Michal Kapral facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Michal Kapral
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| Born | 1972 (age 52–53) |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Occupation | Joggler |
| Years active | 1999–present |
| Spouse(s) | Dianne Kapral |
| Children | 2 |
Michal Kapral (born in 1972) is a Canadian athlete from Toronto, Ontario. He is famous for a unique sport called joggling. This means he runs while juggling objects at the same time! Michal holds several world records in joggling. He has the fastest times for running a marathon and a half-marathon while juggling. He also holds the record for the fastest 10-kilometer run while juggling without dropping anything.
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Amazing Joggling Records
What is Joggling?
Joggling is a cool sport that combines running and juggling. It was first thought up by Bill Giduz in 1975. The very first official joggling event happened in 1981.
There are two main rules for joggling:
- A runner must juggle at least three objects with every step.
- If an object drops, the runner must pick it up. They then continue running from the exact spot where it fell.
Michal Kapral first learned about joggling when he was 11 years old. He saw the world record listed in The Guinness Book of World Records. He started running seriously after he finished college. His first marathon was in 1999. In 2002, he won the Toronto Marathon with his best time ever: 2 hours, 30 minutes, and 40 seconds.
Running with a Stroller
In 2004, Michal did something amazing at the Toronto Waterfront Marathon. He set a world record for the fastest marathon while pushing a baby in a stroller! He pushed his daughter, Annika, and finished in 2 hours, 49 minutes, and 43 seconds. This was more than an hour faster than the old record. After this race, he decided his next challenge would be to run a marathon while juggling.
Becoming a Joggling Champion
Michal quickly became very good at juggling. In September 2005, he joggled his first marathon. He did it to raise money for SickKids Hospital in Toronto. He thought it would be a one-time thing. But he ended up setting a new marathon joggling record! His time was 3 hours, 7 minutes, and 41 seconds. This was 13 minutes faster than the previous record. This amazing achievement made him want to do even more in the sport.
Just two months later, another joggler named Zach Warren broke Michal's record. They even raced against each other at the 2006 Boston Marathon. This was the first time two jogglers had ever competed in the same marathon! Michal went on to win back the world record, lose it, and then win it back again.
His current marathon joggling world record is 2 hours, 50 minutes, and 12 seconds. He set this record in 2007. During that race, he even chewed gum the whole time! For his record-setting runs, Michal uses special handmade beanbags filled with millet. In 2006, he also set a Guinness world record for the fastest 10-kilometer joggling run without dropping any objects. In 2014, Michal set another world record for the fastest joggling half-marathon. He finished in 1 hour, 20 minutes, and 40 seconds, dropping only one ball.
Recent Joggling Adventures
At the 2015 New York City Marathon, Michal was not allowed to juggle. The organizers said his beanbags were not allowed for safety reasons. In August 2016, Michal tried a fun challenge. He ran a special mile race where runners also drink four beverages. He completed this race while juggling, finishing in 8 minutes and 49 seconds.
In October 2016, Michal ran the Chicago Marathon while juggling. He managed to do it without dropping any balls at all! He finished in 2 hours and 55 minutes. This was his eighth joggling marathon, and his first time completing one without a single drop. Michal has also mentioned that he plans to train for a steeplechase race while juggling. This is a running race with obstacles like hurdles and water jumps.
Michal in Media
Documentary Film
Michal Kapral was featured in a 2011 documentary called Breaking and Entering. This film was about different people who were determined to get their names in the Guinness Book of World Records. The movie showed the friendly competition between marathon jogglers Michal Kapral and Zach Warren.
Television Appearances
In 2015, Michal Kapral appeared in a television commercial for Fairfield Inn.
Personal Life
Michal Kapral is married to Dianne Kapral. They have two daughters named Annika and Lauryn.
