SCROLL DOWN TO LEARN ABOUT 2008 COURSE IMPROVEMENTS

A relatively flat, scenic and well-supported Boston-certified loop course, the SaskCentral QCM begins with a short 3km loop through Wascana Park, one of Canada’s largest, most picturesque urban parks. This opening 3km loop brings

you through the starting area again (a great opportunity to wave to friends and

family or hand-off your warm-up clothes to our volunteers) before you head out

on the main part of the course, which takes advantage of Regina's extensive

paved pedestrian pathway system.

The running surface is primarily paved pathways, with some residential streets

and small sections of crushed-stone pathway. There are some curbs present

where pathways merge with streets and vice-versa. There are also some wooden, two-way-single-file pedestrian bridges.

The course starts at an elevation of 579 meters (1,900 feet). The lowest point is

545 meters (1,788 feet) near the 16km mark. The highest point is 617 meters (2,024 feet) near the 28km mark, at the crest of a little hill we call "Mount Milos",

in honour of long-time participant/volunteer/World IronMan Champion, Milos Kostic.

The full marathon course is open for 6 hours - 8:00 AM - 2:00 PM.

CLICK HERE FOR COURSE MAP, NARRATIVE & ELEVATION CHART (PDF files).

The SaskCentral Queen City Marathon is AIMS/Athletics Canada

measured and certified as a Boston-qualifying marathon course,

certification code SK-2008-28-BDC.

In response to 2007 participant feedback, as well as to accommodate recent changes to the pathways near the starting area that could affect participant safety, several improvements have been made to the 2008 course. These adjustments

will be officially re-measured and certified to comply with our Boston certification.        (Photo courtesy SaskCentral QCM volunteer staff)        

The opening 3km loop will now be run in the opposite direction, compared to last year. If you ran last year, you used to start off facing east into the sun (as pictured here) and ran the opening 3km loop counter-clockwise. This year, you will line up on the opposite side of the starting tower, facing west with the sun at your back, and run the opening 3km loop clockwise. However, you will still finish the race in the same direction as previous years. So, you will start the race facing west (sun at your back) and finish the race facing east (sun shining on your triumphant, smiling face), the same way you've been finishing in previous years.

(Updated May 5/08) The "spiritually-challenging" 180-degree out-and-back turnaround on Lakeview Avenue near the 40km mark has been minimized (yay!). This was accomplished by adjusting the far north-west residential section (around the 29km mark near Ritter Avenue). Here is how that new north-west section lays out:

• Come off the pathway heading north and turn right, heading east on Ritter Avenue (same as before)
• Turn left onto Sneddon Street, heading north
• Cross Mikkelson Drive, staying on Sneddon Street. (police and/or marshals will be at the intersection)
• Turn left (west) onto Read Avenue
• Follow Read Avenue to Toothill Street
• Turn left onto Toothill Street, heading south
• Cross Mikkelson Drive again (police and/or course marshals will be at the intersection)
• Turn left (east) back onto Ritter Avenue, then turn right get back onto the paved pathway again, heading south

At approx. the 31km mark, south-bound runners will once again use the paved pathway on the south-west side of Wascana Creek. You may recall this was part of our course from 2003-2005, but construction prevented us using it in 2006-2007. Well, the construction on that side of Wascana Creek is finally done, so we're bringing that short section of the course back for 2008.

• This is the section of pathway that's located directly east of Duncan Crescent in Dieppe Place. It starts on the far side of the creek opposite from Rick Hansen Park and then winds south, following along the creek side, until you cross the wooden pedestrian bridge that's located just north of the Dewdney Avenue pedestrian underpass. 

 

(Photos courtesy SaskCentral QCM volunteer staff and Regina Leader-Post)