Running News Daily

David Rush has turned one of the world’s most unusual running challenges into another Guinness World Record, completing a full marathon in Boise, Idaho, while wearing an astonishing 125 T-shirts.

Rush achieved the feat at the YMCA Famous Idaho Potato Marathon on May 16, 2026, finishing the 26.2-mile race in 5:54:50. Guinness World Records officially recognized the performance as the new record for the most T-shirts worn during a marathon, surpassing the previous mark of 100 shirts.

What appeared to be a bizarre running challenge quickly became a serious test of endurance and heat management. As the race progressed, the enormous number of layers trapped heat around Rush's body while restricting his movement. His arms became increasingly difficult to move, forcing his support team to help him with hydration, nutrition and cooling throughout the race.

The weight of the clothing also increased dramatically during the marathon. By the finish, the 125 T-shirts had absorbed enough sweat to weigh 43.4 pounds (19.7 kilograms). Rush also suffered severe chafing, painful blisters and swollen hands as the layers continued pressing against his body for hours.

The most alarming moment came when Rush began overheating after his supply of ice ran out. His support crew became concerned that the situation could deteriorate to the point where he would require medical attention. One of his support runners, Patrick, reportedly rushed into a nearby golf-course pro shop to obtain emergency ice.

Rush later said the additional ice was crucial in preventing what could have become a hospital visit. His team repeatedly used ice and cool water to help bring his body temperature down as he continued toward the finish.

Despite the physical toll, Rush refused to abandon the attempt. He eventually crossed the finish line in 5:54:50, leaving only five minutes and 10 seconds before the marathon's six-hour cutoff.

The achievement was the latest in a remarkable collection of Guinness World Records for Rush, who has built a reputation for pursuing highly unusual endurance and skill challenges. He had already set the men's record for the most T-shirts worn during a half marathon, completing the 2025 Famous Idaho Potato Half Marathon in 137 T-shirts.

This time, however, the challenge demanded far more than simply putting on layer after layer. It required Rush to endure nearly six hours of increasing heat, restricted movement, additional weight and severe physical discomfort while maintaining enough momentum to beat the clock.

In the end, the strange sight of a marathon runner buried beneath 125 T-shirts became a record-breaking achievement — but one that pushed the limits of endurance to an extraordinary degree.

David Rush is now officially the first man to complete a marathon wearing 125 T-shirts, securing a Guinness World Record in one of the most unconventional marathon challenges ever attempted.

On Feb. 5, Edmonton’s David Eliuk broke the Guinness World Record for most T-shirts worn while running a half-marathon. Racing the Hypothermic Half Marathon in Edmonton, Eliuk donned a whopping 120 t-shirts, breaking the previous record of 111,  and crossed the finish line in two hours and 45 minutes. This record is odd, but it’s far from the only unorthodox running record we’ve seen over the years. There are so many strange feats out there; here are the top five weird–but real–running records. 

Anything joggling 

Joggling (juggling while jogging) is surprisingly popular in the running community, and there are world records from the 100m up. Unlike some Guinness World Record running feats, joggling results tend to be extremely quick, with the record breakers running times that many non-juggling runners wouldn’t even be able to hit. Take P.E.I.’s Michael Bergeron, a runner who owns joggling world records in the 5K (16:50), 10K (34:47) and half-marathon (1:17:09)–or Port Hope, Ont.’s Michal Kapral, who still holds the joggling world record in the marathon (2:50:12), which he set at the Toronto Waterfront Marathon in 2007. 

American David Rush is another joggling world record holder, although he added yet another twist to the feat (as if running while juggling wasn’t already tough enough). In 2021, Rush broke the world record for the fastest 100m while juggling blindfolded, covering the distance in 16.29 seconds. 

10K carrying 100 lbs

American Erin Grindstaff owns what sounds like an extremely arduous record: fastest 10K while carrying 100 lbs. Grindstaff ran Las Vegas 10K with a backpack weighing 100 lbs, and she crossed the finish line in 1:26:49. If this sounds more like a military training method than a running event, it’s because that’s how Grindstaff got the idea. As she told the Guinness World Records team, she is an American Air Force veteran, and she had plenty of experience “rucking,” which is walking, hiking or running with a weighted backpack.

“I wanted to set this Guinness World Records title to show normal, everyday people that you do not have to be an elite or full-time athlete to do something physically extraordinary,” Grindstaff said. “With hard work, a solid plan, and true unwavering commitment, anything is possible.”

Backwards mile

In 2020, a Kansas man named Aaron Yoder took to the quiet country roads of his hometown and ran a 5:30 mile… while running backwards. That’s right, Yoder ran a backwards mile faster than most people can run going straight ahead. That works out to an average pace of 3:25 per kilometre, and it beat the previous world record of 5:54, which not-so-coincidentally also belongs to Yoder. 

Golf running

In 2021, Swiss athlete Jürg Randegger played a ridiculous 252 holes of golf in 12 hours, breaking the world record for the most holes in a 12-hour period. He covered 93K in this mind-boggling world record, carrying just a 7-iron for the entire day. He took a total of 1,348 strokes and managed to hit five birdies (one under par). Not bad for a sport in which calmness, patience and taking one’s time are of the utmost importance. 

On May 14, an Idaho man broke one of the oddest Guinness World Records out there by running a half-marathon while wearing more T-shirts than anyone else ever has. David Rush, who has broken more than 200 Guinness World Records so far, wore 111 T-shirts at YMCA Famous Idaho Potato Half Marathon, completing it in 2:47:55, 12 minutes under the three-hour time limit set by Guinness World Records.

The T-shirt half marathon record has now been transferred from one David to another David, to another David, as the previous record of 90 shirts was held by Edmonton’s David Eliuk, at the Hypothermic Half Marathon in February. Before that, the record of 82 was set by British runner David Smith in November 2021.

If your name is David, this unique Guinness world record could be your calling.

Rush makes a hobby of chasing Guinness World Records to promote STEM education. “We need more boys and girls to grow up with a passion for science, technology, engineering, and math.” Rush says.

“We have a shortage of trained engineers, programmers and scientists to fill the jobs of today and tomorrow.”Rush also holds the Guinness World Record for fastest man to run 100m while juggling blindfolded (16.29 seconds) and fastest mile while juggling blindfolded (7:54).According to local news, it took Rush and his support team 25 minutes to dress him, and he struggled with the 40 pounds of extra weight he had to carry around.

Although the cool race conditions helped him, his arms and hands ballooned and went numb due to the lack of blood circulation from the 111 T-shirts.

Five hours, 21 minutes, and 23 seconds. 117 laps around a track. Zero balls dropped.

David Rush is no stranger to Guinness World Records. He’s been going after them for years as a way to boost his efforts promoting STEM education in schools—he thought kids would be inspired if they saw a world-record holder.

Rush, a longtime juggler, holds records in things like fruit sliced in the air by juggled knives and the most Oreo cookies stacked in 30 seconds. However, joggling—running while juggling—was always at the forefront of his mind after going to school with longtime joggling record-holder Zach Warren.

'The main purpose of these records is to show kids that if you believe in yourself, you can accomplish anything,' Rush told Runner’s World. 'Even though some records still stand, you shouldn’t give up if you miss it. You can become anything you want.'

He started running around 2005, when he got competitive with his brother, who was doing a Thanksgiving half marathon that year. Since 2014 though, he really picked up his running efforts, especially when he started to get into joggling more.

Knowing he didn’t necessarily have the speed to capture various speed records, he decided to focus on the joggling distance record—which meant he had to run 15.5 miles while juggling without dropping a single ball.

Most joggling records—which are generally the fastest time covering a certain distance—are fairly lenient when it comes to drops. As long as a joggler returns to spot of a drop before continuing, the record is valid. But the distance record is different. If there’s a drop, the attempt is over, whether that’s one mile in or 20 miles in.

Another tricky element of this attempt is that a runner cannot accept outside assistance, including being given food or drink, during the attempt. And when your hands are occupied with juggling, nutrition becomes tricky.

'I figured I could go 20 miles without food or water,' Rush said. 'My goal, though, was a marathon if I could do it, so I had to think of a way to get something without breaking the rules.'

With this in mind, Rush opted to wear a Camelbak for the duration of the run, and he tied the tube to his face so he could drink the mix of Gatorade G2 and water he had without using his hands. That meant the straw was in his mouth for the entire run.

Rush’s record attempt, on October 10, went off smoothly. With a camera filming the action and two friends watching as witnesses, he made his way around and around the Centennial High School track in Boise, Idaho.

The juggling didn’t slow down Rush; instead, the bouncing of the Camelbak forced him to shorten his stride and average a 11:19 mile. Still, he cruised through the distance record in 2 hours and 32 minutes, and he just kept going from there.

After over five hours and more than 100 laps, Rush started to wear down. He passed the marathon distance, but a few miles later, a ball finally hit the track, ending his attempt.

Not only did Rush complete his first ultramarathon, but he also crushed the world record by running 29 miles in 5 hours, 21 minutes, and 23 seconds.

'This is one I would consider doing again,' Rush said. 'I was thrilled with 29 miles, but now I’m wondering, How much farther could I go?'

Rush ended up with only one wound from the race. As he ran, the Camelback straw repeatedly bumped into his mouth, causing a blister to form in his mouth that bled a bit during his run.

Despite the usual soreness from running such a distance followed, Rush has since attempted two more world records—the number of times spitting a ping pong ball at a wall and catching it in his mouth, and fastest blindfolded juggling. He also has plans for more joggling attempts, potentially before the end of the year.