On October 3 and 4, 2020, runners who have registered for the Muskoka Marathon will challenge themselves in a 5 km, 10 km, half-marathon, or full marathon in Bracebridge. The event will start and finish at Santa’s Village, 1624 Golden Beach Road, with athletes running along Santa’s Village Road, Wellington Street, and Beaumont Drive.
The 2020 Muskoka Marathon will be the first year of an annual event with the full marathon component of the event being a qualifier for the Boston Marathon.
“We believe this event will have a very positive impact on the economy in Bracebridge for many years to come,” said Mayor Graydon Smith. “On behalf of myself and Council, good luck to everyone participating this weekend.”
The event organizers have worked diligently to ensure all COVID-19 regulations are being met, with the community’s health and safety at the forefront of the entire planning process. Runners will be kept in small bubbles, they will be practicing physical distancing, and there will be no congregating before or after a runner’s respective race. Those wishing to be a spectator to this incredible event will not be able to attend in-person, but are encouraged to watch the races through the Muskoka Marathon’s Instagram and Facebook pages.
“On behalf of Athletics Ontario, we are thrilled to see the Muskoka Marathon taking place using our new Road & Trail Risk Assessment and Safety Recommendations, created to help minimize the risk of the spread of COVID-19,” said Paul Osland, Chief Operating Officer, Athletics Ontario. “We are confident that the Muskoka Marathon, using these guidelines, will allow our road running community to compete in a safe environment while producing some amazing results.”
Under the current regulations, as a sanctioned event by Athletics Ontario, the Province’s recent limit to unmonitored and private social gatherings do not apply. The limit for the Muskoka Marathon remains at 100 participants, which means that such events can involve more than 100 throughout the entire two-day event, as long as they don’t exceed 100 participants at any given time.
Over the past few months, event organizers, Curt Dunlop and Jed Corbeil have been in communication with the Town of Bracebridge, the District of Muskoka, the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit, the Bracebridge Detachment of the OPP, as well as the Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries, Athletics Ontario, and Athletics Canada to execute the safest event possible. In order to maintain community safety, there will be police officers on site for the duration of the event.