Rachel Hannah captures her first Canadian marathon title

Not one, but two first-time winners were crowned at the Canadian Marathon Championships, taking place during the 2025 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon on Sunday. During her fifth time racing the Toronto course, Rachel Hannah of Port Elgin, Ont., placed sixth overall in the women’s race and was the first Canadian finisher, clocking 2:33:47–her fastest marathon time since 2016.

The performance marked her sixth overall national title, but her first in the marathon.

“Winning this title has been a dream of mine since I started marathon running,” she told Canadian Running. “I knew going in I had a really good, strong build, so I knew today would be about mindset, and just how positive I could stay the whole time. I felt very relaxed and even-keeled, mentally.”

In her third-ever marathon, Calgary’s Makenna Fitzgerald took the silver medal in 2:38:59, while Toronto’s Brittany Moran rounded out the podium for third in 2:42:46, in her first marathon since having a baby in 2023.

Hannah came into the race chasing a personal best (she ran 2:32:09 at the 2016 Houston Marathon)–but settling for the national title is a solid alternative. Previously, her best finish at the Canadian championships was second, from 2016. Hannah won the Around the Bay 30K race in 2024 and 2025.

Because of the warmer-than-ideal racing temperatures, the 39-year-old said she took in more carbohydrates than she ever has (more than 80 grams per hour), and that using sodium bicarbonate also helped in the heat. She also said that training near Lake Huron prepared her well for Sunday’s windy conditions off Lake Ontario.

Hannah is considering either December’s Marathon Project in Chandler, Ariz., or the Chevron Houston Marathon in January. “I’m very close to my personal best now,” she said. “So on a bit cooler day, I might go for it.”