On the eve of the Canadian 10K Championships in Ottawa, Cam Levins walks into the room holding his singlet and racing shoes—ready for his final pre-race technical equipment check. Saturday night’s Ottawa 10K will be only his second race since finishing 36th at the Olympic marathon in Paris last August—a performance he now reveals came while running on a broken foot.
“I knew something wasn’t right during the race,” Levins says. “I got an MRI right after and found out I had fractured my calcaneus [heel bone].”
The 36-year-old spent four months rehabbing the injury, staying off running entirely. “I really needed to take care of this,” he says about the injury. “This is the start of another Olympic cycle [toward LA 2028], and I didn’t want to spend the next four years running in pain.”
Levins suspects the injury may have been lingering since his Canadian marathon record performance at the 2023 Tokyo Marathon. This time, he knew he had to address it. During his recovery, Levins and his wife, Elizabeth, also welcomed their first child, a baby boy.
“Training isn’t on my schedule anymore—it’s on his,” Levins laughs. “I’ve learned I love parenting. There are days I just want to stay with him instead of training.”
Despite the shift from athlete to dad, Levins has still maintained his famously high training volume, including triple run days. “Now, if I miss one, I’ll do a longer double on the treadmill at night,” he says.
After initially considering a spring marathon in Tokyo, Rotterdam, or Eugene to solidify his world ranking for the 2025 World Championships, Levins and coach Jim Finlayson decided to wait. “Training wasn’t quite there yet,” Levins says. “We didn’t want to rush it.”
Instead, the focus shifted to shorter distances to rebuild speed and strength. And it’s working. “This is the fastest I’ve felt since my 10,000m PB [27:07] nearly a decade ago,” he says. “It’s also the healthiest my body has felt in years—I’m moving really well mechanically.”
Levins has been clear about what keeps him going: a global medal. “I’d be happy if it came at Worlds, the Olympics, or even a marathon major. That’s what keeps me going.”
One title that’s still missing from his résumé? The Canadian 10K crown. He finished second to Moh Ahmed at this same race in 2023, and did not race the event in 2024 to focus on the Olympic build. “I’ve won a few national titles, but not this one,” says Levins. “It’s a fast course, and a great opportunity to run well on home soil.”
With defending champion and Canadian 10K record holder Ben Flanagan withdrawing last week due to injury, Levins is the pre-race favourite. Still, he’ll have competition.
Hamilton’s Max Turek is one of the top challengers, coming off a strong fifth-place finish at last month’s B.A.A. 5K in 13:52, and a 63:15 half marathon in Italy. Like Levins, Turek is also a new father and enters the Ottawa 10K looking to prove he can be on that podium.
“I’m having performances that show I belong,” Turek told Canadian Running. “Things are clicking, and I plan to go with that top group and hang on.”
Coached by Paula Schnurr, the 25-year-old says his long-term goals lie in the marathon—but for now, he has unfinished business in the 5K and 10K.
How to watch
You can stream Saturday’s Ottawa 10K (Canadian 10K Championships) live on YouTube. Coverage begins at 6:00 p.m. E.T., with the women’s race up first, and the men’s race to follow. Follow Canadian Running on Twitter and Instagram for up-to-date coverage.
