On October 20, 2024 I ran the TCS Toronto Half Marathon. A few years ago, this race would have just been another half-marathon. But last year it held special meaning for me as it happened 6 days before my father suddenly, but not unexpectedly passed away. At that time, I did not know if I would have the mental or emotional energy to run a half-marathon but running through the streets of Toronto, running through neighborhoods that my dad took us to when we first immigrated from England to Canada, I felt a sense of connection with him. My left knee ended up hurting around the 15km mark, but I finished the race in a decent 2:06 time and was able to sprint to the finish line. My family did not greet me at the finish line, but I felt my dad wrap his arms around me and the tears of his passing flowed down. At that time, I decided I would try to complete this race for him as long as I was able to.
Fast track to 2024, it was forecasted to be a beautiful 22 degrees Celsius day, but the morning was a brisk 8 degrees Celsius. I bundled up as best I could, left some of my clothes in the car, but gear checked the rest knowing that I would be cold and wet from my sweat.
The race is set to start at 8AM and you are supposed to be at the start line an hour before your corral time. That would have meant I would have to be at the start at 715AM, but with the marathon and half-marathon participants all starting at the same time I found being at the start line that early was not helpful. In fact, I started later than my start time and felt even then it was too crowded.
Running the route, you notice right away the crowd support is immense. I didn’t realize how much value it added until I heard yelps of “Keep going”, “You can do it” and saw signs of “Touch here to Power UP” or “You run faster than the TTC”. Total strangers and one familiar face all out there to support you on the day your training focuses on. You race through parts of downtown Toronto, towards the ROM, Honest Ed’s, down to the Lakeshore, past Sunnyside Gus Ryder Outdoor Pool, back up the Lakeshore on a steeper part of its elevation all the way up Bay St to Nathan Philips Square. The Lakeshore will always bring back memories of our family hanging out at Sunnyside Gus pool. In fact this is pretty much the route our family took as newcomers to Canada, visiting all these iconic places in Downtown Toronto.
The route is pretty much flat for most of the part but running east past Sunnyside Gus there is a decent uphill that causes most runners to walk up it. Here I am going to put a plug in for some cross-training/weight-training work. It makes a world of difference and you don’t feel like you’re slogging it as much as you would be without the training. There is another ascent as you run west on Lakeshore toward Simcoe St., just under the Rogers Centre and one final hurdle as you ascend Bay St. to the finish line. That by far is the hardest climb (and it’s not even that uphill), but the swarm of crowds that greet you at the finish line do a lot to encourage you and get you to you finish line. Just before this intersection, where Bay St. and Lakeshore meet is the split point that distinguishes the marathoners from the half marathoners. Kudos to you who keep going! As I climb up Bay St. I cannot imagine doing ANOTHER 21.1 KM but that is exactly what I’d like to do one year…gulp (a few more gels)!
