Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon elite profile: Peter Some

Peter Some missed out on being the champion at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon last year. This year, he’s back as a more experienced runner and ready to race hard to the finish. Story by Paul Gains

A year ago Peter Some found himself at the front thirty kilometres into the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon battling the cold and windy elements. Confident and empowered by the appearance of his rivals, the Kenyan pushed on expecting to win the race. But within the next two kilometres his compatriot Laban Korir appeared on his shoulder going on for a surprise victory in 2:08:15. Some faded to sixth place in a time of 2:10:07. Despite being in top shape, he left Canada’s largest city disappointed with his performance vowing to learn from the experience.

The 25-year-old will have his chance to prove himself as the pair will renew their rivalry at this year’s event on October 18. The Toronto race will be, for the first time, an IAAF Gold Label race. “Like last year, my fitness is very good,” Some reports from his training camp in Kenya. “Last year I was pushing too early. I am more experienced now and hope to be better. I felt very good and decided to push it. Later on I realized that it was too early. I was disappointed that I lost. I don’t care who was beating me I just wanted to win myself.”

Some has a personal best of 2:05:38 from the 2013 Paris Marathon making him the fastest man in the elite field in Toronto. He is also able to keep up in training with world record holder Dennis Kimetto and Geoffrey Mutai, a Boston and New York winner. Some comes by his gift honestly, after all, he is the son of Some Muge the man credited with starting the Kenyan dominance at the 1983 IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Gateshead, UK. There he earned the bronze medal the country’s first individual medal in cross country. Though he died when Some was a child, Some remembers being encouraged to run.

“Unfortunately, my dad passed away when I was eight years old,” says the runner. “My mother encouraged me to run and she always watched and inspired me when I was running in training or races.” Inspiration these days comes closer to home. Some and his wife have a two-year-old daughter named Sheerlen Jebet and he runs to ensure a bright future for his family. The winner’s prize in Toronto is $20,000. He also has his eyes on Deressa Chimsa’s course record of 2:07:05 and the accompanying $35,000 bonus that comes with it. Chimsa had been expecting to run also but withdrew due to injury. The field will be strong nonetheless. “I hope we can work together and do something special,” says Some. “I was happy with the 2:07:22 I ran in Tokyo (Feb. 22, 2015). I tried my best and hope to improve now in Toronto.”

Preparations for Toronto have been going as well as expected and he has interrupted his buildup only once to race the Chemususu Dam Half Marathon in Kenya two weeks ago. He finished third in a strong field that included other leading Kenyans preparing for a fall marathon. Right now, he’s tapered off in mileage to ensure he is primed and fit for the battle with Korir aand the other top runners. He admits that when travelling to race, he takes his meals in the hotel and rarely ventures outside except for press functions and to race.

“When my career is over, I hope I can visit Toronto again to do some sightseeing,” he says “I liked the Toronto marathon, that’s why I am happy to be back again.”