TORONTO (9/26/04) - The Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon is flat, fast and scenic, but 73-year-old Ed Whitlock took little notice of the beauty beside the course. He did note his splits were on world-record pace for the second-straight year. Last year Whitlock set a 70-plus age- group record here with a 2:59:10.

Could a septuagenarian who was another year older run faster? He could. The Milton, Ont. resident astonished the finish-line crowd when he clocked a 2:54:49.

Impossible is nothing: ask Fauja Singh. The 93-year-old Brit, featured in adidas ads since he ran a 90-plus age-group record 5:40:04 here in 2003, returned to take a shot at the half-marathon world record. Could he break his own 2:33 set in Glasgow earlier this summer?

Singh, taking advantage of Toronto's early-bird start for walkers and slower runners, toed the line where you'd expect to see a world-record holder: in the front. On a day of perfect weather, he ran 2:30:02.

First-time marathoner Danny Kassup, 21, surprised veterans by taking the overall win in 2:14:50. Kassup, who trained with the University of Toronto Track Club after coming here from the Congo a few years ago, was surprised that none of the world-class runners in the field could cover his move to the front in the final kilometers.

Lioudmila Kortchaguina, 31, a Ykaterinburg, Russia native who has relocated in Toronto, won the women's race in 2:36:32, following marathon wins earlier this year in Salt Lake City and Ottawa.

Giitah Macharia, of St. Catharines, Ont., won the half-marathon in 1:05:40. Monica Hostetler, a member of the Hanson-Brooks Development Project based in Rochester Hills, Mich., led three teammates in a sweep of the top-four women's spots with a 1:19:08. Her name will be etched on the trophy alongside that of Joan Benoit Samuelson, first winner of the event.

There were more records. Michal Kapral, 32, of Toronto, pushed his daughter Annika, 20 months, through the marathon in 2:49:43, breaking the Guinness Book of World Records baby-jogger listing of 3:05:12. Kapral (and Annika) finished 18th overall. The Kaprals received special dispensation to run with the normally-banned stroller. The family is expecting another baby, and Annika's mom said a double baby jogger is on order.

Matthew Leduc of Ajax, Ont., won the 5K in 15:49. Suzette Haggert of Kingston, Ont., claimed the women's 5K in 19:26.

Newlywed John "The Penguin" Bingham entertained runners at Saturday's pre-race pasta dinner and ran the 5K with his bride, coach Jenny Handfield. His time? "Doesn't matter," Bingham said.

Race director Alan Brookes was happy with the record turnout of more than 9,000 for the marathon, half-marathon and 5K, up more than 50 percent from 2003. Events raised more than $300,000 for 45 different charities. For complete results visit

www.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com. MR