The 51st annual Canal Run will proceed as planned Saturday following an extensive meeting with the National Weather Service and discussions among the Canal Run committee.
Air quality index figures have fallen since Thursday, and the National Weather Service expects a favorable forecast to move smoke out of the region. The Canal Run’s Event Alert System status has been downgraded from red to yellow.
“Both projections showed air quality index scores below 150 for the vast majority of our normal race times,” said Michael Babcock, Canal Run committee member. “The vast majority of our racers will be finishing before it gets above 150.”
Canal Run organizers consulted with athletic training staff from UP Health Systems Portage and will implement NCAA air quality guidelines during the event. The guidelines establish thresholds for outdoor activity based on air quality measurements.
At an AQI of 100 or higher, schools should consider removing sensitive athletes from outdoor practice or competition and closely monitor all athletes for respiratory difficulty. Heavy or prolonged exertion should be reduced for sensitive individuals.
At 150, outdoor activities should be shortened and exertion reduced to a minimum by decreasing activity intensity. Sensitive athletes should move indoors.
Above 200, organizers should take serious consideration of rescheduling the activity or moving it indoors. For an AQI above 300, outdoor activities should be moved indoors or canceled if indoor activity is not an option.
An EAS flag will appear at each aid station along the race route to indicate current conditions.
Medical professionals on bikes will monitor the course and watch for struggling racers. Radio coverage will be available throughout the race, and volunteers will be positioned to assist participants who need help.
“We’re lucky to have incredible volunteers that are willing to help out,” Babcock said.
Canal Run organizers encourage participants and volunteers to carefully monitor their individual health and find a medical professional or sweeper on the course as soon as possible if needed.
Organizers understand if participants choose not to run or walk this year. Individuals may defer their registration to the 2027 event with no questions asked, even if they decide on race morning.
“All they need to do is email hello at canal.run and we will make that adjustment for them,” Babcock said.
This evening’s in-person registration has been moved from the Quincy Green to inside the Hancock Community Hub to provide a safer space for participants to pick up packets and ask questions.
“Even if you are going to defer your participation to next year, please stop by still. Say hi, we have a lot of Canal Run friends that we love seeing and they can pick up their shirt,” Babcock said.
Canal Run organizers will monitor conditions leading up to and throughout the race. If conditions do not look favorable and rise above the NCAA 200 AQI threshold, the race will be canceled. Participants and volunteers should look for any communications or updates regarding changes to the race.
Find more details below:
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Full Statement
Because air quality conditions are expected to improve significantly by Saturday morning through the entirety of the race, the Canal Run has moved its Event Alert System to Yellow for moderate conditions. Our EAS level is based on expected conditions for Saturday. As the race gets closer, the current EAS status will be communicated via announcements on social media, email, and color-coded flags at the race starts and at Aid Stations along the course.
We are actively and carefully monitoring the situation. The safety of our volunteers and participants is our primary concern. Any racer who wants to defer their registration to 2027 can do that by emailing hello@canal.run. Because of weather and air conditions today, our bib pick-up and last-minute registration (3-8 p.m.) has been moved to the Hancock Community Hub (formerly Hancock Central High School) in downtown Hancock right above Quincy Green. Key Ingredients, which was scheduled for tonight, has been canceled.
Our race committee has been in regular contact with the US National Weather Service Marquette Michigan. NWS officials are predicting at least two periods of rain and thunderstorms today throughout the day and evening, continuing into the very early morning on Saturday. Air quality experts from Michigan’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy expect this to have a positive effect on air quality and together, they will monitor this in case rain ends up being less effective than predicted. Current projections suggest the Air Quality Index (AQI) will range from 50-150 during the entirety of the race, including expectations of it being under 100 while most of the participants are on the course.
As the Canal Run committee considered the decision to move forward or not, we consulted with athletic training staff from UP Health System – Portage who will be on site for the race. We are referencing NCAA’s AQI Guidelines, which state the below information.
- At an AQI of 100 or higher, schools should consider removing sensitive athletes from outdoor practice or competition venues and should closely monitor all athletes for respiratory difficulty. Reduce heavy or prolonged exertion in sensitive individuals.
- At AQIs of over 150, outdoor activities should be shortened, and exertion should be minimized by decreasing the intensity of activity. Sensitive athletes should be moved indoors.
- At AQIs of 200 or above, serious consideration should be given to rescheduling the activity or moving it indoors. Prolonged exposure and heavy exertion should be avoided. Avoid all outdoor physical activity for sensitive individuals.
- At AQIs of 300 or above, outdoor activities should be moved indoors or canceled if indoor activity is not an option.
Sensitive individuals include, but are not limited to, children/teenagers, people with lung/heart conditions (asthma, COPD, chronic bronchitis, cardiovascular diseases, etc.), adults over the age of 65, pregnant individuals and diabetic individuals. The Canal Run committee is asking all participants to take this into consideration as they make their plan for Saturday morning. Individuals who do not wish to participate can defer their registration to 2027 at any time with no questions asked by emailing hello@canal.run.
Individuals who participate are reminded that we have medical professionals throughout the course and that if they are having any issues, they should let a volunteer or medical professional know as soon as possible. Flags for our Event Alert System are placed at every aid station on the course and volunteers will be notified as soon as possible about changes.
About Our Event Alert System
The Event Alert System (EAS) communicates the status of course conditions to participants leading up to and on race day. The levels range from Low (green) to Moderate (yellow) to High (red) to Extreme (black) based on a variety of factors, including weather conditions. All participants should familiarize themselves with the Event Alert System prior to the race, remain alert for directions from race officials and announcers and take precautions to prepare properly for varying weather conditions on race day. Website communication during race week will inform participants of the current Event Alert System status and provide preparation tips based on advance weather forecasts.
- Current Alert Level — Yellow, Moderate Conditions
On race day, the current Event Alert System status will be communicated via announcements and color-coded flags at the race starts and at Aid Stations along the course.
Individuals who do not wish to participate can defer their registration to 2027 at any time with no questions asked by emailing hello@canal.run.
