Race Guide - Hatley Castle 8k
Hatley Castle 8k Race Guide
Race guide: Hosted by Frontrunners Athletic Club (FAC), the Hatley Castle 8k is the fourth race in the 2024 Island Race series located on the historic grounds of Hatley Castle in Colwood, BC. The course is on a mix of asphault and gravel, with a fast start and finish but with a couple hills in the middle - including "the big one" at 3k. Runners will have views of Esquimalt Lagoon, Downtown Victoria, and the Olympic Mountains throughout the course, all from the beautiful grounds of Royal Roads University. Parking is available at the bottom of the grounds by Esquimalt Lagoon in two large lots, as well as one lot by the highway.
Just 20 minutes from downtown Victoria, Hatley Castle is set within Hatley Park National Historic Site, featuring three formal gardens, farmland, and trails through first and second growth forest. Construction of the castle was originally completed in 1910, and has since served as the campus for Royal Roads Military College as well as the filming location of movies and TV shows like Deadpool, X-Men, and Smallville.
Originally started in 1987, Frontrunners has grown to three locations in Victoria as well as one in Nanaimo. We offers clinics for runners of all abilities, with club competition available for thosewanting to race as a team and represent FAC. Frontrunners also organizes the Bear Mountain 10k and the Oak Bay Half Marathon races each year, and we're also a sponsor of the Vancouver Island Race Series, Vancouer Island Trail Series, Times Colonist 10k, and the Royal Victoria Marathon.
Photo: The 2023 Hatley Castle 8k by Joe “Crazy Legs” Camilleri
Our Experience
Fast times are not what this course is known for! Instead of chasing a personal best, we recommend taking in the beautiful views this course has to offer - and focusing on tackling those hills. The first 3.5 kilometres are a series of climbs and descents, with "the big one" starting just before the 3k mark. Some rolling hills ensue until 5k, when the course will take you on trail through a wooden section before a fast downhill finish.
Race Details
Date |
Sunday February 25th, 2024 |
Start Location |
Royal Roads University Recreation Centre (2005 Sooke Road, Victoria) |
Start Time |
11:00 am |
Post Race Event Location |
Royal Roads University Recreation Centre (2005 Sooke Road, Victoria) |
Post Race Event Time |
1:00 pm to 2:00 pm |
Course Map
Race Package Pickup
| Date | Location | Time |
| Saturday February 24th, 2024 |
Frontrunners Westshore 755 Goldstream Ave, Victoria |
|
| Sunday February 25th, 2024 |
Royal Roads University Recreation Centre 2005 Sooke Road, Victoria |
09:00 am to 11:00 am |
WG