LONDON: What do you get when you cross cosplay and a marathon? A Guinness world record for scoring as the fastest to run at a 26-mile race with a costume on.
Guinness World Record will be coming across many new records on April 22, including the ‘Fastest marathon dressed as a toilet (male) – to be made by the same person, Robert Prothero, who scored a record for the fastest marathon dressed as a vegetable in 2009 and 2010.
An unprecedented 90 record titles are being attempted this year, featuring a total of 98 runners – the highest number yet!
Another reclaim will be tried for fastest marathon on stilts by Michelle Frost which was first achieved by her back in 2008.
She has been training by walking through the Bedfordshire countryside parks on her stilts which has certainly confused the walkers, dogs and horses that she has passed while out and about!
Her record attempt has garnered so much interest that she has even received donations from those who have spotted her practicing in public.
This year will be Victoria Bell’s marathon debut and she has chosen to complete it while also attempting to achieve the fastest marathon dressed as an Emoji (female).
The contestant will opt for a poop emoji to fashion her costume, where in her words, “It’s perfect for WaterAid who work tirelessly to ensure everyone in the world has access to clean water and decent toilets."
A score of cosplayer runners for various motive– including fastest marathon dressed as an insect, more specifically as a bee, will be showing a marathon enthusiast Barnaby Hopson in the run.
Another in the lineup is Pencil Alex Morales, whose this year’s participation turns out to be a 34th marathon and 16th London Marathon – and then there is also Tim Perkins signed up to claim fastest marathon dressed as a tree (male) as well as Lee Collier for fastest marathon by a mascot (male).
This is just a small selection of the runners attempting world records that form part of the high drama and emotion of the 2018 Virgin Money London Marathon, taking place on Sunday (April 22).
A team of Guinness World Records adjudicators will be on hand at the race to verify times and confirm records – winning participants will be rewarded a place in the upcoming Guinness World Records 2019 book.