Peter Donato

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Peter Donato is a marathon runner from Toronto, Canada. Running in the costume of Jefferson, the mascot dog of MyNextRace.com, he obtained the record for the fastest marathon run by a male wearing a mascot costume when finished the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon in 4 hours 16 minutes 43 seconds on September 26, 2010. [1] [2] This record was covered by the CBC, [3] Toronto Star [4] and Runners Web. [5]

Contents

Career

He also held the Guinness World Record for half-marathon run by a male in a mascot costume. He achieved this during the Publix Supermarkets Gasparilla Distance Classic in Tampa, FL, U.S.A. on February 27, 2011. Running in the Jefferson costume, he completed the Half-Marathon in 1hr 59min 14sec. [6] This new record was covered by Irun Magazine in Canada [7] and the Tampa Times. [8] This half-marathon record was then broken by the Brand Manager of MyNextRace.com, David Hiddleston, on October 13, 2011, at the same race, in 1 hour, 46 minutes, 27 seconds. [9]

The costume weighs 25 pounds. [2] MyNextRace.com [10] is a website maintained by All Sports Marketing Inc., a company founded by Donato which specializes in marketing and management of sporting events. [11] Donato was also quoted in the Globe and Mail for his efforts to revive MyNextRace.com in 2012. [12] One of the biggest fans of MyNextRace.com and a personal friend and sponsored athlete, Danny Kassap died due to heart problems discovered after pulling out of the Sporting Life 10k race. [13]

MyNextRace.com created the first ever Midnight Run in Canada on December 31 in Liberty Village, Toronto. [14] [15] Peter Donato was quoted as a "local legend" in the Toronto Star. [16] Good Times Running took over the event and added the largest halloween fitness experience called Monster Dash Toronto to the lineup. [17] [18] Local media outlets have covered this popular event, including the Simcoe News. [19]

In 2020, after the global COVID-19 pandemic shut down the events industry, Mr. Donato started a fundraiser for health care workers which has raised over $30,000 to date. The Isolation Run attracted participants from across Canada, and was featured in the news when Donato raised money himself and cycled 273 kilometres throughout the Niagara region as a personal challenge. [20] [21]

References

  1. ↑ "Fastest marathon by a mascot (male)". Guinness Book of Records. Retrieved April 16, 2011.
  2. 1 2 "Mascot Breaks Guinness World Record". Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon. September 26, 2010.
  3. ↑ "Toronto marathon attracts 22,000". CBC. September 26, 2010. Retrieved December 29, 2025.
  4. ↑ Reporter, Cynthia Vukets Staff (2010-09-26). "Toronto Waterfront race puts city in marathon major league". Toronto Star. Retrieved 2025-12-29.
  5. ↑ "Runner's Web and Triathlete's Web, a Running, Track and Field and Triathlon Resource Portal". runnersweb.com. Retrieved 2025-12-29.
  6. ↑ Burns, Bryan (28 February 2011). "Elias Gonzalez, Jessica Crate lower men's and women's Gasparilla half-marathon course records". St Petersburg Times. Archived from the original on March 2, 2011. Retrieved 2011-04-16.
  7. ↑ Karnis, Karen (2011-02-28). "iRun.ca - World Record holder Jefferson the Dog does it again (Home to Canada's running community and iRun magazine)". iRun.ca. Archived from the original on 2022-07-12. Retrieved 2025-12-29.
  8. ↑ Burns, Bryan. "ANOTHER RECORD AMOUNT COMPETE". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved 2025-12-29.
  9. ↑ "New world records set at Toronto Marathon". Guinness World Records. 2011-10-20. Archived from the original on 2022-07-12. Retrieved 2025-12-29.
  10. ↑ "Services". MyNextRace.com. Retrieved 2011-05-03.
  11. ↑ "Services". All Sports Marketing, Inc. Retrieved 2011-05-03.
  12. ↑ "Race is on to revive website for runners". The Globe and Mail. 2012-07-17. Retrieved 2025-12-29.
  13. ↑ Reporter, Morgan Campbell Sports (2011-05-03). "Obituary: Danny Kassap, 28, brought joy to fellow runners". Toronto Star. Retrieved 2025-12-29.
  14. ↑ "New Year's Eve dinner at the ROM, a rock-and-roll rager and three other ways to ring in 2018". Toronto Life. 2017-12-18. Retrieved 2025-12-29.
  15. ↑ LeBlanc, Patricia; D'Cunha, Amber (2015-12-30). "Say hello to 2016: What's open and closed New Year's in Toronto". CityNews Toronto. Retrieved 2025-12-29.
  16. ↑ Reporter, Josh Tapper Staff (2012-12-27). "Midnight run adds fitness to New Year's Eve fun: Local legend". Toronto Star. Retrieved 2025-12-29.
  17. ↑ "Monster Dash raising money for a cause". CP24. Retrieved 2025-12-29.
  18. ↑ "Monster Dash organizers drop by CP24 Breakfast". CP24. Retrieved 2025-12-29.
  19. ↑ Simcoe.com (2025-12-29). "Simcoe County News — Local Breaking News Headlines". Simcoe.com. Retrieved 2025-12-29.
  20. ↑ "Local Breaking News and Weather Headlines | Niagara This Week". NiagaraThisWeek.com. 2025-12-29. Retrieved 2025-12-29.
  21. ↑ "Pitching in: Fitness-focused fundraiser helps collect money for health care workers". The Globe and Mail. 2020-07-31. Retrieved 2025-12-29.
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