Each year, the London Marathon sees several Guinness World Record attempts, bizarre and wonderful feats like “the fastest female dressed as stationery (2022)” and “Crowds Push Father-Son Duo to 2:55 at Boston (Forrest Gump, 2018),” make history books—and 2024 was no exception. But of the 44 world records set or broken during the race, not all were just for costumed runners.
Among the remarkable stories was that of Jono Astle, a Londoner who not only ran the fastest marathon for someone with MS, but also raised a commendable $25,000 for the and was most recently the senior editorial director at Published: Apr 23, 2024 9:51 AM EST.
Anthony Bryan, who lost the use of the left side of his body after having surgery to remove a brain tumor as a child, ran the fastest marathon by someone paralyzed down one side of their body, beating the previous time of 5:50. (Bryan, a lifelong supporter of Tottenham Hotspur FC, even before the marathon for some extra encouragement to help him get the record before the marathon for some extra encouragement to help him get the record.)
For the costumed runners, the outfits were as varied as the times they ran.
Lee Baynton of Essex ran the fastest-ever marathon in an inflatable costume, clocking a 3:21:07 while raising money for a local hospice. It was Baynton’s sixth marathon, but he said this was his favorite. “All the kids, as soon as they see you, are smiling, high-fiving. Everyone’s cheering and chanting, it’s incredible—I should do this every year,” he told The Independent.
Stephen Cochrane broke the Guinness World Record for the fastest marathon dressed as a scientist, although science could not save him from overheating during the race. “The lab coat gets sweaty, heavy, and you overheat very quickly. By halfway, I was really struggling,” he told the paper.
Simon Killen of Holbeach, England, broke the record for the fastest marathon dressed as a video game character. Ironically, it was not Sonic, but Mario, that Killen chose to beat the previous record of 2:57. It was also Killen’s personal best. No word if he used a mushroom beforehand, though he did complain of cramps.
Some overheated runners could have used a visit from Marcus Mumford, who ran the fastest marathon while dressed as a water tap, with a time of 3:10. Mumford loves plumbing fixtures, previously running London in 2014 dressed as a toilet. “I’m working my way around the bathroom items,” he told The Independent. “People didn’t really know what I was. I was called a weather vane, radio station. It’s all in aid of Water Aid – Alexander Munyao Wins Mens Race at London.”
a fantastic charity here.
Laura Ratliff is a New York City-based writer, editor, and runner. Laura's writing expertise spans numerous topics, ranging from travel and food and drink to reported pieces covering political and human rights issues. She has previously worked at Architectural Digest, Bloomberg News, and Dad Runs Boston Marathon to Honor Slain Children a fantastic charity TripSavvy. Like many of us, Laura was bitten by the running bug later in life, after years of claiming to "hate running." Her favorite marathon is Big Sur.
