A huge 84 Guinness World Records are being attempted at the 2019 Virgin Money London Marathon featuring a total of 95 runners.
Guinness World Records has collaborated with the Virgin Money London Marathon for the 12th consecutive year to provide the most creative and inspirational fun runners with on-the-Finish-Line world record verification.
A team of Guinness World Records adjudicators will be on hand to check costumes, verify times and confirm successful runners as official GWR title holders, earning them a coveted place in the 2020 book out in September.
Find out more about some of the incredible Guinness World Records at the 2019 race below…
Fastest marathon dressed as a three-dimensional animal (male)Record to beat: 5:15:00Harry, 25 years old and originally from Winchester, Hampshire, moved to London last year. He currently works for a pharmaceutical company within the diabetes therapy area. He is running for Save the Rhino after visiting Kenya twice and learning how rapidly rhino species are declining. Harry’s three-dimensional rhino costume will add an additional 10kg of weight and he has been completing his training in a weighted vest to help him prepare for the extra strain. Harry has four half marathons under his belt, however he will be taking on his first ever marathon in Paris, just a few weeks prior to taking part in this year’s Virgin Money London, with the additional challenge of a record attempt. With his passion for sport and fitness, achieving a Guinness World Records title has been a long-term goal for Harry, after receiving the books as annual Christmas gifts whilst growing up.
Fastest Marathon by a pair of siblings (mixed)Record to beat: 4:50:00 (combined time)Siblings Tom and Harriet Woolley, aged 39 and 30 years respectively, decided over a Sunday lunch to team up for this year’s London Marathon and attempt a Guinness World Records title for the Fastest marathon by a mixed pair of siblings.
The pair are keen runners and no strangers to marathons, with this year’s being Tom’s third, and Harriet’s fourth. Both currently run for Tunbridge Wells Harriers and Harriet became the Kent Grand Prix running league champion in 2018. Preparation will be key for them and is built around a 16-week training plan. This consists of slow long runs, hill reps, speed sessions and tempo run. Both siblings are also highly competitive but claim the other has the better chance of crossing the Finish Line first!
Fastest marathon dressed as a shoeRecord to beat: 4:14:18Paul, 42 years old and originally from Norwich, now resides in Winchester with his wife and three children.
Paul is a shoemaker with a degree in footwear, and he met his wife at shoe college while they were both studying. Paul is a highly experienced runner and no stranger to a challenge with around 70 marathons and a handful of ultra-marathons under his belt; one of which took him 35 hours to complete and involved two sleepless nights. Paul will be raising money for the Worshipful Company of Pattenmakers, a charity he cares very deeply for and whose donations provide footwear for the prosthetic limbs of injured, ex-military service men and women. This will be Paul’s first Guinness World Records attempt and the – Fastest marathon dressed as a shoe title seemed like a natural fit! He hopes that the challenge will aid his fundraising efforts and raise awareness.
Fastest marathon dressed as a toothRecord to beat: 4:15:00
Fastest marathon dressed as a toiletry item (female)Record to beat: 4:54:00
Friends Katie and Fiona from Stockton on Tees, Durham, spend a lot of time running together and so it only seemed right that they attempt Guinness World Records titles together at this year’s Virgin Money London Marathon! Fiona, who works as a Dentist, will be running as a tooth and Katie, a Police Officer, will be complementing Fiona’s costume and running dressed as a tube of toothpaste! This will be Katie’s ninth Marathon and Fiona’s fourth, and both will be running to raise money for Derian House charity; a children’s hospice that offers respite and palliative care to children, young people and families. The charity provides great support to a close friend and their daughter, who sadly suffers from severe Cerebral Palsy and needs a lot of external care. As well as raising money and awareness for a worthy cause, both women are also hoping their Guinness World Records attempts will impress their children, who are fans of the book, and prove to them that exercise can be fun!
Fastest marathon in a six-person costumeRecord to beat: 6:20:49Charlie, Cey, Rob, Dave, Helen and Andy, aged between 29 and 49 and with a collective 16 marathons under their belts, are teaming up to attempt a Guinness World Records title for the Fastest marathon in a six person costume at this year’s Virgin Money London Marathon. The group all work within the Metropolitan Police Service, at various ranks. From a Police Officer on a Safer Schools unit and a detective on the child abuse investigation team, to a Chief Superintendent in charge of the Met’s largest command unit. Cey was part of the team who achieved the same record at last year’s London Marathon and was keen to return to beat his own record, this time with new teammates in tow. They have all been training individually wearing weighted vests/ back packs and to date they have had two full dress rehearsals. They will be raising money for Clic Sargent and Tanyel’s Smile in honour of Cey’s late daughter Tanyel, who very sadly passed away from cancer in 2016 aged 20. Since her diagnosis he has raised thousands of pounds for CLIC Sargent who helped him and his family deal with the impact. Cey and his wife have since set up’Tanyel’s Smile’ in her memory and the Thunderbirds team will be raising money for both this year.
Full list of Guinness World Record Attempts at the 2019 Virgin Money London Marathon- Fastest marathon dressed as a shoe (male)
- Fastest marathon dressed in a classic brownie uniform (female)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a stationary item (female)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a golfer (male)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a zombie (male)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a crustacean (male)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a mythical creature (male)
- Fastest marathon in scout uniform (male)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a fairy tale character (female)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a Christmas tree (male)
- Fastest marathon carrying an ironing board and iron (male)
- Fastest marathon run by a pair of siblings (mixed pair)
- Fastest marathon in a four-person costume
- Fastest marathon dressed as a mummy (male)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a love heart (male)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a landmark building (male)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a caveman (male)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a videogame character (female)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a car (male)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a tooth (female)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a postman (female)
- Fastest marathon dressed as an item of cutlery (male)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a snowboarder (male)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a toiletry item (female)
- Fastest marathon dressed as an egg (female)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a glass (male)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a music player (male)
- Fastest marathon wearing ski boots (male)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a three dimensional animal (male)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a tree (male)
- Fastest marathon dressed in a football/soccer kit (male)
- Fastest marathon wearing handcuffs
- Fastest marathon in a sleeping bag (male)
- Fastest marathon in a military dress uniform (male)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a fruit (female)
- Fastest marathon dressed in a tent (male)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a referee (female)
- Fastest marathon in a three person costume
- Fastest marathon dressed as a dragon (male)
- Most t-shirts worn during a marathon (female)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a candy confectionery item (female)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a cavewoman (female)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a nut (female)
- Fastest marathon in a highland dress (male)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a doctor (male)
- Fastest marathon dressed in an ice hockey kit (male)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a skeleton (male)
- Fastest marathon dressed as an emoji (male)
- Fastest marathon in a six person costume
- Fastest marathon dressed as a hospital patient (female)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a scientist (male)
- Fastest marathon in a full body animal costume (female)
- Fastest marathon dressed as harlequin (male)
- Fastest marathon dressed in a flight suit (female)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a robot (male)
- Fastest marathon in a film character costume (female)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a post box (male)
- Fastest marathon dressed as an astronomical body (male)
- Fastest marathon in a wedding dress (male)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a DNA double helix (female)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a chef (female)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a chef (male)
- Fastest marathon in a field hockey goalkeeper kit (male)
- Fastest marathon dressed as an awareness ribbon (male)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a scientist (female)
- Fastest marathon dressed as Elvis (female)
- Fastest marathon dressed as a nun (male)
- Fastest marathon with two runners handcuffed together (mixed)
- Fastest marathon wearing ice skates