Woman with 138-hour Just Dance marathon record says it got her in best shape of her life
Carrie Swidecki (USA) says she’s in the “best shape” of her life thanks to videogame Just Dance.
It didn’t just help her lose weight, it also earned her a string of world records.
Carrie first entered the record books in 2011 when she performed the longest videogame marathon playing a dance game – taking on Dance Dance Revolution for a total of 16 hr 9 min from 27-28 July.
And that was just the beginning.
Over numerous attempts, she went on to break records 13 times, most notably clocking in the overall longest videogame marathon ever by playing Just Dance 2015 for 138 hr 34 sec from 11-17 July 2015.
That’s nearly six full days!
Along the way she’s also picked up titles for the longest videogame marathon playing a Just Dance game, longest videogame marathon playing a rhythm game, longest videogame marathon on a motion-sensing dance game and the longest videogame marathon playing a dance game.
She’s also twice broken the record for most high scores achieved on a dance videogame series in 24 hours, with a total of 101 on Just Dance 2014 from 18-19 April 2014, and with 276 on Just Dance on 23 July 2016.
Carrie, who is featured in Guinness World Records 2026, took on her record-breaking challenge at Otto's Video Games and More, in Bakersfield, California.
Her dancing efforts have also earned her a spot in the International Video Game Hall of Fame, and she’s been handed various honours over the years, but she’s not done yet.
She told us: “At 49 years old I am in the best shape of my life thanks to gaming and dancing. I'm on a journey to make history at the 2027 inaugural Olympic Esports Games in Saudi Arabia at the age of 51 years old where I hope to break my iconic 138 hours Just Dance Guinness World Records title live on the global stage of the Olympics.
“I hope to show that strength and endurance comes in all shapes, sizes, and ages as I plan to make gaming history to break barriers for women my age in esports and permanently open the door for the next generation of women in esports.”
The 4th grade teacher is also training for 45 hours a week to take on a new Guinness World Records attempt next year.
“Age is truly just a number,” she said. “The impossible is possible if you have the courage to chase your dreams. I hope to inspire others with my Olympic journey to dream big.”
Carrie first decided to go for the longest videogame marathon record after looking back on her days as a high school athlete.
She’d gained weight since then, going from 120 lb (54 kg) to 210 lb (95 kg) and was wearing size 18-20 clothes.
Looking back, she told us: “My mindset at the time was that my best years of my life were when I was an athlete in high school.
“In the summer of 2000, I was walking past an arcade after buying a doughnut from the shop next store and saw a game called Dance Dance Revolution. I was intrigued by it and decided to play it. I thought no one was watching.
“I quickly died after 10 steps and some guy came up to me and pointed at me and said, ‘You suck’ because I was a woman and obese. This moment struck a nerve with me and set me off on a journey to master the game. I had enough with people laughing at me due to my weight and I decided to fight back.”
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Carrie went to the arcade to play the game every single day, until eventually she was good enough to place third in a tournament.
In the process, she lost 75 lb (34 kg) and dropped 10 dress sizes.
She was so inspired by her own weight loss that she pushed to get Dance Dance Revolution and Just Dance into her after school programme to help kids stay fit.
She’s used the games in other after-school programmes too.
Explaining how she went from dancing in the arcade to taking on a world record, Carrie said: “Initially, I set my first Guinness World Records title on 25 July 2011 to educate other educators to start using video games in physical education to help fight childhood obesity.
“Over the years my message has evolved and expanded. As I got older chasing my gaming world records dreams, everyone around me got younger in the gaming world. Not only do I continue to fight for gaming as a tool for fitness in and outside the schools, but I hope to launch an elementary esports league for my school district to lay down the foundation for the next generation of gamers to have a platform to chase their world record dreams and a path that leads to the Olympic Esports Games.”
She added: “I understand the impact my Guinness World Records titles have with opening the door for women my age in esports and setting stage for little girls to dream big and that there will be a place for them in gaming history no matter what age they set their world records at. We have a long way to go in esports and I plan on dancing my way to gaming history until I'm 60 years old.”
Just Dance is Carrie’s favourite ever videogame and she still plays it regularly to stay in shape.
She said: “In June 2021, I was in a car accident that put me in physical therapy for two and a half years and caused me to gain over 70 pounds. Now that I am training again, I have lost 45 pounds, gone down four sizes.
“I’m training 45 hours a week, and have completed two practice 120-hour marathons. The only thing that kept me going during those two and a half years was my dream to break my iconic 138-hour Just Dance world record.
“I truly believe that obstacles are meant to make you stronger. I'm in the best shape of my life both mentally and physically and want to show that with hard work you can achieve anything in this world.”
Carrie has had over 150 volunteers there to help her when she’s attempted a marathon record and says she couldn’t do it without the support of her community.
“Every time I hit a wall and felt like giving up my volunteers would talk me out of it,” she said.
“All my friends were singing and dancing to the songs on Just Dance to keep me motivated. They even brought sleeping bags and would sleep on the floor beside me to support me.”
Her world records also made her childhood dream of staying in a videogame store overnight come true.
Carrie did face challenges during her attempt, battling an upset stomach as well as lower back and shoulder pain.
After 115 hours, her feet swelled up and her support team had to talk her out of quitting too early.
She said: “My goal was 140 hours, but at 138 hours I decided to stop due to the pain in my feet. I fought through the pain for 23 hours. No regrets. Now I’m ready to do it again.”
She added: “I think it is amazing that 10 years later I still hold the record. I'm honoured and it's a privilege to hold the overall longest videogame marathon of all time.
“I do believe that someone will break it in the future and it will be me. I took this world record from 16 hours, to 24 hours, to 49 hours, to 76 hours, to 138 hours, and I absolutely know what and how to take it beyond 138 hours.”
On seeing herself in the latest Guinness World Records book, Carrie said: “There are no words or emotions to explain how it feels to find yourself in a Guinness World Records book. Even though this is my 24th time that I'm featured, the excitement of opening it and looking for your record still feels like the first time I featured in the 2013 Gamer’s Edition.”
She added: “Guinness World Records has given me a platform to inspire women my age in esports to never give up while I break barriers for the next generation of female gamers.
“Somewhere, there is a little girl dreaming of doing extraordinary things in gaming. I know she's out there, because I was once her. Now she can read about my amazing gaming feats and know that there is a place for her in gaming history no matter what age she achieves her world record dreams at. Never give up and always dream big!”
Read about Carrie’s achievements and many more amazing records in Guinness World Records 2026 – get your copy now.