On Sunday, Toronto’s Jan Adegeest, 58, broke a long-standing provincial marathon file on the 2024 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon. Representing the Toronto Harriers Run Membership, Adegeest ran a outstanding time of two:43:55, setting a brand new Ontario provincial marathon file and profitable his age class by 17 minutes.
The file he broke had been set by Clifford Corridor on the 1981 Toronto Marathon, with a time of two:44:23. Corridor, who handed away in 2022 at 95, held onto the file for 43 years.
Adegeest had been eyeing the provincial file ever since his breakthrough efficiency of two:44 on the 2023 Chicago Marathon, the place he shaved 11 minutes off his earlier finest of two:55. Though he set a brand new file in Toronto, Adegeest admits that it was one in every of his hardest races. “The race was tough,” he stated. “With a headwind from 35 km to the end, I knew I’d be reducing the file shut.”
In preparation for Toronto, Adegeest made some strategic adjustments to his coaching routine. He elevated his weekly mileage and employed a nutritionist to optimize his weight-reduction plan. “I needed to make sure I used to be consuming the fitting issues,” he says. “It was a broad plan, however I additionally began utilizing extra gels on coaching runs to get my abdomen able to metabolize them on race day.”
Adegeest’s journey into marathon operating started comparatively late. He accomplished his first marathon at 51 on the 2017 Toronto Waterfront Marathon, ending in 3:18. “I bear in mind my associates telling me I ought to take into account operating Boston,” he remembers with fun. “I knew there was a marathon in Boston, however I didn’t know a lot past that.”
High age-group finishers at 2024 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon
Since then, he has improved his marathon finest by practically 40 minutes. Adegeest credit a lot of his success to having a supportive coach with the Toronto Harriers and sustaining unwavering self-discipline. “Typically it’s not straightforward, and the arduous exercises can depart you sore, however you do it for that aim that’s three months away,” he shared.
Initially from the Netherlands, Adegeest moved to Canada along with his spouse in 2003. Rising up, he had a ardour for velocity skating, which he believes laid a powerful athletic basis for his means to push himself and run quick in his 50s. “For those who prepare whereas your physique is rising, you construct a base for the remainder of your life,” he stated.
Adegeest’s preparation for the Toronto Waterfront Marathon concerned a vigorous 12-week coaching schedule, averaging 150 km per week. He typically did two to 3 double runs per week, masking greater than 21 km each day. Remarkably, he balanced the demanding coaching schedule along with his work as a movie set designer, working 12-hour shifts (Monday to Friday) for the primary six weeks of his construct.
When requested if he plans to focus on the boys’s 55+ Canadian file of two:39:57, at the moment held by Nova Scotia’s David MacLennan, Adegeest was hesitant. “The aim was to run a private finest and get the Ontario file,” he stated. “4 minutes is quite a bit in marathon operating, however then once more, I went from 2:55 to 2:44. Who is aware of? Perhaps I could make that leap once more.”
Looking forward to 2025, Adegeest has already obtained an invite to run the Chicago Marathon, the place he might shock himself—and the operating world—as soon as extra.
Phyllis Berck breaks Ontario W70 10K file
Earlier this fall, Phyllis Berck of Toronto broke the provincial W70 10K file on the Georgina Marathon on Sept. 8 together with her 53:55 efficiency.
