By Angie Sullivan
The day was cool and sunny, with a nice wind blowing off Lake Simcoe, for the record attendance at the sixth annual Georgina Marathon and Half Marathon on Sunday, Sept. 13.
Lake Drive near De La Salle Park was lined with cheering supporters as 2,700 runners tackled the flat and scenic course.
Canadian Running Magazine calls Georgina Marathon “one of Ontario’s most scenic races.”
Will Bryden of Toronto won the full marathon and said, “It’s really nice. It’s flat, it’s fast, it’s well-organized.”
The 31-year-old captured the men’s marathon in 2:37:12, running his first marathon in six years and his first Georgina Marathon. Bryden plans to tackle the Boston Marathon next.
Jennifer Mundt from London was the first woman to cross the finish line of the full marathon with a time of 3:05:02, placing her 37th.
Findmymarathon.com calls the Georgina Marathon “a great Boston Marathon and New York City Marathon Qualifier, ranking as one of the flattest and fastest marathon courses in Canada.”
The event, run by Endurance Event Productions, included a marathon, half marathon, 10K and 5K races, with participation up about 40 per cent from 2025.
Co-organizer Sandie Orlando believes the race’s popularity is due to its timing and word of mouth.
“A lot of the athletes come back and run repeatedly at the Georgina Marathon,” said Orlando. “It falls just before the closer date for a Boston Marathon qualifying. So it’s good timing for a lot of people.”
Co-organizer Cindy Lewis-Caballero said, “Georgina’s no longer a place where people are asking, ‘ Where is that?”
.With growth comes new challenges
“I think we have to really reconsider or consider what we’re doing next,” Orlando said, “Whether that means a two-day event to better handle the number of people on the roads and parking lots.”
Another runner came to Georgina with a very different goal. Paul Griffin, a firefighter of 25 years, had registered for the full marathon as a tribute to those who died in the 9/11 attacks.
Griffin completed the half marathon while carrying approximately 60 pounds of firefighting gear.
He knew by the 5K mark that the day was going to be difficult. “Right away, I knew I was in trouble,” Griffin said, but credits the encouragement he received from spectators for helping him finish.
“The crowd was unbelievable,” Griffin said. “The support was just incredible.”
As the event continues to grow, the sheer volume of people and extra vehicles can be disruptive to local residents.
“We would like to acknowledge and thank the residents for their patience and support,” said Lewis-Caballero.
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