Local runner Angela Olsen is set to become the first Totem to Totem marathoner to go on and run the Boston Marathon.
Olsen won the women’s silver at the Totem to Totem in July. The annual marathon starts and ends by the towering totems in front of the Haida Heritage Centre during Skidegate Days.
Olsen’s finishing time of three hours, 40 minutes was 13 minutes faster than her 2023 time — fast enough to qualify her for Boston, the world’s longest-running marathon event.
But even that qualifying time might not have been enough.
“Just because you get a qualifying time for the Boston Marathon, it doesn’t mean you automatically get to run the race,” said Anne Seymour, one of the volunteer organizers behind the Totem to Totem, in an email.
“You have to apply.”
This year, Seymour said 36,393 runners with qualifying times applied for Boston. The race is open to runners 18 or older from any country in the world who finish a certified standard marathon
Only 24,069 could be accepted this year to keep the run from getting too big. Everyone who made the cut actually ran at least 6 minutes, 51 seconds faster than the qualifying time for their age category.
“While Totem to Totem has had runners qualify for Boston over the years, Angela is the first local runner from Haida Gwaii to be accepted,” Seymour said.
Olsen will be one of 30,000 people running the Boston course on Monday, April 21. Besides qualified runners, about a fifth of the spots go to people running for charities, sponsors, and running clubs from the Boston area.
Boston is a very different course than the relatively flat, oceanside Totem to Totem marathon. The 42 km course runs through several winding, hilly roads into the centre of Boston, including Heartbreak Hill — a 27-metre hill that is the last of four big hills on the course and comes at the 34-kilometre mark.
While Olsen was one of just four women to run the Totem to Totem marathon in July, in Boston, she will be one of 10,260 runners competing in the women’s age categories.
“She is very excited,” said Seymour, noting that the Boston Marathon is broadcast on live TV and video of the finish line will be streamed online.
“Yes, we will be watching.”