By: Jonathan Yue for Athletics Canada

It didn’t take long for last year’s Canadian marathon champion Kinsey Middleton to decide on returning for the 2019 Toronto Waterfront Marathon and Canadian marathon championships. It is the 30th edition of the race, once again receiving the IAAF Gold Label. After the debut she had last season, Middleton returns to Toronto motivated to see what her second ever marathon will bring her.

“I’m so excited to return to the streets of Toronto because the race and the crowd are both incredibly motivating,” Middleton said. “It’s been a great year to be a runner and fan of this sport; there is inspiration everywhere.”

Running to the Canadian marathon title last year in her first ever marathon, the 26-year-old Middleton finished with a time of 2:39:09 as the first Canadian woman to complete the downtown Toronto course, 18th overall.

This year’s Canadian marathon championships will also act as Athletics Canada’s marathon trials for the 2020 Olympic Games. The top Canadian men’s and women’s finishers will be given priority to be nominated and will automatically be nominated if they are on the IAAF lists and are eligible for nomination as outlined in Athletics Canada’s Olympic Selection Criteria.

With the experience and knowledge of the course, Middleton believes she is ready for the added pressure and competition, with the possibilities of a lot of big performances in the field. With a handful of elite Canadian athletes, including the likes of Leslie Sexton, Malindi Elmore, and Dayna Pidhoresky on the women’s side, in addition to last year’s men’s Canadian Champion Cameron Levins, Reid Coolsaet, Dylan Wykes, Tristan Woodfine, and Trevor Hofbauer in the men’s field, it is looking to become a competitive elite field in Toronto with many athletes in the mix.

“With an Olympic spot on the line, it really has made the field so deep and talented, it’s a huge positive.” said Middleton. “It will give us all a chance to compete and push each other to even better performances.”

“I am thrilled to have the opportunity for a fast and honest race that doubles as a Canadian Championships and Olympic Trials. My prediction is that it’s going to be a day filled with amazing performances from so many athletes.”

The marathon festivities get underway on Sunday, October 20th at 8:45 a.m. ET. You can follow the action live on athleticscanada.tv.

Having Thanksgiving only a week before the 2019 Toronto Waterfront Marathon and Canadian Marathon Championships gives Middleton things to think about before their race as they stand at the start line, ready to take on the 42-kilometre course.

“I remind myself how much I love to run,” said Middleton. “Remembering how many miles and work I’ve run to be ready for this moment, it is a source of my confidence. It’s such a gift to be able to do what I love and to do it stride to stride with some of the fastest women in Canada.”