Running Boom

The pandemic spawned a running boom, but not all facets of the industry saw immediate benefits. Kinks in the supply chain have been largely ironed out for shoe brands and retailers. Races, which were the hardest hit by lockdowns and COVID restrictions, are now surging in popularity—but the numbers are offset by the cost of putting on events, which has also soared. Here’s a look at the state of Canadian running, heading into 2024

Andrea Hill

Mere hours before the Tartan Ottawa International Marathon got underway last spring, race director Ian Fraser watched the sun rise over the Laurier Street bridge as runners, spectators and volunteers milled about. Music blasted in the background, and the energy was electric. Taking it all in, Fraser became unexpectedly emotional. “The tears were just streaming down my face,” he recalls. “I’ll never forget seeing that sunrise come up, and thinking, this is unbelievable … Everyone had come back.” Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend, which takes place in late May, was among the first wave of Canadian road races to cancel its 2020 event as the world shut down amid the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time, Fraser (who will be leaving Run Ottawa in 2024 to become CEO of Ottawa’s RA Centre) told…

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Canadian Running (Digital) - 1 Issue, January/February 2024

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