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Ethiopia’s Shure Demise made history Sunday by winning her third TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon, pulling away just after halfway and never looking back. Despite warm, windy, and humid conditions, she crossed the line in 2:21:03, the second-fastest time of her career—just 19 seconds shy of the course record set last year by compatriot Waganesh Mekasha.

Demise’s performance marks a full-circle moment. Ten years ago, at just 19, she ran her lifetime best of 2:20:59 in Dubai. Since then, she has earned podium finishes at the Tokyo (2019) and Chicago (2018) marathons, placed 5th at the 2017 World Championships, and captured back-to-back Toronto wins in 2015 and 2016. Sunday’s victory signals a strong comeback after giving birth to her daughter two years ago.

“I am very happy—it is more than what I expected,” said Demise. “I trained well and was confident I would do well and win. From 20 km I was running by myself.”

Earlier this year, Demise also won the Milan Marathon in 2:23:31, reinforcing her return to world-class form. Betty Chepkorir of Kenya finished second in 2:23:45, while Almaz Kebebe of Ethiopia took third in 2:26:40.

The women’s race was briefly disrupted when three Ethiopian runners mistakenly followed the half-marathon course, but Demise was far ahead and unaffected.

Kenyan Men Sweep the Podium

In the men’s race, Kenya scored a clean sweep. Leonard Langat broke away from a lead pack with 4 km remaining to win in 2:08:15. Noah Kipkemboi, third last year, improved to second in 2:08:24, while Sila Kiptoo finished third in 2:08:44.

“At 38 km I was ready to push, and I went,” said Langat. “It was hot, but I felt good and confident.”

Canadian Titles for Hannah and Flanagan

The Canadian Marathon Championships, held concurrently, saw Rachel Hannah, 39, win her first national title in 2:33:47. “It’s been a dream of mine to win these championships,” she said.

Ben Flanagan captured the men’s Canadian crown in his marathon debut, finishing in 2:15:39 ahead of Philippe Parrot-Migas (2:17:15) and Andrew Alexander (2:18:15).

 “The last 7 km were brutal, but I finished strong,” said Flanagan, a 2024 Olympian over 5,000 m. “This is a new chapter for me. Now it’s time to catch up with the big dogs.”

Salome Nyirarukundo has left a remarkable mark on the Canadian road racing scene since arriving from Rwanda seven years ago, most recently winning the 2025 Under Armour Toronto 10K. Now, the Ottawa-based runner is preparing for her next big challenge—the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon on October 19.

This will be her first marathon in six years. She last raced the distance at the 2019 Ottawa Marathon, finishing 4th in 2:30:44. Before that, she won the 2018 Montreal Marathon in an impressive 2:28:05.

“It’s been three or four years that I have been hoping to do the Toronto Waterfront Marathon,” Nyirarukundo says. “It is a big race, but the timing was difficult before. I was injured and couldn’t participate. This year is the right moment for me to see what I can do. I always feel excited coming to Toronto because I have a good connection with the fans. I’ve run the Toronto 10K three times, and I think that experience will help me in the marathon.”

Her familiarity with the course could indeed be an advantage. The Toronto 10K shares much of its route with the marathon, running along the shores of Lake Ontario. Along with her 2025 victory, Nyirarukundo placed 2nd in both the 2023 and 2024 editions of the event.

Still just 27, she has already achieved a distinguished international career. She represented Rwanda in the 10,000m at the 2016 Olympic Games and still holds her nation’s records in the 5,000m (15:34.91), 10,000m (31:45.82), and half marathon (1:08:48)—the latter faster than the Canadian national record.

Her talent was recognized early. As a teenager in Kigali, she was signed by Global Sports Communications and trained in Kaptagat, Kenya, alongside Eliud Kipchoge. She recalls him as quiet, humble, and willing to share everyday chores in camp despite his superstar status.

Since moving to Canada, Nyirarukundo has balanced training with working as a personal care worker in two Ottawa hospitals. While grateful for the employment, she admits it’s challenging to combine shift work with high-level training.

“Unfortunately, I am not in the same situation as before,” she explains. “When I ran 1:08:48 for the half marathon, I was training full-time morning and evening. Now I am doing two jobs and then training. It’s not easy, but I have confidence in myself. I believe I can still get back to that level.”

Despite her demanding schedule, she remains competitive. She placed 4th at the 2025 Canadian 10K Championships, finishing ahead of former national record holder Lanni Marchant. Seeing Canadian stars like Natasha Wodak and Malindi Elmore succeed well into their 40s has fueled her determination

“Natasha really inspired me,” Nyirarukundo says. “Last year she was number one in Canada, and I thought about quitting. But then I saw her and Rachel Hannah—very strong athletes—and I thought, ‘If they can do it, I can too.’”

Her friendship with Hannah has been another boost. The two have raced side by side in Toronto for years, and recently they trained together for a 38km long run in Plantagenet, Ontario.

Even with early-morning runs before 6:00 a.m. hospital shifts, Nyirarukundo pushes through, motivated by responsibility for her younger siblings back in Rwanda’s Rutsiro district. “I am mother and father for them,” she says. “Without them, I could not do what I am doing now.”

Balancing family obligations and training hasn’t been easy, but her passion for running remains intact. As she looks toward her Toronto Waterfront Marathon debut, Nyirarukundo has set a clear goal: to run under 2:30.

And she still makes time for life beyond running. “I don’t know how to swim, but I love outdoor camping,” she laughs. “I never did this in Rwanda. This year I’m going to Prince Edward Island for one week of camping at the end of August.”

Nyirarukundo dreams of one day representing Canada. With her mix of talent, resilience, and determination, the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon could mark a new beginning for this remarkable athlete.

It was a case of “third time’s a charm” for Rwanda’s Salome Nyirarukundo, as the 27-year-old claimed the women’s crown at the 2025 Under Armour Toronto 10K.

Her winning time of 34:05 bettered her performances from the past two years, when she finished second on both occasions. Given the record 8,500 runners faced a stiff headwind along the shores of Lake Ontario, her result was all the more impressive.

Nyirarukundo, who has lived in Ottawa for the past five years, didn’t have an easy time. Rachel Hannah, the 2015 Pan Am Games marathon bronze medalist, tried to close the gap over the final two kilometers but settled for second in 34:17. Fellow Ottawa runner Teagan Robertson finished third in 34:52.

A two-time Olympian for Rwanda (2016 Olympics, 2018 Commonwealth Games), Nyirarukundo still holds the national records in the 5,000m and 10,000m for her native country.

“I feel so amazing. I’m very emotional because I’ve come here three times and finished second twice,” Nyirarukundo said with a broad smile. “After 3K, I started pushing because I know Rachel is very strong. I was really worried I made a bad decision, but I caught up to a couple of guys and used them to stay ahead.”

At 38, Hannah remains a formidable competitor. After finishing 11th at the Houston Marathon in January and 29th at the Boston Marathon, she placed fifth at the Canadian 10K Championships in Ottawa. She admits the shorter distances keep things exciting.

“She wasn’t far ahead,” Hannah said. “It helps to have someone to chase. This was my best run here. I’ve been third a couple of times. It was windy, but I live by Lake Huron—I’m used to wind,” she laughed.

The men’s race also went Ottawa’s way as Thomas Nobbs, 25, coached by Brant Stachel, surged over the final kilometer to hold off Lee Wesselius, winning in 29:35.

Nobbs, who recently ran 28:58 at the Canadian 10K Championships (6th place), had hoped to improve on that time but adapted to race-day challenges.

“My coach said not to lead, but there I was,” Nobbs said, laughing. “I had a terrible sleep and ripped my shoelaces just before the start. But I know I’m fit, and even on a bad day I can come through.”

Originally from Vancouver, Nobbs ran two years at the University of Washington before finishing his degree at UBC. He now trains mostly solo under Stachel’s guidance.

Much of the race was shared up front with Wesselius, 31, a full-time large animal veterinarian, who finished just five seconds back.

“It was a good step forward from Ottawa,” Wesselius said. “I tried to make a move into the wind and opened a bit of a gap. But Thomas responded well and made his move at the turnaround.”

Alex Cyr of Toronto rounded out the podium in 29:45, earning respect from Nobbs for his season-long progression.

“Alex is strong in the lead. He’s probably made the biggest leap out of all of us this year,” Nobbs added.

Both Nobbs and Nyirarukundo were quick to thank Canada Running Series for organizing the event and inviting them to compete against some of the country’s best.

Salome Nyirarukundo returns to the Under Armour Toronto 10Kon Saturday, June 14th in search of the victory that has eluded her the past two years.

The Rwandan finished second in both the 2024 and 2023 editions of this Canada Running Series race and would like nothing more than to reach the top step on the podium this time.

“Absolutely, you know, I am a very competitive woman I am always trying to improve myself racing better and better,” says the 27-year-old Ottawa resident. “I am sure that this year I am going to have a good race. I believe in myself and I can compete and win the race. Who knows? Everybody has a chance.”

Nyirarukundo trains with the Ottawa Lions Track and Field Club under coach Ray Elrick while holding down two jobs at local hospitals. 

“I am employed in long term care as a personal support worker,” she explains. “I work at the hospital, I have actually two jobs. I am not in the shape I used to be but I am getting there.”

Earning a living has led her to employ tremendous time management skills and she fits in training around her work schedule. Clearly she is a special athlete with tremendous potential as she demonstrated as an 18-year-old when she set a Rwandan national 10,000m record of 31:45.82 and represented her country at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Two years later she made her way to Canada where she is now a ‘permanent resident’. One day she hopes to become a Canadian citizen.

“There was more opportunity here in Canada for people who want to make a new life,” she says of her decision to leave her home and family. “My biggest dream was having the chance to one day represent Canada whether it’s at the world championships or the Olympics. That is my biggest dream. Maybe my dream will come to true. Who knows.”

Among those she will face in Toronto are 2015 Pan Am Games marathon bronze medalist, Rachel Hannah who finished third here the past two years. The pair had another battle recently at the Canadian 10km championships in Ottawa with Nyirarukundo once again getting the better of her rival finishing 4th while the 38-year-old Hannah came home 6th.

Kylie Raftis, a graduate of Boston College, will also be a contender. The Toronto native was the top Canadian finisher at this year’s Boston Marathon finishing in 2:34:41 and in another coincidence, just one second ahead of Hannah. 

The men’s race also promises to be a highly competitive affair with Lee Wesselius, the third-place finisher a year ago, returning. 

The 31-year-old from River Glade, New Brunswick has a personal best of 29:13 set on this course in 2021 while finishing 7th in the Canadian 10k Championships. He also ran the 2024 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon - which includes the 10k course - when he improved his personal best at that distance to 2:13:52. That resulted in 9th place.

“I am pretty familiar with the course and I guess I have raced on it enough to know what parts are easier,” he offers. “I have a good grasp of the course.

“I think I am in pretty similar shape to when I ran my personal best.  In Ottawa I ran 13 or 14 seconds off my ‘PB’ but we went out close to ’29 flat’ pace.  I think if the pace was a little more smooth it possibly would have been in the cards (in Ottawa) for a new personal best.”

Wesselius is working as a large animal veterinarian in Winchester, Ontario just south of Ottawa and says he’s learned to manage to pack in between 160 and 180 kilometres a week around his busy work schedule. Once a month he must work on-call on a weekend which can pose complications.

“I will stay close to the practice and kind of hope that I am not called out,” he says of his response to the potential conflicts between his two vocations. 

Among the challengers Wesselius will face is Connor Black of the London Western Track Club. He was the 2022 Canadian Cross Country champion and has improved significantly since finishing one place behind Wesselius in the 2021 Canadian 10k Championships. 

Then there’s Thomas Nobbs, who was second in a personal best (1:03:02) in the Project 13.1 Half Marathon in Congers, New York back in March. He then finished 7th in the Vancouver Sun Run 10k in 29:18 though that course has a slight decline in elevation rendering times unofficial.

Wesselius will be seeking a podium place and knows he has a chance at victory but he’s clinical in his assessment.

“I will have to see what the fields are like. You mentioned Connor Black is running I know he’s pretty fit,” Wesselius admits. “And Thomas Nobbs is also in pretty good shape. I do feel I am in better shape than I was the previous two times. It depends on how the race plays out.”

With a week remaining until the Under Armour Toronto 10K the race has over 8,000 entries. It’s not surprising. The race has attracted runners from nine Canadian provinces, two territories, thirteen US states and twenty-eight countries.

The 2025 Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Houston Half Marathon, scheduled for this weekend,  January 18-19  will feature a strong lineup of elite athletes aiming for remarkable performances.

Women’s Half Marathon:

• Natasha Wodak (Canada): The Canadian marathon record holder, with a half-marathon personal best of 1:09:41, returns to Houston after securing ninth place in the previous year’s event. 

Men’s Half Marathon:

• Ben Flanagan (Canada): Holds a personal best of 1:01:00 from 2022 and seeks a strong start to his 2025 season.

• Thomas Fafard (Canada): Paris Olympic 5,000m finalist, returning after a 12th-place finish in 2024 with a personal best of 1:02:17.

• Ben Preisner (Canada): Canada’s third-fastest marathoner, with a half-marathon personal best of 1:02:42, making a return after an eight-month racing hiatus.

• John Gay (Canada): Olympic steeplechaser set to make his half-marathon debut. 

Women’s Marathon:

• Dayna Pidhoresky (Canada): With a personal best of 2:29:03, she is running her first marathon in over a year.

• Rachel Hannah (Canada): 2024 Around the Bay Road Race champion and recent bronze medalist at the 2024 Canadian Cross Country Championships. 

Men’s Marathon:

• Thomas Broatch (Canada): Returning after a top-10 finish in 2024, with a personal best of 2:11:51.

• Andrew Alexander (Canada): Debuted with a 2:14:13 marathon at the 2024 Canadian Marathon Championships.

• Phil Parrot-Migas (Canada): Achieved a personal best of 2:15:32 at the 2024 Chicago Marathon. 

The full elite field for the 2025 Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Houston Half Marathon includes a diverse group of international athletes, all aiming for exceptional performances on Houston’s renowned flat and fast course. 

The 2025 Chevron Houston Marathon and Half-Marathon on Sunday, Jan. 19, will be a major season opener for a handful of elite Canadians, including Canadian marathon record holder Natasha Wodak. Ten of the nation’s top athletes are set to take on the half-marathon or marathon events.

Women’s half-marathon

Wodak is the sole elite Canadian competitor in the women’s half-marathon event. While she competes primarily in the marathon, the 43-year-old is still familiar with shorter races–she holds a half-marathon personal best of 1:09:41. Wodak is fresh off her first national marathon title at the 2024 Canadian Marathon Championships in October, and took home ninth place in Houston last January.

Men’s half-marathon

Four Canadian men will line up for the men’s half-marathon, led by 5K and 10K national record holder Ben Flanagan. The Kitchener, Ont., native holds a personal best of 1:01:00 from 2022, and will be looking to kick off his 2025 season with a strong performance. Paris Olympic 5,000m finalist Thomas Fafard of Quebec will return to Houston after a 12th-place finish in 2024, where he set his half marathon personal best of 1:02:17. Milton, Ont.’s Ben Preisner, Canada’s third-fastest marathoner, will also toe the line after an eight-month hiatus from racing. He holds a personal best of 1:02:42.

Olympic steeplechaser John Gay of Kelowna, B.C., will round out the Canadian elite crew to make his half-marathon debut.

Women’s marathon

Windsor, Ont.’s Dayna Pidhoresky, who holds a best time of 2:29:03, heads to Houston to run her first race since June and first marathon in more than a year. The 38-year-old will be joined by Port Elgin, Ont.’s Rachel Hannah, the 2024 Around the Bay Road Race champion, who recently claimed bronze at the 2024 Canadian XC Championships in November.

Men’s marathon

Thomas Broatch returns to Houston, undoubtedly looking to improve on his top-10 finish from last year’s event, where he set his personal best of 2:11:51. The 26-year-old will be joined by compatriots Andrew Alexander of Toronto and Phil Parrot-Migas of London, Ont., both boasting fresh personal bests from October. Alexander ran 2:14:13 in his debut at the 2024 Canadian Marathon Championships in Toronto, while Parrot-Migas raced to a best of 2:15:32 at the 2024 Chicago Marathon.

On a record setting day more than 6,200 runners crossed the line making the 2024 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon the largest marathon in Canada.

Ethiopian women once again filled the top four places with the first three smashing the course record.

Waganesh Mekasha crossed the line first in a marvellous time of 2:20:44 to claim the $20,000 winners’ purse together with $10,000 for beating the course record. The record of 2:22:16 had been set by Kenya’s MagdalyneMasai in 2019.

A year ago Waganesh had finished one second behind the winner and returned here with victory in mind.

“I had prepared very well and I thought I could get the course record,” she said through a broad grin. ‘I thought I might get 2:21. I didn’t expect 2:20 so I am very happy.”

Second place went to Roza Dereje, who was returning to marathon racing after taking three years off to start a family. The Olympic 4th place finisher in 2021 she has a personal best of 2:18:30 and had been boldly insistent that she wanted a pacemaker to take the leaders out at course record pace. She got her wish.

The four-woman Ethiopian contingent passed half way in 1:10:19 but at 30km there were just three of them left, Waganesh, Roza and Afera Godfay.

“Around 35 -37km is where I made my move,” Waganeshsaid afterwards while waving to a Toronto spectator who hails from her village in Ethiopia. “From there I pushed on and that is where I was able to separate.”

Roza was pleased with her performance and praised her compatriots.

“I praise the Lord first, I am very happy with the run and with the time,” she declared. “I am happy for my kids and my husband. It has been three years (since her last marathon) and I am happy. I came to win but I am very happy with what I got.”

Following Roza home was Afera Godfay to repeat her third place finish from a year ago but this time she was rewarded with a a new personal best of 2:21:50.

The TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon is a World Athletics Elite Label race and doubles as the Canadian Championships. It was Natasha Wodak, a two-time Canadian Olympian and current national record holder at 2:23:12, who claimed the championship gold medal while finishing 5th overall.

After chasing the Olympic standard in 2023 and early 2024 and falling short she was delighted with her first championship in her favoured distance. She drew encouragement from the fact her time of 2:27:54 was her fastest since 2022.

“I am really happy that I was able to win,” she said as her parents and her coach Trent Stellingwerf looked on. “ Ididn’t feel awesome in the second half but I had an amazing pacer who was encouraging me and when I needed to slow down we would slow down and when I felt good we would speed up.

“I didn’t feel that great which is a little frustrating but to still run sub 2:28 when you are not feeling great on a windy day I am happy with that.”

The Canadian championship silver medal went to Leslie Sexton (2:33:15) with the bronze going to Rachel Hannah (2:34:33).

Mulugeta Uma, who is a member of the Ethiopian armed forces, won the men’s race in 2:07:16. He had also come to Toronto hoping to produce a course record (2:05:00). When the pacer dropped out at halfway reached in 63:01 he pushed the pace all the while encouraging those around him to share pacemaking duties.

Eventually Kenya’s Domenic Ngeno took on the role and opened up a ten-second lead which appeared to undo the field. But Mulugeta was unfazed.

“I was running my own pace I saw (Domenic) move ahead but I knew he would come back to us because I was running my own pace,” he revealed later. “It was very hard. It was cold and very windy so it was very difficultrunning. I didn’t get the time but I got the win.”

Ngeno hung on for second place in 2:07:23 a three second improvement over his previous personal best.

“I was thinking I would run ahead of that guy from Ethiopia,” said Ngeno. “I knew he was very strongbecause he has a personal best of 2:05:33. When the group caught me I knew I would be on the podium. I am happy with my second place.”

Third place went to Noah Kipkemboi of Kenya who also recorded a personal best with 2:07:31.

The Canadian men’s title went to Vancouver’s Justin Kent who ran a personal best of 2:12:17. He had run aggressively from the start accompanied by a dedicated pacemaker who took him through half way in 65:13.

"I felt fantastic - until we hit the wind in the last 8k,” he said afterwards. “I felt really, really good, holding back a lot, and then the pace faltered a little bit. I was just zoned in on the pacer. There were two 5km splits there where we were running 15:50, which allowed them to come back a little bit. My legs felt great just the wind was not so fun.”

At one point a chasing pack of Canadians closed the gap paced by his friend and training partner, Ben Preisner. Yet, he was able to hold them off before extending the margin .Second place went to Lee Wesselius in 2:13:52 with Andrew Alexander, who was making his marathon debut, taking the bronze medal in 2:14:13.

“I knew at the first turnaround they were a lot closer than I thought,” Kent continued. “I knew that was potentially going to happen but I knew they were just as sore as I was. I was a little bit worried that they might work together in the wind. That’s a hard stretch to run into the wind that last 8km. I was able to pull away the last couple of kilometres.”

Both Kent and Wodak earned valuable World Athletics points for their Canadian Championships which they hope will earn then places on Canada’s 2025 World Championship team bound for Tokyo.

We are just 10 days away from Canada’s largest race weekend: the 2024 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon. Since 2015, this event has also served as the annual Canadian Marathon Championships. This year’s race will feature everything from former champions and national record holders to rising stars looking to make their mark on the 42.2 km distance.

Here’s your cheat sheet for the men’s and women’s elite fields in Toronto.

Canadian men’s field

Andrew Alexander (Toronto): The 25-year-old former NCAA standout won the 2023 Toronto Waterfront Half-Marathon in 62:44. He is coached by Matt Hughes, the Canadian record holder in the men’s 3,000m steeplechase, and former Canadian marathoner Dave Reid. Alexander is aiming for a sub-2:10 finish at his hometown marathon.

Thomas Broatch (Vancouver): The reigning Canadian marathon champion. He was the first Canadian across the line last year in his marathon debut (2:16:25). Four months later, Broatch took another shot at the distance, lowering his personal best by more than four minutes at the 2024 Houston Marathon (2:11:54).

Justin Kent (Surrey, B.C.): This will be Kent’s first time competing at the Toronto Waterfront Marathon. He ran his PB of 2:13:07 at the 2023 Prague Marathon, earning him a spot on Team Canada’s men’s marathon team for the 2023 World Athletics Championships.

Maxime Leboeuf (Gatineau, Que.): Leboeuf finished third at the 2022 Montreal Marathon in 2:24:25. He’s a former graduate of Queen’s University XC program and an avid cross-country skier.

Kieran McDonald (Halifax): McDonald will be making his marathon debut in Toronto. He ran his half-marathon best of 65:45 at the 2024 Houston Half Marathon in January.

Alex Neuffer (Stratford, P.E.I.): Neuffer ran his PB of 2:21:34 at the 2022 Boston Marathon, finishing as one of the top Canadians. He’s a graduate of St. Francis Xavier University’s XC program and a training partner of Kieran McDonald (see above). 

Thomas Nobbs (Vancouver): The 25-year-old will be running his second-career marathon in Toronto. He made his debut in Philadelphia last fall, running 2:19:13. Nobbs finished just off the podium at the 2024 Canadian 10K Championships, in 29:31. He also finished second at the Canadian Half Marathon Championships in Winnipeg in June.

Sergio Ráez Villanueva (Mississauga, Ont.): Ráez Villanueva has competed at the Toronto Waterfront Marathon for the last two years. He set his best of 2:18:04 here in 2022 (his marathon debut). Ráez Villanueva is self-coached and also coaches youth athletes in his hometown of Mississauga.

Tristan Woodfine (Cobden, Ont.): Coached by former Canadian Olympic marathoner Reid Coolsaet. Woodfine won the half marathon here in 2022. He has the fastest time among Canadian men in the field, with a PB of 2:10:39 from Houston earlier this year.

International men’s field

Elvis Cheboi (Kenya): Cheboi ran his personal best of 2:09:20 to win the 2023 Toronto Waterfront Marathon. (Reigning champion)

Mulugeta Uma (Ethiopia): Uma ran 2:05:33 to win the 2024 Paris Marathon in April. He has the fastest personal best in the men’s field.

Abdi Fufa (Ethiopia): Fufa finished just off the podium at the 2024 Dubai Marathon in January (2:06:23). He ran his PB of 2:05:57 at the Siena Marathon in 2021 (where he was second). The 29-year-old is looking for his first marathon win.

Hailu Zewdu (Ethiopia): The 29-year-old ran his PB of 2:06:31 at the Dubai Marathon in 2020. He has not broken 2:09:00 in his six marathons since.

Gizealew Ayana (Ethiopia): Ayana is the youngest elite athlete in the field–he’s only 21. He ran his PB of 2:07:15 to win the 2023 Paris Marathon in his debut at the distance.

Domenic Ngeno (Kenya): The 26-year-old is the fastest Kenyan marathoner in the Toronto field. He won the 2024 L.A. Marathon in March in 2:11:01. Ngeno’s PB of 2:07:26 was from a podium finish at the 2023 Eindhoven Marathon in the Netherlands.

Noah Kipkemboi (Kenya): A veteran of the marathon distance. The 31-year-old has competed at more than 10 marathons in his career. He podiumed at the Enschede Marathon earlier this year, with a time of 2:09:06. 

Brian Kipsang (Kenya): Kipsang arrives in Toronto fresh off a personal best at the 2024 Milan Marathon in March, where he placed second in 2:07:56. The 30-year-old has finished in the top five at three of his last four races. 

Abe Gashahun (Ethiopia): Gashahun has the fastest half-marathon personal best in the field of 59:46. He’s had success at shorter distances and cross country, but it hasn’t yet translated to the marathon. The 26-year-old ran 2:08:51 earlier this year in Saudi Arabia.

Sydney Gidabuday (U.S.A.): Former member of Adidas Tinman Elite Track Club in Colorado. Gidabuday made his marathon debut on Canadian soil at the 2023 Ottawa Marathon, where he finished ninth. His PB of 2:14:34 was run at the hilly NYC Marathon in 2023.

Yusuf Nadir (U.S.A.): Personal best of 2:15:27 from the 2023 Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth, Minn. He finished 25th at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in February.

Aidan Reed (U.S.A.): Also made his marathon debut at the 2023 Ottawa Marathon–2:20:23. Reed ran collegiately at Southern Utah University, following in the footsteps of Canadian marathon record holder Cam Levins.

Canadian women’s field

Kate Bazeley (St. John’s, N.L.): The 40-year-old ran her PB of 2:36:35 in Toronto in 2019. Earlier this year, Bazeley represented Team Canada at the World XC Championships in Belgrade, Serbia.

Anne-Marie Comeau (Saint-Ferréol-les-Neiges, Que.): The 2018 Canadian (winter) Olympian ran her marathon best of 2:34:51 in Toronto last year, crossing the line as the second Canadian woman.

Asia Dwyer (Toronto): Dwyer ran her personal best of 2:42:45 at the 2023 Toronto Waterfront Marathon last fall. She told Canadian Running in an interview for the November/December 2024 issue of the print magazine that she is looking to smash her previous best.

Rachel Hannah (Port Elgin, Ont.): Hannah was the top Canadian finisher at the 2024 Ottawa Marathon in May. She won a bronze medal for Canada at the 2015 Pan-American Games in Toronto. She ran her personal best of 2:32:09 was at the 2016 Houston Marathon.

Liza Howard (Toronto): Howard told Canadian Running in an interview that her goal is to reach the podium and run a personal best. Howard ran her current personal best of 2:35:29 at the 2022 Chicago Marathon. She has unofficially broken the Canadian women’s 50K record, twice, in her marathon build for this race.

Erin Mawhinney (Hamilton): The 28-year-old runner will be making her marathon debut in Toronto. She is coached by two-time Canadian Olympian Reid Coolsaet. She broke the tape at the Toronto Waterfront Half Marathon last year, running a PB of 1:13:50.

Melissa Paauwe (Calgary). Paauwe is carrying the pride of Calgary into Toronto. She ran her PB of 2:41:12 at the 2023 Chicago marathon, and finished as the top Canadian.

Leslie Sexton (Markham, Ont.): Sexton returns to Toronto to run her hometown marathon. She said she will be trying to qualify for Worlds in Tokyo next year. She set her PB of 2:28:14 at the 2024 Houston Marathon this year, but missed the Olympic standard by two minutes.

Natasha Wodak: (Vancouver) started her marathon career here in 2013 but has not returned until this year; has never won the championship. Her PB of 2:23:12 from the 2022 Berlin Marathon stands as the current Canadian record.

International women’s field

Waganesh Mekasha (Ethiopia): Has a personal best of 2:22:45  from the 2019 Dubai Marathon. The 32-year-old Ethiopian won the 2023 Ottawa Marathon and finished second in Toronto last fall, with a time of 2:23:12.

Afera Godfay (Ethiopia): Godfay finished third behind compatriots Buze Diriba and Mekasha (see above) last year. She has a personal best of 2:22:41 and has finished in the top five in four of her last five marathons.

Roza Dejere (Ethiopia): The 27-year-old Ethiopian has the fastest personal best in the women’s field (2:18:30). She finished fourth in the women’s marathon at the Tokyo Olympic Games. She comes to Toronto as a threat to the course record of 2:22:16, which was set in 2019.

Meseret Gebre (Ethiopia): Gebre hasn’t raced since Toronto last fall, where she finished seventh in 2:29:54. She set her PB of 2:23:11 to win the Barcelona Marathon in 2022.

Valentina Matieko (Kenya): One of two Kenyan women in the international elite field. Matieko comes to Toronto fresh off a personal best earlier this year at the Paris Marathon in April (2:24:21).

Lydia Simiyu (Kenya): Simiyu ran her PB of 2:25:10 earlier this year at the Rome Marathon. She served a six-month doping suspension in 2022 after she tested positive for chlorthalidone after the Poznan Half Marathon in Poland.

Rediet Daniel (Ethiopia): Two top-five finishes in her three professional marathon starts. The 24-year-old Ethiopian ran her personal best of  2:26:25 at the 2024 Doha Marathon in February.

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.

The story of 66-year-old Canadian marathoner Dana Fox is one of extraordinary perseverance. Diagnosed with Stage 4 cholangiocarcinoma less than a year ago, Fox completed Ontario’s Georgina Marathon on Sept. 8, in 3:56:50, likely securing a spot for the 2025 Boston Marathon.

In October 2023, Fox and his coach, Joe Chappell, met to discuss Fox’s future marathon goals, but just a week later, he was diagnosed with cancer. Despite a grim prognosis and being given less than a year to live, Fox remained determined. “Dana said almost right away he wanted to treat this like a running injury,” Chappell told Canadian Running. “At one point, he was in so much pain that bending over to tie his shoes was almost impossible.”

Chappell said they kept in touch during Fox’s chemotherapy. Within a few months, he was able to start slowly walking and indoor riding. In May, Fox reached out to Chappell with ambitions to return to running, as his energy was returning. His goal: the 2024 Georgina Marathon, a last-chance qualifier for the 2025 Boston Marathon.

Against his doctors’ recommendations, Fox began training for the marathon with less than eight weeks until race day—half the typical time most marathoners devote to training. His family and friends from Waterloo and beyond supported him during the race. The men’s 65-69 qualifying time was 4:05:00, but Chappell said they aimed to beat last year’s cut-off of five minutes and 29 seconds.

Fox’s finishing time of 3:56:50 put him eight minutes and 10 seconds under the mark. Canadian marathoner Rachel Hannah paced him for the second half of the race, with family and friends cheering and offering support throughout. He carried a pair of red Adidas spikes gifted by his father in 1971, a symbol of resilience during his journey.

Fox is confident he will be among the few who defeat the cancer. He credits the experience of finishing the Georgina Marathon with his running club as a crucial psychological boost, fuelling his journey to recovery.

On Sept. 15, Fox spoke at the Terry Fox Run in Saugeen Shores, Ont. (He is not related to Canadian athlete and humanitarian Terry Fox.) “We made it for all those people who have cancer and were told they’re not going to make it; this run’s for them. Don’t ever quit,” Fox told Georgina Post. “The hotel’s already booked [for Boston]. I’m in, baby. We’re going. I’m going to live. I’m getting back on the bus. I’m not leaving.”

A year after being told he had less than a year to live, Dana Fox of Waterloo, Ont., ran a Boston Marathon qualifying time at the 2024 Georgina Marathon.

The story of 66-year-old Canadian marathoner Dana Fox is one of extraordinary perseverance. Diagnosed with Stage 4 cholangiocarcinoma less than a year ago, Fox completed Ontario’s Georgina Marathon on Sept. 8, in 3:56:50, likely securing a spot for the 2025 Boston Marathon.

In October 2023, Fox and his coach, Joe Chappell, met to discuss Fox’s future marathon goals, but just a week later, he was diagnosed with cancer. Despite a grim prognosis and being given less than a year to live, Fox remained determined. “Dana said almost right away he wanted to treat this like a running injury,” Chappell told Canadian Running. “At one point, he was in so much pain that bending over to tie his shoes was almost impossible.”

Chappell said they kept in touch during Fox’s chemotherapy. Within a few months, he was able to start slowly walking and indoor riding. In May, Fox reached out to Chappell with ambitions to return to running, as his energy was returning. His goal: the 2024 Georgina Marathon, a last-chance qualifier for the 2025 Boston Marathon.

Against his doctors’ recommendations, Fox began training for the marathon with less than eight weeks until race day—half the typical time most marathoners devote to training. His family and friends from Waterloo and beyond supported him during the race. The men’s 65-69 qualifying time was 4:05:00, but Chappell said they aimed to beat last year’s cut-off of five minutes and 29 seconds.

Fox’s finishing time of 3:56:50 put him eight minutes and 10 seconds under the mark. Canadian marathoner Rachel Hannah paced him for the second half of the race, with family and friends cheering and offering support throughout. He carried a pair of red Adidas spikes gifted by his father in 1971, a symbol of resilience during his journey.

Fox is confident he will be among the few who defeat the cancer. He credits the experience of finishing the Georgina Marathon with his running club as a crucial psychological boost, fuelling his journey to recovery.

On Sept. 15, Fox spoke at the Terry Fox Run in Saugeen Shores, Ont. (He is not related to Canadian athlete and humanitarian Terry Fox.) “We made it for all those people who have cancer and were told they’re not going to make it; this run’s for them. Don’t ever quit,” Fox told Georgina Post. “The hotel’s already booked [for Boston]. I’m in, baby. We’re going. I’m going to live. I’m getting back on the bus. I’m not leaving.”

JP Flavin rang up Under Armour Toronto 10K organizers last week and asked if there was a place in the event for him. His eleventh-hour plea came just before the race limit of 7,500 was reached. Lucky for him.

The 25 year old New Jersey native showed his gratitude by front running his way to a victory in 29:20 and in the process pulling top Canadian Andrew Davies to a new personal best of 29:25. Third place overall went to Lee Wesselius in 29:49 and the third Canadian was Rob Kanko in 30 minutes flat.

“I am very thankful they let me in the race,” said Flavin, a member of the Brooks Hanson Project based in Rochester Hills, Michigan. “I did really well. I kept 4:40 miles throughout, which was my plan.  It was fun.”

Midway through the race - the lead pack of seven runners reached 5K in 14:32 - he went to the front with the objective of breaking pre-race favorite Andrew Davies. 

The Sarnia native has been training in Vancouver, where he is a law student at the University of British Columbia. Earlier this year, he ran a personal best 10,000m on the track (28:34.63) and also finished 2nd in the NAIA (collegiate) national championships in that event, which caught the attention of his peers.

“I knew if I stayed with Andrew to the last two kilometres, odds are he would outkick me,” Flavin added. “So a little before 5K, I started picking it up. I wanted to use that long hill [at the Canadian Legion] to come hard off it.”

"When I made my move and started feeling bad at mile five, I could hear from the crowd; they were screaming his name a little bit.  So I knew I had to pay attention, stay on it, and not let up too much. I was able to grind and finish off strong.”

Davies was satisfied with his personal best. When Flavin made his move, he made an effort to maintain contact but could never close the gap.

"I was trying to cover it as best I could without risking blowing up at the end,” he revealed. “I couldn’t quite cover it. I stayed pretty close. I couldn’t catch him over the last two kilometres. He held that gap the whole way.”

Despite his earlier 10,000m success in the spring, Davies admitted he has lately been focusing on the 5,000m, the event he will race at the Canadian Olympic trials June 26-30 in Montreal. 

While the men’s race had its drama, the women’s race saw the same podium finishers as in 2023, although Erin Mawhinney’s title defence was emphatic. The 28-year-old Hamilton, Ontario, nursing consultant won by 25 seconds over Salome Nyirarukundo. 

Mahwinney’s 33:40 time was a pleasant surprise after she learned earlier in the year she was iron deficient.  

“This was the first race since February that I haven’t felt dizzy, so this is the first one in a while that has felt like that,” says Mawhinney, who was greeted at the finish by her coach, two time Canadian Olympic marathoner, Reid Coolsaet.

Respect for her competitors was evident in her further comments.

“At no point was I confident of winning,” she declared. “Salome is so talented, and I knew there was a good chance she would come flying by but someone yelled at me with a kilometre to go that I had a good gap. 

To run in the 33s, especially today, it's hotter and windier than last year, to run the same time as last year off much less training is great.”

Mawhinney also credited Toronto running coach Paddy Birch for helping her through the windy stretches along Lake Shore Boulevard. 

“I owe my life to Paddy Birch. He was sort of breaking some of the wind and pacing up to about 8K, so I didn’t have to think quite as hard about it,” she added. “He is much faster than me, but I think he was going for an easy run. He was (pacing me) on purpose when he was talking to me.”

Nyirarukundo, who competed for Rwanda at the 2016 Olympics, now lives in Ottawa. She complained about having an upset stomach last night and into the race morning.

“I was a little bit tired. This morning I had a problemwith stomach. Even now, I have it,” she said with a smile, “so I was struggling even to finish, but because I am a fighter, I just tried to finish. It was not bad.”

“I appreciate the organisers; they are very, very good to the elites. It is really good and I enjoy the people (on the course) who are cheering.”

Rachel Hannah, now recovered from her 3rd place finish in the Ottawa Marathon, was 3rd in today’s race. Her time of 34:10, almost a minute faster than her 2023 finish, pleased her.

Once again, the Under Armour Toronto 10K served as the Canadian Masters’ championships, with  Toronto’s Allison Drynan crossing the line first in the 45-49 age bracket, recording a time of 38:46. She finished just 8 seconds ahead of Miriam Zittel (40-44).

In the men’s master’s race, Bryan Rusche earned top honours with his 33:37 performance, and Brian Byrne of London, Ontario, finished next in 33:51.

Race director Alan Brookes was delighted with the sold-out event and pointed out that runners from nine provinces, two territories (the Yukon and the Northwest Territories), eighteen American states, and twenty countries enjoyed the day.

Erin Mawhinney will defend her Under Armour Toronto 10K title Saturday June 15th the next stop on the 2024 Canada Running Series.

A year ago, the Hamilton resident won the race, which traces Toronto’s scenic Lake Shore Boulevard, in a personal best of 33 minutes 34 seconds. The result was a pleasant surprise and confirmed her arrival as one of Canada’s elite road racers.

“I would like to take a stab at defending my title I know there are some fast girls running,” the 27 year old says before adding, ”Truthfully I have struggled with some low iron the past couple of weeks. But being able to defend the win would be great. Running close to 33 minutes flat would also be great at this time.

Despite the medical hiccup - which is now behind her - Mawhinney has followed coach Reid Coolsaet’s training program closely and has gradually increased her training volume. Indeed, she has had weeks where she has run as much as 160km while working full-time as a nursing consultant.

Mawhinney completed her Master of Nursing degree last year after spending six years nursing in the intensive care unit at Hamilton’s St Joseph’s Hospital. Combining long, demanding shifts with her training program was challenging but she credits Coolsaet, a two-time Canadian Olympian, with providing a flexible plan.

“I did straight night shifts and I found that sticking on straight nights was a little bit easier for running,” she remembers. “I found the flipping back and forth between days and night was sort of chaotic.

“I would let Reid know and he was great with being flexible. I worked a lot of overtime during Covid because we were overwhelmed in the ICU during that time. There would be some days where I was too tired to double. There were even times when I had to sleep at the hospital between shifts because there was a risk of exposure in my apartment building.”

In addition to winning the 2023 Under Armour Toronto 10KMawhinney captured first place in the 2023 TCS Toronto Waterfront Half Marathon last October (1:13:50). Now she and Coolsaet are targeting a possible marathon debut this coming fall.

“We are thinking TCS Toronto Waterfront in the fall will be my marathon debut so that is the main focus for the rest of the year,” she reveals.

Recently Mawhinney’s concerns for the homeless crisis in the Hamilton neighbourhood she has called home the past seven years resulted in her penning an essay on her observations. Her advocacy is paying off.

“A big win recently was having City Housing Hamilton approve a new public health nurse role I proposed to them,” she adds. “(It is) to help those in higher social-need subsidized housing keep their tenancy and avoid needing to use the emergency room.”

Among those lining up against her Saturday are 2015 Pan Am Games marathon bronze medalist, Rachel Hannah, who was 3rd in the 2024 Ottawa Marathon last month and, most significantly, was 3rd in the Under Armour Toronto 10K last year and last year’s runner-up, Salome Nyirarukundo the 26 year-old Rwandan who has made Ottawa her home.

The men’s field is led by Andrew Davies, a second-year law student at the University of British Columbia. Although his 10k best is 29:32 last month he ran a superb 10,000m on the track recording 28:34.63.

“If you get one of the really fast road courses I definitely feel you can be just as fast, maybe even faster, on the roads (than on the track) with the new shoes,” he declares.

The 23-year-old Davies claims, however, he will focus more on the competition than on recording a fast time.

“I am not really going to focus on the time too much,” Davies, who hails from Sarnia, Ontario, says. “I have been transitioning now to focus on the 5,000m leading to the track Nationals at the end of the month. I will focus on racing whoever else is (at the Toronto 10k). I am not going in with a time goal.

“My 5,000m PB (13:37.39) is three years old and I would like to lower that into the (low) 13:30’s and run Nationals and then in the fall I’d like to run as well as I can in the Canadian cross countrychampionships. I was 4th there this past year. If I could medal there that would be awesome."

The fastest performer in the men’s field is Lee Wesselius whose personal best 29:13 earned him 7th in the 2021 Canadian 10k Championships held on a slightly modified Toronto Waterfront course. Also racing is Rob Kanko who was 3rd in the 2023 Under Armour Toronto 10K in a personal best of 30:02.

The race will once again serve as the Canadian Masters 10k championships. Baghdad Rachem will defend the title he won a year ago on this same course. The Verdun, Quebec resident won that day in 32:05 beating 44-year-old Reid Coolsaet by 13 seconds.

Edmonton’s Jay Smith finished 3rd in 2023 in 39:23 and leads the female master’s division entries.

Kenya’s Pamela Rotich will be the lady to watch at the 39th edition of the Los Angeles Marathon slated for Sunday (17) in Los Angeles, California, U.S.

Rotich who is the oldest and fastest athlete on the entry list, comes to this race with a life time best of 2:22.43 that she got two years ago at Daegu International Marathon, where she took the silver medal.

The 40 year-old will not have an easy time as she will face-off with Olga Mazuronak of Belarus who is the second fastest athlete on paper with a time of 2:23.54 that she got at the 2016 London Marathon where she finished in fourth place and the former Commonwealth Games 10,000m silver medallist, Stacy Ndiwa of Kenya who holds a personal best of 2:31.00 that she got last year at the Chicago Marathon.

Another title contender is Olympian Silvia Paredes from Ecuador of personal best 2:40.58 and the 2015 Pan American Games marathon bronze medalist, Rachel Hannah from Canada who holds a personal best of 2:32.09 that she got at the 2016 Houston Marathon, where she finished in sixth place.

LEADING TIME

42KM WOMEN

Pamela Rotich       (KEN) 2:22.43

Olga Mazuronak   (BEL) 2:23.54

Stacy Ndiwa          (KEN) 2:31.00

Rachel Hannah      (CAN) 2:32.09

Silvia Paredes        (CAN) 2:40.58

The 2023 edition of the Around the Bay Road Race (ATB) was held on Sunday, and thousands of runners took to the streets of Hamilton to race the 5K, 30K and relays. Ottawa runner Blair Morgan and Toronto’s Sasha Gollish were the top men’s and women’s finishers in the 30K, both grabbing the first ATB wins of their careers. Morgan finished in a winning time of 1:37:46, and Gollish crossed the line in 1:48:03 for the women’s win and eighth overall. 

ATB 30K 

Morgan took control of the race early on in the run, and by the time he recorded his opening 10K split of 31:40, he had already built a lead of one minute over the next-closest runner. By 15K, the gap had grown even bigger, and Toronto’s Romain Carette sat in second place more than two minutes back.

Morgan passed through the 20K checkpoint in 1:04:07. Two and a half minutes behind him were Carette and fellow Torontonian Eric Bang, who were separated by just a few seconds. Morgan’s lead got up to three minutes before the finish, and he stopped the clock in 1:37:46. Bang put a lot of time into Carette in the closing 10K, finishing a minute ahead of him in 1:40:40 to secure second place. Carette held on for third in 1:41:42. 

The women’s race was much tighter than the men’s, with Gollish battling alongside Rachel Hannah of Port Elgin, Ont., for more than half of the run. The two women covered the first 10K in identical splits of 35:39, and they passed through 15K a couple of seconds apart, both hovering just under 54 minutes. Over the following 5K, however, Gollish managed to pull away from Hannah, and by 20K she had a lead of about 40 seconds. 

Gollish’s lead only continued to grow in the final 10K, and by the time she made it to the finish, she was close to three minutes ahead of Hannah. She won the race in 1:48:03, followed by Hannah in second in 1:50:41. Third place went to Kingston, Ont., runner Teagan Robertson in 1:58:11. 

The 5K 

Aaron De Jong of Mississauga, Ont., won the 5K race in 15:56. He was followed closely by Sam Richter of Port Sydney, Ont., who finished in second in 15:59. A few seconds back in third place was Caleb Beland of Sudbury, Ont., who crossed the line in 16:02. 

In the women’s 5K, Etobicoke, Ont., athlete Brittany Moran won in 17:33, close to a minute ahead of second-place Carley Somerset of Guelph, Ont., who stopped the clock in 18:26. Not far behind Somerset was Mississauga’s Jessica Kellar, who rounded out the podum in 18:49.

On a hot, sunny morning in Hamilton, Ont., Chris Balestrini and Krista DuChene ran a blazing-fast 50K, both setting new Canadian records of 2:48:32 and 3:22:22, respectively. Both athletes took several minutes off the previous Canadian records, proving that a little early summer heat wasn’t going to get in their way.

Balestrini’s run improves on Cal Neff’s 50K record by nearly three minutes, which he set earlier this year in Texas in 2:51:27.

Prior to the run, Balestrini told us he was confident he could outdo Neff’s record-setting pace of 3:26 per kilometer, which he did handily, holding an average pace of 3:25 per kilometer. Balestrini is a 2:17 marathoner, but this was his first official ultramarathon.

On the women’s side, DuChene shattered the previous Canadian record set by Catrin Jones in 2015 at the IAU 50K World Championships in Doha, Qatar, where she ran 3:28:20. Duchene’s 3:22 lowers that record by an incredible six minutes, making her average pace per kilometer 4:02 for the win.

This was DuChene’s second ultra of her career, having run a 54 kilometer trail race last fall. That run, she told us, gave her confidence knowing that she’d already completed the distance once before.

There have been no official results posted yet, so currently there is no news of how Phil Parrot-Migas or Rachel Hannah finished.

Every winter, immunity becomes an important topic of conversation as the temperatures drop and we enter cold and flu season. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, having a strong immune system has become even more crucial to maintaining health. While this will not guarantee that you won’t get sick (or get the coronavirus), it is still worth doing whatever you can to keep your body healthy.

We spoke with elite Canadian runner and registered dietitian Rachel Hannah to get her top food recommendations for runners who are looking to boost their immune systems and stay healthy this winter.

Plenty of brightly-colored fruits and vegetables

you´ve heard it before but it´s worth mentioning again: eating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables is a key component to maintaining a strong immune system, thanks to their antioxidant content. These nutrients improve the health of your gut microbiome, which plays a role in training your immune system and avoiding an excess inflammatory response to pathogens. 

Hannah recommends eating as many colours as possible, especially leafy greens, because that will ensure you get all the antioxidants and phytochemicals necessary for proper immune function. When it comes to fruit, berries are at the top of her list thanks to their high density of antioxidants. During the winter, fresh berries may not always be available, but frozen berries are just as beneficial, and can often provide more nutrients than the fresh variety in the off-season.

Probiotics

Runners will have to eat plenty of probiotic-rich foods because they help maintain a balanced composition of gut bacteria. Prolonged or intense training can disturb the gut and increase your risk for gastrointestinal (GI) problems, which will in turn affect your immune system. 

Hannah´s favorite food sources  of probiotics are yogurt and kefir, and she says that miso soup is a great choice for runners as well. Other probiotic-rich foods include buttermilk, tempeh, sauerkraut, kimchi, and kombucha.

Whole Grains

Wholes grains including brown rice, wild rice, teff, barley and quinoa cannot be digested the same way other foods can. Instead, we rely on the microbiota in our digestive tract to break the fibre down into fatty acids.

These fatty acids help maintain our gut mucus barrier, which keeps pathogens out of our system. Hannah says that whole grains also contain important nutrients for immune health, and she recommends that all runners include them as a regular part of their diet.

Vitamin D

Hannah also points out the importance of vitamin D when it comes to immune health. While there are some food sources of vitamin D (such as fatty fish, fortified dairy products and fortified cereals), she explains that it is difficult to meet your daily requirement through food. For this reason, Hannah recommends runners take a supplement, since not only does it benefit your immune system, but vitamin D can help prevent other issues like fatigue, muscle pain, and stress fractures. Most health experts will recommend that adults 14 to 50 years old take 600 IU per day, however you should talk to your doctor to determine your specific needs, especially if you fall outside this age bracket.

Eating these foods will not guarantee that you won’t get sick, but they will reduce your risk of illness and improve your body’s ability to fight infections when they happen.

In 2014, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) first introduced the term Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S), which refers to low energy availability resulting from a mismatch between energy intake (i.e. fuel in the form of food) and energy expenditure from training.

While the term is now widely recognized by the endurance sport community, there remains a gap in its assessment and treatment. A group of Canadian researchers is trying to close this gap by developing a diagnostic tool for athletes. 

Rachel Hannah is on the development team, alongside Austen Forbes and Alex Coates who both have a background in elite triathlon. As a marathoner and registered dietitian, who has had personal experience with RED-S, Hannah says she is excited about the project. “RED-S is a condition that can prevent athletes from competing due to its negative health and performance issues, even forcing some into early retirement,” she says.

“There is currently no solution to the problem, because it is a relatively new area of study that reveals the difficulty in capturing all of the components that go into an athlete’s health and performance. We are collaborating with AI Endurance, which was founded by Markus Rummel in 2020, to create a diagnostic tool.”

In order to develop this tool, Hannah is asking runners to help. “This software would provide a predictive and diagnostic tool that could enable an athlete to understand their risk levels for developing RED-S or overtraining.

We are currently looking for athletes to fill out a diagnostic questionnaire in order for us to collect data. We are particularly looking for athletes who are currently diagnosed with RED-S or overtraining or have experienced RED-S or overtraining in the past.”

To take the survey, or for more information go to oneathlete.ca.

Last year’s Scotiabank Ottawa Marathon saw a new female Canadian All-Comers record set at 2:22:17 and the field for the 2019 event could rival that of 2018.

Shuko Gemeno, Abeba-Tekula Gebremeskel and Tigist Girma all have personal bests under 2:27:00 and all have recent wins under their belts. The three Ethiopian women could work together to being each other to new personal bests and challenge the Canadian All-Comers and course record.

The Canadian women’s contingent includes 2:32 marathoner Rachel Hannah, Dayna Pidhoresky and Anne-Marie Comeau. Hannah and Pidhoresky are no strangers to the distance, but Sunday will be Comeau’s debut. The 22-year-old winter Olympian has been dominant on the roads for several years and we’re excited to see what she can do over 42.2K.

In the men’s field, Abera Kuma of Ethiopia has run under 2:06 twice, most recently 2:05:50 at the 2018 Rotterdam Marathon. Joining Kuma is Adugna Takele who was third in Ottawa a year ago, and ran a huge personal best in February at 2:06:32. The fastest man in the field is Getu Feleke at 2:04:50. Kenyan Martin Kosgey is also racing with an incoming time of 2:06:41.

The dark horse in the field is 23-year-old Ayana Tsede who comes in with a recent win at the 2019 Seville Marathon and a new personal best of 2:06:36.

Reid Coolsaet leads the Canadian men on his 10 year anniversary since his debut marathon. “I’m going to try to run as fast as I can on the Ottawa course, which will hopefully give me a solid placing and some points to help with my world ranking.

I’m realistically aiming for a 2:13 on the weekend.” The world championships in Doha this fall are also on Coolsaet’s radar. “Worlds would actually be a great setup for the Olympics. If you finish well at worlds the points could qualify you for Tokyo. It will be very hot in Doha, which will be good training for Tokyo as well.”

Coolsaet is coming off his longest altitude stint yet. “Boulder was really great. I got good training in and I had great people to train with. My son liked it too–any time we did some technical mountain climbing he got really into it.”