The Bloggling Joggler

I'm in Runner's World - again!

2012-01-09T08:06:00.002-05:00

Another appearance in Runner's World in the Feb. 2012 issue, Human Race section, HERE.

Bob and Trish Evans make 5000m joggling history

2011-10-24T09:36:00.004-05:00

Bob Evans tied the longstanding 5000m joggling record yesterday in Nashville with a 16:55, despite a drop in the first mile. His wife Trish also appears to have smashed her own previous 5K world record, running a 20:31. Amazing results. Even more amazing is that Bob and Trish will be going for the records again this Saturday in the Nashville Race for the Cure in an event that will feature 15 jogglers! Wish I could be there.

5000m Joggling Guinness World Record Attempt

2011-08-10T11:57:00.003-05:00

I'm going for the 5000m joggling Guinness World Record tonight (Aug. 10) at about 7:30 p.m. at the Central Tech track in downtown Toronto.

The current record of 16:55 has stood for 25 years. Is it a tough one to beat? Hell yeah! I fell short by 8 seconds in my last try a few years ago and that one really hurt. I'm hoping to run a nice even pace this time.

A Sickly and Scrawny Boy

2011-08-09T06:57:00.004-05:00

Benjamin Fingerhut's documentary Breaking and Entering recently screened at the historic Vickers Theatre in Three Oaks, Michigan, generating this writeup in the regional paper. This passage gave me a good laugh, and it's not far off.

There's Canadian Michal Kapral, whose obsession with the Guinness Book of World Records started when he was a scrawny and sickly young boy, dreaming of being an elite athlete. He grew up to become a gifted runner and juggler, and combined the two to become one of the best "jogglers" in the world.

With chronic asthma, allergies to virtually every food and airborne particle and general skinniness, I was a scrawny and sickly looking young laddy.

Feldman breaks 5-ball 5000m joggling record

2011-06-13T12:18:00.002-05:00

Matt Feldman of Washington, Fla. set a new Guinness World Record for the fastest 5000m while joggling with five balls. The 18-year-old University of Florida student ran the 12.5-lapper in 27:06, eclipsing Billy Gillen's previous record of 28:11, set back in 1989.

For all the non-jugglers out there, juggling five balls is about 10 times harder than juggling three. Running while juggling five is, well, really, really hard. Joggling a 27-minute 5000 is a spectacular feat.

Danny Kassap: Remembering a Great Running Friend

2011-05-03T06:52:00.005-05:00

It's hard to believe I'll never see Danny Kassap's smiling face – or his unmistakable feet-kicking-the-butt running stride – at races anymore. The 28-year-old fixture of the Toronto running community died on Monday at Sunnybrook Hospital, a day after he turned his Sporting Life 10K race into a light jog to the finish, complaining that he wasn't feeling well. There's no word on the cause of death, but it's likely related to the after-effects of a virus-related heart attack he suffered at the 2008 Berlin Marathon.

When I became launch editor of Canadian Running in 2008, I assigned Alex Hutchinson to write a feature story on Danny for the premiere issue, which chronicled the Congo native's struggles to gain Canadian citizenship (a battle he eventually won). And in my very first editorial I recounted my first encounter with Danny, at the 2002 Backs in Motion 5K in Sunnybrook Park. Here's what I wrote:

This first issue of Canadian Running is about time in more ways than one. For manathoner Danny Kassap, profiled here by Alex Hutchinson, the clock is ticking on both his Canadian citizenship and a qualification time for the Olympics. Will the Congo native become a citizen in time for the Beijing Games? Can he shave enough time off his personal best to meet Canada’s rigid Olympic standard?

I first met Kassap at a 5K race in Toronto in 2002, not long after he burst onto the Ontario road racing scene. I had heard reports of a running phenomenon who had arrived in Ottawa with the Congolese team for the Francophone Games and hadn’t returned home. Coming from a war-ravaged country, I expected Kassap to be a sombre type, or at least somewhat subdued, but the guy I found lined up at the start of that 5K was positively chipper. Much like marathon world record holder Haile Gebrselassie, Kassap has a near-permanent I’m-so-happy-to-be-alive-and-running smile on his face.
In a brief chat before the race start, Kassap told me how glad he was to be in Canada. The gun went off and, in what would become a familiar sight, Kassap flew into the lead, his feet nearly kicking his butt. 'That could be the future of Canadian distance running,' I thought. Six years on, Kassap is still flying, still thrilled to be in Canada and desperate to represent our country at international races. His story is symbolic of how so many of the ups and downs of running are often mirrored in our everyday lives.

I'd eventually become good friends with Danny and must have seen him at 100 races or so in the past 10 years. And no matter what was going on in his life, he was always smiling. He came to Canada with nothing and left us with a legacy.

If you can, make a donation to a memorial fund to help pay for a burial in Mount Pleasant Cemetery, his old training grounds.

Boston Marathon unveils new registration process

2011-02-16T10:19:00.001-05:00

B.A.A. TO OFFER FASTEST QUALIFIED RUNNERS

EARLY ACCEPTANCE INTO 2012 BOSTON MARATHON WITH NEW REGISTRATION PROCESS.

NEW QUALIFYING TIMES IN EFFECT FOR 2013 BOSTON MARATHON.

BOSTON – The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) announced today a change in its registration process for the Boston Marathon, allowing the fastest qualifiers to enter the earliest and with a rolling admission system while also offering all eligible runners an increased registration period. The changes in registration are a response by the B.A.A. to greater than ever demand by runners to gain entry into the Boston Marathon and culminate more than three months of analysis, including input from the running industry. Rather than accepting runners who have met the qualifying standards on a first come, first served approach, a more systematic, performance-based process will be employed.

2012 Boston Marathon

For the 2012 Boston Marathon, registration will extend for two weeks, beginning on Monday, September 12 and continuing until Friday, September 23. The qualifying times for the 2012 Boston Marathon will not change from recent past years since the standards had been previously announced and have been in effect since last September. However, the new registration process addresses the increased demand among qualified runners to participate in the Boston Marathon and will accommodate those who are the fastest qualifiers first.

Registration will occur on a “rolling admission” schedule until the maximum field size is reached, beginning with the fastest qualifiers. On the first day of registration for the 2012 Boston Marathon, those who are eligible for entry by having met the qualifying standards for their age and gender group by 20 minutes or more will be able to enter on the first day of registration (September 12). On the third day (September 14), registration will open for those who have met their qualifying standards by 10 minutes or more. On the fifth day (September 16), registration will open for those who have met their qualifying standards by five minutes or more. During this first week of registration, applicants will be notified as they are accepted and their qualifying performance verified.

If the field size is not reached after the first week and additional space remains, then registration will open to all qualifiers at the beginning of Week Two (September 19) and those who have met the qualifying standards by any amount of time will be able to apply for entry. The application process will remain open for the entire week, closing on September 23. At the conclusion of Week Two, those who are the fastest among the pool of applicants in their age and gender will be accepted. Accepted athletes will be notified on September 28.

If space remains available after this two week process, registration will remain open to any qualifier on a first come, first served basis until the maximum field size is reached.

The field size for the 2012 Boston Marathon will not represent a significant increase from the most recent past years.

Registration Process for the 2012 Boston Marathon

First Week Day 1 (Sept. 12) Qualifiers who have met their age/gender qualifying times by

20 minutes, 00 seconds or faster may apply

Day 3 (Sept. 14) 10 minutes, 00 seconds or faster

Day 5 (Sept. 16) 5 minutes, 00 seconds or faster

Second Week

Day 8 (Sept. 19) Qualifiers who have met their age/gender qualifying times by

any amount of time, including qualifiers who could have registered in Week One.

Day 12 (Sept. 23) Registration closes for qualified applicants

September 28 Qualifiers from entry during second week of registration are notified of their acceptance.

If the field is not filled at the conclusion of the two weeks, then registration will remain open and qualifiers will be accepted on a first come, first served basis until the maximum field size is reached.

2013 Boston Marathon

For the 2013 Boston Marathon, in addition to the new “rolling admission” process for registration which will be in effect for the 2012 Boston Marathon, the B.A.A. will adjust the qualifying times by lowering them by five minutes from the times which have been in effect in recent past years. The adjusted qualifying times will go into effect on September 24, 2011, and are as follows:

Age Group MEN WOMEN

18-34 3:05:00 3:35:00

35-39 3:10:00 3:40:00

40-44 3:15:00 3:45:00

45-49 3:25:00 3:55:00

50-54 3:30:00 4:00:00

55-59 3:40:00 4:10:00

60-64 3:55:00 4:25:00

65-69 4:10:00 4:40:00

70-74 4:25:00 4:55:00

75-79 4:40:00 5:10:00

80 and older 4:55:00 5:25:00

Registration for the 2013 Boston Marathon will begin on Monday, September 10, 2012.

“As the number of qualified runners has increased combined with greater demand to run the Boston Marathon, our new registration process enables those who qualify by the greatest amount of time to have the longest period to enter,” said Tom Grilk, B.A.A. Executive Director. “Our new registration process takes into consideration the many comments we received from runners this past fall and winter, most of whom urged the B.A.A. to institute a system which recognizes athletic performance above all else.”

Additionally, to recognize and to encourage longtime Boston Marathon entrants, the B.A.A. will allow those who have met the qualifying times and who have finished the last ten consecutive Boston Marathons to enter anytime during the registration period. Currently, there are approximately 500 runners who have run 10 or more consecutive Boston Marathons.

The B.A.A. last adjusted the qualifying times for the 2003 Boston Marathon, relaxing times for runners who were 55 years old and older. The last time the qualifying times were made more stringent was for the 1980 Boston Marathon.

The 2011 Boston Marathon reached its maximum field size of qualifiers faster than any previous year when qualifiers rushed to fill the race and the qualified field closed in eight hours, three minutes.

Great reviews for Breaking and Enterting in NY Times and Variety

2011-01-16T16:39:00.005-05:00

Filmmaker Benjamin Fingerhut's excellent documentary about Guinness World Record breakers is hot on the filmfest circuit and just received a couple of great reviews from Variety and the New York Times, both of which mention my friendly joggling rivalry with Zach Warren.

My wife got a kick out of the Variety review of Breaking and Entering: "Fingerhut depicts a kinder, gentler form of rivalry in his chronicle of Michal Kapral , a marathon "joggler" (one who juggles while jogging), who sets a record, only to have it broken by Zach Warren. The two men become friends, inspiring each other to greater and greater exertions for charitable causes, while Michal wonders how much longer he can pursue his completely profitless hobby to the detriment of his financial obligations to the wife and kids."

The New York Times review: "There’s definitely no place for mockery in the case of the jogglers Michal Kapral and Zach Warren, who can each run a marathon, juggling three balls the entire route, in under three hours. When you can do that, who needs Guinness." While I appreciate the writer Mike Hale's compliment here, I disagree - there must always be a place for mockery of joggling. What kind of imbecile runs a whole marathon while juggling?

My Guinness World Records now online

2010-11-29T15:41:00.003-05:00

Looks like Guinness World Records has added a more comprehensive list of their catalogue to the website, and even included photos of the record-holders.

Here's my 10K joggling record. And here's the marathon.

At the recent Guinness World Records Day, there were a number of interesting events. I'm pretty sure I could break the new mark for "longest time to juggle three objects underwater" (1 minute, 20 seconds), but I'd have trouble with most of the others, including "most serpilleres by an individual" in 30 seconds (34) and "most stairs climbed in one minute while balancing a person on the head" (the entire staircase of the Sacre-Coeur in Paris). Joggling is a little odd, but hey, at least I don't spend my spare time walking up staircases with a woman balanced on my head.

Why joggle? Perry's joggling speech

2010-11-04T15:09:00.002-05:00

This is a great speech on joggling by 50-mile joggling world-record holder Perry Romanowski.

Sepaktakraw: My New Favourite Sport

2010-09-20T15:46:00.000-05:00

Peter Bone: 11 balls, 18 catches!

2010-08-20T09:49:00.001-05:00

Joggling in Ford Flex ad

2010-07-26T08:49:00.003-05:00

My mother-in-law was perusing the latest copy of Chatelaine magazine and came across an ad for the Ford Flex that listed "15 things to do together before your kids leave home." No. 2 the list? "Take up joggling (jog and juggle at the same time). Post a video online." Also notable was No. 8: "Break a world record. Invent your own entry!"

World Cross-Country Championships 2010

2010-04-14T14:53:00.002-05:00

Canada's Simon Bairu 13th in the most competitive race on the planet!

Running up Mont Ventoux

2010-03-22T12:39:00.001-05:00

Freezing my butt off at the top of Mont Ventoux in southern France.

Joggling Championships at UCLA 1990

2010-03-08T11:26:00.003-05:00

Check out this footage from the Joggling Championships at UCLA in 1990. Thanks to Perry at www.justyouraveragejoggler.com for tracking this one down. Classic!

Breaking and Entering documentary 2009

2010-02-20T10:01:00.002-05:00

Breaking and Entering movie poster

Plot: Explores the lives of would-be record-breakers as they pursue their dreams of fame and fortune, sometimes both, usually neither.

Ed Whitlock: Comeback Kid

2009-10-09T17:40:00.002-05:00

Congratulations to Ed Whitlock, 78, who ran a 1:37 at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Half-Marathon. I interviewed Ed recently for this article in the November issue of Canadian Running magazine.

Synchronized Cycling Routine

2009-08-26T11:55:00.002-05:00

Impressive, but for obvious reasons, this routine could never be performed by guys.

Joggling: Poetry in Motion

2009-08-24T09:13:00.002-05:00

Glad to see Reuters include this piece on joggling in their lifestyles section. Here's the opener:

The long-distance joggler understands better than most that the race is not always to the swiftest.

Joggling, juggling while jogging, requires a hand as sure as a foot is fleet. But for some well-coordinated multitaskers, there's nothing quite like it.

"Once I get in a good joggling groove with a nice, relaxed stride and a perfectly timed cascade juggling pattern, it's pure poetry in motion," competitive joggler Michal Kapral said in an interview.

Bolt breaks 200-metre record

2009-08-20T13:44:00.001-05:00

Usain Bolt runs 19.19 for 200. Crazy.

Montreal Half-Marathon

2009-06-03T15:59:00.002-05:00

Thanks to Jamie Lynch for this photo at the end of the Montreal Half-Marathon. I'm still getting the paperwork together to submit the record to Guinness World Records. Jamie, incidentally, is married to Cindy of Running Skirts fame.

This Sunday, I'm going to race the 5K, without joggling, at the Bread and Honey Road Race in Streetsville, Ontario.

Half-Marathon Joggling Record Established in Montreal

2009-04-20T07:40:00.003-05:00

Success! I set a new half-marathon Guinness World Record yesterday, joggling the beautiful Banque Scotia 21k de Montreal course in 1:23:49.

I dropped a beanbag right at the start line and probably lost about a minute after kicking the ball off the side under the barricade. I had to ask one of the spectators to hand it back to me and by the time I jumped back into the race, I was behind a huge mass of slower runners. In the end, it probably helped me, since the slow start allowed me to finish strong. I dropped once just past the 10K mark and that was it. Much of the route is ont the Gilles Villeneuve F1 circuit, which makes you feel like a race car as you cut the tangents over the red-and-white stripes.

Congratulations to Tara Quinn-Smith for setting a new Canadian half-marathon record of 1:12 and change, and to Matt Loiselle for winning the men's half-marathon championships it 1:04.

SPIKESmag.com Interview

2009-04-15T07:52:00.002-05:00

Here's an interview I did with SPIKESmag.com - a U.K.-based athletics magazine -- as a lead-in to the Montreal half-marathon record attempt this Sunday.

Salomon Giant's Rib Raid

2009-04-13T11:12:00.004-05:00

I had the honour of joining brothers Mike and Wil Smith on a three-man team at the Salomon Giant's Rib Raid 25K orienteering race in Milton, Ont. Mike and Wil have each won several national and North American orienteering championships. Racing with them was a bit like playing a round of golf with a couple of PGA pros. It gave me the chance to witness up close some spectatcular navigating through scenic, rugged terrain on the Niagara Escarpment. These guys can absolutely fly over loose rocks, slippery boulders, treaturous roots and loose branches, all the while plotting precise routes to lead us to checkpoints hidden in the woods (or in one case, inside a cave!). I had always assumed that orienteers spent a fair amount of time standing in one place poring over their maps. Wow, was I ever wrong. The pace of our four-hour-long race was merciless, with only a handful of brief pauses. Our team, Canadian Running Magazine, placed second, six minutes behind The Foreigners, led by Nick Duca.

Here I am climbing out of the cave checkpoint.

Galavanting in Puerto Rico

2009-04-09T21:32:00.002-05:00

This marks the first time I've appeared in a travel show. Check out Kim and Maren's Galavanting Guide to Puerto Rico. And hey, my name is even in the credits. It was fun to watch this and re-live all the fun times Dianne and I had in PR.

Kibet's Amazing Rotterdam Marathon Finish

2009-04-05T21:05:00.002-05:00

Kibet surges past Kwambai at the Rotterdam Marathon. Both finish in 2:04:27. Wow.

Gebrselassie's Treadmill Fun Run

2009-03-26T17:57:00.003-05:00

Here's a story I wrote for Canadian Running about Haile Gebrselassie's treadmill run at the Adidas Running Camp, including a video clip. I'll be writing up a full article with details from my interview with the Adidas Super Seven in the July issue of the magazine.

And here's a new clip of Tyson Gay demonstating his race start.

Haile!

2009-03-21T17:14:00.003-05:00

Adidas Running Camp

2009-03-20T06:31:00.008-05:00

The Adidas Super 7: Gebrselassie, Vlasic, Wariner, Gay, Campbell-Brown, Ohuruogu, Felix

How often do you get the chance to interview seven of the best athletes in the world, and watch them train up close? I just returned from the Adidas Running Camp in Santa Monica, California, with Tyson Gay, Veronica Campbell-Brown, Allyson Felix, Jeremy Wariner, Christine Ohuruogu, Blanka Vlasic and Haile Gebrselassie. Between them, they have 16 Olympic medals. The event kicked off with a run with Haile near the Santa Monica pier. Can you say thrill of a lifetime? I'll be writing an article about the running camp in a future issue of Canadian Running magazine.

Haile and me

Running with Haile by the Santa Monica pier

Haile running 4:00/mile on the treadmill (and still talking!)

Jeremy Wariner and Tyson Gay coming out of the blocks

San Juan Marriott and World's Best 10K Photos

2009-03-07T13:34:00.008-05:00

Hanging out at the bar.

The view from our hotel room at the San Juan Marriott.

Team Marriott and the running travel reporters.

The start of the World's Best 10K in Puerto Rico.

World's Best 10K Joggling Update

2009-03-01T19:32:00.005-05:00

I fell well short of the joggling record at the World's Best 10K, finishing in 39:17, but the good news is that the race was incredible and I joggled it without a drop. Puerto Rico's world-class, IAAF Gold Label event is truly top-tier.

We're also here on a mini-vacation, staying at the San Juan Marriott, a resort hotel right on a gorgeous strip of beach. Not too many Canadians vacation in Puerto Rico, but I think they should. It's full of characater -- and there's a party atmosphere everywhere you go.

Vivian Cheruiyot won the women's race in 31:12 and fellow Kenyan Sammy Kitawara ran an incredible 27:26 to take the men's title. Considering it was hot and a bit windy, these times are surreal.

Joggling the World's Best 10K

2009-02-19T18:57:00.004-05:00

Next weekend, I'm off to San Juan, Puerto Rico to joggle the World's Best 10K. The race offers a $100,000 bonus for a new world record. I'll be trying to break my 10K joggling world record of 36:27, and can expect a bonus of, hmm, maybe a handshake from the volunteer working the finish line?

Joggling on MTV

2009-01-16T12:00:00.001-05:00

I found this link to the MTV Live Action News story about joggling. People keep recognizing me on the street from this, so I think it's getting far too much airplay.

Cay Compass Joggling Report

2008-12-12T17:04:00.002-05:00

Here's a report frm the Caymanian Compass on my half-marathon joggle at the Cayman Islands Marathon. (Photo: Shurna Robbins, CayCompass)

Cayman Islands Marathon

2008-12-11T11:26:00.003-05:00

Last week, I was probably the first-ever person to joggle on the Cayman Islands. I joggled the half-marathon on Sunday, finishing in third place overall with a time of 1:27. I was originally planning to do the full marathon, but changed my mind at the last minute. The big challenge for the half was that it started at 5 a.m., which meant I was juggling the whole thing in the dark -- and some section were very dark. I dropped about 15 times. It was about 26 C on the course, plus humidity, which was a shock to my system. It was snowing in Toronto when I left.

The Cayman Islands Marathon is an excellent running tourism destination. The organizers work really hard to put on a quality event, and generally treat the runners like gold. Plus, once you're finished your race, there are so many things do to on the island of Grand Cayman. My personal trip highlight swimming with rays at Stingray City, a sandbank off the north end of the island, where friendly stingrays nuzzle up to snorkellers. Cayman looks just like it does on the postcards -- stunning.

5K Joggling Record Attempt

2008-11-26T13:08:00.006-05:00

Here's a roundup from SNAP magazine of the recent 5K joggling record attempt. Those look a lot like Adrienne Stewart's photos. Looking at that report makes me want to try for that record again. This spring ... attempt #2.

Danny Kassap Fund Update

2008-11-01T19:44:00.002-05:00

Here's some good news on the Danny Kassap front. The donation site www.dannykassapfund.com has temporarily shut down the donation link to avoid potentially raising too much money.

Here's the lastest update from the site:

The response to this campaign has far, far exceeded our hopes. We've received donations from Newfoundland to British Columbia, and even from the United States - the generosity of the running community has been truly humbling. We've also received more potential good news: It appears Danny may be eligible for a significantly higher payment from OHIP than initially thought; and a charity in Ottawa may be willing to fund one specific part of Danny's treatment (a portable defibrillator vest which he was required to wear before being allowed to fly), which cost just over $3,000 to rent. Neither of these possible sources of funding are confirmed, and it may take several months before we find out if they will actually happen. However, if we add that tentative funding to the money we've received so far, along with other pledges we've received and cheques that we expect will continue arriving next week, we're starting to get close to the minimum goal of $18,000 (a little over 12,000 euros). While it's almost certain that we'll need to raise a little more money later, we're going to TURN OFF THE ONLINE DONATION FEATURE TEMPORARILY, just to make sure we don't run into the "problem" of raising more than we need.

Needless to say, Danny has been overwhelmed by the response, and by the messages of support he has received. If you have any questions, please let us know at dannykassapfund@gmail.com.

Danny Kassap Needs Our Help

2008-10-27T10:40:00.005-05:00

This writeup is from http://www.dannykassapfund.com/. Let's help Danny out.

Danny Kassap, one of Canada’s finest distance runners, very nearly died last month when he collapsed while running the Berlin Marathon. Now he needs help from the running community to pay for the lifesaving medical care that he received while hospitalized in Berlin.

If you follow distance running in Canada, you’ve probably heard of Danny Kassap. A native of the Democratic Republic of Congo, he came to Canada as a teenager in 2001 for the Francophone Games. He made a daring escape from the athletes' village, seeking refugee status in Canada on the basis of political persecution.

Meanwhile, Danny found his way to Toronto, and began training with the University of Toronto Track Club. In 2004, he won the first marathon he ever ran in a very impressive time of 2:14:50. For the next several years, he continued to run very fast times on very high mileage, while also working full-time and obtaining his high school equivalency. Danny has never been on any form of social assistance.

After numerous legal setbacks, Danny finally became a landed immigrant in April of this year, and a Canadian citizen in August. As a result, he was finally able to run a race outside of Canada. In April, he travelled to England to run the London Marathon, one of the world’s most prestigious and competitive road races. He finished 15th, just three places behind the reigning Olympic marathon champion Stefano Baldini. In September, he travelled to Berlin to run his first marathon as a Canadian citizen.

For the first several kilometres in Berlin, Danny appeared poised to have another outstanding race. However, near the 5 km mark, disaster struck when Danny suddenly collapsed. A Good Samaritan who happened to be in close proximity to him at the time began administering CPR almost immediately, and a paramedic on a motorcycle got to him within a minute. Danny received between 15-19 shocks from a defibrillator, and the paramedics worked on him for 45 minutes before his condition stabilized. He was placed in a medically-induced coma for several days, and remained in a Berlin hospital for over two weeks before he was able to return home to Toronto.

The doctors determined that Danny suffered a “ventricular fibrillation” (an uncoordinated contraction of the cardiac muscle) brought on by myocarditis (an inflammation of the heart), which in turn was caused by a cold virus. Danny will not be able to run for at least the next three months, but doctors are cautiously optimistic that he will make a full recovery.

Danny received outstanding medical care while in Berlin, but it has left him with a crippling debt. Even with OHIP covering a portion of Danny’s medical bills, he still owes $18,000 to the hospital which cared for him, and which discharged him on the undertaking that the amount owing will be paid in a timely manner.

Danny presently works full-time as an assistant manager at the Running Room. Eighteen thousand dollars is a prohibitively large amount for him to have to repay quickly. Danny has been unable to contact his family since coming to Canada, and even if he could, they would be unable to provide him with any financial assistance. However, we are hopeful that Danny’s many friends and well-wishers within the running community will be able to provide him with some measure of support.

Danny’s primary motivation for running the Berlin Marathon was to secure a spot on his first Canadian national team so that he could proudly represent Canada at next summer’s World Championships. Danny has made a tremendous contribution to the Canadian running community since arriving here more than seven years ago, and now is our chance to return the favour.
You can make a secure online donation at http://www.dannykassapfund.com/.

Drinking and Joggling

2008-10-21T17:15:00.003-05:00

Do drinking and joggling mix? During the Royal Victoria Marathon, I discovered that yes, they do. The Hash House Harriers set up a beer check along the course, and since I wasn't going for a world record, I decided to stop for a couple of cups. I juggled a bit as I drank. The beer helped me stay nice and relaxed and unfocused for the rest of the race.

Dick Beardsley Rules

2008-10-17T14:17:00.004-05:00

At the Royal Victoria Marathon, I met my running hero, Dick Beardsley. He's an incredible speaker and just a great guy to talk to. He's been through more in his life than just about anyone I've ever met, and he's all the stronger for it. The same tenacity that Beardsley used to fight his way through the Duel in Sun at the 1982 Boston Marathon carried him through the battle with near-deadly injuries and prescription narcotics addiction. He has so many good stories to tell about running and life. Cheers to Beards! If you're ever looking to book a motivational speaker, click on the above link -- you won't be sorry.

A Royal Joggle

2008-10-16T13:30:00.004-05:00

My trip to Victoria, B.C. was a grand success. The Royal Victoria Marathon is a first-class event, with a gorgeous, scenic route. I joggled a relaxed 3:12. doing tricks almost the whole way. I wasted a lot of energy laughing. After stopping at the Hash House Harriers tent for some beer, my drop rate increased dramatically. The day before the race, the Victoria Times-Colonist ran a story on my joggling, and the next day I became known as "that guy on A3." Here is a photo on flickr (thanks Perry) I don't look very happy here, but I think the sun was in my eyes. Here's a good roundup of the race, but it says my joggling record is 2:15 -- now that would be an impressive record.

Canadian Running Magazine's expo booth was hopping. At times, we could barely keep up with the demand for new subscribers. It's great to see Canadians supporting a Canadian running magazine.

Up next, I have a tough assignment joggling the Cayman Islands Marathon on Dec. 7.

Danny Kassap Recovering in Berlin Hospital

2008-10-03T15:37:00.003-05:00

Canadian marathon runner Danny Kassap, a big inspiration to me in the early days of my running, collapsed 5K into this past Sunday's Berlin Marathon with a heart arrhythmia. James Christie wrote a piece about it today on globeandmail.com.

Alex Hutchinson wrote a feature article about Danny in our premiere issue of Canadian Running Magazine, and we've all been worried sick about him. The latest news sounds promising. Get well soon, Danny.

Scotia Toronto Waterfront Marathon

2008-10-01T16:15:00.003-05:00

(Photo by CRS Staff)

It's true: I'm faster with balls. I ran the Toronto Waterfront Marathon this past Sunday in 2:53:59, and I wasn't juggling, pushing a stroller or running backwards. I didn't set a world record. I was 24 minutes off my personal best. But I did finish the race, which was an accomplishment for me this time around because I didn't almost no training, and completed no training runs longer than about 10K.

As Perry pointed out to me, though, I did set a PB for a costume marathon. I ran the race dressed as 1907 Boston Marathon winner Tom Longboat, as part of a thing the race put together to celebrate 100 years of the marathon distance. Two others travelled all the way from Carpi, Italy to run as Dorando Pietri (who won the 1908 Olympic marathon, but was subsequently disqualified for being helped across the line). They also brought the cup the Queen presented to Dorando in honour of his achievement. Two guys dressed as Johnny Hayes, the official winner of the 1908 race, did the marathon, and brought Hayes's original Olympic gold medal, which I got to hold for a bit (wow!).

I should point out that I did not run in 1908 footwear, but instead opted for my trusty Reebok 3D Lites.

Joggling the Longboat 10K, again

2008-09-23T08:11:00.003-05:00

This year, the Longboat Toronto Island races were held later in September so as not to coincide with the Virgin Festival. It was a perfect day for running -- fairly cool and overcast, with a nice breeze. I joggled the 10K in an attempt to break my own record of 36:27. I was on pace, but had to stop and tie my shoelace around the halfway mark, finishing in 36:50.

This Sunday, I'm racing the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon (no joggling this time) dressed as Tom Longboat. I haven't done any long runs, so the results could be disastrous.

Waw Velomobile in Vancouver

2008-09-10T11:39:00.002-05:00

Here's a video of Alan's Waw velomobile speeding through the streets of Vancouver. He has a very nice advertising wrap for the Hostelling Association:

More Photos from the Canadian Running Magazine 5K Joggling Duel

2008-09-08T10:26:00.014-05:00

All photos by Adrienne Stewart (thanks Adrienne!)

Race splits

Inside Toronto coverage of 5K joggling race

2008-09-07T17:35:00.003-05:00

Photo/BRENT LEWIN/INSIDE TORONTO

Here's a photo on Inside Toronto from the Canadian Running Magazine 5K Joggle-off. And the caption:

Michal Kapral (a.k.a. The Joggler), left, and Simon Hodge (a.k.a. The Eco-Joggler) join the recent Canadian Running Magazine 5-km race at Varsity Stadium. The joggling duo fell short of reaching a world record time for running/juggling 5 km.

5K Joggling Race Splits

2008-09-03T13:31:00.003-05:00

I'm too busy to write a proper report right now, but here are my splits from the 5K Joggle-off, according to my friend George:

Lap Time Cumulative
1 80.42
2 80.54
3 80.27
4 79.57
5 80.89 6:41.69
6 80.43
7 80.86
8 83.08 10:46.06
9 84.64
10 86.67 13:37.39
11 89.29
12 83.56 16:30.24
12½ 35.76**

** All of your splits were accurate except the last ½ lap (estimated, because it was on the opposite side of the track)

Pictures to follow soon.

I had a bit of a lapse in laps 10 and 11. I'm kicking myself now for slowing down. Now I'm all fired up to try again. Simon had a couple of friends pace us for 80-second laps, which was a huge help. The guys staying right on pace through 4000m, then pulled aside as planned for us to finish it up on our own.

Simon dropped five times, and surely would have broken the record with a drop-free race. I didn't drop, but didn't run fast enough. Thanks to everyone who showed up to spectate, and to Canadian Running Magazine for sponsoring the event. It was so much fun to joggle on the Varsity track.

Next up: Running the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon on the Tom Longboat team. The race is celebrating 100 years of the marathon distance with teams of runners dressed as Tom Longboat, the Toronto runner who was favoured to win the 1908 Olympic marathon in London, Dorando Pietri, who crossed the line first but was disqualified for being helped across the line, and Johnny Hayes, who won the gold after Pietri's disqualification.

Canadian Running Magazine 5K Joggle-Off

2008-08-29T16:39:00.002-05:00

Prelim. results:
Simon Hodge, Toronto: 17:04
Michal Kapral, Toronto: 17:05

The Quaffer: Captivate Wine Blog

2008-08-13T14:31:00.003-05:00

Many of you know that after a good joggle, I often enjoy a glass of wine. In my job as senior editor at Captivate Network, I now have a wine blog called The Quaffer. I'll be doing some wine reviews, but most of the entries will be about interesting developments in the world of wine. My latest post is about the cork vs. screw cap debate.

Gearing Up for the 5000m

2008-08-05T16:29:00.002-05:00

I went to the track on the weekend for a time trial to see what kind of joggling shape I'm in for the 5000m world record attempt. It turns out that I have a lot of work to do in the next few weeks. I joggled 2 x 1600m in 5:20 each and then joggled an 800 in 2:40. It was much harder than I expected, which could have something to do with the fact that I haven't been training very much lately. Let's see if I can get fit in time for the big race on August 29.

Juggling Clubs

2008-07-29T18:24:00.003-05:00

After a few years of working hard at juggling beanbags, I've finally become addicted to juggling clubs. It's much harder to practise indoors and there's a near-constant risk of seriously injuring one of my children. Now that I'm dropping less and learning some tricks, I'm really starting to like the clubs thing. And the kids are learning that my immediate vicinity is "the danger zone."

One day, I will learn to do this (or maybe not):

It's funny to watch Anthony Gatto do this in practice after seeing Cirque to Soleil, where a drumroll leads into a short run of maybe 14 catches of seven clubs like it's a huge deal for him.

IJA Juggling Festival Joggling Championships

2008-07-18T20:22:00.002-05:00

Here's some footage from the 2008 Joggling Championships in Lexington, Kentucky. Some great results from Perry and Anders. No one ever told me that joggling was an Olympic event in 1932. I need to go look that up.

Velomobile Advertising

2008-07-18T08:23:00.003-05:00

Here it is: my first velomobile advertiser. I park the Mango in high-traffic areas of downtown Toronto, which makes it the perfect billboard. Thanks to home-business company, Yellow Brick Road Inc., for signing on as my first sponsor. I already have two other potential advertisers lined up, and more in the works.

Velomobiles are fast

2008-07-16T14:21:00.002-05:00

Impressive speed on these Quest velomobiles. The winner of the 25K race, Ymte Sijbrandij, averaged just under 57 km/h. I've pushed the Mango up to 55 km/h on a flat, but that took some serious huffing and puffing.

Eric Gillis wins Olympic appeal

2008-07-15T17:42:00.003-05:00

The Canadian track and field community is rejoicing as Nova Scotian 10,000m runner, Eric Gillis, won his appeal to represent Canada in Beijing. CBC.ca writer Paul Gains has been following the story, and filed this report shortly after the announcement. Go for it, Gillis.

Free Solo Speed Climbing

2008-07-14T13:37:00.001-05:00

It would be very tough to do this while juggling.

Driving a Human-Powered Car in Toronto

2008-07-11T07:04:00.003-05:00

Here I am driving home from work in the Mango human-powered car. Thanks to my velomobile sponsor, Yellow Brick Road Inc.

Track Race: A New 5000m World Record Attempt

2008-06-24T13:04:00.003-05:00

I'd better get training because I've been invited to join another Toronto joggler for head-to-head track race in August to try to break the 5000m joggling record. I'll make the official announcement once things are finalized, but it should be an exciting matchup. We're going to have non-joggler pacers on hand to rabbit us under Kirk Swenson's record of 16:55, which was set way back in 1986.

I've joggled of couple of 5Ks on the road – recently the Father's Day Run in Toronto – but this one will be a serious attempt to break the record on the track. Joggling adds about 10 per cent to your running time, which means I'd have to get in about 15:20 shape for the 5000.

Canadian Running Magazine's Olympic Issue

2008-06-18T11:36:00.002-05:00

Who’s Running the Olympics?
Canadian Running Magazine Warms Up the Track for the
Beijing 2008 Olympic Games with an In-Depth Olympic Issue

From 100m in 9.72 seconds to 42.2K in 2 hours, 4 minutes and 26 seconds, in the world of running everyone’s watching the clock and thinking ‘how fast?’ But at the Olympic Games, the ultimate international competition, the race is about so much more than time. Canadian Running Magazine’s July/August issue takes a comprehensive look at the running world behind the upcoming Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

From issues of Olympic contention to the athletes to watch to training tips from some of Canada’s top performers, Canadian Running Magazine gives readers the lowdown on running at this year’s Olympics. The upcoming Olympic Issue hits newsstands across Canada by July 1.

Below is an outline of the Olympic stories to catch in the July/August issue of Canadian Running Magazine:

High Standards
By Alex Hutchinson
Canadians Giitah Macharia and Tara Quinn-Smith were crowned Canadian Marathon Champions at the ING Ottawa Marathon in May, also qualifying by IOC standards for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, but the two champions will not compete in the most revered of international competitions this August. Find out why in the upcoming issue of Canadian Running Magazine. Senior editor Alex Hutchinson takes an objective look at Canada’s much-debated and often maligned Olympic qualifying standards and how they affect the running world. Speaking with current and former athletes, Hutchinson examines the hows, whys and repercussions of Canada’s high standards. “The real difference in opinion is what the definition of success is,” says Canadian 2:16 marathoner Matt McInnes commenting on the IOC versus COC Olympic standards.

Canada’s Olympic Hopefuls
When the Games of the XXIX Olympiad begin on August 8, a select group of Canadian runners will march into Beijing’s National Stadium in front of 90,000 spectators and billions of TV viewers, fulfilling what for many of them will be a lifelong dream. Canadian Running Magazine profiles some of Canada’s best hopes to make the athletics team. Contenders include Simon Bairu (men’s 10,000m), Reid Coolsaet (men’s 10,000m), Megan Metcalfe (women’s 5000m), Malindi Elmore (women’s 1500m), Hilary Stellingwerff (women’s 1500m), Carmen Douma-Hussar (women’s 1500m), Kevin Sullivan (men’s 1500m), Ryan McKenzie (men’s 1500m), Nathan Brannen (men’s 1500m), Alex Genest (men’s 3000m steeplechase), Gary Reed (men’s 800m), and Tyler Christopher (men’s 400m). Note that marathoners Lioudmila Kortchaguina and Dylan Wykes are also profiled in the article, but neither athlete successfully met the COC marathon standards by the May 25 deadline.

Paralympic Profile: Jason Dunkerly: Going for Gold in Beijing
By Kyle Desormeaux
Jason Dunkerly, one of the most decorated middle-distance runners in Canada, is heading to September’s Paralympic Games in China. An eye condition called Leber’s congenital amaurosis has left Dunkerly with no vision other than minimal light perception. Kyle Desmoreaux gives readers a little insight into Dunkerly’s world.

Fair Weather Fans
By Peter Hadzipetros
Picture the Don Cherry of running – starched singlet and plaid high-cut shorts, ranting about the Canadian way. It might be one way to cure our country’s fledgling running fan base according to Peter Hadzipetros. Canadians tune in to the running scene essentially only once every four years during the Olympics. This column gets Canadians thinking about the reasons our road races are lined with, well, nearly nobody.

Final Prep: The Call Rooms
By Leah Pells
Former Olympian Leah Pells gives readers a first-hand account of the typical check-in procedure athletes endure leading into a final race. From uniform scrutiny to logo management to health hazards, Pells provides readers a true behind-the-scenes look. Pells finished fourth in the 1500m at the 1996 Atlanta Games.

Run Stronger with Olympic Training
By Kristin Kent
Step up your performance with training tips from some of Canada’s leading Olympians. Learn how plyometrics can increase speed, power and running economy, ice baths can speed up recovery time from delayed onset muscle soreness, and new stretching techniques can add spring to tired muscles.

Tips From Canada’s Best: What’s Your Favourite Post-Workout Snack?
By Hilary Stellingwerff
From PowerBar recovery drinks and fruit with yogurt and granola to doughnuts and even squeezed lemon with cayenne pepper, find out what foods motivate and rejuvenate some of Canada’s Olympic hopefuls.

Canadian Running Magazine is available on special displays at Running Room stores across the country, in most Shoppers Drug Marts and at all major Canadian airports. Canadian Running Magazine is also sold at independent retailers across Canada (please visit http://www.runningmagazine.ca/ for a complete list).

For subscriptions, please go to http://www.runningmagazine.ca/ or call 416-927-0774.

Joggler wins race outright

2008-06-16T23:11:00.003-05:00

On Sunday, at the Father's Day Run for Prostate Cancer, I won my first race while joggling. I'm used to being the top joggler in races, but this was the first time I won a race outright while juggling. My time of just over 18 minutes was well off the 5000m record of 16:55, but I still think I'd have good shot at that one if I could find a track race.

Dianne also returned to the racing world with an impressive 23:20.

Last week, I also ran into the newly retired Perry, who was in Toronto to watch the Jays play the Cubs. Perry told me he would be doing some joggling in the city. Sure enough, at the race on Sunday, Peter Donato my MyNextRace.com told me he was shocked to see another joggler running along the waterfront.

The Tour de France of Unicycling

2008-06-02T12:22:00.003-05:00

As many of you know, my joggling rival Zach Warren also holds the records for the fastest mile on a unicycle and the fastest mile on a unicycle while juggling. I learned how to unicycle when I was a teenager, for a high school circus, and I've been itching to try it again ever since. If I had the time, I would consider doing the Ride the Lobster race in Nova Scotia - an 800K unicycle stage race that starts on June 16. Naturally, I would do it while juggling. What would that be called, unicycluggling?

Velomobile sponsorship

2008-05-29T14:37:00.004-05:00

Our Mango velomobile will soon have a sponsor (details to follow), and we're hoping to keep it sponsored indefinitely by pitching it to other advertisers in the future. It's really a no-brainer, when you consider that it sits parked it downtown Toronto all day and attracts 100 times more attention than a traditional billboard. I like to watch people react to it as they walk by. A lot of people will even pose next to it for a picture. It also has more surface area for advertising than those new Eco Cabs that are being pedalled around Yonge and Dundas.

Last weekend, I did my final interview with the documentary film crew that has been following me for two years, and they even got some footage of me and kids in the Mango. The movie, Breaking and Entering, is slated for release sometime in 2009. They assure me that they've assembled some of the best joggling footage in history.

Stride, my new favourite joggling gum

2008-05-08T16:56:00.003-05:00

Due to my ridiculously long-lasting joggling, gum-chewing marathon feats, Stride, "the ridiculously long-lasting gum," has supplied me with a bunch of free samples.

I've tested Stride's Forever Fruit flavour on a few joggles and concluded that it's the perfect joggling gum. The flavour is not super-strong, as claimed, it lasts a long time, and most importantly, the chewability factor is very high - that is, it keeps a nice, chewy consistency for many kilometres of joggling.

So far, my unofficial role as Stride's joggling ambassador is really paying off. It's a new brand in Canada, and I've been converting many gum-chewers, who tell me two things about it: good gum, funny TV spots.

Hopefully, they'll launch Sweet Berry and Always Mandarin in Canada soon - flavours just launched in the U.S. I think I know what kind of gum I'll be chewing for my first 5-ball joggling marathon.

Ultra DNF

2008-05-03T15:43:00.003-05:00

I suffered my first-ever DNF today at the Toronto Ultra 100K. My Achilles tendon was bothering me a few weeks before the race, but I thought it had healed fully. I was wrong. After a strong 30K in 2:08, my heel began to bother me, and by 40K I was limping. If I could make itto 50K, it would be the longest race distance I had ever covered in one day, so I drank some root beer and water, ate some mini potatoes, Sun Chips and candies (gotta love those ultra aid stations) and set off for another 10K.

For some reason, both my feet felt like they'd been put through a blender, plus my Achilles got worse. So after I crossed the timing mat at 50K in 3:57, I decided to pack it in. Too bad I didn't listen to my mom and enter the 50K instead the 100K, because I would have won it. It's also a shame I couldn't finish the 100K because I was having so much fun. The race was well-organized, the 10K out-and-back course was scenic, and those crazy ultra runners were ultra-friendly. It was a surprisingly satisfying DNF, but I hope this isn't the start of a trend.

Up next: the Toronto Ultra 100K

2008-04-19T22:03:00.003-05:00

Because I enjoy punishing myself, I signed up to race the Toronto Ultra 100K on May 3. When the publisher of Canadian Running Magazine asked me how I was training for the event, I said, "Tapering off, from nothing." I'm hoping my BHP Billiton Rock and Ice Ultra experience serves as some form of preparation for this, because I haven't done much else, apart from my usual 10K runs home from work and a Sunday-morning longish jaunt.

I'm planning to pace for 7 hours and 45 minutes, though I'm guessing it'll take me much longer. I hope I don't ruin my DNF-free running record. It was tempting to joggle this race, but I don't think there's an existing record for the 100K joggle, plus I didn't want to worry about getting it verified.

A big congratulations to Perry Romanowski for joggling the Flora London Marathon drop-free, in the rain, in 3:35.

The story of Buster Martin

2008-04-14T10:25:00.006-05:00

Buster Martin finished the Flora London Marathon in just over 10 hours, but according to this report, he may not in fact be 101 years old, his name may not be Buster and he may not have fathered seventeen children.

On a side note, the article says the Guinness World Record for the fastest marathon dressed as a superhero is 3 hours and 4 minutes. So the only question is: which superhero do I choose?

Paris Marathon thriller

2008-04-08T22:55:00.003-05:00

What a finish. This is the gutsiest marathon win I've seen since Salazar and Beardsley's Duel in the Sun. The announcer is great - he says: "I don't know you Martha, but what you're doing is incredible!"

A gem of a race

2008-03-26T18:26:00.005-05:00

The BHP Billiton Rock and Ice Ultra took me more than 22 hours to finish, but by some miracle, I made it. For the second year in a row, Yellowknifer Ewan Affleck took home the half-carat EKATI diamond for first place in the 135K K-Rock Ultra. Conditions were nasty for runners. It seemed like the faster you tried to run, the slower you went, as your feet sunk into quicksand-like sugar snow with every step. On the bright side, the race was a wild adventure and a great way to experience the vast beauty of the Northwest Territories.

Rock and Ice Ultra

2008-03-05T10:48:00.004-05:00

It’s a rough life being the editor of a national running magazine. On March 22, I’ll embark on my first field assignment for Canadian Running Magazine by competing in the Rock and Ice Ultra in the Northwest Territories.

The main event is the Diamond Ultra, a six-day stage race of about 45K a day across ungroomed, snow-covered tundra, but I’ve chosen the comparatively easy (ha!) three-day K-Rock Ultra, which covers a total distance of 135K. If you’re curious to find out if I survive, I’ll be posting race updates on the Canadian Running website: www.runningmagazine.ca.

And no, I will not be joggling the whole thing. I will, however, bring along a set of Joggler Sportballs, and plan to do a token amount of joggling – maybe for the last few minutes of each stage.

Footbag juggling

2008-02-19T21:52:00.004-05:00

I like his style. Occasionally, I do some foot kicks while I'm joggling, but this is insane.

Winter velomobiling in a Quest

2008-02-16T19:59:00.003-05:00

Here's a good demonstration of some winter velomobiling in Windsor, Ontario, Canada.

Our Mango has been bured under a heap of snow for a couple of weeks. There is no way I could drive it through the stacks of snow on our sidestreets that haven't been ploughed.

Canadian buys Guinness World Records

2008-02-15T10:17:00.000-05:00

Big news in the world records industry:

http://www.cbc.ca/money/story/2008/02/15/ripley-guinness.html

Award-winning CBC-TV documentary

2008-02-08T10:12:00.000-05:00

For those of you who missed it, here's a link to the CBC News: Sunday documentary, 'The Joggler.' which last week won a prestigious Gold World Award at the New York Festivals.

NEWS RELEASE: New All-Canadian Running Magazine Launches in February

2008-02-05T18:06:00.000-05:00

On Your Mark, Get Set, Go!
New Canadian Running Magazine Launches in February
– Editorial Team Goes the Distance for Runners North of the Border –

Toronto (February 5, 2008) – Canada has an estimated one million runners, more than 500 running races, and expected sales of two million pairs of running shoes in 2008. And now, finally, Canada has its own magazine dedicated to running. Gripped Inc. launches Canadian Running Magazine, the only running magazine published in Canada and with all-Canadian content, in February.

“This is the first running magazine that is truly dedicated to all levels of runners in the Great White North, from St. John’s to Ottawa to Victoria,” says editor-in-chief Michal Kapral. “At last, Canadians can read about the best running routes, the excellent races, the most influential and up-and-coming runners, inspirational stories, winter running tips, and running news – in Canada! Oh, and running programs in kilometres, not miles!”

Coverage will also include articles on the latest running issues, fitness tips for all seasons, diet and nutrition information, in-depth features, and expert reviews of the latest footwear, fashion and accessories for runners.

“Our editorial team is led by accomplished runners who are tapped into the running community,” says Gripped Inc. publisher Sam Cohen. “We found the right people and ran with them. And hey, the first issue speaks for itself.”

Editor-in-chief Michal Kapral won the Toronto Marathon in 2002 with a personal best time of 2:30:40, holds the Guinness World Record for the fastest marathon while juggling (2:50:09), and is a sponsored athlete. Senior editor Kevin Mackinnon is an accomplished runner, triathlete and coach, and the editor of Triathlon Magazine Canada. Senior editor Alex Hutchinson represented Canada at the World Championships. Publisher Sam Cohen is a life-long runner who will focus on 5K and 10K races in 2008. Publisher and editorial director Dave Chaundy-Smart is a passionate runner who completed his first and second marathons two weeks apart last fall.

Canadian Running Magazine is Gripped Inc.’s third magazine. The company first launched Gripped: The Climbing Magazine in 1999, followed by Triathlon Magazine Canada in March 2006.

“Running is one of the simplest and most accessible fitness activities in Canada, so it’s a mass-appeal sport,” says Cohen. “Triathlon Magazine Canada was so successful that we decided to use the same formula to enter a larger, more mainstream market.” Cohen says the Canadian running magazine market has significant room for growth. The U.S. publication Runner’s World sells about 25,000 subscriptions in Canada and 10,000 copies on newsstands – with total U.S. sales of 600,000. Based on population – Canada has one-tenth the population of the U.S. – Canadian Running Magazine has the potential to reach 60,000 Canadians subscriptions.

The launch issue tells the story of Danny Kassap, a political refugee from Congo with dreams of Canadian citizenship and the Beijing Olympics. The magazine also talks to Olympic hopeful Hilary Stellingwerff, profiles B.C.’s Bastion Running Club, explores the surge in popularity of running forums with a look at http://www.runningmania.com/, talks to running celebrity Ron MacLean of CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada, takes readers on a running tour of Quebec City and explores trail runs in the Maritimes and the Rockies. Other features include training and nutrition tips, inspiration for winter running, and both shoe and gear reviews.

Canadian Running Magazine will start to appear on newsstands in Ontario on February 21, Quebec on February 25, and the rest of the country on February 26. The magazine will be sold on special displays at Running Room stores across the country, in most Shoppers Drug Marts and at all major Canadian airports. Canadian Running Magazine will also be sold at independent retailers across Canada (please see the attached fact sheet for a list of several retailers in each province).

Canadian Running Magazine’s website (http://www.runningmagazine.ca/) will launch on February 15. For subscriptions, please go to http://www.runningmagazine.ca/ or call 416-927-0774.

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Contact:
Michal Kapral, Editor-in-Chief, 416-861-8319 ext. 232, michal@runningmagazine.ca
Dianne Kapral, Media Relations, 416-690-4555, dianne@runningmagazine.ca
Dave Chaundy-Smart, Editorial Director, 416-927-0774, dave@gripped.com
Sam Cohen, Publisher, 416-927-0774, sam@gripped.com (available starting Monday, February 11)

'The Joggler' documentary wins gold

2008-02-04T20:05:00.000-05:00

NEWS FLASH: CBC News: Sunday's thrilling documentary, 'The Joggler,' won a Gold World Medal at the New York Festivals' International TV Broadcasting Awards in New York City. Congratulations to Evan Solomon, producer Natasha Sweeney and the rest of the CBC News: Sunday team. They took a big risk sending a full TV crew out to Salt Lake City to film my duel with Zach.

Hitting the wall in Osaka

2008-02-02T00:42:00.000-05:00

Japanese half-marathon record-holder Kayoko Fukushi made her marathon debut in Osaka last weekend. She started out at sub-2:20 pace, and here's how it ended up.

This is pretty much what I looked like at the end of my first joggling marathon.

Here's an interesting analysis of her pacing freefall.

Seven-ball juggling

2008-01-30T21:06:00.000-05:00

My wife and I joined a gym, and after my running and strength training workout, I always do into the exercise room with high ceilings to do some juggling. The other day I finally qualified seven balls, with a run of 14 near-perfect tosses. Pure magic.

I've done a bit of joggling here and there, just to keep my chops up, but mostly it's just been plain old running.

BBC Radio 2 interview

2008-01-23T16:02:00.000-05:00

Tune into Chris Evans's show on BBC Radio 2 this Friday at 6:45 p.m. U.K. time (1:45 p.m. EST) to hear me pitch the sport of joggling to millions of potential British jogglers.

Stride Gum campaign

2008-01-18T10:49:00.000-05:00

Stride Gum is launching in Canada, and the campaign revolves around asking people to tell them what they do while they chew the gum. The opening sentence of this story from Media In Canada appears to be directed at me.

Anthony Gatto backstage at Cirque

2008-01-10T18:42:00.000-05:00

Now that I see this, I think Anthony Gatto could run a decent 100m joggling race with nine balls.

New Sport Juggling Co. site

2008-01-09T13:41:00.000-05:00

Sport Juggling Co. redesigned their site with photos of some of their sponsored jugglers, including this shot of the embroidered "Joggler" beanbags.

Six-ball Mills Mess

2008-01-03T18:02:00.000-05:00

Here I am thinking that my Mills Mess and my 3-up 360s are coming along well, then I see this video. Unreal.

Lance running ad

2008-01-02T13:59:00.000-05:00

Awesome.

Best Joggles of 2007

2007-12-20T18:34:00.000-05:00

It was a year of heartache and triumph, loss and redemption, but most of all, it was a year of jokes about balls. Here's my list – in no particular order – of the Top Joggles of 2007:

1. Barry Goldmeier runs at least two more five-ball marathons.

2. Fellow Canadian Travis Saunders just missed the 5K world record with a 17:05.

2. Tyler Wishau of Wisconsin joggles a drop-free 5K in 17:08, just 13 seconds shy of the world record.

3. Perry Romanowski sets the 50-mile joggling world record.

4. Perry Romanowski extends his streak to almost a full year of joggling at least one mile every single day. That's more than two million throws and catches.

5. Perry Romanowski joggles the entire Chicago Marathon during a massive heat.

6. Zach Warren and Michal Kapral duke it out at the Salt Lake City Marathon in a rematch to last year's much-hyped Boston Marathon joggling duel. Michal wins, but falls one minute short of Zach's record.

7. Michal shocks the joggling world by announcing his retirement.

8. Michal shocks the joggling world again by coming out of retirement to break the joggling marathon record, running 2:50:09 at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon.

9. David Ferman, 13, wins three joggling events at the IJA festival, including a 24.28-second five-ball 100m.

Joggler in JUGGLE magazine

2007-12-13T19:57:00.000-05:00

I haven't seen it yet, but there's an article about me in the latest JUGGLE magazine. As a fairly lame juggler by jugglers' standards, this is a huge honour for me. I celebrated this achievement by finally joining the International Jugglers' Association.

Speaking of magazines, the debut issue of Canadian Running Magazine is looking very good as we get things ready for the Feb. 15 launch.

Charles Bedley runs 2:16:26

2007-12-03T15:51:00.000-05:00

Just two months after winning the Toronto Marathon in 2:21, Charles Bedley, my speedy former training buddy, ran the California International Marathon yesterday in 2:16:26. That's a PB by five minutes, and if I'm not mistaken, it also makes him the fastest Canadian marathoner of the year, ahead of Jerry Ziak's 2:17.

The CIM in Sacramento is not the flattest, fastest course, so I think we may see an even faster time from Charlie next year. About five years ago, Charlie told me in his usual deadpan serious tone that he planned to qualify for the Olympics. I wouldn't put it past him.

Here's a video of the race finish from the local TV station. There's an interview with Charlie three minutes in.

Velomobile pedals into Toronto Star

2007-12-02T12:30:00.000-05:00

Here's a feature on the velomobile in the Toronto Star's Ideas section.

Joggling as an IT management metaphor

2007-11-26T14:54:00.000-05:00

I've always thought of joggling as a metaphor for my life. Every day is a test of endurance as I run around juggling several things at once, trying not to drop the ball.

Shane Schick, the editor of ComputerWorld Canada, has come up with a new metaphor that uses the concept of joggling to demonstrate the challenges in IT management. Brilliant.

Velomobile featured on msn.ca

2007-11-23T14:09:00.000-05:00

(Photo: Isaac Adams-Hands, MSN.ca)

MSN.ca's Autos section just posted a great feature on my Mango velomobile. You can find it HERE. I love this shot of the Mango stopped next to the Cadillac Escalade. What a study in contrasts.

VIDEO: David Ferman wins 5-ball 100m event

2007-11-21T15:01:00.000-05:00

Will David Ferman usher in a new generation of young jogglers? This is an impressive 5-ball 100m performance from this year's IJA World Joggling Championships in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. You can see runner-up Barry Goldmeier (in the white shirt and black shorts) putting in a solid performance for a masters runner and marathoner.

Ferman's 5-ball joggling tosses are almost twice as high as mine. I think he could run a lot faster with a lower toss and a faster leg turnover. This has inspired me to head to the track and time myself for a 5-ball 100m, but I can't see myself breaking Owen Morse's world record of 13.8 seconds anytime soon. That is just ludicrous.

I don't feel like dancing, but I do feel like juggling

2007-11-19T00:33:00.000-05:00

Joggling cross-training

2007-11-17T21:22:00.000-05:00

This is part of my joggling cross-training program. Yes, I know, I'm a dork.

Rocky's road: Another joggler in Toronto

2007-11-11T12:46:00.000-05:00

(Photo: John Chou)

There's a new joggler in town. Adrian Horvath (a.k.a. Rocky), pictured above with marathon world-record-holder Paula Radcliffe, borrowed my joggling beanbags this morning and managed to go three minutes without a drop.

I'd better watch my back, because Adrian just ran the NYC marathon in a PB time of 2:45, one minute faster than Lance Armstrong.

The day after the New York Marathon, Adrian ran into Radcliffe, who was looking pretty happy after her big win in the Big Apple. Between us, Adrian and I have met both the women's the men's marathon world-record-holders within the past month.

Get ready for Canadian Running magazine

2007-11-08T18:42:00.000-05:00

Runners, start your Garmins!

This February, Gripped Inc. is launching a new magazine called Canadian Running. It will be the first and only running magazine published in Canada, covering all the issues important to Canadian runners.

And the best part? I'm the editor.

So if you have any ideas about what you'd like to see in the magazine, write a comment here, or shoot me an e-mail.

The first issue is already shaping up to be a doozy. And before you ask ... no, every other article will not be about joggling.

Mango profiled in ibiketo.ca

2007-11-06T20:10:00.000-05:00

Here's my "cyclist" profile from ibiketo. It should really be tryclist, but I'll let that pass.

Updates to this blog will be less frequent for the next little while as I'm now working about 756 hours per week.

U.S. marathon trials take tragic turn

2007-11-03T16:39:00.000-05:00

The running community is reeling from the news that veteran American marathoner Ryan Shay has died after collapsing at the 5 1/2-mile mark of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials. The cause of death has not been released.

My thoughts go out to Shay's family. By all accounts, he was a brilliant athlete and a great guy.

Hall of fame

2007-11-03T09:01:00.000-05:00

(Photo: NBC)

It turns out the online NBC video feed for the U.S. men's Olympic marathon trials was only available in the U.S. I tracked the race on Runner's World's "near-live" text feed, which is a surprisingly exciting way to follow a marathon with no video.

So my prediction was correct: Ryan Hall pulled off a superb victory, blasting ahead of the lead pack with a 4:32 18th mile and ramping up a merciless pace for the rest of the race to finish in 2:09:02. Hall broke the U.S. trials record by more than a minute.

What's more impressive is the fact that the trials course was in Central Park, a route that has almost no flat sections. I ran the NYC Marathon in 2000 and I'll never forgot those torturous rolling hills of Central Park leading to the finish. To run an entire marathon on those rolling hills in 2:09 is unimaginable.

Dathan Ritzenhein and Brian Sell also grabbed U.S. Olympic team spots, placing second and third in 2:11:07 and 2:11:40. Former world record holder Khalid Khannouchi took fourth place and could still go to Beijing as an alternate.

Tomorrow, it's the New York City Marathon. One year, I'd like to joggle this one.

Tracking the trials in NYC

2007-11-02T16:02:00.000-05:00

It's a new age of marathoning for the American men. I can't wait to track tomorrow's trials in New York City. The stunning lineup of contenders includes Alan Culpepper (pictured above), Ryan Hall, Meb Keflezighi, Khalid Khannouchi, Abdi Abdirahman, Mbarak Hussein, Dathan Ritzenhein and Brian Sell. It would seem almost impossible to predict a winner, but I'm going with Ryan Hall, based on his recent 59-and-change half-marathon. My second pick is Abdirahman.

Now if only we could get some Canadians running at this level...