Canada's Top Qualifying Courses

By Nolan Tudor

So you missed qualifying for Boston by six seconds! With new rules coming in to make it even harder to qualify for the race, things aren’t getting any easier. Every age-group standard has been dropped by five minutes, so IMPACT sought out the top Boston Marathon qualifying courses in Canada to help you make the grade. The rankings are based on the percentage of runners in the race who beat the time needed to gain entry to one of the world’s great road races.

Hamilton, Ont.
339 Boston qualifiers: 30.3%
2011 Race Date: Nov. 6

The Road2Hope marathon was ranked the top Boston qualifying course in Canada in 2010 and sixth overall in North America with 339 participants qualifying in their age groups. Being a cool weather marathon bodes well for those who want to ditch the heat. The course is extremely flat with a significant downhill around halfway through.

The scenery is awesome with a mix of quaint country roads and gorgeous waterfront. This course is a must do for anyone looking for a fast flat Boston qualifier.

SSQ Quebec City Marathon

This marathon starts in Levis and two-thirds of the race runs along the St. Lawrence River eventually finishing in Quebec City. The view of the St. Lawrence is enough to recommend this race, but you also get the great architecture of Quebec City to look at near the tail end.

The course is probably the toughest of those mentioned in this list with quite a few nasty hills along the course. In 2009 it was ranked 27th overall for Boston qualifying courses from the U.S. and Canada with 165 participants reaching qualifying times.

BMO NEsbitt Burns
Prince

The BMO Nesbitt Burns Prince Edward Island Marathon is one of the few races that runs the majority of the course through a national park. Those of you travelling from altitude in the Rockies will enjoy that this race is at sea level. Bring on the sea air. The one thing that makes this race unique is that it is a mix of trail and road.

That’s right, a Boston qualifying course that has gravel and dirt. This makes for great scenery along the coast where gorgeous sand dunes and wildlife abound. The course is not as flat as most Boston qualifying courses, which makes it all the more interesting. If you are looking for a race with a small town feel that is extremely well organized, this one’s for you.

Good Life Fitness

This is one of the most popular races for Boston qualifiers on the west coast. The race has a mix of city and scenic water views. What keeps bringing people back however besides the views are the people. The cheering sections are some of the most enthusiastic that I have seen. The course itself has quite a few rolling hills but nothing so steep that it will knock you on your butt. The race has been upsized to accept 4,000 participants but still make sure you get on it quick as Victoria can fill up fast.

2011 Training Schedules

March/April 2011 Issue