Rory Linkletter has seen a gentle rise in his skill and efficiency as an expert marathoner, and as soon as once more, he was the quickest Canadian on the Boston Marathon on Monday, taking nearly a minute off his private finest. He did so partly with assistance from a brand new exercise accomplice: Amazfit. Linkletter used the Amazfit Steadiness 2 for a lot of his coaching, switching to the newly launched Amazfit Cheetah 2 Professional towards the top of his construct.
It’s no shock that, for Canada’s second-fastest marathoner (and our half-marathon document holder, at 59:49 from this yr’s Houston Half Marathon), having a tool that delivers dependable, correct knowledge is intrinsic to his success. (He additionally wears the Amazfit Helio arm band coronary heart charge monitor.) And, regardless of falling wanting his placement objective on Monday, Linkletter nonetheless ran quicker than he ever has, taking the race out exhausting and finally reducing that second-fastest-Canadian mark to 2:06:04, with assistance from this highly effective smartwatch.
We had an opportunity to meet up with Linkletter just some hours after he crossed the end line, to listen to his reflections on his efficiency and the way he benefited from the gadget, each in his coaching, on Marathon Monday and heading into the remainder of the 2026 season.
Boston: an insanely deep area on Marathon Monday
Canadian Working: We all know you have been hoping for a greater placement at present, however out of your perspective, how did the race go?
Rory Linkletter: I’m within the resort room, about to exit for some post-marathon celebratory drinks, making an attempt to course of a loopy morning in Boston! It was what we anticipated after we noticed the forecast—quick, aggressive, an absolute combat from the beginning. I felt like I ran each little bit of it the way in which I deliberate, till about 30K. After which it simply acquired exhausting, and I wasn’t capable of assault fairly the way in which that I needed to. However I nonetheless was capable of maintain on for what felt like a dignified end for two:06 and 14th place.
October 9-12, 2025
Chicago, Illinois, USA. Picture: Kevin Morris
I didn’t assume I’d do 14th at present; I believed I may do loads higher. That’s the one dissatisfying half, understanding that much more was attainable. However that’s the secret–you hope for the very best, and also you put together effectively, in order that your worst continues to be one thing you could be pleased with. I don’t assume at present was my worst—I believe it was someplace within the B or B+ vary of performances. That’s the fact of a day like at present, with the sphere assembled—a B+ is 14th for me proper now, and I have to preserve working to get higher.
Relating to placement, I’ve all the time stated that, once you put together for a marathon and also you set your self up for race, placement is out of your management. As a result of you may’t management how effectively different individuals prepare and race; you may solely management what you do, and put together in addition to you presumably can. I do assume I gave every thing I had at present–it was displaying of how far I’ve come, and what I’ve reached. There have been simply so many good guys on that begin line; it leaves a little bit of a bitter style as a competitor, however I’m actually pleased with what it means, by way of how far I’ve come as an athlete.
CRM: You took the race out exhausting. Was that the plan?
RL: That was all the time the plan. It was the center part that wanted to be a bit extra disciplined. I lacked persistence, and I wanted to mirror on what that surge meant. However I simply seemed on the area and stated, these are the fellows which can be going be on the rostrum at present, and I matched it [their pace] with out second-guessing myself. I don’t remorse it, as a result of I needed to see what’s attainable, and check these limits, and I’m pleased with that. However it’s exhausting, in a world that’s so pushed by outcomes, to not assume forward to the end line. After all, hindsight is all the time 20/20.
The significance of correct knowledge
CRM: You’ve described your self as a data-driven athlete. Which points of expertise are most vital for you in your coaching and racing, and the way does the brand new Amazfit Cheetah Professional 2 fulfil these wants?
RL: As we speak, when the race was at its hardest and most intense, I used to be taking a look at my tempo and coronary heart charge–these are the 2 issues I have to know are correct. You gather knowledge so you recognize what you’re able to, each in coaching and out of coaching. I knew, coming into at present, what vary of paces and coronary heart charges I used to be going to be snug with; the objective was to step into the hazard zone, utilizing these metrics to see the place we have been at.
On the hardest level, from across the midway mark to 25 km (the place an enormous transfer was made up entrance), I coated it–however I paid for it later. I used to be trying down at my watch, and seeing my coronary heart charge as excessive as I’ve ever seen it in a marathon. This surge was a problem to be overcome, and I paid the worth. However with the ability to look down on the watch and see that I’m, in truth, working the toughest I ever have at this level within the marathon, and testing myself… that’s an enormous studying expertise. Going ahead, there could also be one thing to realize from understanding that subsequent time, perhaps I simply maintain again a contact extra, and assist myself to carry on later. I actually toasted my legs!
CRM: You have been utilizing the Amazfit Steadiness 2 throughout most of your coaching main as much as Boston, and you latterly upgraded to the brand new Amazfit Cheetah 2 Professional. What’s completely different concerning the new gadget?
RL: For me, the variations are largely aesthetic. The watch face on the Cheetah 2 Professional is smaller, and as an alternative of a dial, it has 4 buttons. The show pops extra–it’s brighter and clearer. The Steadiness 2 continues to be superior; it’s a fantastic watch. I don’t essentially have a choice. The Cheetah 2 Professional is a bit sleeker, whereas nonetheless retaining that race-day power; it has a smaller, sleeker design.
CRM: And inform me concerning the Zepp app?
RL: It’s a very detailed app. It has every thing you’d ever need. I like how one can obtain the info from that app—for instance, you may obtain a GPX file out of your race, and it’s like this long-form report with all the knowledge you’d ever wish to dissect. I haven’t accomplished that but–I’m nonetheless simply sitting with my emotions about at present’s race. However it’s insane–I may by no means think about having this a lot data to dissect after a race. And I can have a look at it in hindsight and be taught from it, and make sure what I felt throughout the race, and perhaps be taught from this expertise. I’m going to be very curious to dive into the info and see what I can take away from what I did on the market at present.
An thrilling future
CRM: You’ve stated you’d wish to problem Cam Levins’s Canadian document this fall. Will that be on the Chicago Marathon?
RL: Most likely not, actually. We’ll see—we haven’t dedicated to a race but. I wish to see what the Olympic qualifying window might be, and which races match that window. Often that window begins in November or December, so I would wait till later within the fall. My spouse, Jill, and I are having our third child in July, and I type of wish to give myself the summer time to sit back out just a little extra, and perhaps do a race later within the fall. We’ll see what that’s–my agent and I’ll keep up a correspondence with a number of races. I really feel like, within the final yr and a half, I’ve opened the door to [breaking the Canadian record] being a risk.
My final three large marathons (Ottawa apart), going from 2:07 low, to 2:06 mid, and now 2:06 flat–and, even at present, I don’t assume I ran the very best I may have. If I had executed higher, or performed it just a little safer, perhaps I may’ve run a minute quicker. I’m in the appropriate spot, it’s only a matter of staying wholesome and getting the appropriate alternative to construct on that.
Rory Linkletter captures Canadian half-marathon document at Houston Half
CRM: What does it imply to you to race as a Canadian?
RL: To not get too sappy about it, however I really feel honoured to be the man that has the assist of the nation–I do know others do, too, however I’ve felt this raise from Canadian Working and everybody in Canada who’s been cheering for me. It means a lot to me, and I’m so blessed to be on this place. It helped me not quit at present. When it acquired exhausting and I used to be feeling sorry for myself, I advised myself there are such a lot of individuals rooting for you–you owe it to your self, and to them, to maintain digging. And no small a part of that’s the higher working neighborhood in Canada and the way particular it’s been–I’m nearly choked up proper now, eager about it. I bumped into individuals on the expo who stated, we’re right here from Canada, and we’re rooting for you! It’s actually cool–particularly as somebody who was born in Canada however lives within the U.S., I’m a twin citizen, and that [Canadian] a part of me continues to be alive and effectively.
CRM: Are you aware whether or not you’re having a boy or a lady?
RL: We’ve acquired one in all every already, and we’re gonna shock ourselves with this one. We’re within the thick of it, however loving each minute of it.
For extra info on the Amazfit Cheetah 2 Professional, click on right here.
This story was produced in partnership with Amazfit.
