Calgary

Calgary runner sets Guinness World Records on treadmill

This weekend, the local ultramarathoner jogged 260.4 km in 24 hours — setting two new Guinness World Records and raising more than $75,000 for families affected by mitochondrial disease.

Ultramarathoner Dave Proctor completed 260.4 km in 24 hours

That magical moment when you finished a 24-hour world record run. Ultramarathoner Dave Proctor on Saturday celebrates inside the Big Four Building at the Calgary Marathon Expo. (Neil Zeller Photography)

Can you imagine running from the Calgary Airport to the Edmonton Airport?

Well, Dave Proctor just jogged that exact distance — 260.4 kilometres — over 24 hours, on a treadmill.  And he only took six bathroom breaks.

"Even to me at this point, that sounds a little bit unreal. But, I was there every step and it hurt pretty bad," the "exhausted" ultramarathoner told the Calgary Eyeopener on Monday.

"It's kind of like getting over jetlag but a really, really bad jetlag."

Calgary ultramarathoner, Dave Proctor, ran 139.2 km in 12 hours and 260.4 km in 24 hours on a treadmill, breaking previous Guinness World Records. However, his results remain unofficial until confirmed by officials. (Neil Zeller Photography)

Proctor ran from Friday at 4 p.m. to Saturday at 4 p.m. at the Calgary Marathon Expo in the Big Four Building, unofficially setting two Guinness World Records for running the most distance on a treadmill in 12 and 24 hours.

And he wasn't alone.

Altogether, Calgary runners set six world treadmill running records this weekend  — raising more than $75,000 for MitoCanada, which supports families impacted by mitochondrial disease. 

"Really it's a disease that has no cure," said Proctor. "We thought, 'let's go big.' You know the only way to really create a lot of attention is to create a circus."

Calgary runners set a total of 6 Guinness World Records for treadmill running in the Big Four Building at Stampede Park this weekend. (Neil Zeller Photography)

The MitoCanada event produced the following records, which remain unofficial until confirmed by officials at Guinness World Records:

  • Dave Proctor (Calgary): 12 hours – 139.2 kilometres
  • Dave Proctor (Calgary): 24 hours – 260.4 kilometres
  • Arielle Fitzgerald (Calgary): Fastest 50 kilometres – 3:51.25
  • Arielle Fitzgerald (Calgary): Fastest 100 kilometres – 8:30.34
  • Women's team of 12 (Calgary): 24 hours — 344.45 kilometres
  • Men's team of 12 (Calgary): 24 hours – 394.76 kilometres
  • Bernadette Benson (Australia): 12 hours – 128.62 kilometres

With files from the Calgary Eyeopener