Could Cam Levins become the first Canadian to win TCS New York City Marathon?

Cam Levins currently holds the title of Canada’s fastest marathoner. However, on Sunday, he has the opportunity to cement his place as Canada’s greatest marathoner if he wins the 2023 TCS New York City Marathon—something a Canadian has never done in the race’s 53-year history.

In his last two marathons, Levins has lowered the Canadian record to a remarkable 2:05:36, finishing in the top five at the 2023 Tokyo Marathon. However, he says his aim in New York isn’t to pursue any record time. “I will run whatever it takes to be competitive,” Levins said during Thursday’s elite press conference.

After his record-breaking run in Tokyo, Levins considered taking a shot at a medal at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest. However, his marathon plans took a turn as he watched the 2023 Boston Marathon from his home in Portland, Ore. “I saw [Eliud] Kipchoge struggle with the hills in Boston, and thought, if I don’t get more familiar with them, that could be me in Paris,” says Levins.

Levins is a massive track and field fan, and considers himself a student of the sport. His ultimate goal is to medal in Paris, and he strongly believes New York will give him the competition necessary, and will be a stepping stone, for the hilly marathon course at the 2024 Olympics.

Cam Levins’s bonkers workout ahead of New York City Marathon

The 34-year-old from the small town of Black Creek, B.C., says he hasn’t changed in training for NYC and has kept the same volume since his 2:07:09 run at the 2022 World Athletic Championships. “I am still doing 180 miles (290 km) a week, and I run triples four times a week,” he says.

Levins starts his day with a morning run around 9 a.m., then heads out for another run in the afternoon and concludes with a treadmill run in an altitude chamber around 8 p.m., before heading to bed. “It’s a lot of napping,” Levins laughs.

One thing he and his coach, Jim Finlayson, have tried to incorporate to prepare him for New York is more daily hill training. “We converted a lot of the easy mileage into hillier routes,” says Levins. “It took a while to get used to, but I’ve had plenty of time to make the adjustment—I’m feeling good.”

Of the six Abbott World Marathon Majors, New York and Boston are considered the most challenging. New York’s difficulty is attributed primarily to the four bridges participants must cross as they wind through the city’s five boroughs, with the Verrazzano-Narrows and Queensboro Bridges both extending to a distance of more than a kilometre. 

The men’s elite field in New York isn’t as deep as the women’s, leaving the men’s race wide open after defending champions Evans Chebet and Geoffrey Kamworor withdrew a few weeks ago. Levins is aware of the stakes, and knows the challenges that lie ahead. “Winning any of these majors isn’t easy,” says Levins. “I have raced Tamirat Tola and I know how good he is.”

Ethiopia’s Tola won the marathon at the 2022 World Athletics Championships, finishing three spots ahead of Levins and setting a new championship record. Levins says that although Tola outperformed him in Eugene, he believes he’s a different and better athlete than he was two years ago.

How to watch

The 2023 TCS New York City Marathon will be aired in Canada on TSN2, with coverage beginning at 8:00 a.m. ET Sunday. You can also stream the event live online via the TSN app or via TSN.ca/live.

All the action for the 2023 TCS New York City Marathon will be brought to you by Canadian Running and New Balance. Follow us on Twitter on Instagram for in-depth coverage, live-tweeting and up-to-date exclusive news and content.