Montreal Beneva Marathon 2024

You're now set to run the grand and prestigious boulevards of Montreal! 🏃‍♀️

The much-anticipated start 🔫 of this exceptional race will be at Espace 67 on Île Saint-Hélène, close to Parc Jean-Drapeau 🇨🇦, perched in the middle of the Saint Lawrence River 🌊. Heads up ⚠️, it might be quite brisk! The race is in September, a month with still excellent temperatures for running, but don't forget your start is at 7:45 AM! On the bright side, you're in for a spectacular view: with all the runners, at sunrise, surrounded by the majestic river... 🤤 Anyway!

You'll cross a first bridge to get to the neighboring island, Île Notre-Dame, where you'll do a quick loop and find your first water supply at km 2 💦. Notably, you'll run a section of the Gilles-Villeneuve circuit (Formula 1 track). A second bridge brings you back to Île Saint-Hélène for a swift pass ⚡️. From there, you'll take the Pont de la Concorde, which offers a breathtaking view of Montreal in the distance and the blue water of the famous river 🤩. You'll get to breathe in the fresh, iodine-rich air! Plus, there are plenty of green spaces awaiting you. Pretty great, right? 😏

You'll finally reach the city's industrial port ⚓️, which you'll follow along. Quite the change of scenery! 😊 Eventually, you'll dive into the heart of the metropolis, through the Ville-Marie or Plateau Mont-Royal districts 👑. After finding another supply station at km 6, you'll come across another at km 9. These energy bars should give you enough strength to easily continue to the first park on the course: Parc La Fontaine. You'll need to follow along this patch of green to find another supply station at km 13 💪.

You'll then turn towards Boulevard Saint-Laurent via a first, short straight stretch 📏, from km 13 to 15. Once you reach Saint-Laurent, you'll begin to move down one of the city's largest and most famous boulevards. "The Main" 🖐️, as this vast avenue is known (short for "Main Street"), bisects the island of Montreal ✂️ and connects the eponymous river to the Rivière des Prairies. All styles, moods, and environments coexist in this cosmopolitan street 🤝, and you'll get to experience it! You'll pass through the Chinatown, the "Red Light" area (now part of the Entertainment District 🎭), the "Mile End" (a neighborhood known for its bars, cafés, and restaurants ☕️), "Little Italy", and pass by Parc Jarry 🌳. It might just tempt you to come back for another visit after your race! 😜 This straight stretch, perfect for personal bests, lasts from km 15 to 22! But don't worry: this significant section of the course is dotted with 3 supply stations.

You can enjoy a splash of coolness at the end of the street 🌬️, once you've reached the river. You'll follow the quays via Stanley Park Avenue and pass the Sophie-Barat Pool. You could even jump IN if you're feeling too hot 🏊, though the organizers might not agree! 😂 The next stages are the supply station at km 23, Parc Louis-Hébert, and Parc Ahuntsic, one after the other 🌿. After a new supply at the 24th km, it's time to go again! 🔁 You'll embark on a long straight line on Saint-Laurent, from km 25 to 30. This portion is sprinkled with 3 supply stations, which should be a great help in tackling the 30 km wall 🥵. You'll then turn, at km 34, onto Boulevard Saint-Joseph.

You've done the hardest part! 👏 Less than 10 km left to reach the holy grail. Before that, you'll pass by Parc du Pélican 🦜, where you'll find another supply station (surely, you won't die of thirst!). Then you'll join Parc Lafond, Parc Idola Saint-Jean, and Parc Étienne-Desmarteau (where you'll get another refill, so you don't go crazy 🔨). This is followed by a few strides on Boulevard Rosemont, allowing you to navigate in front of Parc de la Louisiane. You might even be lucky enough to smell some flowers from the botanical garden! 🌹

Finally, you will arrive at your final destination: Parc Maisonneuve! 🥇 Surrounded by applause and spectators, including your loved ones, you will savor this well-deserved victory 👊.