Niagara half Coolsaet’s final major test before Fukuoka
The Niagara Half-Marathon on Sunday will the last major prep race for Reid Coolsaet before the final training block leading to his fall marathon.
The Hamilton, Ont. native has never raced the Niagara course, but he spoke at the expo last year and ran with the kids race.
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“I was impressed with the race and being close to home and five weeks out from Fukuoka, it fit perfectly,” Coolsaet said in an email.
The course is considered to be one of the fastest half-marathons in the country and was voted as the most scenic marathon and half-marathon in Ontario.
After pacing the Fukuoka Marathon last year, Coolsaet will race the full distance this time around on Dec. 1.
Canadian marathoning has a history in Fukuoka. Jerome Drayton’s national record of 2:10:09 was set there 39 years ago, but Coolseat says that didn’t play into his decision to make that his fall race destination.
“I paced 30K of the Fukuoka marathon last year and really liked the course and overall atmosphere,” said Coolsaet. “[The record] didn’t really factor into my decision making but the history isn’t lost on me and I think it’s really cool.”
His Fukuoka race will be following on big fall season in Canadian distance running, but he’s prepared to just run his own race in Japan.
“Watching Lanni and Krista break the old record last Sunday was awesome and it motivates me, but it doesn’t add any pressure.”
Asked what he thought about the new Canadian women’s record, Coolsaet replies “with Lanni and Krista in the prime of their careers and others coming up I doubt 2:28:00 lasts too long.”
The half-marathon is set to start at 9:55 a.m. on Sunday.
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