The Vancouver Marathon

For the sports minded looking for things to do and see in Vancouver, the Vancouver Marathon might be just up your alley!

Whether you're a runner or perhaps a tri-athlete this is one of the city’s premier sporting events with a long history and a really great race shirts!

Being a standard marathon this race has a difference because the route makes its way all around the city including through Stanley Park and downtown Vancouver. The Vancouver Marathon is actually one of the more scenic marathons in North America.

Over the years this race has evolved and grown in his popularity in fact the marathon is actually a number of races all going on at the same time.

This race is not only for long-distance runners nowadays because they've turned more into a family event with a 5 km (3 mile), 10 km (6 mile) foot races within the marathon race route itself. There is also a race for roller bladers that happens before the actual marathon itself and the other races start.

Come to think of it, there is also a family walk that happens at the same time so, if you have young kids with you, you can still do the event and receive a race T-shirt (which is why most of us do that run) as a souvenir of the race and the other events.

So if you want to come to the Vancouver but aren't an actual marathon runner, you can still join in the fun and ease yourself into distance running while you join in the party!

One of the great things about the race is that since it happens early in the morning so you still have the rest of the day to do more sightseeing and walking around the city taking in the museums and...

You don't have to run! For me personally, after running a race like that I'd rather be sitting down either paddling a kayak or sitting on a flight to Nanaimo!

Now there is a Vancouver urban legend that some ultra athletes will drive over to North Vancouver after running the full distance and hike up Grouse Mountain (they call it the “Grouse Grind”) and having done it once (just to say I did it) I can assure you it truly is a grind all the way to the top!

If you've done the Vancouver Marathon or the grouse grind, or are thinking about doing it I'd love to hear your stories and how they ended...

Even if you ended up like me on the massage bench at a Vancouver day spa working on my poor aching muscles!

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