Running News Daily

88-year-old runner completes his 12th consecutive Athens Marathon

On Sunday at the historic Athens Marathon, 88-year-old Ploutarchos Pourliakas became the oldest finisher at this year’s race, crossing the line in six hours and 31 minutes—a full 20 minutes faster than his 2023 finish.

Defying both age and limits, Pourliakas completed his 12th Athens Marathon as part of the event’s 41st edition. Known as “The Authentic Marathon,” this race traces what is believed to be the original path taken by Athenian messenger Pheidippides, who ran to announce the Greek victory over the Persians in the Battle of Marathon, nearly 2,500 years ago.

Pourliakas reached the finish line at the Panathenaic Stadium, the venue of the first modern Olympics in 1896, surrounded by his family and grandchildren. “I achieved to finish and even improved on last year,” he told Reuters in an interview. “I feel younger than my 88 years.”

His philosophy for longevity in running is simple: moderation and consistency. “I’ve never smoked. I don’t drink, and I eat in a balanced way,” said Pourliakas. He revealed that he does enjoy a daily sip of tsipouro, a traditional Greek brandy, saying he considers it more as a health tonic than as a drink.

According to Reuters, Pourliakas began running at age 73, inspired by his son, who is an ultramarathoner. Now, Pourliakas follows a dedicated training regimen in his hometown of Kastoria, logging five kilometres on weekdays and 15 to 20 kilometres on weekends.

Pourliakas’s story echoes that of Canadian masters running legend Ed Whitlock, who also started running later in life. In 2000, Whitlock became the oldest person to complete a sub-three-hour marathon at age 69 and later set the men’s 85+ world record, with a time of 3:56:38, at the 2016 Toronto Waterfront Marathon. Like Whitlock, Pourliakas’s commitment and discipline inspire runners of all ages to keep pushing their limits.

“Why wouldn’t you believe it? We all can do it. As long as we want to,” Pourliakas said.

Ethiopians Make Impact at TCS Toronto Waterfront 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.

Natasha Wodak hoping to surprise herself at Toronto Waterfront Marathon

The TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon (TWM) returns on Sunday, doubling as the Canadian Marathon Championships. For our Canadian elite athletes, Sunday’s race provides a chance to qualify for the marathon at the 2025 World Athletics Championships, to be held in Tokyo. Canadian record holder Natasha Wodak will toe the line in Toronto for the first time in 11 years, setting her sights on her first-ever Canadian marathon title.

Wodak made her marathon debut here in 2013. The 42-year-old from Vancouver has been on a golden streak this year, winning the Vancouver Half Marathon in June and Vancouver’s Eastside 10K in September. But earlier this year, she fell short of her goal to qualify for Canadian Olympic team after completing four marathon builds and taking three attempts at the race in the span of 18 months.

“The marathon is a beast”

“Nothing is guaranteed,” Wodak says. “Never in a million years would I have thought that after running 2:23:00, I wouldn’t be able to come within four minutes of that, four different times in 18 months.” Wodak completed the 42.2K event at the 2023 Budapest World Championships, 2024 Houston and Hamburg marathon events, falling short of the Olympic standard each time, and had scratched from the 2023 London Marathon after coming down with a stomach bug. “The marathon is a beast; you’ve got to have the right day, the right fitness, the right weather–everything has to click on the right day.”

The two-time Olympian holds a personal best of 2:23:12, which has stood as the Canadian record since the 2022 Berlin Marathon. “The A goal is to win the Canadian marathon championships,” she says, hoping to add that title to her already impressive resume. “Everyone wants to be a national champion.”

After steering away from her original plan to race at the Valencia Marathon, Wodak is taking a different approach at Toronto’s big-city race; she can finally enjoy racing in Canada in front of family and friends without the pressure of hitting the Olympic standard. She adds that the generous prize purse offered by TWM was an incentive. She revealed she plans on starting out conservatively, with the hope of having a fast second half. “I’ll go out at 2:25 to 2:26 pace, and hope to catch a few of the women who go out too hard,” she says. “It would be really nice to place in the top three. If all goes well, maybe I can surprise myself and others by having a really fast last 10K.”

After her attempts to qualify for Paris 2024, Wodak says she has learned not to take anything for granted. She says she began to jump into workouts with friends, running because she wanted to and doing what felt good. “I did enjoy the process over time, so I have no regrets,” she says. “It’s a privilege to do this.”

Erin Mawhinney to make marathon debut

Defending TWM half-marathon champion Erin Mawhinney will be doubling her usual distance to make her first-ever attempt at 42.2K. The 28-year-old, a two-time winner of the Under Armour Toronto 10K, has been slowly building up her mileage while training for the past three years with coach and two-time Olympian Reid Coolsaet; at the peak of her build, she reached 190 km in one week–quite a contrast to the maximum of 43 km she used to run weekly  in university. The increase in mileage means increased time dedicated to training, adding to her already-busy schedule; the Hamilton native works full-time as a nurse, with the occasional night shift. “My apartment is a mess all the time, and I’m always out of groceries, since I’m eating more to support that mileage,” she says.

“You go in a little bit blind,” Mawhinney says. “You can sort of predict from the half-marathon what might happen, but it’s also a completely different event.” Her half-marathon best stands at 1:11:50, which she ran in March. “Somewhere in the low 2:30s would be a great day, but I’m mostly just excited to try out a marathon.”

Anne-Marie Comeau to seek redemption

Anne-Marie Comeau of Saint-Ferréol-les-Neiges, Que., is the reigning Canadian Marathon Championships silver medallist; the 2018 winter Olympian in cross-country skiing led for 42.1 kilometres of last year’s race before being passed by Quebec City’s Caroline Pomerleau, who nabbed the title. Comeau, who is 28, struggled over the last 10 km, and aims to pack her pockets with gels this year to avoid fading in the final stretch. “I had a rough year,” she says. “I’ve done a lot of marathon builds without actually racing.” Comeau was set to race the Houston Marathon and the Boston Marathon, but had to scratch from both, first due to Covid, and then to a shoulder dislocation while skiing.

Finally getting the chance to race, Comeau has set big foals for herself. “I want to get a personal best,” she says. “My marathon PB (2:34:51) is from last year on this course. I’m going to start a bit slower, at 2:31 to 2:32 pace, and see if I’m able to push harder toward the end.”

International field

Waganesh Mekasha of Ethiopia has her eyes set on the course record this year. The 32-year-old holds a personal best of 2:22:45 from the 2019 Dubai Marathon and took second in Toronto last fall, with a time of 2:23:12. “I enjoyed the race last year,” she says. “The course was great. The pacer dropped early and it affected us.” Her best time sits just off the course record of 2:22:16. The 2023 Ottawa Marathon champion feels as though she has prepared even better than last year. “If the pace goes out well and the weather is good, the course record is possible,” she says.

Ethiopia’s Roza Dereje comes into the race with the fastest personal best in the women’s field (2:18:30), and will also be fighting to take down the five-year-old course record. “I’m ready and prepared to challenge the course record,” she says. Dereje, 27, finished fourth in the marathon at the Tokyo Olympic Games, and became a mother in 2023. This is her first time visiting Canada.

For the first time in the race weekend’s history, the 5K race, traditionally held on the same day as the marathon and half-marathon, has been moved to Saturday; the race has already raised more than $3,000,000 for the TCS Charity Program.

How to watch

The 2024 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon and Canadian Marathon Championships can be streamed on Sunday, Oct. 20, on World Athletics Inside Track, CBC Sports, or the CBC Gem app. The TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon is one of the first North American marathons to be featured on the WA Inside Track worldwide feed. This year, 30,000 participants from 70 countries will take part in Toronto’s race weekend (a record). All runners can be tracked using the official TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon app, available for download on the App Store and Google Play.

Toronto runner Virginia Lee, 51, prepares for 25th consecutive Waterfront Marathon

For Virginia Lee, the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon on Oct. 20, is more than just another race—it’s a journey that has spanned a quarter-century. The 51-year-old Toronto native is a legacy runner at the Toronto Waterfront Marathon, having finished every edition since the marathon distance was introduced in 2000.

This year, she’s gearing up for her 25th consecutive Waterfront Marathon, with a deeper purpose: fundraising for the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation through the TCS Charity Challenge in memory of her late father.

Lee and her father were incredibly close, and she credits her love for fitness to him as it was something he loved to do. Lee says she was a mathlete in her younger years and her passion for fitness began in her 20s. After a while, she got tired of the 45-minute commute to her local gym.

Lee decided to skip the gym and hit the local track instead—where she fell in love with running. A colleague at Browns Shoes, Manny, eventually helped her gain enough confidence to register for her first race. “He was a big mentor for me,” Lee says. “I remember being in awe of all the marathons he’s done, and now I’ve done more—he can’t believe how far I’ve come.”

She first ran the Toronto Waterfront Marathon in 2000, and it quickly became an annual tradition. “I started doing the Toronto Waterfront Marathon every year because it was something I enjoyed,” Lee says. Her dedication to the race became even more apparent in 2013 when she faced a tough decision—run the Chicago Marathon, which she had qualified for, or maintain her streak in Toronto.  Toronto organizers reached out, reminding her of her unbroken streak. She ended up doing both. “I had to be super conservative in Chicago because I wanted to run well in Toronto,” Lee recalls.

Over 24 years, Lee has seen the sport evolve, especially women’s participation. “There weren’t too many women at my first marathon in 2000, but last year there were nearly 1,500 female finishers,” she says. The growing community of older female runners in Canada has been an inspiration, along with U.S. masters running legend Jeannie Rice, who at 76, holds several masters marathoning world records. “She is such an idol for me,” says Lee. “Although I’ll never be as fast as her, her consistency and resilience are everything.”

One of Lee’s biggest motivations remains her desire to maintain her streak. “A lot of people did not believe I could do this,” she says, reflecting on the dedication that has driven her through two decades of training. Her commitment is impressive considering her career at the University Health Network (UHN) in Toronto, where she’s worked for the last 15 years.

Her training build for this year’s race has been the hardest yet, dealing with her father’s passing, plus a bad case of shingles. “I wasn’t well. I caught shingles and felt exhausted for the first two months,” she shares. “The loss of my father has given me a renewed purpose.”

At the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon expo on Friday, Lee will share her story to the start line and guide eager runners through what they can expect on the 2024 course. Despite 24 years of experience, Lee admits she still gets nervous. “I feel like I have imposter syndrome every year. But I’m grateful to be a part of it.”

TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon elite field announced for 2024

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.

Canadian International Justin Kent To Race TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon

While the international field for the 2024 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon has rarely been stronger the number of elite Canadian entries continues to grow.

Justin Kent, who represented Canada at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, has now added his name to the medal contenders for this Canadian 

Championships which are run concurrently within this World Athletics Elite Label race.

Kent says he has prepared well and is looking to beat his personal best time of 2:13:07, recorded while finishing 10th in the 2023 Prague Marathon. That race led to his call-up for a place on Canada’s 2023 World Championships team with his long-time training partner, Ben Preisner (2:08:58 personal best).

“Budapest was definitely a memorable experience,” Kent remembers, “Having my team-mate Ben there, and we ran kind of side by side which was really cool. It was pretty special. You get to wear that Canadian singlet longer than in any other event.  It was awesome.

“It was hot so Ben and I had pretty strict orders to run conservatively the first half then swallow up as many bodies as we could in the second half. I still have this sensation of us - it felt like we just hopped into the race that last ten kilometres as we were going by guys that were just zombies because they were so depleted. We were like 80th at halfway and we ended up 27th (Preisner) and 29th.”

he will be in Toronto alongside his friend as he has offered pacemaking duties.

The pair will no doubt bring that commonsense approach to the race taking the weather conditions into account. During this buildup Kent has been encouraged by the fact both coach Richard Lee and Preisner have seen workouts that indicate Kent is more than capable of running around 2:10.

Only nine Canadians have gone under 2:11 and just four have beaten the 2:10 barrier.

“I don’t necessarily want to get ahead of myself. I have definitely learned the hard way of being too ambitious,” Kent says. But I know, definitely, I am the fittest I have ever been. It depends on the weather and the pacing.

“There is a pace group (going for) 2:10 I’d like to be maybe a little bit quicker the first half and see what I can do that would set me up well to run in the 2:10’s. That’s easier said than done.”

Kent will also be accompanied in Toronto by his wife of two years, 800m runner Lindsey Butterworth, who represented Canada at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, and their four-month-old daughter, Willa.

With a family to support Kent continues to do coaching work with Mile2Marathon which he views as a chance to connect to the running community. His main source of income, however, is working as a marketing specialist for a Vancouver-based startup company called Stoko, which manufactures supportive apparel used to overcome injuries.

“I am in the office four days a week. They are flexible with my hours to get my training in or sneak out early to get my training in,” he explains. “I have been with the company for just coming up to a year.”

Meanwhile Butterworth is on maternity leave from her job as a community health specialist for Fraser Health Authority. She is back running and will, in fact, compete in the Toronto Waterfront 5km.

As for his objectives with this year’s Toronto Waterfront Marathon, Kent recognizes that a national championship offers bonus World Athletics points used in the qualification for next year’s World Championships in Tokyo. The automatic qualifying standard in the men’s marathon has been lowered to 2:06:30

“Definitely I think with the new standard of 2:06:30  a lot of guys are going to be trying to get bonus points at races,” he concedes. “I think that is more my aim this whole build is to win a national championship. I think the (fast) time will come with that.

“I haven’t thought too much beyond October 20th. I know if I can run well it would give me a great opportunity to make the team next year. But the main goal is still to come away with a national title or at least contend for one.”

Canadian hip-hop artist runs 42.2 kilometres for 100 consecutive days

Inspired by ultrarunner Ryan Keeping, Toronto-based artist Dillan Ponders ran a marathon every day for 100 consecutive days to raise awareness for men's mental health.

Dillan Ponders, a 32-year-old independent hip-hop artist from Toronto, has completed an incredible challenge: running 42.2 kilometres—the marathon distance—every day for 100 consecutive days. Starting on June 17 and finishing on Sept. 24, Ponders covered a total of 4,358 kilometres, shining a spotlight on an often-overlooked issue—men’s mental health.

Ponders undertook this marathon mission both as a personal challenge and to raise awareness about the silent struggles many men face. “I used to be a drug addict; I was homeless. Now, I am three years sober,” Ponders shares. He says his journey from addiction to sobriety has been life-changing, with running playing a key role in his recovery. “Running saved my life. So many men are battling with mental health and trying to find their purpose.”

The idea for 100 marathons in 100 days was inspired by Nova Scotia’s Ryan Keeping, who ran across Canada earlier this year in support of the Heart and Stroke Foundation. Like Keeping, Ponders organized a meet-up on the final day of his challenge, where many Toronto runners joined him to celebrate his achievement.

The road to recovery

Ponders recalls the turning point when he gave up alcohol during his birthday weekend in 2021, at an all-inclusive resort in the Dominican Republic: “I was drinking a 26-er every day for over two years, and I’d had a problem with alcohol since graduating high school,” he admits. “I had stopped hard drugs, but still leaned heavily on alcohol. I was overweight, deeply depressed, drinking myself into a downward spiral, and even throwing up blood. I knew I needed to make a change.”

Running became his tool for overcoming addiction. Every time his mind craved alcohol, he laced up his shoes and went for a run instead. “Some days, I was running three or four times a day,” Ponders recalls. “It was tough, but it helped.”

After two months of consistent running, Ponders started noticing major changes in his health and well-being. “I began to see physical improvements. I was getting stronger, sleeping better, and had more energy,” he says. In six months, he lost 90 pounds. He ran his first marathon at the Toronto GoodLife Marathon in the spring of 2022, and hasn’t looked back.

The connection to music

Running hasn’t only transformed Ponders physically and mentally—it’s also had a profound impact on his music career. “I’ve gone through a lot of change over the past five years, and so has my music. I feel like I’m making the best music I’ve ever made,” he says. “I’m currently the highest-streamed independent hip-hop artist in Canada. Running has given me more clarity in the studio, and I now feel comfortable speaking about my traumas in my music.”

Balancing his rigorous running routine with his music career, Ponders has been consistently producing and releasing new songs. His music is available on all major streaming platforms, and he credits his music career with giving him the freedom to pursue his running goals.

Although his 100-marathon challenge has ended, a new goal awaits: in three weeks, Ponders will line up for the Toronto Waterfront Marathon, where he hopes to beat his previous marathon time of 3:30.

Toronto’s Andrew Alexander to Debut at TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon

Organizers of the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon are once again excited about the upcoming marathon debut of a young Canadian runner.

The lure of winning a Canadian championship title - the national marathon championships being run concurrently with this World Athletics Elite Label race - has brought 25-year-old Andrew Alexander to the fight.

“I want to be the first Canadian to cross the line,” says the Toronto native. “I want to be at least one one-thousandth of a second ahead of the second Canadian. If the (fast) time comes with that I will be happy. But for the first marathon it’s just get this out and, if it goes well, focus on time chasing after that.”

Considering this graduate of Notre Dame University won the 2023 Canadian indoor 1,500m and 3,000m titles and then claimed the national 10,000m gold in May of this year, racing the marathon is one giant leap. Still, he has a lot of support for this challenge.

Coached by former Canadian 1,500m record holder, Dave Reid, and current Canadian 3,000m steeplechase record holder, Matt Hughes, that potential was clearly demonstrated when he won the 2023 TCS Toronto Waterfront Half Marathon in 62:44. He has also run 10,000m on the track in 28:17.24, not world class, but encouraging for a marathon runner.

“Since I started working with them they said they thought my event would be the marathon as much as it’s painful to hear that,” he recalls with a laugh. “I thought there was no better time than now. I had completed the Olympics trials (1,500m) last summer and didn’t really have the result I was looking for. I haven’t done a marathon so let’s give this a go!

“Toronto is as great a place as any other to start my marathon journey just because it’s home and I am familiar with it, and I have tons of people support. I am looking forward to it.”

With both Reid and Hughes often accompanying him on their bikes he has increased his training volume to around 160km a week. Whereas his longest run a year ago might be roughly 28 kilometres during this buildup for Toronto Waterfront he has added some Sunday runs of 40-43 kilometres.

“The big challenge has been getting used to the fluids and nutrition intake kind of taking it in right,” he reveals. “After the first few workouts while practicing nutrition I threw up immediately after.

“I remember thinking to myself ‘Oh my God what have I signed up for? ’Practicing that over the last few weeks I have honed in on that and it’s going well.”

At the beginning of 2024 Reid and Hughes helped arrange a six-week altitude training camp in Flagstaff, Arizona for their athlete - his first experience at high altitude. Alexander stayed with the Under Armour Dark Sky Group and called it a ‘gut punch’ as the acclimation took some time. Still, he believes it helped lay a base for the upcoming season.

Alexander attended Neil McNeil High School in Scarborough, Ontario - an institution where the late comedian John Candy also studied - and while running for the school he earned a place on Canada’s team for the 2017 World Cross Country Championships in Kampala, Uganda.

After he had won the Ontario High School championships (OFSAA) for Neil McNeil he accepted a scholarship to Notre Dame University. Five years with the ‘Fighting Irish’ led to him coming home with a Bachelor’s degree in neuroscience and a Master’s in Business Management. For the moment he is focusing on his running career and has temporarily delayed a career that would utilize his education. Working part time in a specialty running store together with an online apparel store provides income.

Turning his attention once again to the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon he eventually concedes having thought of a time goal for his debut - a couple of minutes on either side of 2 hours 10 minutes would be sufficient he says. But being a Canadian champion is the primary motivator.

“The national championship side of it definitely excites me,” he explains. “I have heard there is more depth on the Canadian side this year which I am super excited about. I just love the competition and competing against our Canadian guys.

Ethiopian Marathon Star Commits to TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon

Abdi Fufa will compete in the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon October 20th joining a large contingent of fellow Ethiopians on the trans Atlantic flight. Once again this is a World Athletics Elite Label race.

The 28 year-old has a personal best of 2:05:57 from the 2021 Sienna Marathon a time that will catch the attention of his competitors and perhaps cast him as a race favourite amongst the field.

More recently he finished 4th in the 2024 Dubai Marathon with a solid clocking of 2:06:23. It is no surprise, then, that Abdi aims to be on the Toronto Waterfront Marathon podium.

"My expectation in the Toronto Waterfront Marathon is to see myself on the podium,” he declares. “My (long term) goal is running well to support my family.”

Although he is married Abdi and his wife do not yet have children. In a country where the per capita annual income is a little over $1,000 the lure of Toronto Waterfront Marathon prize money - $20,000 to the winner - is immense.

The latest result in Dubai was a welcome sign that his injuries are behind him. Indeed, he didn’t compete at all in 2023.

“I had a calf injury which took me a long time to recover from,” he reveals. “But then I had continuous massage therapy and now I feel better.”

Abdi like many others grew up on a farm with his five brothers and four sisters. An elder brother enjoyed some success as a distance runner and the young Abdi took notice.

“My elder brother Imane Fufa was a good 10,000m runner and he is the one who inspired me,” he explains. “I saw him running during my childhood and so I started to run.”

After coming to the attention of the Ethiopian Athletics Federation he was selected to represent his country at the 2019 World Cross Country Championships in Aarhus, Denmark where he finished 15th. As the third Ethiopian finisher he helped Ethiopia to the team bronze medal.

These days he lives in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s capital, and for the past three years has been one of about thirty elite marathon runners training under legendary coach Gemedu Dedefo whose most notable charges are Tigest Assefa and Tamirat Tola.

Tigest smashed the women’s world record with a stunning 2:11:53 a year ago - before taking the Olympic silver medal in Paris - while Tamirat Tola, a last minute addition to the Ethiopian Olympic team, won the gold medal in the Paris Olympics.

It is Tamirat whose influence has proven most impactful upon Abdi. Striking Olympic gold in Paris and before that the 2022 world championship gold as he did in Eugene, Oregon led to grand celebrations amongst the group. The athletes speak of the respect and camaraderie amongst themselves.

Abdi Fufa says Tamirat’s success and the closeness “that we have in the team makes us have a team sprit. We saw Tamirat Tola’s achievement is because of his hard work and patience.”

The group will meet three times a week but each athlete follows a seven days a week program. The commitment is a constant element in Ethiopia’s success

Abdi hopes to follow in the success of Tamirat Tola and continue to improve. Perhaps one day he can achieve success at the Olympics and World Championships and add to coach Gemedu’s list of exceptional athletes. The TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon is the next step in that journey.

Canadian Champion Thomas Broatch Returns to TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon

Thomas Broatch will line up in defence of his Canadian marathon title October 20th as the 2024 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon once again hosts the national championships.

A year ago the Vancouver native surprised many with his victory - which also saw him finish 6th place overall in this World Athletics Elite Label race.

Most impressive was that this was his marathon debut. Three months later he took five minutes off his Toronto time running 2:11:54 for 7th place in the Houston Marathon. Lessons learned in Toronto, he believes, helped in Houston.

“In Toronto I felt pretty good in the last 10km, in terms of breathing and energy, but my legs were completely destroyed,” the 25-year-old remembers, “and I wasn’t able to really push the last 10km. So I made some adjustments in training for Houston.

“For Toronto I did pretty much all of my long runs on gravel or soft surfaces. For Houston I did all those on concrete which I think really helped. My legs felt great in the last 10km and, even though I was hurting, I was able to push. That’s something I have taken forward to make sure the legs are ready for 42km of pounding.”

The Canadian championship gold medal was accompanied by $8,000 in prize money - he also collected $2,000 for his 6th place overall finish - giving him what he calls “a generous prize pool for Canadians.”

Besides his ‘new preference’ for running on concrete he has increased his weekly training volume from 180km to 200km under the guidance of coach Chris Johnson at the Vancouver Thunderbirds Track and Field Club.

Until two years ago Broatch was still focusing on track racing (5,000m and 10,000m) while the marathon was simply a distance to be contemplated for the future. Now with a couple of positive experiences he realizes it is logically his best event.

“Yes definitely,” he declares. “I think I will still do other distances to help with the marathon. But I think, especially because the first one went quite well and then I was able to improve even more, I definitely see myself focusing on the marathon.”

That hasn’t stopped him from dropping down on occasion. In April he finished second in the Vancouver Sun Run 10k with a personal best of 28:58. He explains that this was right at the end of an exhausting buildup for the Copenhagen Marathon, which flew under the radar and even escaped the keen eyes of the World Athletics statisticians.

“The Sun Run was a really good race. It actually wasn’t the big focus of the Spring,” he says almost apologetically. “I actually ran the Copenhagen marathon two weeks after Sun Run so this was more of a prep race for that marathon.

“I think that showed me that the marathon training doesn’t really hurt my speed but gives me that extra strength which helps my 10k. That was by far my fastest 10k and the course is not even that fast.”

The Copenhagen Marathon didn’t go as well as he had hoped so he’s not concerned few knew about it. After running Houston and coming away with a strong personal best he wondered if an even faster time was in the cards. Confidently, he went out harder than his body could handle.

“I went out in 2:10 pace (65 minutes at halfway) for the first 27km then pretty much collapsed the last third of the race,” he reveals. “It was a pretty spectacular blow up.”

Basically, he jogged home just to finish.

Among the things he realized is that his marathon training helped his 10k form but the racing effort at the Sun Run might have taken too much out of him coming that close to the Copenhagen race. Another lesson learned.

Broatch works as a software engineer for a renewable energy company called ‘Clear’ writing software for wind farm owners. In his free time he has been enjoying playing golf with family and friends as well as online chess. He admits to being a fan of ‘The Three Body Problem’ trilogy of books.

It is hard to believe that Broatch is still 25 and has many years ahead of him. As he looks toward Toronto Waterfront he seems wiser and confident in the approach he is taking.

“Training has been pretty good,” he reports. “I have been able to run consistently 190 to 200km a week for the last three months now. No injuries, no illness. Definitely, pretty tired. But I think that has been a feature of all my marathon builds.

"I know the Toronto Waterfront course is pretty quick, the organization is great, and they give us a good chance to run a fast tine. So, I definitely would like to improve my Houston time. I think going under 2:11 and getting in that 2:10 club would be pretty good result. I would be quite happy with that.”

Winning national championships also offers tremendous bonus World Athletics points which are used for qualification for the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo. He has never represented his country. An international call-up is, he says, something that “is in the back of my mind!”

New Brunswick joggler narrowly misses half-marathon Guinness World Record

If you’ve ever had the urge to run long distances while juggling three balls, you’ll probably get along with Moncton, N.B.’s Jean-Marc Doiron. On Sunday, the 36-year-old joggler just raced the Rimouski Half-Marathon in Rimouski, Que., chasing the Guinness World Record of 1:17:09 for the fastest half-marathon while juggling. Doiron finished seventh overall in 1:17:49, just missing the record by a mere 40 seconds

For the time to be eligible for the joggling half-marathon record, the athlete can only make forward progress while juggling the three balls. If a ball drops or the athlete needs to grab food or water, they must stop moving forward while the clock continues running. Doiron revealed that he dropped a ball three times throughout his run, which delayed him by 15 seconds.

The current Guinness World Record for the joggling a half-marathon is held (along with numerous other jogging-related records) by fellow east-coaster Michael Bergeron of Halifax. Canadian runners hold four of the top five joggling half marathon times in history.“I felt kinda off with my rhythm the whole way. I had a hard time just zoning out and letting time pass. Headwind on the way back eventually broke me,” Doiron wrote on Instagram. Despite falling short of his goal, he remains optimistic and motivated, expressing his confidence that he will be able to grow from the experience. He said he was much more devastated when he missed the marathon-joggling world record by two minutes in the spring.

The Guinness World Record for the fastest joggling marathon of 2:50:12 is also held by a Canadian–Michal Kapral of Toronto.Doiron advocates for runners to stay motivated and to challenge themselves to achieve even small wins. Doiron has more than 100,000 followers on Instagram, where he posts inspirational and informative videos for the running world. He also posts regular updates on his own training and progress as he chases these world records.

The Moncton multitasker says he will attempt the marathon-joggling world record again next month at the 2024 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon on Oct. 20.

Need late fall race plans? Here are three reasons to try a smaller road race

Did you miss out on registering for a big city marathon this fall? Don’t worry, your race (or training) season doesn’t have to end here. In fact, smaller road races might offer the perfect alternative, delivering the distance you crave and some surprising perks that big city races can’t match. Here are three reasons to give a smaller road race a shot.

It’s likely not sold out

With running’s surge in popularity in the post-pandemic era, fall races in Canada have filled up at record speeds. Major events like the Beneva Montreal Marathon, Quebec City Marathon and TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon sold out months ago for their half marathon and marathon distances. Earlier this year, the 2024 Ottawa International Marathon, BMO Vancouver Marathon and Servus Edmonton Marathon all saw huge turnouts and reached record numbers.

Smaller races are often more accessible, with spots available even as race day approaches. So, if you’re eager to race, there’s still a good chance of you being able to snag a bib.

A less stressful race environment

Big city marathons are exhilarating, and one of a kind with the large finishing gantry, but they also come with the stress of figuring out travel logistics, expensive entry fees, large crowds and finding your corral. Smaller races are typically easier to navigate. You’ll have less traffic getting to the start line, more space to run at your own pace, and a greater chance of executing your race goals. Plus, with fewer competitors, there’s even the potential for an age-group podium finish (who knows)! Smaller events can also be more budget-friendly and easier to plan around, giving you a relaxed, enjoyable experience.

A stronger community feel

One of the best parts about smaller races is the intimate, close-knit atmosphere. Without the overwhelming crowds, you’re more likely to connect with fellow runners, volunteers and spectators. These local events often celebrate community spirit, with locals cheering you on from their front yards, and sometimes even small bands playing along the course at kilometre markers. Smaller races give the chance to truly experience the culture and feel part of the community, making those race day memories even more special.

So, if your big city marathon dreams were dashed this fall, consider the charm and community of a smaller road race—you may find it’s exactly the experience you were looking for.

Elvis Cheboi Aiming to Win TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon for Second Time

Much was expected of Kenya’s Elvis Cheboi when he arrived in Toronto last year for the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon. He did not disappoint.

Crossing the finish line first to claim the $20,000 winner’s prize he beat several international athletes who  have run two to three minutes faster than his winning time of 2:09:20.

By today’s standards his personal best is not a quick time. But a victory at this World Athletics Elite Label Race against a terrific field - and by over a minute - has 

increased his prowess in the sport. Now he returns to Toronto hoping for favourable conditions and a world-class field where he can also run a time more representative of his ability.

Indeed, he ran a personal best of 59:15 at the 2022 Barcelona Half Marathon indicating he might be capable of a time closer to the Toronto Waterfront course record of 2:05:00 held by his countryman, Philemon Rono (2019).

Winning Toronto was a milestone in his career nonetheless.

"That (Toronto) race made me a great memory because I had never won a marathon or any race abroad,” he says from his living room in Kenya. “So it was memorable. That was my second marathon race and I won it.”

As he speaks, his two children - daughter Shaline, 6, and son Shalom, 2 - are watching a television program and he instructs them to lower the volume. Then he smiles.

“Tomorrow the small boy is two years old,” he reveals laughing. “There is a cake here. He is still young so doesn’t know it’s a birthday but I will sing ‘Happy Birthday’to him.”

Family is of the utmost importance and running, in order to earn money is a priority. Yet, Cheboi has not raced since Toronto.

He and his management team at Demadonna Athletics Promotion had him lined up to race in the Vienna Marathon this past April.  But he had slight issues with both his hamstrings which interrupted his buildup. So the decision was made by him and his coach, Gabriele Nicola, to put all their energies into having him fully prepared for a Toronto Waterfront Marathon title defence.

For many years now Cheboi has lived in Mororia which is about three kilometres from the famed ‘running town’ of Iten. A local hotel serves as the Demadonna team camp and houses several of the twelve strong marathon training group during the week. They go home on weekends.  But, since Cheboi has a young family, it was felt

it was better for him to drive in for the training sessions and for massage therapy three times a week.

Several of his training partners have run much faster than Cheboi’s best - led by Philemon Kiplimo (2:04:56) - so he is benefiting from being in such a talented group.

Like most Kenyan runners he sees his running profession as a means for a brighter future for himself and his young family. He maintains a farm where he grows maize which is used to make the Kenyan staple, ugali. He also plants wheat and potatoes while keeping goats, sheep and cattle. It’s an exhausting lifestyle and so he has enlisted help from family members.

“Yes I have help with my farm. My relatives help; my brother and also my parents,” he reveals adding he doesn’t expect to rely on farming after he retires from competition.

"God willing, I will not depend on the farm only. I think I will also find another way. 

Somehow I will do another thing.”

Several times during the video call from Canada he thanks the caller for taking interest and expresses his gratitude for being invited back to Toronto Waterfront Marathon.

“I’m looking forward to coming back to Toronto very much. Yes,” he declares. 

“Firstly, I want to thank the organizers for inviting me back. I think I will try to win for the second time but I can’t promise.

“The good weather on the day will determine if I can run my best time.”

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.

Tristan Woodfine Chasing Canadian Title at TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon

The past two years have been mostly good to Tristan Woodfine as he has recorded personal bests over several distances most significantly with his 2:10:39 finish at the 2024 Houston Marathon in January.

That makes him the sixth fastest Canadian marathoner of all time.

This uplift in fortune coincides with his seeking coaching advice from none other than two-time Canadian Olympic marathoner Reid Coolsaet.

Now the 31-year-old Woodfine has confirmed he will race the 2024 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon, October 20th, with the objective of running both a fast time and earning the Canadian Marathon Championship title. The event doubles as a World Athletics Elite Label race as well as the Athletics Canada National Marathon Championships.

“It’s local, close, the support is good,“ he says of his choice for an autumn marathon. “The Canada Running Series (team) always does a great job. I have run the course before.

“Getting under 2:10 would be nice, finally. We will see how the rest of the build goes. Ten weeks is still a long timeand things can change for better or worse - hopefully for better - and by the time Toronto comes around I’d definitely love to get a PB and make another step forward there.”

Woodfine, who is currently living just outside of Eganville, Ontario with his wife Madeline, ran the Toronto Waterfront Marathon once before. That was in 2019 when he finished 13th in a time of 2:13:16. But he has twice won the Toronto Waterfront Half Marathon (2022 and 2017) - run concurrently with the full marathon - and has also had success at the Toronto Waterfront 10K. That race includes a long section of the marathon course too.

Credit for his upward trajectory goes to Coolsaet.

“Reid has had so much experience in the sport,” Woodfine says of his coach. “He has got a lot of valuable insights on the training front and beyond. He has done a lot of racesand he knows the deal with which races might work well for your goals, that kind of thing.

“He has got so much experience on any aspect of training, racing, nutrition, injuries, he has seen so much he can really help out.”

One of the differences in Woodfine’s program since his association with Coolsaet comes as a surprise but might well be a valuable lesson for all runners.

“Some of the workouts in the base training period are almost a bit easier than what I was doing (before),” he explains. “I think maybe before I was pushing a bit too hard too early in the training base. So backing off a little bit when coming into the marathon block was probably one of the bigger things.”

Like most runners he has had his share of hiccups, most notably a nagging case of plantar fasciitis that saw him drop out of the Boston Marathon back in April. He blames a mechanical deficiency in his running form. But that is behind him now and as he enters his marathon specific buildup phase he is full of optimism.

Recently he raced the Falmouth Road Race in Massachusetts finishing 11th in 33:33 over the 7-mile course. A successful result at the shorter distance has added to his confidence.

“The last few weeks leading into Falmouth I did get my longer mileage in,” he reveals. “I got a 37km long run in there just to get things ready. The week before Falmouth was 220km. In this (Toronto) buildup block I would like to get up to a maximum of 250 or 260km.”

Besides a personal best, Woodfine is fully aware that a national championship offers the chance for maximum World Athletics points that would count heavily in 2025 World Championships qualifying. Those Championships are set for Tokyo.

“I talked to Reid about trying to qualify for Tokyo,” he admits. “I have had a few sit-downs (with him). I’d get a fair amount of points with another good performance with a strong time. A solid finish in Toronto would put me in a good position.”

Unlike many elite runners Woodfine doesn’t have a shoe sponsor. After completing his paramedic studies at the Ontario Health and Technology College he has put on hold a career in that field to focus on his running. To make ends meet he has been doing some online coaching, a sideline that continues to grow.

“I definitely love helping other runners achieve their goals,” he adds. “I also do some remote work for a pharmacy in the area. It’s best described as inventory and purchasing. It’s very flexible and works great with running.”

Like many elite runners the Olympic Games has been a target for Woodfine. In 2020 he beat the Tokyo Olympics qualifying standard running 2:10:51 at the London Marathon and thought he’d achieved his dream of being an Olympian. But when Cam Levins ran 2:10:14 in Austria six months later it was Levins who was chosen for the team and not Woodfine. This, despite the fact Woodfine had beaten Levins in London by well over a minute.

Despite falling short of the Paris Olympic standard with his Houston Marathon personal best he still harbours an Olympic dream.

“Yes it is still a goal. I try not to put as much emphasis on the Olympics being an ‘all or nothing’, a defining factor of success for my career,” he declares. “I think that can kind of end up making you miserable. Whether you are going to the Olympics or not. For sure, it’s a goal.

“I am in this for another Olympic cycle and hopefully I can be on the start line in LA - the third time is a charm. But I am really focused on each year and trying to enjoy each race for what it is.”

The TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon is an obvious step forward in his career path.

Is Mulugeta Uma the Next Great Ethiopian Marathoner

Ethiopia has been blessed with exceptional marathon talent beginning with 1960 Olympic champion Abebe Bikila and continuing on to the present. There are always prospects waiting to emerge. Among the most exciting newcomers is Mulugeta Uma.

Canadian marathon fans will have the chance to witness his prowess when he lines up for the 2024 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon, October 20th, as one of the favourites in this World Athletics Elite Label Race.

Earlier this year the 26-year-old won the Paris Marathon with a new personal best of 2:05:33 but nearly didn’t make it to start line. Like most runners he suffered nerves in the days leading up to his excellent performance likely due to travel but also due to his new professional circumstances.

“I was stressed,” he admits. “It was my first race under Moyo Sports Management and my new sponsor Asics. Thus I had had to run carefully.

“I was drinking plenty of water, I was determined to finish. When I reached 25 km I felt better and I was thinking of making the podium. After 35 km I was confident I would win the race. I won the race with a new personal best. Jesus, my Lord, helped me for glory.”

Few people knew that on the evening before the race he and his management huddled together to decide whether he should even start the race due to his upset stomach. They were glad he persevered. The victory earned him $55,000 USD.

Although he is now a world-class marathoner, Mulugeta began his athletics career as a 1,500m runner earning silver medals for his country in both the 2014 Youth Olympics in Nanjing, China and in the 2015 World Youth Championships in Cali, Colombia. But injuries from training in spiked shoes halted his progress.

Over the following five years the problems with his achillestendon persisted, hence the decision to take up road racing.

Last year he finished 7th in the Seville Marathon finishing in a time of 2:06:07. He followed that up with a second-place finish in Frankfurt last October 29th. His time on that occasion was 2:06:47. Together with his Paris victory that makes an impressive triple over a fourteen-month period. It is safe to say most marathoners would be happy with even one of those results.

Mulugeta grew up on a farm in Wolisa about 100 kilometres southwest of Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa before joining a club in the city. Asked what he would be doing if not for his running career he is quite emphatic.

“I’d be a farmer, because I am the only son in the family,” he explains. “My parents do farming for a living.”

Mulugeta and his wife have no children. Between training sessions he says he enjoys time with his wife and friends and also listening to spiritual songs. He believes he has a good future in marathon running.

“As with any world-class athlete I want to run a fast time and win big competitions like the World Championships and Olympics,” he declares.

For now, his training and his mental focus is set on performing well at the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon. This will mark his first time in North America. Ten weeks before the journey he admits he has not studied the Toronto race in detail though he is confident of another great performance.

“I don’t know anything (about it). I only know that the course record is 2:05,” he offers. “With God’s help I want to break the course record and win the race.

Ethiopia’s Roza Dereje To Race 2024 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon

Roza Dereje has raced just once in the last three years yet her commitment to the 2024 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon is a massive coup for this World Athletics Elite Label Race.

Twice she has dipped under the 2:20 barrier and can point to a personal best marathon time of 2:18:30 set when she won the 2019 Valencia Marathon.

Moreover, she represented Ethiopia in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic marathon - held in Sapporo, Japan in 2021. Under hot humid conditions she narrowly missed the podium finishing 4th that day. Then there is her incredible record at World Marathon Majors: a second place finish at the 2018 Chicago Marathon (2:21:18) and, six months later, a third place in the 2019 London Marathon (2:20:51).

Her one outing was a credible 6th place finish at the Antrim Coast Half Marathon in Northern Ireland (August 25th, 2024) - a tuneup for her first visit to Canada.

Never before has the Toronto Waterfront Marathon enjoyed the addition of an athlete sporting such credentials.

There is a good explanation for her hiatus from the sport ever since those Tokyo Olympics. A little over a year ago she gave birth to her first child, a son named Yobsan.

“Life has changed a lot,” the 27 year old admits. “Being a mom is a great thing to be in this world and life is so good after it.”

Roza’s husband is Dereje Ali, a former world class marathon runner, who finished second in the 2011 Ottawa Marathon. The couple and their infant live in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa and have reversed traditional roles in their household. Indeed, Roza credits her husband’s sacrifice for her ability to compete at the highest level and to make her comeback at this year’s TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon.

“He stopped running just to support me,” she explains. “We talked about it and he stopped to take care of the children and household and allow me the time to rest and recover in between training sessions and to prepare food etc. to help me to be a champion.”

Those training sessions involve meeting up with her elite training group under renowned coach Haji Adilo three times a week. She trains alone on other days. The meetups can be in a variety of different locations depending upon Haji’s objective for the session.

“Akaki, Sendafa, Entoto, they are great training places too,” Roza continues. “I drive with my husband Dereje to all of the sessions. We are very fortunate to have a good car and can travel freely to the sessions and not have to wait on public transportation.”

Normally, training sessions begin at sunrise before there is heavy traffic on the roads at these locations. During the rainy season (June to September) it is sometimes necessary to change locations since the majority of roads are unpaved and can become slippery underfoot.

Besides the sacrifices made by Dereje her greatest influence has been Haji her longtime coach whose career as a marathon runner was cut short due to health complications. He went into coaching with a personal best of 2:12:25 from 1999.

“Haji's great support has taken me this far, his hard work and commitment to the sport is what brings me to where I am now,” she declares. “I started my career with him and I am who I am today because of him and my other coaches in the team.”

Choosing Toronto for her come back made sense as many of Haji’s athletes have competed here.

"I used to watch other athletes running there (on YouTube livestream) so I am excited to come and run,” she adds. “Last year one of my training partners (Amid Fozya Jemal) was part of an exciting race right to the finish so I am hoping to come and make an exciting race too.”

The Toronto Waterfront course record of 2:22:16 was set in 2019 by Kenya’s Magdalyne Masai. It’s a time that Roza had beaten four times prior to her Olympic marathon race in 2021. However, talk of record breaking in Toronto, at least this far out, is not discussed though she might be very capable of achieving this standard.

“Even though it is my first time to race since I gave birth, running is not new to me,” she declares. “So I am not nervous about it. I am preparing well for the race to make my come back fruitful.

“I am training well targeting this race and I have more time to prepare myself too.”

Asked for a specific goal her answer is concise: “Winning, with the will of God!”

WAGANESH MEKASHA RETURNS TO TCS TORONTO WATERFRONT MARATHON

Ethiopian marathon star Waganesh Mekasha has unfinished business at the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon and returns with the intent of achieving victory in this World Athletics Elite Label Race, October 20th.

A year ago she went toe to toe with her compatriot Buze Diriba finishing one second behind Buze’s winning time of 2:23:11. Second place on that occasion was bittersweet.

“Yes it is frustrating to lose by a second,” she admits. “I prepared well and wanted to take the course record. Unfortunately it did not happen. I thought if we had a strong pacemaker I would win that race because at 35km I was so comfortable.

“I had to go all out and sprint to make the podium. If the girls helped me I wanted to push from 35 km after the pacer dropped out.”

Waganesh has known Buze since they were both members of the Ethiopian junior team competing at the 2011 World Cross Country Championships in Punta Umbria, Spain. On that occasion Waganesh finished 4th overall to help her country win the gold medal while Buze was 10th.

“We are not friends and we do not train together; but we see each other in different training locations,” Waganeshsays of their relationship.

Aside from missing out on the $20,000 first place prize money - she collected $10,000 for second - Waganesh’srecollections of her initial visit to Toronto are all positive. 

"Toronto is such a beautiful city,” she declares. “The crowds are amazing and we had a beautiful racing experience.

“The race was fantastic but the pacers did not do as we needed. After 35k I wanted to push but the (other two) ladies did not help. That’s why we three had to finish in a sprint.”

The third-place finisher on the day was another Ethiopian, Afera Godfay, who finished in 2:23:15. The four seconds separating the top 3 was an anomaly in marathon racing and made for a dramatic finish although, clearly, Waganesh has another perspective.

Waganesh was able to explore downtown Toronto on her first visit albeit while keeping close to her hotel so as not to expend unnecessary energy.  A shopping excursion to a nearby mall was one outing she prioritized - to buy clothes for her children.

“I did go shopping to buy clothes for my children. And I did see my friends (Canadian residents),” she confirms.

Like most Ethiopian runners she runs to help support her family which is comprised of her two young children, Benjamin, 7, and Amen, 4 and her husband, Anwar Arega.

“I want to give them a better opportunity,” Waganeshexplains. “But I do not encourage them to be a runner. I want them to do what they enjoy.

“My husband is always on my side. He drives me to training, cooks me food and, if necessary, he acts as my physio. Generally he is always there to help me push beyond my limit.”

Along with her training partners and, under the guidance of legendary Ethiopian coach Getamesay Molla, she has already begun her buildup for Toronto Waterfront. Her personal best marathon remains the 2:22:45 she ran at the 2019 Dubai Marathon. Could this be the year she surpasses it?

Experience counts immensely in marathon racing and at the age of 32 she has plenty. On her first visit to Canada she was the 2023 Ottawa Marathon champion. More recently, on February 25th of this year, she won the Osaka Marathon in 2:24:20. 

Like many athletes who have raced Toronto Waterfront she continues to eye the course record of 2:22:16 set by Kenya’s Magdalyne Masai in 2019.

“I know the course now and want to come back stronger,” she declares. “If things go as I wish and, if we have a strong pacemaker, I will do my best to break the course record and run fast and win the race. I do believe i will run faster than that (record).”

Asked about her running future she is clear: “Age is a number, I do believe I will have another ten years ahead.”

Jepkesho favorite to clinch Sunday's Gold Coast Marathon title

Seoul Marathon's second runner-up Visiline Jepkesho will start as the favorite in the elite women’s race on Sunday during the Gold Coast Marathon on the Eastern Coast of Australia.

Jepkesho is competing in her second marathon this year after finishing third in South Korea with a time of 2:22:52 on March 17.

The 34-year-old also boasts victories from the 2018 Rotterdam Marathon, where she clocked 2:23:47 and the 2016 Paris Marathon (2:25:53).

She also placed third in the 2015 edition of the Paris Marathon clocking 2:24:44 and placed second at the 2017 Istanbul Marathon (2:22:40).

Other top performances include the 2019 Nagoya women’s Marathon (2:22:58) and the 2017 Lille Half Marathon (1:08:12).

The seasoned long-distance runner will face stiff competition from Japan’s Rie Kawauchi and Misato Horie.

Kawauchi boasts titles from the Nagano Marathon (2:33:16) and last year’s Tokushima Marathon (2:33:50).

Horie is the 2016 Gold Coast champion, where she claimed the title in a time of 2:26:40. She also holds a title from the 2022 Osaka Marathon (2:32:10).

Jepkesho will be joined by compatriot Irene Jerobon, the Castellon Marathon runner-up (2:30:51).

She is also the Alpes-Maritimes Nice-Cannes Marathon champion with a time of 2:41:18. Milly Clark, the 2021 Melbourne Marathon champion, will be seeking to make a mark for the host nation.

Clark’s achievements include winning the 2021 Launceston Half Marathon (1:11:09) and securing silver at the 2019 Oceania Marathon (2:28:08) and 2017 Gold Coast Half Marathon (1:11:15).

The men’s field will be spearheaded by 2015 Praha Marathon Champion Felix Kandie.

Organizers termed the men’s race as the strongest in the event’s history with 12 athletes having run sub 2:10 times.

“ Twelve male athletes have sub 2:10 performances. This will be the strongest field to ever jump to the starting gun in the 44-year history of the ASICS Gold Coast Marathon,” the statement from the organizers read.

Kandie is a silver medalist in the 2017 Seoul Marathon (2:06:03) as well as the 2016 edition of the Praha Marathon (2:08:14).

He is a bronze medalist at the 2015 Valencia Marathon (2:07:07) and the 2018 Toronto Waterfront Marathon (2:08:30).

Kandie will be joined by fellow Kenyans Timothy Kattam, the 2023 Milano Marathon silver medalist (2:07:53), Geoffrey Birgen and Kenneth Omulo.

Japan’s Yuki Kawauchi, the 2016 Gold Coast runner-up (2:09:01), will provide formidable competition along with Uganda’s Kibet Soyekwo, the 2013 Dronten Half Marathon champion (1:03:45) and Ethiopia’s Belay Tilahun.

Mississauga runner Sergio Raez wins BMO Vancouver Marathon

For the first time since 2022, a Canadian runner has won the BMO Vancouver Marathon. After finishing third last year, Sergio Raez Villanueva of Mississauga, Ont., broke the tape in Vancouver on Sunday with a time of 2:22:45, marking the fastest time ever by a Canadian on the course.

It was a weekend to remember for Raez Villanueva, who chalked up his first career marathon win, which happened to be the morning after he saved another elite marathoner from choking.

Raez Villanueva told Canadian Running he had to perform the Heimlich maneuver. “He was choking on some food, and it helped,” says Raez Villanueva. “The experience left me very shaky afterward, but I guess that extra adrenaline translated well for the marathon.”

Raez Villanueva ran with McMaster University during his collegiate career and made the move up to the marathon in 2022, with a 10th place finish at the 2022 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon in 2:18:04, which still stands as his personal best. Raez Villanueva returned to Toronto this past year, finishing as the third Canadian in 2:20:48.

Finishing behind Raez Villanueva for second on Sunday was Chris Balestrini of London, Ont., in 2:23:53. Matthew Neumann of Canmore, Alta., rounded out the podium with a time of 2:24:46.

The women’s race saw two international athletes cross the finish line in first and second. Argentina Valdepeñas of Guadalupe, Mexico, won the women’s marathon by nearly a minute over Kate Landau of Tacoma, Wash., in 2:39:38. Landau crossed the finish line exactly 56 seconds later for a time of 2:40:35. Vancouver’s own Emily Andrews rounded out the top three with a time of 2:45:02.

More than 23,000 participants gathered for the annual event starting in Vancouver’s Queen Elizabeth Park and finishing in the downtown Coal Harbour neighbourhood. Participants for this year’s race ranged from seasoned athletes to first-time marathoners, and collectively raised more than $360,000 for charity via the RUN4HOPE program.

Big changes ahead for TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon weekend

The Toronto TCS Waterfront Marathon will now be a full-fledged race weekend, with the 5K event moving to Saturday.

October’s TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon can now call itself a race weekend. On April 16, Canada Running Series announced it has been granted a permit from the City of Toronto to host the annual Waterfront 5K race on Saturday, rather than on marathon Sunday.

The 5K event will still be run in conjunction with Sunday’s marathon and half-marathon, but will now be held on Saturday morning, bringing a true event weekend vibe to Toronto this fall as the race celebrates its 35th anniversary.

In the past, the 5K event has followed a point-to-point course, starting at Ontario Place on Toronto’s Lakeshore Blvd. and finishing in front of Toronto City Hall in Nathan Phillips Square. According to race director Alan Brookes, the 2024 5K route has not yet been finalized, but will likely be a looped course starting and ending at Nathan Phillips Square.

Registration for the Toronto race weekend 5K opened on Tuesday and will have a cap of 8,000 participants. Runners can also enter multiple events, combining Saturday’s 5K with Sunday’s marathon or half-marathon. Those already registered for the marathon or half-marathon will receive an email with a $10 discount code if they choose to register for the 5K.

“We are thrilled with this development and believe it will take the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon to the next level,” said Charlotte Brookes, national event director for Canada Running Series. “It signals the next era of running in Toronto, with a complete weekend of races, as seen at other world marathons in New York City, Boston, London and Chicago, and here in Canada in Montreal, Ottawa, Halifax and Regina.”

Registration for the Toronto race weekend 5K opened on Tuesday and will have a cap of 8,000 participants. Runners can also enter multiple events, combining Saturday’s 5K with Sunday’s marathon or half-marathon. Those already registered for the marathon or half-marathon will receive an email with a $10 discount code if they choose to register for the 5K.

“We are thrilled with this development and believe it will take the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon to the next level,” said Charlotte Brookes, national event director for Canada Running Series. “It signals the next era of running in Toronto, with a complete weekend of races, as seen at other world marathons in New York City, Boston, London and Chicago, and here in Canada in Montreal, Ottawa, Halifax and Regina.”

This year’s Toronto Waterfront Marathon and Half-Marathon will take place on Sunday, Oct. 20, with the 5K on Saturday, Oct. 19. For more information and to register for Toronto race weekend, visit www.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com.

Canadian marathoner Trevor Hofbauer to miss Paris Olympics due to injury

2020 Canadian Olympic marathoner Trevor Hofbauer will not be aiming for the final spot on the Canadian men’s marathon team. The 32-year-old revealed in a social media post that he will not be taking one more shot to make the 2024 Olympic Team, after injuring his Achilles tendon in training.

“After a disappointing outcome in Valencia, I was left looking at the stars for answers,” Hofbauer said on Instagram. “I was so upset that a great opportunity slipped through my fingers, and it was a hard pill to swallow, but I’ve been using it as motivation this winter to work towards one more shot at making the 2024 Olympic Team.

“Again, I’m looking up to the stars for answers after injuring my Achilles a couple of weeks ago. I will not be racing this spring, and for the first time in a long time, I will cheer on Team Canada from the couch. Luck plays a big role in making teams, and I feel like luck did not go my way this time. Also, thank you @saucony for being in my corner through this time.”

Hofbauer, a three-time Canadian marathon champion, represented Team Canada in the event at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where he placed 47th, in 2:19:57. He is only one of four Canadian men to run under the 2:10 mark for the marathon, and his personal best of 2:09:51 from the 2019 Toronto Waterfront Marathon stands as the sixth-fastest time in Canadian history.

The Burnaby, B.C., native gave qualifying for Paris a shot but came up well short of the men’s Olympic standard of 2:08:10 at the 2023 Valencia Marathon, finishing 175th overall, in 2:22:55—the slowest time of his career.

With the Olympic marathon window closing in less than 60 days, there are only two Canadian marathoners currently qualified for Paris (Cam Levins and Rory Linkletter). Ben Preisner, who also represented Canada in the marathon in 2021, is on the outside looking in—ranked 87th of 80 allotted spots. Preisner will likely need to run another marathon and hit the standard to move up in the rankings and punch his ticket to Paris.

Two other marathoners on the outside looking in are 2023 Canadian marathon champion Thomas Broatch and 2:10 marathoner Tristian Woodfine. Woodfine will be competing at the 2024 Boston Marathon, while Broatch eyes a late spring race after running 2:11 two months ago in Houston.

Masai, Gebru to battle it out at Sevilla Marathon on Sunday

Vienna Marathon champion Magdalene Masai will battle Azmera Gebru at the Sevilla Marathon on Sunday even as the organizers promise to honor Kelvin Kiptum.

The organizers will observe a 42-second silence in respect to Kiptum, the world marathon record holder who died on Sunday in a road accident alongside his coach, Rwandese Gervais Hakizimana.

“Before the start of the marathon on Sunday, we will pay tribute to Kelvin Kiptum, the world record holder, and his coach, who died in a traffic accident. We will observe 42 seconds of silence, as many as kilometers of the race, in his memory,” the organizers said in a statement.

Masai won the Vienna Marathon in April last year in 2:24:12.

She also won the 2019 Toronto Waterfront Marathon in Canada (2:22:16) and was second at the Hasper Marathon in Hamburg, Germany, in 2:26:02.

The 31-year-old is also a 2015 World Challenge gold medallist in 3,000m steeplechase from Dakar, Senegal, where she clocked 9:31.55.

Joining her will be 2018 Paris Half Marathon champion Antonina Kwambai. She clinched the Paris title in 1:08:07.

Gebru, from Ethiopia, won silver during the 2011 World U-20 Cross Country Championships in Punta Umbria, Spain, clocking 18:54.

She is also an African U-20 champion in the 3,000m from the 2011 Africa Junior Championships in Gaborone, Botswana, clocking 9:11.84.

The duo will face stern competition from Spanish champion Meritxell Soler, the Cursa dels Nassos (Barcelona) 10km champion (32:37).

Leading the elite men’s race is defending champion Gadisa Shumie of Ethiopia who won last year’s edition in 2:04:59.

He will be up against 2019 Gran Canaria Marathon champion Julius Kiprono, 2023 Hannover Marathon bronze medallist Fredrick Kibii, Collins Kemboi and 2023 Zurich Marathon San Sebastian champion Benson Tunyo.

Malindi Elmore set to race 2024 Boston Marathon

Two-time Olympian Malindi Elmore of Kelowna, B.C., is on the women’s elite list for the 128th Boston Marathon on April 15. Elmore is featured in a strong field with reigning champion Hellen Obiri and 2022 New York Marathon champion Sharon Lokedi; she will also be one of three Canadian women running in Boston.

This will be Elmore’s second time running the Boston Marathon. In 2022, she ran to an impressive 11th-place finish, posting a time of 2:27:58, which is the fastest-ever time in Boston by a Canadian woman. She left Boston wanting to return, saying, “It’s a blast to run the crowd-lined streets, where there is always someone cheering you on and shouting your name.”

Elmore, who ran the second-fastest Canadian women’s marathon time at the 2023 Berlin Marathon, achieved the Olympic qualifying mark of 2:26:50. She is currently the only woman who has solidified her spot on Team Canada for the marathon in Paris. The 43-year-old told Canadian Running that she plans to use Boston as a prep race for the Olympic marathon in August. 

“Racing Boston is part of the Paris 2024 plan,” says Elmore on her decision to race Boston. “The course in Paris is reported to be twice the elevation gain of Boston, so I want the opportunity to train and race on hills through the winter and hopefully be a hill beast by August!”

The Boston and New York marathons are two of the tougher Abbott World Marathon Major courses. The Boston is a net downhill, but features a lot of hills in the second half of the race, including the famous Heartbreak Hill at 32 kilometres. The Paris Olympic marathon is touted to be the hilliest Olympic marathon to date, featuring more than 400 metres in elevation gain on an out-and-back loop to the Palace of Versailles. 

Elmore will be one of three Canadian marathoners on the women’s elite list. Joining Elmore in Boston are two up-and-coming marathoners from Thunder Bay, Ont., Michelle and Kim Krezonoski. The Krezonoski sisters ran their personal bests of 2:36:39 (Michelle) and 2:37:20 (Kim) at the 2022 California International Marathon.

Michelle said it’s been an exciting and emotional journey to get to this point after partially tearing her Achilles tendon in her build-up to the 2023 Toronto Waterfront Marathon (which she did not race). “I am grateful to have this opportunity to run alongside the world’s best with my twin sister,” Michelle told Canadian Running. “Boston is historic, and it’s a course that challenges your strength.”

Obiri returns for glory

The most dominant women’s marathoner in the world right now, Hellen Obiri, returns to Boston to defend her title. Last year, Obiri unleashed a perfectly-timed sprint in the final mile to earn her first Boston Marathon title, in only her second career marathon. Boston marked one of her two marathon wins in 2023. She became only the second women’s marathoner in history to win both Boston and New York in the same year. 

“I am excited to return to the 2024 Boston Marathon to try to defend my title,” shared Obiri, who won last year’s race in 2:21:38. “Boston is a historic race, and I would like to add my name further to its history on April 15. Winning such a historic marathon with my family waiting at the finish line was an experience I’ll never forget.”

The 2024 Boston Marathon will also see a trio of Ethiopian runners with personal bests under 2:18:00. Worknesh Degefa, the 2019 Boston Marathon champion, is set to return. Tadu Teshome, with a marathon best of 2:17:36 from the 2022 Valencia Marathon, will make her Boston debut, and Senbere Teferi, a world championship silver medallist over 5,000m, will also compete after winning the B.A.A. 5K in a course record time of 14:49 in 2022.

Texas man breaks Guinness World Record for fastest marathon in football equipment

Suiting up in any costume and attempting a marathon can’t be comfortable, especially when you’re wearing an additional 20 lbs of football equipment. Brian Goldsmith, a 37-year-old fitness instructor and ticketing representative for the Arlington Renegades of the XFL, ran 3:29:30 at Sunday’s BMW Dallas Marathon in full football equipment to set the Guinness World Record.

According to Dallas Morning News, Goldsmith initially aimed for a Boston Marathon qualifying time when he signed up for the BMW Dallas Marathon. However, a colleague’s suggestion to run the race in an Arlington Renegades shirt sparked an idea—why not fully suit up in gear and go for the Guinness World Record?

Goldsmith mentioned on his Instagram page that he trained his body to get comfortable in football gear by wearing it around the office all day. While this might cause a ruckus in 99.9 per cent of offices, Goldsmith is fortunate to work for a football team. He is also reportedly the first person ever to set a world record while wearing an Arlington Renegades uniform, according to Dallas Morning News.

He beat the previous record of 3:33:42 set in 2019 by Australia’s Alistair Kealty by four minutes. This wasn’t his first attempt at a Guinness World Record. Goldsmith previously tried to run the fastest half-marathon dressed as a piece of fruit, sporting a banana costume, but he fell short of California’s Melvin Nyairo, who clocked 1:15:35 at the 2019 Toronto Waterfront Marathon.

The Arlington Renegades are one of eight teams in the XFL, a minor professional football league for development players in the U.S. The Renegades are owned by Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and are the most recent champions in the XFL.

Toronto running quintet sets Guinness World Record in TTC streetcar costume

There were more than 20 Guinness World Record attempts at the 2023 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon on Sunday, but one of the most unique records among them was achieved by a group of Toronto runners who dressed up as a Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) streetcar and set the record for the fastest half-marathon in a five-person costume. They completed the race in 1:48:59.

The quintet, consisting of Dekel Chui, Tom Brooks, Andrew Bondoc, Derek Beaton and Jared Nylander, all members of Toronto’s runTObeer run club, crafted their five-person costume from reusable grocery bags, cardboard and blinds from Ikea. They set out to beat the previous record of one hour and 59 minutes, and to their surprise, they achieved their goal by finishing more than 10 minutes ahead of the previous record.

The idea for this unique project came from Brooks, who had previously set a Guinness World Record for running a 100-miler in a penguin costume for charity. Chui said, “He brought the group costume idea to us, and we wanted to pay homage to the city that we know and love. We ended up picking the TTC streetcar.”

Chui and Brooks said in a post-race interview that the five of them did not practise in the costume before race day, relying on “a few warmup kilometres” as their preparation.

Setting a Guinness World Record was not the only achievement the quintet aimed for. They aimed to raise over $1,000 for a local cat rescue shelter in Toronto’s Annex community. Brooks shared, “As a team, we have three rescue cats, one coming from Annex Cat Rescue. They do fantastic work in our community, and we hope we can inspire others to support them.” Currently, they have raised more than $1,300 and counting.

“Toronto man runs entire subway system in cool challenge” — Canadian Running Magazine

The five-person costume half-marathon record was one of 11 Guinness World Records set at the 2023 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon.

Experience the 2023 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon live from downtown Toronto on Oct. 15. Get the latest race news, updates and live results from Canadian Running with the support of ASICS Canada. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for all the action.

Teacher Dribbles Way to Guinness World Record Marathon Finish

Maria Babineau dribbled a basketball for 26.2 miles, finishing the Toronto Waterfront Marathon in her debut at the distance.

Over the weekend, the Toronto Waterfront Marathon saw its fair share of excitement, with Ethiopia’s Buze Diriba Kejela winning the women’s race with a personal-best time of 2:23:11 for the women’s race, while Elvis Kipchoge Cheboi took the win in the men’s field with a time of 2:09:20.

While no course records were broken, the event did see an incredible 20 Guinness World Record attempts, with everything from the fastest half marathon in a five-person costume to the quickest half marathon by a female dressed as a crustacean. But one impressive attempt was a total slam dunk: elementary school teacher Maria Babineau broke the record for the fastest female running a marathon while dribbling a basketball, finishing the race in 3:57:40.

My students knew I loved basketball, so they encouraged me to break a basketball world record,” Babineau told Runner's World. “The enthusiasm the students shared for attempting the record was amazing. I wanted to show them that anything is possible.”

Video from the race shows Babineau running while dribbling the ball, alternating between her hands as she confidently breezed past her competition. “During the marathon, there were points of the race where my arms were cramping a little,” she said. “The cheering of the spectators and the positive comments from all the runners around me are what helped me get through it.”

The race, surprisingly, was Babineau’s first marathon, completed after about seven weeks of training. “During my training, I ended up having quite a few dogs try to steal the basketball,” Babineau said. “I also had to practice wearing a GoPro on my chest to record the attempt.”

The record attempt, which Guinness is still reviewing, was for more than just cheers from the crowd—Babineau ran in support of a charity she volunteers with, Ronald McDonald House Ottawa. Her goal was to raise $1,000 CAD to help the organization (which provides a home for families with sick children) buy an adjustable basketball net so families can play together. Babineau donated $1 for every kilometer she ran as part of her training, and ultimately, she raised more than her goal, presenting the basketball net and her record-achieving basketball to the house. 

Marinella Satta of Italy set the previous record for the fastest female dribbling a basketball in 4:28:11 during the Giro D’Italia Run in Turin, Italy, back in 2010, finishing 25th out of 38 runners.

For any men who feel inspired by this feat, the current Guinness record for the fastest marathon while dribbling a basketball for men was set in 2021 by Steffan Reimer, who ran a 2:50 marathon while bouncing the ball along the course.

Rick Rayman, 77, completes his 400th marathon at TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon

On Sunday at the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon, Rick Rayman, a professor of dentistry at the University of Toronto, marked his 400th marathon finish. Rayman is 77, and not only has he now completed 400 marathons, but he has participated in every single Toronto Waterfront Marathon in the race’s 34-year history.

As if that weren’t enough, Rayman has also run every single day for the past 44 years and 10 months–a daily run streak that’s topped by only one individual in Canada, according to runeveryday.com. (That’s Simon Laporte of Notre-Dame des Prairies, Que., whose streak is three years longer. Rayman is #20 on the international run streak list.) “I don’t know if the 19 runners ahead of me have run as many marathons as I have, but who cares?” he says, adding, “The older and slower I get, the more notoriety I get.”

On Dec. 10, he’ll celebrate 45 years of running without missing a single day. He runs for at least half an hour, though some days he runs for an hour or two. And he takes care to add that he never runs on a treadmill–though he has participated in 10 indoor marathons in the past, including six at York University, three at the University of Toronto’s Hart House and one the SkyDome (now the Rogers Center).

“It’s such a great marathon!” Rayman says of the Toronto race, even though he struggled with back pain in the second half, most of which he walked. “I can run 12 miles (or 20 km) without any pain,” he says. When asked if he’s ever considered switching to the half-marathon, he replies, “Never.”

“It’s a good question,” he concedes, “because my half marathon time is considerably better than my full. But I enjoy the challenge of the marathon.” Rayman was the only individual in the M75-79 age category.

Over the years, Rayman has seen a few changes at the Toronto Waterfront Marathon. The technology for tracking runners on the course, in particular, has evolved considerably since the early days, and he enjoys the recent changes to the course, which allow midpackers and back-of-the-packers like himself to see the elites running past in the other direction on Wellington Street and Eastern Ave. He credits race director Alan Brookes and his staff at Canada Running Series with putting on a world-class event.

Rayman admits he’s slowing down. “I’m not going to do another marathon this year,” he says, adding that next year, he has plans to run the Fort Lauderdale Marathon in February, Ontario’s Georgina Marathon in the spring, the Buffalo Marathon in May and the marathon at the Niagara Ultra in June. “I did 11 [marathons] this year; I might cut that in half next year. Maybe six or seven.”

Regardless, you can catch him running every day, rain or shine, from his home in North York. “I’ll keep doing it until I can’t,” he says.

Ethiopia’s Buze Diriba wins the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon in a wild finish

On a windy marathon morning in Toronto, the women’s race came down to the wire, as four athletes, all of them from Ethiopia, finished within seven seconds of each other. Ethiopia’s Buze Diriba Kejela was quickest to the line, taking the win in 2:23:11–a five-minute personal best. 

Diriba was closely followed by 2023 Ottawa Marathon champion Waganesh Mekasha in second place (2:23:12) and Afera Godfay in third (2:23:15). This was the closest finish between a top three in the race’s history. The women were paced by Kingston, Ont.’s Kevin Coffey through 30K.

Fozya Jemal Amid was right on their heels, finishing fourth in 2:23:18 (a personal best); the U.S.’s Emily Durgin finished fifth in 2:26:46 in her debut marathon, nabbing herself a 2024 Olympic marathon qualifying time in the closest of margins. Durgin was the fastest North American finisher on the course, finishing three minutes ahead of her compatriot Molly Grabill. 

The women were within course record pace for most of the race, but the chilly wind on Toronto’s lakeshore took its toll, and the women’s course record of 2:22:16, set in 2019 by Kenya’s Magdalyne Masai, remained intact.

Godfay, who held the fastest seed heading into the race, did not push the pace, never taking a turn at the front to block the wind. “I came here to win, and was upset not to,” said Godfay on her third-place finish. “More speed won at the end.”

At the post-race press conference, Diriba credited her track speed for her ability to separate from the four women in the final kilometre. (She has a personal best of 14:50 for 5,000m.) She came into Sunday’s marathon with a PB of 2:28:06 from the 2019 Houston Marathon. 

Pomerleau wins Canadian title

Caroline Pomerleau of Quebec was the surprise winner of the Canadian Marathon Championships, placing 10th overall in her marathon debut, in 2:34:44. 

Pomerleau’s goal heading into her first marathon was to run under 2:40. On the final corner, she overtook Anne-Marie Comeau, who had been leading the Canadian women for most of the second half of the race, beating her by seven seconds; Comeau finished as second Canadian, in 2:34:51. Tokyo Olympian Dayna Pidhoresky rounded out the Canadian women’s podium for third, finishing in 2:35:50.

Elvis Kipchoge Cheboi wins TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon

It was an inauspicious arrival in Toronto for newly-crowned TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon champion Elvis Kipchoge Cheboi, who lost a day of travel after a missed flight, then had to deal with a 4:30 a.m. fire alarm in the elite hotel, but none of that seemed to faze the 27-year-old Kenyan, winning in a decisive manner at Sunday’s marathon in a personal best time of 2:09:20.

Adugna Takele Bikila of Ethiopia, who was the top-seeded runner, finished second, in 2:10:26, with Alfred Kipchirchir Mukche of Kenya finishing third in 2:10:56.

From early in the race, the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon was a duel between Cheboi and Kipchirchir, cruising along the course in their contrasting dark (Cheboi) and light (Kipchirchir) singlets, until the hairpin turnaround in the east-end Beach neighbourhood, when Cheboi surged ahead and never looked back. 

This was only Cheboi’s second marathon, having debuted at the Vienna Marathon earlier this year, where he finished seventh in 2:10:21.

“For me, winning Toronto is a huge achievement,” said Cheboi on his result. “I am very happy I improved on my time (from Vienna) today.

TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon: elite women’s and men’s preview

For the first time in the 34-year history of the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon, the race has reached over 25,000 runners. Toronto has established itself as Canada’s premier marathon and has set a precedent in the global running community, with participants coming from 78 countries around the world for the marathon on Sunday, Oct. 15.

The elite field at the 2023 edition of the marathon looks significantly different from last year, and two new champions will be crowned on the men’s and women’s sides, as Ethiopia’s Yihunilign Adane and Kenya’s Antonina Kwamboi will not be returning. The 2023 elite field features up-and-coming stars, along with several American women aiming to achieve the Olympic standard of 2:26:50 ahead of the upcoming U.S. Olympic Trials in February.

The race will also determine two new Canadian marathon champions, with compelling storylines on both the men’s and women’s sides.

Women’s race

Will we see an American winner?

It has been 22 years since an American woman last won the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon (Leslie Gold in 2001) but in this year’s field, two American elites could possibly end the drought. One of them, Emily Durgin, a road racing specialist based out of Flagstaff, Ariz. came to Toronto looking for redemption after a less-than-ideal marathon debut in NYC last year.

Durgin said during Friday’s elite press conference that she felt the pressure to hit times and perform during her debut and ended up dropping out of the race before 30 km. “I learned a lot from New York and my build for Toronto has been different,” said Durgin. “As for a goal time, I want to run in the low 2:20s and be competitive.” The 29-year-old marathoner hopes to use Toronto as a stepping stone for the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in February 2024 in Orlando. Durgin was able to qualify for the trials from her time at the 2022 Houston Half Marathon where she finished 6th overall, clocking the seventh-fastest half-marathon in U.S. history with 67:54. “I came to Toronto to be competitive and contend for the the podium, as that’s what it will take to qualify at trials come February,” she said.

Another U.S. name in the women’s elite field to watch is Molly Grabill, who is running her sixth career marathon in Toronto on Sunday. Grabill told the media that she has similar plans to her compatriot Durgin and hopes to bounce back after, in her words, falling short of her goals in her last marathon in Hamburg earlier this year. Although Grabill ran the second-fastest marathon time of her career in Hamburg, she said she was disappointed as she took a swing and missed, struggling in the second half. “The goal in Toronto is to control the second half of the race better and gain strong momentum heading into the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials,” said Grabill. The 31-year-old from Boulder, Colo., is coming off a top-15 finish in 69:53 at the inaugural World Athletics Road Running Championships in Riga, Latvia, earlier this month, which she says has given her a lot of confidence for Sunday.

Eyes on the course record?

Outside of the American duo, two other international athletes to watch are the Ethiopian duo of Afera Godfay and 2023 Ottawa Marathon champion Waganesh Mekasha. For Godfay, Toronto is her first marathon in three years after giving birth to her daughter. Her last marathon came in 2020 when she ran 2:26:43 to place third overall at the Xiamen Marathon in China. In her first two races back since becoming a mother, Godfay has run respectable half marathon times of 70 and 71 minutes but has not yet returned to her previous form. She said at Friday’s press conference that she hopes to come through the half mark in 1:11 and feels well-prepared for her marathon return. A glimpse of hope for Godfay is that she currently trains alongside the new women’s world record holder Tigist Assefa in Ethiopia. So, who knows what she is capable of?

The favourite in the women’s race is Mekasha, who is coming off a win in the scorching heat at the 2023 Ottawa Marathon in May. Mekasha is targeting the Canadian all-comers’ women’s marathon record on Sunday of 2:22:16, set four years ago by Kenya’s Magdalyne Masai at this race. Mekasha holds a personal best of 2:22:45 from the 2019 Dubai Marathon and said that she expects around a similar time on Sunday. “If the pacemaker runs a good pace, I hope to break the course record,” says Mekasha.

The Canadian contingent

Two of the top three Canadians from last year’s race have returned to the 2023 field, with Malindi Elmore, the reigning Canadian marathon champion, opting to run Berlin, where she clocked the second-fastest time in Canadian history (2:23:30). Returning are second and third place Canadian finishers Dayna Pidhoresky and Toronto’s own Sasha Gollish. Pidhoresky had an iconic moment here in 2019, when she raced just under the Olympic standard at the Canadian trials, winning in 2:29:03–qualifying her for the marathon at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Although the Olympic marathon didn’t go as planned for Pidhoresky, she was able to bounce back at this event last year to place seventh overall (second Canadian) in 2:30:58. 

“Growing up in Windsor, Ont., I came to Toronto for so many races,” said Pidhoresky on tackling on her fourth Toronto Waterfront Marathon. “I feel I know the course very well, which is helpful in a marathon, and it’s great to have a high-quality field that’s close to home.” Pidhoresky told the media that this build has not been smooth but she is still confident she can run a personal best Sunday. “This course is advantageous, and I need to be smart and just run my race,” she said.

It is a similar story for Gollish, who is running in her second consecutive TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon, less than eight weeks after her last marathon at the 2023 World Championships in August. Gollish told Canadian Running at the press conference that she wants to go into this race with a similar mindset that she had in Budapest. “It feels like a privilege to be here, and I am not putting any pressure of a personal best on myself,” says Gollish. “For the longest time, I avoided this race because I felt there would be pressure to perform, but why not run something in your backyard fuelled by a community that has done so much for me?” Last year, Gollish surprised herself with a personal best time of 2:31:40 after a short marathon build. Could she do the same on Sunday?

A few other Canadian marathoners to watch are Emily Setlack, Toronto’s Liza Howard and Kim Krezonoski of Thunder Bay, Ont. It has been four years since Setlack has last touched the marathon, but with a personal best of 2:29:48 from the 2019 edition of this race, her potential to finish as the top Canadian should not be ignored. Setlack has had a quiet 2023 season but has strung together solid performances, winning Toronto’s historic Sporting Life 10K and placing eighth overall at the Canadian 10K Championships in May.

Howard has a personal best of 2:35:29 (Chicago 2022) and was the top Canadian finisher at the 2023 Boston Marathon (37th overall) in cold, wet and windy conditions. Krezonoski moved to Toronto within the last year and has been studying the course thoroughly in the hope of crushing her marathon personal best come Sunday. She ran her personal best of 2:37 at the California International Marathon last year but has dropped her half-marathon PB by nearly four minutes since. The spots on the domestic podium are up for grabs, and each of these three women could break through. 

Men’s race

The rise of Elvis 

The absence of Adane opens the door for several East African men hoping to establish their marathon careers in Toronto. One of these men is Kenya’s Elvis Kipchoge, who may already lay claim to the title of the best running name. This Kipchoge is a little less well-known than the former world record holder but boasts a faster half marathon personal best of 59:15, which earned him third place at the 2022 Barcelona Half Marathon. However, this Kipchoge has not had much luck in the marathon. At the young age of 27, he ran 2:10:21 at the Vienna Marathon earlier this year. He hopes to turn things around on a fast and flat Toronto course. Kipchoge has ties to the race, training alongside women’s course record holder Magdalyne Masai in Iten, Kenya. 

While there is no relation between Elvis and Eliud Kipchoge, besides sharing the same last name and initials, Ethiopian athlete Adugna Bikila hopes to follow in the footsteps of his uncle, Worku Bikila. Worku was a world-class 5,000m runner who finished sixth in the 1992 Olympic 5,000m final in Barcelona and took fourth place at the World Championships the following year. Bikila enters Toronto with the fastest time in the field, holding a personal best of 2:05:52 from the 2022 Seville Marathon, where he finished fourth.

All the East African men will be aiming to break the Canadian all-comers record and course record of 2:05:00, held by Kenya’s Philemon Rono, set in 2019. The weather forecast for Sunday indicates cool and favourable conditions for both the men’s and women’s fields, which should make both course records vulnerable.

Who’s next for Canada?

A new men’s Canadian champion will be crowned Sunday, and for the first time since 2016, their last name will not be Levins or Hofbauer. The 2023 men’s field is full of up-and-coming Canadian talent on the precipice of breaking into the elite scene. Mississauga’s Sergio Raez Villanueva returns to Toronto after a stunning 2:18:04 debut last year, which earned him top-five Canadian honours. Challenging Raez Villanueva is Ottawa’s Blair Morgan, who was the second Canadian at the hot and humid Ottawa Marathon in May, running 2:19:50. Morgan ran his personal best of 2:18:29 at the 2018 Toronto Waterfront Marathon but is looking for a sub-2:18 result this time around.  

Challenging Raez Villanueva and Morgan are debutants Thomas Broatch of Vancouver and 4:01 miler Kyle Grieve. Broatch is coming off a win at the Vancouver Eastside 10K where he beat three-time Toronto champion Trevor Hofbauer. “Winning the Eastside 10K was a huge confidence booster for me,” says Broatch. “Whenever you take the start line the objective is to win and run fast.” The 24-year-old software engineer told Canadian Running that he has ambitious goals to run under 2:15 on Sunday and that his marathon build has gone near perfect.

For Grieve, who grew up and still resides in Toronto, this marathon has always been on his bucket list. “I’ve been wanting to try a marathon for a few years and have just kept putting it off,” says Grieve, who got married in the summer. “Canada Running Series is a big reason I am still competing today, so it was never a question of where I wanted to run my first marathon.” His goal is to be competitive against a strong Canadian field and let the time come along with it.

How to watch?

Marathon fans from around the world will have the opportunity to watch the 2023 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon live on Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023, beginning at 8:00 a.m. ET with a pre-race introduction followed by the introduction of the elite field. The gun for the men’s and women’s elite field fires at 8:45 a.m. ET. All race action can be followed on torontowaterfrontmarathon.com or CBCsports.ca /CBC Gem or AthleticsCanada.tv.

Kenya’s Alfred Kipchirchir is set to debut at TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon

Kenya’s Alfred Kipchirchir makes his marathon debut on October 15 at the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon and he hopes it goes as well as that registered by one of his training partners.

Kipchirchir, 29, trains in a group which includes Vincent Ngetich who chased two-time Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge along the streets of Berlin last weekend, eventually finishing second in the famed Berlin Marathon in 2:03:13. It was a stunning performance and one that has inspired Kipchirchir.

“I am looking forward to running 2:05 or 2:04 in Toronto,” he reveals. “My training is going well. We run between 180 and 210km in a week.”

According to Coach Peter Bii these two star athletes trained together right up until the last two weeks with Kipchirchir running step for step with Ngetich. Of course, the latter had to back off training to prepare for the Berlin Marathon.

“I want to debut in Toronto because I like what I have heard about the city from Enock Onchari,” says Kipchirchir. A year ago Onchari, another member of the group, finished 4th in Toronto Waterfront.

“We know it’s very cold (in Toronto) from when Onchari was there. I have no information about the course,” he continues.

Kipchirchir has dipped under 60 minutes for the half marathon distance three times in the past three years with his best 59:43 set in the 2021 Madrid Half Marathon. With his current training going well, it is not unreasonable for him to have very high expectations.

All of his life the village of Kapkenu has been his home. It’s about 80 Kilometres from the famed ‘runners’ town’ of Iten. As a young boy he admired the achievements of his neighbour Geoffrey Kamworor who won both the world half marathon and world cross country championships three times and was twice winner of the New York City Marathon. But it was a family member who pushed him to become a runner in his youth.

“My brother introduced me to running. He works as the manager of the High Altitude Training Centre run by Lorna Kiplagat in Iten,” he reveals.

Like many Kenyan athletes, he leaves home every Monday morning and travels to the group’s training camp where he will remain until the following Saturday. He doesn’t own a car and relies upon a ‘matatu’, a publicly shared minibus. Sometimes his brother will drive him though.  It’s a sacrifice he is prepared to make to ensure he achieves his running potential.

At the training camp there is much camaraderie. The shared sense of commitment and sacrifice he finds builds mental fortitude which he hopes to translate into a superb performance in Toronto. But there is also time to relax.

“I like to listen to music, Kalenjin (tribal) songs, when I am home and at camp,” he says. “And I watch football. I am a Manchester United supporter.”

Both he and Coach Peter laugh heartily when the interviewer shakes his head at the current disruption at the club. Among the group there are Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Manchester City fans says Peter.

Earnings from Kipchirchir’s running career have helped him take care of his immediate family, his wife Rhoda Jepkemboi Mukche and his 14-month-old daughter Praise Jepkorir.

“I have already bought a small farm,” he says. “It’s two acres. I grow maize and I have goats. My family members are at my home and they look after the farm when I am away at camp.”

The TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon course record is 2:05:00 held by Philemon Rono since 2019. On that occasion three runners came home within thirteen seconds of Rono, once again demonstrating fast times can be achieved here.

The transition to the marathon sometimes proves difficult for even some of the best distance runners in the world. But something in his preparation and attitude reveals Kipchirchir will have a memorable debut in Toronto.

TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon extends warm welcome to canceled Twin Cities Marathon athletes

The TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon is extending a helping hand to several elite runners who were affected by the last-minute heat cancellation of the 2023 Twin Cities Marathon last Sunday.

Although Canada’s largest marathon had been sold out for months, marking the first time in the race’s history that the marathon has reached full capacity this early. There ended up being several withdrawals in the men’s and women’s elite fields two weeks before the Oct. 15 race day.

Jim Estes, the manager of the elite program at the Twin Cities Marathon, reached out to TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon race director Alan Brookes, exploring the possibility of accommodating some of the elite runners. Brookes shared that he and Jim have a close relationship and have worked on elite teams at Chicago and Houston marathons. “We ended up extending three spots to athletes who did not get the chance to run the marathon in Minnesota,” says Brookes.

This period is crucial for U.S. marathoners, as many are shooting to qualify for U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in Orlando next February. The fall marathon season represents a final opportunity to secure a qualification spot there or to chase an Olympic qualifying time of 2:08:10 (men) and 2:26:50 (women) before the trials.

Toronto was not the only marathon to offer invitations. The McKirdy Micro Marathon in Valley Cottage, N.Y., the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon and the Philadelphia Marathon have also offered spaces in their elite fields for athletes originally slated to compete in Twin Cities.

The Twin Cities Marathon was set to host nearly 8,000 runners on Oct. 1 but ended up being abruptly canceled just two hours before its 7 a.m. start due to soaring temperatures. Despite the short notice, many runners who had traveled to Minnesota decided to go ahead with their race on their own. The temperature in Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Minn., reached a high of 27 C (80 F) by 11 a.m. on Sunday.

Eli Asch, the race director of Twin Cities, defended their decision to cancel the race in an interview with Runners World, stating, “We saved lives.” However, Asch did not confirm whether the race would provide refunds or offer credits to the 20,000 registered participants but said the race’s intention is to be “as generous as possible.”

Olympian Anne-Marie Comeau Pursuing a Fast Time at TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon

On October 15th the 27-year-old from St. Ferréol les Neiges in Quebec will race the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon, her first competitive marathon since her inauspicious debut in Philadelphia in 2019.

This time around the former cross-country skier will come prepared having followed the program set by her new coach, two-time Canadian Olympic marathoner, Reid Coolsaet. The two paired up in November 2022. Coolsaet has developed both her physical and mental preparation and Comeau has a specific goal in mind.

“I talked to Reid last week,” she reveals. “My first goal is to go under 2:32. But he told me if I want to take risks in my race I should try to do 2:29:30 or just under 2:30. He told me it’s a big risk to start at this pace but I like to take risks.”

Once again, the race will serve as the Athletics Canada Canadian Marathon Championships with medals and a lucrative prize purse including $8,000 to the national champion. Comeau is more cautious.

“For sure I will be happy if I am finishing on the podium,” she says. “But I don’t think about it. I don’t have a lot of experience in marathon races. I would just like to do another marathon because the last one was in 2019.

“It’s a ‘couple’ of years so I want to start back doing one and see how I can fuel correctly in the race. Because my first one - it was very bad nutrition. I will give all that I have. I have done a lot of work. I am excited to see what it can give.”

Comeau laughs at her recall of that Philadelphia race, a 2:41:10. But in March of this year she showed that her training is going well as she finished second at the Project 13.1 (Half Marathon) in New York’s Rockland State Park. Her time of 1:11:30 indicates that with the right volume of training she is certainly capable of dipping under the 2:30 marathon barrier.

More recently she won the half marathon at the Marathon Beneva de Montreal in 1:13:56. That result came during her buildup for Toronto Waterfront. She did not back off her training one bit.

“I am not a person that does a lot of high mileage,” she reveals. “My biggest week with the training in the marathon buildup was 155km. It was mostly about 130km a week. I also use other sports in preparation.

“I am not competing anymore in cross-country skiing. But I am doing a lot of cross- country skiing in the winter and a lot of skiing up mountains but I don’t do competition anymore.”

Cycling with her boyfriend Jean-Philippe also has a place in her overall fitness. And she is also an accomplished mountain and trail runner. Last March she represented Canada at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships finishing 15th in the women’s vertical race and 17th in the ‘up and down’ race.

“I always loved running,” Comeau admits with a laugh. “I was running for training (for cross-country skiing). The two sports work very well together and since the age of 8 years I was running races in the woods. When I was a skier I was always running in the summer and even in the winter.

“I wanted to try and see what my potential was in running. When I was skiing it was not perfect for running. So when I stopped I was able to concentrate my energy and see what I can do.

For income Comeau works as an accountant for a medium size firm while studying to become a tax specialist. Recently she left a major accounting firm so she could cut back on her hours to devote more time to training and recovery.

In her down time she says she enjoys going for bike rides and also pursuing a more relaxing pastime.

“My boyfriend (national team trail runner) Jean-Philippe Thibobeau and I like to explore breweries,” she says with a laugh. “We love this activity and when we travel we try to choose different breweries and match our trip with that.”

Comeau is eager to line up at Toronto Waterfront and for the first time really see what she is capable at the marathon distance. A surprise could be in store.

About the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon

The TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon is Canada’s premier running event and the grand finale of the Canada Running Series (CRS). Since 2017, the race has served as the Athletics Canada national marathon championship race and has doubled as the Olympic trials. Using innovation and organization as guiding principles, Canada Running Series stages great experiences for runners of all levels, from Canadian Olympians to recreational and charity runners. With a mission of “building community through the sport of running,” CRS is committed to making sport part of sustainable communities and the city-building process.

To learn more about the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon, visit TorontoWaterFrontMarathon.com.

Cherop wants a chance to compete in marathon in Paris Olympics

Fresh from finishing second at the Buenos Aires Marathon on Sunday in Argentina, former world marathon bronze medalist Sharon Chemutai Cherop wants Athletics Kenya to give her a chance to represent the country at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. 

The former Boston Marathon champion said she has had a good season and the Buenos Aires race was her last assignment this year. 

Cherop finished second in 2:24.56 behind compatriot Rhoda Jepkorir Tanui, who won the race in a course record of (2:24.52). Pamela Rotich came third in an all-Kenyan podium sweep.

Cherop said she hopes to fly the country's flag high if offered the Paris 2024 slot.

“I am proud of my country. I have always wanted to represent my country since I was a junior athlete and if offered the opportunity to run at the Olympic Games, I will do my level best to make the country proud,” said Cherop.

Cherop said she had a good outing in Argentina and was happy to have redeemed her image following her performance in the half marathon last month in the South American nation.

“I have closed a season on a good note after running many races this year. I really need to rest until next year and set up good plans for the year. But the best of all would be to represent my country at the Olympics,” she added.

She said she has been in the game for more than 20 years and first represented Kenyan at the 1999 All Africa Games, finishing 4th in the 10,000m.

“I have been running since 1999 and I won my first medal at the 2000 World Youth Championships in 5,000m. That is how long I have been in this game,” she said.

She said she had wanted to run her best race in a bid to improve on her time in Bueno Aires but as much as that was not achieved, the second position was good enough.

The 2012 Boston Marathon champion said she prepared well for the race. 

“I started preparing for this race after winning the Milan marathon. This year alone, I have run two marathons and a number of half marathons,” she added.

Cherop won the Milan Marathon after timing 2:26.13 back in April after recovering from an injury.

In Milan, she edged out Ethiopian Ethlemahu Sintayehu (2:26.30) and compatriot Emily Kipchumba Chebet for third position after timing 2:28.08.

She is also remembered for winning a bronze at the 2011 World Athletics Championships behind the champion Edna Kiplagat and Priscah Jeptoo in an all-Kenya podium sweep.

She went ahead to win the Toronto Waterfront Marathon and finished third at the 2011 Boston Marathon before winning the race the following year.

In men, Cornelius Kibet Kiplagat (2:08.29) led his compatriot Paul Tanui (2:09.57) and Robert Kimutai Ng’eno (2:10.16) in a 1-2-3 podium sweep for team Kenya.

In other races over the weekend, Charles Mbatha Matata won the Leo Lion Half Marathon in France. The Kenyan won the men’s title in 1:01.34 followed by countrymate Vincent Kipkorir Kigen (1:02.21) and Ethiopian Getachew Masresha Kidie (1:02.23).

Ethiopian Afera Godfay Confident of Success At TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon

Afera Godfay won the 2019 Dongying Marathon in China with a superb personal best 2:22:41 then almost completely vanished from the world scene for a few years.

There was a third-place finish in the Xiamen Marathon, also in China, a year later but that performance largely went under the radar.

On October 15th the 31-year-old Ethiopian will target the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon with high expectations. Indeed, in April this year she ran 1:10:25 at the Rabat International Half Marathon in Morocco which encouraged her to chase a new marathon personal best in Toronto. This will mark her first ever visit to Canada.

“Training is going great,” she reports. “I do my training six days a week - every day except Sunday. I cover a long distance with speed. Three days a week I run with (coach Gemedu Dedefo’s) group.

“My goal is to win (Toronto Waterfront) with a good time. I hope to run 2:24.”

The group is currently celebrating the great success of one of their members, Tigist Assefa, who smashed the world marathon record with her astonishing 2:11:53 in Berlin on Sunday. No doubt the result will provide inspiration to Afera.

The buildup is creating excitement as she is eager to return to her past level. Five times she has run under 1:10 for the half marathon distance over the years and she can now sense she is coming into form. Afera has a good reason for her absence those few years.

“It was because I gave birth to my child,” she explains. “And it was a bit hard to get back to my previous condition. I have one child and her name is Maranata.”

Afera comes from a small town in the war torn northern Ethiopian province of Tigray called Alaje. Although she moved to Addis in 2010 her parents still live in Tigray. She is thankful that they were not affected by the two-year-old war that lasted until November 2022 and which led to widespread famine.

Once a year, when her training program allows, she will visit her parents and friends in Alaje. She comes from a long line of farmers. Growing up under hardship likely fuelled her desire for success in road racing. But she also had mentors.

“My inspiration is Meseret Defar,” she declares. Defar is a two time Olympic 5,000m champion and a national hero in Ethiopia.

As a young athlete Afera had success at shorter distances and represented Ethiopia at the 2010 World Cross Country Championships. She finished a solid 8th in the Under 20 race in Bydgoszcz, Poland helping the Ethiopian team to a silver medal finish behind Kenya.

Two years later she again represented her country at the African Championships over 10,000m. She placed 7th in that meet which was held in Porto Novo, the capital of Benin. Asked why she turned to marathon racing her answer is simple: ““It’s because I have a good endurance and, money-wise, I find it better.”

Although she has not been to Toronto before coach Gemedu Dedefo made the journey a few years ago and will undoubtedly have some excellent insight into how best to race the course. And, travelling with her from Addis will be previously announced Ethiopian stars Derara Hurisa, Adugna Takele, and Yohans Mekasha who will feature strongly in the men’s race while Waganesh Mekasha will battle with Afera for the $20,000 first place prize money.

Once again, the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon promises a memorable contest and the Ethiopian flag will surely be waved in celebration at the finish.

About the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon

The TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon is Canada’s premier running event and the grand finale of the Canada Running Series (CRS). Since 2017, the race has served as the Athletics Canada national marathon championship race and has doubled as the Olympic trials. Using innovation and organization as guiding principles, Canada Running Series stages great experiences for runners of all levels, from Canadian Olympians to recreational and charity runners. With a mission of “building community through the sport of running,” CRS is committed to making sport part of sustainable communities and the city-building process.

To learn more about the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon, visit TorontoWaterFrontMarathon.com.

Ethiopia’s Derara Hurisa targets victory at TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon

Derara Hurisa is the latest in a long list of Ethiopian greats to commit to the 2023 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon scheduled for October 15th.Once again, the event is a World Athletics Elite Label race. The 26-year-old has had an extraordinary marathon career to date ever since winning his debut at the 2020 Mumbai Marathon. There he ran 2:08:09 which remains his personal bestdespite a few other memorable outings.Two years ago Hurisa won the Guadalajara Marathon at 1,600m altitude in Mexico eight months after achieving notoriety for all the wrong reasons in Vienna.

Hurisa, then still relatively young at 23 years of age, crossed the finish line first at the Vienna Marathon. He clocked a time of 2:09:22 three seconds ahead of Kenya’s Leonard Langat. No sooner had Hurisa crossed the finish then officials approached him and within minutes he was disqualified.

World Athletics has instigated strict rules to limit the thickness of racing shoes. It was found that Hurisa had worn a different pair of shoes to those he submitted in the pre-race inspection. They were one centimeter too thick. It is believed this was the first time a marathoner had been disqualified under these rules.

“My preparation for Vienna marathon was very good,” he says looking back on the incident. “I had to switch my shoes because it was my very first time putting on those shoes. It wasn’t the shoes I wore when I was in training. So I decided to switch and use them without knowing it was different. The color was similar.”

Not only did he run himself to exhaustion over the 42.2 kilometers but the €10,000 first-place prize money went to Langat. He admits he was very angry to learn of his mistake.

“I was shocked by that news when (Eritrean runner) Tadesse Abraham told me that I was disqualified,” he remembers, “because it wasn’t something I was expecting. Yes, I was angry, definitely.”

As an indication of Hurisa’s potential Langat returned to Vienna a year later and finished second in 2:06:59. The Ethiopian believes he is capable of times quicker than this.

Since then he has put the disappointment behind him. Earlier this year he finished second in the Stockholm Marathon. The race features many of the sites of the Swedish capital. But can also be challenging due to its numerous turns and warm June weather. His time there was a modest 2:11:01 on a hot day. Toronto Waterfront Marathon has far fewer turns and with a course record of 2:05:00 (Philemon Rono of Kenya) is far more inviting. He is optimistic of a great run in Toronto after some good early training sessions.

“It’s going great and yes, I’m pleased with my fitness level more than ever,” he reports. “I have been training for six or seven days in a week. Compared to previous marathon buildups it has been much better.”

Asked to reveal his goal for Toronto he is concise and to the point: “I would like to achieve a victory with a good time.”

Hurisa grew up in Ambo in western Ethiopia. Kenenisa Bekele was inspired by him winning the three-time Olympic titles and setting world 5,000m and 10,000m records. Hurisa was recruited by the Bahrain Athletics Federation after a cross-country race in Oromia. He was still in his teens.

For three years he lived in the oil-rich country earning a salary to run.  At the 2015 World Cross Country Championships in Guiyang, China he placed 22nd in the Under-20 race helping Bahrain to a 4th place finish. A year later though he went back to Ethiopia and now travels on an Ethiopian passport.

These days he is focused on the marathon under the watchful eye of coach Gemedu Dedefo and enjoys spending time with his wife and two children.

“I like to spend my time with my family – I’m married and I have one boy and one girl – and I like going to church,” he explains. “I do return to my birth village whenever there is holiday.”

Conditions are likely to be cooler in Toronto compared to what he experienced in Mumbai. Clearly, he will be prepared to run with the leaders. And he is certainly due some good luck.

Kenyan Sharon Cherop to chase after personal best at Buenos Aires Marathon

Former world championships bronze medalist Sharon Cherop will be chasing after a personal best at the Buenos Aires marathon set for this Sunday in Argentina.

Cherop, who has a PB of 2:22:28, said she has been hard at work in preparing for the South American race. She wants to atone for her defeat by former world champion Ruth Chenpngetich in the 21km race during the Standard Chartered Marathon last month.

“I really don’t have a specific time that I will be chasing but I want some good time at the end of the day. I want to run better than I did in the half marathon,” said Cherop.

The 2012 Boston Marathon champion said she is buoyed by her performance at April's Milan Marathon, where she clocked 2:26:13.

In Milan, she edged out Ethiopian Ethlemahu Sintayehu (2:26:30) and compatriot Emily Chebet (2:28:08).

"I am really trying to come back stronger after being out for so long. I want to have a good time. I pray that it will be favorable this time around,” she said.

The 2002 world junior 5,000m bronze medalist has a good history in marathon running since winning bronze at the 2011 World Championships behind winner Edna Kiplagat and Prisach Jeptoo in an all-Kenyan podium sweep.

The Tirap Primary School alumna also won the Toronto Waterfront Marathon and finished third at the 2011 Boston Marathon before winning the race the following year.

“Weather can also be a factor and as athletes, we always look forward to favorable conditions,” said the former New Delhi Half Marathon silver medalist.

Apart from road running, she also competed at the Discovery Kenya cross country in 2002, where she was third. She has also won the Eldoret City Marathon.

Former world 10,000m silver medalist Paul Tanui will lead the men's contingent that has Cornelius Kibet, and Edwin Kibet among others. 

Elvis Cheboi carries Kenyan hopes at TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon

Although he may not have the fastest personal best time in the field Kenya’s Elvis Cheboi will certainly be a contender when the 2023 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon gets underway on October 15th.

The 27-year-old made his debut at the Vienna Marathon April 23rd and after running with the leaders through the first half in 62:44 he struggled home in 7th place with a time of 2:10:21. The result left him wondering if he would ever put himself through such torture again.

“It was tough but I accepted it,” he says with a smile during a video call from Iten, Kenya. “You see, it was my first attempt so I can say I tried my best.

“After I finished I felt like I would never again run the marathon. My body was feeling pain. My coach Gabriele (Nicola) helped me and encouraged me with a lot of wisdom and said ‘don’t give up you will do it one day’.”

At this point coach Nicola, who is sitting with him in the lobby of Kerio View Hotel listening in, interjects pointing out that five months before Vienna his charge had recorded a personal best half marathon time of 59:15 to finish 3rd at the Barcelona Half Marathon. That’s ten seconds faster than world marathon record holder Eliud Kipchoge has ever run. Unfortunately, when Cheboi returned to Iten following that splendid result it was with a slight injury. 

The pair had expected he was capable of running 2:06 or 2:07 in Vienna. Indeed the race was won in 2:05:08 by his countryman Samwel Mailu.

“This time we started preparation for Toronto in June,” Nicola reveals. “Immediately his body started to react the way it reacted when he ran 59:15 for the half marathon in 2022.

“Now he is building the shape. It’s not hard to imagine him running sub 2:06. He will be ready to run well. How well? We will see on the streets of Toronto.”

Cheboi trains with the Demadonna Athletic group in Iten. Among the 35 athletes that train with Nicola about a dozen stay at the Kerio View Hotel through the week but Cheboi isn’t one of them. That’s because he and his wife, Ruth Korir, have two very young children – a daughter named Sharline Jerotich, 5, and a 1-year-old son, Shalom Kiplagat.

Their house is about five kilometres from the training centre and sits on some land they own.

“When I am done with training, like this evening, I play with my children and also teach my girl, who is now in school, how to do her homework,” he says. “I help her with education.

“At night I usually watch television mostly CNN. My favourite is CNN and maybe National Geographic. There are so many animals on that channel.”

Like many professional runners in East Africa he is using his earnings from running to prepare for his family’s future.

“Back at my home I also farm,” he says with a smile. “I have animals and also plant maize, potatoes and wheat. This year I have cows, sheep and goats and also I planted some wheat and maize. You know, here in Kenya we like maize because of Ugali.”

Ugali, of course, is a staple on the tables at homes in Kenya and served often with beef stew.

Among those he trains with are two world-class marathoners in Joshua Belet who ran 2:04:33 in the 2023 Hamburg Marathon and Kiprono Kipkemoi who was second at Toronto Waterfront Marathon last year.

“I don’t know much about Toronto but I asked Kiprono about Toronto but he didn’t tell me much yet,” he says. “But I will meet with him again about it.”

Among Nicola’s female athletes is Magdalyne Masai who set a Toronto Waterfront Marathon course record of 2:22:16 in 2019. The coach has arranged a meeting with her so Cheboi can gain more insight into the course and all its features.

“It’s not exactly like a refreshment station but you learn to drink on the run,” Nicola explains. “Secondly you will know how to grab a bottle and not lose time during the race.”

Unusual for a Kenyan runner when asked whose performances inspired him when he was starting out as a runner Cheboi answers ‘Kenenisa Bekele,’ the Ethiopian superstar who won three Olympic gold medals and held the world 5,000m and 10,000m records until 2020.

“I can say I love Bekele. The way he ran and also from his background of running until now,” he admits although he has never met his idol.

“I encouraged myself. How Bekele runs his performances from way back you see he ran very well.”

Derara Hurisa is the latest in a long list of Ethiopian greats to commit to the 2023 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon

Derara Hurisa is the latest in a long list of Ethiopian greats to commit to the 2023 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon scheduled for October 15th. Once again, the event is a World Athletics Elite Label race.

The 26-year-old has had an extraordinary marathon career to date ever since winning in his debut at the 2020 Mumbai Marathon. There he ran 2:08:09 which remains his personal best despite a few other memorable outings.

Two years ago Hurisa won the Guadalajara Marathon at 1,600m altitude in Mexico eight months after achieving notoriety for all the wrong reasons in Vienna. Hurisa, then still relatively young at 23 years of age, crossed the finish line first at the Vienna Marathon with a time of 2:09:22 three seconds ahead of Kenya’s Leonard Langat. No sooner had Hurisa crossed the finish then officials approached him and within minutes he was disqualified.

World Athletics has instigated strict rules to limit the thickness of racing shoes and it was found that Hurisa had worn a different pair of shoes to those he submitted in the pre-race inspection. They were one centimetre too thick. It is believed this was the first time a marathoner had been disqualified under these rules.

“My preparation for Vienna marathon was very good,” he says looking back on the incident. “I had to switch my shoes because it was my very first time putting on those shoes. It wasn't the shoes I wear when I was in training. So I decided to switch and use them without knowing it was different. The colour was similar.”

Not only did he run himself to exhaustion over the 42.2 kilometres but the €10,000 first place prize money went to Langat and not himself. He admits he was very angry to learn of his mistake.

“I was shocked by that news when (Eritrean runner) Tadesse Abraham told me that I was disqualified,” he remembers, “because it wasn't something I was expecting. Yes, I was angry, definitely.”

As an indication of Hurisa’s potential Langat returned to Vienna a year later and finished second in 2:06:59. The Ethiopian believes he is capable of times quicker than this. Since then he has put the disappointment behind him. Earlier this year he finished 2nd in the Stockholm Marathon which features many of the sites of the Swedish capital but can also be challenging due to its numerous turns and warm June weather. His time there was a modest 2:11:01 on a hot day. Toronto Waterfront Marathon has far less turns and with a course record of 2:05:00 (Philemon Rono of Kenya) is far more inviting. He is optimistic of a great run in Toronto after some good early training sessions.

“It’s going great and yes, I'm pleased with my fitness level more than ever,” he reports. “I have been training for six or seven days in a week. Compared to previous marathon buildups it has been much better.”

Asked to reveal his goal for Toronto he is concise and to the point: “I would like to achieve a victory with a good time.” Hurisa grew up in Ambo in western Ethiopia and was inspired by the exploits of Kenenisa Bekele the three-time Olympic champion and former world 5,000m and 10,000m record holder.

After a good result at a championship cross-country race in Oromia he was recruited by the Bahrain athletics federation while in his teens.

For three years he lived in the oil rich country earning a salary to run. At the 2015 World Cross Country Championships in Guiyang, China he placed 22nd in the Under-20 race helping Bahrain to a 4th place finish. A year later though he went back to Ethiopia and now travels on an Ethiopian passport.

These days he is focused on the marathon under the watchful eye of coach Gemedu Dedefo and enjoys spending time with his wife and two children.

"I like to spend my time with my family - I'm married and I have one boy and one girl - and I like going to church,” he explains. “I do return to my birth village whenever there is holiday.” Conditions are likely to be much cooler in Toronto compared to what he experienced in Mumbai in his victorious debut. Clearly, he will be prepared to run with the leaders. And he is certainly due some good luck.

About the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon

The TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon is Canada’s premier running event and the grand finale of the Canada Running Series (CRS). Since 2017, the race has served as the Athletics Canada national marathon championship race and has doubled as the Olympic trials. Using innovation and organization as guiding principles, Canada Running Series stages great experiences for runners of all levels, from Canadian Olympians to recreational and charity runners. With a mission of “building community through the sport of running,” CRS is committed to making sport part of sustainable communities and the city-building process.

To learn more about the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon, visit TorontoWaterFrontMarathon.com.

Molly Bookmyer who overcame cancer now challenges TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon

Marathoners endure much suffering in order to excel in their sport but few have struggled with brain cancer.

American Molly Bookmyer underwent two surgeries eight years ago following a diagnosis of a brain tumor while finishing up her degree at Ohio State University.

With that awful period behind her now, as an elite marathoner, her path has led her to the 2023 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon where she, and a growing number of American elites, will attempt to qualify for the 2024 US Olympic Trials, to be run in Orlando, Florida on February 3. 

Her current best is 2:31:39 and she sees Toronto Waterfront – her first international race – as an opportunity to knock off a significant chunk of time.

“I want to run 2:27,” she reveals. “I feel I haven’t had a breakthrough in my marathon I have had some good races at shorter distances. I ran a 1:10:51 half marathon last fall. So I have had some success at the shorter distances and I haven’t quite figured out the full marathon distance yet.

“My first goal is to get the world championship standard and the second goal is to get the Olympic standard.”

Bookmyer graduated from Ohio State in 2013 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Management and Operations. While she was a member of the Buckeyes’ cross-country and track teams she was not a scholarship athlete. Now she has a better understanding as to why she was limited.

“I was a walk-on at OSU. I got better but I wasn’t a star in college,“ she explains. “When I look back at it, it was probably because I was sick at the time. I didn’t know I had a brain tumor. I competed on the team but my times weren’t spectacular. I lettered in cross country and track but I wasn’t All American and I didn’t make it to the NCAA’s.”

A series of stress fractures also held her back and it was by a stroke of luck that the tumor was discovered.

“In different blood tests to try to find why I got stress fractures they found one of my hormones prolactin was high,” Bookmyer says.  “This (hormone) is associated with tumors near your pituitary gland. They did a scan and they found the tumor in my ventricle. It was kind of luck. I probably had symptoms but thought it was normal.”

Following the diagnosis she underwent a spinal tap to determine if the cancer cells were in her spinal column. Fortunately, it came back negative. But the surgery to remove the growing tumor was vital.

Originally from Cleveland, she moved to Columbus to study at OSU and remained there ever since. That’s also where she met her husband, Eric. 

Immediately after graduation she worked for the Abercrombie & Fitch company. Then, having dealt with her own serious illness, Eric was diagnosed with testicular cancer. Running was helpful in both relieving the stress of being a full-time caregiver to him as well as helping in her own recovery.

“I am healthy now,” she says through a smile. “I get a brain scan every year. It used to be every six months. After the first surgery I had complications from the surgery. The tumor has not come back.

“Eric just had his 5-year checkup, He had a couple of surgeries and ‘chemo’ so now he is healthy as well, I guess we are lucky we went through a lot and came out the other side healthy.”

Two years ago she was recruited by one of her former contacts at Abercrombie & Fitch to work for Hawthorne Gardening Company which is involved in the hydroponics industry selling lights, pots, containers, benches and other gardening equipment in both the cannabis and general botany industry.  Most importantly, the job allows her to work remotely, something that helps while training full time.

Down time is limited but she says she enjoys spending time with Eric and her dog Cooper. Listening to music is another relaxing pastime with Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty remaining a favorite. With the Toronto Waterfront Marathon rapidly approaching she is confident she will perform at her best on the big occasion.

“Training is going really well,” Bookmyer declares. “I had a little setback in the spring. I tore my plantar fascistic but that’s fully healed. My mileage has gone to 115 to 120 miles (185km – 193km) a week which is higher than I have been before; paces are good, I am feeling strong. I am excited for what that means.”

Sharon Kemboi looking to prove herself at TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon

Sharon Kemboi might not be well known on the world athletics stage at the moment but there’s a solid chance the Kenyan will have a major impact on the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon on October 15.

For a start, the 30-year-old Asics athlete from the town of Iten raced only in Kenya until 2022. And she has only one marathon race to her credit winning the 2022 Kobe Marathon in Japan last November in a time of 2:29:13. That saw her end the year as the 241st fastest woman of the year, hardly a world beater.  Yet, to dismiss her as a contender in this World Athletics Elite Label race would be foolish.

Last year Kemboi ran two world-class half marathons in Spain finishing second both times. Her personal best of 1:07:28 in Madrid followed by a strong 1:08:08 clocking two weeks later in Malaga indicates a time on Toronto Waterfront’s fast course nearer 2:22 is possible. The course record remains 2:22:16 by Magdalyne Masai – also from Kenya – set in 2019.

“The Kobe marathon course was a hard course, it is not easy. The course is so hard,” Kemboi says during a video call from her home in Iten. “I will try to run 2:25 or faster in Toronto. I want to run my personal best.

“I am training with Antonina Kwambai. She won last year in Toronto (2:23:20). She told me about Toronto and also I used to watch the Toronto races on YouTube.  She told me the course is not so hard and she said she really enjoyed it.”

A few hours prior to her overseas video call Kemboi and Kwambai along with their training partners, Immaculate Chemuta, who is a Ugandan training in Kenya, and Gladys Chepkurui, had run a 30 kilometres time trail paced by three male pacemakers and under the watchful eye of coach Thomas Portzinger. The Austrian native has worked with Kemboi for close to three years now and with Kwamboi for nearer seven. Pacemakers are often employed for special sessions. Training for Toronto Waterfront is progressing well.

Clearly, she is taking her running seriously now after showing promise as a high school runner at Chepkongony Church of Christ Secondary School near Eldoret.

“When I ran in high school I ran at the national level in the 5,000m and 10,000m. And then I got married and had two kids. Then I started training again,” she offers.

“I wanted to be like (2016 Olympic 5000m champion) Vivian Cheruiyot when I was in high school. I did not meet her but I used to watch the races she ran. I watched her Olympic races on YouTube.”

It was during her time at high school that she met her husband Lawrence Kemboi Kipsang who attended a boy’s school in Marakwet which is very close to her home village of Kendur. 

A world-class 3,000m steeplechaser, he has a best time of 8:11.26 in the event. In 2022 he was a much sought after pacemaker on the European circuit and helped Ethiopia’s Lamecha Girma beat the world 3,000m steeplechase record at the Paris Diamond League meet. The husband and wife will occasionally run together.

“We have a house helper who watches our children when we go training,” she reveals. “They are 7 and 4 and their names are Adele Jelegat and Adriana Jerop.”

Unlike many other Kenyan distance runners, she does not stay in a training camp but instead meets up for training sessions in Iten with her mates. The town of Iten is well known as a haven for distance runners from many nations. With a balance in training and family life Kemboi is very content with her fortunes.

Once again TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon is a World Athletics Elite Label race meaning the competition she will face is sure to be of the highest standard. Kemboi welcomes the challenge. This, after all, will be her opportunity to continue her successful transition from the half marathon to the marathon and shine on the world stage.

Ethiopia dominates women’s marathon on Saturday morning in Budapest at the 2023 World Athletics Championships

The third-fastest marathoner in history, Ethiopia’s Amane Beriso, claimed her first world title on Saturday morning in Budapest at the 2023 World Athletics Championships. Beriso broke away from the field in the final 10K to win in 2:24:23 on a warm morning in the Hungarian capital.

The race started as a tactical affair, with nearly 20 women passing the halfway point on a 2:29 marathon pace in 1:14:30. As the final lap of four began, Ethiopia had four women in the lead group of seven athletes until Tsehay Gemechu dropped out as Beriso started to surge. It seemed like there would be an Ethiopian podium sweep with three kilometres to go, but 10K world record holder Yalemzerf Yehualaw faded from third to fifth, losing nearly two minutes to her competition in the final kilometers.

Morocco’s Fatima Gardadi took advantage of Yehualaw’s faltering, having the race of her life to win bronze in 2:25:17, behind 2022 world champion Gotytom Gebreslase, who won silver in 2:24:34.

Beriso has had quite a track record in her last three marathons. Last December, Beriso pulled off an upset over her compatriot Letesenbet Gidey at the 2022 Valencia Marathon to win and become the third-fastest woman in history in 2:14:58. Beriso was also the runner-up at the 2023 Boston Marathon, finishing behind Kenya’s Hellen Obiri.

Wodak: “I ran as hard as I could.”

Vancouver’s Natasha Wodak was in the mix with the lead group in Budapest as she started her third lap but started to feel nauseous and fell back to the chase pack at 27km. She finished 15th overall in 2:30:09. “I ran as hard as I could,” Wodak told Canadian Running post-race. “It was tough, and I am a little disappointed.”

Wodak, 41, said her goal was to finish inside the top 10, and even though she positioned herself to achieve that, she admitted she didn’t have the legs in the final 10K. “To be 15th in the world is still a good day,” said Wodak.

Toronto’s Sasha Gollish made her return to the marathon at the world championships and savoured every minute of it. In 2019, she experienced heartbreak after failing to finish the marathon at the World Athletics Championships on a hot morning in Doha, Qatar. Today, Gollish achieved redemption, finishing 61st overall in 2:45:09 and bringing her energy for every second.

“I hope my journey inspires everyone who has not run a marathon to go out and test themselves,” said Gollish to Canadian Running. “Cause anything is possible.”

Gollish received an invitation to represent Team Canada in this marathon only a month ago after Canada’s Kinsey Middleton and Elissa Legault withdrew due to injury. Gollish was the third Canadian finisher at the 2022 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon, where she ran a personal best of 2:31:40.

For full results from the women’s marathon at the 2023 World Athletics Championships, check here. The men’s marathon will take place tomorrow morning in Budapest at 7 a.m. C.E.T. and 1 a.m. E.T. Ben Preisner, Justin Kent and Rory Linkletter will represent Team Canada in the event.

Ethiopia’s Waganesh Mekasha to race TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon

Ethiopian women have featured prominently at the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon winning eight of the past fifteen editions of this World Athletics Elite Label race. If Waganesh Mekasha has her way this dominance will continue.

The 31-year-old mother of two brings extraordinary credentials to this year’s event on October 15th as well as some useful ‘intel’.

“I watched the Toronto [Waterfront] marathon many times on television and Yihunilign Adane, who won the 2022 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon, told me more about it,” she reveals. The two not only share a manager – Britain’s Malcolm Anderson of Mayo Sports – but each won their respective divisions in the 2023 Ottawa Marathon.

“I watched the Toronto [Waterfront] marathon many times on television and Yihunilign Adane, who won the 2022 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon, told me more about it,” she reveals. The two not only share a manager – Britain’s Malcolm Anderson of Mayo Sports – but each won their respective divisions in the 2023 Ottawa Marathon.

Asked if Levins, who used the pacesetting task as a long training run following his second-place finish in the Canadian 10km championship, did a good job she responds with grace.

“He did an amazing job until he dropped out. He was not only pacing me but motivating us all the way to 35km,” she remembers.

Ironically, Waganesh nearly didn’t make it to the start line in the nation’s capital. Despite getting her visa well in advance of the race she was prevented from boarding her flight to Canada by airline officials.

“Oh, yes that was frustrating,” she recalls. “I was shocked when the boarding person told me that I cannot fly to Canada. But many thanks to the race organizers and to my management I made it at last. But I stayed eight hours in Frankfurt airport. I hope that will not happen again.”

Fifteen hours in the air followed by eight stuck in an airport terminal would unsettle most athletes but Waganesh has proven resilient time and time again. Although she ran extremely well at Ottawa, also a World Athletics Elite Label race, she can point to a credible 5th place finish at the 2022 Chicago Marathon in 2:23:41 as another career highlight.

Chicago is one of only six World Athletics Major marathons and a place in the elite section is highly coveted.  A top five finish is, therefore, an extraordinary achievement.

Waganesh has run faster than both of her aforementioned appearances in Ottawa and Chicago.  Her personal best is 2:22:45 which she recorded at the 2019 Dubai Marathon. She would like to go faster on Toronto’s course where the course record is 2:22:16 held by Kenya’s Magdalyne Masai from 2019.

“My training is going very well. I am so excited to be back to Canada,” she says knowing she has a couple of months of intense work to complete before her journey to Canada. “If the conditions are good, and we have a good pacemaker, I will break the course record and win the race.”

That’s a bold prediction. The record is a very good one. But her confidence comes from training under the guidance of famed coach Getamesay Molla alongside other great Ethiopian marathoners such as Yeshi Kalayu who has a personal best of 2:21:17, Azmera Gebru (2:20:48 PB) and Tigist Ambaychew (2:18:03 in Berlin 2022).  Their training is done outside Addis in the dusty hills of Sendafa and Sululta at 2750m altitude.

Malindi Elmore to run Berlin Marathon

Malindi Elmore will toe the start line at this year’s Berlin Marathon–the same course where Natasha Wodak broke Elmore’s Canadian marathon record last year.

Elmore is among a blazingly fast women’s field the Berlin Marathon has confirmed for the Sept. 24 race. Other runners announced so far include Kenya’s Sheila Chepkirui (who finished fourth at this year’s London Marathon) and a strong Ethiopian contingent led by 2022 Berlin champion and course record holder Tigst Assefa, Tigist Abayechew and Workenesh Edesa.

The famously flat and fast Berlin course could lay the groundwork for Elmore to reclaim the mantle as the fastest Canadian female marathoner. Her former Canadian marathon record of 2:24:50, which she set at the Houston Marathon in 2020, was bested by Wodak by more than 90 seconds in the German capital last September (2:23:12). Wodak, who is currently in Budapest for the World Athletics Championships, is not expected to compete in Berlin.

Elmore looks to be in a good position to reclaim the Canadian crown following a string of strong performances. The Kelowna, B.C., native took the women’s title in 2:25:14 at the Canadian Marathon Championship at the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon last October. In April,  Elmore ran a massive PB at the Gifu Half Marathon in Japan, posting a final time of 1:10:11 and finishing fourth overall.

The following month, she threw down a gutsy performance at the 2023 Tartan Ottawa International Marathon. Going into the race with the goal of the 2024 Olympic standard of 2:26:50, she was on pace for 2:26 through 30K and sat in fourth position. As the temperature climbed to 24 C, she gave everything she had over the final 12 kilometres, moving up two spots to finish second to Ethiopia’s Waganesh Mekasha in 2:27:45.

Elmore has also been making bold statements at shorter distances. Last September she bested her own course record in the tenth Under Armour Eastside 10K in Vancouver, running a blistering 32:37.

Runners: use yoga and meditation to improve their mental game

JN Yoga and meditation are powerful practices that can enhance a runner’s focus and mental toughness during a race. Anyone who’s tried tackling a 5K PB or reached a marathon finish line knows just how important mental resilience is to performance. By incorporating yoga and meditation into your routine, you can cultivate a calm and focused mind, improve your ability to cope with discomfort and reduce the effects of nerves on race day. 

Runner and yoga instructor Katherine Moore explains that the practice of deep breathing while moving through challenging yoga postures teaches runners how to remain calm during difficult workouts and races.

“When you get into challenging poses, it’s not easy. You have to relax your mind, deepen your breath and stay calm,” she says. “There’s always a point in a race when your brain says ‘Get me out of here, I’m done!’ If you can get comfortable in the discomfort, you can start to move through that.” 

Not convinced? Here are four ways yoga and meditation can improve your mental toughness on race day.

Cultivating mental focus 

Yoga and meditation promote mindfulness, which is the practice of bringing one’s attention to the present moment. By practising mindfulness, runners learn to focus on their breath, body sensations, and thoughts without judgment. This heightened awareness helps runners stay present during a race, preventing their minds from wandering and enabling them to concentrate on their performance and strategy.

Managing discomfort

Pushing through intense efforts during a run or race is just as mentally challenging as it is physically challenging. Yoga and meditation teach runners to develop a better relationship with discomfort. Through breathing exercises and body awareness techniques, runners can learn to observe sensations of discomfort without becoming overwhelmed or consumed by them. This mental resilience allows runners to endure physical challenges with a greater sense of calm and control.

Stress reduction

Many runners struggle with pre-race jitters and anxiety. Yoga and meditation are well-known for their stress-reducing benefits. These practices activate the relaxation response in the body, which helps reduce stress hormones and promotes a sense of calm and well-being. By incorporating regular yoga and meditation sessions into your training, you can mitigate race-related stress and approach races with a clearer and more focused mindset.

Visualization and positive affirmations

Yoga and meditation provide an ideal platform for runners to visualize their race success and cultivate positive affirmations. During meditation, you can visualize yourself crossing the finish line strong, overcoming challenges and achieving your goals. Positive affirmations, such as repeating motivational statements, can help boost self-belief and mental toughness, empowering runners to stay determined and focused even in the face of adversity.

Incorporating yoga and meditation into your training routine is beneficial for physical performance and mental well-being. By cultivating focus, managing discomfort, reducing stress and visualizing success, these practices provide you with valuable tools to improve your mental toughness in workouts and races. 

Meet Katherine Moore

Moore got into running when she was 18, after moving to Vancouver, and ran her first marathon in New York City in 2005. She progressed in the sport, eventually running a 2:47 marathon, crossing the finish line of the 2010 Toronto Waterfront Marathon as the first Canadian female. Having been a yoga instructor for several years already, Moore eventually combined her two passions and created the KM Run Club in Vancouver, where runners meet for workouts and yoga classes.

To learn more about Moore, her run club, and her yoga teaching, head to her website at runningintoyoga.ca or check out her YouTube channel for daily yoga and pilates workouts.

TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon earns Evergreen sustainability honor

Canada Running Series (CRS) has been honored by the Council for Responsible Sport and given Evergreen certification for the 2022 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon. Evergreen certification is a status given to races for outstanding sustainability efforts and community impact, which have always been two key focuses for CRS and its many events. The TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon is the only race in Canada to have achieved Evergreen status.

Evergreen certification 

While major races are huge draws for runners and spectators alike, the bigger the race, the more negative impacts it can have on the environment. Think of all the materials used throughout a race, including plastic water bottles, plastic bags for post-race meals and more. This all adds up to create one big sustainability problem, which is where the Council for Responsible Sport comes in.

The Council for Responsible Sport gives sustainability scores to events like the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon, monitoring a race’s positive environmental, social and economic impact and determining which events are excelling in this space. Only a handful of events are granted Evergreen certification, and in 2022, the Council for Responsible Sport chose the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon as one of them. 

A sustainable marathon 

The TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon team had made a big effort in recent years to make the event as sustainable as possible. In 2022, they diverted 86 per cent of waste away from landfill, meaning any waste the race did produce was “diverted into the proper streams” by “recycling, composting, reusing and donating” it, says CRS event manager Jen Cerullo.

“The types of products and materials that get diverted include cardboard and mixed recycling, textiles, clothing and shoe donations, organic material composting and food donations to local food banks.” Cerullo adds that the grabage bins on the race course were even checked so the waste could be properly sorted. The CRS goal is to land even higher than 86 per cent in coming years, and they are working toward an “ultimate zero-waste goal,” Cerullo says. (Cerullo points out that the term “zero waste” is considered to be 90 per cent or higher for waste diversion.)

The marathon has also succeeded in eliminating plastic water bottles at the race. Cerullo says that instead of carting cases of water bottles around the race route to the various aid stations, they tapped city water hydrants to fill cups, or when hydrants weren’t available, they would bring pre-filled water tanks. “We also encourage participants to bring their own refillable bottles when possible,” she adds. 

On top of the race team’s sustainability efforts, the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon has always been a funnel for charitable donations. The race’s Charity Challenge raises funds for multiple organizations (the full list can be found here), and participants can choose which they would like to donate to and/or fundraise for when signing up for the race. “In 2022, we welcomed 150 charities to the program,” Cerullo says.

All of this adds up to a race the Council for Responsible Sport is looking for when it comes to Evergreen Certification. Cerullo says CRS and the marathon team have been working toward reaching this status since 2021. “An event achieves Evergreen Certification by achieving 90 per cent or more of the total points available within the council’s Responsible Sport Standards,” she says. “Points are gained by demonstrating adherence to 61 individual criteria across five categories of sustainability.” 

To measure the race’s sustainability efforts, the CRS team uses a TCS-designed app called ReScore. This app allows race organizations to track and report their progress when it comes to sustainability and environmental impact. ReScore is a key tool that races all around the world can use to ensure that they are not only improving when it comes to their sustainability, but hopefully meeting the Council for Responsible Sport’s expectations. 

Over the course of 15 months, the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon team worked toward meeting the Council for Responsible Sport’s criteria and gaining points from the council’s various standards. Haley Price, head of sports sponsorships from TCS North America, also congratulated the CRS team, noting that “maximizing the impact of [an] event” like the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon is so important, and adding, “We applaud the TCS Toronto Waterfront for setting the sustainability standard for endurance running races.” Cerullo says the team is thrilled to have met the Council for Responsible Sport standards and to have made TCS officials proud, but that doesn’t mean they’ll stop working toward being even more sustainable. 

“We have goals to remain on this trajectory and will continue to make choices for the race and the organization that are centered around environmental responsibility, accessibility, diversity, inclusion and equity,” she says.

Ruth Chepngetich earns second straight $250K payday at Nagoya Marathon

Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich won the Nagoya Women’s Marathon in Japan on Sunday, defending the title she first claimed in 2022. The Nagoya Women’s Marathon is currently the highest-paying marathon in the world, and with her win, Chepngetich took home US$250,000 (C$344,000) for the second year in a row.

For a sport in which athlete paydays are routinely dwarfed by those in major markets like the NBA, MLB and more top leagues, Chepngetich has managed to take home a pair of massive cheques at the same race in back to back years. 

Chepngetich has had an amazing professional career already, and at just 28, she likely has many years left to add to her resume. She has run to many noteworthy results in her time as a pro, including two Chicago Marathon titles (in 2021 and 2022), a third-place finish at the 2020 London Marathon and the 2019 marathon world championship crown.

With her long list of impressive runs, she has secured multiple big paydays, including the two US$250,000 cheques in Nagoya over the past year and a pair of US$100,000 wins, thanks to her two Chicago Marathon titles. In the last year alone, Chepngetich has won US$600,000, solely from her Nagoya and Chicago Marathon wins.

For context, the winner of the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon (one of Canada’s biggest and most highly contested road races) takes home C$25,000. That’s a nice amount, of course, but it is, amazingly, less than a tenth (accounting for the difference between USD and CAD) of Chepngetich’s total from Nagoya. 

This is not to say Chepngetich did not earn such a massive paycheque. In fact, it’s the complete opposite. Runners have spent decades watching athletes in other sports earn millions upon millions of dollars, and while the Nagoya Women’s Marathon prize purse is still incredibly tiny when compared to an NBA player’s salary, it’s extremely exciting to see a runner winning so much money from a single race. 

Cam Levins has signed with Asics

It is official–Canada’s fastest marathoner, Cam Levins, has signed a sponsorship deal with the Japanese sporting brand Asics.

The 2:07 marathoner spent the entire 2022 season unsponsored, after leaving Hoka in late-2021. His fourth-place finish in the men’s marathon at the 2022 World Athletics Championships was the highest finish by a Canadian in the men’s marathon at a major championship in the IAAF/World Athletics era.

Levins’s time of 2:07:09 shattered his previous Canadian marathon record of 2:09:25 from the 2018 Toronto Waterfront Marathon. 

The 33-year-old continued his string of solid performances earlier this month when he smashed the Canadian half marathon record by 42 seconds at the Vancouver First Half, running 60:18. This was the first time a Canadian runner has gone under the 61-minute mark over 21.1 kilometers.

Levins is on the elite list for the 2023 Tokyo Marathon on March 5, and indicated to Kate Van Buskirk on Canadian Running’s The Shakeout Podcast that he’s “ready for something really special there.” 

“I am excited to head back to Japan for another opportunity to compete in a major marathon,” Levins said on Instagram.

The last time Levins was in Japan, it was for the 2020 Olympic marathon in Sapporo, where he ended up finishing a disappointing 72nd. “The Olympics were a low point for me,” Levins said in an August 2022 interview. “I felt I was right there, but I realized I was so far behind the best in the world.”

The men’s field for Tokyo features nine sub-2:05 runners, including 2022 Amsterdam champion Tsegay Getachew; London 2021 champion Sisay Lemma and his former training partner and Japanese 5,000m (and formerly, marathon) record holder, Suguru Osako.

Levins currently lives and trains in the Portland, Ore. area, and is coached by Victoria’s Jim Finlayson.

Some of running’s weirdest world records

On Feb. 5, Edmonton’s David Eliuk broke the Guinness World Record for most T-shirts worn while running a half-marathon. Racing the Hypothermic Half Marathon in Edmonton, Eliuk donned a whopping 120 t-shirts, breaking the previous record of 111,  and crossed the finish line in two hours and 45 minutes. This record is odd, but it’s far from the only unorthodox running record we’ve seen over the years. There are so many strange feats out there; here are the top five weird–but real–running records. 

Anything joggling 

Joggling (juggling while jogging) is surprisingly popular in the running community, and there are world records from the 100m up. Unlike some Guinness World Record running feats, joggling results tend to be extremely quick, with the record breakers running times that many non-juggling runners wouldn’t even be able to hit. Take P.E.I.’s Michael Bergeron, a runner who owns joggling world records in the 5K (16:50), 10K (34:47) and half-marathon (1:17:09)–or Port Hope, Ont.’s Michal Kapral, who still holds the joggling world record in the marathon (2:50:12), which he set at the Toronto Waterfront Marathon in 2007. 

American David Rush is another joggling world record holder, although he added yet another twist to the feat (as if running while juggling wasn’t already tough enough). In 2021, Rush broke the world record for the fastest 100m while juggling blindfolded, covering the distance in 16.29 seconds. 

10K carrying 100 lbs

American Erin Grindstaff owns what sounds like an extremely arduous record: fastest 10K while carrying 100 lbs. Grindstaff ran Las Vegas 10K with a backpack weighing 100 lbs, and she crossed the finish line in 1:26:49. If this sounds more like a military training method than a running event, it’s because that’s how Grindstaff got the idea. As she told the Guinness World Records team, she is an American Air Force veteran, and she had plenty of experience “rucking,” which is walking, hiking or running with a weighted backpack.

“I wanted to set this Guinness World Records title to show normal, everyday people that you do not have to be an elite or full-time athlete to do something physically extraordinary,” Grindstaff said. “With hard work, a solid plan, and true unwavering commitment, anything is possible.”

Backwards mile

In 2020, a Kansas man named Aaron Yoder took to the quiet country roads of his hometown and ran a 5:30 mile… while running backwards. That’s right, Yoder ran a backwards mile faster than most people can run going straight ahead. That works out to an average pace of 3:25 per kilometre, and it beat the previous world record of 5:54, which not-so-coincidentally also belongs to Yoder. 

Golf running

In 2021, Swiss athlete Jürg Randegger played a ridiculous 252 holes of golf in 12 hours, breaking the world record for the most holes in a 12-hour period. He covered 93K in this mind-boggling world record, carrying just a 7-iron for the entire day. He took a total of 1,348 strokes and managed to hit five birdies (one under par). Not bad for a sport in which calmness, patience and taking one’s time are of the utmost importance.