Press Release - London Marathon - 9/27/21

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

             Forty-nine Guinness World Record attempts in 2021!

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)

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