Alexander and Caron take top spots at the 2026 Ottawa 10K

May 23, 2026 (Ottawa, ON) – The 2026 Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend kicked off as thousands of runners took to the streets for the Ottawa Kids Marathon, 2K, 5K, and the highly anticipated Ottawa 10K presented by Otto’s Ottawa. With more than 40,000 participants, 2,500 volunteers, and sellouts in every event, this is the biggest race weekend the capital has seen since 2017.

More than 8,100 runners participated in the 10K under overcast skies and 19 degrees. Once again, the event hosted the Canadian 10K Championships, bringing together some of the country’s top distance athletes. The elite men’s field included Canadian standouts such as Ben Flanagan and Thomas Fafard, as well as rising talents from across the country. 

Flanagan had aimed to reclaim the Canadian 10K record—28:06, set at this event in 2025. But it was Andrew Alexander who claimed first place in the men’s division with a time of 28:19. Alexander and Thomas Fafard ran neck and neck for most of the race, but Alexander beat out Fafard in the final metres in an exciting finish.

In the women’s category, Florence Caron and Erin Mawhinney were among the favourites heading into the race. But it was Caron who took top honours, finishing in 32:31 in 10K road race debut. Caron maintained a substantial lead for most of the race, finishing more than 200 metres ahead of her closest competitors. 

Starting at Ottawa City Hall, the 10K course took runners down Elgin Street, along the iconic Rideau Canal, around Dow’s Lake, and back up Colonel By Drive before crossing the Pretoria Bridge to a roaring finish on Queen Elizabeth Drive. Thousands of spectators lined the route, creating one of the most electric atmospheres in Canadian road racing.

A weekend of running and fun for all—including mascots

The day began with the annual 100 metre Mascot Race, featuring five spirited local favourites: Lulu (Farm Boy), Cappy (Ottawa Titans), Cuddles (CHEO), OG (Ottawa BlackJacks), and OC Owl (OC Transpo), and Misquah Moose. Misquah Moose beat out the other mascots, with OC Owl and Cappy coming in a close 2nd and 3rd respectively. 

Following the mascots, 1,900 young runners completed the sold-out Ottawa Kids Marathon—one of the weekend’s most heartwarming traditions. Leading up to Race Weekend, 1,100 students participated in the Kids Run Ottawa School Program, running 41 kilometres in advance of Saturday’s event.

This year, the 2K race was a little “greener” than in the past. Through the use of reusable cups, 3,000 single-use cups were eliminated. In 2025, Run Ottawa and EnviroCentre, in collaboration with the City of Ottawa’s Community Environmental Projects Grant Program, had piloted the program at the Run to Empower 5K and rolled it out on a much larger scale at Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend 2026.

Running for a good cause as part of the Desjardins Charity Challenge

At the age of 100, Roy Allen did something no other Canadian his age has ever done before: walk a 5K in an official race and set a Canadian and World Record. He completed the 5K with his children and grandchildren in a time of 1:47:19 to raise funds for four organizations serving seniors in Ottawa: the Gloucester 50+ Centre, Perley Health Foundation, The Dementia Society, and the Council on Aging of Ottawa.

Allen was one of many taking part in the Desjardins Charity Challenge this year. A total of 87 local and national charities are participating. This year marks a major milestone for the Challenge: 10 million dollars raised by runners and their supporters since it began in 2015. Once again this year, longstanding charity teams such as Team PIPR, BGC Ottawa’s Walk This Way, and Start2Finish brought hundreds of participants to the start line, with team PIPR raising over $171,000 for the Ottawa Hospital Foundation.

Results

Complete race results can be found here: Sportstats | Results | 

In person participation numbers

  • Ottawa Kids Marathon: 1,934
  • Ottawa 2K:  3,687
  • Ottawa 5K: 9,089
  • Ottawa 10K presented by Otto’s Ottawa: 8,102

About Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend 

Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend is Canada’s largest running and walking festival with six races, including the Tamarack Homes Ottawa International Marathon, Ottawa Half Marathon presented by Desjardins, Ottawa 10K presented by Otto’s Ottawa, Ottawa 5K, Ottawa 2K, and Ottawa Kids Marathon, as well as three multi-event challenges. In 2025, runners and walkers in the event raised $969,602.02 for local and national charities through the Desjardins Charity Challenge.

Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend is one of two running events in Canada to host a World Athletics label marathon, and is host to Athletics Canada’s Canadian 10K Championships. The weekend was named Event of the Year at the 2019 Canadian Tourism Awards, and in 2020, its title sponsor Tamarack Homes won Sport Tourism Canada’s Canadian Sport Event Sponsorship Initiative of the Year Award. 

Media relations contact:

Lisa Georges
lisa.georges@runottawa.ca