About cycling & running in EdmontonEdmonton River Valley Training
Running: Locals run the North Saskatchewan River Valley first, because the river puts a heart down the centre of the city. Mill Creek Ravine, Terwillegar Park, Kinsmen Park, Rundle Park, Gold Bar Park, and the River Valley Loop handle easy Z2, intervals, and long base miles without much fuss. Edmonton Trail Runners bring the singletrack crowd together, and Edmonton Road and Track Club gives road runners a steady crew. Servus Edmonton Marathon is the big anchor, with TRAC Community Run/Walk, La French Run Edmonton, Moose Is Loose, and The Popcorn Run Edmonton filling the calendar.
Cycling: Locals ride the same valley network, then stretch it into the Edmonton-Fort Saskatchewan Trail, Mill Creek Ravine, Capilano Park, Gold Bar Park, Rundle Park, and Terwillegar Park. Edmonton Bicycle and Touring Club schedules around 200 rides, from 20 km cruises to workouts over 100 km, and Edmonton Road and Track Club adds weekly rides, social events, and velodrome access. The typical loop covers 1 km and gains 317 m. The climbs sit up to McNally School, south from Capilano bridge toward 106 Ave, and in Rundle Park up to Ada Blvd.
Season: Cyclists get the cleanest season from May to mid-October, with April sometimes working and March staying sketchy on a road bike. Runners get prime months in September and October, when the ravines feel quick and the paths settle down. Summer brings warm sunny days from June to early September, and July usually runs from 13°C to 23°C with 17+ hours of daylight near solstice. Winter changes the game for both sports, because cold dry months run November to March and January usually sits between -15°C and -5°C. Studded tires keep riding alive, and downtown bike lanes get priority snow plowing.
