From 18 to 20 February, the park also stages the Gatineau Loppet, a three-day international cross-country ski race which plays host to 3, 000 skiers from about 20 countries.

BBC: Embracing winter in Ottawa

Di Centa, brother of former Olympic champion Manuela di Centa, is the first athlete from outside Scandinavia or the former Soviet Union to win the Olympic 50km race, the most prestigious on the cross-country program.

CNN: Di Centa gives Italy fairytale end

But Flanagan never ran her hometown race even as she was building a celebrated cross-country career that took her to three Olympics.

NPR: Flanagan Best US Hope In Boston Marathon In Years