The Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon is Canada’s newest, exciting marathon. It will celebrate its 5th edition on September 26th, 2004 [2005 date is 25th September], with 7,500 runners from over 20 countries. There will be 1,500 in the full marathon, 4,000 in the 21k, and another 2,000 in the 5k Fun Run.
The Toronto Waterfront Marathon burst onto the international scene last Autumn, with 2 age-group world records. Seventy-two year-old Canadian, Ed Whitlock, became the first person on the planet over 70 years old to break 3 hours. In a thrilling finish, he made it across the line in 2:59:10.
Two and a half hours later, 92-year-old British Sikh, Fauja Singh, astounded everyone when he took more than 30 minutes off the record for 90+, with a 5:40:04. He has since become the Adidas “poster boy”, and the embodiment of their campaign, “Impossible is nothing!” Both Whitlock and Singh are returning for the 2004 edition of the Waterfront.
The records helped establish the “Toronto Waterfront’s” reputation as a completely flat, fast, traffic free, and scenic course, ideal for personal bests, Boston qualifying times, or easy-as-possible first-marathons.
The events [marathon, half, 5k]are run separately, but all have the same, attractive Start/Finish line at Metro Hall in the heart of the Downtown, next to the CN Tower, the SkyDome, Roy Thomson Symphony Hall, the Hockey Hall of Fame, and the Theatre District. The marathon and half then run one block south to the Waterfront, then go West and East alongside the picturesque Lake Ontario shoreline. The event is an opportunity to showcase the city’s Waterfront to both participants and spectators, from The Humber to The Beaches.
Besides its great course, other popular features of the Waterfront Marathon include Adidas Climalite technical t-shirts for all marathoners; distinct [and different] finishers’ medals in the marathon and half, made by km1000 of South Africa, that produce the medals for Berlin, London and New York Marathons; 7 Neighbourhood Entertainment & Cheering Centres along the Waterfront course that you pass 14 times; a two-day, 37,000 sq.ft. Expo at the National Trade Centre; a Pasta Dinner at the SkyDome Hotel with guest speaker, John “The Penguin” Bingham from Runner’s World; a Saturday morning Friendship Jog [free] with The Penguin; online registration, ChampionChip timing, “live results” online; and AIMS certification.
The world records also underscored the fact that late September, early October is THE perfect time for running the T.O. Waterfront. The skies are clear but cool in the morning aà 10 Celsius at the 7:30 a.m. Marathon Start in 2003, and 15 degrees at the Finish. Afternoons might reach 18 or 20 degrees Celsius.
If all of this doesn’t convince you to come run the “Waterfront” then come out and spectate, and cheer on our local and international heroes as they go the distance for some 35 Official Charities.
Visit us today on www.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com , and we’ll see you on September 26th!
