Home > Blogs

Toronto’s race woes

Toronto's problem with races can cause headaches for runners.

In April 2007, what New Englanders refer to as a nor-easter threatened to cancel the Boston Marathon. Despite the wind and the rain the race went on as planned. No one who has followed the race over the years would have been surprised. Boston weather is notoriously unpredictable in April, but one thing is certain: come hell, high water and even last year’s terrorist bombing, the Boston Marathon prevails.

And while a hurricane shut down the New York City Marathon in 2012 there was no question that the race would continue the following November.

Some races carry weight.

They’re the kind of races that rarely bend to weather, resist whims, and endure existential threats. These are the races that are inexorably tied to their host cities. Running Boston, New York, Chicago Ottawa and even Hamilton’s Around the Bay isn’t merely an accomplishment but an active tribute to the people who live there. It’s why these cities shut down for the day. The locals actually get excited about the race taking over their city and shutting down their streets. The marathon becomes for an entire city what it is for runners – a moment that transcends sport in celebration of a community.

And it is that spirit, despite all the best intentions, that is often missing in Toronto.

Running has changed in the last 40 years and where races were once a rarity they now occur most weekends of the spring and fall. Sure, Toronto isn’t the only place where residents gripe about road closures. Even historic races, such as Hamilton’s Boxing Day Ten Miler – a race that dates back to the beginning of the last century – are regularly put under intense municipal scrutiny. The low key Peterborough Half-Marathon regularly fields complaints from citizens due to traffic delays. Small towns are like that but it’s hard to imagine Boston or New York having to field these kinds of complaints.

In Toronto, however, it’s a regular occurrence not limited to people simply complaining to call-in radio shows or writing an email to their city councillor. In the Big Smoke, things get visceral and the potential for getting plowed by an SUV running a barrier or being delayed by a streetcar parked in the middle of the course are regrettable parts of the Toronto race day experience. If racing is problematic, training locally during the winter months for a spring marathon can be downright depressing. When athletes aren’t dodging traffic on a thoroughfare that inexplicably speeds through the middle of High Park, or post-holing through the Don River system because the city can’t be bothered to plow the trail, much less repair bridges, they are being told that marathons, events that regularly attract thousands of visitors to the city, should be relegated to parks so as not to tie up traffic. The irony of Toronto winning the privilege of hosting the Pan Am Games can’t be lost on local runners.

And while holding a number of events increases variety, competing races mean runners pick between two marginal courses which often don’t showcase the city as best they could. A similar story goes along with the Sporting Life 10K, which has spawned a twin race that occurs three weeks prior.

Until Toronto race organizers find a way to cooperate and until the city decides to take running seriously, the spiritual centre of Canadian running will always reside in places like Vancouver and Ottawa, cities that welcome runners and celebrate the sport.

Check out the latest buyer's guide:

The best trainers in Canada under $150

We curated the best performance trainers under $150 to meet your 2024 running goals, while staying on budget