About cycling & running in KelownaKelowna Training Notes
Running: Locals run the lake, the creek, and Knox when they want honest work. Mission Creek Greenway gives runners roughly 16 km of wide crushed gravel for Z2, progression runs, and long steady days. Mission Creek Greenway gives you 6 km and 75 m of gain into an easy downtown hit with water views. Knox Mountain Apex Trail brings the hill work, and Paul’s Tomb trail gives 5 km with 125 m of gain. Kelowna Running Club owns the weekly rhythm. Okanagan parkrun meets Saturdays at 9:00 AM at Parkinson Recreation Centre. Breakfast Club rolls Saturdays at 7:00 AM for 12K from downtown to Gyro Beach and back. Anchor races include 2026 Kelowna Wine Country Runs, KRC Midsummer 8K 2026, Wandering Moose 12k, 25k, 35k, and Argus Apple Marathon.
Cycling: Locals ride a proper mix here, with over 300 km of bike lanes and more than 60 km of separated pathways. Kelowna Waterfront Trail, Mission Creek Greenway, and the Rail Trail Ride handle easy base miles. Kettle Valley Rail Trail in Myra Canyon gives a 24 km tour across 18 trestles and through 2 tunnels. Crawford network and Rose Valley bring Okanagan singletrack when the road legs need a break. Tempo Cycling Club sets the tone with the Wednesday Night Ride from Pandosy Waterfront Park at 5:30 PM. WNR runs 50-60 km, with A group at 29-30 km/h and B group at 27 km/h. Climbs sit around Knox Mountain, Black Mountain, Little White Forest Service Road, Glenmore Highlands, Big White, and East Kelowna. The 2025 CMHA Ride Don't Hide | Payton & Dillon Budd Memorial Ride is the anchor ride.
Season: Spring to fall works best for both sports, and the city gives you a long training runway before winter tightens things up. Summer brings dry, hot, sunny days, and the concrete here gets hot fast. Locals start early because the views of the water are great, and the breeze off the lake is exactly what you need on a sweaty July morning. Crawford network stays noticeably cooler than the valley floor, which helps on trail days. Myra Canyon Bike Rentals operates through October, so the KVR keeps pulling riders late into the season. Winter turns cool and cloudy, especially in December and January. Runners keep using paved paths and Greenway options, while riders shift toward lights, fat bike trails at Big White, and steadier Z2.
