About cycling & running in ChathamChatham-Kent Training Notes
Running: Chatham runners keep a simple loop book. The main loop is 104 km and climbs 13m, so it works for steady Z2 or clean intervals. The second loop is 102 km and gains 14m, so it fits base miles without drama. Kingston Park might be your best bet for a hill. Wilson's Conservation Area has a hill that works for sprints. Rondeau Park gives runners trails and paved roads. Mitchell's Bay and Erieau can give you up to 5k along the lakes. The Habitat for Humanity Chatham-Kent River Run is the anchor event, with 5K for CTCK and Jordan's Run the Runway 5K Series close behind.
Cycling: Chatham-Kent riders get flat, open kilometres and plenty of gravel. Loop a 6-mile circuit a few times and you've got a 50-mile day with a refueling stop in Merlin. 0 miles. Erie Shore Rd, Moraviantown, Wallaceburg, Dresden, Blenheim, and Ridgetown all make good ride targets. The Essex Region Conservation Bike Tour 2026 gives cyclists a named target. Kingston Park and Wilson's Conservation Area are where the climbs are, such as they are. The brief names no cycling clubs, so locals build rides around routes, crit fitness, gran fondo pacing, and cyclocross grit.
Season: June, July, August, and September are the best months for both sports. Summer gives Chatham-Kent warm to hot, humid days, so locals start early, ride Lake Erie or Lake St. Clair air when they can, and keep intervals honest. Heat waves can push sessions toward shorter loops, shaded park miles, or steady Z2 instead of hero workouts. Winter brings cold, snowy weather, and occasional cold snaps change the whole rhythm. Runners stay on road routes like Downtown To Mud Creek or Mud And Indian Creek when footing is clean. Cyclists swap long gravel days for careful base miles, protected spins, or cyclocross-style handling when conditions allow.
