Going the distance as father and son

By Mark Squibb

For many, having someone register you for a 42-kilometre run as a Christmas gift might seem like a cruel joke.

But when Eric Hutchings did just that back in 2023 and registered his dad, former Ferryland MHA Keith Hutchings, for the 2024 Toronto Waterfront Marathon, he did it with the best of intentions.

“He opened it and said, ‘Holy smokes, I have to run a marathon in 10 months,” laughed Eric.

The annual marathon is held in October. When Eric ran it in 2023, Keith, who in his youth had been a runner, flew to Toronto to cheer him on.

“I could see there was an itch, and that it was something he wanted to do,” said Eric. “He’d even say, ‘I always wanted to run a marathon.’ So, I did the marathon, and he was super happy that I did it and he was super proud of me. And I was thinking that it takes a lot for a person to commit and sign up for a marathon. That’s the hardest step. So, I thought that if I got him his (registration) for Christmas, the race wouldn’t be until the following October, and this would probably be all the motivation he needs.”

Father and son ran the marathon together in 2024, and again in 2025.

“That was pretty amazing to share that experience with him,” said Keith. “He was obviously in a different speed category. But I had gone up to watch him run his first marathon, so I was there to cheer him on his first marathon, and then he was there at the end, with my wife and my daughter. So, it was amazing to complete a feat like that with him and to have that experience. It was a memory we’ll share forever.”

Eric shared a similar sentiment.

“It was an awesome experience,” said Eric. “I remember growing up playing hockey, and even when he wasn’t coaching me anymore, I would look at the stands to see if he was there. Once I saw he was there I was like, ‘Alright, I’m good to go, let’s play the game.’ So, it felt like it was the reverse of that. I finished and I was tracking him along and I got to see him cross the finish line. That was a really cool experience, to give him a big hug and say congrats when he finished and tell him how proud I was of him for taking on that journey and at his age doing a marathon for the first time. It was cool to be able to coach him along the way and give him advice, and to see him do it and be happy with his time, it was an awesome, awesome time.”

Eric began running in 2022. He admits that growing up he always found running boring. Keith, meanwhile, was a competitive runner in his younger years who always dreamed of one day completing a full marathon.

“I’ve always wanted to complete a marathon, so last year was just about completing it,” said Keith. “So, after I did that, I said, well, maybe I should do it again and see what it would be like to do it a second time.”

This year, both men managed to improve upon their previous year’s time. Eric, 27, completed the marathon in 3:39:09. Keith, 58, completed it in 4:29:14.

“The big thing is to start small and just grow your distances,” advised Keith, who did much of his distance training along the Witless Bay Line. “Don’t get into a situation where you’re doing a lot of miles initially and you’re getting sore and uncomfortable. Pace yourself in terms of building up your pace and your distance. I’ve learned that doing a lot of miles is not always best. It’s more about quality than quantity. Give your body time to rest… A lot of it is mental. It’s about overcoming the barrier of thinking you can’t do it.”

The course itself is flat, and, as the name suggests, runs along the waterfront in downtown Toronto. The marathon doubles as a qualifier marathon for other world marathons.

Looking ahead, the pair are considering doing a marathon elsewhere in the coming year, but have yet to make a final decision.

Meanwhile, if you’re considering picking up running in the new year, Eric has a few tidbits of advice.

“Just get out there and get moving,” said Eric. “With each run that you do, you’ll slowly build your confidence in yourself. The hardest thing is putting the shoes on and getting out there and getting moving. You just have to trust in yourself that you can do it, and believe you can, and commit to it.”