Now let’s get started by talking about the weather! Again! This seems to be a recurring theme. But thankfully, this time, it’s because of the record breaking highs rather than the record breaking lows. I don’t know about you but I was so ready for some spring-like temps.
Speaking of records, did you know that a Great Britain runner recently broke the record for completing the fastest marathon while on crutches? I know… who knew there was even such a thing? 73-year-old Chris Terrill certainly didn’t. It wasn’t until a friend of his from London City Runners told him the good news. The previous record was six hours, 24 minutes, and 48 seconds. Without meaning to, Chris did it in six hours, 11 minutes, and 11 seconds. Pretty impressive right?
What's even more impressive is the optimistic attitude Chris had. After suffering an injury playing pickleball that rendered him in need of a hip replacement, Chris decided that he would run the 2024 Brighton Marathon regardless of his limitations. He crossed the finish line of the 26.2 mile race wearing a green beret as part of his mission to raise money for this charity, the Royal Navy Royal Marines.
His story inspired me so much that I did a random search of "weird" running Guinness World Records to share with you. Why? Because if you've lost the motivation to train for a "normal" race, why not go for a record? The added difficulty of running while doing something "weird" with the prospect of breaking a world record might just reignite your passion in time to train for a spring race.
So, without further ado, check out this list of some of running’s weirdest (but real) world records shared by Canadian Running Magazine. And if you're looking for more ideas, check out this list of eight more "weird" running records.
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Anything joggling
Joggling (juggling while jogging) is surprisingly popular in the running community, and there are world records from the 100m up. Unlike some Guinness World Record running feats, joggling results tend to be extremely quick, with the record breakers running times that many non-juggling runners wouldn’t even be able to hit. Take P.E.I.’s Michael Bergeron, a runner who owns joggling world records in the 5K (16:50), 10K (34:47) and half-marathon (1:17:09)–or Port Hope, Ont.’s Michal Kapral, who still holds the joggling world record in the marathon (2:50:12), which he set at the Toronto Waterfront Marathon in 2007.
American David Rush is another joggling world record holder, although he added yet another twist to the feat (as if running while juggling wasn’t already tough enough). In 2021, Rush broke the world record for the fastest 100m while juggling blindfolded, covering the distance in 16.29 seconds.
10K carrying 100 lbs
American Erin Grindstaff owns what sounds like an extremely arduous record: fastest 10K while carrying 100 lbs. Grindstaff ran Las Vegas 10K with a backpack weighing 100 lbs, and she crossed the finish line in 1:26:49. If this sounds more like a military training method than a running event, it’s because that’s how Grindstaff got the idea. As she told the Guinness World Records team, she is an American Air Force veteran, and she had plenty of experience “rucking,” which is walking, hiking or running with a weighted backpack. “I wanted to set this Guinness World Records title to show normal, everyday people that you do not have to be an elite or full-time athlete to do something physically extraordinary,” Grindstaff said. “With hard work, a solid plan, and true unwavering commitment, anything is possible.”
Backwards mile
In 2020, a Kansas man named Aaron Yoder took to the quiet country roads of his hometown and ran a 5:30 mile… while running backwards. That’s right, Yoder ran a backwards mile faster than most people can run going straight ahead. That works out to an average pace of 3:25 per kilometre, and it beat the previous world record of 5:54, which not-so-coincidentally also belongs to Yoder.
Golf running
In 2021, Swiss athlete Jürg Randegger played a ridiculous 252 holes of golf in 12 hours, breaking the world record for the most holes in a 12-hour period. He covered 93K in this mind-boggling world record, carrying just a 7-iron for the entire day. He took a total of 1,348 strokes and managed to hit five birdies (one under par). Not bad for a sport in which calmness, patience and taking one’s time are of the utmost importance.
And there you have it friends. If you're looking for a challenge to fire up your passion for running, go for a world record. But if that's too daunting, make breaking a personal record your challenge. That's quite the feat as well (whether it's speed or distance). My point is this... get some skin in the game if your motivation is waning and get back out there with a smile on your face. With these amazing temps, it's the perfect time to do it.
Happy Running!
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