faq
Frequently Asked Questions
WHERE IS DUNNVILLE?
Dunnville is located on the delta of the Grand River,
where it empties into Lake Erie.
WHAT IS A 'MUDCAT' ANYWAY?
The Grand River is teeming with channel catfish, known affectionately as "mudcats". The area has embraced our slimy mascot - there is a Mudcat Festival each June, plus a 50-foot statue of "Muddy the Mudcat" gracing our waterfront.
IS THIS A MUD RUN?
This is NOT a mud run - all events are run largely on rural roads. The full Mudcat Marathon includes approximately 8 km of groomed gravel road and a short, 30m run over a grassy field. All other events take place on asphalt or chip and tar roads.
IS THIS AFFILIATED WITH THE MUDCAT FESTIVAL?
We are not affiliated with the Mudcat Festival, but we are friends! We encourage you to come back to Dunnville
to celebrate. The whole region is branded with our fishy catfish friends, the mudcats. And our local festival, one of the top 100 festivals in Ontario in 2016, is loaded with rural fun.
WHERE CAN I STAY?
There are limited accommodations in Dunnville itself. Here is a link to the Haldimand County website, outlining some of your options. We will also be listing some cottage links soon. Other possibilities include staying in Welland, Hamilton or St. Catharines, which would mean a 45 min drive on race morning. Please watch this space for updates on accommodation options in the region, including cottage rentals and camping!
WHERE/WHEN CAN I PICK-UP MY RACE KIT?
Please bring proof of registration (identification or email confirmation) to pick up your race kit. You may pick up someone else's kit, however, you have to show his or her proof of registration (email confirmation). Proof can be as simple as showing your email confirmation on your cell phone.
Dates/Times TBA
There will be race day kit pickup.
WHERE CAN I PARK AND HOW CAN I GET TO THE FINISH/START LINES?
Parking sites can be viewed on our interactive map. All parking is free.
In addition, there is plenty of parking on Dunnville City streets, please obey all signs.
Parking/shuttle for 1k,5k,10k
In-town people movers (labeled Hauser's vehicles) will operate continuously to shuttle runners between parking lots and finish line sites. They will operate on Friday, May 7 from 1:30pm-9:30pm and Saturday May 8 from 5:30am-2pm. No set schedule of exact departure times. The parking locations with access to shuttles are:
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Dunnville Arena: 275 Ramsey Drive Dunnville
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Lion's Park: 640 Lock St. W Dunnville
*Please wait by the on-site sign to signify your need for a shuttle.
Friday Drop off: Public Parking lot Between Queen St. and Main St. (Near Fri. Finish Line)
Saturday Drop off: Optimist Club - 101 Main St. E Dunnville (Near Sat. Finish Line)
Parking/shuttle for Marathon, Half Marathon
Marathoners and Half Marathoners park at Lion's Park ONLY (640 Lock St W, Dunnville, ON)
*Start Line shuttle buses (school buses) will take participants from the Dunnville Lions Park to the start of the full marathon (Knight's Beach Resort) and the start of the half at Cayuga Arena. Please be aware we are NOT offering shuttle buses in both directions.
Please only plan to park your car at Dunnville Lions Park (very close to the finish line)
Schedule of Shuttle Buses:
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Marathoners (Lion's Park Parking – Knights Beach start)
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Departure times: 5:40 am, 5:55 am, 6:10 am, last bus at 6:30 am
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Estimated 15 minute ride
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Half Marathoners (Lions Park Parking – Cayuga Arena start)
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Departure times: 6:45 am, 7:00 am, 7:20 am, 7:35 am, last bus at 7:50 am
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Estimated 15 min ride
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WHAT ROADS ARE CLOSED ON EVENT WEEKEND?
Please click here for maps and tables outlining the expected times of road closures.
How do i get to dunnville with the road closures?
Travelling south down Hwy #56 from Hamilton, drivers should turn left (east) on Hwy #3 and not continue southbound on Hwy #32 as the road signs direct Dunnville bound traffic to do. Then turn left (east) off of Hwy #3 at James Rd (the road on which the transfer station is located) and then merge onto Moote Rd southbound, and then turn right (south) on Hwy #15, and then left on Cross Street into Dunnville.
How do I transfer myself from one distance to another?
Participants that wish to transfer from one distance to another can easily do this through the Race Roster website.
NOTE: Participants transferring to a lesser race distance will not receive a refund for the difference. Participants transferring to a higher race distance will be responsible for paying the difference in cost. Additionally, there is a $10 transfer fee.
Can't make it anymore - refunds?
Registrations are non refundable and cannot be deferred to another year.
You can transfer your registration to someone new by logging in to your Race Roster account.
is there baggage check?
Bag check is available to the finish line for all races. Your race bib will include a baggage ticket. Full and half marathoners can bring their extra items on the buses to the start lines - their items will be safely transported back to the finish line.
CAN I WALK THESE RACES?
We are aiming to be as inclusive as possible and we'd LOVE it if you would walk our races! However, this is not a sanctioned walking event with appropriate judges, etc. We are imposing cut-off finish times of 7 hours for the full marathon, and 3.5 hours for the half marathon, allowing for a generous 10:00 min/km pace. Please note that if you are unable to complete the races in these time periods, we will consult with you on-course as to whether you intend to finish or you'd like to accept a ride back to the finish line.
If you are walking any of our events, please be aware that you may be asked to move to the sidewalk or shoulder of the road in order to allow traffic to flow again. We cannot keep the course closed any longer than strictly necessary, and we feel that walkers will be able to accommodate this by working with race organizers to permit road openings.
NEW: We are considering offering a special start to the half and full marathon to allow walkers to start well in advance of the races. Walkers will be asked to follow the rules of the (still open) road until the road closes for the official race. Please alert us if this is an option you'd like to consider.
WHAT IS THE MIGHTY MUDCAT CHALLENGE?
The Mighty Mudcat Challenge is a two-day medal event! Run or walk the #Fishy5k on Friday night, followed by finishing any of the Saturday events and you will receive THREE finisher's medals!
WHAT IS THE 1K KIDS' MUDKITTEN RACE?
Kids chart their activity from April 1, 2020 to May 8, 2021. Each 30 mins of activity earns them 1 km toward their marathon achievement. On race day, May 8, they run the final 1.2 km to earn the marathon finisher's medal. A tracking sheet will be available for download soon.
WHAT TO DO IN DUNNVILLE?
Here's a link to some interesting sights and activities in Haldimand County.