Running on spirit: Calgary Marathon holds a record-breaking weekend

Local spirit displayed in positive Calgary Marathon turnout  

Bella Coco, News Editor

With the popularity of the 2025 marathon, Calgarians are optimistic for high attendance in 2026. Photo courtesy of focusfitness

Twice, the sun shined brightly over the Calgary Marathon weekend, an activity that was previously a mere one day event. For the very first time, the Calgary Marathon had to be spread out over two days due to the rising popularity in participating.

In fact, running has become so popular that the marathon hit record-breaking numbers, with about 17, 280 runners lacing up their shoes and hitting the pavement—approximately 17 per cent more than the previous record from 2014.

What’s with running?

In the last year, running has seen a spike in interest, specifically in people in their 20’s to 30’s. In fact, wellness as a whole is a rising interest in many Gen-Z and millennials, with a more targeted focus on physical exercise.

Apps like Tiktok are often credited with inspiring more people to get active, especially when looking at #running, which featured over 3.9 million posts. . Users seem to share the idea of a sense of belonging by posting running as a quarter-life achievement with quippy remarks of it being comparable to marriage or starting a family.

The pandemic also brought on a surge of runners. With the closures of gyms, pools and all recreational facilities, running soon became the go-to exercise with its accessibility, affordability and community. 

Canadian Running found that the average athlete’s “workout frequency” increased by 88 per cent during the height of the pandemic. Moderate runners had an increased frequency by 55 per cent. 

The University of Calgary’s (UofC) Faculty of Kinesiology conducted a study in January 2022 and found that participants ran more, but they weren’t running or longer periods of time or increasing intensity, “They were, however, running more frequently per week and running outdoors more” they reported.

The rundown of the Calgary Marathon

The Servus Calgary Marathon Race has been running, no pun intended, for over 60 years. The money made from the marathon itself goes back into Calgary too—They’ve donated over $10 million to various local organizations and charities.

The marathon began bright and early on Saturday morning with a 5K and 10K race. Sunday held the challenge of a full 42.2-kilometre marathon and 21.1-kilometre half marathon. Kids had age appropriate races on both days, and an overwhelming amount of fans lined the streets to cheer runners on. 

The City of Calgary closed and instilled parking bans on Memorial Drive N.W. between 10th Street N.W. and Kensington Road N.W. to create the course where almost 20,000 people would be participating in the race

The race began at the BMO centre, but at the sharp sound of the horn, runners wove through downtown, Inglewood and Bridgeland, and then through the finish line at Enmax Park. Afterwards, runners and supporters celebrated with live music, food trucks and well-deserved relaxation. Better get those shoes ready for next year Calgary!