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Past stories Living off-the-grid New Brunswick's Saint John River Ontario's Bruce Trail Canadian Ski Marathon Elk Island National Park Rallying for rallysport Montreal - Circus city Beluga Bytes Dawson - a musical adventure Bald Eagle Confederation Trail Boning up on the badlands Ukkusiksalik National Park Geocaching Discover Cypress Hills Saint Joseph's Oratory A walk through Stanley Park Sudbury's science centre Acadia continues Toronto's underground world

What began as a celebration of Canada's centennial anniversary has become so much more as thousands of cross-country skiers gather each February for the annual Canadian Ski Marathon.

It began when Don MacLeod, a former Olympian and ski enthusiast, returned from the 1966 Valaloppet ski marathon in Sweden with an idea to stage a similar event in Canada. The initial race in 1967 took skiers on a three-day, 190-kilometre trek from Montréal to Ottawa. The route was soon shortened to its current 160-kilometres and became a two-day test of endurance. MacLeod’s involvement in organizing committees and subsequent move to New Zealand kept him from participating until 2001.