By Paul Gains
Racing the 42.2km marathon distance for the first time is sure to cause nerves. When Erin Mawhinney makes her debut at the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon October 20th though she will do so with the confidence of having experienced at least part of the course.
A year ago the now 28-year-old from Hamilton, Ontario won the TCS Toronto Waterfront Half Marathon which covers the first half of the World Athletics Elite Label race. More recently, in June 2024, she won the Under Armour Toronto 10K for the second consecutive year. It too covers a stretch of the Toronto Waterfront marathon course.
She admits to being ‘excited’ by the upcoming task.
“I won (the half marathon) last year which was kind of a surprise for me. So I got a taste of the course there,” she recalls.
“It was windy and there’s a part of the course where the marathoners and half marathoners separate. I remember thinking, ‘I don’t think I could ever do the full thing’. Apparently it’s fine, so we will see.”
Mawhinney laughs at her statement. Since that day she has increased her weekly training volume up to 190km. That is with the help of her coach, two-time Canadian Olympic marathoner Reid Coolsaet. Considering she was still running the occasional 1,500m on the track last year she is grateful for his advice.
The choice of Toronto Waterfront for her debut was a natural one being so close to her home. Also coach Coolsaet ran the race six times in his career and finished an incredible 3rd place in 2011.
“I am really excited,” she continues. “I have seen some of Reid’s other athletes approach (the marathon) and the training they have had to do to prepare. So, I got a sneak peak of what it will be like. I am excited to try the full thing.”
Besides being a world-class race the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon will once again serve as the Canadian Marathon Championships. As Reid Coolsaet has had a hand in helping put the Canadian field together she is aware of the strong competition she faces. Nevertheless, she intends to run cautiously.
“Anytime I get to run a Canadian championship, at any distance, is a great opportunity,” Mawhinney says. “This year it just so happened that it works out for people’s schedules that basically all of Canada’s top marathoners have chosen to sign up for Toronto. It hasn’t been like that in previous years.
“I’d like to have a controlled race. I am hoping to be able to stick with a reasonable pace group and then hit 30k feeling I can respond to the people around me. I really don’t want to hit 30k in a massive deficit because I just think, for the first one, you don’t want to have a traumatizing experience. I think going out on the conservative side will probably be better.”
An apparent expert in time management Mawhinney graduated from McMaster University’s Master of Nursing program in 2023 while making a name for herself in Canadian road racing simultaneously. Working full time has helped keep her life balanced. She doesn’t sit around waiting for her next workout.
“Right now I am working for a home healthcare company. I have taken on an additional role as a medication and IV specialist,” she explains. “Occasionally, I will work an overnight job at the hospital but my full-time job is this medication and IV specialist at the home healthcare company. Most of our clients are palliative care clients.”
The emotional stress of caring for patients in the last weeks or months of their lives counters the physical exertion of running such high volumes. But she laughs when asked if she is prepared for the aftermath of competing at the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon.
“Yes, I did anticipate having some problems walking the next day just based on how I felt after some 40k long runs,” she admits with a laugh. “I booked the morning off (after Toronto Waterfront) so I can hobble around painfully for that morning.”
