Canadian Marathoners Run Down a Dream

In the world of the marathon Canadian's haven't recently existed. Canada hasn't sent a single marathoner to the past couple of Olympics (partically due to the country's refusal to lower the qualifying standards) and the national record of 2:10:09 set by Jerome Drayton hasn't been contested in it's 35 year existance. Though the Canadians have had problems reaching their goals in the past, the 2012 London Olympics looks bright for the marathoners and the Canadians have the Brooks Canada Marathon Project to thank. Brooks owner Mike Dyon (winner of the Around the Bay race in the 1980's) started the Canadian Project hoping to give selected athletes the chance to train and live with other Canadian marathon athletes, without concern for financial support. Brooks Canada provides the athletes with free room and board in a home not far from High Park trails, a great place in Canada to train, along with free cable and transportation. Brooks Canada hoped that the Project would help the Canadian marathoners represent Canada in the Marathon Event at either the Olympic Games or the World Championship within two to six years. The Project is over 1.5 million dollars in the making and has promising athletes who hope to break the tradition and send a Canadian marathoner to the 2012 Olympic games.


Brooks has spent 1.5 million to help Canadian
marathoners reach their dreams.

One of the Brooks Canada Marathon Project members Matt Loiselle, 26-year-old from Windsor,  has proved the head of the group and will be competing in Sunday’s Toronto Waterfront Marathon where he will be attempting to hit the Canadian Olympic mark. This will be Loiselle's marathon debut and after running a 1/2 marathon best of 1:07:29 he looks poised to hit the mark of 2:11:29. An article of Loiselle can be found here in the Canadian National Post and results of the race can be found here.


Loiselle hopes to bring back the Olympic Marathon
to Canada