Veterinarian Lee Wesselius crushes marathon personal best in New York state

Lee Wesselius of River Glade, N.B., has ventured into the marathon multiple times. After finishing as the top Canadian male at the 2023 Ottawa International Marathon in May with a finishing time of 2:18:27, two minutes over his personal best, the now-veteran marathoner knew he needed a change for the autumn window. On Saturday, Wesselius set a two-minute personal best at the McKirdy Micro Marathon in Rockland, N.Y., with a time of 2:14:39, finishing sixth overall.

Reflecting on his performance, Wesselius shared, “My goal heading into the race was to set a new personal best. I was aiming for a time between 2:13 and 2:14, so I’m quite pleased with the outcome.”

Wesselius mentioned that he had received an invitation for the elite field at the 2023 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon, but opted for the McKirdy Micro Marathon due to the depth of the men’s field and the course’s flat nature. He explained, “I saw this race back in May, and I thought I might consider running there if the field was competitive. In the end, it felt like the right choice, despite forgoing the potential prize money in Toronto.”

The TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon awards the top Canadian male and female finisher with CDN $8,000. Domestic athletes can also potentially earn additional prize money if they place in the top eight overall.

At last year’s Canadian Marathon Championships in Toronto, Wesselius was the third Canadian finisher, with a time of 2:16:51. He says he ran most of that 2022 race solo, with the eventual champion, Trevor Hofbauer, and second-place finisher Rory Linkletter, both crossing the finish line several minutes ahead of him.

In contrast to Hofbauer and Linkletter, Wesselius is an unsponsored athlete who juggles training with a full-time job as a large-animal veterinarian in the Ottawa area. “I usually begin my training around 5:30-6 a.m., depending on when my first call of the day comes in,” Wesselius said. “My morning routine consists of a 35- to 45-minute run, followed by a longer 70-minute run or workout after my workday ends, usually around 4 p.m.”

Wesselius said that his new personal best gave him a significant confidence boost as he looks forward to a spring marathon. “I think I have 2:12 in the legs,” he added. “During the second half of the race, I was able to overtake many runners, and I avoided bonking. It was cool to beat a few guys with faster personal bests.”

Wesselius, 29, was not the only Canadian runner to make it into the top 10. Thomas Toth of Lakefield, Ont., finished 10th, with a career-best time of 2:15:57.

Although Wesselius just ran a marathon PB, he has a high motivation to continue training this fall. “I want to do another marathon in the spring, but I’m still working out the details,” he said. For now, he is preparing for the Canadian XC Championships in Ottawa in November and the Vancouver First Half in February.