Woman who ran barefoot over 100 metres of Lego says it felt like a bad massage
New Zealand Guinness record-seeker says any parent who steps on a Lego brick is 'a world champion'
Sprinting barefoot across 100 metres of Lego bricks feels kind of like getting the world's worst foot massage, says Gabrielle Wall.
On Jan. 16, the New Zealand woman dashed across a Christchurch running track covered in the jagged and colourful toys in 24.75 seconds.
"It was like you had someone with sort of textured gardening gloves or something like that giving you a really deep foot massage," Wall told As It Happens host Nil Köksal.
For her pain, she earned herself a place in the Guinness World Records, pending certification; the pride and incredulity of her children; and a pair of terribly tattered tootsies.
"They're looking a lot prettier than they were. Though, I have to say, that's not saying much," Wall said a few days after the record-setting sprint. "They were not looking nice at all."
But it wasn't the sprint itself that caused the blisters and calluses.
"Most of the damage was done during the training," she said. "There was only one decent cut from the actual run itself. I must have [hit] a sharp edge."
So how did she prepare her feet for her feat?
"I've been barefoot since around November last year," she said. "Pretty much everywhere, unless it was a very important work meeting. But I did the Christmas party season barefoot. I did my brother's wedding barefoot."
But to truly prepare for stepping on Lego bricks, you have to step on some Lego bricks.
"I also had a blow-up kids' pool in my garage that was filled with training Lego. So I would go in there and I would stomp around on that," Wall said.
"I liked to kind of close my eyes and pretend I was stomping on grapes to make wine."
But why, though?
Anyone who's ever stepped on a Lego piece by accident may find themselves wondering why someone would do it on purpose.
A few years back, Wall says she had a cancer scare. While it turned out to be a false alarm, it made her reflect on her life.
"[I] re-evaluated my bucket list, and decided that something that would be really fun to do as a project with my kids would be to set a Guinness world record," she said.
"But when the guidelines came through, you weren't actually allowed to attempt this under the age of 18. So it fell on me, the responsibility."
Her kids, aged 11 and 13, were equal parts impressed and flummoxed by their mother's odd antics, she said. But they were integral members of her team, nonetheless.
"My son was my coach. My daughter was my manager," she said. "And my son tells me that when he turns 18 in five years, he's going to be coming for my record."
Currently, there are no Guinness record holders for fastest barefoot sprint across 100 metres of Lego bricks. Once certified, Wall's record will be the first in that category.
The record for farthest distance walking barefoot on Lego bricks belongs to Salacnib (Sonny) Molina of Woodstock, Ill., who trekked upon 8.89 kilometres of bricks in 2021.
Molina, however, may soon be unseated by a Canadian. Shannon Birkmann of Cochrane, Alta., managed 14 kilometres in Calgary this summer, reports local news site Cochrane Now.
Pro-tip: Avoid palm tree pieces
Wall completed her record run with the help of Imagination Station, a New Zealand charity that uses Lego to offer creative and educational opportunities for kids.
"They brought an entire van full of Lego and we just dumped it at intervals and then used a leaf blower to get it all in position," she said.
The key to success, she says, is to stick with regular, rectangular bricks.
"We probably spent an hour going over [the pieces and] removing any really sharp bits. So there were a couple of palm tree leaves that found their way in, and those really hurt," she said.
"Palm trees — relaxing to lie under, not relaxing to step on."
Still, Wall says there's no such thing as a foot-friendly Lego piece, as many people with children at home well know.
"Every parent who steps on one is a world champion," Wall said.
Interview produced by Leila Ahouman
