This transportation-obsessed runner keeps breaking world records

Here at Canadian Running, we love a good running Guinness World Record–especially when it’s claimed by a Canadian. And when it comes to chasing down the world’s most niche running feats, nobody is as dedicated as Toronto’s Bridget Burns.

In 2025 alone, Burns added two more Guinness World Records (GWR) to her resume, bringing her career total to nine. Her obsession with record-setting dates back to 2014.

Her latest records are both aviation-themed, inspired by her fascination with transportation in all forms. “I have an interest in all areas of the transportation industry, including trains, boats and airplanes,” Burns told Canadian Running, explaining that she is a former Royal Canadian Air Cadet, took sailing lessons as a teenager and currently works in the passenger train industry. “I now hold GWRs in all of these industries.” She has also taken an interest in reading about notable pilots, such as Sully Sullenberger.

Two records in one month

On Sept. 21, inspired by a re-watch of the film Top Gun, Burns tackled the Canada Army Run half-marathon in Ottawa dressed as Maverick–a flight suit, helmet and vintage leather Corcoran jump boots. The Toronto native completed the race in 2:31:49, earning the record for fastest half-marathon dressed in a flight suit (female).

Less than a month later, on Oct. 19 at the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon weekend, Burns returned with another aviation-themed record attempt, sporting black pants, a white shirt, epaulettes, a black tie, a hat and aviator sunglasses to create a pilot costume. The runner shaved more than 20 minutes off her half-marathon from a month earlier, clocking 2:08:23 to set a new record for the fastest half-marathon in a pilot uniform (female).

These runs didn’t mark her first attempts at taking down transportation-related records; Burns also set the record for fastest half-marathon dressed as a sailor at the 2024 Toronto Waterfront Marathon. Her GWR page states she continues to take on these challenges to “raise awareness for costumed half-marathons, specifically for those in the transportation industries of sea, land and air.”

A growing resume

Burns’ catalogue of GWRs currently lists nine records:

• Fastest marathon dressed as a boxer (female)
• Fastest marathon dressed as a zookeeper (female)
• Fastest marathon dressed as Michael Jackson
• Fastest half-marathon dressed as a railroad engineer (female)
• Fastest half-marathon dressed as a zookeeper (female)
• Fastest half-marathon in motocross gear (female)
• Fastest half-marathon dressed as a sailor (female)
• Fastest half-marathon dressed in a flight suit (female)
• Fastest half-marathon in pilot uniform (female)

Her fastest time completing a half-marathon in costume is 2:01:23, from her railroad-engineer attempt at the 2023 Toronto Waterfront Marathon.