Aug 20 2024
0

Canadian Championship Lures Leslie Sexton to the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon

By | Announcement, Athletes | No Comments

By Paul Gains

Adding to her growing list of Canadian championship titles is an objective when Leslie Sexton returns to the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon, October 20.

Once again, the World Athletics Elite Label race doubles as the 2024 Athletics Canada National Marathon Championship.

Sexton was crowned national marathon champion here in 2017, the year she also finished 5th overall in the women’s category behind three Ethiopians and a Kenyan – all experienced international runners.  And, she has a handful of national titles at shorter distances on both the roads and track.

The importance of racing the national marathon championships is even greater now as she explains.

“Since World Athletics has switched to this points ranking system it’s even more important than before,” the 37 year old declares. “Now the bonus points from a national championship are significant across all events and in the marathon, where you might only get two or three attempts in a cycle, it’s an important consideration in qualifying for the world championships in Tokyo next year.”

Sexton represented Canada at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon finishing a credible 13th place in the marathon (2:28:52). More recently she was a member of the Canadian team at the 2024 World Cross Country Championships in Beograd, Serbia. That latter event came on the heels of her personal best marathon performance at the 2024 Houston Marathon.

In the Texas city she finished 8th in a world class field, racing to a clocking of 2:28:14, although missing the Olympic standard of 2:26:50 made her achievement bittersweet.

“I think I went through halfway in about 1:13:15,” she remembers. “So I went there with the intention to go for the Olympic standard but I had a bit of a rough patch between 20 and 30km then rallied for a PB in the final 12km. I am happy with the effort that day but it wasn’t what I was looking for. “

Originally from Markham, Ontario, Sexton moved with her coach and partner, Steve Weiler to Vancouver two years ago. Clearly it has had an impact on her running career. Personal bests from 5,000m up to the marathon have since helped rewrite her resume.

“I really like it out here,” she explains. “The weather has been really good for running – I really don’t miss the Ontario winters. I am in a really good spot about a kilometre from Pacific Spirit Park. I run through the trails in there and being able to get there in the winter has been a big plus.

“I am doing some stuff on my own and with my coach Steve, we are starting to form a post collegiate group.  Back in the winter we had four people from our group qualify for the World Cross Country Championships in Serbia. So we did a lot of workouts together. I have been training with Glynis Sim who beat me in the Vancouver Sun Run in the spring; good training partners within my own club.”

Sim won the Sun Run in 32:17 with Sexton a close second in 32:25. It’s a race Sexton won in both 2022 and 2023. The pair obviously benefit from their training sessions together. Occasionally she also goes for easy runs with Canadian marathon record holder and two-time Olympian Natasha Wodak, who is now 42 years of age.

As Wodak and fellow B.C. resident Malindi Elmore, 44, have proven, world-class marathon running is now possible into the 40’s. Their performances have served as inspiration for Sexton as she contemplates her running future.

“Yeah definitely (they are inspirational) and I know that the Australian Sinead Diver was running great times in her 40’s as well,” she confirms. “So definitely it inspires me to keep going. Going into this year my intent was always to be going through to LA in 2028.

“Missing this Olympics was a disappointment but I still have big goals to represent Canada at the Worlds and Olympics in the future and seeing other women do that in their early 40’s gives me confidence I can do that too.”

For now her focus returns to the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon.

“I am still pretty early in the training cycle. This is going to be a shorter buildup than I have done previously. I had some setbacks in July but I am healthy now,” she reveals.

“I will be looking to run a competitive time, something to maximize those Canadian championship points, but not necessarily going for a PB this time. I will have to see how the training goes.”

Then of course there is the thrill of possibly adding yet another national championship gold medal to her collection.

Jun 19 2024
0

Get Moving for the Cause that Moves You with the 2024 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon Charity Challenge

By | Announcement, Charity Challenge | No Comments

2024 TCS Charity Challenge officially kicks off with over 120 Canadian charities and a new green way to give back

TORONTO, ON (June 19, 2024) – The annual TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon is returning to the city’s streets this fall for the iconic run’s 35th edition and as of today, registration is officially open for the TCS Charity Challenge, giving participants the opportunity to run, walk or wheel for the cause that moves them. The TCS Charity Challenge has raised over $53 million to date for more than 150 Charity Partners each year making a lasting impact in our communities. 

The TCS Charity Challenge unites the spirit of runners with a unique fundraising program that supports local charities and empowers participants from across Toronto and around the globe to build a community of support around the cause that moves them. This year, race organizers are challenging those partaking in the marathon, half marathon and 5k distances to help reach their fundraising goal of $3 million, to bring the cumulative total over $56 million since the inception of the program.  

The TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon is Canada’s premier running event offering participants a unique race experience along Toronto’s beautiful waterfront, parts of the Trans Canada Trail and through the heart of the city. The race takes place in-person over the weekend of October 19 to 20, 2024, with the marathon and half marathon taking place on Sunday and the 5k on a new course and time the day prior, providing even more opportunities to choose to run and fundraise this year.

“We are so excited to be kicking off the TCS Charity Challenge again this year,” said Charlotte Brookes, National Event Director at Canada Running Series (CRS). “Our Toronto Waterfront Marathon community has raised millions for incredible organizations over the years, leaving a legacy of lasting impacts in our own communities. Race weekend brings an infectious energy to Toronto and the Charity Challenge adds a meaningful boost to the excitement as Torontonians, Ontarians and Canadians everywhere choose to run, and choose to give to support so many important causes each October.”

“This year, we are pleased to introduce the Green Bib Program, which allows participants to choose to wear a green bib on race day and have a donation made to a participating sustainability charity in lieu of receiving a race shirt and medal,” continued Brookes. “The program combines our ongoing efforts to reduce our environmental impact, to join philanthropy with sport, and to provide our participants with more ways to personalize their race experience.”

The marathon has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for sustainability Charity Partners in recent years, including Trans Canada Trail and Trees for Life who are returning once again as the 2024 feature Charity Partners. 

“Each year, we’re reminded how powerful the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon community is and what an incredible impact the TCS Charity Challenge has,” added Soumen Roy, Executive Director and Country Head, Canada, Tata Consultancy Services. “Having raised nearly $3 million last year, we’ve seen what a difference the challenge can make for local organizations and those they support. We’re proud to be part of the TCS Charity Challenge and look forward to another great year of fundraising!”

“For me, fundraising for the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation through the TCS Charity Challenge was a cause incredibly close to my heart as a cancer survivor,” says Brandon Throop, the top TCS Charity Challenge fundraiser in 2023, the top 2023 TCS Charity Challenge fundraiser, raising over $100,000. “It was an important opportunity for me to pay it forward, and to be able to do so through running, something else close to my heart for many years, makes it that much more personal. I hope that others will choose to run for the cause that moves them, or support those running, because every little bit really does make a difference.”

Registration and fundraising for the TCS Charity Challenge officially opens today. Here’s how to get involved:

  1. Register online for one of the Marathon, Half Marathon, or 5K events.
  2. Fundraise by signing up for the TCS Charity Challenge and selecting the charity you’d like to raise funds for.
  3. Donate by visiting the TCS Charity Challenge website and selecting the Official Charity you’d like to donate to.
  4. Support the TCS Charity Challenge, our Charity Partners, and participants by following along on social media and using the hashtags #chooseTOrun, #chooseTOgive, and #TCSCharityChallenge, and come out on October 19 and 20 to cheer on your friends and family along the race route and at the finish line!

-30-

 

About the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon

2024 marks the 35th edition of the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon, 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. 

For more information, visit www.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com. 

About Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)

Tata Consultancy Services is an IT services, consulting and business solutions organization that has been partnering with many of the world’s largest businesses in their transformation journeys for over 65 years. Its consulting-led, cognitive powered, portfolio of business, technology and engineering services and solutions is delivered through its unique Location Independent Agile™ delivery model, recognized as a benchmark of excellence in software development. 

As part of the Tata group, India’s largest multinational business group, TCS has over 601,000 of the world’s best-trained consultants in 55 countries. The company generated consolidated revenues of US $29 billion in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024, and is listed on the BSE and NSE in India. TCS’ proactive stance on climate change and award-winning work with communities across the world have earned it a place in leading sustainability indices such as the mSCI Global Sustainability Index and the FTSE4Good Emerging Index. 

For more information, visit www.tcs.com  

MEDIA CONTACT:

Emma Hunt, Sutherland Corp.

emma@sutherlandcorp.ca

Jun 04 2024
0

TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon Kicks Off 35th Anniversary by Celebrating One of Toronto’s Oldest Landmarks

By | Announcement, Medal Reveal | No Comments

TORONTO, ON (June 3, 2024) – Canada Running Series unveiled the highly anticipated 2024 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon medal yesterday evening at Union Station, just in time for the iconic marathon’s 35th anniversary. The host location is also featured on the medal’s design as a tribute to Union Station being a hub of Toronto community and activity since it was opened in 1927. This year’s medal also highlights Toronto’s “Monument to Multiculturalism,” symbolizing the diverse and inclusive spirit of the city. The new medals will be awarded to all 25,000 race participants, with variations for distance. Photos of the medal and medal reveal event can be found here. 

“The TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon is not just a race, it’s a celebration of our city’s spirit and resilience,” said Charlotte Brookes, Race Director. “Union Station is a cornerstone of Toronto’s history and activity, and with the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon being such a standout weekend in the city, we wanted to encapsulate the energy and essence of the city in our 2024 design.” 

This year’s TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon is set to take place on October 20, 2024, with both in person and virtual race options available. Registration is open, and can be found on the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon’s website. The world class marathon weekend brings over 25,000 participants from across the globe to Toronto annually for the Olympic qualifying race, and has raised over $52 million for local charities through the marathon’s TCS Charity Challenge since its inception. 

“Canada Running Series is an incredible organization widely recognized for hosting impeccably planned running events, with the pinnacle of Canada’s race season being the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon,” said Soumen Roy, Executive Director and Country Head, Canada,Tata Consultancy Services. “The TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon is a legacy event for the city with 35 years of history, and these medals showcase not just the city that serves as the backdrop for this world-renowned race, but the physical achievement of each and every participant.” 

The TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon is renowned for its scenic route, cheerful atmosphere, and commitment to charitable causes, attracting participants from across the world including elite athletes, amateur runners, and avid enthusiasts. Runners typically pass Union Station during the race, making it a landmark the participants can expect to see on race day and have for years.

Join the tens of thousands who celebrate Toronto every year for the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon. #ChooseTORun by registering to participate, #ChooseTOGive through the TCS Charity Challenge or #ChooseTOCelebrate by lining the race route to support the participants on October 19-20, 2024. 

-30-

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). It is celebrating its 35th edition in 2024. 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 www.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com. 

About Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)

Tata Consultancy Services is an IT services, consulting and business solutions organization that has been partnering with many of the world’s largest businesses in their transformation journeys for over 65 years. Its consulting-led, cognitive powered, portfolio of business, technology and engineering services and solutions is delivered through its unique Location Independent Agile™ delivery model, recognized as a benchmark of excellence in software development. 

As part of the Tata group, India’s largest multinational business group, TCS has over 601,000 of the world’s best-trained consultants in 55 countries. The company generated consolidated revenues of US $29 billion in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024, and is listed on the BSE and NSE in India. TCS’ proactive stance on climate change and award-winning work with communities across the world have earned it a place in leading sustainability indices such as the mSCI Global Sustainability Index and the FTSE4Good Emerging Index. For more information, visit www.tcs.com

MEDIA CONTACT:

Laurel Bury

Sutherland Corporation

laurel@sutherlandcorp.ca

Oct 06 2022
0

TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon Women’s Race Preview

By | Athletes, Canadian Athlete Announcements | No Comments

Three years ago, on the last occasion, when thousands lined up in person for the Toronto Waterfront Marathon, Magdalyne Masai stopped the clock at 2:22:16.  

Not only was this a new personal best for the affable Kenyan but she had also shaved one second off the Canadian All-comers’ record.  

The former mark (2:22:17) had been set by Ethiopia’s Gelete Burka in Ottawa a year earlier and, in an exciting match-up which the organizers have arranged, both athletes will be on the starting line fit and ready to battle for the $25,000 first place prize money, October 16th. 

The global pandemic put most racing on hold. But Gelete squeezed in two marathons before everything shut down winning the 2019 Paris Marathon and finishing 3rd in Chicago six months later.  

The 36-year-old, who has a best time of 2:20:45 from the 2018 Dubai Marathon, was scheduled to return to Ottawa this past spring but her passport was not returned to her in time to travel. The disappointment of completing an extended marathon buildup and then being robbed of a competitive opportunity has left this three-time Olympian desperately starved for a race. Organizers hope her appetite is satiated in Toronto. 

Masai herself has not raced since winning the 2019 Toronto Waterfront. She and her husband, New Zealand international Jake Robertson, became parents of a baby boy, Jake Jr., in July 2021. Prior to his birth they spent several months in Mount Maunganui just outside Auckland. She has maintained fitness throughout but is anxious to test herself once more on the roads. 

While the focus has understandably been on these two record-setters it is easy to forget that both Ruth Chebitok of Kenya (2:21:03) and Ethiopia’s Bedatu Hirpa (2:21:32) have also run faster than the Toronto course record and come prepared to challenge for the top rung of the podium.  

This will not be Chebitok’s first time in Toronto. In 2018 she finished 3rd in 2:23:29 and was 6th in 2019 (2:24:13).  That experience could come in handy as she navigates her way along the streets of Toronto. Her personal best came in finishing 2nd in Vienna on April 24th of this year –  one place ahead of Gelete Burka. 

Hirpa, just 23 years old, was 3rd in the 2020 Dubai Marathon (2:21:55) while her personal best of 2:21:32 came in 2018 when she was 3rd in Frankfurt.  Not bad for the former world youth 1,500m champion. 

Canadian fortunes rest on the shoulders of 42-year-old Malindi Elmore whose 9th place finish in the 2021 Olympics was the best by a Canadian woman since Sylvia Ruegger’s 8th in the inaugural women’s Olympic marathon. That was all the way back in 1984. 

 After seeing her Canadian record (2:24:50) obliterated recently, Elmore will no doubt see Toronto Waterfront as the chance to regain the standard. Indeed, Natasha Wodak’s 2:23:12 in Berlin must be a prime motivator for a woman enjoying a second running career. Elmore, after all, ran the 1,500m for Canada at the 2004 Olympics.  

The pace in Toronto is likely to be more comfortable and more conducive for a 2:22 finish than what the Berlin front runners demanded. She proved in Sapporo that she can run with the world’s best. Now is her chance to go for broke. 

While Elmore would have to suffer an ‘off day’ to miss the top spot in the Canadian Championships which are held concurrently, Dayna Pidhoresky, the 2019 Canadian champion, will be watching her closely in case of signs of weakness.  

-30- 

 

About the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon 

One of only two World Athletics Elite Label races in Canada, 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 Canadian Marathon Championship and has doubled as the Olympic trials. During the 2021 event, participants raised over $3.08 million for 151 community charities. 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, please visit www.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com. 

Media Contact  

Kate Van Buskirk, Marketing and Communications Coordinator   
kate@canadarunningseries.com   
905-867-1117  

Oct 06 2022
0

TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon Men’s Race Preview

By | Athletes, Canadian Athlete Announcements | No Comments

By: Paul Gains 

 Once again, the 2022 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon will come down to an East African bust-up with Ethiopians Yihunilign Adane and Kebede Wami tackling a strong Kenyan squad led by Barselius Kipyego, Felix Kandie and Felix Kibitok. 

The Kenyan presence would have been even stronger were it not for the late withdrawal through injury of the man who set the Canadian All-comers record of 2:05:00 here in 2019, Philemon Rono. 

As it is, Kipyego’s focus is acutely set on that record, especially since his personal best is 2:04:48, a performance recorded at the 2021 Paris Marathon. Like many of his Kenyan compatriots, he has sacrificed time with his family by living in his ‘2Running Club’ training camp seven days a week in preparation for Toronto. While most athletes return home on weekends, Kipyego has gone that extra step. 

With a personal best of 2:06:03, Felix Kandie returns to Toronto after a 3rd place finish in the 2018 edition of the race. A seasoned veteran (now 35) he has proved his mettle by finishing 4th in Boston and 5th in Berlin in 2019 – both ‘Abbott World Marathon Majors’. Watching the 2019 Toronto livestream inspired him to think about breaking the course record if his fellow elite are up for the challenge. 

Earlier this year Kibitok finished 5th in the Barcelona Marathon running a personal best of 2:06:28. Having run under one hour for the half marathon on three occasions, including 59:33 in January this year, he is starting to realize his marathon potential.  

The Ethiopian pair, both 26 years of age, will line up hoping to end the Kenyan dominance of this race. The last time an Ethiopian emerged the victor was in 2013 when Derissa Chimsa ran 2:07:05. At the time, this was a Canadian All-comers’ record. 

Yihunilign Adane will be encouraged that his training partner, Leul Gebrsilase, finished 2nd in the recent London Marathon. With his personal best of 2:05:53 – a new Barcelona course record – he knows he can mix it up with the mighty Kenyans on the quick Toronto Waterfront course. He is hungry to explore his massive potential at the distance. 

The other Ethiopian who bears watching, Kebede Wami, was 3rd in Barcelona this past May – just ten seconds behind Yihunilign, recording a personal best of 2:06:03, and also appears on an upward trajectory. In 2021 he was 6th in Rotterdam (2:06:27) and 5th in Sienna, Italy (2:06:32) displaying great consistency in his last three marathon starts. A member of the Dutch based NN Running Team, he trains with coach Tessema Abshero making remarkable progress since taking up marathon running in 2020. 

Word spread across both Ethiopia and Kenya in 2019 when four men finished within 13 seconds of each other led by Philemon Rono’s Canadian All-comers’ record (2:05:00). The crew of world-class athletes are aware of what the streets of Toronto offer. 

The Athletics Canada National Championships are held concurrently with the World Athletics Elite Label race and the field is led by defending champion Trevor Hofbauer (2:09:51 in 2019) and Rory Linkletter who set a personal best of 2:10:24 while finishing a solid 20th place in the 2022 World Championships.  

Linkletter, born in Calgary but residing in Flagstaff, Arizona, will be looking for another personal best which could see him pick off any of the frontrunners who falter in the latter stages of the race. Meanwhile, Hofbauer who was so magnificent while finishing 7th in the 2019 edition of this race, becoming only the second Canadian to get under 2:10, struggled home in the Olympic Games. A good performance in Toronto will wipe the slate clean. 

Canadians will also be keen to see what result running veterinarian Lee Wesselius can muster on the day. He ran a personal best (2:16:41) to finish 2nd at the 2021 Indianapolis Marathon. Earlier this year he claimed the bronze medal at the NACAC Half Marathon Championships.  His day-to-day duties working with large animals in a rural county can sometimes be an obstacle most of his peers do not encounter. Nonetheless, he continues to improve. 

-30- 

About the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon 

One of only two World Athletics Elite Label races in Canada, 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 Canadian Marathon Championship and has doubled as the Olympic trials. During the 2021 event, participants raised over $3.08 million for 151 community charities. 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, please visit www.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com. 

Media Contact  

Kate Van Buskirk, Marketing and Communications Coordinator    
kate@canadarunningseries.com    
905-867-1117   

Sep 29 2022
0

A Confident Felix Kandie Returns to TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon

By | Athletes, Canadian Athlete Announcements | No Comments

By: Paul Gains

A podium finish on his last visit to Toronto left such an impression on Felix Kandie that he eagerly accepted an invitation to return to the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon on October 16th. 

The Kenyan star finished third at the 2018 Toronto Waterfront Marathon in a time of 2:08:30, though he can point to a personal best of 2:06:03. Toronto Tourism would do well to hire the now 35-year-old to promote Canada’s biggest city as his review is simply glowing. 

“Back then when I was in Toronto I felt like I was at home,” he says during a video call from his home in Iten, Kenya.  

“It was nice for me. The city is so beautiful; the people are very friendly and the organization of the Toronto (Waterfront) Marathon is awesome. The town is indeed very good for competition. All the athletes love it and the course is very good. 

“I just walked about the place we were staying. I walked to the (Eaton Centre) mall and even when I was going for morning runs, evening runs, before the race, I used the opportunity to view Toronto and see how it is. It was amazing. Along the park down towards the lake it was very nice. I am looking forward to having another experience in Toronto.” 

Most athletes prefer to limit their excursions when they travel in order to preserve valuable energy for their competition. But the well-traveled Kandie knows his limits. And his wanderlust has not affected his racing by any means.  This past April he ran 2:07:18 to finish 7th in the Seoul Marathon.  

Following his initial Toronto appearance, he went on to finish 4th in the 2019 Boston Marathon and then 5th in Berlin – two of the Abbott Marathon Majors – and so missed the remarkable 2019 Toronto Waterfront Marathon. That’s where his compatriot, Philemon Rono, set a Canadian All-comers record of 2:05:00 with three more men coming home in the next thirteen seconds. News of the exceptional times that day reverberated around the running world. 

“When they ran the race in that time it was really good news for me because it proved Toronto is a fast course,” he declares, “and secondly it assured it’s possible for everybody to run good. When they run personal bests it is something good and this inspired me to realize I have the chance to improve my personal best in Toronto because they have proven it’s a fast course.” 

Rono returns to Toronto joining fellow Kenyan Barselius Kipyego and Ethiopia’s Yihunilign Adane as favourites, so the field is worthy of the World Athletics Elite Label designation it has earned. While the other Kenyans belong to groups that train together Monday to Friday at special training camps, Kandie stays at home in Iten. He and his wife Millicent have started a family. 

“Yeah I have a family,” he says with a smile. “After the Toronto [Waterfront] Marathon in 2018 that’s when I got married to my lovely wife and we have a son. His name is Adrian, he is around 5 months old now. 

“Right now I am staying at my home in Iten. It’s a training centre for many athletes in Kenya and even those who come from abroad. We usually meet for training sessions with all the other athletes. Currently I am training with Gilbert Kirwa and Albert Kangogo. Gilbert Kirwa I think ran there [Toronto] in 2015 and was in the second position.” 

Kandie reports his training is going according to plan and his hopes for a personal best remain intact. 

“I think I started my training early enough that I will be able do all the necessary sessions in order for me to perform well in Toronto,” he concludes. “I have completed about 95% of my training and now am finalizing the last part. I am looking for a fantastic result in Toronto.” 

Like many professional runners, Kandie is intent on earning money for his post athletics career. He has a farm and has made inroads into real estate, building rental properties. 

“Actually, in the future I am looking forward to [really] getting into the real estate business,” he reveals. “It is a nice investment in Kenya. Also our company does farming. You cannot put all your eggs in one basket. You have to diversify; at least two or three investments would be nice. We have to balance.” 

Once again, the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon has the potential to see records broken as the elites compete for prize money. The winner will receive CAD $25,000 with a new course record worth a bonus of CAD $15,000. Kandie of course could put some of that money to good use for his family’s future but he also has more tangible objectives for the race. 

“I am looking forward to running a fantastic race and improving my personal best,” he says.  “This is my aim.  Also, to get in a good position. This will help me to improve. I want to win or, if that is not possible, to get on the podium. Above that I want to run a personal best.” 

-30- 

 

About the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon 

One of only two World Athletics Elite Label races in Canada, 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 Canadian Marathon Championship and has doubled as the Olympic trials. During the 2021 event, participants raised over $3.08 million for 151 community charities. 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, please visit www.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com. 

Media Contact  

Kate Van Buskirk, Marketing and Communications Coordinator 

kate@canadarunningseries.com 

905-867-1117

 

Sep 26 2022
0

Yihunilign Adane Carrying Ethiopian Hopes at TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon

By | Athletes, Canadian Athlete Announcements | One Comment

By: Paul Gains

When Yihunilign Adane lines up against some of the world’s best marathoners at the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon on October 16th, it will be with all the confidence of a man on a mission. He will also be carrying his country’s hopes on his shoulders. 

Taking top honours in the 2022 Barcelona Marathon in a personal best 2:05:53 has that effect on a runner. The 26-year-old Ethiopian is experienced at the distance despite his relatively young age, having turned to marathons shortly before he celebrated his 20th birthday.  

“Winning Barcelona gave me huge confidence and motivation that I can compete against world-class athletes,” he says from his home in Addis Ababa. 

“I watched the 2019 Toronto Waterfront Marathon when (fellow Ethiopian) Lemi Berhanu was second (in 2:05:09).  I found out that Toronto is a fast course and, when my management raised it and asked if I wanted to run the Toronto Waterfront Marathon, I did not think twice.” 

The Toronto Waterfront Marathon course record (2:05:00) was set by Philemon Rono of Kenya – who returns to defend his title and attempt his fourth Toronto victory. That is also the fastest time ever run on Canadian soil. Yihunilign has obviously been studying past results and feels he belongs at the front. 

“I know in 2019 four men ran sub 2:05:14. I ran sub 2:06 in Barcelona,” he declares. “If we push together we can run sub 2:05 and my goal is to win the race and break that course record.” 

Until his Barcelona victory he was known simply as another good athlete with untapped marathon potential.  He was 3rd in Lisbon a year ago (2:07:54) and in 2020 he placed 6th in the Dubai Marathon in what was then a personal best of 2:06:22. Before that, he succumbed to the lure of the money on offer running as many as four marathons in a year. Barcelona signalled a new level. 

That he turned to the marathon in the first place was unusual. Having been a member of Ethiopia’s gold medal winning Under 20 team at the 2013 World Cross Country Championships, he originally aimed to become a 5,000m runner like his friend, Muktar Edris. The latter went on to become a two-time world champion at the distance.  

“Once upon a time while we were running a cross country race at Jan Meda (site of the 2013 Ethiopian cross-country championships) I was running 5th and Muktar was 6th approaching the finish line,” Yihunilign remembers. “Then he suddenly fell down and another athlete was approaching to take over. I helped Muktar up then I let him finish ahead of me. Edris was 5th and I was 6th. Since then we have been really good friends.” 

Ironically, it was an injury that saw him give up on his dreams of racing shorter distances like his hero Kenenisa Bekele, the former world 5000m and 10,000m record holder and three-time Olympic champion.  

Finishing 7th in the 2015 World under-20 Cross Country Championships was a pivotal moment, and when he was informed he beat Joshua Cheptegei (Olympic 10,000m champion and world 5000m and 10,000m record holder) in that race, he was astonished. 

“Honestly speaking I do not remember I had finished ahead of Joshua Cheptegei as he was not famous then,” he laughs. “Unbelievable!  If I focused on track I would beat him even now. Thanks to the achilles injury which forced me to run marathon.” 

Confidence is surely not lacking here. A perusal of his personal best times reveals nothing extraordinary until one takes into account the limited competitive opportunities available to young African athletes.  

“I know I would do better in short distances and I had the potential to do so,” he offers. “But I was suffering from an achilles tendon injury whenever I trained in spikes. I was comfortable training in road racing shoes.  That was the time I decided to switch to the marathon as a result of the injury.”  

Now he is thriving in a marathon training group. 

“I was injured before,” he says, “but in the past few years my training has changed especially since I joined Moyo Sport and began training under coach Getamesay Molla. I train with world-class athletes like (2:04:02 marathoner) Leul Gebresilase and Jemal Yimer (Ethiopian Half Marathon record holder).” 

A personal best seems tangible and if he is going to win the race he might well need an extraordinary leap because the field includes Kenyans Philemon Rono and Barselius Kipyego (holder of a 2:04:48 personal best) amongst others. Somehow, that might be just the motivation he needs.

-30- 

 

About the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon 

One of only two World Athletics Elite Label races in Canada, 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 Canadian Marathon Championship and has doubled as the Olympic trials. During the 2021 event, participants raised over $3.08 million for 151 community charities. 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, please visit www.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com. 

Media Contact  

Kate Van Buskirk, Marketing and Communications Coordinator 

kate@canadarunningseries.com 

905-867-1117

 

Sep 22 2022
0

Bedatu Hirpa To Challenge Superstars at the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon

By | Athletes, Canadian Athlete Announcements | No Comments

By: Paul Gains

Most athletes take up marathon running after exhausting their potential on the track, but not Ethiopia’s Bedatu Hirpa. Today she is a legitimate world-class marathoner taking aim at the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon, October 16th.  

The 23-year-old from Arsi earned the 1,500m gold medal at the 2015 World Youth (Under 18) championships in Cali, Colombia which was a strong indication she could achieve much at the senior level. But, after moving to Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital, and changing coaches, she transitioned to the 42 km distance within two years.  

At the 2018 Frankfurt Marathon she recorded a stunning personal best time of 2:21:32. 

“Almost all the last four years I have been training with Coach Gemedu (Dedafo),” she explains. “It is amazing that the one who inspired me to become a marathoner is not even an athlete.  She is one of my friends who told me I have to run the marathon and she was right.” 

Of her change in athletics career path, she hints at having initial reluctance despite her friend’s advice. 

“I was not mature enough to decide,” Bedatu remembers, “and also I didn’t have a good manager to advise me and help me to upgrade my career at that time on the track. No, I don’t think I accomplished everything I could on the track.” 

Regardless, the move has not been without financial rewards. There is far more money to be earned on the roads than on the track when one is as consistent a performer as Bedatu. She has also benefited from being represented by seasoned Italian manager Gianni Demadonna. 

Last spring, she finished 4th in the Prague Marathon in 2:22:58. In January 2020 she was 3rd in Dubai with a time of 2:21:55 and in March 2019 she was 5th in Tokyo (2:23:43) – one of the Abbott World Marathon Majors. 

“I moved to Addis Ababa in 2015 after the Cali World Youth championships,” Bedatu says. “I have been living in Addis Ababa from 2015 and, up to June 2022, I lived in a rented house. Now I have moved to Legatafo near Addis Ababa and have my own house.” 

Her training group meets up with Coach Gemedu at least three times a week in such popular training sites as Sendefa, Sululta and Entoto. Bedatu bought herself a car to drive herself to and from training sessions.  

The field for the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon is once again stacked. It is after all a ‘World Elite Label’ race.  

She will line up against her compatriots Gelete Burka (personal best of 2:20:45), who won a senior world indoor 1500m title and represented Ethiopia at three Olympic Games before turning to the marathon, her training partner Netsanet Gudeta (a former world half marathon record holder) as well as Kenya’s Magdalyne Masai, who set a Canadian All Comers’ record of 2:22:16 when she won the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon in 2019.   

There are a host of other excellent runners ensuring a competitive race. When asked about the formidable opposition she shows maturity beyond her years. 

“I think it is good to give respect to experienced athletes but it doesn’t mean that they are the only athletes who make a difference in a race,” she responds. “Anyone who works hard can make a difference in any race and make the race harder than anyone expects. 

“I do training with Netsanet when we have program together maybe two days or three days in a week, as a team, and we all push each other. Netsanet is like family for me and she is my best friend.” 

Looking ahead to Toronto, Bedatu is clear in her objectives.  “I want to run my personal best and I want to win the race,” she declares. 

Like all young Ethiopians Bedatu grew up knowing the history of Ethiopian athletics and the success Ethiopians have had at the Olympics and World Championships. The two women she most admires are Derartu Tulu, who won the 1992 Olympic 10,000m gold and, in doing so, became the first female black African Olympic champion and Derartu’s cousin, Tirunesh Dibaba, a three-time Olympic gold medalist.  

“Both of them are icons for all Ethiopian athletes and my favourite is Tirunesh Dibaba,” she admits. “I grew up watching her. 

“It is every athlete’s dream to participate in both the Olympics and World Championships. At least I have one medal in World Youth Championship and now I really want to participate in the Olympic games and want to have a medal – if it is the will of Allah.” 

-30- 

 

About the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon 

One of only two World Athletics Elite Label races in Canada, 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 Canadian Marathon Championship and has doubled as the Olympic trials. During the 2021 event, participants raised over $3.08 million for 151 community charities. 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, please visit www.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com. 

Media Contact  

Kate Van Buskirk, Marketing and Communications Coordinator 

kate@canadarunningseries.com 

905-867-1117

 

Sep 20 2022
0

Lee Wesselius ‘The Running Vet’ Takes Aim at TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon

By | Athletes, Canadian Athlete Announcements | No Comments

By: Paul Gains

When Lee Wesselius finished second in the 2021 Indianapolis Monumental Marathon, it came as little surprise to those who know the runner well. Still, the result left them wondering just how good a marathoner he could be with a little more time to train. 

The 28-year-old from River Glade, New Brunswick graduated from the University of Prince Edward Island Veterinary School two years ago and now practices in a region near Kemptville, Ontario, about thirty minutes’ drive south of Ottawa. Between the long hours which can be physically demanding – when delivering bovine calves for instance – he somehow fits in 170 and 180 kilometres a week.  

His Indianapolis result of 2:16:41 was a personal best, a time he hopes to crush when he competes in the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon October 16th. Using Canada Running Series as a focus this year, Lee placed second at the Under Armour Spring Run-Off 8K in early April, then followed up with a victory at the 21K de Montréal later that month in a PB of 64:48. That performance earned him a place on the Athletics Canada team to the NACAC Half Marathon Championships in Costa Rica in May, his first national team. There he took the individual bronze medal in 1:05:03, leading Canada to the team gold, as his progress continued on an upward trajectory. 

“Training has been going fairly well,” he reveals during a telephone chat carefully scheduled on a free morning while home in River Glade. He took the opportunity to visit family in New Brunswick following the recent Canadian 5K championships, where he finished 8th in 14:21. Despite being in the midst of a marathon buildup, this result was yet another personal best. 

“I have been putting in a lot of good weeks, I had some high mileage weeks. This week was the only low one, partially due to the race. And, I had a little bit of a GI bug which knocked me back a few days. Other than that, it’s been a pretty smooth build so far.” 

Since completing his undergraduate work at St. Francis Xavier University, he has been self-coached, although he admits to checking what accomplished marathoners do via Strava. Most of his training is done alone, however, he sometimes meets up with a group on Tuesday afternoons which includes 2012 Olympic marathoner Dylan Wykes.  

Rising sometimes at 5:00 a.m. for his first run of the day, he admits he must be flexible when it comes to planning his workouts.  

“The only issue is that I do every fourth weekend ‘on call’. Usually those weekends the Friday night is the quieter one, so I try to get the workout in then and just hope I don’t get a call,” he says. “On the weekends, I try to fit runs in the best I can. If I don’t get a call, I keep on going and try to get the long run in on that day. You get the odd time where you are five minutes out the door and you get a call.” 

Dealing with large animals is physically challenging, he admits.  

“Usually, any kind of calving those are usually tougher and little more strenuous,’ Wesselius explains. “The other thing is that some cows will prolapse their uterus and that is usually a physically exhausting one to fix; one of the harder ones to deal with. Sometimes you get to the next call and your arms are a little dead and stuff but that’s the nature of the job.” 

Wesselius knows he will be in a tough fight to get on the Canadian Championships medal podium – the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon, besides being a World Athletics Elite Label race, is also the 2022 Canadian Marathon Championship.  

“I guess that really depends on who is there. I know Rory (Linkletter) and Trevor (Hofbauer) are confirmed. It kind of depends on what the other big guys do. I have heard that a lot of others have plans. Certainly, if Cam (Levins) shows up that would rule out a podium spot I think.” 

The lessons learned from Indianapolis will certainly help when he lines up in Toronto.  

“In ‘Indy’ I definitely ran negative splits,” he remembers. “I think halfway I was 68:47. The last 15km of that I was running 3:10’s (kilometres) which would give you a 2:14 pace. So, this time I hope I can run that last 15 km and add the other 27 km on to that. 

“I am hoping to go through (half-way) in 67 (minutes), I am not sure if there is anybody else Canadian-wise who has that a same goal right now.  Rory and Trevor will probably go out in 64 or 65 or so. I am hoping some of the half marathon guys might be around for the first 20k which would help.” 

Clearly a personal best remains the target. A podium finish would be nice as well, whether he accomplishes either or not, Lee Wesselius will be pleased to test himself against a world-class field in Toronto knowing his best days lie ahead. 

 

-30- 

 

About the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon 

One of only two World Athletics Elite Label races in Canada, 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 Canadian Marathon Championship and has doubled as the Olympic trials. During the 2021 event, participants raised over $3.08 million for 151 community charities. 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, please visit www.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com. 

Media Contact  

Kate Van Buskirk, Marketing and Communications Coordinator 

kate@canadarunningseries.com 

905-867-1117

 

Sep 13 2022
0

Leslie Sexton Chasing National Title at the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon

By | Athletes, Canadian Athlete Announcements | 3 Comments

By: Paul Gains

Amongst the encouraging performances Canadian athletes recorded at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene was the 13th place finish by Leslie Sexton in the women’s marathon.  

Considering it was her first major championship, the 35-year-old from Markham, Ontario ’crushed it’ to use modern vernacular.  

Sexton now turns her attention to the upcoming TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon, a race with which she is more than familiar. In 2017 she was crowned Canadian Marathon Champion in Toronto. She will face a world-class field as the event is once again classified as a World Athletics Elite Label race. It is also the official Athletics Canada 2022 Canadian Marathon Championship. 

“Oh, definitely with it being the Canadian championship, and, having the Canadian specific prize money, it’s a great opportunity to go for the glory of a Canadian championship medal,” she says from her home in Vancouver.  

“Hopefully, it’s a good pay day. It’s one of the reasons I have raced Toronto quite a bit over the past seven years. I first medaled there in 2016 I think it was. I made a point of including it in my schedule for that reason.” 

The Canadian champion will earn $8,000 CAD and of course be eligible for the open prize money which includes $25,000 to the winner.  

Sexton knows that very few Canadians have made it onto the ‘open’ podium owing to the strength of the field each year, and that she will also compete with national record-holder Malindi Elmore (2:24:50) and defending champion, Dayna Pidhoresky, for the Canadian prize purse.  But her time in Eugene (2:28:52) was not far off the personal best she set in winning the 2021 Philadelphia Marathon (2:28:35). Her Eugene performance gave her confidence. 

“I was really, really happy with how the (Eugene) race went,” she remembers. “I think my fitness was really good going in. I was definitely in the best shape of my life and had great preparation both with workouts and details like pacing but, in the marathon, you never know. I thought that on a good day a top 20 finish was possible. 

“Just with the way the race went it has given me confidence that I can trust my instincts in terms of racing and pacing myself, because in the marathon you can always go in with a plan and it doesn’t always work out that way. You make some decisions on the fly but I was able to race really well and beat a lot of women who had run either faster in the qualifying period or in lifetime.” 

While the prize money is a bonus, it is not the sole reason she competes in road racing. “I am definitely racing more for time (in Toronto) and placing versus the last race but mainly looking to run a personal best,” she explains. 

Sexton hopes that finishing 13th in the world will be enough to receive Sport Canada funding (also known as ‘carding’) going forward.  

“With my run in Philadelphia I ran fast enough to be eligible for carding and I applied and all that but Athletics Canada didn’t add me to the list. They said they would like to see me place well at a World Championships or World Marathon Major which was a little hard to do with a pandemic,” she reveals laughing.  

“So, at this point I should hopefully be on for the next cycle both with the time I ran in Eugene plus a top 15 or top half (of the field) should hopefully put me in a decent position for it. It would have been nice to have that funding six months ago and have a little more financial security going into worlds.” 

Despite growing up in Markham, she lived in Kingston while her partner and coach, Steve Weiler, coached at Queen’s University. When he accepted a position at the University of British Columbia – a little over a year ago – she took on a part time coaching position herself with the Vancouver Thunderbirds Club. These days she works with collegiate and post collegiate athletes and enjoys the flexibility to also get in her own marathon training. The move obviously agreed with her. 

“From racing on the roads, I am probably doing better financially than an equivalent athlete – a thrower or jumper or even a track distance runner,” she admits. “Road racing events like the Canada Running Series have helped me support myself all those years. And not every event group has that opportunity.” 

This past year has been one of her best in terms of athletic performance. Victories at the Vancouver Sun Run and the Canadian 10,000m track championships – her third in this event – all preceded her World Championships surprise. Next up is the Under Armour Eastside 10k on September 17th, an opportune fitness test for sure as she will face Elmore at the shorter distance.  

But it is a personal best in the marathon plus another national championship medal that would provide a fitting end to an already glorious year. 

-30- 

 

About the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon 

One of only two World Athletics Elite Label races in Canada, 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 Canadian Marathon Championship and has doubled as the Olympic trials. During the 2021 event, participants raised over $3.08 million for 151 community charities. 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, please visit www.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com. 

Media Contact  

Kate Van Buskirk, Marketing and Communications Coordinator 

kate@canadarunningseries.com 

905-867-1117