Real runner feedback on course feel, crowd support, aid stations, and logistics (parking, hotels, restaurants).
I've run 20 marathons, and never experienced a finish area as chaotic as this one. It was so congested that it was hard to even pass the finish line. It look half an hour to make my way out of the chaos, and I wasn't even able to get a medal or food. They really need to tweak the start times so half marathoners and full marathoners are mostly finishing at the same time.
I would do the Toronto Waterfront Marathon (October) instead of this race.
The 2024 Goodlife start was great. First half was staffed with cheer crowds and water, even in the slightly rainy and very overcast weather. Couldn't have been better. Even with the Yorkmill Hill. But man - just like the race tagline itself - it was all downhill after that! The second half, while mostly flat terrain, was also a flat out mess!! The out and back course on MGT was criss-crossed at more than a few points and runners were running into each other?! Tried legs. No balance. No one telling you this way or that way. Such a terrible way to run your race after months of training?! No water stations between the Humber bridges - so - what was that, like 8K? No cheer crowds on last 5K to finish. And this year, they put a surprise steep hill right at the end. Fun. Anyways - at the end, your name should be called. You should be congratulated. You should be medaled by someone, get your bag, bagel, banana, water, granola, space blanket and exit into a big park to find your family and friends. Not Goodlife. This year, you finished and you stood. In a big long crowded line to … enter a building. No one tells you what line you're in. What you're corralled and waiting for. Outside. Losing body heat and body temperature like crazy. In rainy weather. I spent 30 minutes outside after finishing just to go inside a building. With thousands of other runners who have just come in from the rain. Smelled worse than wet dogs. THEN you were unceremoniously HANDED your MEDAL. Distasteful. Got water. OK. Finally. But no food. NO FOOD. NO SPACE BLANKETS. NO BAGS not even plastic ones to carry all your stuff. Or vomit into. IDK. Just a thoughtless finish and finish area. There were pylons and curtains and aisles but NO ONE was offering directions or help. NO signs or arrows on the floor. I got my bib mailed to me beforehand but still had to go down to the NON-expo to pick up my t-shirt. Which was WAY TOO BIG for a women's small. NO one outside or inside telling you how to get home. I am from Toronto but not everyone running was?! These fantastic but oh so tired athletes deserved so much more as guests of our city. If this was your first time in Toronto, and your first marathon - OMG, please do Scotiabank Waterfront and experience top-notch organization.
Train with hills in your training block if you're preparing to run this course. Don't expect frills and thrills. But Goodlife is a better bet to PR than at Scotia by a minute or a few. Net downhill helps for sure. But the weather is cooler in May than October which can help your performance too.
If you want a big heavy and 2024 was actually a beautiful medal - this is your marathon.
The race was delayed by 30 minutes so instead of the 10k starting at 8am and the 5k starting at 8:20, both started shortly after 8:30. It was cold and rainy so this delay made everyone cold and stiff. There was no water on the 10k route and it inners were packed into either the path or by pylons on the road. Given there were so many walkers, as there are no corrals, this was very frustrating. Trying to get water, a banana and a medal after was nearly impossible as the expo area was chaos with nobody guiding where people should go.
Bring your own water especially for longer races than 10k.
Ran the half, and vowed to never run this miserable race ever again. Not enough porta potties at the start line, lineup was MASSIVE even with a lot of men (and some women) choosing to just pee behind the dumpsters. Start line is a chaotic mess, they SAY it’s a downhill start but there’s a couple of rather big hills in the first 10km that nobody warned me about. Then once you turn off Yonge Street, there’s this long stretch of like, 6-7km where there’s just no spectators whatsoever and it’s just you and your thoughts as you question all your life choices.
The finish line is a mess, with no signage telling you where food or anything is. The bus stop that’s closest to the finish line is for a route that doesn’t run on Sundays, and the next closest route is further away than one really wants to walk after having just completed a race. I’m FROM Toronto and was annoyed by the whole thing - I feel sorry for anyone who traveled to our city to do this race - my apologies if it was you.
Best tip I can give you is don’t do it. Toronto Waterfront Marathon in October is a FAR Superior event.
This was the first in person on this course in 3 years. The course is very favorable, with one small hill in mile 3, then downhill for the rest of the first half, and very flat for the second half. Great time of year in Toronto. The previous reviews had concerns about organization, but in my experience the water stations were well organized and supplied. Buses to the start line and expo worked out well. Not enough buses back. Race was responsive to feedback and I think it may be even better in 2023. I ran my PR there, and would return if looking for another PR because it's a great course.
Don't start too fast! 1st half is downhill, second half is flat, leave some energy for the end.
Race had buses from the Hilton Toronto Downtown to the start, and back to there. Cost $10, worth it.
I ran the Toronto Goodlife Marathon in 2018 and LOVED it - it was a great downhill course with excellent organization. I ran it again in 2019 and everything changed. There were barely any volunteers on the course, no water stations from 17-22km. Around 15.5km there was a water station with only 1 volunteer - she couldn't get water to everyone fast enough, so I figured I'd get water at the next station. Well, there were no water stations until 24km. Needless to say, I was very dehydrated and hit the wall around 32km. I heard that the volunteers were sent home because they couldn't access the fire hydrants to get water. Very poor organization, and very dangerous for the Marathoners. They also made some poor changes to the course and added in a bunch of uphills, including a giant hill around 41km! I reached out to the organizers the day after the marathon via email and heard nothing back. The organizers did apologize to some (5km and 10km?) runners only via a Facebook post the next day. I will not be running this race again. Run the Mississauga Marathon instead (it's on the same day).
Bring your own water, I guess.
Stay at the Novotel Hotel, near the start line.
The course is great but organization is poor so prepare !!!
The first half is great, lots of downhills. one big hill at approximately 6km followed by some rolling hills, one long decent at approximately 17km then flat for the rest. two tiny hills in the las km to get to the finish line, not big hills but when your legs are tired you'll feel it.
After km 16, there was a gap of about 8km with no water stations!! also no gels where advertised so ended up running for 14km with no gels, they ended up giving some cliff gummies at km24 instead of gels... gummies.... was choking for a bit.
So in summary, great course, good weather, but bring your own water and gels!!
Bring your own water and food/gels, don't rely on what they advertise. the website says water stations every 2.5km, in reality it was more like every 4.5km with an 8km gap of no stations at all.
There were many issues with this race organization. The expo was more for packet pickup with only few small vendors so nothing special there. The first 10 miles of the course has rough cracked roared to contend with, a long 1000 meter steep hill at mile 3. The last half of the course is flat but runners were constantly faced with bikers, dogs, strollers, and walkers sharing the running paths. At the final finish the full marathoners had to dodge the half runners to the finish big time. The finish area after the race did not have proper fluids like Gatorade, etc. They said they ran out, but why since I ran close to 3 hours. Finally there was a runner in major major distress after the race and no race team crew came to his aid for nearly 20 minutes despite clearly seeing him from just feet away. Runners with trying their best. All said pass on this race unless you live in the area, and even then may be pass too
Skip the bus shuttle from the finish to the hotels. Wait times were from 60-120 minutes
I've run the half marathon before and had a great experience, however the marathon was a mess. First half of the marathon was great. Second half of the race had very few water stops (definitely fewer than advertised and poorly staffed). People who didn't carry their own water got screwed. The out and back section on a paved trail was OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. I'm talking cyclists (?!??!), people doing a Sunday stroll, etc. These people seemed oblivious to the fact that a marathon was going on and didn't move out of the way. I had high hopes for this marathon and was disappointed. Will not be returning.
Expect that there will not be enough water on the second half of the course. Expect cyclists and people on their Sunday stroll to be sharing the road with you during the second half of the race.
Organization. Example .. no clocks. No where on the course will you find the time. When Garmin fails in the city core you are schnoorked. That said lovely scenery, fast downhill to flat.
Don't be fooled by the hills in the first 21k. The balance is flat and if you don't pace you may be in for a walk.
Course is excellent. Flat and uncrowded. Very relaxed at start.
Weather in Toronto early May is cool. I BQed there.
What i didn't like was after I finished. The transportation back to my hotel was awful. A bus was provided as part of my hotel package, but they kept us waiting on the bus for 45 mins. A lot of people were standing up having just run a marathon!! And we were soaked to the skin as it was raining heavily during the race. Terrible way to finish the day. They need better transportation.
You can run an even pace throughout the entire marathon as it is completely flat. It is a great course.
Order an Uber when you finish to take you back to your hotel (about 15 min car ride away).
Rent a car because the expo is not easy to get to and any public transportation to get you back is very infrequent.
Also, don't expect too much from the bus that is supposed to take you back to the hotel after the race. There was one bus and we had to wait for 45 mins on the bus for it to leave.
Flat, fast. Only 1500 people completed so it was empty and you didn't have to weave in and out of people.
Course towards the end of the race by the lake was not easy, not really sure where I was going as there weren't many marshalls.
Weather was perfect. 46F on may 1. That's why I picked it. Definitely would recommend it for BQ.
You can keep a constant pace the whole way as it's completely flat.
It's not easy to get to the expo or get back to your hotel without a car. Transport was poor at the finish. Definitely rent a car!
Fast course. Nice finishing medal.
You run past the finishing line at mile 19. You have to be very mentally strong to be running away from the finish line that late into a race.
I parked right at the finishing area. It was perfect for leaving after the race. Arrive at least two hours before race start because it takes a while to get shuttled to the start line.
The route is fast and scenic through the city then the waterfront trail. The trail is open to other users during the race. The organization needs a lot of improvement.
Bank some time on the first half which is downhill. Be prepared for lack of water in the later aid stations and at the finish.
There's parking at the start and finish. There's indoor shelter at the start. It's a small race so no need to arrive too early. Lots of places to eat in Toronto.
One of the best, scenic runs. Friendly spectators. It would be nice to have a proper size shirt that you paid for. Picked up my packet late and got an XL shirt, bummer.
Just enjoy the course. Watch out for the walkers, bikers, and strollers along the lake.
Save some energy for the last leg of the race. Even the slight uphills can bite!