A huge 49 Guinness World Records are being attempted at this year’s Virgin Money London Marathon, featuring a total of 68 participants.
It is the 14th year that Guinness World Records (GWR) has collaborated with the Virgin Money London Marathon to ensure on-the-day verification of any world record.
Among those taking part this year are:
- Anna Bassil, who is attempting the fastest marathon dressed as a sweet food (female):
Anna will be celebrating her 40th birthday by running the 2021 Virgin Money London Marathon dressed in a cake costume. She needs to beat the time of 4:30 to set the new record and has a personal best of 3:37. She will also be fundraising for the charity Save The Children. - Neil Murphy is attempting to break a record for the fastest marathon dressed as a three-dimensional aircraft (male). The pilot from Dublin is attempting to break a record that stands at 5:03:15. He is running in memory of his father, who was also a pilot, and died from an aggressive brain tumour in May 2019. Neil will subsequently be raising money for Brain Research UK.
- Nicholas Halpern is running his ninth and final marathon, so he has decided to attempt a Guinness World Record. He is trying to break the record for fastest marathon dressed as a star, which currently stands at 4:05:42. Nick is fundraising for Child Bereavement UK – a cause extremely close to his heart, having lost his eldest son in 2008. Nicholas says the star is a perfect costume to represent his son.
- Friends Troi Baxter and Kerry Bullen, from Cambridgeshire, have been running together six times a week for three years, so are used to being close – but they’ve never been so close as they will be at this year’s Virgin Money London Marathon when they try to beat the record for fastest marathon with two runners handcuffed together (female), with 4:30 the time to beat. Both women are experienced marathon runners and wanted to attempt a Guinness World Records title together to celebrate their running friendship. They will be fundraising for Tom’s Trust; a local Cambridge charity that supports children with brain tumours.
- Phil Sweatman, from Kent, will be running 26.2 miles dressed as a tractor to try to become the new Guinness World Records holder for fastest marathon dressed as a heavy duty vehicle (male). He needs to beat 4:55 and is attempting the challenge to honour his close friend Ben, who passed away suddenly in 2016. He will be fundraising for Cardiac Arrest in the Young. The tractor costume was chosen due to the fact that Ben loved tractors and was destined for a career in agriculture before he lost his life.
- Brothers Mike and Andrew Pelton and friend Niall Cooper will be running together in one large T-shirt and one large pair of shorts to try to break the record for fastest marathon four-legged (male). They need to beat the current record time of 4:44:18. They chose this costume as Mike and Andrew were champions of their primary school three-legged race in 1998. The trio will be fundraising for Mencap.
The full list of Guinness World Records being attempted at this year’s Virgin Money London Marathon:
- Fastest marathon dressed as a cheerleader (male)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a cheerleader (male)
- Fastest marathon dressed in traditional Spanish dress (female)
- Fastest marathon run by father and son
- Fastest marathon in a firefighter’s uniform (female)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a three-dimensional plant (female)
- Fastest marathon with two runners handcuffed together (female)
- Fastest marathon dressed in a safari suit (male)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a hospital patient (male)
- Fastest marathon in full military uniform (male)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a cheerleader (female)
- Fastest marathon wearing handcuffs (female)
- Fastest marathon carrying a bicycle
- Fastest marathon dressed as a three-dimensional aircraft (male)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a sweet food (male)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a piece of medical equipment (male)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a sweet food (female)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a scientist (male)
- Fastest marathon dressed in pyjamas (male)
- Fastest marathon dressed as an astronomical body (male)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a supervillain (male)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a scientist (female)
- Fastest marathon ran as a three-dimensional toy (female)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a Star Wars character (male)
- Fastest marathon wearing Wellington boots (male)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a three-dimensional television character (male)
- Fastest marathon four-legged (male)
- Fastest marathon wearing ski boots (male)
- Fastest marathon dressed in a football/soccer kit (male)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a mummy (male)
- Fastest marathon dressed in a tree costume (male)
- Fastest marathon in a six-person costume
- Fastest marathon dressed as a rotating puzzle cube (female)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a ninja (male)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a star (male)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a mountain climber (male)
- Fastest marathon dressed in a rugby kit (male)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a golfer (male)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a glass (male)
- Fastest marathon dressed in pyjamas (female)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a mammal (male)
- Fastest marathon dressed as an alien (male)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a harlequin (male)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a telephone box
- Fastest marathon in a two-person costume
- Fastest marathon dressed as a sailor (female)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a jockey
- Fastest marathon dressed as a body part (male)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a submarine (male)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a three-dimensional card (male)