New Jersey firefighter sets world record for fastest mile in full gear

New Jersey firefighter, Brendan Corcoran has just set a New Guinness World Record for running the fastest mile in full firefighting gear. He ran a mile in 6:45 while wearing 25 pounds of gear, beating the previous record by over a minute. Without the gear, Corcoran estimates that he could probably run the mile in 4:40.

Corcoran is no rookie when it comes to running in full gear. At the end of March he set another record, completing a half-marathon in full firefighting gear in 1:48:24 and beating the previous record by 12 minutes. He also competed in two Ironman triathlons last year and ran this year’s Boston Marathon in a time of 2:47:34.

After a brief stint as a teacher, Corcoran became a firefighter which has been his full time job for the past ten years. Upon realizing that a significant number of on-the-job firefighting deaths are the result of heart attacks, Corcoran started Team Firefighter, an organization that encourages lifelong fitness in firefighters.

Heart health isn’t the only cause that Corcoran feels strongly about. He also raises money for the Code 3 For a Cure Foundation, an organization that supports firefighters battling cancer. His runs are also used to promote the solar-powered pet alert sign that he has designed himself. The device notifies firefighters to how many pets are in the house. The design for Corcoran’s sign was motivated by his experiences with pets trapped inside burning homes.