Whitby International North (WIN) Marathon
Whitby, Canada
- Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, Kids Run
- Road (Paved)
- Official race website
Find Nearby Lodging (hotel, rental, etc.):
disorganized
This is a low fee race - only $20 for the 5k to $35 for the full marathon at the lowest rate. You get what you pay for (e.g. unisex … MORE
This is a low fee race – only $20 for the 5k to $35 for the full marathon at the lowest rate. You get what you pay for (e.g. unisex cotton shirt, same medal as last year, chip time results available a few days after the race) which Is fair, but my concern is over how disorganized the production was this year.
There were no emails with follow-ups and changes to the race information. The location of kit pick-up was announced on Facebook only, then changed without notice, causing us to be directed to 3 different locations on pick-up day until we found the volunteers. At pick-up, we learned from another runner that the route had changed at the last minute. I believe that the gun time had also changed from the time we registered – this I can’t say for certain but suspect that I would not have signed up for a weekend race with such an early start (7:45). Basically, if you’re not a Facebook user who follows their timeline stream diligently, you’d be lost and confused, as we were.
As I mentioned in a previous review, the charity that this race supports is worthwhile, but going forward I will likely find other ways to support it.
well, the charity is worth supporting
I support the charity that this little race, um, supports, so I will be a repeat runner in 2015. That charity is the Abilitiies Centre in Whitby, Ontario, which enriches … MORE
I support the charity that this little race, um, supports, so I will be a repeat runner in 2015. That charity is the Abilitiies Centre in Whitby, Ontario, which enriches the lives of people with disabilities by providing activities such as wheelchair basketball, martial arts, and even music and arts.
That said, this little race needs some work. The swag was a Brooks tech tee and some food samples. There was no expo to speak of – just a couple of tables at kit pick-up with volunteers for local politicians and town tourism information. The medal wasn’t anything special, and I’m told that it was the same hardware as last year. Water was provided in tiny Dixie cups, so you needed to grab at least 3 to get a decent swig. There were no gels or sport drinks for the half or full course.
The route ran through the rolling hills of the Whitby waterfront, which is scenic in some parts, but not so much in others. Part of the course leads onto the street, which was not closed. Not the fault of the RD, but the course was plagued by midges during the whole run. I swatted them and waved my hands in front of my face the whole time, which made for terrible photos. My sister, who ran the half, ended up flossing them out of her teeth afterward. Because of the bugs, I elected to do only the 5k again, even though I would’ve liked to sign up for a longer distance.
The post-race food was the stereotypical stale bagel, which amused me as this was the first and only time I’ve actually seen this much-joked-about item at a race, plus bananas, water and Gatorade.
Well, anyway, I’ll be back because I try to support the Abilities Centre any way I can.