For elite runners, moving up in distance as you age is just a natural progression. History has shown this with the greats like Kenenisa Bekele, Haile Gebrselassie and Eliud Kipchoge—all of whom started with the 1,500m before dominating the 5,000m and 10,000m, and eventually excelling in the marathon. Following a similar trajectory, St. Catharines, Ont.’s Moh Ahmed has spent more than a decade competing at a world-class level on the track, winning multiple medals. On Sunday, he will make his highly anticipated half-marathon debut at the NYC Half Marathon in New York City.
Over his career, Ahmed has rewritten the Canadian record books across distances from 3,000m to 10,000m, pushing national standards to never-before levels. The question remains: will his success translate to the roads? Running calculators suggest his 10,000m personal best of 26:34, set at Sound Running’s The Ten in 2022, shows the potential for him to clock 58:37 for the half marathon—a time well below the current Canadian record of 60:18, held by Cam Levins.
However, stepping up in distance often comes with a learning curve. Even Norwegian superstar Jakob Ingebrigtsen, who has been unbeatable over 5,000m, faced challenges when he debuted at the Copenhagen Half Marathon last fall, ultimately finishing in 63:13 after an ambitious start at a near-world-record pace.
Expectations are naturally high for an athlete of Ahmed’s calibre, but breaking 60 minutes in his debut will be no easy feat. The NYC Half course is regarded as one of the toughest in the U.S., featuring a mix of flat roads and rolling hills. This year, for the first time, runners will cross the Brooklyn Bridge before weaving through Manhattan and Times Square, then finishing in Central Park. According to Go&Race course maps, the course is approximately 1.8 per cent slower than a flat 21.1 km.
Ahmed’s longtime coach, Jerry Schumacher, told CBC Sports Ahmed has had a strong six-week buildup leading into the race, despite a minor foot issue that forced him to withdraw from the men’s 3,000m at the Millrose Games in February. Schumacher estimates Ahmed is in 61-minute shape—an impressive target, given the difficulty of the course.
Historically, breaking 60 minutes at the NYC Half has been rare (it’s only been done four times). Ethiopia’s Gebrselassie holds the course record of 59:24, set in 2007, and none of the past 10 winners have dipped under the 60-minute barrier.
Ahmed won’t be the only Canadian elite toeing the line on Sunday. Canadian 10K record-holder Ben Flanagan will race his second half-marathon of the year after a strong showing at the Houston Half in January. Joining them are Canadian XC champion Andrew Davies of Sarnia, Ont., and Tristan Woodfine of Cobden, Ont.
Fans can follow or stream the 2025 NYC Half for free on Sunday, March 16 at 7 a.m. ET, live on YouTube.
