2003 and 2025 Niagara Falls Marathon Race Report by Judy

2003
The first time I ran the Niagara Falls Marathon was 2003. Back then it was the Niagara Falls International Marathon. We started in Buffalo New York and ran through Canada customs to the finish in Niagara Falls. It was my 6th marathon and the wettest race I have ever run! It poured down from start to finish.

I have two vivid memories from that race:

Toward the end of the race a guy in front of me, who was obviously having chafing issues, took off his running shorts, used a couple of choice words and then threw them into the bushes. I did not see him again. I always wondered if his underwear stayed up in the pouring rain. I asked the race director about it at an expo once. They did not recall anyone finishing “exposed” so I guess they did.

I was very cold and very wet at the end of the race. There were buses at the finish to take you to various places. I got on the first one not caring where it went because I just needed to get out of the cold. I ended up at the race hotel where I meet Harold and our kids and striped down to my underwear in the lobby to change into dry clothes.

I did PB and I had my first ever top three age group finish at a marathon. I also declared Niagara one and done.

2025
Twenty two years, and 52 marathons later I was looking for a late Fall Marathon in Canada which was driving distance from Ottawa. We did Toronto last year, so I decided it was time to go back to Niagara. I had more company this time. Victor, Helene and the Orlean’s crew ran the marathon and Harold ran the half. Running is so much better with friends!
We drove to Niagara on Friday. The falls were all lit up in blue for the Jays.

The expo and race kit pick-up opened at 10:00 am on Saturday. There was race kit pick up available race morning as well.

The race start and expo are about 3k away from the falls in a massive parking lot out by Marineland which I don’t think “everybody loves” anymore. Everything is in tents. The race kit pick up was fast and well organized. The expo was relatively small but there was more to buy than there is at the Boston Marathon Expo these days!

I got bib 27 but don’t read too much into that…my last name begins with “A’. We were all in alphabetical order except bib 1. We saw him at pick-up. Turns out it was Yuka Kawauchi the runner from Japan who won the Boston Marathon in 2018 which as I recall was almost as cold and wet as Niagara in 2003.

Race morning there were buses from the Sheraton Fallsview Hotel to and from the start from 6:00 am to 3:00pm. It was cold so we decided to drive to the start so we could hang out in the car if need be. Parking was free and we got a good spot. We noticed many cars using the Marineland parking lot which was not as close. It seemed like an odd choice but as we learned later the traffic to get out of our close parking lot was crazy. They had obviously done this before. We left the hotel a little after 6:00 am for a 7:15 am start and had lots of time, but they had to delay the start for the ½ and the 10k at 8:00 am because many of the runners were stuck in traffic.

It was cold (3C) but they had a big warming tent at the start for the runners to hang out in. They also had a bag check at the start/finish which we all used. There were lots of bathrooms too. There were about 1000 runners in the marathon. There were 2000 in the ½ and 700 in the 10K both of which started at 8:00 am. There was also a 5K which started at noon.
We stayed in the tent until a little after 7:00 am and then headed to the start. I had a jacket to toss at the start and an extra shirt, arm warmers and gloves to start with and toss along the course. They were collecting clothes at the first two aid stations. I tossed the jacket at the start, Harold who was running ½ picked it up and wore it, he tossed it when he started and then found it waiting at the finish! So it will live to see another race. I still have a fleece I bought to toss at the start in Boston in 2003! It has survived so many races I have become quite fond of it and promoted it to my post race fleece.
The marathon, 10k and ½ marathon courses all start with a 3k out 3k back loop along the Niagara Parkway to just past the Canadian Falls. After that it’s a straight out and back on the parkway. The turnaround for the marathon is at about 24 km. You run 18 km out and 18 km back. The aid stations had water and Gatorade with Brix gels at 10, 20 and 31. There were 13 aid stations which were about 3k apart. All the aid stations had a port-a-potty. The longest stretch between aid stations was about 4 km. I had no issues getting what I needed at the aid stations.

My Race
I had hoped to build on the fitness from the Ironman this summer and do a faster fall marathon after getting sick going into Boston this spring. The B goal was to get a BQ for 2027 so I do not need one in the spring of 2026. I managed to get sick again going into this race. I was fine going into the Ironman so I guess it was just bad luck.
I was feeling 70% recovered by race day so I did not have very high expectations, but I felt pretty good about getting a BQ.

The first out and back to the falls was the “hilliest” part of the course but with a total elevation of 30m it was not too bad! We did get a bit wet from the spray at the falls. I had no idea what I could run so I just ran and did not actually look at my watch until I hit 10K. The timing mats were relatively far apart. One at each turn and two random ones we crossed twice at 8/40.2 km and 13.5/34.km. I was averaging 5.10/km at 13.5. but I slowed down.

I found the 18km straight out along the parkway mentally tough. There were a few enthusiastic cheering stations, but they were few and far between. The Niagara Parkway is scenic, but it looks pretty similar for all 18 km. There were a few other runners around, but I need distractions when I run. I did see Yuki Kawauchi coming back the other way. He was all alone and finished 20 minutes ahead of 2nd place!

I was expecting the long straight out and back to be a challenge and it was. One thing I had not considered was the camber on the road. It’s actually quite noticeable and you have to remind yourself to stay off the edge of the road. I finished in 3:46.59. significantly slower than my last fall marathon but I got my BQ and I won my age group. I even got a rather nice trophy to bring home.

Over all, this is a very well organized event. I was impressed. There was an unfortunate incident with the leader of the ½ and 10K where the lead cyclist turned early and lead them off course, but stuff happens sometimes!
It you can get past the long out and back this could be a PB course. Would I run it again? Probably not unless they change the course.

Big Congratulations to all.

Victor Ho 3.27.14

Judy Andrew Piel 3.46.59 1st w60-64

Chantal Beaudin 3.55.10 1st w55-59

Tara Preston 3.56.00 2nd w60-64

Helen Fortier 3.58.49 3rd w60-64

Josee Perreault 4.02.16 3rd w 55-59

Connie Copeland 4.02.59

Half Marathon

Harold Piel 2.19.27