Mississauga Marathon to become the Mississauga Half

As runners begin to plan races for the spring and fall, one of Ontario’s most popular running events is back with a new look. The Mississauga Marathon has dropped the marathon, and will now be known as the Mississauga Half, with a new and exciting course, and a prize purse of $5,000.

Under new ownership, the race decided to strengthen its roots and cater to the most popular distance, the half marathon.

“In recent years, the numbers in our marathon have slightly declined, and the half numbers have continued to rise,” says Brad Melville, co-race director. “We aren’t eliminating the race, but our approach is to pare things down and put focus on the distances we’ve had success with.”

Many runners have speculated that the decline in marathon numbers is due to its being held on the same date as the nearby Toronto Marathon, which has taken place on the first Sunday in May since 2012. According to Melville, pre-pandemic, the Mississauga Marathon would get around 1,000 registrants. In 2022, the number of registrants was below 500.

The Mississauga Half Marathon is scheduled for April 30, and will also feature a 5K and 10K race with a refreshed vision, look and feel, with a spectator-friendly course.

“We decided to go to a looped half course which starts and finishes at the same point–Celebration Square in Mississauga,” says Melville. “Spectators will see the runners pass through the square three times.”

The organizers wanted to design a seamless event for spectators and runners. “Celebration Square will host the pre and post-race festivities, which include race kit pickup, post-race entertainment, award ceremony, beverages and food,” Melville says.

The half marathon course is a certified, scenic course, taking runners on a journey from the city centre, over the Credit River, and through the University of Toronto-Erindale campus. The award-winning Marilyn Monroe buildings will be in your sights over the final few kilometres and back into Celebration Square. An interactive map of the 2023 race can be found here.

The Mississauga Half Marathon is an Athletics Canada Road Road Label event, which signifies the standards in safety and runner experience and features a prize purse totalling $5,000. “Our ultimate goal is to attract the Canadian Half Marathon Championships to the city of Mississauga,” says Melville. “We believe that the success of our 2023 event can help us host the event within the next three to five years.”

Registration is now open for the 2023 race, with a distance for every age, experience, and ability. Mark your calendars for April 30, and be a part of the revamped Mississauga Race Weekend, here.