Matthew Seidel of Oakland, Calif., has a one-of-a-kind accomplishment so as to add to his rising listing of working achievements—the Guinness World Report for the quickest marathon in a fruit costume (pending ratification). Seidel, 27, completed the Boston Marathon on Monday morning in a shiny yellow banana costume, in a speedy time of two:35:38. “It’s my first Boston and I couldn’t consider a greater solution to do it,” he instructed Canadian Operating after the race.
The earlier report for the quickest marathon dressed as a fruit was held by American runner Jordan Maddocks, who ran the 2020 Rock n’ Roll Arizona Marathon in 2:41:27. (In 2022, Maddocks additionally earned the title for world’s quickest marathon dressed as a vegetable, when he ran 2:44:12 as a carrot, additionally within the Rock n’ Roll Arizona Marathon.)
Seidel stated that whereas he had run within the banana go well with earlier than, he had by no means run the total marathon distance. “I simply actually get pleasure from dressing up, I believe,” he stated. “Operating is clearly one in every of my favorite issues, however I believe in the event you take it too severely, it’s not enjoyable.”
Seidel, who ran monitor and cross nation for Seattle College (and who is not any relation to marathoner Molly Seidel), is now a longtime extremely and path runner who completed nineteenth at Black Canyon Ultras 100K race in Mayer, Ariz. in mid-February. He has a marathon PB of two:21, and Boston was his fourth marathon (however his first as a banana).
Seidel’s fruit-flavoured costume was successful with spectators all through the race, and he stated the encouragement from the sidelines was an enormous enhance on a heat day. Whereas he began feeling the warmth by mile 5, “the feelings come and go,” Seidel stated. “Fortunately it’s a reasonably skinny go well with, however positively a variety of sweat.”
“Consultant for all of the bananas in every single place,” Seidel (who doesn’t get pleasure from consuming bananas) joked post-race. “Had a blast, glad to be right here.”
