By Paul Gains
In addition to the formidable cache of elite runners from around the world, the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, each year, attracts thousands running for charities and many more simply committed to the challenge of completing the distance faster than ever.
Then there are those hearty souls seeking a Guinness World Records title.
Michal Kapral set a world ‘joggling’ – juggling balls while running – marathon record ten years ago in Toronto when he completed the distance in 2 hours 50 minutes and 12 seconds. That was with three balls.
Owner of three Guinness World Records currently, Fastest 10km joggling with three objects (male) 36:27, Fastest half marathon joggling with three objects (male) 1:20:40, and Fastest marathon joggling with three objects (male) 2:50:12, on October 22nd, 2017 he will attempt to set the record for Fastest marathon joggling with five objects (male).
“I have upped the ante big time with this attempt to do five ball,” Kapral says laughing. “There is no current Guinness World Records title.
“As far as I know there is only one other person who has done a marathon while joggling five. That was back in 1993 a guy named Billy Dillon who was a kind of a five ball juggling pioneer He ran the New York Marathon in 7 hours 7 minutes. And he was a very fast runner. So you can see just how much harder it is to joggle with five.”
It has taken Kapral, who points to a personal best marathon of 2:30:40, almost six months to learn the pattern of juggling with five balls. He practices each lunch hour at Toronto’s Varsity Stadium, much to the amusement of the university football team, which also trains around that time. Learning how far ahead he must toss each ball to catch and transfer between hands has proven much more challenging.
“With the five balls I have discovered there is no such thing as an easy pace,” he explains. “Immediately my heart rate shoots up. It is really, really tiring. It is also addictive. It’s super fun when you have three balls in the air. It is a ton of fun but definitely this is going to be by far the hardest record I have tried.”
Kapral will be accompanied by his joggling rival Zach Warren during the Toronto race who will act as spotter so that he doesn’t interfere with other runners. As a precaution Kapral usually runs on the opposite side of the road to others. He has chosen to fundraise for Sick Kids Foundation, an official charity of the Scotiabank Charity Challenge.
A year ago Daniel Janetos ran Toronto wearing a chef’s costume the entire distance. He recorded a time of 3:56:21 to earn the Guinness World Records title of Fastest marathon dressed as a chef. This year Janetos, who owns the annual Mac and Cheese Festival at Ontario Place, intends to chase the record for the Fastest half marathon achieved in a chef’s costume.
“It’s a little bit goofy, I get it,” he declares. “Really the number one thing is to raise money for charity. It’s the National Wildlife Rehabilitation Foundation.
“These guys have been a grassroots agency for 25 years and with my help were able to formalize into a foundation. We were able to get some funding for them. My running helps them to take care of animals.”
Janetos is aiming to run 1 hour 45 minutes for the 21km race to claim the record title. That’s a tall order when his personal best for the distance is roughly that. Add such ingredients as a 9 pound pot and chef’s clothes and it’s certainly not as easy as someone might think. He trains as part of a group called Food Runners which aims to improve the health and fitness levels of people in the food industry.
“I try to make sure I am out at least three hours a week in the early stages. Then I follow a more rigorous program that our coach puts together for us,” he explains.
“I do train with my girlfriend Kate Boyle, She usually stops running with me when I put on my chef uniform. She is a little more low key. As soon as I put the chef’s hat on she is out.”
Running in a chef’s uniform is mind boggling. How about running 42.2km wearing a lumberjack costume complete with heavy boots? That’s what Dan Grant will attempt to do. The Torontonian has applied to attempt the Guinness World Records title of Fastest marathon dressed as a lumberjack (male) and has agreed to the costume they have assigned: a plaid/flannel short sleeved shirt, suspenders, denim pants, a stocking cap or beanie, lace up outdoor boots and an inflatable axe.
“I’ve run three marathons in the past couple years,” Grant reveals, “as well as a 60k run to Hamilton last month, so the distance doesn’t scare me. I am little worried about how much it’s going to slow and weigh me down if it rains during the STWM.”
At the Toronto Waterfront 10k on June 17th Grant finished in 44:53, claiming to be below his best. He had run another 10k race thirty six hours before.
Another concern for Grant is that he is a vegan and wants to find non leather boots in which to run.
Grant is growing a beard to further ‘grow into the part.’ He reports that Great Lakes Brewery has agreed to supply his post training fueling with a generous supply of Canuck Pale Ale. A year ago the owner of the brewery shaved Grant’s head in a fundraising event for Sick Kids Foundation. He will run Toronto Waterfront Marathon to raise funds for Good Foot Delivery one of the official charities of the Scotiabank Charity Challenge.
City marathons embrace runners of all descriptions and Toronto is no different. The inclusion of this trio of record seekers certainly enhances the enjoyment of this annual IAAF Gold Label event.
Interested in attempting a Guinness World Record at this year’s race? Please contact Jenna Pettinato, Canada Running Series’ Manager of Communications at jenna@canadarunningseries.com or visit our website: http://www.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com/guinness-world-records/
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