THE DARK

Race Date: October 31-Nov. 1, 2026

New! Complete Results + Photos

Are you a child of the night? Are you longing for the warm embrace of a dark cavern? Do you love coal and mining history? You are in luck! Welcome to The Dark – a loop race in the Bellevue Underground Mine (BUM).

The mine shaft is 250m long with a 1% grade, so each loop is 500m. It is approximately 4m wide for most of its length, so there is comfortable room for four people side by side (except by the old mine car). Competitors will run until they cannot run anymore within their 6, 12, or 24-hour time limit. The goal is to complete as many laps to the end of the shaft in that time period.

BUM is almost always 0˚ to 2˚C, 365 days a year, so it's probably the most predictable weather you'll ever have at a race. There will be a warming station with food at the entrance to the mine.

The race is limited to 100 competitors due to the tight quarters. You will receive a custom snap-back hat as your swag item. A portion of the proceeds goes to the Bellevue Underground Mine.

In 2026, the race will be on Halloween! We have been waiting a long time for these dates to align, as this was always envisioned as the spookiest race around.

Halloween Festivities for Families

You love Halloween and so do we. Instead of skipping the race due to family obligations, bring your family! Crowsnest Pass loves Halloween, and there is a lot to do here. Small town trick-or-treating is safe and fun, with lots of energy. There is also the annual Halloween Spooktacular for kids, just a few minutes from the race site. Local businesses are also on board with fun activities for the kids. Take a look at the area map, and the Spooktacular poster. We are even planning a "Kids in the Dark" lap through the mine in their cute little costumes before they go trick-or-treating.

Race Details

Date/Times:

Friday

6:00 p.m. - Early Check-in 6:00pm-8:00pm (Sinister Sports office; 2419 213 Street, Bellevue, AB)

Saturday

7:00 a.m. - Late check-in 7:00am-8:30am (Sinister Sports office; 2419 213 Street, Bellevue, AB)
8:45 a.m. - Race Briefing for First Start - at BUM
9:00 a.m. - Mass Start (24-hour, 6-hour shift)
3:00 p.m. - 6-hour Race Ends
3:00 p.m. - 3-hour Race late check-in - at BUM
4:00 p.m. - 6-hour Awards and late lunch (Bellevue Seniors' Hall; 2413 213 Street, Bellevue, AB)
4:45 p.m. - Race Briefing for Second Start (3-hour shift) - at BUM
5:00 p.m. - Mass Start (3-hour shift)
7:00 p.m. - 12-hour Race late check-in - at BUM
8:00 p.m. - 3-hour Race Ends
8:15 p.m. - 3-hour Awards and light dinner (Bellevue Seniors' Hall; 2413 213 Street, Bellevue, AB)
8:45 p.m. - Race Briefing for Third Start (12-hour shift) - at BUM
9:00 p.m. - Mass Start (12-hour shift)

Sunday

9:00 a.m. - 12 and 24-Hour Shifts End (may shift with Daylight Saving ending)
9:30 a.m. - 12 and 24-hour Category Brunch and Awards (Bellevue Seniors' Hall; 2413 213 Street, Bellevue, AB – may shift with Daylight Saving ending)

Host Site:

Bellevue Underground Mine

Duration:

24, 12, or 6-hour

Course:

Please see the course description here

Registration:

Open to solo runners – 100 racers total.

Support Crew:

Support crews are allowed to station themselves near the CP. If they are within the CP tent, their setup must be minimal and not block race traffic.

Drop Bags:

If you do not have a support crew, you are allowed to leave a bag at the aid station. Make it something noticeable and waterproof. While we have tents, it isn't always possible to keep everything out of the rain when the wind starts blowing.

Categories:

Female - 24-hour
Male - 24-hour
Female - 12-hour
Male - 12-hour
Female - 6-hour
Male - 6-hour
Female - 3-hour
Male - 3-hour