CanLake Ultras 50 Mile

CanLake has been a fixture of western New York ultrarunning for more than twenty years, and the 50 mile is its signature event: one full road loop of Canandaigua Lake starting and finishing at Finger Lakes Community College. A 50k covering the final 31 miles of the loop and a 50 mile relay run the same day.

The loop follows mostly flat to rolling lake roads with a handful of real climbs, including Bopple Hill, a short, steep wall that arrives late enough to hurt. The first 19 miles carry most of the climbing, so the back half runs faster. Eleven aid stations break up the distance, and October foliage around the lake is a genuine draw.

Early October in the Finger Lakes usually means cool running weather, with starts in the 40s and afternoons in the 50s or low 60s. Wind off the lake and passing rain are more likely problems than heat.