Meet the Marathon Runner Taking on York While Joggling

Scott Jenkins is preparing to take on this year's Altra Yorkshire Marathon, but he'll be tackling the 26.2-mile challenge in a way few others will, by joggling.

Joggling, the art of running while juggling, combines endurance, coordination and concentration. As Scott puts it, it's "a wonderful blend of coordination, endurance and a bit of theatre."

While still a niche sport, joggling has a passionate global community, and for Scott, it began as a simple way to make training runs more enjoyable.

"I've always enjoyed running, and when I added in a three-ball cascade around eight years ago, it quickly became part of my identity at races," he explained.

Since then, Scott has completed events of all distances while joggling, from parkruns to ultramarathons. However, it's not just the challenge of mastering two skills at once that keeps him coming back.

"What I love most is the reaction it creates," said Scott. "Of course I'm trying to joggle as fast as I can, aiming for personal bests and records, but more than that, it brings a sense of playfulness to an event. It gets people smiling, cheering and asking questions. Those connections with spectators and fellow runners are something I really value."

Last year, Scott took on the Altra Yorkshire 10 Mile, where he was met with enthusiastic support from runners and spectators alike. This year, he's returning to York to take on an even bigger challenge.

"The crowd support and atmosphere were fantastic last year, so I'm back for more," he said.

Scott will be aiming to better his marathon joggling personal best of 3:34 when he lines up on the start line in October. However, he won't be the only joggler taking part.

Joining him will be fellow joggler Chris Edwin from Leeds, who holds the British marathon joggling record. In 2023, Chris set the record on the Altra Yorkshire Marathon course with an impressive time of 3:00:06.

Together, Scott and Chris will bring something a little different to race day, showcasing the unique sport of joggling while sharing its fun and infectious spirit with thousands of runners and spectators.

"We hope it encourages people to try something new," said Scott. "Running should be enjoyable, and if we can inspire people to add a little creativity or playfulness to their training, that's a great bonus."