Tally in the Valley Trail Race 2024 presented by MERRELL

We are excited to be partnering with Merrell. We share common values and a belief that everyone deserves to enjoy the outdoors! We are also proud to announce that this event is sanctioned by Athletics Ontario. PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS FOR THE 2024 EVENT! THIS YEAR THE COURSE WILL BE RUN IN A COUNTER-CLOCKWISE DIRECTION. We switch directions every year. That means that we will be running downhill on the rail trail this year. Personally, I find this direction more difficult but I seem to be in the minority as most people say that this direction is easier. Come and join us at the Dundas Valley Conservation Area for Tally in the Valley, a race unlike any other in the area.

Race Information:

Participants will run a 7km loop through the unique Carolinian forest in the Dundas Valley Conservation Area. The loop is primarily made up of groomed double track trails with rolling hills and approximately 130m of elevation gain per loop. Although there aren't any major climbs on this course, the constant rolling hills will wear you down in the later stages of the race.

Choose between running a single loop (7k), 3 loops (21k), 23 loops (100 miles), or run for 6/12/24 hours and see how many loops you can complete in the time provided. Runners who complete 23 loops (100 miles/161km) will earn themselves a custom belt buckle while all other participants will also be recognized for their hard work with a custom finishers medal.

The Gong Show:

This is an elimination style event, inspired by the Big's Backyard Ultra, that we are super stoked about. Participants will be given 1 hr to complete the 7km loop. Runners who successfully complete the loop within 1 hr (which may seem easy at first but will eventually become very challenging), will wait at the start line until the gong is hit, marking the time cut-off for the loop AND the start of the next loop. Please note: regardless of how fast participants complete their loop, they can't start their next loop until the gong is struck, which will be every hour on the hour. Participants remain in the event until they can no longer finish a loop within 1 hour OR until the race reaches 24 hours. If there is more than 1 runner to start the final loop after 23 hours, the first runner to complete the final loop will be the winner. However, ALL runners that make it to the 23 hour mark will receive a custom belt buckle since they will have run 100 miles. This race is awesome to watch as there is quite a bit of strategy involved.

Course Description:

To view a course map, click here, but I wouldn't trust the elevation gain listed. Our watches consistently show 130-140m of gain per loop, not 59m as indicated on the map. Either way, it's runnable!

Aid Stations:

There will be one aid station on the course, which will be located at the start/finish area. Stock up in between loops. There will be water, an electrolyte drink (Skratch Labs), and all of your typical ultra running fare including sweet and salty snacks, pb and j sandwiches, potatoes, and chips. The menu will change as the day goes on. Last year there was grilled cheese, quesadillas, McDonalds fries, and Mr. Noodles. There will also be portable toilets located at the aid station.

Race Swag:

All participants will receive a really cool and buttery-soft t-shirt that you can wear around town to show everybody that you're a bad-ass. One of the improvements that we are working towards at Happy Trails Racing is offering gender specific shirt sizing (when possible). For events that offer shirts, such as this race, we are trying to offer our participants the best fit possible. Runners will now have the option to choose either a Unisex Shirt or a Women's Cut Shirt during the registration process. The title "Women's Cut" is the actual name of the cut. Any person is welcome to choose whichever option they wish. The race shirt cut-off date is July 1. If you register after July 1, you probably will NOT receive a t-shirt.

Couch to Tally 7km Run Clinic:

We are excited to once again offer the very popular Happy Trails Racing "Couch to Tally Run Clinic"! This clinic is designed to get you off the couch and running 7km in time for the Tally in the Valley 7km race on July 28, 2024. The 12-week program will be led by our experienced run crew; Kathryn, Nadia, and Tina.

Post Race Food:

We understand that people have different dietary restrictions, needs, and preferences. Because of this, rather than include the cost of a post-race meal that you may or may not enjoy/ be able to eat, we do not include meals in our race registration fees. We do this to give you the biggest bang for your buck and to try to enhance your experience the best that we can.

Refund Policy:

Happy Trails Racing has a policy regarding race refunds/transfers: register with confidence knowing that you can take advantage of our early bird pricing and, if you need to back out, you can do so up to 30 days before the race with a 100% race credit that can go towards any future Happy Trails event. It doesn't expire. Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate cancellations within 30 days of the race. However, participants are welcome to transfer their bib to someone else without any penalty up to 5 days before the race.