Two-time Olympian Natasha Wodak to race TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon

This will be the first appearance at the race in 11 years for the Canadian record holder.

Canada’s fastest-ever female marathoner, Natasha Wodak, has revealed her fall marathon plans. The Vancouver native, who is a two-time Olympian, will line up for the 2024 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon on Oct. 20, which doubles as both a World Athletics Elite Label event and the Canadian Marathon Championship. This will mark Wodak’s first appearance at this race in 11 years.

“I thought, Why don’t I go run the Canadian Marathon Championships in Toronto?” said Wodak. “I haven’t been there in 11 years, and that’s where I started this marathon journey. It’s an Asics event, I’m the Canadian record holder, and I haven’t won the Canadian Marathon Championship. I just really wanted to run in my country, surrounded by friends and family.”

Despite a challenging year where she missed qualification for the Paris Olympics, Wodak’s setbacks continue to fuel her world-class performances at 42. In 2023, she withdrew from the London Marathon after falling ill just days before the race, and later placed 15th at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, where she had hoped to achieve the Paris Olympic standard of 2:26:50. She also faced difficulties at the 2024 Houston Marathon, where a hamstring strain derailed her run. Although initially disappointed about not making her third Olympic team, Wodak was optimistic about the opportunities ahead.

“The Olympics is special for a reason—it’s very hard to get there!” she reflected. “I didn’t make it this time around, but I had a fun journey trying, and other doors have opened. I got to do the CBC broadcast for the women’s Olympic marathon, which was an amazing opportunity.”

Unsure of her fall racing plans, Wodak had initially considered targeting the national half-marathon record at the Toronto Waterfront Half Marathon, but decided to switch to the full marathon after consulting with her coach, Trent Stellingwerf.

Winning the Canadian Marathon Championships could also help Wodak qualify for the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo next September, by earning her World Athletics points. “If I win and run decently in Toronto, it’s really good points, and I might not need to run the standard (2:23:30),” she explained. “I could possibly run a marathon in Japan in early March.”

The qualifying window for the marathon at the 2025 World Athletics Championships opened on Nov. 5, 2023. So far, no Canadian athletes have achieved the women’s standard of 2:23:30 or the men’s standard of 2:06:30. Wodak holds the Canadian marathon record at 2:23:12.

The TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon, to be held on Oct. 20, is Canada’s premier running event and the grand finale of the Canada Running Series (CRS). Since 2017, the race has also served as the Athletics Canada marathon championship and Olympic trials.

posted Thursday September 5th
by Marley Dickinson