Put your running shoes on, as marathoners in Halifax are getting ready to “Giv’er” in this years Blue Nose Marathon.
Downtown Halifax is all ready for the occasion, with many streets shut down, and the Halifax Common and Emera Oval full of Blue Nose-related attire.
The 5k and youth races took place Saturday between 8 a.m. and noon in downtown Halifax. The 10K race, half, and full marathons are taking place on Sunday between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m. throughout Halifax and Dartmouth.
This years full marathon takes runners all through downtown Halifax beginning at the Emera Oval. The route takes participants to see some of the city’s major attractions, including the MacDonald Bridge, Lake Banook, the Halifax Harbour, the city’s North End, and Point Pleasant Park.
Police advise drivers to plan their routes during the weekend, as they will have a number of streets in Halifax closed for the thousands of runners participating in the city’s trademark marathon.
On top of street closures, weekend parking bans are also in place for a number of roads to allow runners to have more room in the road. Roads shut down for the entire weekend include:
- Robie Street
- Cogswell Street Roundabout
- Cunard Street Roundabout
- Bell Road
A full list of closed roads, as well as roads experiencing parking bans can be found on the Bluenose Marathon website.
Runners line up to begin the Blue Nose Marathon. (CTV/Mike Lamb)
The Blue Nose Marathon
The Blue Nose Marathon was born in 2004 by Nova Scotians Gerry Walsh and Rod McCulloch, who were looking to bring a running event to Halifax showcasing the beauty of the city. In its first year, the race had 3,500 registrants, and has only grown since with the 2014 race reaching 13,000 attendees.
This year’s marathon saw a total participation of around 8,900 runners, according to the Blue Nose Marathon executive director, Sherri Robins.
The race also doubles as a non-profit society in Nova Scotia, and they run a Giv’er Charity Challenge, which has grown to over 80 charities which have collectively raised more than $500,000. In 2023, the Giv’er Charity Challenge raised over $250,000 at the Blue Nose Marathon for 61 charities.
The marathon is also an Abbott World Marathon Majors Wanda Age Group qualifier, meaning athletes in nine separate age groups can compete in the Blue Nose Full Marathon to earn ranking points. After the qualifying period, the top ranked runners in each age group is invited to participate in the Abbott World Majors Marathon Wanda Age Group World Championships.
