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Guinness World Records are, in essence, awe-inspiring feats that seem impossible to achieve. Record-breakers are often astonishingly strong, fast, or capable of defying the limits of human performance. But over time, these world record categories have taken a bizarre turn—and we're not just referring to people with outrageously long fingernails.
Some records are absurdly specific, while others leave you wondering about the sanity of those who hold them. These 11 records are just a glimpse into the strange world documented by Guinness World Records. If you’ve ever dreamed of having your name etched into the record books, this eclectic range of records might spark some hope... or some new ideas.
1. The quickest half-marathon completed while pushing a stroller.
This record is perfect for anyone who doesn’t want to let parenthood slow them down. The current women's record is held by Lauren Stroud from the United States. In 2019, she completed the half-marathon in an impressive 1 hour, 22 minutes, and 29 seconds, all while training by running with her daughter, Sadie Rose.
Not a parent but still craving a quirky running record? You can always try running in a full suit, running while wearing scuba-diving flippers, or attempting other eccentric running styles.
2. The most toilet seats smashed with someone’s head in one minute.
Normally, people do everything they can to avoid putting their heads anywhere near a toilet seat. However, someone thought differently: In 2007, Kevin Shelley of Germany set the record for most wooden toilet seats broken with his head. You can see it for yourself here (and just so you know, the record stands at 46).
3. The most spins while hanging from a power drill in one minute.
This incredible feat demands extraordinary upper-body strength—and it's far more extreme than traditional weightlifting. However, you might want to think twice before attempting this at home. The current record stands at 148 rotations per minute, achieved by The Huy Giang from Madrid, Spain.
4. The heaviest weights lifted by some very unexpected body parts.
It seems upper-body strength isn't quite enough for some people. There are multiple Guinness World Records for the heaviest weights lifted by a variety of body parts, with some coming from areas you'd never guess.
For instance, the record for heaviest weight lifted by tongue is 13 kilograms (around 28 pounds), set by Thomas Blackthorne in 2022 on the set of Lo Show Dei Record in Milan, Italy. And if that wasn’t surprising enough, Manjit Singh from the UK managed to lift 16.2 kilograms (about 36 pounds) using just his eye socket. Singh also holds the record for the most weight lifted using both eye sockets, a staggering 24 kilograms (approximately 53 pounds).
5. The longest time spent in full-body contact with ice.
Polar bear plunge fans have nothing on Valerjan Romanovski from Poland, who set the world record in 2022 for the longest full-body immersion in ice. He endured a mind-boggling three hours and 28 seconds completely submerged. When asked about his preparation, Romanovski shared with Guinness World Records: "I trained in ice, in icy water, and in freezing air. In my house, I bathe in cold water. During training, I spent up to 90 minutes in the ice. I also incorporated sessions in a Normobaric chamber into my routine. Before the record attempt, I even slept in that chamber."
6. The quickest time to burst three balloons with your back.
This record demands remarkable flexibility. But seriously, how do you even discover this is a hidden skill of yours? In June 2020, Vaishnavi S from India, a lifelong yoga enthusiast, set the record by bursting three balloons using only her back in a swift 6.84 seconds.
7. The most watermelons sliced on a stomach in one minute.
Think you have an iron stomach? India's Suresh P can outdo you. He endured 64 watermelons chopped open on his stomach in just one minute—and lived to talk about it. Prabhakar Reddy P. Suresh, a black belt holder, spent nearly a year training before using Suresh P's stomach as a chopping block in 2020.
8. The most T-shirts removed while heading a soccer ball.
Yes, by football, they mean soccer. Apparently, this is where some players channel their soccer talents when they can’t go pro. Who would have guessed? The record is 22 shirts, and it’s held by Marcelo Ribeiro da Silva from Mexico.
If soccer skills aren't your thing, or you'd prefer putting shirts on rather than taking them off, you could try for the record for most T-shirts worn at once. Currently, the record is 260, which might be tough to beat.
9. The most steps walked by a dog while balancing a glass of water.
Don’t worry, pet owners—your four-legged friends can break records too. Sweet Pea, an Australian Shepherd/Border Collie, left other dogs in the dust by walking a record 10 steps while balancing a 5-ounce glass of water—backwards. Not to be outdone, Sweet Pea did the same thing going forwards as well.
10. The loudest purr ever recorded by a domestic cat.
For all the cat lovers out there feeling left out, don’t worry. Your furry friends can break records too—provided they’re not shy about expressing their love for you in the most audible way.
The current record for the loudest purr by a domestic cat is held by Merlin, a black-and-white rescue cat who managed to reach an impressive 67.8 decibels. You can watch this video of Merlin in action, especially if you're curious to see how your own kitty stacks up.
11. The longest distance pulled by a horse or vehicle while on fire.
This might just be the most bizarre record of them all. Neither part of this record—being dragged by a horse or being set on fire—seems particularly appealing. Yet, in 2017, stuntman Josef Tödtling from Austria entered the Guinness World Records after being dragged 1640.42 feet by a horse while on fire. His fiery feat also led to another record: the farthest distance (1909.45 feet) pulled by a vehicle with him engulfed in flames.
This article was first published in 2013 and has been refreshed for 2022.
