The Virgin Active World’s Shortest Fun Run World Record Attempt held today (Monday May 6th) around the UK’s smallest park – Princes Park in Burntwood, attracted close to 400 people to take part and complete the 55 strides around the circumference in times as quickly as 7 seconds and as slow as 56 seconds, all in aid of The We Love Lichfield Fund.
The one-off event created a lot of interest from a wide audience of people as Kevin Wilson of organisers KP Events explains:
“This idea came out of a notion that where could we stage a fun run that everyone, irrespective age, ability or standard, could take part in; and the idea to run it around the UK’s smallest park was born. We have engaged with our new friends in Portland Oregon, home of the World’s smallest park, Mill Ends Park in Portland, which we call a flowerpot but they insist, as Guinness World Records recognise it – as a park, therefore it is a park. The transatlantic banter has been hugely entertaining.
We now have the job of convincing Guinness World Records that we have set a new record and 400 people, from age 3 months to 93, from pushchair bound to wheelchair bound, from doctor to teacher to secretary to waiter to long distance lorry driver to nanny to pet poodle – have had a bunch of fun setting it!
The weather was perfect, Christ Church next door to the Park threw open its doors to provide refreshments for the crowd and spectators clapped, chanted, whooped and sang to create a fantastic atmosphere, even encouraging 3 tortoises from a house opposite the park to have their own mini fun run!!
News from Guinness will come in a few weeks; they may or may not recognise the World’s shortest fun run at Princes Park, but much fun was had in the attempt and a good amount of money raised for a good cause.
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