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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 81 to 91]
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M. U. from USA
(4/11/2007)
 "A very boring marathon" (about: 2006)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Toronto Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 1 I ran this marathon October 2006 and was very disappointed. First of all, there were very few spectators, especially during mile 21-25. I know that when I am running 26.2 miles, I really appreciate cheering crowds! And second, Cliff Shots were handed out at the water station. I am not about to stop at the station, eat the shot and then drink some water. The water should have been given a quarter mile after the Cliff Shots so the runner does not have to stop. I do not recommend this marathon if you actually want to have fun while you are running! Too boring and poorly organized. | |
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P. S. from Scarborough
(1/20/2007)
 "An event for everyone!" (about: 2006)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Toronto Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 My whole family ran - 2 kids and wife in the 5K, my sister ran the half and I ran the full. It was very well organized with wonderful volunteers who offered the right amount of assistance and motivation when needed. I attended the dinner, which was fantastic, and met Bill Rodgers and Bart Yasso. Bart's slideshow and Kathrine Switzer's talk were funny, inspirational and motivating. I have told everyone to attend this dinner as part of the weekend events. The expo was well laid out, only medium-sized with some good buys. The kits had so much stuff in them that they overflowed, and the running shirt you get is the best one I have. Race day was fun and made more enjoyable by the many bands and music on a great, scenic course. Hills, parks, residential and commercial areas of the city and more cheering people out than I expected to see made it an interesting run. If they could crank the volume at the music stations like in NY, LA or Chicago, it would be even better. The finish area was well laid out and easy to navigate. The best is getting your bag right away at the tent and changing your clothes, then having a massage. Lots of food available in the tent for runners only, and in the park for everyone. It was a party atmosphere with so many people just hanging and watching others come in or listening to the music. Having Bill Rodgers, Bart Yasso, and Kathrine Switzer at the finish line cheering you as you cross was another highlight. Great crowds at Queen's Park. The medals were just huge - I almost fell over when it was put on me. It's nice to see this race continue to grow and enjoyed by so many. | |
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M. W. from Toronto
(1/17/2007)
"Great bands and volunteers!" (about: 2006)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Toronto Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I just moved up here the middle of last year and was excited to run my first Toronto Marathon. A blast on a perfect running day with a lot of music from bands and DJ's, and better-than-expected crowd support. The volunteers were fantastic with a lot of energy. You'll see some of the nicer areas of the city like Forest Hill, Rosedale and Yonge St. I suggest going to the dinner on Saturday night. Kathrine Switzer was truly inspiring and the food was good too. A fun marathon and well organized. Next year they have to crank the music volume. | |
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J. N. from New York
(1/10/2007)
"Best dinner ever!" (about: 2006)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Toronto Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Wow! We had a blast at this one. I was visiting on business with some co-workers and we all decided to run. The expo was medium-sized but very good, and they had great swag in the kits. Meeting Bill Rodgers and Bart Yasso at the expo and then again at the dinner was amazing. It's the first time I ever saw a standing ovation for the speakers at a pasta dinner. We were picked up by the bus at our hotel in the morning for the trip up to the start and sat with some interesting runners from Holland. A perfect day for running in every respect. The cops, water stations and volunteers were very supportive. A great city to visit and experience, and I am planning to be up again for work and to run next year. Also, the medal was huge, like 4 inches, and that pita at the finish was yummy. | |
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P. P. from Toronto
(1/7/2007)
 "Great medals and finish area" (about: 2006)
6-10 previous marathons
| 3 Toronto Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 This year I ran with some friends, all of us for the 3rd straight year. The shirts they give if you register early enough are the best wicking shirts I've ever received. Lots of cheering and support with great music and bands, especially on the last 15K. The medals were great too... really, really BIG! It provides a great city tour in a point-to-point course, and meeting Bill Rodgers and Katherine Switzer at the carbo dinner was excellent. We'll all be back in '07. | |
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C. T. from Toronto, Canada
(11/13/2006)
 "Disappointed in organization" (about: 2006)
11-50 previous marathons
| 4-5 Toronto Marathons
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 2 I've run this marathon every year for the last 4 years and favor it over the Scotiabank. Unfortunately, I have to agree with another runner's comment that this race is "cut to the bone." In years past age group winners received plaques but this was cut out because "the organizers found the awards on the ground and in the garbage after the race." Personally, I find this hard to believe; however, on another note, they advertised merchandise for age-group winners. This didn't materialize because of changes in sponsors. Sorry guys - poor excuses and little regard for the winners. If you don't value them, they won't value your race. Last time for me running this one. The highlight of this race were the appearances of Bill Rodgers and Kathrine Switzer. | |
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J. S. from Toronto
(11/8/2006)
"Not such a great experience" (about: 2006)
6-10 previous marathons
| 2 Toronto Marathons
COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 2 I've run this race before and was disappointed, but decided to give it second chance because it was the only race available to fit my schedule. I should have known better. The same issues of poor traffic management, nasty drivers, and obvious gaps and shortcuts in event planning and management that end up creating a frustrating experience for the runner. My sense is that this event is "cut to the bone" organizationally and so we the runners end up feeling that. Sorry guys - two strikes. Just don't want to ever run this one again. | |
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Steve Roney from Grand Cayman
(10/24/2006)
"A race you'll be cursing strangely the downhills!" (about: 2006)
First Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 First marathon and thoroughly enjoyed it. Spectators were thin on the ground but plenty enough for encouragement with some Alpine bells to boot on the hills. Training in completely flat Cayman Islands, the weather was freesing (6C) and the mostly downhill course absolutley kills the quads and the soles of your feet. I put my lack of hill training down to being unable to walk downstairs for a week. A couple of water stops felt like they were in the wrong place. Gel given out at 2 stations. Bad section under a pass over for a couple of K, but then you appear in downtown. May run it again, but will compare to Paris and Chicago next year. | |
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d. g. from toronto
(10/18/2006)
 "better than anticipated" (about: 2006)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Toronto Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 Being a Toronto resident and having heard fellow runners' stories of this race, I ran this half marathon with very low expectations. However I found my overall feeling after the race to be one of pleasant surprise. I found the half marathon course interesting. Fast enough, but with a few rolling hills and a somewhat challenging slow incline at the finish. The aid stations were excellent, in my opinion, and I noticed more porta-potties on the course than many races I've done. Fewer spectators than you'd expect for such a large city, but still pretty good in a few spots. Unfortunately the city just doesn't seem to embrace this particular race, so I don't think I'd ever make it my fall marathon. There are just too many better choices within a few-hours drive. But I'd do the half again.... | |
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J. L. from Toronto
(10/18/2006)
"Let's go downtown!" (about: 2006)
4-5 previous marathons
| 2 Toronto Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 I've run all sorts of races and this remains a local favorite of mine (I usually do the half, though I've run the full twice). I agree that seeing my fellow Torontonians get into shouting matches with the cops is shameful, but I think the organizers could go door to door and announce the road closures individually and people would still claim they'd never heard of such a thing. I do what I do with ugly Toronto traffic every day and just try to ignore it. Otherwise I enjoy this course very much and would hate to see this race disappear. It's interesting, engaging, and yes, fast. Yes there are a few hills, but, I think they just help to distribute the wear a bit, and it's still a net downhill course and my times have been very good. Yes, there is some industrial blight, but it's not that bad and there isn't that much of it (most marathons have some!). But G. Ross Lord Park is lovely, and the spectators on Yonge and in Forest Hill and even that last agonizing uphill grade of University are great, and there are all sorts of folks cheering from bikes on Rosedale Valley. The scenery is constantly changing, and it never gets boring. It really is too bad that they have to use Lakeshore instead of Front, but them's the breaks. I had a bit of trouble finding the bag check (it seems to move every year) but I had no trouble getting my bag back; in fact, I sat on a bench while one of the race volunteers brought it to me. The post-race food is a little sparse (and I didn't get a plastic bag to put it in), but the SpongeBob was fun, and there's no shortage of restaurants a few blocks away. The race kit has lots of great swag and the technical t-shirt is very nice. A few more aid stations would probably be good. And I think this was the first largish race I've ever been to where there was no more than a 5-minute wait for the porta-johns, even before the half at the start. Having the kilometer markers more visible (up higher in the first part of the race, and not buried in the aid stations elsewhere) would be nice, too. I think it's quite a pity that the two Toronto marathons must compete with each other in the fall, but I really prefer this course, and hope it continues in the years to come. |
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