HOKA teammates Paige Wood and Mercy Chelangat to Race the Tartan Ottawa International Marathon at Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend

Ottawa, March 25, 2025 – Two elite runners from team HOKA, Paige Wood (née Stoner) and Mercy Chelangat, are set to take on the Tartan Ottawa International Marathon at this year’s Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend, Canada’s largest multi-day running event. The highly anticipated marathon, taking place this year on Sunday, May 25, will feature these accomplished athletes as they compete against a strong field on a course known for its rich history and enthusiastic crowd support.

Wood, a decorated distance runner and 2022 U.S. Marathon Champion has demonstrated her strength over the 42.2K distance with standout performances on both national and international stages. In December of 2020 she finished seventh at The Marathon Project, where her finishing time of 2:28:43 was the fastest marathon ever by a U.S. woman under the age of 25.

Having recently returned to racing under her married name, Wood is eager to test herself against some of the world’s best on Ottawa’s new, flat and scenic course. Her postpartum return to racing in 2024 included wins at the Ferguson Twilight Run 10k (36:12) and the Wyoming Valley Run 10 Mile (56:15) along with strong performances at the Boilermaker 15k (53:16) and the Wharf to Wharf 6 Mile (32:04). Earlier this year, she achieved a personal best at the Aramco Houston Half Marathon placing 14th with a time of 1:09:20. “I’m incredibly excited to have the opportunity to race 26.2 in Ottawa,” says Wood. “It has been over 2 years since I’ve run a marathon and getting back to the marathon distance has been a huge motivator for me in training, as I’ve navigated returning to competition since having my son. One of the main reasons we chose Ottawa was to have the opportunity to run on a fast course. The goal will be to run my fastest marathon yet while also competing for the win!”

Chelangat, a rising star in the distance running world, is set to make her marathon debut after an impressive collegiate career that included an NCAA cross-country title and multiple All-American honours. She began her professional career in November 2023 finishing 18th at the B.A.A. Half Marathon (1:11:37). Just three weeks later, she placed third at the Cross Champs in Austin (26:54.50), helping HOKA NAZ Elite secure the team title.

In January of 2024, Chelangat set a HOKA team record at the Aramco Houston Half Marathon, finishing in 10th place (1:08:58). She continued her strong performances in March, crushing her 10,000 meter personal best with a time of 31:15.39 at Sound Running’s The Ten. Spring included an eighth-place finish at the Boston 5k (15:32), and a sixth-place finish at the Bloomsday 12k (40:11) for Chelangat, and she continued into the fall with a second-place finish at the Philadelphia Distance Run clocking 01:10:21. In January of this year, she placed 9th with a new personal best of 1:08:57 at the Aramco Houston Half Marathon. With a growing list of impressive performances, Chelangat is ready to take on the challenge of her first marathon, making her debut a highly anticipated moment in Ottawa. “I am super excited to debut and am looking forward to racing in Canada,” says Chelangat. “The main reason why we wanted to debut in Ottawa is to have the opportunity to race in a competitive field, and have a good overall first experience with the marathon distance.”

“We are very excited to welcome Paige and Mercy to Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend,” says Stephen Andersen, Run Ottawa elite athlete coordinator. “They are two of the up-and-coming stars in the marathon world. We hope to provide them a great opportunity to run fast and compete against some of the world’s best. I am grateful they have chosen Ottawa as their spring marathon.”

The Tartan Ottawa International Marathon is a World Athletics Label Road Race, attracting elite and recreational runners from across the globe. With a vibrant atmosphere and thousands of spectators cheering along the course, the marathon has built a reputation as one of the most exciting and well-supported races in North America. 

Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend welcomes over 38,000 participants annually across multiple distances, fostering a vibrant running culture in the nation’s capital. As Wood and Chelangat toe the line, they join a legacy of world-class athletes who have made their mark in Ottawa.

Registration for the Tartan Ottawa International Marathon is now available, participants can choose from in-person, virtual, or Green Bib options. Whether you’re a seasoned marathoner or new to the sport, this is your chance to be part of the incredible energy and community of Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend, Canada’s largest multi-day running event.

For more information and to register, please visit the official marathon website at www.runottawa.ca.

Media contact:
Lisa Georges
media@runottawa.ca

Elite athlete contact:
Stephen Andersen
EliteProgram@runottawa.ca

About Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend

Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend is Canada’s largest running and walking festival with six races, including the Tartan 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 2024, runners and walkers in the event raised a record-breaking $1,132,150.21 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. 

The 2025 edition of Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend will take place May 24-25. For more information or to register, visit www.runottawa.ca.