Welcome to the official website of Britain’s longest 100 mile-plus, non-stop, point-to-point, towpath ultra running races – the Grand Union Canal Race (GUCR 145), Leeds & Liverpool Canal Race (LLCR 130), Kennet & Avon Canal Race (KACR 145) and Warwickshire Ring (WRCR 111). The low-key & low-cost “Canalslam” totalling over 400 miles is organised and staffed by volunteers and maintained on a not-for-profit basis by Canalrace Community Interest Company.

For any first-timer runners wondering what they have let themselves in for. These are un-sponsored, non-profit making and very low-key events. Don’t expect any media coverage, razzmatazz or freebies. To avoid disappointment at the end of your race (as well as during), set your expectation to low, and then halve it!

Grand Union Canal 145 mile Race (GUCR) 2025

London – Birmingham

“The Long Run – Uphill”

Saturday 24th May 2025 06:00 at Delamere Terrace, Little Venice, London, UK

Regarded by many as Britain’s premier Ultra, this is a 145 mile continuous race from Gas Street Basin in the Centre of Birmingham, to Little Venice in the heart of London.  Run entirely on the waymarked Grand Union Canal Towpath, the easy to navigate, and relatively flat route, takes runners through a variety of urban and rural scenery – there should be something for everyone.

GUCR start at Gast Street, Birmingham

Kennet & Avon Canal 145 mile Race (KACR) 2025

London – Bristol

“The Great Western Run”

Friday 25th July 2025 06:00 at Delamere Terrace, Little Venice, London, UK

Organised on the same lines as the GUCR, this 145 mile race follows easy to navigate canal, river and railway paths. Competitors receive comprehensive maps of the entire route which passes through some of the best of English countryside. On the way runners “descend” the magnificent Caen Hill flight of 29 locks, a drop of 237 feet in 2 miles, one of the “Seven Wonders of the Waterways” and well worth seeing.

GUCR start at Gast Street, Birmingham

Leeds & Liverpool Canal 130 mile Race (LLCR) 2025

Liverpool – Leeds

“The Trans-Pennine Run”

Saturday 23rd August 2025 06:00 at Old Hall St, Liverpool, UK

From the Start at Old Hall Street Liverpool, to the Finish at Office Lock Leeds, the 130 mile towpath course follows the original Leeds & Liverpool Canal – Britain’s longest man-made waterway.  Although it passes through the heartlands of the “Industrial North”, the path is surprisingly scenic.  As well as the beautiful countryside, the route features the mile long Burnley Embankment (up to 60 feet above ground level) and the amazing Bingley Five Rise staircase.  Both are listed among the “Seven Wonders of the Waterways”.

GUCR start at Gast Street, Birmingham

Warwickshire Ring 111 mile Canal Race (WRCR) 2024

“The Perfect Lap”

Saturday 29th June 2024 08:00 at Coventry Canal Basin, St Nicholas Street, Coventry, UK

A circular route comprised of sections of the Coventry; Birmingham & Fazeley; Grand Union; and Oxford Canal towpaths. Starting and finishing at Coventry Canal Basin, the anti-clockwise circuit covers approximately 111 canal miles; a rural and peaceful route through manicured fields and ancient meadows for much of it’s length. The four checkpoints, located approximately 25 miles apart, have generous cut-off times in line with the, very achievable, 33 hour overall time limit.

GUCR start at Gast Street, Birmingham

Latest News

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The 2025 canal race season will be my last - there, now you know. Somehow I've convinced myself that ten years is satisfactory; I announced my intention to step down as organiser for Canalrace C.I.C. at the GUCR draw last weekend. If you have dreamt of being the next...

GUCR 2025 Provisional Entry List

Thanks go to Roz, Brian, Andy, Tracy, Dick, Jan and Cathy for their assistance at The Locksbrook Inn for the draw today. Below is the provisional list of runners for the 30th Grand Union Canal Race allocated from the 182 entries received. Competitors that have paid...

2025 Canalslam Series Dates

The dates are set for the 2025 not-for-profit* three ultra race series “The Canalslam” totalling over 400 miles. Each inexpensive race can be entered as a one-off, but competitors completing all three receive a special canalslam finishers' award and inclusion in the...

LLCR (Liverpool to Leeds) 2024 Race Log & Live Results

Starting 06:00 Saturday 24th August you can see details of Retirements and Finishers on our Live Results section. Below also shows updates of all goings-on in the form of a race-log for the duration until the last canalrunner arrives in Leeds. [canalrace-event-log...

WRCR (Warwickshire Ring) 2024 Results and Retirements

Brian Robb arrived back in Coventry Canal Basin in 18 hours 18 minutes to win the second Warwickshire Ring Canal Race. Melissa Venables is 1st Lady in 23 hours 40 minutes. Congratulations to all finishers. [gallery link="file" columns="2" size="medium"...

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