February 4, 2026

The performances of the Canadian runners on the road in 2025 demonstrated the depth of the field.

Some athletes specialized in shorter distances, such as Julie-Anne Staehli and Kieran Lumb, who led the 5K rankings. Others, such as Malindi Elmore, Natasha Wodak, Thomas Fafard, and Andrew Alexander, have a broad range of capabilities from the 5K to the marathon.

Two athletes topped the rankings at two distances, Malindi Elmore and Rory Linkletter, who were Road Running Canada's 2025 Road Runners of the Year.

The rankings also give a glimpse of which are the most competitive races in Canada. In the women's 5K, La Clinique du Coureur in Lac-Beauport, QC, had three top rankings, while in the men's 5K, Road2Hope in Hamilton also had three top rankings. Given that 8 of 20 runners in the 5K rankings ran the Boston 5K, this is obviously seen as a choice race. The Ottawa 10K, being the 2025 Canadian 10K Championships, was by far the most competitive 10K in Canada for both men and women. For the longer distances, no Canadian race dominated as many athletes set their times in international races such as Project 13.1 or the Houston Marathon in the US.

Compiled from World Athletics and Canadian Distance Running. Rankings only include certified courses.

January 20, 2025

Runners show their preference for which races to run by showing up in numbers for their favorite races. Each major city in Canada hosts one of the popular race distances. The Ottawa Race Weekend takes the honour for the most popular 5K race with over 7,000 runners. The Vancouver Sun Run, with its massive 39,000 runners, leads the list of most popular 10K. For the half-marathon, the popularity contest goes to the Beneva Marathon de Montreal with over 11,800 runners. The Toronto Waterfront Marathon takes the honours as the most popular marathon with almost 7,300 runners.

Here are the lists of the 10 most popular races at the standard distances in Canada in 2025. The numbers are based on entrants.

5KM

10KM

Half-Marathon

Marathon

Information on race participants is gathered from various results sites. For any corrections, please contact us.

January 15, 2026

The weekend of January 11, 2026, was full of great performances on the road by our Canadian runners, including two Canadian records.

In Valencia, Spain, Kieran Lumb lowered the Canadian 10K record by finishing 31st in 27:50 in a very competitive field. Lumb became the first Canadian to go under 28 minutes on the road. This performance beats the record set last year by Charles Philibert-Thiboutot, who ran a 28:06 at the National 10K Championship in Ottawa. Lumb, from BC but now training in Europe, is a versatile athlete who holds the Canadian indoor records at 1,500m, mile, and 3,000m, and has raced on the road from the mile to the half-marathon. He is the 2025 Canadian champion at 1,500m and 3,000m, the 2024 Canadian champion at 1,500m, and the 2023 Canadian cross-country champion.

A few hours later, in Houston, Rory Linkletter finished 7th in the Houston Half-Marathon in a time of 59:49, breaking the Canadian half-marathon record of 1:00:18 previously held by Cam Levins. Linkletter, the 2025 Road Running Canada Male Road Runner of the Year, ran with the lead pack until the 15K mark. He crossed the finish line over a minute faster than his PB set a year ago in Japan. Linkletter is the first Canadian to break the hour barrier for the half-marathon. He trains in Flagstaff, AZ, with his coach, John Green.

Also running in the Houston Half-Marathon, Cam Levins finished in 17th place in 1:00:58. His previous race was the 2025 Tokyo World Athletics Marathon in August, where he placed 12th in 2:11:07. Although Levins just lost his national half-marathon record, he still holds the Canadian marathon record of 2:05:36.

Another outstanding performance from the past weekend was at the Houston Marathon, where Erin Mawhinney from Ontario placed 5th in 2:29:36. This was over six minutes faster than her debut marathon in 2024 in Toronto, where she ran 2:36:14. Mawhinney is coached by marathon Olympian Reid Coolsaet. Mawhinney started as a middle-distance runner (1,500m to 3,000m), but has gradually moved up in distance and on the roads in the past few years, winning the Toronto Waterfront Half-Marathon in 2023 and 2025.

January 6, 2026

Selecting the best Canadian road runner can be quite a challenge when there are so many deserving athletes. The selection of Road Runner of the Year is based on performances at national and international road races and on the level of competitiveness of those races. In its first year, Road Running Canada selected the following Canadian Road Runners.

Canadian Female Road Runner of the Year - Malindi Elmore

Although sidelined for part of the year and unable to compete in the Tokyo World Athletics Championships, Malindi Elmore from BC had such a tremendous season that she earned Canadian Female Road Runner of the Year. Elmore only raced four times in 2025, from the 5K to the marathon. She started the year with a short race, running the Vancouver St. Patrick's Day 5K in March in 16:10, finishing second to Glynis Sim. A month later, Elmore raced the Berlin Half-Marathon, placing 13th in a time of 1:10:22, making her the fastest Canadian half-marathoner this year. In May, Elmore led the Canadian 10K Championships in Ottawa for part of the race and finished in a time of 33:01, second to Gracelyn Larkin. Due to posterior tibial tendinosis, she had to miss the World Athletics Championships. Still, she focused on recovery to come back stronger than ever at the Valencia Marathon, where she placed 12th overall in relatively warm temperatures in 2:24:53, the fourth-fastest marathon by a Canadian woman. What makes this performance even more impressive is that she broke the Canadian 45+ age-group marathon record by more than 14 minutes and the World Masters Athletics marathon record by 5 minutes, which had stood since 2002. Elmore now has six of the top 10 fastest Canadian female marathon times. In the World Athletics Rankings, she averaged 1,101 across the four ranked races she ran, the highest average for a Canadian female road runner in 2025. Elmore says, "that it is an honour to be recognized with this award and that I am proud to be a Canadian Masters Runner doing what we are all doing across the country, running their best and having fun!"

Canadian Male Road Runner of the Year - Rory Linkletter

Rory Linkletter, who trains in Flagstaff, Arizona, showed guts and determination in his road racing this year. Linkletter started the year with some half-marathons, winning the Mesa Half-Marathon in February in a time of 1:02:38. This was one week after having run a 1:00:57 in the Kagawa Marugame International Half-Marathon in Japan, placing him at the top of the ranking in the half-marathon in Canada in 2025. He also won the Canadian Half-Marathon Championships in August in Edmonton by out-kicking Cam Levins, Canada's marathon record holder. This was Linkletter's first National Championship. His significant accomplishments this year, though, were really in the marathon. He ran with the pack at the Boston Marathon in April, and ended up in 6th place in a Personal Best of 2:07:02, the first time a Canadian male has cracked the top 6 in Boston since Jerome Drayton in 1977 who ran a time of 2:14:46. A few weeks later, Linkletter ran the Ottawa Marathon at the end of May in a time of 2:08:31, finishing second to Kenyan runner Albert Korir. Linkletter decided not to represent Canada at the Tokyo World Athletics Marathon in September so that he could focus his energy on attempting to break the Canadian marathon record of 2:05:36 held by Cam Levins. Linkletter went out strong at the Chicago Marathon in October, staying with the likes of Conner Mantz, who set a US marathon record that day. Although he did not break the Canadian marathon record, he lowered his personal best to 2:06:49, finishing 9th. His three marathons are the top 3 marathons by a Canadian this year. His average World Athletics Ranking of 1,145 over five road races places him at the top of Canadian male road runners.

December 27, 2025

A bevy of Canadian runners headed to Chandler, Arizona, to run in the Marathon Project on December 21, 2025, in a last attempt to run a marathon before the end of 2025. Thomas Fafard, a 2024 Olympian in the 5,000m from Quebec, running his first marathon, was the first Canadian to finish, in 2:10:29. He became the third-fastest Canadian marathoner this year, behind Rory Linkletter and Justin Kent. His time was also the third-fastest marathon debut by a Canadian male and shattered the Quebec marathon record set by Alain Bordeleau of 2:14:18 in 1984.

Thomas Nobbs improved on his marathon PB by three minutes, running 2:12:27. Thomas Broatch, in his third marathon of the year, finished in 2:13:43. Thomas Toth, running his only race this year, finished in 2:17:00. Chris Taylor, running his first marathon, completed the race in 2:25:46.

Rachel Hannah, crowned the 2025 Canadian Marathon Champion in Toronto on October 19, running her fourth marathon this year, finished in 2:41:49. Emily Andrews, running her third marathon this year, finished in 2:43:03. Leanne Klassen rounded out the Canadian elites, finishing in 2:45:26.

Canadian Elite Men

Thomas Fafard - 2:10:29

Thomas Nobbs - 2:12:27

Thomas Broatch - 2:13:43

Thomas Toth - 2:17:00

Chris Taylor - 2:25:46

Canadian Elite Women

Rachel Hannah - 2:41:49

Emily Andrews - 2:43:03

Leanne Klassen - 2:45:26

December 12, 2025

The Marathon Project is an initiative of Ben Rosario, a coach and entrepreneur, and the leader of the NAZ Elite running team. The first Marathon Project was held in 2020 during the COVID pandemic, allowing marathoners to run a fast marathon on a controlled loop course. The Marathon Project is back in 2025, bigger and better. Some top Canadian elites will participate in the event in Chandler, AZ, on the weekend of December 20 and 21, 2025. Here are the elite Canadian runners announced.

Lanni Marchant - Lanni Marchant began her running career as a steeplechaser in 2003 and later transitioned to track distance running. She made her move to the roads in 2008 and was at the top of the Canadian scene for the next decade. She won the Canadian 10K Championship in 2013, and represented Canada at the 2013 IAAF World Championships Marathon, the 2015 IAAF World Championships in the 10,000m, and the 2016 IAAF World Half-Marathon Championships. She participated in the 2016 Rio Olympics in the 10,000m and the marathon. Her personal bests are 31:46 for the 10,000m, 1:10:47 for the half-marathon, and 2:28:00 for the marathon.

Rachel Hannah - Rachel Hannah, the 2025 Canadian Marathon Champion, has been running competitively since 2007. She was the 2014 Canadian Half-Marathon Champion in 2:33:47, the 2016 10,000m Canadian Champion, and the bronze medalist at the 2015 Pan Am Games marathon in Toronto. Hannah, who is 39 and from Ontario, holds a marathon PB of 2:32:09, set in Houston in 2016. She ran the Boston Marathon in the spring in 2:34:42.

Thomas Broatch - Thomas Broatch, the 26-year-old from BC, became a Champion when he won the 2023 Canadian Marathon Championships in Toronto in his first marathon, running 2:16:25. Since then, he has improved his marathon time to 2:10:35, set early in the year at the Houston Marathon. The next logical progression for Broatch is to go under the 2:10 barrier, which the Marathon Project should give him the best chance to do.

Tristan Woodfine - Tristan Woodfine started as a triathlete in his youth and later moved to track and field in university. He is a marathon veteran with eight marathons under his belt, his first in 2015. He has personal bests of 1:02:40 at the half-marathon in Boston in 2023 and 2:10:39 at the marathon in Houston in 2024.

Thomas Fafard - Thomas Fafard will be making his marathon debut at the Marathon Project. His running career has focused on the track, where he competed in the 1,500m to the 5,000m. In the last three years, he has started dabbling in road races, completing a 5K in 13:56, winning the Vancouver Sun Run in 2024, and running a PB of 1:02:19 in Houston in 2024.

December 7, 2025

Malindi Elmore from BC and Élissa Legault from Quebec ran as elites in the Valencia Marathon in Spain on December 7, 2025. Under slightly warm conditions, Elmore placed 12th in a very competitive field with a time of 2:24:53, while Legault finished in 23rd in a time of 2:29:05. Both women set records for those performances.

Elmore's performance was the 4th-fastest Canadian female marathon time, beaten only by two of her previous marathon times and by Natasha Wodak's Canadian record of 2:23:12. Elmore now has six of the top 10 Canadian female marathon times. Elmore, who is 45 and still competing at the international level, eclipsed the Canadian W45 age-group marathon record previously held by Krista Duchene (2:38:53, set in 2023) and the World Masters Athletics W45 record (2:29:00, set by Tatyana Pozdnyakova in 2002).

In the case of Legault, her time put her in the special sub-2:30 category and broke the Quebec female record, which had stood since 1985, when Jacqueline Gareau ran a 2:29:32.

November 25, 2025

Athletics Canada launched the fourth year of their Road Race Label Program. The Program allows runners to participate in high-quality road races and showcases some of the best runners in Canada. The Road Race Label Series will offer more than $300,000 to elite runners for their performance. The Series comprises 18 races across Canada, ranging from the 5K to the marathon. Details can be found on the Upcoming Races page.

November 18, 2025

Athletics Canada announced the top 3 runners in the 2025 Athletics Canada (AC) Road Race Label Series. Seventeen road races were part of the program (see list below). Runners accumulated World Athletics (WA) scores based on their results in these AC Road Race Label events.

In the women's category, Gracelyn Larkin had the highest World Athletics score of 1102 based on her win at the Otto's Ottawa 10K National Championships in May. This result crowned her as the 2025 AC Road Race Label Series Champion with a prize purse of $1,500. She was followed closely by Natasha Wodak, who had 1096 WA points based on her National title at the Edmonton Half-Marathon National Championships in August, earning her $750. Florence Caron was 3rd with 1090 points, also set at the Edmonton Half-Marathon, which earned her $250.

In the men's category, Rory Linkletter was Champion of the 2025 Athletics Canada Road Race Label Series by placing 2nd at the Ottawa Marathon in May, earning a WA score of 1157 and $1,500 for his efforts. Charles Philibert-Thiboutot was second with 1123 WA points based on his win at the Ottawa 10K National Championships in May, which earned him $750. Cam Levins was 3rd with 1110 WA points, also earned at the Ottawa 10K, where he placed 2nd, netting him $250.

Source: Athletics Canada. Highlights denote Canadian Championships.

October 27, 2025

The 2025 Canadian Marathon Championships were held in Toronto on October 19, 2025, as part of the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon. The conditions were not ideal for fast times, as the wind was blowing at up to 40kph. The Canadian Championships were races within a race as the female and male Canadians battled for the title of Canadian marathon champion. In contrast, the Kenyans and Ethiopians raced for the overall win. For complete results, follow the link to Sportstats. Watch the race on YouTube.

Canadian Women's Championship race

In the women's race, Dayna Pidhoresky took the lead early in the race. Pidhoresky tasted glory in 2019 when she ran a 2:29:03 in Toronto to become the Canadian Marathon Champion and qualify for the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. The 38-year-old from Ontario has seen her share of successes on the roads, having won the 2023 and 2025 Vancouver Marathons and the famous Hamilton Around the Bay 30K four times. She was also the 2011 Canadian 10K Champion.

By 5K, Pidhoresky was leading by 20 seconds, with a pack behind her composed of Kylee Raftis, Liza Howard, and Rachel Hannah. By the 10K, Dayna was still leading with Howard, Hannah, Raftis, and Makenna Fitzgerald trailing. Unfortunately, Pidhoresky could not keep pace, and Hannah overtook her by the 15K mark. Realising she was slowing down and it was not her day, Pidhoresky dropped out before reaching the halfway mark, which allowed Hannah to lead all the way to the finish line.

Hannah finished as Canadian Champion in 2:33:47, placing 6th overall and earning $10,000. Hannah has been running competitively since 2007. She was the 2014 Canadian Half-Marathon Champion, the 2016 10,000m Canadian Champion, and the bronze medalist at the 2015 Pan Am Games marathon in Toronto. Hannah, 39, from Ontario, has a marathon PB of 2:32:09, set in Houston in 2016. She ran the Boston Marathon in the spring in 2:34:42 and was third at the Canadian Marathon Championships in Toronto last year in 2:34:33. Her goal for the race was to go under 2:34, which she achieved.

By the halfway mark, Fitzgerald was able to overtake Howard and Raftis and ended up second Canadian in a time of 2:38:59. She finished in 7th position overall, earning her $5,500. Fitzgerald was 6th in the spring at the Ottawa Marathon in a personal best time of 2:37:56. She only started doing marathons in 2024 when she ran the California International Marathon.

Brittany Moran, who trailed for most of the race, was in 6th position amongst the Canadian women by the halfway mark and gradually moved her way up to 3rd by the end of the race in a time of 2:42:46. She ended up 8th overall and collected $3,000. She set her personal best marathon time in Berlin in 2022, running 2:35:42.

Canadian Men's Championship race

The men's field quickly separated itself with the Kenyans and Ethiopians at the front and a pack of Canadians following. Philippe Parott-Migas, Ben Flanagan, and Andrew Alexander formed a Canadian trio that went through the 5K in 15:46. The group hung together until the halfway point, which they reached in 1:06:51. Flanagan then decided to assert himself and slowly pulled ahead.

By 30K, Flanagan had put 15 seconds on Alexander, who had another 20 seconds on Parrot-Migas. Kieran McDonald moved into 4th, a couple of minutes behind. The gap between the top three gradually grew until Flanagan reached the finish line and was crowned Canadian Marathon Champion in a time of 2:15:39 in his first marathon. His performance earned him $8,000. Thirty-year-old Flanagan, who currently resides in Cape Cod, USA, holds the Canadian 5K Road Record at 13:26 and has personal bests of 28:09 for the 10K and 1:01:00 for the half-marathon. He is a three-time Canadian 10K Champion, a 2024 Paris Olympian in the 5,000m, and the 2022 Canadian 5K Road Champion.

Parrot-Migas crossed the finish line in second position with a time of 2:17:15, far from his personal best set in Houston at the beginning of the year in 2:13:24. This result earned him $4,000. Alexander, who was third last year in a time of 2:14:13, rounded out the podium by finishing in 2:18:15. The time was also off his PB of 2:12:55, also set in Houston in January. For his performance, he earned $2,000.

October 15, 2025

Dressed in his purple Puma top, black shorts, white socks, and Puma Fast-R Nitro Elite 3 running shoes,  Rory Linkletter lined up on the first row of the 2025 Chicago Marathon with Jacob Kiplimo and Conner Mantz on his right. At 7:30 am under cool 12 °C temperatures, the gun went off. Linkletter sped down the road with the other 23 elite runners. The pace was aggressive from the start, and within 5K, the field was split into three groups with Linkletter in the second group, averaging 4:39 min/mile, representing a 2:02 marathon. This pace was much faster than required for Linkletter to break the Canadian marathon record of 2:05:36, which he had publicly stated he was chasing.

Within 10K, Linkletter's pace settled to a 2:04 marathon, which is more in line with his expectations. He was part of the chase pack about a minute behind the leaders. Linkletter reached the halfway point in 1:02:20, still on pace for breaking the Canadian marathon record. His position fluctuated between 15th and 17th until he reached the 25K mark, where he began to move up. Although he slowed down minutely around the 30K mark, he still progressed through the field, moving into 14th by the 30K point, 13th by the 35K, and 11th by 40K. Linkletter pushed himself at the end to finish 9th in a personal best time of 2:06:49, the second fastest marathon time by a Canadian. Jacob Kiplimo of Uganda won the race in a time of 2:02:23, while Conner Mantz set the USA marathon record in a time of 2:04:43.

This performance was a great end of the season for Linkletter, who ran a half-marathon PB in February in Japan, finished 6th at the Boston Marathon in April with a time of 2:07:02, placed 2nd at the Ottawa Marathon in May with a time of 2:08:31, and won the Canadian Half-Marathon Championships in August.