The Vancouver International Marathon is an annual race held on the first Sunday of May each year in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada .
The race started in 1972 when a small group of 72 runners ran five loops of Stanley Park to complete the first Vancouver International Marathon (known as Lions Gate Road Runners International Marathon)[3]. The marathon grew over the next few years to 300 participants in 1977. However the event suffered a major setback in 1976 when a participant, Dr. Leslie Truelove, collapsed mid-race and died due to aneurysm. In Truelove's memory, the Dr. Leslie Truelove Memorial Trophy has been awarded ever since to the first male finisher in the 50+ age category.
The 1983 race became known as the "Long Marathon" after runners were misdirected during its running — adding an extra 561 yards to the race.
Currently, several different options are available for participants[4]:
Full Marathon (a Boston Marathon qualifying event) - 42K
Marathon walkers - 42K
Wheelchair full marathon - 42K
Nordic Pole Walkers - 42K
Half Marathon - 21K
8K Course
Kids Marafun - 1K
This past week end, everyone who runned the Vancouver Marathon couldn't have been more thrilled with a picture perfect day last week end. Probably skepticism was running through their veins as the crew was setting up the night before in the heavy downpour but the sky broke in the morning, and the sun came shining through.
Almost 13,000 participants took part in the 2009 BMO Vancouver Marathon in the 42.2 km Marathon, 21.1 km Half Marathon, 8 km, and McDonald's Kids MaraFun. Benard Onsare took the men's title in the 42.2 km Marathon and Mary Akor defended hers for the 2nd year in a row with a time of 2:46:24, only 2 weeks after she completed the Boston Marathon. In the 21.1 km Half Marathon, the men's title was taken by Willy Kimosop in a time of 1:05:03 and the women's title by Lioudmila Kortchaguina in a time of 1:17:11. In the 8 km, Delta's Marc-Jason Locquiao took the crown in a time of 28:50 and Richmond's Amanda Stone took the women's title in 31:37.
Congratulations to everyone.
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