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☰
Toronto Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Toronto Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 3.8 
Organization 3.8 
Spectators 3.1
Number of comments: 160 [displaying comments 151 to 160]
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A Runner from Toronto
(2/8/2001)
 "Gets better each year. Great Race!!" (about: 2000)
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 I've run the CIM 4 times now and it keeps improving. It's well organized and a good route. The registration and expo is great and the dinner is the best I've ever been to. The City should get behind it more and Toronto drivers are the worst! The volunteers are fab and everything at the finish is 1st class. The Scotia Bank Marathon is dead; bad route and very poorly organized and it's a good thing since it was stupid for the city to allow two in the 1st place. I'll be running the CIM again this year and look forward to another great day! | |
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A Runner from Toronto, Ontario, Canada
(2/5/2001)
 "AWFUL!!" (General Comments)
COURSE: 1 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 1 My home town, my first race and a great disappointment. The city does not support this race, the drivers are rude and the course is boring. I would never run this marathon again and discourage anyone who mentions they might try it. For a first time marathon experience, it is a real let down. The Scotia Bank Marathon a few weeks before has nicer scenery, better organization and more spectators as it is confined to the waterfront area. | |
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A Runner from Toronto
(1/26/2001)
 "The route saved the race." (about: 2000)
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 1 The course and the volunteers were great. I didn't mind the stretch at the end near the Don because there was no traffic. However, there was also no spectator support, a major drawback. In fact, the only patch of spectators was along a small section of Yonge Street. To my surprise, there was no cheering along Front Street, near the end of the race, when the runners need it the most, where the route is surrounded by high rise condos. There were not neary enough toilets at the start. Half marathon runners were scurrying to pee then race to their start line 1/2 km away. I saw the eventual winner of the marathon trying to butt in line, I guess so that he, if no one else, could have a proper warm-up. My most serious complaint is with what the organizers claim to be a 'finisher's certificate.' It's just a postcard with a label attached to one side that states your name and finish time. Stamp and post mark and all on the other side. Not at all good for framing, bragging about or gazing at when looking for motivation for your next race! Have the organizers ever run a marathon themselves? | |
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A Runner from Canada
(1/16/2001)
"VERY DISAPPOINTING" (General Comments)
COURSE: 1 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 1 Terrible course, poor support. At one stage police were finding gaps in the runners to allow traffic to continue. Very dangerous. 1st water station for Half Marathon at the 10km mark. Uphill for the last mile or so. Also had to contend with irate drivers. The Organizers of this run should look at other Canadian Marathons for guidance. (See Manitoba Marathon) | |
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Leonardo Sanchez from Cobourg, Ontario
(10/26/2000)
 "Could pick a better course" (about: 2000)
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 2000 was my first marathon. I believe the course could be made more interesting and pleasant. The section through the industrial area by the Don River is desolated, and when you need the most support (32K to 40K) you can hardly find anyone. The course is challenging, but I did not find it excessively so. The organization was good, the volunteers and the police did a great job. Some people got very upset that their Sunday routine got disturbed by the race, and they make sure to let the runners know they aren't pleased. I'll run it again in 2001 because it's close to home. | |
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A Runner from Toronto, Ontario Canada
(10/17/2000)
"VERY DISAPPOINTING" (about: 2000)
COURSE: 1 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 1 I am from Toronto and this was my first marathon. I was disgusted by the lack of support by the city and by the push to re-open the roads. I am a slow runner and was forced onto sidewalk at 12k point- all signage was then taken away. If not for knowing the city it would have been hard to know the course to finish. Also if it was not for my family support at the finish line the organizers would have been gone by the time I finished, despite the fact that they said the finish would remain open for all runners. I was lucky to get my medal because the were ready to close up shop but for my family insistence on waiting for me. Also this course is extremely hilly and a difficult course -I would only reccommend for experienced marathoners, definitely not for the beginner as I found out the hard way | |
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A Runner from Toronto, Canada
(10/15/2000)
"Well organized, great but few fans, bad course" (about: 2000)
COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 Toronto has an incredible number of park stretches that most people, including Torontonians, don't even know about (and I'm not just referring to Sunnybrook, Humber and High). Knowing this, it surprises me that the course does not take advantage of the fall weather trees by dipping in and out of the parks more frequently and avoiding the car pollution that builds up on roads of log-jammed cars (also creating noise pollution with unnecessary honking because the drivers cannot READ signs). Two things I saw frequently that should never happen: 1) watching fans running beside the marathoners having to scream to each other when talking because the idiot drivers are honking and 2)watching the runners have to swerve or come to a halt because dangerous idiot drivers don't obey the officers signals. I say give them tickets for running a red light AND dangerous driving! | |
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A Runner from Winnipeg, Manitoba
(9/5/2000)
 "Ran it once. Won't run it again." (about: 1999)
COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 2 This marathon books itself as the 'Canadian International Marathon' in typical Toronto style. The fact that there are numerous other international marathons in Canada seems to elude the organizers. The course initially starts off by running through a commercial area preceded by a lovely (though hilly) park. The largest section of the marathon runs along Yonge Street where the runners are subjected to the rudest drivers this side of New York. Everyone seems to be totally surprised by the road closures, even though the event was well advertised. If you run this course, you can expect to be cursed at and cutoff by the impatient drivers trying to cross the intersections. Although the police do an admirable job at trying to control traffic, they are unable to ensure your safety. The run does go in front of the scenic 'Casa Loma', which is certainly worth the look. Upon entering downtown Toronto, the course takes us through a really seedy industrial section next to the Don River, once the most polluted river in Canada. This part of the course is very lonely, with no spectators and nothing to see except industrial waste and chain-link fences. The last stretch of the course is slightly uphill, finishing at Queen's Park, Ontario's Legistative Building. Surely the organizers of Toronto's Marathon could showcase their city by running along Lake Ontario, rather than running through crowded, uninteresting streets. Doesn't Toronto have any parks? Needless to say, I would never run the Canadian International Marathon again. Vancouver's and Winnipeg's Marathon are by far better organized and have spectators that appreciate runners. | |
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A Runner from Toronto,Canada
(5/7/2000)
"My home town!" (General Comments)
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 I have run all five editions of this marathon and it keeps getting better. Great value for the money and I love not having to travel to race. | |
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A Runner from Burlington, Ontario, Canada
(5/1/2000)
 "You'll see lots of downtown Toronto!" (about: 1997)
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 The course starts with a loop and when you get back to the starting point, you know you have run half the marathon. Then on to downtown and up Hogg's Hollow which is steep and tough, but not too long but occurs at about the 18 mile mark. Good entertainment along the way with local bands and quite a few spectators through the downtown stretch. Scenic finish at Queen's Park. |
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