Avening’s Anna Carruthers was the second woman to cross the finish line at the Toronto Marathon on May 3.
In her first marathon, Carruthers completed the 42.2-kilometre race in two hours, 43 minutes and 20 seconds.
“I had a goal, but I didn’t fully know what to expect over that distance. Finishing second overall female and running a 2:43:20 was beyond anything I had anticipated,” she said. “On race day, everything just seemed to come together. The energy was high, the crowd support was incredible, and having my friends and family there cheering me on made it especially meaningful. There’s always some uncertainty going into a first marathon, but I felt strong and controlled throughout the race, which gave me confidence as it progressed. It was one of those days where everything clicks. It’s definitely one of my biggest accomplishments so far, and it truly felt like all of the early mornings, long runs, and months of hard work paid off. Crossing the finish line was an incredibly rewarding moment and something I’ll always remember.”
Carruthers, 24, had numerous athletic successes in skiing and track at the high school and university level before embarking on her career. A graduate of Western University in London, she completed a Master’s in Management at Ivey Business School in 2023, the same year she earned two silver medals at provincials and a fifth place national ranking. She is now living in Toronto and working in wealth management at BMO.
“Athletics have always been a big part of my life. After finishing my varsity career, I was looking for a new goal that would challenge me differently, and the marathon felt like the perfect next step,” she said. “The training was definitely different from anything I had done before. It required a big shift toward endurance, with much higher mileage and longer interval workouts.”
Carruthers said she designed a training program that included 5 a.m. runs, sometimes as far as 32 kilometres, along with workouts focused on pace and stamina.
“It wasn’t always easy, especially during heavier training weeks, but it gave me a real sense of structure and helped me stay focused. In a way, the consistency required for marathon training complemented the discipline needed in my professional life as well.
