Hooping.org

Sasha Kenney of Hoola Nation has broken the Guiness World Record for hula hooping while running, doing so in the midst of the London Marathon hula hooping while running for the full 26 miles. The 34-year-old set a new record with a time of five hours and five minutes. She wasn’t the only hooper in the race either. She was one 120 hoopers to do the 26 miles, one of 12 to finish in under the record six hours. “It was amazing, the atmosphere was fantastic. I’m really sore and walking around is not the easiest thing, but it was well worth it. It puts twice the pressure on your body and mind to keep the hoop going while you run. I went through some really hard times yesterday, but my family were there to support me and the crowds just keep you going.” Her husband Phil was there with daughters Kiara, six, and Lana, four, as well as her parents Boris and Stanka Slivnik. It’s the second year that she has hula hooped the marathon, but with the world record to break, this time it was serious. “There were adjudicators and cameras all along the course, and five pages of rules you had to stick to,” she said. But it meant Guinness knew if she had beaten the record or not the second she crossed the finish line. “They were waiting with certificates,” she said and she’s on the list. “My eyes are flooded with tears when I read the wonderful messages on my sponsor page, like: ‘You ran past me yesterday when i was injured and I thought ‘if she can do it with a hula hoop, I can finish this!’. I feel so privileged to be able to inspire. I just wanted to prove you can do anything if you put your mind to it.” Sasha was running for the NSPCC children’s charity to stop child abuse. “I haven’t checked the total yet, but I already have £1,500. I’m aiming for £2,000 and hoping more donations will be coming in. I’m surprised how many people have followed this and would like to thank everyone for their support.” If you’d like to donate to the cause you can do so here and if you’re in the UK you can watch the BBC interview.