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Marathon Details - Waterloo Marathon

North America Marathons > Canada > ON > Waterloo > Waterloo Marathon

Waterloo Marathon

Waterloo Marathon & Half Marathon

Waterloo, ON Canada

~~May 1, 2022~~ - CANCELLED

http://www.waterloomarathon.ca

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Marathon Results

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2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2003 2002 2001 Top 3 Finishers

Race Details

Half town, half country, scenic and undulating.

Contact Information

Name:	Tony Lea
Address:	St. John Office 250 Gage Ave. Kitchener, ON, N2M 2C8.
Phone Number:	519-579-5451
Fax Number:	519-579-6320
Email:	Email the organizers

Runner Reviews (20)

Course 3.7

Organization 4.0

Spectators 2.8

Write a review

Number of comments: 20 [displaying comments 1 to 11]

More Comments: [ < 1 2 > ]

P. M. from Toronto, ON (5/2/2018) "Tiny but well organized, rolling hills course" (about: 2018) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Waterloo Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Very small by big city standards, but well-organized race! Full marathon starts 30 minutes before the half, which has far more participants. Warmup and post-race are at indoors soccer field to stay away from the elements. Water stations plentiful and staffed by enthusiastic volunteers. No crowd support to speak of, apart from start/finish and a few places along the way, but it's no big deal. Scottish pipers are awesome and unique, as is the famous covered 'Kissing Bridge'. The course is mostly open farmland and could get windy, but it's a loop so some of it will be tailwind. There is almost 4 miles of unpaved gravel road; look out for loose rocks. Also, some of the paved road shoulders are very narrow. It's not a problem early on with little traffic, but gets uncomfortable later in the race, with oncoming traffic whizzing by at high speed. You will see many Mennonites in their buggies too.. they are going about their business as if the race isn't happening. Fortunately all turns and intersections are manned by police and marshals; traffic control not an issue. With runners stretched out, sometimes it feels lonely and more like a training run than a race. Be prepared to run on your own. Did I mention rolling hills? They aren't terrible but there's a lot of them, and they do take their toll at the end, including one close to the finish. All in all, good small local race, but not a great BQ opportunity unless you trained for hills.
sanjay mohanta from ottawa, ON (5/2/2016) "My 80th Marathon! Tough Course!" (about: 2016) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Waterloo Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 The race is very well organized with plenty of police and medical support throughout the course. The race features more aid stations in the second half as well. Lots of hills but there are flat areas between 11 and 20k and the last 5k. The race director is very friendly and the clay medals are nice. It is great you can park for free close the start line and use facilities there afterwards. Lots of food at the end as well.
Jennifer Schneider from Ontario (4/28/2015) "Start of foundation" (about: 2015) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Waterloo Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my first full marathon recovering from a shin splint injury I decided I was going to go for it I knew deep down inside I was in for a thrill with back-up plans and training myself I kept the women's lead until 41km had to stretch several times because of my injury as soon as I realized how close I was to finish I dug deep and gunned it winning the women's division by 6 sec great course !!
A. C. from Sarnia, ON (4/28/2014) "Challenging race" (about: 2014) 2 previous marathons \| 1 Waterloo Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This is a very scenic course with lots of beautiful countryside to take in. The challenging part is the rolling hills. There aren't any that stand out, but it is the steady stream of rollers that will take a toll on your legs. Be ready for them and you'll enjoy the race! The water stations have lots of great volunteers handing out water and gatorade and they are positioned quite frequently. The only downside is that because this is a small marathon, there aren't a lot of people lined up along the country roads to cheer you on. Bring a friend to run with and you'll enjoy it a lot more!
Jill Pettit from Ontario, Canada (4/27/2014) "Countryside marathon scores BIG" (about: 2014) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Waterloo Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 1 Challenging course with lots of hills, country roads including soft stone surface. Run over the famous covered bridge-The Kissing Bridge was cool. Water stations every 3 kms supported with amazing volunteers. Everyone was extremely helpful and accommodating. Not many spectators on the course but the volunteers at every water station made up for that. Weather was perfect.
G. R. from Stratford, Ont (5/10/2013) "Even Batman was there this year." (about: 2013) First Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 It was a lot of fun. This is a small local race. (not crowded). The weather was great. The races started on time, And the volunteers were very helpful. There was lots of water at all the aid stations. I ran the half and it was my 4th.
B. K. from Ontario, Canada (5/10/2012) "Small and nice race" (about: 2012) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Waterloo Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 The beginning of the race was sunny and cold even freezing followed by running against rather strong wind. The first and final part of the course is in the streets of Waterloo. The most of it runs in not very exciting countryside, farmlands and wooded areas on pavemet and some gravel. The organization of the event was excellent with visible presence of police and ambulances (bravo St.John!). Volunteers as always were very nice and helpful. T-shirt and ceramic medal were above average. Thank you, Waterloo!
George Rennick from Stratford, Ontario (4/30/2012) "I ran the 1/2 marathon yesterday, and I loved it." (about: 2012) First Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 The weather yesterday was perfect, and that definitely helped. This is smaller, less expensive race, on a mostly flat course. (hills were never a problem) Parking was good, and it was easy both to get to, and leave from. There were a lot of volunteers at all of the water stops (every 2 miles or so) and the volunteers did a great job and were very friendly. Part of the race is in Waterloo, and part in the country which had us running past some big, beautiful homes. I don't know how they did it, but somehow I ran 3 minutes faster than I ever had before.
L. L. from Toronto, Ontario (4/25/2010) "Not my kind of race" (about: 2010) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Waterloo Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 1 People were very friendly, and the goods for the registration fee (shirt, medal, food) were of good value. It stops there. While the weather this year was horrible no doubt (there's nothing they could have done about it), water stations felt sparse. Water volunteers were just leaving cups on the table at some places and even ran out of Gatorade at one station (the crucial 33KM mark). I mostly have run urban marathons in the past, so the open course on rural highways with cars whizzing about at 80 KM per hour is something else. With the rain, the unpaved road we ran on was practically a quagmire. Very isolated, and practically no spectators about. Advertised as "rustic in a rural setting," and they aren't kidding. After running Chicago, Baltimore and Copenhagen previously, there's only so much I can take of farms and grain silos, and that was definitely exceeded by the halfway point. Porta-potties were stationed, but rarely available when I actually needed them. As a result, the general store at Conestogo got my personal mark. Also, with the frigid weather, you would expect radiator blankets to be standard - not so; we had to ask for them at the end. In all, I think the weather definitely put a damper on the whole thing, but trying to avoid getting hit by cars/oxcarts, and having to fetch Gatorade and water myself (instead of it being handed to me) helped me to run my next-to-worst personal record.
Jennifer McCreath from St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada (5/4/2009) "much improvement!" (about: 2009) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Waterloo Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Needless to say, reading some of the comments of previous years had me questioning whether or not it was wise to run this one, but it appeared evident early on when I first contacted the race director with some questions that he was taking things very seriously. He even went above and beyond the call of duty to assist me with accommodation matters. Throughout the weeks leading up to the race, Tony sent out several e-mails to all runners with important info. The race featured a brand new marathon course that differed from previous years. From start to finish, I found the organization of the run to be excellent. Marshals were positioned on the course at every turn to ensure that no runner went off-course. There were KM markers stationed at all 42K on the course. The Gatorade stations were frequent and were stocked full of water, Gatorade, and even chocolate! There were porta-potties stationed at least every 8K on the course. Most importantly, the course was fairly flat, something that really helps with BQing! The run itself went through some pretty scenic parts of rural Ontario. It felt rather isolating running out there in the middle of nowhere with practically nobody around me once the field had spread out (KM 31-38), but that has to be expected in a run through rural countryside. Running on a fully open highway always concerns me, but there were periodic signs posted warning drivers that a road race was in progress and there were police cycling around the course periodically to keep an eye on things, so overall, I felt they did what they could to mitigate against risks. Logistically, the t-shirt and medal were standard and sufficient; and the post-race tent featured a selection of food, a massage table, an awards ceremony and printed results. The race started and finished at the same place (always great to not have to take a shuttle bus before or after a run), and there were free shower facilities and ample free parking for athletes close to the start. And there was race-day kit pick up allowed, which was also a great bonus for runners like myself who are often coming from out of town at the last minute. Not tons of fans out there, but the few spectators that were out there proved to be very positive and encouraging to all runners. Pro photographers were on the course and took excellent pics. Overall, I was extremely impressed and would certainly not hesitate to run this one again. The race registration fee was half as much as most other marathons, so it made for a great bargain. Thanks, Tony, for pulling off a great event! I hope to be back again next year. All the best! - Jennifer

More Comments: [ < 1 2 > ]



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P. M. from Toronto, ON (5/2/2018) "Tiny but well organized, rolling hills course" (about: 2018) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Waterloo Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Very small by big city standards, but well-organized race! Full marathon starts 30 minutes before the half, which has far more participants. Warmup and post-race are at indoors soccer field to stay away from the elements. Water stations plentiful and staffed by enthusiastic volunteers. No crowd support to speak of, apart from start/finish and a few places along the way, but it's no big deal. Scottish pipers are awesome and unique, as is the famous covered 'Kissing Bridge'. The course is mostly open farmland and could get windy, but it's a loop so some of it will be tailwind. There is almost 4 miles of unpaved gravel road; look out for loose rocks. Also, some of the paved road shoulders are very narrow. It's not a problem early on with little traffic, but gets uncomfortable later in the race, with oncoming traffic whizzing by at high speed. You will see many Mennonites in their buggies too.. they are going about their business as if the race isn't happening. Fortunately all turns and intersections are manned by police and marshals; traffic control not an issue. With runners stretched out, sometimes it feels lonely and more like a training run than a race. Be prepared to run on your own. Did I mention rolling hills? They aren't terrible but there's a lot of them, and they do take their toll at the end, including one close to the finish. All in all, good small local race, but not a great BQ opportunity unless you trained for hills.
sanjay mohanta from ottawa, ON (5/2/2016) "My 80th Marathon! Tough Course!" (about: 2016) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Waterloo Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 The race is very well organized with plenty of police and medical support throughout the course. The race features more aid stations in the second half as well. Lots of hills but there are flat areas between 11 and 20k and the last 5k. The race director is very friendly and the clay medals are nice. It is great you can park for free close the start line and use facilities there afterwards. Lots of food at the end as well.
Jennifer Schneider from Ontario (4/28/2015) "Start of foundation" (about: 2015) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Waterloo Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my first full marathon recovering from a shin splint injury I decided I was going to go for it I knew deep down inside I was in for a thrill with back-up plans and training myself I kept the women's lead until 41km had to stretch several times because of my injury as soon as I realized how close I was to finish I dug deep and gunned it winning the women's division by 6 sec great course !!
A. C. from Sarnia, ON (4/28/2014) "Challenging race" (about: 2014) 2 previous marathons \| 1 Waterloo Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This is a very scenic course with lots of beautiful countryside to take in. The challenging part is the rolling hills. There aren't any that stand out, but it is the steady stream of rollers that will take a toll on your legs. Be ready for them and you'll enjoy the race! The water stations have lots of great volunteers handing out water and gatorade and they are positioned quite frequently. The only downside is that because this is a small marathon, there aren't a lot of people lined up along the country roads to cheer you on. Bring a friend to run with and you'll enjoy it a lot more!
Jill Pettit from Ontario, Canada (4/27/2014) "Countryside marathon scores BIG" (about: 2014) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Waterloo Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 1 Challenging course with lots of hills, country roads including soft stone surface. Run over the famous covered bridge-The Kissing Bridge was cool. Water stations every 3 kms supported with amazing volunteers. Everyone was extremely helpful and accommodating. Not many spectators on the course but the volunteers at every water station made up for that. Weather was perfect.
G. R. from Stratford, Ont (5/10/2013) "Even Batman was there this year." (about: 2013) First Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 It was a lot of fun. This is a small local race. (not crowded). The weather was great. The races started on time, And the volunteers were very helpful. There was lots of water at all the aid stations. I ran the half and it was my 4th.
B. K. from Ontario, Canada (5/10/2012) "Small and nice race" (about: 2012) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Waterloo Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 The beginning of the race was sunny and cold even freezing followed by running against rather strong wind. The first and final part of the course is in the streets of Waterloo. The most of it runs in not very exciting countryside, farmlands and wooded areas on pavemet and some gravel. The organization of the event was excellent with visible presence of police and ambulances (bravo St.John!). Volunteers as always were very nice and helpful. T-shirt and ceramic medal were above average. Thank you, Waterloo!
George Rennick from Stratford, Ontario (4/30/2012) "I ran the 1/2 marathon yesterday, and I loved it." (about: 2012) First Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 The weather yesterday was perfect, and that definitely helped. This is smaller, less expensive race, on a mostly flat course. (hills were never a problem) Parking was good, and it was easy both to get to, and leave from. There were a lot of volunteers at all of the water stops (every 2 miles or so) and the volunteers did a great job and were very friendly. Part of the race is in Waterloo, and part in the country which had us running past some big, beautiful homes. I don't know how they did it, but somehow I ran 3 minutes faster than I ever had before.
L. L. from Toronto, Ontario (4/25/2010) "Not my kind of race" (about: 2010) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Waterloo Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 1 People were very friendly, and the goods for the registration fee (shirt, medal, food) were of good value. It stops there. While the weather this year was horrible no doubt (there's nothing they could have done about it), water stations felt sparse. Water volunteers were just leaving cups on the table at some places and even ran out of Gatorade at one station (the crucial 33KM mark). I mostly have run urban marathons in the past, so the open course on rural highways with cars whizzing about at 80 KM per hour is something else. With the rain, the unpaved road we ran on was practically a quagmire. Very isolated, and practically no spectators about. Advertised as "rustic in a rural setting," and they aren't kidding. After running Chicago, Baltimore and Copenhagen previously, there's only so much I can take of farms and grain silos, and that was definitely exceeded by the halfway point. Porta-potties were stationed, but rarely available when I actually needed them. As a result, the general store at Conestogo got my personal mark. Also, with the frigid weather, you would expect radiator blankets to be standard - not so; we had to ask for them at the end. In all, I think the weather definitely put a damper on the whole thing, but trying to avoid getting hit by cars/oxcarts, and having to fetch Gatorade and water myself (instead of it being handed to me) helped me to run my next-to-worst personal record.
Jennifer McCreath from St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada (5/4/2009) "much improvement!" (about: 2009) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Waterloo Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Needless to say, reading some of the comments of previous years had me questioning whether or not it was wise to run this one, but it appeared evident early on when I first contacted the race director with some questions that he was taking things very seriously. He even went above and beyond the call of duty to assist me with accommodation matters. Throughout the weeks leading up to the race, Tony sent out several e-mails to all runners with important info. The race featured a brand new marathon course that differed from previous years. From start to finish, I found the organization of the run to be excellent. Marshals were positioned on the course at every turn to ensure that no runner went off-course. There were KM markers stationed at all 42K on the course. The Gatorade stations were frequent and were stocked full of water, Gatorade, and even chocolate! There were porta-potties stationed at least every 8K on the course. Most importantly, the course was fairly flat, something that really helps with BQing! The run itself went through some pretty scenic parts of rural Ontario. It felt rather isolating running out there in the middle of nowhere with practically nobody around me once the field had spread out (KM 31-38), but that has to be expected in a run through rural countryside. Running on a fully open highway always concerns me, but there were periodic signs posted warning drivers that a road race was in progress and there were police cycling around the course periodically to keep an eye on things, so overall, I felt they did what they could to mitigate against risks. Logistically, the t-shirt and medal were standard and sufficient; and the post-race tent featured a selection of food, a massage table, an awards ceremony and printed results. The race started and finished at the same place (always great to not have to take a shuttle bus before or after a run), and there were free shower facilities and ample free parking for athletes close to the start. And there was race-day kit pick up allowed, which was also a great bonus for runners like myself who are often coming from out of town at the last minute. Not tons of fans out there, but the few spectators that were out there proved to be very positive and encouraging to all runners. Pro photographers were on the course and took excellent pics. Overall, I was extremely impressed and would certainly not hesitate to run this one again. The race registration fee was half as much as most other marathons, so it made for a great bargain. Thanks, Tony, for pulling off a great event! I hope to be back again next year. All the best! - Jennifer

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Marathon Details - Waterloo Marathon