish.

AWARDS:

Finishers of each race will receive a race medal upon completion. Top three awards will be given to solo finishers. First place awards will be given to the top Relay teams (All Male, All Female and Mixed).

Professional timing will be there to time your race - all results will be posted after the race.

We will have photographers taking great photos of the racers.

Post Race Food:

We understand that people have different dietary restrictions, needs, and preferences. Because of this, rather than include the cost of a post-race meal that you may or may not enjoy/ be able to eat, we do not include meals in our race registration fees. We do this to give you the biggest bang for your buck and to try to enhance your experience the best that we can.

Refund Policy:

Happy Trails Racing has a great policy regarding race refunds/transfers: register with confidence knowing that you can take advantage of our early bird pricing and, if you need to back out, you can do so up to 30 days before the race with a 100% race credit that can go towards any future Happy Trails event. It doesn't expire. Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate cancellations within 30 days of the race. However, participants are welcome to transfer their bib to someone else without any penalty. Please keep in mind that everything we need to order to have you at our race is done so at least 30 days out.

Also, please note that we don't have waitlists. If spots open up they will be available on Race Roster so check back occasionally.

Fundraising:

This event is being held in memory of the Race Director's cousin, Michael Bennardo, who died at the age of 38 on September 20, 2018. Michael was just about to complete medical school and had a promising future ahead where he would work towards his goal of helping as many people as possible. Michael absolutely loved the ocean and was certainly drawn to it throughout his life. We are very happy to be supporting Oceana Canada in Michael's memory and would truly appreciate any funds that you could donate towards this great cause.