The TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon leaned into its love for raccoons for its 25th edition, even featuring the city’s (unofficial) mascot on some ASICS race T-shirts. In a fitting twist, a few raccoons decided to show their support too—one even crashed a water station around the 32km mark at Sunday’s race.
Local Toronto runner Glynis Fediuk was cheering on her friends near the Beaches Running Room in the city’s east end when, about two and a half hours into the race, she spotted a trash panda making an unexpected pit stop at a water station while runners streamed past.
Fediuk said she was in shock when she saw the raccoon. “I was heading out to cheer, and it just appeared. I knew if I didn’t grab a video, no one would believe me.”
Whether the raccoon was scavenging for a snack or trying to join the race, it brought a truly Toronto moment to the event, giving runners a taste of the city’s wild side. We cannot confirm if the raccoon finished.
The 2024 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon hosted 30,000 participants across its three events—the 5K, half-marathon, and marathon—with runners hailing from 70 countries. Sunday’s marathon saw 6,267 finishers, officially making it the largest marathon in Canada, overtaking the 2024 BMO Vancouver Marathon (6,071 finishers).
For full results of the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon and associated races, click here.
