Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon - Study of Emotions

Last weekend was the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, an annual event that houses both the full and half marathons, plus a 5k run. This year saw more than  22,000 participants and raised over 3.5 million dollars for multiple charities. It was also exciting for the local crowds as Canada's elite runners were out in full force. Fourteen of the top twenty finishers were Canadian and leading the pack were Reid Coolsaet and Eric Gillis; both qualifying for the Canadian Olympic team.

I'm beginning to like shooting these events, even if it's jut for fun, because there's always a hyped up energy all around you. I'm a runner myself and have done a number of 5k and 10k races, and I have the half-marathon on my radar screen for next year.  As a runner I know how much time and dedication goes into training for race day. You're trying to keep your energy positive, focusing on running strong and then there's the excitement, and relief, when you finally cross the finish line; it's truly awesome!

One of the things that I have noticed after reviewing all of the race photos I have taken, as well as the experience of racing myself, is the wide spectrum of emotions. You can see it on their faces and in their body language. Things like joy, excitement, strength, calmness, and sometimes pain. But there's also one that's plainly obvious... determination! I chose the images below that I think tell the story better than I could ever write it. These were all taken about 200 meters from the finish line of the half-marathon.

Congrats to all participants!

Cheers!

DC