Eleven unforgettable stories from Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend 2024 that you won’t want to overlook!
As we prepare for Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend 2025, we look back fondly on a few standout moments and participants from this past year’s 50th anniversary celebration!
Canadian 10K record broken
“I saw 14:10 on the clock, and I told myself I had to get going!” It was an exciting evening at the Ottawa 10K presented by Otto’s Ottawa, home of the Athletics Canadian Canadian 10K Championships! “I wanted to stay on the gas and in that final kilometre I gave it everything I had.” Ben Flanagan took first place in the men’s category and broke his own record, that he shared with Cam Levins, with a time of 28:09!
A heartfelt tribute in memory of a husband, father and runner
Exactly five years after her husband’s death, grief acceptance advocate Jessica Foley joined more than 8,000 people on the start line of the Ottawa Half Marathon presented by Desjardins on the morning of May 26 to raise funds for Playful Mindset, a not-for-profit organization with the focus of supporting children’s mental health and addressing adverse childhood experiences in the early years (age 0-12 years old) through unstructured outdoor play and play-based learning.
Foley’s husband Steven Trickett, suffered a cardiac arrest at Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend in 2019 and died on course. Foley was seven months pregnant at the time and they were parents of a 2.5 years old daughter. “This race means so much to me – it means healing and remembrance, it means celebrating the gift of being alive in a body that is healthy and mobile.” Foley was able to raise a final total of $13,198.69 for Playful Mindset.
A Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend first
Rooted Family Wellness Centre facilitated the introduction of the first dedicated lactation/feeding tent at Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend. A first in the event’s history, the space provided support for infant feeding and nursing mothers participating in and attending the weekend’s events. This new initiative reinforces Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend’s commitment to inclusivity and family-friendly policies, ensuring all participants can fully enjoy the event.
One more time for Wally
Antoine Herman-Lemelin honoured his grandfather by completing the Tartan Ottawa International Marathon with his grandfather’s ashes. Wallace Herman would have completed his 730th marathon at Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend 2023, however, he sadly passed away just months before, at 98 years old. Herman was a regular participant over the 50 years of the Ottawa’s marathon having also participated in the 40th edition of the Ottawa Marathon in 2014, at the age of 88. Herman’s grandson, Antoine, was assigned race bib number 1730 to mark the special occasion.
A Hugh(e) and successful undertaking
People have done some pretty interesting things during the past 50 years of Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend. But Hugh Neilson’s stunt may have taken the cake. The Director of the Great Canadian Theatre Company set out to run 42.2 kilometres while he sang and played the ukulele, all with the goal of raising $10,000 for the Great Canadian Theatre Company. He successfully completed his marathon and surpassed his fundraising goal at a grand total of $13,227.80!
She said yes!
If you weren’t in the finish line area of Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend on Sunday, May 26 this year, you missed a very special moment for Andrew Dupuis and Austyn Roseborough of London, Ont.
Not only did both Dupuis and Roseborough successfully complete their very first marathons, Dupuis also proposed to his Roseborough moments after she crossed the finish line. What a way to commemorate your first marathon! We won’t keep you in suspense any longer, Roseborough said yes!
Once more, the titan of school groups rose to the occasion
This year, Ashbury College continued their longstanding support of The Ottawa Hospital by fundraising through the Desjardins Charity Challenge. This year, marked the 27th year of their support of cancer research and cancer patient care at The Ottawa Hospital.
On Saturday, May 25, over 400 students from Team Ashbury laced up their sneakers and raised a total of $34,883.45 in support of The Ottawa Hospital, making them the largest fundraising team at Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend 2024.
A Lumberjack, an Owl and a Moose! OH MY!
Five local mascots threw down for fun, kicking off Saturday’s events at Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend 2024! Misquah Moose (Camp Misquah) Cappy (Ottawa Titans), Big Joe (Ottawa Redblacks), Riley (Ottawa 67’s), OC Owl (OC Transpo) ran the 100m dash just ahead of the Ottawa Kids Marathon presented by Maverick’s Donuts and it was a photo finish with Misquah Moose and OC Owl coming across the line in a draw!
A different kind of mayoral race
Ottawa’s mayor, Mark Sutcliffe, ran the Tartan Ottawa International Marathon, his second of 2024, in support of Dhanushka Wickramasinghe. Wickramasinghe was the lone survivor of a brutal attack in Barrhaven in March of 2024 where he lost his entire family in a violent and brutal tragedy.Wickramasinghe presented the Mayor with his marathon medal in a very poignant moment of gratitude at the finish line. A total of $12,515.54 was raised for Ottawa Victim Services to help Wickramasinghe.
Bob Brisebois, this year’s oldest marathoner
Bob Brisebois celebrated his 85th birthday on April 28, 2024. He began running after his retirement from the Ottawa Airport Authority in 2004. Since then he has participated in the half marathon at Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend, with the exception of 2019 when Brisebois participated in the Ottawa Marathon at 80 years old, and this year when Brisebois was the oldest person to cross the 2024 Tartan Ottawa International Marathon finish line with a time of 5:37:14.
Forever in our hearts
This year was the tenth year that Sindy Hooper and her MEMC Crew participated in Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend.
Hooper completed the Ottawa 5K presented by Asics Runkeeper in 57:32 with 14 members of her MEMC Crew alongside her, raising an amazing $66,088.06 for the Ottawa Hospital Foundation. Since starting her fundraising initiative in 2013 after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, Hooper and her MEMC Crew have raised over $500,000 for pancreatic cancer research, most of which has gone to research at The Ottawa Hospital.
Hooper, a fixture of the Ottawa running community, passed away this year on Friday, September 13. Known in the Ottawa running community for her perseverance, strength, and positive attitude, Hooper will continue to be a source of inspiration to those in our community and beyond. Motivating each of us to cherish each day, focus on the positives, remain resilient, and to persevere through challenges.
Join the fun this spring at Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend and be a part of Canada’s most exciting weekend of running! Register for Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend 2025!