With still months to go before the runners take their marks, the Royal Victoria Marathon is already on track for a record-breaking year.
Nearly 11,000 runners have registered for the Oct. 10-12 event, and organizers expect to reach the 15,000-participant cap by the end of July – setting the stage for one of the largest turnouts in the race’s history.
The marathon boasts a storied past dating back to 1980, when just 70 runners took part. Since then, more than 210,000 have run the historic route.
As always, the course will showcase some of Victoria’s most scenic sights, starting and finishing in the Inner Harbour.
This year’s event is capped at 15,000 participants across the marathon (42.2km), half marathon (21.1km), 8km, 5km, and kids’ run.
Last year’s total hit 12,000 – up from 9,000 in 2023.
“We’re double where we were last year at this time,” said race director Cathy Noel. “It’s unprecedented.”
In 2024, 779 participants indicated they were attempting to qualify for the Boston Marathon. That number has already climbed to 895 this year.
Victoria’s race has long been a certified Boston qualifier, and its consistent course has made it a favourite for both first-timers and seasoned competitors.
It was recently named one of the world’s top 15 first-timer marathons – the only Canadian event on the list, alongside prestigious races in Athens, Auckland, New York, Honolulu, and Manchester.
That kind of international recognition is also translating into economic impact.
A recent study by Destination Greater Victoria found that the 2023 event generated $11 million for the region with 9,000 participants. With 15,000 expected this fall, organizers estimate the 2025 race could bring in $15 to $20 million towards Victoria's economic impact.
Hotels are already seeing the effect, from locals planning staycations to visitors arriving from across Canada and the U.S.
New this year is the “green bib” initiative, allowing runners to opt out of receiving a race garment and instead donate its value to charity.
So far, about 6 per cent of marathoners, 7 per cent of half-marathoners, and 10 per cent of 8K runners have chosen the green bib – notable in a year when the 45th anniversary merchandise is, as Noel put it, “top-tier.”
Still, she said, many runners are motivated by more than just the gear.
“They care about sustainability and community,” said Noel. “We want to make sure they have those options.”
Backed by 77 organizers and roughly 1,400 volunteers, the Royal Victoria Marathon has become one of the final major races on the Canadian running calendar.
Noel, who has led the event for 25 years, is already looking ahead to 2029 – the race’s 50th anniversary and the year she plans to step down.
“I might just run it myself,” she said. “That would be a pretty good way to go out.”
