Run for the Toad

Pinehurst Lake is a nine-hectare (23-acre) kettle lake formed by a single piece of ice. The Run for the Toad 50K is the largest trail race in Canada is held at the Pinehurst Lake Conservation Area just north of Paris, Ontario, it features a challenging course through a Carolinian forest. This well directed race is a "must-do" event for trail runners.

Run for the Toad is one of the country’s fastest growing trail races with about 1,200 runners gathering at the start line of  it’s 50K each year. Taking place in southwestern Ontario’s quaint town of Paris, runners get to enjoy the beauty of the 12.5K trail that takes them through forested area and along the edge of Pinehurst Lake. Those who train for this goal race have to be prepared for the trail’s twists and turns.

Every race has it’s claim to fame. For those who organize Run for the Toad, one of the points that gives them bragging rights is the excellent post-race meal. This is no pizza-slice-at-the-finish kind of race. This year, runners got to fill their plates with their choice of lemon chicken breast, fresh salads, pasta, roasted butternut squash couscous salad and pie. That’s a buffet that hungry trail runners look forward to and can thank St. Jacobs’ Stone Crock restaurant for supplying. The restaurant is a favorite among tourists and those who live in the town of St. Jacobs.