‘Not an easy feat’: Sault marathon runner on brink of elite club

The Sault’s Rick Fall is preparing to accomplish what few other Canadian long-distance runners have.

He will be running in the 2024 Tokyo Marathon on Sunday, March 3 and upon reaching the finish line he will be one of only approximately 600 Canadians to have run in all six Abbott World Marathon Majors.

The majors are held annually in Berlin, Boston, Chicago, London, New York City and Tokyo.

Fall’s first major was the Chicago Marathon in 2013 with the encouragement of his ailing mother who passed away shortly after he ran that race.

He ran in Boston in 2017, Berlin in 2018, New York City in 2019 and London in 2023.

“I’ve liked them all and each one has had its own characteristics which have been fantastic,” Fall told SooToday.

Apart from the satisfaction of completing the tough 42-kilometre (26-mile) runs, Fall said he has enjoyed the sights of the cities that host the majors as well as the sense of camaraderie between runners and the support received from spectators.

“Chicago was my first major so I really enjoyed that. I enjoyed the crowds that were able to keep me enthused about finishing,” Fall said.

The Boston Marathon is the oldest marathon of modern times, first held in 1897.

“Boston was the iconic one. What impressed me there was the way they organized it and moved thousands of runners from the start to finish lines,” Fall recalled.

“Berlin was a very historic city to see with a really good finish near the Brandenburg Gate. That was cool, and Eliud Kipchoge beat the world record when I was there.”

Kipchoge is a Kenyan long-distance runner considered to be one of the greatest marathon runners of all time.

“New York is another iconic marathon because it had thousands of runners going over the Staten Island Bridge, across the five boroughs and finishing in Central Park,” Fall said.

“I think the London Marathon was one of my favourites. It was a friendly city with so many landmarks like the Cutty Sark sailboat, Tower Bridge, Big Ben and we finished in front of Buckingham Palace.”

His personal best running time in a major was 3:52:02 in Boston in 2017.

“I enjoy the friendships that I make with other runners with the same attitude and mindset. To run a marathon and finish it is quite an accomplishment. I’ve got to the point where I’m not trying to improve my time any more. I’m doing it just to finish it comfortably.”

Born and raised in Duncan BC, Fall moved to the Sault in 1988 to work as a pilot for NorOntair. He then started up his own furniture repair business before returning to school to become a teacher, working for both major English language school boards in the Sault and area.

He has enjoyed running since his high school days and started his long-distance running career in 1980.

Fall ran his first marathon in Vancouver in 1981.

While continuing to run shorter distances, he took a break from marathon running before lacing up his shoes to run a marathon in Sault Michigan in 2010.

“From there I fell in love with running again and I’ve run a marathon or two every year since.”

Locally, Fall is well-known for his 2021 run from British Columbia to Sault Ste. Marie.

He ran for three-and-a-half months and 3,800 kilometres to raise funds for Make-A-Wish Canada and Childhood Cancer Canada. 

“I averaged almost a marathon a day for 100 running days with some days off in between and I was able to raise $100,000. Both Make-A-Wish Canada and Childhood Cancer Canada are still dear to my heart,” Fall said.

“There’s a runner right now from New Zealand, Jon Nabbs, who’s running across Canada west bound and he’s running through some pretty tough cold weather but he’s also running for Childhood Cancer Canada so I’ve been keeping in touch with him all the way along.”

Looking ahead to Tokyo in March, Fall said “it’s very exciting to be finishing all six World Marathon Majors.”

“I’m thinking of retiring from marathons after Tokyo, unless I slow down and run them much slower,” he laughed.

Fall, however, said he may take part in the Athens Marathon, an annual run from the Greek town of Marathon to the Greek capital city.

Legend states that marathons had their origin in 490 BC when a messenger named Philippides ran from Marathon to Athens to announce the Greeks were victorious over invading Persians.

As a result, marathons were introduced as part of the modern Olympics in 1896.

“I’d like to do that one if my body says I can,” Fall, 64, said of the annual modern-day Athens Marathon.

“I try to do my best time in marathons and I usually finish in the top third of runners in my age and gender category. That’s quite an accomplishment and I’m proud that I’m able to say that I’ve done that. There are only 564 people in Canada right now who have done all six majors.” 

“That’ll be cool to be one of the few people in Canada who have done that. It’s not an easy feat,” Fall said.