Need some inspiration for a new race time goal? Then how about being faster than a Baywatch babe? Or how about outrunning an octogenarian or a speeding banana? Take a look at some of these famous (and perhaps not so famous) finish times either run in Canada or by Canadians to set your goals for the new year.
Note: Both half- and full-marathon times are included. If there is only an observed time for a full-marathon, then a half-marathon time is calculated using the McMillan Running Calculator with the reverse being true for observed half-marathon times.
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Take on the Turbaned Torpedo At 100 years old, Fauja Singh chose to run his centenarian marathon along the Toronto waterfront – if he can do it, so can you! |
| Full-marathon: | 8:11:06 (2011 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon) |
| Half-marathon: | 3:53:21 (*calculated) |
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Better than a Baywatch Babe BC-born Pamela Anderson barely trained but this Baywatch babe finished her first marathon to raise funds for Haitian relief. |
| Full-marathon: | 5:41:03 (2013 New York City Marathon) |
| Half-marathon: | 2:42:03 (*calculated) |
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Run at a Jagged Little Pace She writes music, she sings, she runs and wouldn’t it be ironic if you beat Alanis Morrisette’s finish time? |
| Full-marathon: | 4:28:45 (2009 New York City Marathon) |
| Half-marathon: | 2:07:42 (*calculated) |
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Speedier than a Stanley Cup Captain Although you’re unlikely to beat his six Stanley Cup wins, Mark Messier’s marathon time is doable if you train for it. |
| Full-marathon: | 4:14:21 (2011 New York City Marathon) |
| Half-marathon: | 2:00:51 (*calculated) |
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Get After the Green Lantern Green clearly means go for Vancouver-born Ryan Reynolds where some Green Lantern power must have given him a boost to finish under 4 hours. |
| Full-marathon: | 3:50:22 (2008 New York City Marathon) |
| Half-marathon: | 1:49:28 (*calculated) |
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Bottled Up Speed Mark Wilding from Keswick, Ontario earned a Guinness World Record in the hard-to-believe category of “Fastest Marathon Dressed as a Bottle.” |
| Full-marathon: | 3:39:25 (2011 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon) |
| Half-marathon: | 1:44:16 (*calculated) |
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To Catch an Octogenarian Ed Whitlock’s finish time during his 80s is a fantastic time for anyone at any age – when I grow up, I wanna be like Ed. |
| Full-marathon: | 3:15:50 (2011 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon) |
| Half-marathon: | 1:38:57 (2012 Milton Half Marathon) |
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The Fastest Fruit Ever David Hiddleston from MyNextRace.com shows us that his banana outfit is the best way to power through a race and earn a Guinness World Record for a half-marathoning fruit. |
| Full-marathon: | 3:00:28 (*calculated) |
| Half-marathon: | 1:25:45 (2013 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon) |
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Chase the New Canadian Women’s Record A lawyer by day, a runner at all other times, Lanni Marchant beat the 28-year-old national women’s record just this past year. |
| Full-marathon: | 2:28:00 (2013 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon) |
| Half-marathon: | 1:10:19 (*calculated) |
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The Longstanding Canadian Men’s Record Since 1975, Jerome Drayton’s record has set the Canadian standard – will you be the one who finally breaks this mark? |
| Full-marathon: | 2:10:08 (1975 Fukuoka International Marathon) |
| Half-marathon: | 1:01:50 (*calculated) |
Hoping to be faster than an eighty year old while I’m in my forties,
Andrew
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Follow Andrew on Twitter: @andrewchak
