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Friday July 30 2010
 

Marathon is a 4 letter word

Printer friendly version Posted on: Tuesday October 20 09:56:01 AM
I admit, I have been very slacking in my blog content as of late. So why not rehash what others are talking about then right? This is from RunShorts’  tweet yesterday.

There was an online article Monday, by the Toronto Sun, regarding Sunday's 2nd marathon in the downtown core. Yes, I slightly agree we do not need two shutdowns in our city. I can't deny that is is a pain for motorists, although it is announced on all new programs etc.

Click Here to view the news article

and here is one of my favourite comments from the online replies...

I have run multiple marathons in cities BIGGER than this. New york does it and the crowds cheer you and the close ALL major bridges. Chicago does it and the crowds bring you water and clap from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. - and YES its the down town core. Ottawa is getting it. To all those drivers who booed you should be ashamed. Where is the pride of this city? I am sad for Toronto and embarrassed as a 7th generation Canadian that this is how we treat visitors who travel from all over to run our city for one day.

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 COMMENT 
 Posted by Dave on: Tuesday October 20 09:56:01 AM

Comments:

comment bubble Ian
 

Having run in both Toronto marathon events this year, my only comment is that Toronto has once again proved to be a poor excuse for a major international city.

After running the Toronto Marathon in 2006 I vowed never ever to run a marathon in this city. Well I broke my vow and was again disappointed - twice. In all honesty both routes suck, there are no complete road closures along the entire route of both course's, little or no crowds along the entire course at both events, I'm tired of having to watch people yell at cops at almost every intersection and overall both races suffer from poor race co-ordination. Part of why I ran this year was to add to the marathon participant list - too make these events bigger. But I now left thinking it isn't the runners or volunteers at all. It's the city, it's our population, it's the actual design of our city (I've been attempting to create my own route that would rival the five major marathon routes or Ottawa or Hamilton without much success), and it's the lack sponsorship and marketing around the event.



I agree the fall calendar of events in Toronto in too full - Weekend to End Breast Cancer, Run for the Cure, Scotia and Goodlife. Something does need to give. Maybe we need to look at the NY Runners Club model of running events or Chicago's 1/2 marathon classic before the Bank of America. How can Ottawa have races on Saturday AND Sunday? How can Burlington/Hamilton have a busy winter/spring running calendar?

I do finding it interesting that this 'issue has legs' on the second day after the marathon. Maybe it has really touched a nerve.
As I have said to everyone who has complained to me over the last two days, “No worries I'm not running in Toronto again. Oh by the way I'm taking my thousands of dollars spent on travel, hotel, food and spending money and going to New York or Chicago. There's nothing like running in front of millions of screaming fans always!  To which usual causes the person to ask why would you go there to run -  I wonder why!
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Posted on: Tuesday October 20 01:06 PM