Thirteen Guinness world records fall at 2018 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon

Thirteen Guinness World Records fell at yesterday’s Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon. An official adjudicator from the Guinness organization was on hand to verify more than 20 record attempts at the finish line.

Blaine Penny of Calgary, Alta. is officially the fastest man ever to run a marathon dressed as a battery, and by more than an hour. Penny ran 2:59:58.

RELATED: How a Toronto chef became a Guinness World Record holding runner

Penny was running to raise awareness and funds for mitochondrial disease. He and his wife, along with some other affected families, started MitoCanada.org nine years ago, not long after his son Evan, who is now 14, was diagnosed with the condition, which has left him a quadriplegic and non-verbal. (Penny refers to mitochondria as the cells’ batteries, giving them power.)

https://www.instagram.com/p/BpD8J6WFKtT/?taken-by=blainepenny

Penny had to make a few tweaks to his costume, which initially did not meet Guinness requirements. But all was in order when he stepped into the start corral on Sunday. The time he had to beat was 4:00:00, which is the marathon time set arbitrarily by Guinness when no previous record exists.

Michael Bergeron of Halifax ran the fastest half-marathon while juggling three objects, taking down Michal Kapral’s 2014 record by three minutes. Bergeron ran 1:17:09.

RELATED: Bergeron breaks half-marathon joggling record

First record holder at the #STWM?

Michael-Lucien Bergeron              Fastest half marathon joggling with three objects (male)
1:17:10 pic.twitter.com/wIDBH564uB

— Guinness World Records (@GWR) October 21, 2018

Another successful record was achieved by Evan Latsky, who became the fastest male to run a half-marathon dressed in full hockey gear–not including the skates. (Though Latsky did run with a hockey stick, even though it was not required.) Latsky’s time was 1:39:50, beating the existing record of 2:04:20 by a comfortable margin. Latsky was running for Right to Play, the international children’s charity started by Norwegian speed skater Johann Olav Koss in 2000.

Daniel Janetos was also successful in his Guinness world record bid today. Janetos is the fastest male to run a half-marathon dressed as a chef, which is actually his profession. He ran 1:27:50, smashing his own previous world record of 1:34:53 by almost seven minutes. Janetos’ run benefitted the National Wildlife Rehabilitation Foundation (NWRF).

Brothers Petro and Andrey Czupiel ran a 2:09:28 for the fastest half-marathon in a two-person costume. Last year Petro ran the fastest half marathon dressed as a clown. The Czupiel brothers ran yesterday dressed as Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble driving the Flintstone car. 

Pamela Bottos became the fastest woman to run a half-marathon dressed as a television character. Bottos, done up as the American comedienne and TV star Lucille Ball, ran a 1:56:48 in memory of her sister-in-law, Pepper, while raising funds for Breast Foot Forward, a breast cancer charity.

Can you imagine running the fastest marathon handcuffed to your friend? That’s what Victor Frève-Boucher and Freüd Fortier-Chouinard did yesterday, and for the first time. Their time was 3:15:42.5. Their run benefitted the charity, the Fondation Élan, which benefits those with physical disabilites.

And if that’s not crazy enough, Kyle Pastor, Marco Pelayo, David Duarte, and Christopher Hoeppler ran the fastest half-marathon with FOUR runners handcuffed together. Their time was 2:00:28.

Bridget Burns, already a multi-world record-holder (for the fastest half-marathon in motocross gear, fastest marathon dressed as a boxer, fastest marathon dressed as a zookeeper and fastest half-marathon in an animal costume), earned herself a fifth record for the fastest half-marathon dressed as a zookeeper, with her time of 2:04:46.7. Her run was to benefit Toronto’s Friends of High Park Zoo. (Burns’ record for fastest half-marathon in an animal costume, set at STWM in 2015, was broken in June.)

Like Burns, Robert Winckler already holds other running world records, including fastest half-marathon dressed as a cowboy and fastest half-marathon dressed as a swimmer. Yesterday he earned yet another in 1:57:59, the fastest half-marathon while carrying a set of golf clubs. Winckler ran for Kids Help Phone, a phone and online counselling service for kids. 

Julie Hillis pushed her four young children (Duncan, Sarah, Maggie, and Isa) to a 2:04:59 for the fastest half-marathon while pushing two double strollers. Hillis aimed to promote fitness and healthy habits among kids.

Jean Oh ran 1:35:56 for the title of fastest half-marathon dressed as a video game character after suffered a recent traumatic brain injury.

Bradley Vincent made himself a poo emoji costume and ran a 1:38:14 for the title of fastest half-marathon while dressed as an emoji.