In the heart of Toronto, thousands of runners will lace up their shoes this Mother’s Day for the annual Sporting Life 10K, bringing both athletic enthusiasm and significant traffic disruptions to several major thoroughfares.
The beloved charity run, supporting Camp Ooch for children with cancer, kicks off Sunday morning on Yonge Street and winds through some of our city’s busiest corridors. As someone who’s covered this event for years, I’ve seen firsthand how the temporary inconvenience translates into meaningful support for hundreds of families facing childhood cancer.
Starting at 7:30 a.m., runners will gather near Yonge and Eglinton before heading south toward the finish line at Fort York. Toronto Police have confirmed several major road closures will be in effect between 4 a.m. and noon to accommodate the race.
“We’re expecting nearly 20,000 participants this year,” said Event Director Cory Freedman during yesterday’s press briefing. “The community support has been tremendous, especially knowing every step helps send deserving kids to camp.”
The most significant closure affects Yonge Street from Eglinton Avenue to Richmond Street, which will be completely inaccessible to vehicles throughout the morning. Additionally, the route continues along Richmond to Peter Street, then south to Fort York Boulevard via Bathurst Street.
For those planning Mother’s Day brunches downtown, the TTC recommends using public transit to avoid frustration. Several bus routes will be diverted, including the 97 Yonge and 320 Yonge overnight buses.
Local resident Maria Chen expressed mixed feelings about the timing. “It’s wonderful to support the cause, but planning around the closures for Mother’s Day activities takes some extra work,” she told me while picking up her race kit yesterday.
The event is expected to raise over $1.5 million for Camp Ooch, which provides year-round programming for children battling cancer. Last year’s participation exceeded pre-pandemic levels, according to the Sporting Life 10K organizing committee.
For those living along the route, Toronto Police advise planning any Sunday morning travel well in advance. “We’ll have officers stationed at major intersections to help manage traffic flow, but expect delays in the affected areas,” noted Constable James Chen of Toronto Police Traffic Services.
From my experience covering previous years, the race typically clears most roadways by late morning, with Yonge Street reopening in sections as runners progress southward. The Fort York area typically remains congested until early afternoon as festivities continue at the finish line.
Weather forecasts predict mild temperatures around 14°C with a slight chance of morning showers – nearly perfect conditions for runners, if a bit challenging for spectators planning to cheer from the sidelines.
If you’re planning to support a runner or just want to experience the energy of the event, Toronto Transit Commission will run additional subway service on Line 1 starting at 7 a.m. to accommodate the increased passenger load.
For runners still looking to register, limited late entries will be accepted at the race kit pickup location at Sporting Life’s Yonge and Eglinton location through Saturday afternoon.
After watching this event evolve over the past decade, I’m continuously impressed by Torontonians’ willingness to embrace the minor disruptions in support of such a worthy cause. The sea of runners flowing down Yonge Street has become a Mother’s Day tradition that showcases our city’s community spirit at its finest.
