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On Sunday, Sept. 19, the Monarch Ultra Relay Run kicks off on a twenty-one day running adventure raising awareness and funds in support of monarch butterflies. A launch party is planned in Peterborough, Ontario at 8 a.m., at the DePave Paradise garden, located at the southern end of Water Street. The public is encouraged to join in for the send-off celebration, which includes a monarch butterfly release, milkweed seed giveaway, and an opportunity to meet the Monarch Ultra Team.
The relay run, originally planned to follow the monarch migration from Canada to Mexico as it did in 2019, has been shortened to an 1,800 kilometer run across southern Ontario, with COVID-19 protocols in place to keep participants and supporters safe. From Peterborough the runners head southwest to Toronto, Burlington, Hamilton, St. Catherines, and Niagara Falls, before looping back around towards London, Cambridge, and Kitchener, and ending in Barrie on October 9. Each morning, two ultra runners will begin a 50-kilometer leg at 8 a.m. and finish around 2 p.m., depending on their pace. Another two runners will pick up exactly where the first two left off and run a 30-kilometer leg.
“Not only will this be one of Canada's longest relay runs, it will also be an opportunity to connect communities across Ontario on an inspiring journey of hope and resilience that combines ultra-running and environmental conservation,” said project co-founder Carlotta James. The team hopes to meet many Canadians who are also passionate about protecting the earth along the route and already have several popups planned to highlight communities involved in conservation actions such as native plant habitats and nectar gardens for pollinators.
This year’s run is raising funds for Camp Kawartha, a non-profit organization that offers nature education programming for youth. Partnering with Camp Kawartha is important to the Monarch Ultra’s mission on empowering the next generation of earth stewards through environmental programming. Almost $5,000 has been raised for Camp Kawartha through the Monarch Ultra’s fundraising campaign, with a goal of reaching $10,000.
The Monarch Ultra team invites people to come out and cheer on the runners along the way, as well as to dress up in costumes and make signs for the runners who are running extremely long distances in support of monarch butterflies. The relay run takes places along the scenic Trans Canada Trail and Waterfront Trail. The full route can be viewed online. The team will also be sharing stories on their 21-day journey through their social media sites, follow the Monarch Ultra on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, or visit their website to learn more.
A message from Monarch Ultra Relay
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