This past weekend, I ran the SuperHero Half Marathon in Morristown, NJ. I learned about it last year and registered as a last minute impulse when my plans for another half got changed. Fortunately, it worked out well, since the half I planned (Rutgers Unite) ended up shortening the course due to torrential rains during the week prior to just a 9 mile course.
When I ran last year's event, I thought costumes we're optional. I was surprised to see so many others dressed up in everything from superhero tees to fully-decked out costumes, capes and shields!
So this year, I've learned my lesson and tried to plan ahead.
While my costume was nothing fabulous (Green Lantern shirt and mask) - it was still a far better attempt than last year's 11th hour fiasco of a costume!
Guinness World Records has yet to confirm the attendance of 1,647 runners as Superheroes, beating the previous record set in LA for the promotion of the movie Megamind where 1,580 people dressed up.
See the article on NJ.com from Eugene Paik, below:
MORRISTOWN — It was super human accomplishment — gathering the most people dressed as superheroes in one place. But it appears that runners in today's event in Morris County may have succeeded.
The third-annual Superhero Half Marathon and Relay today drew 1,647 runners who arrived in superhero garb, potentially rewriting the books of Guinness World Records, race director Chris Russo said this afternoon.
According to Guinness World Records, the current record is 1,580 people, which was set in Los Angeles two years ago for a promotional event tied to the blockbuster film Megamind.
Today’s apparent record can’t be official yet because Guinness was not around for the count, but Russo said the record-keeping institution will be informed soon. Attorneys and videographers were on hand to witness the attempt at the record, he said.
Roughly 2,000 people took part in the half marathon, which began in 2010 as a superhero-themed fundraiser for the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation. Christopher Reeve, known for his cinematic turn as Superman, was an advocate for spinal injury research following a crippling horse-riding accident. He died in 2004, nearly 10 years after his injury.
The half marathon now sends proceeds to the American Cancer Society and Meals on Wheels, and some of the money will be used for a college scholarship.
Participants today took off from Ginty Field in Morris Township and ran 13.1 miles through Morris Township, Harding and Chatham, Russo said. Some wore their costumes as they ran, he said.
Costumed runners included Batman, the Hulk, Ghostbusters, Superman, Wonder Woman, Spiderman and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Russo said.
Will the record stand? Russo said he has no doubts it will. And he’s not concerned if a new record ultimately eclipses today’s mark.
“If someone takes it away from us, we’re going to take it back,” Russo said.
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