Race Guide presents – Canada’s best Boston Qualifiers

For many recreational runners, competing in the Boston Marathon is among the highlight of their running accomplishments. With tough qualifying standards and ever-growing popularity, the event has become even harder to get into in recent years.

A new registration process also means that those with the fastest qualifying times have the earliest and best chance of getting in, which is why it’s important for those training and hoping to qualify to choose the ideal race to run their fastest.

Some marathons are known for being particularly fast, while others have even gained a reputation for being an ideal event to achieve a qualifying time. Here are some of the best Canadian marathons for those looking to book a spot to Beantown.

Run for Heroes Alzheimer’s Day Race (Sept. 21, 2014): 2014 could be the last year that this remains as Canada’s southernmost marathon. With as many as 25 per cent of all runners earning their BQ over the last few years, this flat and fast course in historic Amherstburg, Ont. quickly gained the reputation as an ideal course to qualify for Boston.

Goodlife Fitness Victoria Marathon (Oct. 12, 2014): Not the flattest course, but the amazing ocean views and historic city tour does attract a fast field at an optimal time of year creating ideal conditions for fast times. More than 15 per cent of the 1,700 marathoners hit their BQ time in 2013.

Harvest Valley Marathon (Oct. 12, 2014): A smaller event taking place in Wolfville, N.S. In 2013, some 31 per cent of runners qualified for Boston making it the most prolific BQ course in Canada last year. The race starts and finishes on the campus of Acadia University and features a short loop of the downtown before an out-and-back toward the village of Greenwich. Expect a course complete with quaint cafes, pubs and shops to apple orchards, horse farms and pastoral scenery.

Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon (Oct. 19, 2014): Toronto’s premier running event, and part of the Canadian Running Series, prides itself on being flat, fast and festive. With multiple records set by national and international-calibre athletes alike, few can argue it’s a great place to run a fast time. The 2013 event saw some 15 per cent of it’s 3,700 finishers meet their Boston qualifier. The course has been changed slightly for 2014 but is still as fast as ever and will no doubt attract a large and competitive field.

Road2Hope Hamilton Marathon (Nov. 1, 2014): This event proudly embraces and even boasts it’s reputation as Canada’s top Boston qualifier event. An almost 7K section run continuously downhill has helped Hamilton establish itself as a particularly fast course. And who can complain? Not the 25 per cent of finishers who ran a BQ in 2013. The late-season date also helps ensure that conditions are cool and favourable for running fast.

BMO Vancouver Marathon (May 3, 2015): Canada’s second largest marathon event with some 3,800 participants and third-highest in terms of BQs — more than 400 — giving this spring event a success rate of almost 12 per cent.

Goodlife Toronto Marathon (May 3rd, 2015): Another marathon that takes place in Toronto, this one early in the spring. The course offers a net downhill in the first half of the race which is why this race is favourable for fast times when conditions are good. In 2014, 15 per cent of participants ran their BQ time.

Scotiabank Ottawa Marathon (May 24, 2015): Canada’s largest running event sees some 45,000 participants in various races including over 5,300 finishers in the marathon, the most in Canada. The City of Ottawa fully embraces the event and sees spectators that come out in droves to cheer on the runners. The 2014 event not only saw a new record for the fastest marathon ever ran on Canadian soil, but also over 800 participants achieve their BQ giving Ottawa a success rate of over 15 per cent.