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Iconic vegan distance runner – and sanctuary owner – Fiona Oakes has scored another Guinness World Record – taking her total tally up to four.
The newest record is for ‘Fastest Half Marathon Runner In An Animal Costume (female)’. Oakes completed the run in June, but only received confirmation of the record from Guinness this week.
She picked Tromso Half Marathon in Norway as it complied with Guinness restrictions on verifying distance, proof, photographs and documentation, and chose to run dressed in a cow costume.
A tricky performance
Oakes told Great Vegan Athletes (GVA) that achieving the record was not smooth, with cancelled flights, delays and airport fires all playing their part in disrupting her plans. Eventually she took her place at the starting line at 10.30pm.
The costume made things harder too. “The cow suit acted like a kite and some points and I feared being whisked off into the Arctic Ocean and ending up as polar bear breakfast!” Oakes told GVA from Tromso airport. “Holding my ears and horns on was another challenge as was the weight of a wet, soggy, freezing cold cow suit clinging to you!”
The record stood at 1:46, which an accomplished runner could normally do easily under good conditions – but these conditions were more challenging. Despite this, the athlete finished in one hour 32 minutes, taking 14 minutes off the old record.
Thanks
Sharing her news, Oakes said that Guinness had got in touch, and approved the record. She added her thanks to the people who helped with witness statements and photographic evidence.
She finished by dedicating the honor, saying: “Vegan Power – for the animals, the people and the planet xxx.”
Oakes is a powerful and supportive ally for women, as well as animals. Speaking about her records on International Women’s Day this year she said: “My world records mean everything to me, not only from a personal athletic perspective but because they motivate and inspire other women to have the confidence and belief to follow suit. To show them they are strong able and brave enough to achieve anything and that nothing is impossible if they embrace their dreams they can and will become realities.”
Fiona Oakes has also broken records relating to running marathons on each continent and even the North Pole. She has the course record for the North and South pole marathons. This is on top of running a large vegan animal sanctuary. You canfind out more here
