Canada
Toronto Waterfront Marathon 2027
Sunday 17 October 2027 · expected date
359 days to go
Key facts
- Race day
- Sunday 17 October 2027
- Expected date
- Start
- 08:00
- local time
- Course
- Mostly flat · Loop
- Yonge Street, north of Gerrard Street to Bay Street, just north of Queen Street, by Nathan Phillips Square
- Course record, men
- 2:05:00
- Philemon Rono, 2019
- Course record, women
- 2:20:44
- Waganesh Mekasha, 2024
- Time limit
- 6h00
- First held
- 2000
The organisers haven’t announced the 2027 date yet. It follows the usual pattern (a Sunday in mid-October); check the official website before you book travel.
The race
About the Toronto Waterfront Marathon
The TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon has been run since 2000 and holds a World Athletics Elite Label. Held on a Sunday in mid-October, it pairs an international elite race with a large mass field, and it has a history of fast national performances: Cam Levins set a Canadian record of 2:09:25 here in 2018.
The course mixes downtown streets with long stretches beside Lake Ontario and a visit to the Beaches neighbourhood, and autumn mornings are usually cool. It suits runners chasing a personal best on a mostly flat route, and anyone who wants a well-organised city marathon in a pleasant season. Places do sell out, so plan your entry early.
Course
The Toronto Waterfront Marathon course
Since 2025 the start has been on Yonge Street, north of Gerrard. The course heads north toward Bloor Street, then west and down Bathurst Street, where streetcar tracks call for care, to reach the lake. A long out-and-back to the west on Lake Shore Boulevard includes a hairpin turn and a sharp rise and fall over the Spadina overpass.
The route then runs east past downtown, crosses the Don Valley Parkway on Eastern Avenue, the steepest short climb, and turns in the Beaches on Queen Street East. After the return on Eastern Avenue, a gradual climb up Bay Street leads to the finish just north of Queen Street.
Race-day weather
Usually cool, around 6-12°C at the 8:00 start, with wind off Lake Ontario a common factor.
Train
Training for the Toronto Waterfront Marathon 2027
51 weeks to go. A marathon plan runs 12 to 24 weeks and ends on race week. Here is when each one starts.
| Plan | Starts on |
|---|---|
| 24 weeks | Monday 3 May 2027 |
| 20 weeks | Monday 31 May 2027 |
| 16 weeks | Monday 28 June 2027 |
| 12 weeks | Monday 26 July 2027 |
For this course
Your build covers July to September, so many long runs will be warm and humid while race morning is usually cool: train by effort in the heat and expect goal pace to feel easier in October. Practise holding pace into a headwind, since the lakeside sections can be breezy, and rehearse tight turns and short bridge climbs. From Europe, arrive a few days early to absorb the time difference before the 8:00 start.
See the marathon pace chart or a sample sub-4 plan.
Print a pace band for the Toronto Waterfront Marathon, with the race clock at every kilometre.
Entry
How to get a place
Registration is online through Race Roster until the field is full. The 2026 marathon, capped at 9,500 participants, is sold out. Some international runners travel with tour operators that hold race packages.
Every marathon lottery date for 2027 → Which marathons have no lottery? →Organised by Canada Running Series
Official websiteQuestions
Frequently asked
When is the Toronto Waterfront Marathon 2027?
The Toronto Waterfront Marathon 2027 is expected on Sunday 17 October 2027: the race is usually held on a Sunday in mid-October. Check the official website before you book travel.
When should I start training for the Toronto Waterfront Marathon?
Count back from race day: a 16-week plan for the 2027 edition starts on 28 June 2027, a 20-week plan on 31 May 2027. Most runners need 16 to 20 weeks; 12 is the shortest block worth doing.
What is the time limit for the Toronto Waterfront Marathon?
Runners have six hours to complete the marathon.
Is the Toronto Waterfront Marathon flat?
Mostly. The main bumps are the Spadina overpass, the Eastern Avenue bridge over the Don Valley Parkway and a gradual climb up Bay Street to the finish.
How do I get a place in the Toronto Waterfront Marathon?
Registration is online through Race Roster until the field is full. The 2026 marathon is sold out, so watch for the opening of 2027 entries.
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