Ben Flanagan maintained a calm demeanor at the onset of his debut 42.2-kilometer race, a pivotal factor in securing the Canadian men’s championship at the Toronto Waterfront Marathon on Sunday. Despite being content with his race strategy, Flanagan acknowledged the need for further learning and expressed intentions to approach the course differently in the future.
During the race, Flanagan acknowledged feeling overly eager as he pulled away from Andrew Alexander of Toronto around the 25 km mark, which ultimately posed challenges in the final 15 km as he ran solo. Reflecting on the experience, the Kitchener, Ont., native emphasized understanding the repercussions of such moves in the later stages of the race.
Clocking in at two hours 15 minutes 39 seconds, Flanagan clinched victory over Phil Parrot-Migas (2:17:15) of London, Ont., and Alexander (2:18:15), placing 10th overall with a 7:35 gap behind the winner, Leonard Langat, who led a Kenyan sweep of the top three positions in 2:08:04.
Flanagan highlighted the potential benefits of racing alongside others in the challenging conditions, especially amidst wind speeds of 25 km/h gusting up to 53 km/h. Implementing mental cues to maintain focus during the tough stretches, Flanagan emphasized the importance of managing physical tightness, maintaining form, and focusing on each stride.
With aspirations to represent Canada in the 2028 Olympic marathon in Los Angeles, Flanagan expressed a desire for a deeper understanding of the course for future races. Despite the appearance of a smile as he crossed the finish line, Flanagan clarified that it was a testament to the pain endured during the race.
Following the race, where he claimed the Canadian championship alongside Rachel Hannah, Flanagan reflected on the lessons learned and the need for continued injury prevention and strength training in his upcoming training cycles. Looking ahead, Flanagan aims to enhance his performance to compete in the 2:05-2:06 range, aligning himself with other top Canadian marathoners.
Rachel Hannah, the top Canadian woman at the event, also shared her elation at winning the Canadian championship, emphasizing the significance of the achievement in her marathon career. With both Flanagan and Hannah securing Canadian titles, they each earned $8,000, while the overall winners received $25,000.
In the women’s category, Shure Demise of Ethiopia claimed the overall victory for the third time, completing the race in 2:21:04, with Kenya’s Betty Chepkorir finishing second in 2:23:46.