Ben Flanagan maintained composure early on in his inaugural 42.2-kilometer race, a pivotal factor in clinching the Canadian men’s title at the Toronto Waterfront Marathon on Sunday. Content with his race strategy, Flanagan acknowledged the need for further learning and expressed intentions to tackle the course differently in the future.
Reflecting on his race tactics, Flanagan confessed to feeling overly eager in successfully distancing himself from Andrew Alexander of Toronto around the 25 km mark. This decision made the final 15 km a significant challenge as Flanagan found himself running solo.
“The last 3K felt like everything was shutting down. I just wanted to cross the finish line and was fortunate to have a substantial lead over my Canadian competitors to secure the victory,” shared Flanagan, a native of Kitchener, Ontario.
Clocking in at two hours 15 minutes 39 seconds, Flanagan triumphed over Phil Parrot-Migas (2:17:15) of London, Ontario, and Alexander (2:18:15). Despite finishing 10th overall, Flanagan trailed winner Leonard Langat by 7:35, leading a Kenyan dominance in the top three positions in 2:08:04.
Flanagan highlighted the benefits of racing alongside others in the latter stages, particularly in challenging conditions with winds reaching 25 km/h and gusting up to 53 km/h on a warm Sunday. To maintain focus during tough moments, he concentrated on keeping his body loose, maintaining proper form, focusing on his arm movements, and taking one step at a time.
Eager to represent Canada in the 2028 Olympic marathon in Los Angeles, Flanagan, based in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, waved to spectators with a smile, albeit masking the pain of the grueling race.
Looking ahead, Flanagan aims to enhance his marathon knowledge, focusing on nutrition and fueling strategies, as he eyes a stronger performance in future races. His track record includes victories in the Canadian 10K road racing championships and notable achievements in the 5,000 meters and 10,000 meters at the University of Michigan.
Despite initial aspirations for a 2:08 or 2:09 finish in his debut marathon, Flanagan adjusted his goals due to a shorter preparation period following a hip injury. He emphasized the importance of injury prevention, strength training, and rehabilitation for future training cycles to reach new milestones in his running career.
Dreaming of achieving a time range of 2:05-2:06 before the 2028 Olympics, Flanagan hopes to challenge the national records alongside fellow Canadian runners like Rory Linkletter and Cam Levins. As he continues to evolve in the sport, Flanagan recognizes the competitive landscape and aims to elevate his performance to reach the elite ranks in Canadian distance running.
In the women’s division, Rachel Hannah emerged as the top Canadian runner, clocking 2:33:47 to secure victory over her compatriots at the Toronto Waterfront Marathon. Reflecting on her triumph, Hannah expressed gratitude for realizing her dream of winning the Canadian championship after a decade of marathon racing.
Both Flanagan and Hannah will be awarded $8,000 each as Canadian champions, while the overall winners will receive $25,000 in prize money. Ethiopia’s Shure Demise claimed the women’s overall title for the third time with a time of 2:21:04, followed by Kenya’s Betty Chepkorir in second place at 2:23:46.
