Canada's Levins set for deceptively hilly NYC Marathon ahead of challenging Paris Olympic course

The timing couldn't have been better for Cam Levins to run the Royal Victoria Half Marathon.

Last month, he visited family and friends on Thanksgiving weekend and raced near his hometown of Black Creek, B.C. The 21.1-kilometre course of mostly rolling hills, of which he didn't have previous knowledge, proved to be the ideal training ground for his next marathon.

"After finishing, I was like, 'Man, I'm so glad I took that on before New York.' Getting into that effort range for that long, learning how to gauge yourself going up and down hills and manage that effort, is definitely a learning experience," Levins said this week from his home in Portland, Ore.

Despite expending energy on some hills he believed were shorter, Levins adapted and won in one hour one minute 18 seconds, breaking the 21-year-old record (1:02:32) held by Jon Brown, who was fourth in the men's Olympic marathon representing Great Britain in 2000 (Sydney) and 2004 (Athens).

The half marathon is tricky, Levins told CBC Sports, because athletes are on the threshold the entire race of running too hard. But he was pleased with his effort in Victoria, where he opted not to go too hard but also didn't take it too easy throughout.

"Staying away from what the watch is saying and listening to how I'm feeling going up and down hills is the big thing in trying to keep that even effort," he explained.

On Sunday at 9:05 a.m. ET, Levins will tackle hill running on a different level in his first New York City Marathon, which twists and turns through the five boroughs of the city and ends with a tough, rolling finish through Central Park.

Canada's Krista DuChene has completed all six World Marathon Majors and lists New York among the toughest. Two years ago, she placed