Would you run a marathon carrying a bike or a fridge, or trapped in a humungous costume?
This year, over 70 aspiring record holders will wear their most creative costumes, lace up their fastest running shoes and attempt a record at the TCS London Marathon 2024.
The runners who will break a record at the TCS London Marathon (taking place on 21 April) will earn an official Guinness World Records title and a coveted place in the Guinness World Records 2025 edition, out in September 2024.
On the day you might spot "Rhino Boy" Chris Green running in a heavy rhino costume for the fastest marathon dressed as a mammal, or Ryan Walklett attempting the fastest marathon dressed as a drag queen in Drag Race UK star A-Whora's sparkly outfit.
Between incredible costumes and charitable causes, meet some of the heroes who will tackle the running event of the year!
Fastest marathon carrying a household appliance
Laura Bird, 31, is a one-of-a-kind ambitious runner.
After completing a whopping amount of 22 marathons and raising £7,000 in 2020 for East Anglian Air Ambulance, the environmental consultant and author has decided to tackle the TCS London Marathon... while carrying a fridge!
I also believe that every day is a privilege and that attempting a world record is a life opportunity too good to miss. - Laura
Laura is running to raise awareness for the children's charity Ray of Sunshine and believes that her never-seen-before feat has encouraged people to donate.
"It is such a physically demanding record attempt that has never been attempted by a woman before," she says.
Although the male counterpart of this title was broken at the TCS London Marathon 2023 by Sam Hammond, carrying a fridge weighing an impressive 57.9 pounds (26.3kg), it is the first time in history that a woman has attempted such a feat.
There are not many records only held by a man. So as soon as I knew this marathon attempt had never been completed by a woman before, my decision was made. - Laura
Fastest marathon in a ten-person costume
An inspiring group of runners is attempting an exciting race as a London bus!
Greenwich-based Jackie Scully, 42, will be running alongside Frances Walker, Petr Maslov, Aileen Rice-Jones, Daniel Smith, Alex Weight, James Read, Kate Rham, Cameron Sharpe and Michael Edwards in a 10-person costume.
She said: “By day, I am the executive director of a content marketing agency in London (originally from Corsham, Wiltshire, near Bath) and, around that, I am a fundraiser, volunteer, coach, mentor, kindness advocate and what you might call an endurance ‘try hard’.”
“2024 is a massive year for me as it marks my 10 years clear from breast cancer,” Jackie added.
She defines physical exercise as her life insurance policy and has spent the last decade engaging in increasingly difficult endurance challenges in the name of charity.
“When I was ill, I pledged to raise £100k by my 10-year anniversary,” she says.
She successfully raised a whopping amount of £93k over the last nine years. She then decided to set herself a new goal in 2024 and aims to raise another £100k to support the organizations that saved her life.
“I am also encouraging as many people as possible to get moving with a variety of exercise-related challenges under the banner of ‘100k our way’,” she continues.
A London icon for an iconic event - Jackie
Jackie was keen to attempt a record involving a team of 10 to mark the 10-year milestone.
“I really wanted to bring together a team of 10 to represent my 10 years clear,” she says, recalling that every person in the ambitious costume is running for a reason connected to Jackie’s journey in the last decade.
“From Kate, a woman who gave me my first-ever 10k place for Breast Cancer Now (we are good friends now) to the university friend who ran with me on that first 10k just a week before my last chemotherapy session and the school friend I reconnected with during treatment because her mum was going through breast cancer too, this bus tells the story of my last 10 years,” Jackie explains.
Each person has their own reason to run, but they are all coming together to celebrate being alive - Jackie
Furthermore, every runner will be dressed as an "everyday hero", from doctors to zookeepers.
The TCS London Marathon was also the setting of one of the most special days in Jackie’s life, as she got married in the morning just before the race. After she got married at 7 a.m., just before the race, Jackie’s dad ran with her as the father of the bride. She remembers that she was injured at the time and they completed the feat in around 6 hours.
“It remains one of the best days of my life,” she recalls.
Fastest marathon by a type 1 diabetic (male)
Marathon day will be a special celebration for Simone Carniglia, a 36-year-old Italian engineer and project manager.
Not only will the runner shine a light on a charity close to his heart thanks to the race, but he’ll also turn 37 on the day of the TCS London Marathon.
A fan of London’s energy and unique crowd, Simone has been preparing by training every day during his lunch breaks.
Simone has type 1 diabetes (T1D) and aims to attempt the record for the fastest marathon by a type 1 diabetic (male) to motivate and inspire the T1D community.
“I realized our community need motivation and inspiration to adopt a healthy and sporty lifestyle, that improves our glucose management and overall well-being,” he explained.
“My purpose is to reach as many diabetics as possible, in order to inspire them and to show them that with the proper training, nutrition, therapy, and strategy we should not give up on our dreams! We can achieve anything our mind sets us to.”
“Recently I got several messages from mothers of young T1Ds telling me they were forbidding their children to play sports for fear of hypoglycaemia, but that due to my example, they will let them train," he continues. "And also, similar messages from adult T1Ds."
That is my goal…to inspire an entire community that needs to be inspired! - Simone
Simone is fundraising on a permanent basis for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDFR), a nonprofit organization that funds T1D research and offers support to the community.
Most rotating puzzle cubes solved while running a marathon
George Scholey, 21, is a well-known name at the Guinness World Records offices.
The young speedcuber was one of the protagonists of Guinness World Records Day 2022 and has racked up plenty of successes, being the record holder for the most rotating puzzle cubes solved in 24 hours and mostrotating puzzle cubes solved on a skateboard.
He chose to run the TCS London Marathon for "a multitude of reasons, both related and unrelated to charity".
The first reason is that 2024 marks the 50th birthday of the invention of Rubik’s Cube, which has been a massive part of George's life.
"I felt it would be important for me to mark this in an exciting way considering how much the Rubik’s cube has shaped and improved my life," he says.
"However, I didn't want the attempt to be an entirely self-absorbed recognition of the cube," the speedcuber continues, "which is why I thought it would be vital to do it through a charity."
He will be raising money and awareness for St John's Ambulance.
"They offer first-aid training programmes which equip individuals with life-saving skills," George explains.
Funding is essential for acquiring and maintaining the necessary medical equipment and resources, including ambulances, first-aid kits, and communication tools. - George
"Finally, they conduct innovative research in medical response and first aid techniques which are crucial for staying current with the best practices. Donations can support these research efforts, ensuring that the organization remains at the forefront of emergency medical care."
This will be George’s second marathon after completing his first in Switzerland last year.
Fastest marathon dressed as a sweet food (female)
Sally Orange, 50, is a mental health campaigner and army veteran who will run as a box of breakfast cereal for a very important cause.
Deeply involved in the education of mental health issues, she has previously run 83 marathons – including 13 editions of the London Marathon, all in costume!
“As an avid mental health campaigner, I have spent the last 17 years running around the world dressed as different pieces of fruit, in a bid to change the conversation on mental ill health,” she says.
She loves to see the surprise on the crowd’s faces and, when asked why she’s running dressed in a costume, she’s more than happy to explain.
“I tell them of the need to normalize the conversation about mental health and that often results in them telling me that either they, or someone they know, has a problem and it really subtly opens up a conversation about mental health.”
This year Sally will run for Samaritans, a charity that focuses on campaigning for mental health and that has helped the runner greatly in the battle against anxiety and depression.
“As a sufferer of severe depression and chronic anxiety, I have had to pick up the phone and call Samaritans on several occasions when I have been at a crisis point with my mental health,” she explains.
“I know first-hand the benefit of this charity and would literally credit it with being the reason why I am still alive today.”
Attempting a Guinness World Records title not only raises the profile of the Samaritans but also gets the mental health message out into the public domain. – Sally
This year, Sally decided on a slight change of costume: “Having run marathons dressed as different pieces of fruit - see my surname! - on every continent, I thought I would do something a little outside the box this time... or you could say ‘on the box’ in this case!”
I chose to do it as a box of Fruit and Fibre breakfast cereal and have a big sign on the back of the box stating that ‘your mental health is as important as your breakfast cereal’. - Sally
So lace up your shoes, get ready and stay tuned for all the records that will be attempted in April at the TCS London Marathon!
In the meantime, check out all the records broken last year during the TCS London Marathon 2023.
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