Two brothers-in-law from the UK have managed to break their own Guinness World Record in pulling a vehicle for the longest distance. John Darwen and James Baker set a record for the longest distance pulled by a man in 24 hours at 51.499 km (32 miles). They accomplished this feat in Elvington from August 25-26, 2022, and the vans they used weighed 1.5 tonnes each. This is not the first time the duo have claimed record-breaking fame. John and James first set this record in October 2021 when they dragged a vehicle 35.701 kilometres (22.183 miles). However, they wanted to extend the distance to at least 10 more miles than they accomplished in the previous record.
As per their account with the GWR, the reason for this extraordinary effort lies in personal relationships. John, 33, is an occupational therapist with the NHS and was diagnosed with leukaemia when he was a teenager. James, 38, is a pastor at Kings Church Blackpool and has always been John’s pillar. They both undertook the challenge for the purpose of fundraising for Redeeming Our Communities as well as the Cancer Research UK.
James, who is married to John’s sister Samantha, described the unique bond that fueled their journey. He told GWR, “What made our record different, and the heart behind it, it wasn’t about being the best, it was about being the best together. Showing a sense of brotherhood and solidarity over self.”
The brothers-in-law donate money to charity every year, but this time they set themselves a difficult task. Accompanying them was their friend Daniel Callaghan who shared a somewhat similar story. Callaghan, as per GWR, has lost his sister to cancer. He, however, had to withdraw from the competition at the 14-mile mark due to injury.
Some of the effects of running included getting blisters, chafing and even losing toenails, but John and James never relented from their dream of achieving the goal. During the final two miles, John nearly reached his saturation point emotionally. In conversation with GWR, he recounted, “I remember just sitting down on the grass with my head in my hands, quite emotional. And I remember my dad coming up to me and saying that he was so proud of what I’d achieved. But I just knew in my heart that I had more in me.”
James, who is also the owner of a gardening company, dropped out at the 32-mile mark to come and support John. Crossing the finish line together was the victory and success of their family. For the targeted charities, they committed to fundraise £2,500, thus inspiring many. “It’s not just being the best,” James said adding, “It’s about forming that brotherhood and united front together.”
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