so you’re running the queen city marathon…

The Queen City Marathon is back, which means Regina is about to be filled with runners doing something the rest of us find both wildly impressive and slightly concerning: voluntarily running very, very far.

Whether you're chasing a personal best, tackling your first-ever race, or running for the fun of it, The Atlas° Hotel is ready to be your home base for QCM weekend.

Need something to get pumped up for the race? Check out our specially curated Eye of The Playlist on Spotify.

why stay with us?

Location, location, hydration.

The Atlas° Hotel is conveniently located in South Regina, making it easy to settle in, get some sleep and focus on the important things (like remembering your running shoes).

QCM participants can take advantage of a special race weekend rate, plus a few runner-friendly extras we've lined up to make the weekend a little easier.

We'll have breakfast available bright and early so you can fuel before heading to the starting line, and QCM participants staying with us can look forward to a little surprise waiting in their room.

Once the miles are officially behind you, the recovery can begin.

Head back to your room for a well-earned horizontal moment, and give those legs a soak in the hot tub at Soaked! Waterpark, or head downstairs to the Knotted Thistle Pub where you'll find the QCM Afterparty. Show us your race day medal and your first drink is on us. (Yes, we're essentially rewarding exercise with a drink. It's about balance.)

the completely unofficial atlas° qcm survival guide

Your highly scientific* guide to running the 2026 Queen City Marathon without completely losing your mind. 

*No scientists were consulted in the creation of this survival guide

1. Nothing New on Race Day

New shoes? No! New socks? Absolutely not! Mysterious gel your friend handed you five minutes ago? We truly cannot stress this enough: NO! 

Race day is not the time for experimentation. Stick with what you know. Your digestive system has enough going on.

2. Carbs Are Your Friend

The night before a marathon is one of the rare occasions where eating carbs feels less like a life choice and more like following doctor's orders. Pasta? Great idea. Potatoes? Absolutely! Bread? Yes, please. 

3. Lay Everything Out The Night Before

Shoes. Socks. Bib. Outfit. Water. Watch. Whatever candy or tiny packet of mysterious running goo you've decided is food. Get it all ready before bed. Otherwise, you'll be standing in your hotel room at 5:00 AM whisper-yelling "WHERE ARE MY SAFETY PINS!?" while your travel companion quietly reconsiders your relationship. 

4. Respect The Nipple

If you've never heard the phrase "runner's nipple", congratulations on the peaceful life you've lived until this exact moment. Bandages exist. BodyGlide exists. Use them. We'll leave it there.

5. Do Not Trust The First Kilometre

You'll feel incredible! Powerful, fast, unstoppable! You'll even think, "Maybe I've been underestimating myself this whole time." You have not. Slow down; there are many, many kilometres remaining.

6. Make a Deal With Your Future Self

At some point during the race, current you is probably going to want to stop, and that's when future you steps in. Future you has already finished. Future you has a medal. Future you is sitting comfortably at the Knotted Thistle with a complimentary drink. Do it for future you!

7. Never Ever Belive Someone Who Yells "You're Almost There!"

Unless you can physically see the finish line, this statement cannot be trusted. You could be 400 meters away, or you could be 14 kilometres away. Spectators are lovely people, but they cannot be trusted with distance. 

8. Hydrate As If Your Medal Depends on It

Water: good; electrolytes: also good. Trying to survive on iced coffee and determination? Less good. 

Hydrate before, during, and after your race according to the plan you've trained with. Your body is doing a ridiculous amount of work. Give it something useful to work with.

9. The Finish-Line Photo is Forever

We know you're tired; we know your legs have filed a complaint, but somewhere near that finish line there is a camera, so stand tall, smile, and throw your arms up and take in all the hard work you've put into getting this far in the race.

10. Follow The Medal to the Knotted Thistle

You crossed the finish line, you got the medal, and you briefly considered never ever running again before remembering you've already signed up for your next race. At this point, there is only one logical next step: the Knotted Thistle Pub Afterparty. 

Join us for our QCM Afterparty, flash that shiny new 2026 medal, and we'll hook you up with a complimentary drink. 

from finish line to horizontal in record time

And just like that, you did it! Maybe you smashed a PB, maybe you finished your first 5K, 10K, half or full marathon, maybe things didn't go exactly according to plan, but you crossed that finish line anyway. Whatever your race day looked like, it's worth celebrating. Wear the medal, take the Instagram photos, and tell anyone within earshot exactly how many kilometres you ran. You have at least 48 hours where you're legally allowed* to work it into every conversation. Then make your way back to The Atlas° Hotel, kick off those fragrant running shoes, and begin the most important phase of your training block... recovery! 

*Not actually a law, but it should be!