Pain in the Canal Challenge

The Pain in the Canal Challenge has multiple challenges for beginning walkers and runners, advanced runners, cyclists and even kids tracing the historic Erie Canal Trail and supporting the fight against colorectal cancer! This virtual challenge will run from May 15th through August 21st and unlike ANY other virtual challenge all participants will have the chance to join in the in person event FREE!

• 15 Miles Per Week: Participants will be challenged to run 180.75 miles (roughly 15 miles per week) along the first half of the Erie Canal Trail
• 30 Miles Per Week: Participants will be challenged to run or walk 361.5 miles (roughly 30 miles per week) along the entire Erie Canal Trail from Albany to Buffalo.
• Sally's Kid Challenge: Marty's daughter Sally wants a medal! So she has agreed to run as much as she can from January 1st till August 21st to earn her medal and she wants other kids to join her! This is FREE to all kids under 16 years old. For event swag parents will need to purchase these separately.
  • Run and Ride: Do you like to bike and run? For this challenge participants will be asked to ride 360 miles on their bike and run 120 miles between May 15th and August 15th. This is an epic challenge that will help anyone that is training for a triathlon while also earning additional swag.

Does this sound like a pain? Most people would say yes, but it is not as much of a pain as Colorectal Cancer! That is why Marty Pasternak attempted to run the ENTIRE Erie Canal in just 7 days (361.5) in 2021 to support the Buffalo Colon Corps started by his cousin Kevin Hays who has been fighting colorectal cancer for 7 years since he was 28 years old!

Marty ran, walked, rucked, and biked his way across the canal in 7 days last year, facing numerous challenges throughout his adventure. From injuries to hurricane force winds and rain, riding a bike for the first time in 20 years and getting multiple flats. Nothing was going to stop him from pushing his cousin Kevin across the finish line in Buffalo! Now he wants you to have the same determination and grit as you join in for your own challenge.

All participants will receive a custom Pain in the Canal shirt! Participants running 15 miles per week will receive a custom 3 inch medal with the Pain in the Canal logo, and participants completing the 30 miles per week will receive a custom Pain in the Canal belt buckle, the traditional medal of ultra marathons! All finishers swag will be available for pick up or delivery during the week of August 22nd. We will email pick up locations throughout the state at the start of August.

All events support The Buffalo Colon Corps!

*** Please note that this is set up as a 12 week challenge, but lasts 13 weeks. This is in order for late registration. We encourage all to complete in the 12 week time frame, but if you need a little extra time you have it!***