The Toronto Waterfront Marathon is an annual road race held in mid-October, with a full marathon, a half marathon, and a 5K. Running Magazine dates the first race to 1999 in one passage and to 2000 in another, so the start year differs even within one source. The course moved to the lakefront the following year.
Start year and early courses
Running Magazine writes that the 1999 race started at College Park on Yonge Street, ran north to Eglinton Avenue, looped through Leaside and the east end, and finished downtown. The following year it moved to Lakeshore Boulevard and became the waterfront marathon. The same article says the race had about 600 finishers in its first year, 2000. Wikipedia lists 2000 as the founding year. The official site pages fetched give no first year, so the discrepancy is left open.
Format and date pattern
The marathon is run on a Sunday in the second or third week of October. The official site lists the 2026 edition for October 17 and 18 and the 2027 edition for October 16 and 17, with the 5K on the Saturday and the marathon and half marathon on the Sunday. The 5K was added in 2024. The 2020 in-person race was cancelled because of the pandemic and replaced by virtual events. The pages fetched give no current course description, and past routes have changed, so the official site is the place for the current route.
Milestones
| Year | Milestone | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Ed Whitlock runs 2:59:10, the first person over 70 to break three hours | Running Magazine |
| 2013 | Deressa Chimsa sets the men’s course record, called the fastest marathon on Canadian soil at the time | Official site |
| 2015 | IAAF Gold Label awarded | Running Magazine |
| 2019 | Philemon Rono runs 2:05:00, listed as the Canadian soil record; the race hosts the Canadian Olympic Marathon Trials | Official site, Running Magazine |
| 2023 | Hosts the Canadian Marathon Trials for Paris 2024; Evergreen certification | Running Magazine, official site |
Records and a disputed date
Cam Levins broke Jerome Drayton’s 1975 Canadian marathon record by 44 seconds with 2:09:25. The official site and Wikipedia date this to 2018, while the Running Magazine article places it in 2015. Because the sources disagree, the date should be checked against the CBC report that Wikipedia cites. Qualification for the Boston Marathon was not stated on the pages fetched, so it is not claimed here; the Boston Athletic Association publishes the qualifying standards.
Charity
The official site says the Charity Challenge raises roughly 2.5 to 4 million dollars a year for charities. Running Magazine reports over 3 million dollars in 2019.
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Frequently asked questions
When is the Toronto Waterfront Marathon?
Mid-October, on a Sunday. The official site lists October 17 and 18, 2026, and October 16 and 17, 2027.
When was the first race?
Sources differ: 1999 or 2000. Running Magazine itself uses both.
Is it a Boston qualifier?
The pages fetched do not say. The race and the Boston Athletic Association publish qualifying rules.
Who holds the course records?
The official site cites Philemon Rono’s 2:05:00 in 2019 as the fastest marathon on Canadian soil.
Last verified: October 2026
Sources
- Toronto Waterfront Marathon, official site (dates)
- Toronto Waterfront Marathon, Celebrating the Legacy of the Toronto Waterfront Marathon
- Running Magazine, Looking back at TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon’s growth
- Wikipedia, Toronto Waterfront Marathon, as a pointer to cited IAAF and CBC reports
Related reading
- History of Toronto’s professional sports teams
- Toronto Harbour and waterfront: history
- Lake Ontario and the rivers of Toronto
- Caribana and the Toronto Caribbean Carnival
- Toronto culture, sports and language
Cite this page
APA: History of Toronto. (2026, October 27). Toronto Waterfront Marathon: History, Format and Records. https://historyoftoronto.ca/blog/a-comprehensive-review-of-the-toronto-marathon-uncovering-the-thrilling-race-jaw-dropping-scenery-and-unforgettable-moments
MLA: “Toronto Waterfront Marathon: History, Format and Records.” History of Toronto, 27 Oct. 2026, https://historyoftoronto.ca/blog/a-comprehensive-review-of-the-toronto-marathon-uncovering-the-thrilling-race-jaw-dropping-scenery-and-unforgettable-moments. Accessed .
Chicago: History of Toronto. “Toronto Waterfront Marathon: History, Format and Records.” Last modified October 27, 2026. https://historyoftoronto.ca/blog/a-comprehensive-review-of-the-toronto-marathon-uncovering-the-thrilling-race-jaw-dropping-scenery-and-unforgettable-moments.
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