Quebec record holder Thomas Fafard to resume marathon career after final track season in '26

Thomas Fafard is planning a final season of track running in 2026 before shifting to the marathon full time in preparation for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

He had a successful debut race in the 42.2-kilometre distance on Sunday, placing sixth in two hours 10 minutes 29 seconds for a Quebec record at The Marathon Project in Chandler, Ariz.

The previous mark of 2:14:18 by Alain Bordeleau had stood since the 1984 Olympic trials in Ottawa.

Only Cam Levins (2:09:25) and Ben Preisner (2:10:17) have run faster for Canada than Fafard to begin their marathon career. His time ranks as the eighth fastest by a Canadian man.

“There is room for improvement,” Fafard’s coach, Félix-Antoine Lapointe, told CBC Sports from Arizona after the race. “Being able to improve by two or three minutes in this Olympic cycle is realistic and probably will lead to him being in the mix to make the team for Canada in 2028."

Fafard and Lapointe will finalize the distance runner’s 2026 race schedule in the coming weeks. He is likely to run a half marathon in March or April, a couple of track races in the 5,000 and 10,000 metres, and potentially the half marathon at the World Athletics Road Running Championships next September in Copenhagen.

Fafard’s next marathon, according to Lapointe, would be late fall, perhaps in Chicago (Oct. 11) or Valencia (Dec. 6).

Fafard is confident he can lower his 13:05:07 personal best over 5,000 metres on the track. He also wants to run a good 10,000 before a permanent move to the marathon. The Repentigny, Que., native has a 28:39.29 PB.

Fafard, whose time goal was 2:12 or faster on Sunday, felt good early in the race and with the weather co-operating, he decided to run with a group pacing for a 2:10 finish.

'I kept telling myself to keep pushing'

The 27-year-old said his legs began to tire at the 33 km mark, which he attributed to a lack of mileage in the distance and experience. But he believed he needed to stay close to eventual winner JP Flavin of Toms River, N.J. through 35 km to secure the Quebec record.

“The legs felt heavy, but I was confident I would be able to finish the race,” he said. “I kept telling myself to keep pushing.” While his pace slowed over the final four km, it wasn’t a dramatic decline.

“It was just new territory. I’ve never run more than 33K,” said Fafard. “I knew I could be good [in the marathon] but 42 km, you don’t know [for certain] until you do it. I know I’ll be a marathoner in the future."

His coach agreed.

"The way he trained in the [16-week] build-up, especially the last five or six weeks,” Lapointe said, “he was focused and committed. It was important for him to finish 2025 in a good way."

Lapointe talked about Fafard’s outdoor results this year being "a bit disappointing” and they agreed it was time for a marathon after first discussing it seriously throughout 2024.

Fafard made his first Olympic appearance that summer — a “dream come true” — and placed 22nd in the 5,000 final in Paris while running on a sprained right ankle, an injury that would sideline Fafard through the Canadian cross-country championships three months later.

'New event, new experience'

With greater expectations for 2025, the results didn’t follow as four of Fafard’s five times this year were 13:44 or slower after he ran 13:18 or faster on three occasions in 2024.

During his Marathon Project build, Fafard performed his best during long intervals to build stamina speed endurance. He was also strong during long runs at marathon pace while impressing Lapointe.

“New event, new experience. It’s almost a new sport, to be honest,” Fafard said. “It’s way different than the 5,000 [metres].”

It was an impressive year for Canada’s men in the marathon.

Levins, who boasts a national record 2:05:36, was 12th at the World Athletics Championships and Rory Linkletter had top-10 finishes in Boston and Chicago while lowering his PB to 2:06:49. Preisner ran 2:10:32 in Japan, not far off his 2:08:58 best, and Justin Kent brought his PB to 2:09:29.

Fafard is excited about trying to join the elite group and battle for one of three spots for men’s marathoners on the 2028 Canadian Olympic team.

“If it’s easy to qualify and you’re the only one [from your country] that is good, it would be boring,” he said. “It’s nice to see Canadian marathoners stepping up their game. You don’t have a choice to be on your ‘A’ game. If you’re not, another guy is right there, and he’ll take a spot.”

Sunday's other Canadian results

Men’s professional race: Thomas Nobbs (11th, 2:12:27), Thomas Broatch (14th, 2:13:43), Thomas Toth (29th, 2:17:00).

Women’s professional race: Rachel Hannah (16th, 2:41:49), Emily Andrews (17th, 2:43:03), Leanne Klassen (20th, 2:45:26).