Joggling 800m: I Really Dropped the Ball On This One

I learned a couple of valuable lessons in my 800m joggling world record attempt on Saturday:
1) Don't slow down on the second lap.
2) Don't drop the ball with 50m to go.

Pacer extraordinaire Jay Brecher – who runs a sub-2 800m – agreed to go out at a 32 first lap and 65 for 400m, but I lagged behind a little too much and hit the 400 in 66 or so. The third lap felt pretty good but I was still a couple of seconds behind schedule at 1:40. The good news was that my legs and cardio felt relatively fresh heading into the final 200, and I still thought I had a good shot at a 2:13, with a 33-second last lap.

Down the backstretch, I made a solid move, and started to gain on Jay, who was still running on a 2:12 pace. Coming around the final bend, I put the hammer down, but my leg turnover suddenly fell out of synch with my juggling and one of my tosses went too high. I tried to regain the pattern, but moving at a 4-minute-mile pace, this proved impossible and I dropped.

By the time I scrambled around to pick up the ball and start up again, I lost about four or five seconds. Looking at the clock as I finished, I dropped again just as I was crossing the line, which I also did in my joggling marathon record, but in that case I had a couple of minutes to spare. In the 800, every second – and every catch – counts.

I'll try again in an outdoor race, and maybe even take a crack at the mile record of 4:42.

Here Goes: 800m Joggling Record Attempt March 16

Mark your calendars, joggling fans (all five of you)! The stage is set for my attempt to smash the 800m joggling world record of 2:13.24, set by Eric Walter at the 2011 IJA Joggling Championships in Rochester, NY. I'll be chasing this record this Saturday, March 16, in a special exhibition event at the Canadian Masters Athletics Indoor Track & Field Championships at York University in Toronto.

My University of Toronto Masters Track Club teammate Jay Brecher is going to rabbit the race with a goal of hitting 2:12. This will be a chance of pace from the marathon. And if I drop a ball, I'm pretty much toast.

New Goal: 800m Joggling World Record

It will be mine! Oh yes, it will be mine!

I've been training at the 800m with the University of Toronto Masters Track Club and have decided to make a go at the 800m joggling world record, which stands at 2:13.24. That's a brisk pace for sure, but should be within reach based the 200m time trial I did in 31.8 seconds indoors.

Now I'm wondering if I could make a run at the mile record of 4:43. Hmm, that's a tough one.

Joggling Makes "Unusual World Championships" List

Joggling made the list of "Unusual World Championships" in Mishpacha Magazine (the "#1 Jewish family magazine" – is there more than one?). There I am at the bottom looking very serious wearing a GoPro camera on my head as I joggle the Chilly Half-Marathon in Burlington, Ontario. Thanks to photographer Peter Hein for sending along the image.

Seeing this photo reminds me that I'd like to get some better POV joggling footage. The angle of the head-cam for that one was a bit too high, so you couldn't really see my hands, just the beanbags popping up into the frame. Next time I'll tilt it down to get the full effect. 

I switched up my training recently to specialize in 800m track racing. I haven't tried joggling this event yet, but last time I checked the 800m joggling world record was 2:14. A very tough record, but within the realm of possibility. Maybe I'll give it a shot ... with a GoPro.

Joggling at the Track

After a great track workout yesterday evening with the UTTC Masters Track Club, I did a little joggling at Varsity Stadium. This track is pure magic.

Joggling: The Movie

I found this random, funny trailer for "Joggling: The Movie," by accomplished juggler Pete Ucciferro:



which is the perfect segue to announce that Benjamin Fingerhut's documentary, "Breaking and Entering," has been released on iTunes, Netflix and Amazon. It features some mind-blowing joggling footage of my joggling duel with Zach Warren at the Salt Lake City Marathon. Get the details HERE. And watch the trailer here:

New York Times: 3 Beanbags and 26.2 Miles

New York Times Joggling Article

New York Times reporter Sara Beck put together an excellent piece on 67-year-old joggler Jack Hirschowitz, who will be joggling his fifth New York City Marathon on Nov. 4. I was quoted a few times in it, calling joggling "a fringe sport for the odd lunatic." Lunatics in a good way, of course. 

Beck describes the rules of joggling and sums up quite succinctly the types of competitions: "Records have been set with five balls. Clubs are possible, but awkward. Knives are discouraged. Hurdling should be left to the experts."

I agree that joggling knives isn't advisable in a marathon, but on a treadmill is fine, right Tyler Wishau?