The 5K, a speed-based event equivalent to three miles, accommodates everyone from first-time runners (because the distance is short enough for relative newcomers to handle) to storied athletes (because it is also a test of speed). There are 5K events with history and prestige, and 5K events in areas of great scenic beauty. If you are looking for particularly fast 5K courses, look no further than the following.
Ottawa’s Fastest Women 5K (Ottawa)
Premiering in 2017 as the Ottawa Women’s 5K and now part of Run Ottawa’s Run to Empower event, this capital-city race is for ladies only, and entrants must qualify with a 5K time of 20 minutes or under (since Jan. 1, 2024). This is a race where competitive women can showcase their abilities, as well as advocate for the inclusion of women of all ages in the athletic community. (There is also an open 5K for all athletes.)
Last month, the event announced a $5,000 increase to its prize purse during its first year as an official Athletics Canada road race.
Date: May 3, 2025. To register, click here.
Downhill Dash 5K (Hamilton)
Making its first appearance in 2008, this event, cited as Canada’s fastest 5K course, takes place on Hamilton’s Wentworth trail, a scenic path on the former site of the city’s historic incline railway that took commuters and sightseers up the “mountain” (i.e., the Niagara escarpment). The race starts on Ferguson Ave. South in Corktown Park and finishes just west of Wentworth St. The Downhill Dash is not steeply downhill, but is certainly faster than a flat course.
“I ran the Great Race 10K fort many years in Pittsburgh,” says race director Tim Forrester. “It was always the race you knew you could run your personal best time. So I thought people here would like the same opportunity.” This year’s event will also feature an 8K downhill race.
Last year’s champions were James Harding, with a time of 16:06, and Hannah Pushka with 18:21.
Date: April 27, 2025. Registration is closed, so start training for next year!
Synergy Health Centre Bazan Bay 5K (Sidney, B.C.)
Held in Sidney, B.C., and the concluding race in the Vancouver Island Race Series, the Bazan Bay 5K is a road out-and-back course and generally held to be one of the fastest in Canada. The series was founded in 1982 and has seen remarkable growth over the last 40 years. The men’s course record of 14:12 is held by Geoff Martinson and the women’s (15:48) by former Canadian marathon record holder Malindi Elmore.
“The course has the most gentle up for 2.5 km, then follows the same route back, providing a perfect return for a fast finish,” says president and general manager Christopher Kelsall. “Run on a seaside route in Sidney, it also offers a stunning view of the Gulf Islands and Coastal Mountains.”
Date: April 13, 2025. Registration is closed, so start training for next year!
Royal Road Race (Regina)
Hosted annually by the RCMP training academy on Mothers’ Day weekend and offering a variety of distances, this race is entering its 12th year, during which time it has has raised almost $275,000 for local charities. It honours the fastest mother in both the 5K and 10K events. The men’s course record is held by Wyatt George Baiton at 15:13, and the women’s by Bevin Thompson, at 17:52.
Date: May 10, 2025. To register, click here.
Melissa’s Road Race (Banff, Alta.)
First held in 1979, this event is known for the scenic beauty of its routes through Banff National Park and has become a true destination race. The race appeals to both competitive and purely recreational runners, as seen by its growth from an initial 800 runners to, typically, around 5,000 people over three distances (5K, 10K, half-marathon); and surprisingly, given that the race is in the middle of a mountain range, the 5K course is relatively flat and fast.
The race is named for Melissa V. Borden, the proprietor of Melissa’s Missteak, a local steakhouse originally owned by the Borden family, and the original location of the race start. (The race is now organized by the municipality.)
“The spirt of Melissa’s is incredible!” says event director Paul Regensburg. “Since 1979 runners have been gathering at the end of September to celebrate in incredible Banff National Park.
“The 5K travels across the fully closed Banff Avenue Bridge and Banff Avenue, running toward the iconic Cascade Mountain. The end of the race is a celebration with music, beer gardens, picnics–all in the beautiful panoramic mountain setting.” Last year the race even had Paris 2024 gold medallist in the men’s 4x100m relay, Jerome Blake, present to kick off the festivities from an open-topped bus.
Course records are held by Karl Augsten (16:14) and Julie Riederer (20:56).
Date: Sept. 27, 2025
Zachary Randle is a Niagara Falls, Ont.-based runner with Asperger’s syndrome who has been running since age 12. He wrote “419: A Champion’s Marker,” which was published in the July & August 2022 print issue of Canadian Running, and “We’ve got this: a tribute to Robert Carreau,” in the January & February 2024 print issue.
