Second Attempt at Breaking a Guinness World Record -- Success

Having come off London with a failed attempt at a record, I went to the website to see what other races I could make a similar attempt, and was very pleased to see that the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon in October was one such race. I had enough time to plan something out, add that race into my already busy fall schedule, and train. I even got a trainer for the effort.

Having decided immediately after London that I wouldn't attempt that specific record again, or anything else that required carrying something nearly that heavy, I went with something much simpler, and even somewhat aerodynamic: fastest dressed as a super villain. In my particular case, The Riddler (as portrayed in the movie by Jim Carrey).

In the weeks leading up to the marathon, though, I had a big shock -- a change in the time I needed to beat. When I originally submitted the application, the record had not yet been set, so all I needed was 4 hours -- a mark I can usually easily hit nowadays unless everything goes wrong for me. I only knew of one person chasing this record in the Berlin Marathon in September, I followed his results, and he didn't finish under 4 hours -- I was set! But, no, it turns out there was a second person who also chased the record that day, and set it far faster than I had previously run: 3:03:03 -- nearly a full 9 minutes faster than my then-PR of 3:11:54. Gulp!

I had originally gone into training looking for a 3:10, and my coach was insistent that with the way everything had gone, 3:05 shouldn't be a problem. Nice, but did I have enough in the tank to drop another 2 minutes beyond even that? Race day would tell.

Just as was the case with London, the weather was ideal: cool (about 50F), mostly cloudy, relatively low wind -- it was all on me, my training, and the prior few days leading up to the race. I was feeling confident. I had my pace band on, my Garmin all set to show me my splits, all my nutrition and water -- show time.

Lesson #1: When running in a country that just might have a different way of measuring distances compared to what you are used to (even if you know how to make the conversions), find out in advance what they use for "mile markers." Typical American, I think in mileage. Toronto had markers every KILOMETER. I didn't realize this until I hit the first marker. And that they didn't include the intermediate mile markers. D'oh! Given how horribly my Garmin was acting up (which I didn't really know during the first half), I had no real idea how well I was doing until I hit the half-marathon mark (a time that I had on my pace band). Beautiful -- 1:29:29. I was ahead of pace.

Now all I had to do was keep it together. In hindsight, it looks like I had played all sorts of mind games on myself in terms of trying to figure out what my pace was and needed to be for each of the successive kilometers.

Lesson #2: If you carry some form of ID and/or payment with you during the race (I typically do, just in case there's a medical issue, and insurance card if racing in the U.S.), make sure it is fully secured. At some point in the race, mine fell out of the belt I had always carried it in. Amazingly, not only did a runner see it laying on the course, but they stopped to pick it up. And miraculously, not only did they know who I was -- presumably from posts in one of the FB groups I'm in about my record attempt -- but they wound up overlapping with me during one of the out-and-back portions of the course. Given that day's extremely unique outfit, I was instantly recognizable, they shouted out my name, held out the cards, and handed them to me as we were both full steam ahead. To whomever that kind soul was, again: THANK YOU.

The kilometers kept piling on, and despite getting ever so slightly slower during the second half, I knew I would make it as I was seeing those last few signs inside of 1km to the finish. And I had a peak at the official clock when I was a couple of tight turns away from the finish. I was going to make it -- but by how much. Pour on the steam to make it as much as possible. Full attention focused on the finish line, I didn't hear my friend who was there specifically to cheer me on shout out that I was going to make it. (I only heard it once I saw video of my finish.)

Whereas in London, when I crossed and locked eyes on the Guinness adjudicator I shook my head, this time as I crossed I knew I had succeeded. She started to approach me, but I needed to cool down just a bit. I walked in tight circles out of the way of other finishers until I could stop and take the "money shot" photo:

Set your sights on a goal. Put in the work. Be confident in yourself. You can succeed.

I've got another one I'm aiming for later this year, but don't know if the race will be held. More on that when the attempt finally happens.

Motivation

Despite the weather turning around from chilly, blustery, and wet to moderate with only intermittent rain, I've still been having a bit of a hard time motivating myself. (Seems like that might be self-evident given how long it's been since the last blog entry.)

While I am still intent on hitting my big goals for later this year assuming the races will be held, the uncertainty about them and it being a lull between my last "race" (virtual marathon) and the beginning of my training cycle for Chicago has left me unenthused for my runs. Most of the days each week, I'm just running 5-6 miles at a reasonable pace, and I've noticed that on most of them, my last 2 miles are successively slower than the goal pace for the run. There is no particular reason for this that I can discern other than lack of enthusiasm for the run.

Today was the first day in a couple of weeks where the above pace problem didn't happen, though I'm not entirely sure why -- my head was still in the same space. I need to change it up a bit, but don't want to do the sorts of hard workouts that I have during my training cycle -- no reason to risk injury. Not sure what will be the best way to get back "in the game," as it were.

First Attempt at Breaking a Guinness World Record, Part II

I had my application approved a couple of months in advance of the London Marathon. Right around the time that I was running the Dopey Challenge on Walt Disney World Marathon weekend in January. And after that, I had a short amount of time off and was then doing a short training cycle for the Tokyo Marathon at the beginning of March. And I also had the Boston Marathon a little over a week in advance of London. So, how was I going to do this?

Given my work schedule and how I can't deal with working up exceedingly early to go to the gym (having attempted that at least twice in recent years), I was always running after work. So, I would bring the stock pot with me and run on the treadmill with it. Yes, it was as strange as you can imagine. Knowing the kinds of reactions I would get, I made sure to put a couple of signs on the treadmill each time, giving a brief explanation, inviting conversation/questions, and promoting the fundraising effort. It was all the more necessary on those few occasions that I ran *in full costume* on the treadmill. I was recognizable beforehand (since I'm always training for another marathon -- running for typically 1 hour or more on the treadmill during heavily trafficked times), this certainly upped that -- for good or ill.

The day finally arrived. The weather was absolutely PERFECT. (It was about 45-50 degrees, mostly cloudy, and only an intermittent slight breeze. Ideal for me to not overheat nor need to attempt to douse myself at water stops.) The camaraderie of everyone making record attempts was wonderful. Unfortunately, I didn't have my phone with me to have any photos taken, so the various pics that others took with me, I have never seen since. (Shame -- I really wanted the photo of my as a chef, one person as a giant wooden spoon, and another dressed as a lobster -- how perfect?) I couldn't have asked for more. I was confident in my training generally, but was unclear as to just how much the stockpot would drain my energy -- having never done more than about 10 miles or so with it during training.

The race itself was fabulous. I couldn't have asked for more from the crowd. Nearly the entire length of the course is packed with people (only New York City sports more spectators, I think), and there were literally thousands of them cheering specifically for me: "Go, Chef!" It was a huge lift to my spirits.

Alas, despite my arms being fine (I figured out a decent way of handling the pot, and shifting it every few minutes between hands), the sheer fact of having that much extra weight being carried and not being able to swing my arms per normal took its toll. I slowed enough to recognize when my goal time was out of reach. I hit the wall late in the race. There were times when I got enough of a boost from the crowd to start running again, but it was more to acknowledge them than anything else -- since the record was already gone.



I wound up rebuilding enough reserves so that I could run (though not full speed) the last kilometer. There was no way I wasn't going to be running when passing Buckingham Palace and across the finish line. And fortunately, there were few enough others at that moment that I was shown on the big screen at the finish line and noticed by the commentator -- a few good-natured quips and comments about the costume. Despite being an introvert who usually shies away from being the center of attention, it was fantastic to be there for about 15 seconds as I approached the finish line.

In the end, I missed my goal time by approximately 20 minutes. But I was a Six-Star finisher.

Despite that, I was one of the finishers who made it into some of Abbott's posted Facebook videos:
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?ref=saved&v=2172309489691023 (about :45 in)

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=288792248672597 (about :25 in)

Several weeks afterwards, I was even featured on Abbott's website in a written interview that had been conducted via phone:
https://www.worldmarathonmajors.com/news-media/latest-news/six-stars-and-a-stock-pot/

But that was only my first attempt. My second attempt at breaking a record less than 6 months later worked out very differently.

First Attempt at Breaking a Guinness World Record, Part I

In the months leading up to the 2019 London Marathon -- what was to be my sixth star, completing the World Marathon Majors Six Star Challenge -- I heard lots about "fancy dress" (a.k.a. costumes) that were ubiquitous to that race. And at the same time, I heard that Guinness World Records were set up in such a way that people attempting records at the London Marathon can have their attempts certified as they cross the finish line with no additional paperwork/evidence needed to be submitted by the people making their respective attempts, which is otherwise onerous. (Berlin, Sydney, and Toronto have this same relationship.) I was running on a charity bib (for Whizz-Kidz) and figured, "What the heck? It might help with the fundraising. And how awesome would it be to set a world record at the same time that I finish the Six-Star Challenge?"

Basic decision made to make an attempt, the choice was to then decide what record to try. I first submitted applications for "Fastest Marathon Dressed as a Star Trek Character (male)" and "Fastest Marathon Run by a Member of Mensa". Some of the general criteria relate to whether there is the reasonable possibility of others beating your record. But they also relate to their being sufficient difficulty in what is proposed. Since I had seen a record (too fast for me) related to Star Wars, I figured Star Trek would be accepted. It wasn't -- I'd have to change it to either movie character, but that was WAY too fast for me. And my second application was rejected because of there being nothing inherently challenging about being a member of Mensa vis-a-vis runnin a marathon. Oh well. Time to choose something that existed already to break.

When you look on the Guinness website, there are LOTS of marathon-related records (well over 100) in all sorts of outfits: dressed as a fruit, organ (of the body), tree, mascot, awareness ribbon, celestial body, and many more. Below is a group photo from my attempt. Alas, I'm mostly hidden.

From the full list, I instantly discarded all records that were already set well faster than my then-Personal Record (PR). In fact, I wanted to give myself a bit of a buffer. I was comfortable giving myself a goal of 3:20. And of all the records available, I chose to run dressed as a chef.

Most of the outfit was fine: Checked chef's pants, chef's jacket (short or long-sleeved), apron, and tall chef's hat. No problems. However, there was one very difficult part: having to carry in my hand a stock pot (or various kitchen utensils) weighing at least 3 kg (6.6 pounds). Lifting that -- easy. It's not that heavy in the grand scheme of things. But running with it? Let alone for 26.2 miles? THAT was the challenge.

Advice for First-Time Marathoners, Part IX: Race Day

Lesson #9: Prepare everything the night/day BEFORE race day. Make sure you have redundancy built into much of what you do. Do not do anything new on race day. Enjoy everything about race day.

You've made it to race day. You've followed your training plan as well as possible, staying healthy and injury-free. You got your bib (and maybe a wee bit more) at the expo and made sure to have it pinned onto your outfit before you left your hotel. So, what else is there to point out? Some of this will look very familiar.

1. Set your alarm (maybe even 2 or 3) so that you give yourself PLENTY of time to get to gear check and the start line. You want to be on the early side of all timeframes. Expect that Murphy will rear his head, so take that into account. Give yourself an extra 30-60 minutes to go to the bathroom at home before leaving (potentially multiple times), and an extra 30 minutes or more travel time compared to what you expect it to take. Budget enough time to have your race day breakfast, make coffee/tea (if that's typical for you), etc.

2. Make sure that everything that you need is set up/laid out before you go to sleep the night before the race:

• Band-Aids/Nip Tape and Body Glide
• Your clothing
• Your bib is pinned
• Timing chip is already on your sneaker (for those races that still use these)
• Any on-course nutrition and water, possibly separate from your gear check bag (so you don't accidentally gear check it)
• Post-race change of clothing is already in your gear check bag. Consider having a jacket or other warm layer if it is expected to be cool. Make sure to have dry socks and sneakers to change into - or flip-flops/Oofas instead.
• Include some extra snacks, water, and/or sports drinks in your gear check bag. While you should consume as much of the race-provided post-race food as possible as soon after the race as possible, it might not be enough. After a marathon, you need to take in yet more carbs, protein, electrolytes, and water. Whether you do that via lots of snacks or a nice hearty lunch (or both) soon afterwards is personal choice. Don't be so concerned about calories today -- you've earned it!

3. Know your directions (whether driving or public transportation) to get to the starter's village. Those of you who are dependent on Waze or other apps -- write out your directions on paper the night before and have those with you. Don't take the chance that your phone will crap out or some other technical glitch happens. Remember any parking passes or needed public transit card; if you're comfortable doing so, you can gear check the transit cards with the rest of your kit.

4. Know where any friends and family will be cheering you along the course and/or precisely where you will meet after you get past the finish line. Make sure they know your expected pace and timeframe for finishing to determine proper timing for seeing them during or after the race.

5. Get into your starting corral early. Make sure to find the pacer(s) for your page group time. Use them as much as possible to get through all the difficult spots (both physically and mentally).

6. Be mindful of your training. Make sure to eat your gels, etc. and drink water in the same timing as your body is already accustomed to.

7. Control your adrenaline rush -- do not go out fast. You should go slower than your goal pace during the first mile, at least. In fact, your pacer should be reminding you of that many times before and during the first mile or so. Listen to your pacer.

8. Soak in the atmosphere throughout the day. Enjoy it all. Laugh at all of the funny signs. Pretend that your name is the same as is listed on every personalized sign you see. Every last bit of positive energy from the crowd will help you get through it.

9. Even if you've needed to walk for a long amount of time because you hit the wall, so long as you are not injured, run the last at least 0.2 miles to and through the finish line. And do NOT stop right after crossing the line -- keep on moving, to get out of the newer finishers' way.

10. Revel in the finish. Don't hold back the tears that WILL flow. Accept how overwhelmingly emotional the finish is. (After 42 marathons to date over nearly 17 years, I still tear up almost every time.)

Advice for First-Time Marathoners, Part VIII: The Expo

Lesson #8: Get to the expo as early (by days) as possible to pick up your bib and anything else that may come with your race packet (such as a t-shirt and samples).  Waiting for the weekend can be absolutely chaotic with long lines.

Most marathons above probably a few hundred participants have an expo that is open to the public where you can get your race bib, buy merchandise, and maybe even get some samples. The small marathons have very little on this score (I've been to ones that had about 2 booths, and nothing else), but the large marathons can have absolutely massive expos. The biggest expos out there are certainly the World Marathon Majors, Walt Disney World Marathon, and Marine Corps Marathon.

Each of them has something to make them different or special. For example, Boston and London both have extensive speaker programs available. Germany and Tokyo both have special security measures to help guarantee the identity of the person picking up the bib at the expo and that enters the starting corrals on race day. Chicago has plenty of opportunities for those running the race to volunteer some time helping out at the expo. New York is simply massive at the Jacob Javits Center. (The first time I went 17 years ago, I had the opportunity to make a plaster cast of my footprints -- a neat freebie souvenir.) Disney is, well... Disney. And MCM has all those Marines.

In addition to these and other special twists, there are many things these and other large expos generally have in common:

• Official branded merchandise for sale
• A whole slew of vendors, ranging from other clothing, to food and drink, to running accessories, framing and race photography, etc.
• Any number of other marathons (or other endurance sports) promoting their events
• Kitschy paraphernalia to use to cheer on the runners (frame branded oak tag to create signs, to cow bells, small plastic megaphones, and other noisemakers)
• Pace group booth (note: Boston does *not* have pacers for their marathon, so no such booth)
• Many of the above will also have some sort of raffle or other game giving away minor prizes

They typically have a floorplan available in advance and at the entrance to the expo, for those who want to either plan out where to go, or at least make sure they hit specific booths. Personally, I just walk all the aisles, quickly seeing what's there and stopping at whichever booth grabs my attention (samples I want to eat or take for later, pace group to get a pace band, and rarely a piece of branded merchandise or other item for sale).

While I am generally jaded when it comes to the expos now (having run 42 marathons to date as of this writing, 26 of which comprising the 8 marathons mentioned above), this can be an overwhleming and very enjoyable experience. For the first-timer, make sure to soak it all in. Take your time and enjoy the atmosphere. All the more reason to go as early as possible. And if you like it enough and haven't hit everything you want to on the first day, go back for some more one of the later days -- nothing says you can only go once.

Advice for First-Time Marathoners, Part VII: Travel Arrangements

Lesson #7: Research how to get around the city, be it by public transportation, race-provided shuttles, taxis, or personal or rented cars.

As early as possible after deciding to run a specific race and registering for it, start seeking out what transportation within the city is like. While getting to the city is likely easy enough to arrange (flying into the nearby major airport or taking a train in being the likeliest options that most will take), it isn't always obvious what you'll need to do to get to all the different places you need without a little digging.

Lots of marathons (especially the largest ones) are "point-to-point" where the start and finish lines are considerably far apart from each other. The main points you will need to research are where the expo will be held (which is where you will pick up your race bib and any merchandise), where the starting line is, and where the finish line is. The precise locations of all of these should be on the marathon's website and in various e-mail communications that you may receive. Ideally, the website will also provide you instructions as to how you can take public transportation to them (e.g., what stops on which line of the subway system are they), and whether there are shuttle bus arrangements to take advantage of. (For example, Boston has school buses they use to get racers from the baggage check by the finish line out to the starter's village out in Hopkinton. They provide plenty of detail on their website as to who should be on which buses at what time on race day.)

Knowing those main points and your price points for accommodations will help you determine where you will be staying in town, be it with friends or in a hotel or hostel, etc. Do you want to be close to the Expo? Do you want a short walk to the start line on race morning? Would you rather have a short walk from the finish line after the race? Is saving money on the accommodations more of a motivating factor, and you're willing to travel however long you need to in order to save what could easily turn into several hundred dollars or more (depending on the hotels being compared and the number of days in question). How far away from public transportation are you willing to be in order to get to your own subway stop? Your answers to these questions should help you narrow down which places you're willing to investigate.

There are lots of people with experience running the marathon that you're signing up for for the first time. Seek them out on Facebook. If you go to the Resources post, you will see several Facebook groups that relate to some of the world's largest marathons -- ones that I have raced and whose groups I stay in: World Marathon Majors (New York, Boston, Chicago, Berlin, Tokyo, and London -- but others are also occasionally talked about), Marine Corps Marathon, and Walt Disney World Marathon being the largest of them. Before you post a question asking for advice on where to stay, how to get around, training, etc., look in the Files section to see if there is anything already written up for posterity. Or do a quick search with several meaningful keywords to find out what has been said on the topic before. These groups have so much collective history, wisdowm, tips, and tricks, use them to the fullest extent to make your life easier. (I'll tell you, being in the WMM group where there was discussion about the Tokyo Marathon and best ways to get around both for the marathon as well as for a longer trip to Japan were a godsend when I went for the 2019 marathon.)

Once you have figured out where you will be staying, do your best to plot out as broad-brush an itinerary as possible where it comes to traveling around the city. Figure out when you're going to the expo, what sort of tourist travel you are doing, where you'll be eating (don't forget reservations), and all the other steps in between so you can become familiar with the routes you will be taking to/from your hotel, what sort of transportation fare card is necessary, and the approximate time it will take for your travel. Most importantly, know exactly what you are doing, your timing, and costs for race morning -- you don't want to leave anything to chance about getting where you are going early. (Fun tip: there are some races that provide free race day transportation for those wearing a race bib. Know if you're in that sitauation and that you can leave your fare card in your room.)